The highlight of my summer
It was the week before a competitive camping trip, and it seemed like everything was going wrong. The packing was going poorly. The organization of preparing for each category we’d be judged on wasn’t what it should’ve been. And the overall stress for me as a captain just seemed like too much to handle.
This camping trip at the summer camp for Christian Scientists where I was last summer should have been a highlight for me. Instead, I just felt overwhelmed.
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So when we had a metaphysical meeting—a time to pray and share helpful and inspiring spiritual ideas—I was on a mission to find anything to help me think differently about this trip. While I didn’t know if any of the outward circumstances of our preparation would change, I did know that my own change in thought that could come out of this meeting would make a difference.
The theme of our meeting was “Grace to go forward,” which is a line from Hymn 278 in the Christian Science Hymnal. The full verse says,
Truthful and steadfast though trials betide thee,
Ever one thing do thou ask of thy Lord,
Grace to go forward, wherever He guide thee,
Gladly obeying the call of His word.
(P.M.)
The line “Gladly obeying the call of His word” struck a chord with me—specifically, the word gladly. I realized that the whole week, I had been focused on all the parts of my preparation for the trip that were going wrong, and I’d had a very pessimistic view of things. This was stopping me from being the best captain I could be—not to mention making it impossible for me to enjoy myself—so I realized that that needed to change.
The rest of that line—“obeying the call of His word”—made me realize I wasn’t doing the planning, or this trip, alone. I’ve learned in Christian Science Sunday School that God is ever present, which means God is always there to help me with whatever I need, including whatever problems might come up on the trip. I knew I could gladly rely on God and listen for His Word—His guidance—on how to approach each aspect of the trip. This made me feel less stressed as a captain and I no longer felt overwhelmed.
These ideas completely turned things around for me, and the entire trip was harmonious and fun. In fact, it was the highlight of my summer.
