Being Wise and Encouraging

Last week, I took a hiatus from blogging and focused on my kids and their favorite activity.  We went to band camp.  It was a long, crazy, fun week.  There is the fun and energy that only teenagers can bring.  We had a birthday party, a game night, and a night of telling all about the band and it's tradition.  I'm still recovering, but I am back at work.   Some interesting things come out of getting a group like this together.  You have those who are just not sure of all the hard work and want to just sit on the sidelines and watch.  There are those who are there for the love of playing their instrument (and are really good at it).  Then there are those who love what it represents.  The spirit of the band, if you will.  They are the ones who make camp fun for everyone.  These members are the encouragers.

An example of this was my son.  The second night, the boys in Timm's cabin accidently broke a window.  I had already left for the night, but Timm called me.  He talked to me about what had happened, and that none of the boys wanted to fess up to the truth.  I talked to him and gave him the advice of telling before they found out about it.  He made the decision that even though he had nothing to do with it, he was going to go and talk to the director and other adults.  He looked at the other boys in his cabin, and as he put his shoes on, he declared that he was going to go and explain what happened.  With that one decision, all eight or ten boys put their shoes on and walked over to where the faculty were staying and support Timm.  If it wasn't for Timm, who knows how that mess would have turned out.  I am proud of him for that.  Of course, later in the night, I asked him how things went.  He said, "The guys think I am a saint!"  Now that is funny stuff!

Sometimes you just need to talk out a situation and accept that responsibility.  God wants us to get advice from our elders and leaders.  He wants there to be that accountability.  He wants that leadership from us to.  We know what to do.  We know right from wrong.  Sometimes we just need to clear our head of the muddy stuff and listen to wiser people.

Psalm 141:8
⁸ For my eyes are toward You, O GOD, the Lord;
In You I take refuge; do not leave me defenseless.