Okay, it looks like I focused a great deal on one small aspect of camp last time, but hey- it was new, and I enjoyed my role as director as much as how the skit went. How about something a little less focused? A lot of the camp activities was same-old for me, but how else could some thing be after seven years, even with a new cabin each year. The camp staples were there- archery, riflery, crafts, competition games, food, bedrest (Michigan law- an hour each day must be spent in bed during the day to avoid overexhaustion). Some things are new every year, like the Zorb this year as I already mentioned. Also new this year was a game in the courtyard called gaga-ball (nothing to do with the pop star, actually a game imported from Israel) and one in the swim front area called nine-square, though we never played the latter. Also new this year was the almost daily rain. Years past have had no more than a couple days with some rain, but until the last day we had some rain every day. Last year that rain canceled our wacky water sports instructional, but it was replaced by- a different wacky water sport the entire camp engaged in. What they did was lay a tarp across a large portion of the game field and create a giant slip ‘n’ slide. On it they had races and wacky games like an extreme duck-duck-goose. Well, we had one time like that this year as well, during our canoeing time and free time after that. That time started out normal, mind you. By the time we actually got into our canoes, however, the rain started. Meh- a little rain never hurt anyone. But then it turned into sheets of rain accompanied by thunder. Whoops- time to get out of the water. No one overturned their canoe, but by the time we were ashore it sure felt like it. We spent the next 15 minutes or so in a shelter before heading out, ending up in the tarp-encrusted game field.
Erm- so much for unfocused I guess. Let’s see now. Besides raining out part of an instructional, one of the competitions got rained out, except that time we all raced for the shelter of the lodge. Our infamous counselor hunt also was nearly rained out, but it did stop in time for the hunt. Last year I hid so well that no one found me. This year I made it easier for them. A group of three leaders were hidden as it turned out not very well, and I went downhill from them. All the kids had to do was look down and there I was! Then they had to climb down a steep hill to get to me- mwa-ha-ha-ha. Well, once they saw me not a single group passed up the chance, but not all saw me oddly enough.
At the end of the week, the students were given an opportunity to give testimonies about their week at camp, and I was happy to see two of my own cabin go up to the microphones. There they talked about accepting Jesus if they did, rededicating themselves, how they learned what kind of heart they had (shallow, crowded), and how they wanted a fruitful heart (see the parable of the seeds being sown on different soils). A testimony that really touched me was from a boy from Iowa who started his testimony out with “I thought I knew God, but I really didn’t.” I may be paraphrasing a little, I don’t remember the exact words. How many of us think we really know who God is only to find out through some teaching somewhere, or some action by someone, that we really don’t know Him at all. That’s the point where God enters into our lives as He revels Himself, and we either gladly grab on to the life preserver he gives us, or we utterly reject it and spend the rest of our lives trying to manage on our own. Has He revealed Himself to you? Did you grab on, repent, and become His adopted child?
I will leave you with these few pictures and videos from camp. By the way, did anyone catch the title of my last post? It is from a song we sang daily at camp, one where I witnessed the Holy Spirit at work more than some of the other songs, Like a Lion from the Passion Awakening album. The Youtube video is at the end.
Gaga ball: dodgeball with nowhere to run!
[vimeo]https://www.vimeo.com/25938602[/vimeo]
Just a minute to win this…
Help- I’m upside down!
[vimeo]https://www.vimeo.com/25938827[/vimeo]
Humans + Foosball = life-sized foosball
[vimeo]https://www.vimeo.com/25938716[/vimeo]
Now this is a worship time!
Wow- two days and no response. Caught up in the multimedia? 😀
I know, just caught up in your lives on a holiday/festival weekend. That’s what happens with a blog that only attracts two commenting readers. Better luck next post. 😉
Since no one seems to have read this post yet, I took the liberty of adding a couple of links to explain ga-ga ball and 9-square for the interested.
I was out of town for a few days and didn’t even have internet – it was kind of nice!
Upon return, it was fun to read about your camp, especially since we just dropped Sammie off for her first time at a Christian camp in Michigan! I did not know about the one-hour-of-rest law in MI – interesting. Come to think of it, when we dropped Sammie off (we were late because of a previous obligation trip we had with my family), all the girls in her cabin were in their beds.
At any rate, sounds and looks like tons of fun! I hope my girls have as much fun and decide to go back year after year!! Disney was saying the whole way home that SHE wants to go… but kids have to be 7 so she has another 2 or 3 years. Where in Michigan is the camp you go to again? Ours is in Reading, which is only 45 mins away from our house. Thanks for sharing all that fun!!! How inspiring it must have been to hear kids’ testimonies to God!!
Sammie is (at least) 7- wow! Where does the time go? I guess I did know she was 1st grade, and that’s when one generally turns 7, so… just me being me I guess. I’m sure S and T will have loads of fun. 🙂
The camp is in Croton- not quite as close as Reading (google maps says 3½ hours from you, 4½ from me).
Yup – kids are 11, 7, 4, and very soon to be 3 already. It’s very difficult to keep track of the ages of kids because they grow so quickly! 🙂