Oh boy!  This afternoon Barabas leaves for a week at Camp Nawakwa!  He has all his things out here beside Uncle Floyd’s truck, ready to pack and go!

“I reckon you have everything here?” asked Uncle Floyd.

“Yep!” answered Barabas.  “I’ve got my toothbrush and my bag of clothes and my case with my flashlight and my . . . oh!  I forgot my pillow!”  And Barabas ran back in the house for his pillow.  “Now!  I’ve got everything on the list!” he said as he piled his pillow into the back of the truck. 

“I reckon you’ll want your sleeping bag, son.”  “Oh, how could I forget that!” said Barabas rushing off upstairs again.  When he came down he paused on his way to the truck to say goodbye to his dog.   “Goodbye Jeter!  I will miss you!”  Barabas whispered softly.

And then he threw his sleeping bag into the back of the truck.

Uncle Floyd looked at his son, his adopted son.  He is really going to miss Barabas this week.

“One last thing.” said Uncle Floyd as he held up his finger.  “I know you have love and joy and peace and kindness and generosity and faithfulness and gentleness, but do you have your patience and your self-control with you?”

Barabas looked at his uncle and said “What?” with a queer look on his face.

“I reckon you have packed many of the Fruits of the Spirit, but did you remember those two that are so hard for you?  Did you pack your patience and your self-control?”

Barabas looked exasperated and a little impatient. and without thinking he blurted out  “Come on Uncle Floyd.  Stop joking around.  We need to get over to the Mawakasunga’s and get Elizabeth yet.”

“Ahhhh . . .” said Uncle Floyd.  “I reckon you forgot both.  Please collect patience and self-control now.”

In today’s lessons we learn about the Fruit of The Spirit. 

LOVE     JOY     PEACE     PATIENCE     KINDNESS     GENEROSITY     FAITHFULNESS      GENTLENESS     SELF-CONTROL.

When each of us was a baby and we were baptized, just as Eugene was this morning, we received the gift of the Holy Spirit.  We also received the Fruits of The Spirit.  Now that we are growing up, we need to USE these gifts, this fruit.

For instance, if Barabas does indeed remember to take his sleeping bag to Camp Nawakwa, but forgets to open it up on his bunk bed and USE it, what good was it. 

So it goes for the Fruit of The Spirit.  If we have the fruit with us, but when we forget to USE it, then we have forgotten to do what Christ has asked of us.

So, Uncle Floyd has reminded Barabas to use ALL of the Fruit of The Spirit this week at camp, even the ones that are the hardest for him.  And so should we.    

THE END

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