Packing, Pentecost, and Underdone Essays
Notes from the 24 hours before Car Camping
Hello!
Imagine me waving from beneath a pile of sleeping pads, tent bags, and various other polyester items that tie at the top. We go car camping once a year, if we’re lucky, and this year, we’re doing our absolute best to make it car “glamping.” With a (new-to-us) external bag for the top vehicle and a trailer hitch luggage holder (actually new), the question is more like, “What shouldn’t we bring?” I feel like one of those fancy people who checks a bag at the airport.
All that to say, if you have a prayer to spare for a family of seven on a two-night (maybe one-night, remains to be seen!) camping trip, I’d take it gladly.
I have two printed essays sitting on the counter, neither of which are quite ready for exposure to the outside world, one (tongue-in-cheek) on seating assignments for Sunday mass and another on my latest housekeeping brainwave. Preview for the housekeeping one: yesterday, a friend helped me excavate the “craft area” of our basement, which has been littered with the remains of eight different craft kits… since March. I did not ration my daughter’s birthday gifts and received comeuppance in the form of thousands of beads on the floor. If you want thoughts about housekeeping from someone who is decidedly learning as she goes, you’ve come to the right place.
Click below for the summary of last year’s trip to the Sand Dunes, which includes a few pictures that were taken on the same iPhone 10 I’ll be toting with me this year.
On the Calendar: Pentecost
🔥You are exactly where you are meant to be, and you are already doing more than you think. 🔥
I’m going to level with you, I have no idea which Gospel reading we will be hearing when we (attempt) to go to a nearby 4 pm mass this evening—Pentecost is one of those feasts that’s celebrated in multiple forms (vigil, extended vigil, Sunday… the link above goes to the USCCB website, which will give you much more information). I’m going to choose this piece here to highlight, from the 🦅Gospel of John 14:15-16:
Jesus said to his disciples:
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
And I will ask the Father,
and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always.
I like how these verses show that when the Trinity acts—Jesus asks, the Father gives, the Spirit remains—it’s unified and collaborative and seamless. We’re all invited to be a part of it. May we dare to believe it.
Upcoming: the feast of St. Barnabas, the encourager, on June 11; the feast of the saint we in this household ask for intercession more often than any other, St. Anthony, on June 13. He’s the patron saint of lost objects, and we give him quite a bit of business.
Last week’s poll results: the lion’s share of “favorite rosary mysteries” votes went to Joyful (50%), which was followed by Glorious (29%), then Luminous (13%), and, finally, Sorrowful (8%).
This week:
My books: Eucharistic Saints, A Saint A Day
Not affiliate links or Amazon links. By all means, buy the books on Amazon, I just figure you know how to get there on your own. Sometimes TAN and Thomas Nelson run deals, though!
+ Saint Sessions for YDisciple (co-written with Tanner Kalina)
We partnered with January Jane for the inspiration for the content!