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.