Welcome to my eclectic journey of my life and delights. This year my theme is surrendering my writing pen to the true author, Jesus Christ, while looking forward to the future, reflecting on the past and dancing through my journey.




Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Adapting and Finding Woods

At our home with the acres of woods behind our house...he made a lean-to.

If anyone could have been born at the wrong time in history or environment, then it would be our fourth son.  He began his life surrounded by trees, with a backyard that called for Tom Sawyer adventures.  In fact, his favorite movie when he was two was Tom Sawyer. starring Johnny Whitaker. They both shared curly hair and our son's heart for outdoor adventure was ignited.

He was in heaven with his outdoor campground in our old backyard underneath the pecan trees.  We had owls, turkeys, raccoons and even visits from a bobcat.

So what does a young man do when his family has to move to a more enclosed environment...no trees, no creeks, no night visitors, no backyard camp grounds or outdoor fires?  When he had to leave part of his heart behind and adjust to a small fenced yard, what does he do?  Most would say he complained.  Not our son,,, I complained, our daughter complained....but our 12-year-old son NEVER COMPLAINED, he adapted.

One year he set up a make-believe campsite in the garage, inviting younger brother Benjamin to sleep with him on sleeping bags around a make-believe fire pit outlined in bricks.  He also learned to put on his hiking boots and go find the woods.  Woods that held pecan trees like home, woods with screeching owls which reminded him of his open windows at home....he went and found places where his heart called.


This past year, after our most recent move, he acquired a "longboard" (skateboard) that sailed him off down the paved streets to the lake and woods.  With other friends, they boated out to an island  for boyhood adventures.  Since that didn't totally fill his heart's longing for the outdoors, he turned to his fenced-in backyard to continue his outdoor living.

How blessed we have been that when we turned our son's life upside down, he reached inside of himself and found a solution. I am truly humbled by his response to life's curve balls.  As I took pictures of him laying in his hammock last night I also thanked my loving God, who loves my son so much, that He instilled within him the ability to adapt and see light at the end of the tunnel....by going to find woods to explore.

Now his city parents are taking him primitive camping this week...old, sore-muscles and all will enjoy the delight of our son.  I am sure God has more to teach me from this son....right now his adaptability and contentment speaks tons.

PS - this is our first son to attend public school of our six children,(I blogged on his entrance into a new form of schooling back in September) I can report he finished with flying colors...GPA was awesome (4.0!) and he plans to continue next year.

Happy 4th of July!! May America Bless God..it is time we remember the source of our strength.

30 Joining in with more words:

Debbie said...

Now how cute is he? I love this post Janette! How humbled I am sometimes to learn such lessons from my kids. Enjoy your camping trip! How exciting. Your boys will love it. Happy 4th! HUGS

Vee said...

What a sweet kid! Wish we could all be more like him in the not complaining department. I'm not sure about the adaptability part...some things are not meant to be adapted to. And you did not turn his world upside down by choice, did you? Life! It has a habit of doing that for us all on its own. Good lesssons to learn here...all good. Enjoy that wilderness experience now!

Pom Pom said...

Oh my goodness! I'd love to have HIM for a student! I love that kind of kid! What a good seeker he is! I bet he loves the campy smell and will maybe grow up to be a wilderness guide. One of our friends travels all over the world teaching people how to wilderness camp.
One of the things I love about my sixth grade boy students is their Lego obsession AND their participation in Boy Scouts.
What a star! I applaud him!

Unknown said...

What an incredible young man you've raised! You should be very proud of him :-)

Christine said...

I admire his spirit.
Oh, we all could learn from him.
Adjustments are sometimes hard. Your "Tom Sawyer" was given the blessing of trust and faith.

Debbie Petras said...

If only we would all learn to adapt like your son has done. I admire that trait! And good for you to weather a camping trip. It really is so awesome to be out in the woods and see the wonder of God's creation up front and personal. Have fun Janette!

Blessings and love,
Debbie

Sue said...

"His adaptability and contentment speaks tons." not only to his parents but to me as well! and I am sure to many who read this. This is such an uplifting and beautiful post, Janette. Enjoy this special weekend with your family. I will be thinking of you.
Love,
Sue

Anonymous said...

Hiya Janette!

What a boy's boy you have there! I'm checking myself for ticks and spiders just looking at him in that lean-to! So glad he prefers such things, though. He's better for it and when the power is out - like in our part of the country just now after the derecho early Saturday morning - you don't melt. So much destruction here in less than 30 minutes! But, the Lord preserved us from great harm - our power was back within hours. We've been a half-way house for friends and relatives waiting days now for power. Some may go into the weekend without it still - and the property damage is immense!

Glad you liked tea with Betsy - but really, comparing me to David Barton? Quite a compliment, I daresay!

Joy!
Kathy

Unknown said...

How proud you and your hubby must be...I take my hat off to that good looking boy of yours for his ability to adjust with ease!! blessings my friend

Thoughts for the day said...

What a very creative young man, not letting his circumstance stop him from enjoying what he loves.

camp and cottage living said...

Janette
You have good reason to be proud of your son!
Often the Lord uses children to teach us to be more trusting and
find contentment with the simpler things in life.
It's goiong to be interesting to see what he does with his life!

Anonymous said...

Wow. I am proud of him too! What a wonderful, and godly perspective!

GLENDA CHILDERS said...

Maybe your son could give lessons to all of us.

Maryann said...

We could all learn a lot from your son, finding contentment in all circumstances, sounds like he found "fun" in whatever situation he found himself in.
Have fun camping, used to be a 4th July tradition for us, miss those days

Shelley said...

love that he can find contentment in his surroundings ... enjoy your camping trip together ... I'd be lost without my hairdryer lol

Cecilia Marie Pulliam said...

Now, that is a lesson in coping and making the best of the not so best. Attitude, makes all the difference. You are right to be proud of such a young man.

And Happy 4th to you too!

Marsha Young said...

Janette,
you must be so proud of him, and rightly so!

GratefulPrayerThankfulHeart said...

Awesome young man. His love of outdoors just caused a thought to come to my mind. Many kids from our area attended Wisconsin Wilderness Campus (link: http://pbu.edu/academics/oneyear/wwc/index.cfm) Your son is a little young but sounds like the kind of kid that would be interested. Just passing along a thought.

Hope you all enjoy your 4th of July today :)

Farm Girl said...

What a great kid!!! I love how he can adapt. I love that you are such a Mom, I bet you are so happy that he has done so well in school this year.
You know what? Our life was just the reverse. We lived in town and my kids had to adapt to city life and we didn't get here until my two oldest were almost grown.
We did lots of camping then though. I think God allows what He allows and we can do with it what we will. :)

Lynn said...

What a sweet post. It sounds like you have raised an awesome young man.

Kathleen said...

His resiliency is a testament to the parents that fostered it! I think, far too often, we underestimate the courage & tenacity of our youth. He is proof-positive that no matter how many lemons life hands you, you can always make lemonade!

Debbie said...

I love this post, and it kind of piggy backs one that I read on "Bits and Pieces". Sonya talked about moving the mountains in front of us, and you give us this wonderful example of a kid who straightens his shoulders and adapts to whatever surroundings, a kid who puts on his hiking boots and finds the woods. I just love that.

Somebody did an awesome job of raising that fellow. I think he on the road to being a might man. (Just the kind I'm praying up for my daughters. Too bad he's too young and too far away...)

And Wooohoooooo on the academic accomplishment! He must have an awesome foundation. Ahem.

Debbie said...

Oh, and I have two girls who loved that Tom Sawyer movie too. They also loved the Davy Crockett one. We aren't just princesses around here, ya know. We like our adventures too.

Vickie said...

I have one of those boys, too, Janette - my middle son. He was my camper, my hunter, my fisher, my outdoor guy. He's a boy after my own heart! I know you're proud of the young man he's becoming!

podso said...

Your son is also creative. I just love this post. You express it all so well, with a mother's heart thrown into your writing. Kids do adapt and that is a wonderful trait when they are especially good at it, as your son is!

Anonymous said...

that is so awesome about your son - I too wish I could be more this way - when we were living in Mexico I just could not adjust fast enough - missed my kids grand kids etc.. but boy did I learn a huge amount about me.. life experiences gotta love them!
hugs.. for a camping trip filled with tons of laughs..

Leslie @ Farm Fresh Fun said...

EVERYTHING you create is beautiful! What a boy, what a family!!! Congratulations to you and him on an awesome year! Loved your wreath n canning fun too! Sadly I'm checking in from the library as our Mac is still not playing nice w/our aircard... Oh well, at least my visit here lifted and inspired. THANK YOU!
xoxo
Leslie

Cindy said...

I loved this. Glad you survived the camping! I'm definitely more of a Holiday Inn girl.

Susan Nowell @ My Place to Yours said...

Back home and stopping by for a visit... How I LOVE this boy's response to Life's curve balls! That attitude will take him far -- and save him a lot of heartache. What a blessing!

Leslie @ Farm Fresh Fun said...

Just returned to this post w/my son on my lap and read to him... Thanks to you and your wonderful son for being such awesome role models! God bless!
xoxo
Leslie

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