Monday: Campsites & Costly Perfume: A Cool Travel Mom Journey of Devotion

CoolTravelMom

April 14, 2025

•6 min read

Inspired by John 12:3 – “Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil, anointed the feet of Jesus, and dried them with her hair…”

Trusting the One with Authority

There’s something about being at a campsite—just before sunrise. The world is quiet. The trees sway gently. The air smells like smoke, dew, and adventure.

As I spritz on a bit of perfume each morning, it reminds me of more than just scent. It’s a quiet, personal ritual—but it brings to mind a powerful image: Mary, kneeling before Jesus, pouring out costly oil (perfume)… and wiping His feet with her hair.

That kind of love? It’s unforgettable. It’s unshakable. It’s the kind of love that fills the room with fragrance long after the act is done.

And out here, raising my boys while journeying through life, family, and faith—I want to live that kind of love, too.

Embrace Love That Costs Something

Love that costs nothing… changes nothing.

Mary didn’t hold back. She didn’t save the perfume for a better time. She poured it all out.

On our Cool Travel Mom adventures, I think about the ways we pour ourselves out—day by day:

• Panning meals and snacks that fit inside one cooler

• Teaching patience when tents take longer to set up

• Letting go of the schedule when the kids want to explore just a little longer

• Saying yes to muddy shoes and extra stories by the fire

These aren’t flashy moments. But neither was Mary’s.

And yet, they carry weight. Because love is a sacrifice, and it’s sacred.

Appreciate Moments That Smell Like Grace

On one of our recent camping trips, I watched my sons quietly help each other zip up their sleeping bags.

No one asked them to.

No applause followed.

They just did it.

And at that moment, I thought—this is holy ground.

When Mary anointed Jesus, she wasn’t performing for anyone. She was honoring the One she loved. She was recognizing His authority. His presence. His purpose.

Every time we slow down enough to truly see one another—our spouse, our children, even the stranger at the next campsite—we get to do the same.

We live in a world that forgets to pause. But when we choose to appreciate even the smallest moments, we fill the air with the kind of love that lingers.

Empower Others Through Reverence

Judas didn’t understand. He questioned Mary’s choice.

“Why not sell the oil and give to the poor?”

But Jesus? He honored her.

“Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial.”

Mary’s act wasn’t wasteful—it was worship.

It wasn’t about the oil—it was about the relationship.

We empower others when we lead from reverence. When we show our kids that loving Jesus isn’t just about checking boxes—it's about pouring out our best for Him.

Whether it’s helping clean the dishes after a long day of hiking, or sitting with someone who needs encouragement around the firepit—we can show our sons how to walk in that same humility and strength.

A Campsite Story: A Kingdom Perspective

There’s a story I would love to tell around the campfire…

And I can’t wait to share it on one of our next camping trip with family.

A King and Queen invited everyone to a royal banquet. The guests dressed in their finest and clutched their invitations tight. But when they arrived, the guards didn’t check the invitations—they checked their hands.

The guest of honor?

The one whose hands were worn from working in love and loyalty to the King and Queen.

That person wasn’t the flashiest.

But they were the most faithful.

It reminds us: what matters most isn’t status, but servant-hearted love.

Just like Mary.

Just like Jesus.

And just like what we’re trying to live, day by day, campsite by campsite.