en yan hua fang

Have you ever been camping?

In my youthful years, I went camping often, mainly for training purposes.  I didn’t really like camping itself, but I welcomed the survival tactics learned during those sessions.

Wild camping mirrors real life in the wilderness: from exposure to the sun’s heat to being blinded in the darkness, and from being attacked by thunderstorms to being bitten by poisonous insects or snakes.  In reality, humankind faces all sorts of challenges and dangers.  Training equips people with the knowledge and skills to handle difficult situations.

Years ago, I took part in an intensive seven‑day training camp.  The camp was not fixed to one site but moved through the woods, up and down the mountains.  Getting soaked with sweat or rain, bearing fatigue and a dirty body without a shower or clean clothes – this was an everyday experience throughout the entire training period.  Tough as it was, I survived and completed it successfully, while some other trainees failed – a failure that caused them a major setback in their careers.

I don’t go camping anymore, yet I still enjoy being close to nature.  The sound of tranquility echoes my inner self, the twinkling of the stars brightens my eyes, and the beauty of nature strengthens my awareness of the love God bestows on me.

Even if some people never go camping, I hope they don’t miss the joy of nature – for it tells us how great its Creator is.

May my poem instill in you an interest in camping or walking amidst nature, and listening to the sound of “love”:

“Love” ~ ✨

I see the sun smile down on me.

I hear the stars whisper tenderly.

I ask the sky, “Why treat me so?”

Then from the heavens, a voice speaks low –

One word it says: “I love you!”

…

Again I ask, “Why love me, then?”

And voice on voice replies, “For love, amen!”

…

I ponder deeply what this means,

And search among the world’s scenes.

The world asks “why?” in all it does –

The answer hidden in love it was.

“Love none but self,” their voices call.

…

But You gave Your life to save me from the fall,

Revealing love that covers every sin.

I sigh – how slow I was to let You in.

With one swift sweep, I shake off the dust,

Turn from the world – and run to You, my Trust.

✨✨💖 ~

Genesis 1:1

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”