Faith

One of the things I appreciate most about the summer is its impact on our relationship with God. The campers and counselors consistently put “my faith in God” at a top comment in their end-of-summer surveys and it is often a topic in their end-of-summer DMCs. The Love of God, the presence of The Holy Spirit, and the reality of Jesus are tangible aspects of our time at camp. Our faith grows in this environment. The kind of faith that a child has… the kind of faith that we older Christians should have. It is refreshing and it is good.

There are some things about camp that I think are worthy of note:

• Our Morning Assembly devotions.
• Our Sunday Sermons.
• Our Daily Devotions that I read every morning while dinking my coffee.
• Our smiles.
• Our code (which sets the “rules” for success).
• Our circumstances.

Our circumstances are the one thing that is impossible to convey with a link. They fall into that “if you weren’t here, you can’t understand” category.

• Things like the girls’ health and safety (we have never had a situation where a camper or counselor was in danger). Margaret’s position in the Health Hut gives me a front-row seat in the protection God provides each and every day. The combined effect is profound. I know for a fact that God protects us and that He will continue to do so. This experience builds faith in every particular situation. The combined effect over time is strongly felt.
• Things like the weather. I speak of weather often because it has a profound effect. This week, for instance, was supposed to be a hot one. The local weather report on the Ten-Oclock news called for heat advisories every day… but the five misters have not been used yet… and it’s Friday. We prayed that the girls (who are pretty tired) would have a week that was not impacted by the heat… and the cloud cover kept our temperatures down (highs never got much over 80 degrees). It is a small thing but it is noticed.
• Things like the wildlife. I see the birds hunting in the lake (ospreys, bald eagles, king fishers, blue herons, wood ducks, mallards, Canadian geese) and it brings me joy. Add to that the raccoons who live in a hole halfway up a giant poplar tree outside my office, the deer who sometimes walk the river trail, the beavers, the otters, the frogs, the turtles… each one a delight when seen.
• The dogs and animals… puppy camp makes me happy! Farm Barn just makes me happy! OK, I could probably do a link for these if I tried… just go to the website and check them out… they are everywhere!

All of these are simple things… and simplicity works to build a simple faith (at least that is true for me). I think camp is about the most perfect place in the world sometimes. Can’t believe it is already Friday.

This last weekend is upon us, and some of you will likely be traveling ( getting on the road early, making a little vacation out of the pickup on Thursday next week). You might just take this last weekend of “alone time” to disconnect from the daily blog reading. The number of readers drops off this time of the summer, so I feel I am writing to more than just parents and alums… I am also writing to our Main campers who will soon be reading each of the blogs from the summer.

They do this as early as Thursday (on their phones in the airport or in the car on a long drive home… often that first night at home, in their home curled under a blanket feeling “camp sick”). To you girls I write this blog with the encouragement to keep growing in your simple faith. A faith that rests in the goodness of God and puts a smile on your face and good cheer in your heart. It’s a Great Day.

You see that

• Breakfast Sleep Late Buffet
• Lunch: Hot Dogs
• Dinner Pizza
• Weather Hot (87) but the cloud cover continues, no chance of rain.