Wednesday, November 13, 2013

What's on my Mind: Camp Out and Life

Sometimes, I have a really hard time thinking of or finding something I want to blog about. The only thing I can think of right now is preparing for the camp out I'm going on this weekend. I'm one of the 11-Year-Old's Scout Leaders in our ward, and this weekend, we're going on a camp out in a former 11-Year-Old's Scout Leader's backyard. Since is the first camp out one of our boys has ever been on, the first camp out I've been on in years, and the first camp out I've ever been a leader for, I'm trying to be extra-careful to make sure it goes smoothly. All of the food assignments have been made and everyone knows what they're bringing, but just to make sure of that, we're having something of a "dress rehearsal" for our meeting tonight. Everyone is going to bring the non-perishable goods that we'll need for the camp out. Hopefully, this will help us to know that we'll have everything that we'll need for the camp out.

I'm a little worried. I want the camp out to be a success, but I keep getting the feeling that I'm forgetting something, and that something important is going to go horribly wrong. Maybe that's just anxiety, or maybe God's trying to tell me that I haven't thought of everything. Being an 11-Year-Old's Scout Leader is my calling, so it's my duty to do a good job. As with so many other things, I'm worried that I'll fail.

But worrying isn't going to help anything. However, on the opposite side of the spectrum, morale will. I can make this a good camp out simply by making the others think it's a good camp out. Camping is an experience. Whether it's a good experience or a bad experience is a matter of perspective, and perspective can be influenced by choice. While a certain amount of preparation is important, attitude is the real key. If I maintain a good attitude, and help the others to do the same, it'll be a good experience.

Perhaps life is mostly the same way. It take some preparation to make a life successful, and the more/better preparation you have, the better your life may turn out, but attitude is the real key to telling whether you'll be satisfied with your life or not. Life is an experience. Whether it's a good experience or a bad experience is a matter of perspective, and perspective (and life) can be greatly influenced by choice. I wonder how I felt in the spirit world, preparing for this life. Was I nervous then, too? Now, I believe that with a little bit of patience and faith, everything will work out eventually, especially if you try to keep up a positive attitude. Did I feel that way then?

I don't know, and I guess it doesn't really matter. The past is behind us. We can learn from it if we remember it, but the task at hand is to prepare for the future. The camp out will be successful. I'll make sure of it.

1 comment:

motherof8 said...

You are so right about attitude. I know that I have heard of many Scouting / campout experiences that did not go entirely as hoped, but because of preparation and good attitudes were enjoyed and appreciated -at least in the retelling! I think you are right to say the same thing applies in this life. If we do our best, trust God, and look for the blessings we will be happy.