It was the last hour of the last day before Christmas vacation, and I was the last kid standing. It was my turn to tell all my first grade buddies what was coming my way on Christmas day. I felt ready for this now, even though I had some hard acts to follow. Apparently Santa was going to spend a big chunk of his time Christmas morning delivering goods to my little town, mostly to my three best friends. Richard would be rocketing past his pals on a sleek new racing sled in a few …

My friend Brian and I have been talking a lot lately about backpacking. Most of that conversation takes place, though, inside our cushy campsites at East Fork State Park. It’s fun to reminisce about former trips, and even make some vague plans for new ones, especially while sitting in our cozy camper chairs, sipping a Keurig-brewed coffee and munching a plate full of assorted fire-grilled meat products. But who really wants to hoist their entire camp onto their backs, hike for who knows how many miles and mountains, and then set it up every night, …

I’m up early and feelin’ good. So good that I’ve decided to go for a two-mile run. What inspires this plodding hiker to speed up his pace today? There’s just something magic about the trails in the woods of Highland Hills Park. My wife and I discovered these trails a couple weeks ago, hiding right under our noses at the end of our street. We’ve already walked the trails four or five times since. On a solo trek last week, I surprised myself—and my doctors—when I broke into a jog. It’s not that I am …

Dad never pressured me, but I know he hoped his son, like him, would become an ordained minister. But it wasn’t meant to be. I did, however, volunteer with Campers for Christ in 1980. Dad’s dream wasn’t totally fulfilled, but he was a man who’d learned to be happy with whatever he got. Campers for Christ still holds church services at two local state parks. When my turn comes up, I lead the singing (iffy, I admit) and do a devotional. It’s been a great experience. Campers are kind folks who always tell me they …