Well, huh. I guess I am.

Last weekend I was at a baby shower and everyone was discussing their Thanksgiving plans. I had just gotten back to my seat after getting some cake, and someone turned to me and said, "So, you're going camping for Thanksgiving?" I replied, "Yes!" enthusiastically, but inside my head I thought, "Well... it's not really camping. I mean, we're going in an RV." A nicely appointed one, at that! Sitting outside by a beautiful campfire drinking pumpkin spice coffee and looking at the fall leaves. Napping when I feel like it. Loving on my family. Not camping!

In my mind, going camping meant roughing it. Outdoors. In the elements. Sleeping on the ground. I never grew up camping. The roughest we had it on vacations were some beautiful, rustic cabins by a stream in Colorado where we would go in the summers. Other than that it was always nice hotels. I only went to church camp a couple of times and I really didn't like it. I'm just not a "camper." Or at least, I've never considered myself one. But, now that I think of it, RV-ing is camping! I was wondering to myself last night after we got home (and I was taking only my third hot shower of the week) why I hadn't thought of myself as a "camper." The thought flashed through my mind, "Cyndi, you've been asking God to change you for years now. He's doing it!"

I read an Evelyn Christenson book a few years ago called Lord, Change Me! and one of the things I have asked God to change about me in recent years is to make me less... high maintenance. More content. Easier to please. I realized last night that the old me would've definitely considered spending a week in an RV camping. Perhaps even roughing it! And I probably would've shuddered at the thought of serving Thanksgiving dinner out of plastic containers and ziploc bags, and eating it outside! Looking at the whole scenario with my new eyes, I can't imagine a better way to spend a holiday. It was a beautiful setting, the 3 people and dog that I love most in this world slept just a few feet away, we laughed and joked, ate great food and thoroughly enjoyed one another. Did I appreciate the microwave and the bathroom in the RV? Absolutely! Would I have spent the week in a tent? Quite possibly.


So... apparently I am a camper. And a happy one!