Sister Patti Tippetts
Primary Music Leader
Hubby and I like to go camping. We go once in awhile nowadays, but we used to go often when we had children overflowing from our home. We sometimes use a tent; we sometimes use a camper; we sometimes sleep out under the stars; and we sometimes set up our teepee. All of these different kinds of camping provide different kinds of experiences. But they all have at least one thing in common—we must bring some kind of light with us. Once we get out in the hills and the sun goes down, we have very few resources for light. IF we have a campfire, there is a little light right around the fire…as long as you stay close, you can see. Sometimes the moon and stars are an adequate source of light—unless the clouds roll in. Neither of these light sources should be what you count on. In order to be prepared, you need to bring several lights with you.
Not long after Lee and I were married, we decided to brave our first family camping trip. We went to a small local campground with ample space to set up our teepee. I always love camping in the teepee. It looks so elegant and stately. Best of all, at night you can have a campfire right inside! And once the night wraps a scarf of darkness around it, the teepee literally glows warm and inviting, with the stars blinking and twinkling far away, behind and above it. But when you are inside the teepee at night, you can peek up through the smoke hole and see the same stars that people have been peeking at for thousands of years. When the teepee has a toasty fire crackling and glowing inside, it is so easy to find at night. However, when that fire goes out, it’s just as dark as the rest of the night.
I found this out the hard way, as usual, one dark night as I left the teepee very late and made my way down the road to the campground restrooms. I took a flashlight; I was a least that smart. When I headed back toward camp, I clicked my flashlight on, pointed it at the narrow road and started walking up, up, up the rocky, dusty path. I don’t know why uphill is so much farther than downhill, but I was thinking how particularly true it was this night as I just kept trudging up and up. Maybe I was sleepy (I was), and maybe I wasn’t paying attention (again), and maybe it was just really dark. But eventually I decided something was amiss. I stopped abruptly and looked up. Squinting into the blackness beyond the small point of light from my flashlight, I could see that I was far beyond our campsite. With the glow of the teepee extinguished, I had not been able to see my goal, and I had missed. Also, I had been too focused on that point of light on the path, rather than occasionally shining my light toward my goal.
Since then, Bro T has decided it’s a good idea to have some nightlights just outside our teepee or tent, whatever is our current domicile. He tries to make it easy for me to see from a good distance. He wants to make sure I know the way back and can see my goal. And I am grateful he doesn’t want me to get lost!
We can be that little light in the lives of those around us who might be wandering the wrong way, or maybe even trying to go the right way but just don’t know how to get back to our Heavenly Father. Whenever we make good choices and set a good example, we are like lights that show others the right path to take. The more we make good choices, the more lights we set for others to follow. I know it is easier to follow a well-lit road than a dimly-lit path. So let’s all go out this week and shine many bright lights for all of our friends and family. With any luck, they will decide to be a light for their friends and family too. And before you know it, our whole “campground” will be lit up so bright that none of us will lose our way!
I’m looking forward to seeing many of you very soon! Please remember to wear your best smile! Sis. Tippetts Here are some songs to learn with your family!
More fun songs to share with your family:
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