Father-Son Retreat 2008

Josiah at the "Caber Toss"

On Friday, September 26, Dad, Tim, Ethan, Matthew, and I piled into Dad's new car, and drove to the Brown's farm. We were going to Hope Baptist's Father-Son Retreat. When we arrived, Tim and I went to get the tent that our friends the Breagys were letting us borrow. Tim chose a spot for it and we set it up together. When we finished, the speaking started. First, Mr. Brown, spoke about the Power of Unified Fathers and Sons. Then there was an interview with Mr. Bradrick on Honor and Exasperation. Finally, Mr. Breagy taught on the life of Daniel. After Mr. Breagy, we had "s’mores" and talked. I made plans to go fishing in the morning with my friends, the Lundquist boys (Dad approved). Finally, we went to bed. However, we went to bed at the wrong time. I was not asleep when it started to rain. It pelted on the top of our tent, and leaked onto me. Also, a moth took refuge in our tent, probably attracted by the glow stick that dad set up in it. It decided that my back was a good place to land. Finally, I fell asleep, only to wake up at 2:15. I got back to sleep, and woke up again at 5:30 I decided I could not get back to sleep, and so I waited until 6am for the Lundquists. Finally we got up and went fishing. I did not catch anything. At seven o'clock, we went to breakfast, and I ate a lot by the fire. Then Mr. Bradrick came to speak again on a Young Mans Roadmap to Victory. He exhorted fathers to train their sons to fight their battles for God. Next, Mr. Brown spoke on how boys should treat girls in the church. In conclusion, Mr. Dohm came up and spoke on Pure Men in an Age of Impurity. After Lunch, we boys talked with Dad. Games were next on the schedule, lead by Mr. Sterling. First we did a tug-o-war, followed up by our team (the Red Team) taking a break, which was just as well. Next, we did the caber toss, where you need to take a log, support it onto your shoulder, run forward, and flip the log as far as you can. Then, we had the stone putt, where you just throw a ten pound rock as far as you can. I got 16 feet, which is small compared to everybody else (Tim got 26 I think, my friend Juan got 30). Finally, we had the canoe race, in which our team beat everyone else. After the games, we had our dinner, and then the award ceremony. To close the weekend out, Mr. Horn spoke about leaving a legacy. He spoke on the spiritual and physical inheritances that we should pass down from generation to generation. A dessert of ice cream ended our trip. After all that, we went home to sleep in our own beds. All in all, it was a great Father-Son Retreat, and I had a wonderful time. My thanks to all who helped make it possible.

- Josiah, age 13

Little Matthew throwing the rock

Tug o' War