#dreamcamp13
If I had a dollar for every time I apologized for tardy blogging, I'd be able to buy the new boots for the fall that my budget won't allow this year.
Anyway, part of my tardiness is because Tres and I spent a week on the West Coast serving together at The Peak- middle school camp for Rolling Hills and Willamette Christian Church. You may remember that I have a bit of a love affair with camp, this one specifically, and it has a special place in my heart. It also has a way of teaching me some of life's best lessons and is a highlight of my summer. (dang, maybe I don't need to write this blog post- apparently I've written more about camp than almost anything else.)
This summer was special because we went back to Cascades Camp and Conference Center- which is where RHCC did junior high camp for ten years- the first two of which, I attended as a camper. I then moved through as a co-leader, adult leader, and intern. The combination of RHCC and WCC meant that I was surrounded by more people I love serving with than I even know how to count, and it was a huge walk down memory lane. I specifically remember a conversation with Jen, the camp director and my former boss, about how eventually I would return as just the camp nurse, and I wouldn't have to listen to anything she told me to do. This year, I did just that.
I've mentioned before that one of the reasons I love going to camp is the opportunity it provides for Tres and I to serve together using our individual gifts. This year, I think the church staff was more excited and thankful that he was coming than that I was. He has a way of offering his skills and gear in a way that saves people money and puts them at ease. One of the things I love most about him is his desire to do his job well- not just well enough. He used his connections and sacrificed his own time and sleep to make sure that these campers would have the most amazing worship experience possible. I selfishly think these are my favorite times of worship all year- both because I love his heart and I love loud, overwhelming music. Our relationship always benefits from this week because we get recentered and remember the gifts we've been given.
Another highlight was watching people I love in their natural habitat- serving their students. Now that I live on the East Coast, I don't really know any of the students anymore, so what I tend to notice is how great Jen, Tyler and Chris are at engaging students, meeting them where they are, and sharing Jesus' love with them. It was also great to meet their new co-workers and see how perfectly they fit into the their respective teams. I am proud and honored to call them my friends, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside such excellent ministry leaders.
It's hard to believe that this is my fourth summer as the camp nurse. This was probably the first year that I felt like I knew what I was doing more than I didn't know what I was doing. I still maintain that if I prayed and depended on Jesus as much during the whole year as I do during camp my life would be much better- but He has yet to leave me unprepared or too overwhelmed. I'm happy to report that there were no serious injuries this year, and we didn't send a single kid to the hospital. I'd love to take credit for this, but it's really not because of anything I did or didn't do- these kids just weren't as accident prone as in years past.
I go to camp to serve, and the byproduct is that my soul is renewed, mostly by views like these.
Anyway, part of my tardiness is because Tres and I spent a week on the West Coast serving together at The Peak- middle school camp for Rolling Hills and Willamette Christian Church. You may remember that I have a bit of a love affair with camp, this one specifically, and it has a special place in my heart. It also has a way of teaching me some of life's best lessons and is a highlight of my summer. (dang, maybe I don't need to write this blog post- apparently I've written more about camp than almost anything else.)
This summer was special because we went back to Cascades Camp and Conference Center- which is where RHCC did junior high camp for ten years- the first two of which, I attended as a camper. I then moved through as a co-leader, adult leader, and intern. The combination of RHCC and WCC meant that I was surrounded by more people I love serving with than I even know how to count, and it was a huge walk down memory lane. I specifically remember a conversation with Jen, the camp director and my former boss, about how eventually I would return as just the camp nurse, and I wouldn't have to listen to anything she told me to do. This year, I did just that.
I've mentioned before that one of the reasons I love going to camp is the opportunity it provides for Tres and I to serve together using our individual gifts. This year, I think the church staff was more excited and thankful that he was coming than that I was. He has a way of offering his skills and gear in a way that saves people money and puts them at ease. One of the things I love most about him is his desire to do his job well- not just well enough. He used his connections and sacrificed his own time and sleep to make sure that these campers would have the most amazing worship experience possible. I selfishly think these are my favorite times of worship all year- both because I love his heart and I love loud, overwhelming music. Our relationship always benefits from this week because we get recentered and remember the gifts we've been given.
Another highlight was watching people I love in their natural habitat- serving their students. Now that I live on the East Coast, I don't really know any of the students anymore, so what I tend to notice is how great Jen, Tyler and Chris are at engaging students, meeting them where they are, and sharing Jesus' love with them. It was also great to meet their new co-workers and see how perfectly they fit into the their respective teams. I am proud and honored to call them my friends, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside such excellent ministry leaders.
It's hard to believe that this is my fourth summer as the camp nurse. This was probably the first year that I felt like I knew what I was doing more than I didn't know what I was doing. I still maintain that if I prayed and depended on Jesus as much during the whole year as I do during camp my life would be much better- but He has yet to leave me unprepared or too overwhelmed. I'm happy to report that there were no serious injuries this year, and we didn't send a single kid to the hospital. I'd love to take credit for this, but it's really not because of anything I did or didn't do- these kids just weren't as accident prone as in years past.
I go to camp to serve, and the byproduct is that my soul is renewed, mostly by views like these.
.JPG) |
| 300 middle schooler and 100 staff and leaders raising their arms in worship |
.JPG) |
| Mt Rainer from CCCC. Oh how I love the Pacific Northwest |
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