Summer Smackdown

I feel very much like this summer has smacked me and I'm not getting up very quickly people!

As you know Jen and I have been at our denomination's youth camp for the past two weeks (Jen was there 4 weeks people, four!) Isn't denomination a strange word?

I can sum up the first week in three words: and hilarity ensued. Yup, it was one giant, massive, humongous laugh-fest. I have no idea when I have laughed so much and so often. I almost died in the cafeteria a couple of times (from laughing so hard I thought I'd choke on my food). That's right, there were things that happened that were so funny I was willing to die over them. We knew we had gone too far (we were SO tired) when one day 'cholera' was funny. Again, all brain cells are not functioning when a horrible wasting disease is funny. Disclaimer: of course the disease itself was not and is not funny, it was just the context of the whole thing. Sheez, I don't know why I'm even explaining this because it was so stupid. You just had to be there.

For example, I was telling D about something we did and I said 'it was hilarious, well, it was funny to me and Jen.' And he responds, 'I'm glad y'all think it was funny.' Which only made me giggle uncontrollably...I'm telling you people I was ex-hau-sted (I just said that with a little quiver in my voice).


Okay, week 2 for me can be described as 'I was meant to be there.' I had girls in my room who every single day my heart broke for them and what they were going through in their little lives. I think I was overtired and I'm always emotional but I was so honored that God allowed me to have a week with them. And it was truly a 'God thing', their cabin leader didn't show up and I was a replacement. Well, not really, I was right where I needed to be.

You see, D is the children's pastor at our church and we've been in children's ministry for over 15 years now. And yes, I'm going all serious on ya for a minute or two and I know that's so not the 'theme' of the blog but here it is anyway. I have had such a busy summer I was beginning to lose some of my focus, my drive, my passion for ministry--I was TIRED! My summer has been full of baseball and camp and now college preparation (yikes! another post for another day) but that all changed this week.

I spent several nights in the altar holding a precious baby girl who was sobbing her heart out because her mom and dad are fighting and her daddy 'doesn't want her', and all I could do was sob right along with her and offer what meager comfort my arms could offer. But in those heart wrenching moments I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that children's ministry is still my passion, it is my heartbeat. I am honored and humbled to be Jesus' arms extended. I know nothing I did this week will change the girls' situations at home, but I was a part of their escape, their refuge from their horrible reality. Is it enough? Yes.

And that, my friends, is what youth camp did for me this summer.