Unfortunately, for this great camping adventure I have no pictures, accept the ones in my head. I usually use my phone to take pics, but I just turned it off and left it in the tent, because it is also a phone, and who wants that while you are camping.
Getting there was a breeze and at the last minute I decided to bring our dog Daisy. She lost ten years at the park, it was cool to see her running with a gleam in her eye, she got to smell so many great things and it was nice to have her.
Texas weather is great, all week sunny and nice, we go camping and it's cold and cloudy. But, nothing could dampen our spirits, accept perhaps the deluge we narrowly avoided while leaving. The night before we were to leave we discovered that rain was on the way, the lightning and thunder kind of gave it away. So we packed our stuff up and got ready to bolt if we felt any rain drops. Just as soon as we finished and sat down by the fire again (it was close to 10 pm) the first drop hit. So we dashed around getting the boys in the van and the tent torn down and then after a prayer said our goodbyes and left for home. We got home close to 11:30 pm and felt very happy to be warm and out of the rain.
Tyler is where I first really fell in love with Diane, so it seemed like the best place to propose. It was good to go back to the exact site where that wonderful "yes" was spoken and remember that sweet and exciting time. I used to camp at Tyler as a child with my grandparents, those may be my best memories of them. The delicious sausage cooking over the fire, the fun in the canoe, and swinging off the rope swing (which is no longer there). It was great getting to experience this with my own boys. They loved it and took it all in differently.
Creed wanted to fish and fish and then fish. No one caught anything but it was great getting to show him how to cast and reel. It's really weird how we didn't catch anything with three noisy boys throwing everything they can into the lake :).
Asher is my nature boy. He collected stuff from nature, then threw it in the lake, but he did keep a pretty interesting stick that he calls a 'praying mantis' stick. It is very dangly, and now has tape on it to help keep the legs? on, I don't know but he is very cute!
Liam could sit by a lake and throw rocks, dirt, anything, into it from dusk til dawn. He didn't move unless we told him we were moving on. It was truly amazing!
My best memory was walking around the lake with the boys. Two miles, and they all made it, although the running turned to walking and then, well, a slow mosey (we are in Texas after all).
Then after everyone was gone and the stuff put away and naps were taken it was CAKE TIME! Yeah we got the monkey an ice cream cake and it was amazing! Creed you are amazing and I love you so much and I'm so proud of you! You are truly a wonderful little boy who is becoming more like God every day. I love your honesty, your joy, and your desire for justice! You remind me of my favorite person so much (your Mother) and I'm so thankful that you share so much in common with her! I'm praying for you and your amazing year being a seven year old.
Thanks to all of you for your support, love, prayers, and friendship. I am so thankful for you and I know that a big part of why I have such amazing kids is because they have people like you praying for them! Thanks for being a part of my ministry! I couldn't do what I do without you and it means so much to have you with me. This week I got to meet a wonderful new family and welcome their amazing son into the MK youth group. Tomorrow we have a service day with the kids, we are doing a car wash and then some odds and ends in peoples yards.
Praises!
My back is so much better, I have been able to start working out again and doing yard work. I'm not in pain nearly as much and I don't have to see the chiropractor hardly at all!
For you!
Prayers!
For Mark as he finished up the year, I'm not sure that I see him sleep ever, that can't be good.
For Diane as she finished out the pregnancy, wow she is amazing, but in pain and I think ready to have this darling baby girl out rather than in.
I'm starting to plan my next teaching series and I would love prayers anointing that journey.
I saw this movie yesterday called "God's not Dead" and I think that I will leave this blog with a quote from the Newsboys song,
"My God's not dead, He's surely alive, He's living on the inside roaring like a lion!"
Amen, hope you embrace that today :)
Caleb Robbins
If you want to support what I do a little or a lot, on a one time basis (for a mission trip) or on a recurring basis, click on the tab "Supporting the Work" at the top of the page and search for Caleb and Diane Robbins. Diane is my beautiful wife and the mother of my precious children Creed 7, Asher 4, Liam 2, Echo already in heaven and Bella coming soon via a midwife near you :).
