Bishop's Castle

On our way home from our 2-day camping trip, we stopped for an hour or so at Bishop's Castle.

Here Sam has climbed to one of the high points.

And the girls are climbing the stairs.

A castle can be a refuge--or just a scary high place.

Sam and Carrie went everywhere there was to go, and Jonathan took Danny and Hannah almost everywhere there was to go.

I preferred to stay on the ground. 

I had been in this castle several years back, maybe ten years ago, and didn't see the need in climbing the heights again. 

I didn't feel like I had anything to prove. 

I thought these chipmunks had the right idea--scampering around with their feet firmly on the ground.

 Chipmunks don't need to prove anything like we people seem to need to. 

I've had to realize that there have been areas in my life where I felt the need to prove something--

a need which has been stripped away from me lately

inside the school of hard knocks. 

You don't have to climb to the highest pinnacle, or down to the lowest mine to prove that you aren't afraid.

You don't have to go across bridges that have next to nothing under them

just to prove that you can connect with people who don't want to connect with you. 

You don't have to climb into scary places and wave at the people down below 

just to prove you are somehow braver and better or wiser or stronger or smarter than they are.

You don't have to climb up into scary heights just to prove that you care about the world around you.

And you don't have to climb down the wire bridge till you are looking down at the fire-breathing

dragon to prove that you can get that close to him without getting zapped.

 You don't have to climb into scary places and do things you don't feel comfortable doing

just to please people. 

Not even if everybody is doing it.

Because if you aren't doing it, not everybody is doing it. 

It's okay to do something different. 

It's okay to enjoy the chipmunks down on the solid ground and make supper for your family in the motor home and be glad when everyone makes it back safe and sound.

We don't have to prove anything.

And we don't have to please everybody. 

 We just have to be ourselves, and please God.

And let others make fun if they must, and scorn if they want to. 

God is a castle for us, but He is a refuge and not a frightening experience.