Notes from a Muddy Field
I'm writing this from New Wine, which is a big, Christian gathering in Shepton Mallet, Somerset.
GiraffeBoy, SmallBoy and I have been coming to this with church friends since 2012 and we have always loved it.
There is great, age-appropriate children's work twice a day, fantastic worship and teaching for the adults from some of the most interesting Christian speakers around the world and, the biggest bonus, it involves camping for the whole week - one of mine and my boys' favourite things to do together.
M doesn't camp and doesn't much like the idea of the whole thing anyway, so it's something that is purely for me and my boys.
This year, we have shared camp with another friend's church, so we're making new friends and connections too.
The only fly in the ointment has been the truly spectacular British summer weather. We're used to needing waterproofs and wellies, as well as suncream at New Wine but this year has taken the biscuit.
Don't get me wrong, GB, SB and I like all-weather camping as much as the next oddball Brits on holiday, but this week has seen torrential rain at least once a day (and ALL DAY some days), high winds, thunder, lightning and just a little bit of sun here and there. The field we're in is muddy enough to keep 50 hotel spas in mud face packs for life and we're getting good at dodging puddles, bitter experience having shown us that they may be deeper than we first thought!
So far, so depressing, you might think. But in spite of the crazy Somerset climate, we are having the best time.
Here are some of the reasons why...
1. God isn't put off by the weather and is blessing so many of us (including me and, I think, the boys) with a sense of his love and presence.
2. We have a dry tent and, even more amazingly, I am sharing a friend's caravan so have had a comfy bed for the week. I may be spoilt for tent camping forever....
3. The teaching has been great as usual, and I'll be coming home with lots to process and, probably, lots of new books, to add to my growing reading list ahead of starting training next month.
4. We get to spend time with friends old and new who we wouldn't otherwise see so much. Evenings are the time for our camp to gather and share stories as well as unhealthy snacks, and laugh together.
5. The children have a freedom here that is almost impossible in busy Coventry. They whizz off on their bikes to groups, they can go and find a treat in the food court or the marketplace without needing to wait for an adult to come with them. This does have a downside, however. SB took himself off and bought a bobble hat from the Four Points stall which has kept GB giggling to himself ever since.
6. There are 14000 of us (yes, you read that right) all camping in the same conditions, all developing various degrees of scruffiness/trench foot over the week and all here because we share faith and belief and trust in the God who loves us and wants to draw us to himself and to each other. There's something special about that, that I want to bottle and keep with me for the other 51 weeks of the year, regardless of the weather!
GiraffeBoy, SmallBoy and I have been coming to this with church friends since 2012 and we have always loved it.
There is great, age-appropriate children's work twice a day, fantastic worship and teaching for the adults from some of the most interesting Christian speakers around the world and, the biggest bonus, it involves camping for the whole week - one of mine and my boys' favourite things to do together.
M doesn't camp and doesn't much like the idea of the whole thing anyway, so it's something that is purely for me and my boys.
This year, we have shared camp with another friend's church, so we're making new friends and connections too.
The only fly in the ointment has been the truly spectacular British summer weather. We're used to needing waterproofs and wellies, as well as suncream at New Wine but this year has taken the biscuit.
Don't get me wrong, GB, SB and I like all-weather camping as much as the next oddball Brits on holiday, but this week has seen torrential rain at least once a day (and ALL DAY some days), high winds, thunder, lightning and just a little bit of sun here and there. The field we're in is muddy enough to keep 50 hotel spas in mud face packs for life and we're getting good at dodging puddles, bitter experience having shown us that they may be deeper than we first thought!
So far, so depressing, you might think. But in spite of the crazy Somerset climate, we are having the best time.
Here are some of the reasons why...
1. God isn't put off by the weather and is blessing so many of us (including me and, I think, the boys) with a sense of his love and presence.
2. We have a dry tent and, even more amazingly, I am sharing a friend's caravan so have had a comfy bed for the week. I may be spoilt for tent camping forever....
3. The teaching has been great as usual, and I'll be coming home with lots to process and, probably, lots of new books, to add to my growing reading list ahead of starting training next month.
4. We get to spend time with friends old and new who we wouldn't otherwise see so much. Evenings are the time for our camp to gather and share stories as well as unhealthy snacks, and laugh together.
5. The children have a freedom here that is almost impossible in busy Coventry. They whizz off on their bikes to groups, they can go and find a treat in the food court or the marketplace without needing to wait for an adult to come with them. This does have a downside, however. SB took himself off and bought a bobble hat from the Four Points stall which has kept GB giggling to himself ever since.
 |
| SmallBoy in hat! |
6. There are 14000 of us (yes, you read that right) all camping in the same conditions, all developing various degrees of scruffiness/trench foot over the week and all here because we share faith and belief and trust in the God who loves us and wants to draw us to himself and to each other. There's something special about that, that I want to bottle and keep with me for the other 51 weeks of the year, regardless of the weather!
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| See- the sun does come out! |
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