this week wore me OUT. it's rare that i want to leave camp so badly, but i actually became one of those cabin leaders who crosses off each bit on the schedule as we do it, and draws big smileys and hearts around friday.
it was such an emotional roller coaster because half my girls loved each other and cried when they had to leave the new friends they made, and the other half were evil bullies to each other and cried because they hated camp.
i had an amazing adventure rec group and a horrible week of drama with the staff.
i had seven homesickers in one night, but had an incredible junior staffer helping me.
i had one camper who was a record-setting level of obnoxious, and another who made my list of best decision night stories.
so if you asked if i had a good week, i'd have no idea what to answer.
all i know is that thursday night was amazing.
one of my girls who's now going into sixth grade was in my cabin four years ago for mother-daughter minicamp. she was teeny tiny but now she's not only taller than me, i didn't even realize who she was until her mom, who i recognized right away, came in saying "i saw that her cabin leader's name was linda and i just had to come see if it was the same one!"
among this crazy cabin, this girl(who i'll call K) was my little ray of sunshine. it was hard to get in much time with her because i was usually either trying to reason with my HS girls or listen to the girl with the constant questions or comfort the one who for very stupid/unfair/just plain sad reasons was legally not allowed to see her dad.
if you've been reading my other posts, you've probably noticed some trends in my angel campers. they all are low maintenance, wise beyond their years, actually enjoy Bible study, and make some significant "decision" at the end of the week. and they understand that i love them even if they're there on a week where i have a ton of high maintenance campers to deal with. K was no exception.
thursday afternoon i finally got to sit with her at canteen for a while and talk to her. she asked me a lot about how i'm still working at camp after all these years, what i get to do and why i like it so much. she told me she wants to work here someday too.
then that night during decision time, she wrote on her card that she decided "to go into youth ministry." i took her aside to talk about it, and she said "well, i really don't know what i mean by it...i don't want to be a youth minister really...but i LOVE kids and i really love getting to work with them at church, and i know God wants me to do something where i get to teach kids about him."
at CIU every major has a big pet peeve or two. for us youth ministry majors, we HATE when people assume that we all want to be "youth ministers" someday. so i got to share with K how you can share Jesus with kids in SO many other ways than just working in a church. i told her how i still have no idea what exactly i want to do either; i'm confused on the little things but have no doubt about the big thing. she said "i think that's what i am too." i prayed with her, and when we were done she had the biggest smile on her face for the next hour. seeing girls get excited about God and his work is what my job is about. i'm not lazy or complacent for "doing the same old thing" every summer.
when it was time for lights out and devotions, i read one of my favorite pieces from His Princess. it's called "my princess, you are my gifted one" and while i thought it was perfect for K, i needed to hear it again for myself. it talks about how God gives all of us different gifts and passions and how he gave them to us to use for him. this is my favorite part of it.
you'll find it in that place in life that brings you the greatest joy, that place where your heart longs to be, that work your hands love to do.
i found my gift at camp. =]
summer is halfway over. we have five sessions left(three week camps and two minicamps). i'm so torn over how to feel about it. i'm kind of ready to be done with camp, but only because i'm so tired and i just had a hard week. i am NOT ready to leave my friends, and i'm definitely not ready to go back to school. i can't decide if it feels like the first half has gone by fast or slow. but whatever it is, i know we all need to start galatians 6:9ing. i don't know about everybody else, but i AM growing "weary in doing good" and really need to remember that harvest we're supposed to reap because i am totally ready to give up.
so for this next week, pray for us to keep our heads up, not get tired or discouraged, and lift each other up as we're all dragging.
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