"The Rain in Maine..."

Well, we have returned from Oceanwood Family Vacation Camp 2008, in lovely Oceanpark, Maine. In spite of the nearly constant rain, it was a very good vacation and a very good week with the Lord. It was also a very good week with our O'wood family.
On Saturday, as I was saying good-bye to one of our families, someone commented on the rain. (That was not really unusual since a day did not pass without rain... or without several commentaries on the rain.) Now, my reply even caught me by surprise... because it seemed like something maybe God might be saying. I said, "Yeah, it sure has been rainy... but I guess that God must know what He's doing. If it were up to me I would have made it sunny every day... and I probably would have spoiled the whole thing."
How true... how true. The theme for our morning study was (ironically), "Into the Desert". We looked at several biblical characters' desert journeys (Hagar, Moses/Israel, Elijah, John the Baptizer and, of primary consideration, Jesus). We also dug pretty deeply into our own past and on-going desert experiences. Even some of our new "campers" joined in and opened-up. There was a very real sense of love and compassion. There were listening hearts and encouraging words, both during "class time" and in the quieter moments around camp. We bonded together with the Holy Spirit's cords of love. It was amazing.
And, to no small degree, the rain contributed to this growing together. It kept us together... doing alot of on-camp kinds of activities. And, as we were just doing stuff together God did his "stuff". Though it was a rainy week... it was "desert-like" none-the-less (ie. the natural elements controlling and limiting our choices) and this wet desert was the context used by God to bless us.