This weekend we loaded everyone up and headed up to Holter Lake for a few nights and days of secluded family fun. No cable. No internet. But we made up for it with swimming, hiking and good old fashioned s'mores! There is nothing better than taking your family away from the things that easily distract and distort priorities. Well, secluded is probably the wrong word though. Because I distinctly remember Nate's caution to me: "we're going ALONE. I don't care if you ask your parents. But no one else. This is my one weekend off for just our family." So, I kept my word. And asked no one but mom and dad. But, word spreads like fire. And within ONE day mom had mentioned our plans to Annie...who excitedly joined the party. And on day two of our secret plans...my sister Jen texted me to tell me we should come to Holter because they were headed up. Yep. Secluded. But just perfectly secluded with the people I love most! We've all got our own campers so we each had our own space. We had a blast. Even Nate was happy everyone was there...There is a great beach area, where a little creek runs down from the mountains into the designated swim spot. Trees provide shelter for those wanting it...and are a constant reminder that some of us are dumber than we should be for staying out from their cover for way too long! We swam, ate, laughed and played. Other than the occassional cousin dunking another...there was complete happiness! The kids...big to little...were entertained entirely by each other. No friends to show off for. Just family.
So, on day two our family convinced the troops to head to a little cove we'd discovered on a hike we took during our last campout here. Trevor and Ethan(Jon's boys) and Kolbe, being the oldest three, decided they'd trek out before us. Its about a 15 minute walk from camp...so with this many kids it took more like 30 minutes! When Jen and I rounded the hill with a band of littles...we saw the boys on the other side of the cove. Its a giant 'U' shape, but the trail kind of dies off and you've gotta just rough it to get to the other side where a rope swing hangs out over the water. Only, something was definitely wrong. Kolbe was hysterical. The other two were almost at the point...but something had Kolbe held back up the trail. He said there was a rattle snake in the bush. Now, he's always been a little dramatic. And overly emotional. So, I tried to yell things to calm him. It didn't work. I finally convinced him he'd have to come back the way he'd come. So he started back up the hill and instantly froze...sure there was another snake in the bush. He was desperate! Everyone's hollaring at him to move. He's scared to death. And so am I. So...I quickly gathered the rest of my kids around and we offered a prayer asking for immediate assistance. Protection. Courage. I felt a calming presence, and yelled at Kolbe to scale down the front of the hill...which was not a nice hike. It took him a few minutes, but he eventually reached the water and swam to the point where the boys were. He surprised us and gathered his courage again to jump from the ledge several times. We who were watching began to think he'd just overreacted to some crickets or something. But when my dad got there, he traveled the same path the boys had taken...and we watched as he stopped, picked up a large rock and began throwing it down over and over. Jon had swam over to jump with the boys, climbed the peak and joined him. Within a few minutes, they held up a large 4 1/2 foot rattler. Immediately a feeling of grattitude rushed over me. Such a direct answer to our prayers! Kolbe was relieved that he had proof and didn't have to live down his hysteria with the boys...however he was sort of fried for the day. We had a little more fun in the cove and headed back. The rest of the weekend was fairly uneventful. But I wonder tonight if Kolbe knows that Heavenly Father protected him? That He answered an immediate request for help? I wonder if my other children recognize the same things? I hope they do. Because they need to know that in that moment of immedite need, our Father will be there. That He should be their first call. I am eternally grateful that I personally know the power of prayer!
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