Take the kids in your life star gazing, memories from Pine Ridge

Pine Ridge Camp, our tent site was right close to the cabins.
You would think we were in the wilderness.
A great place for star gazing

At this picture brings back some real cool memories. We are looking at a marsh area in back of the cabins where I used to take the little kids camping for an overnight experience in a tent. After a full day of camp experience the kids would come down for supper and sit around the fire. I would have baked beans on the fire and the kitchen would prepare the fixings that went with the meal. We would have the evening chapel and sing as the sunset. The kids would stargaze and hear campfire stories.

One week we had a bunch of singers from the children's bible hour with uncle Charlie. The singing was so good that week I would start the song and just listen to the kids sing. It was the best singing that I ever heard from children.

Another time there was a meteor shower rather close and you can hear the meteors going through the air.

This experience was designed for our youngest camp. There was some concern that kids wouldn’t like sleeping in tents. I told him that summer tenting for a night would be new to the campers and I would create an atmosphere of the cowboy on the trail. Kids would love it. The whole evening was rather simple, but the fire, smoke, singing, stories and devotions would create a great memory. 

Kids slept with their cabin and I'm pretty sure most of them slept as close to their counselor as they could. I told them I would keep the fire going for a while as they went to sleep. The tents were all at a safe distance, but I think they could see through the tent the soft glow of the fire with appropriate sound of crackling. Ken and I, maybe with the missionary speaker would be quietly talking around the fire that would eventually die down and we would douse it for the evening. 

When the sun was up I would have another fire going for cooking and a grill going for pancakes. I had a coffee pot brewing and breakfast would be ready when the kids got up. There was always some kid or teen that would make there way over while I was preparing things. I often would put them to work and we would talk together. Kids like that. If they were too young I let them sit back and watch. 

It was always the teen staff from the kitchen for maintenance that would help me. Different people around the camp did things to make it happen that nobody seen. I got the benefit of seeing the kids smile but there was always a lot of people behind the scenes that made it happen. Isn't that the way it always happens.

One more thing, I wish more people what find ways for kids to see the night sky. To view of the Milky Way, to point out the planets. To have kids identify for themselves Jupiter, Saturn, Mars and Venus is priceless. You have the kids identify a few basic cancellations like the small and big dipper, Orien’s belt. To see you satellite or today to the space station through a pair of binoculars. Kids need to see the stars with their own eyes. To help you find locations in the sky there are plenty of apps that can help you. 

I’m glad I helped a few hundred kids enjoy a night on the stars. Keep walking.