Here it goes again

You know how I told you that I was coming to camp because last summer was so wonderful?

What I did was set myself up for failure. How can I rightfully assume that this summer will mirror that of last summer? That the people and the conversations will be the same?

I know better than that.

Though this is only the end of the first week at camp, I have learned quickly that this summer will be much different than last. Certainly not in a bad way, but different nonetheless. 

Why does that constitute me saying that I have set myself up for failure?

Because I had expectations. Expectations that were and are not fair to have.

What do expectations do? They ultimately disappoint us. Whether it is an expectation I have for the people around me or even for myself- it fails. I fail.

I have been working (and playing) alongside some of the most wonderful people I could ever hope to know this week, and they differ vastly from those that I was with last summer.

Thank God for differences. For quirks. For experiences. For love.

These folks have it all.

And I must share a brief story from this week with you. 


This is our training week, a time that is set aside to prepare new counselors for what is to come while also gives us the opportunity to serve the camp together and grow closer as a unit before there are kiddos running about.

Each day, we have a work project that we complete as a group. Our task one day this week was a strange one. We were to pick up a building (granted, it was about a 6ft by 8ft shack, but still very heavy, as you can imagine) that had been separated from its concrete floor, put it on a trailer, and move it across camp. (Side note: it is to be the new archery shed for all of the equipment-and I'm stoked about it. OH, and if I haven't mentioned, I'm the archery instructor). 

ANYWAY.

We looked at our director in disbelief. This seemed dangerous and a little sketchy.

So naturally, we went along with it.

This building had boards nailed to it that extended beyond the edges of the walls so that more people could stand around it and help hoist it onto the trailer. It required the strength of 26 college students working together to move it. And if the back end stopped carrying the weight, it would have caused the structure to slide backwards and crush them, likely hurting everyone standing around would have collapsed along with it. 

I'll go ahead and tell you the final scene: we were successful in moving it to the trailer, and the trailer pulled it all the way to the archery range without a hitch, but it did take quite a bit of time and effort to get it there.

The symbolism in this project is overwhelming, isn't it? We have been empowered to move mountains (and buildings), and I couldn't imagine a better group to do it with.

This summer will be one for the books. I feel it in my phalanges.

Below is the opening verse to Cloverton's track "God Help Me to Be." It is a beautiful song that is about surrender and can be applied to many different facets of our lives. Give it a listen, if you feel so inclined.

God, help me to be

Closer to You Lord, so I am farther from me

And may Your Kingdom be

the only one that I see, oh God

The reason I shared this verse is because this is my prayer at the moment. My mind has been filled with so many expectations, so many thoughts and hopes that can not possibly be fulfilled by man alone. I'm ready to turn it all over, and take in only things intended by God. I shared my recent issues with a close friend, and he responded with this verse:

"Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and pick up their cross daily and follow me" Luke 9:23

I think that we, as the body of Christ, should look to this verse every day. When you're living your life fully for God, thought it will not be easy, it is peaceful. 

Peaceful in that you can rest in the knowledge that your joy and success comes from the Lord.

Admitting this to myself (and to you) has put my active mind at rest, and made my mood a cheery one. This is exactly the kind of lesson I needed to learn the week before our campers join us at our slice of heaven.

If you're the praying type, please keep the kids that will be making their way to camp in your thoughts and prayers. Pray that their hearts and minds are willing to listen when the Lord is trying to reach them, and that we as counselors and staff do the same.

See you folks in a week! 

Things I love about today:

1. Bedtime 

2. New friends