"The night is far gone, the day is near.  Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

Well, here are the Heffelfingers and the Kondes camping for Labor Day weekend.  Maybe you didn’t know their last names!  Sam Konde and his father, Mr.  And Barabas and Uncle Floyd Heffelfinger.

You know, when they all met each other a few years ago, they knew right away that they would be best friends.  It’s really special when whole families become best friends.  They become like COMMUNITIES! 

The Heffelfingers and Kondes go to the same church and the boys go to the same school. And they all love to camp together.  Before they eat their hotdogs and beans around the campfire they hold hands and say a dinner prayer.  And then afterwards, around the campfire, they all laugh when Uncle Floyd starts leaving stinkers. 

It was dark out and Sam and Barabas went into the tent to go to sleep while Mr. Konde and Uncle Floyd sat around the fire talking and talking.

Barabas could hear them talking about all the terrible news from New Orleans and Mississippi, about the hurricane that has caused so much devastation.  They talked about sending money to help all those people. 

And Barabas, inside the tent, fell asleep with Sam. 

Do you remember a few weeks ago when Uncle Floyd and Barabas were canoeing at night and a storm came up and Barabas fell into the deep water?  Neither of them was hurt, but Barabas, who was already afraid of the water, is now even more afraid of the water. 

And so it was that Barabas, thinking of the canoe accident and thinking of the awful flooding from the hurricane, had a terrible nightmare.  Suddenly, in his dream, Barabas was screaming for help!  Uncle Floyd jumped to his feet and ran for Barabas.  He knew exactly what was happening.  He knows how Barabas fears deep water and how the news about the floods from the hurricane has stirred up those fears even more.

Uncle Floyd wrapped his arms around Barabas and rocked him and comforted him, until Barabas stopped sobbing.  “I know it was just a dream.  I can’t even remember what it was,” said Barabas.

Mr. Konde and Sam also comforted Barabas, there in the dark, around the campfire.  What they gave to Barabas is LOVE.  The most important gift we can ever give is LOVE.

The LOVE that was shown to Barabas made all the scary darkness and deep waters go away.  It helped the nightmare end.  PUTTING ON THE ARMOR OF LIGHT MEANS SHOWING LOVE.

Jesus wants us to show love to our family and our friends.  When Jesus said “Love your neighbor,” he means for us to help them when the dark waters and the stormy nights come. 

Mr. Konde and Uncle Floyd know that the people affected by the hurricane are our neighbors.  And they will show love to them by sending money to help.  And they know how to show love to Barabas, when he has a nightmare.

And then, just as the fire was dying down and it was time for all of them to get into the tent, Uncle Floyd left a particularly loud stinker.

“I reckon that was a record-breaker!” said Uncle Floyd.  They all laughed and laughed as they climbed into their sleeping bags and said “Good night” to each other.  

THE END

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