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Think About It - Stories of love,
inspiration and truth
FAMILIES THAT PLAY TOGETHER STAY TOGETHER
Bev Scott
January, 2007OK, your first thought is that the title of this should read, “Families That Pray Together Stay Together”, yes, that’s what you are used to hearing, however, PLAY is a very important ingredient in family dynamics as well. This was brought to mind through a really neat experience of Bob and me this past month.
When our family was very young we started vacationing at Don Hoel’s Cabins in Oak Creek Canyon, Arizona. Back in those days the cabins were very rustic, built for hunters and fishermen, pretty basic but with indoor facilities and hot and cold running water, something I hadn’t experienced up to that time, Bob having a penchant for renting a small trailer and parking it in the middle of nowhere in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. There I was with three babies under pretty primitive conditions, bathing them in the tiny trailer kitchen sink, I won’t even mention the cooking conditions, drawing water from a not too nearby creek, three babies and two adults in a very small trailer.
So one day I decided it was time for me to have a vacation as well and “Don Hoel’s Cabins” was an answer to my prayer. I sent for their brochure and made reservations as soon as I finished reading it, the area was beautiful and offered so much for an entire family to enjoy. If you have ever been lucky enough to drive through Oak Creek Canyon you know how beautiful it is. Don Hoel’s was at that time a fisherman’s paradise and there were numerous things on the grounds and in the area for the children to do to keep busy and have fun. We have spent many summers there since our first visit back in the early sixties, sometimes just our family; sometimes with different branches of our extended family and a few years ago we held a family reunion there.
As the children grew, married and had their own families, the tradition continued and the number of cabins occupied by the Scott family increased. Mom and Dad, children and yes, grandchildren. It was so much fun.
Then, a few weeks ago we read in our local newspaper that Don Hoel’s Cabins was closing. Yup, we wept. Forty-five years of memories coming to a close. We called immediately and made reservations to stay one last time on the last night that they would be open for business, one last round of picture taking, one last fishing trip and one last fresh trout, eggs, and hash browns breakfast.
This is the beautiful ending of a very integral part of our family history.
I let our children know right away what was happening and Susan, our oldest daughter and the one from whom you just never knew what to expect (she gave me every gray hair in my head as she was growing up) and Nancy, our younger daughter started immediately to figure out how they could spend that last night at Don Hoel’s with us. The last night happen to be a Sunday so they had to take time off from work, they drove back to Arizona from California with us, we were returning home after spending Thanksgiving in California, and we all stayed one last time at Don Hoel’s, had one last fishing trip, one last fresh trout, eggs, and hash brown breakfast, champagne toasted Don Hoel’s one last time, took our girls to the depot that same morning where they took a bus to Phoenix and caught their flight back home to California.
Nothing was going to stand in their way of being with us, to take part in the closing of such a beautiful part of all of our lives, these were their words, “No way are we not going to be with Dad for one last fishing trip and one last trout breakfast at Don Hoel’s.”
So you see, you just never know what your children are storing up as wonderful memories of their childhood and beyond. Now, I’m not saying this is all there is to creating a loving and caring family, not by any stretch of the imagination. Prayer, boundaries for them to follow, unconditional love, understanding, freedom, and so much more are equally important ingredients, but throwing in some family fun along with all of that goes a long way.
I’ve told every mother I know for many years that raising children in a dedicated way is the toughest job there is and kudos from me to you for accepting that challenge. Oh, and by the way, after all is said and done, there is nothing as rewarding either.
Love to you all
Bev
This School Called Planet Earth
Commitment
The Saga of Billy
and The Hidden Button
God's Little Messenger
How Does God Speak To You
Families Who Play Together Stay Together
God's Perfect Timing and
"The Secret"