Once there, his dad, Nathan, walked and talked with him about how a real man rejects passivity and shared with him a lesson derived from James 4:17, which says that "Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is a sin."
After Nathan finished with his talk he rounded a corner and there stood his grandfather Greg Musgrove. Greg took Jenson from his dad and spoke with him about how a real man expects God's greater reward. This was taken from Proverbs 3:3-4 which says "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the table of your heart. The you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man."
Once Greg finished chatting with Jenson he instructed him to continue walking down the path he was on, where he eventually encountered me. Funny side story...
Smuckers HATES bugs, so while I was expecting him to come walking down a hill and around the bend, instead he come FLYING down the hill at full speed, because apparently he saw a moth!
Anyway, once he calmed down he and I took a stroll down to the rive at the base of the hill and I spoke with him about how a real man accepts responsibility, and at one point along the path I handed him a rock and I told him that it was a "responsibility rock" and that he wasn't to let it out of his sight.
As we continued to walk I shred with him a message about a couple responsibilities that God expects from us: That we have a will to listen and obey and a work to do.
A will to listen was taken from James 1:19 which says "Dear brother and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry."
A work to do is from Ecclesiastes 5:18 which reads "This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them - for this is the their lot."
Around this point we reached the river and from a nice overlook we stood and watched the water flowing by, then after a few minutes I told him to trow the responsibly rock as far out into the water as he could. He did, and then after a few more moments of silence I said "Ok, now go down there and wade into the river and find that rock." Of course, being a smart young man that he is he immediately know that there was no way that could work and he said as much. I acknowledged that he was right and then shared with him a few stories about men who had made very poor decisions that later they wished they could take back, but couldn't and how that was very much like trying to put tooth paste back into the tube or trying to find a small rock at the bottom of a flowing river. But a real man must own up to his responsibilities, and should take prayerful time to consider his actions because they can have lasting impact on his and other's lives.
With that I sent Smuckers away down the path that would eventually connect with his uncle Sam, who would talk with him about God would provide for him a love to cherish- "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good." Romans 12:9
After talking with Sam Smuckers was handed off to my son, his uncle Seth. Seth spoke with him about how God will give provision, as He said in Matthew 6: 31-32 "Therefore do not be anxious, saying "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all."
Seth also shared how God will give direction. In Romans 12 1-2 he states "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, be the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of Gd, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
After we finished our talks we headed to our camp site and began the process of setting up our tents and starting prepping for dinner. Following dinner all of the men took turns sharing with everyone else what they had told Smuckers, and shared the meaning behind the momentos that they gave him to remember their talk. Some had given their gifts along the trail, such as the knife and sheath you see him wearing in some of the photos from his grandpa Greg.
I gave him his dog tags and a couple books, including a devotional.
As things were winding down I shared with him that my dad, his great grandpa Markwood really wanted to be there, but do to Covid restrictions they felt it best to stay home in Denver, but he prepared two videos of the things he would have shared, had he been there. These are those videos:
In the morning we gorged ourselves on breakfast fools cooked on Nathan's new cooktop.
This weekend was such a wonderful event in all of our lives, and I sure it created some life-long memories for Smuckers.
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