Summer Goals - 2010

Well, I don't often write a ton about camp here, and I'm not sure why. But I thought that some of my readers might like to hear a little more about our summer and all that we do at camp, and also be able to pray for us as we minister to the campers God brings to us this year!

I am a little less involved in camp this summer than I have been in the past, since I don't officially 'work' at camp anymore, as I did last summer and the two summers before that. Last year, I worked in the office part time, taking Z with me to work each day. It was a dream situation in some ways - being able to work part-time without leaving Z with a babysitter was amazing. But last summer was hard, too - for sweet Z especially - imagine being 18 or 19 months old, and every single day you have to walk past a pond where kids or families are swimming and a playground with kids playing all over it...but you have to bypass the beautiful sunny outdoors for... the office. In this one room, you do have some toys to play with, but your mom has to basically ignore you while she answers the phone and types important stuff in the computer for a couple of hours each day. Sounds like fun for Z, right? I think since I've quit my job, camp has been a lot more fun for both of us. :)

Right now, I'm able to help a little bit from home - sometimes Hubby will bring home something for me to type in (registrations, mostly) or a mailing that needs organized, or books to be stapled, so I'm able to help that way. Just because I don't have a 'job' at the camp doesn't mean I'm not a part of the staff, either. I am a 'staff wife', and in that way, I'm an ambassador for the camp - to the campers and other staff, and when I go off camp.

So, as I look into my 2010 Camp Crystal Ball, I see this summer filled with pond time, playground fun, chatting with campers, encouraging staff, lots of meals in the dining hall, and hopefully a good many wagon rides. I know I will probably feel like I should be doing more ministry-related things around the camp, and I'll probably wish I was more involved in some more helpful way than just being there. But it's so important to remember that my main ministry right now is to the two babies God has entrusted to me (so far!), and as a friend at MOPS reminded me yesterday, this is only a season - someday, in another life season, I'll be more available to minister in those kinds of ways, but I won't have the opportunity to minister to my 5-month-old Natalie or my nearly-2-and-a-half-year-old Zachary EVER again - I'll never have THIS summer again.

My summer goals include: Swimming at the pond twice a week, eating lunch and dinner at camp each day, going on a wagon ride whenever possible in our schedule, writing encouraging notes/cards to each of our staffers throughout the summer, spending time each day praying for our staff and campers, attending evening chapel singing with the kids a time or two per week, and (eek, do I even dare to type this???) .........potty training Z (cringe!). (Remind me of my above statement about never having this summer again when I'm embroiled in potty training, will you, please???) :)

We will continue to do a tot school activity or two each day throughout the summer as well, as time allows. As long as Hubby is still gone at work all day every day, I would rather keep doing school, and then take a break in August when Hubby has time off. And after the kids go to bed, I will have some time to myself (Hubby will have to work from the time he gets up until he falls into bed each day, that's just how our summer is), so I'm planning to use that time to organize Z's pre-preschool curriculum plan for the fall - I want to start calendar time as well as focus on a letter a week and maybe some more organized unit activities with lapbooks and file folder games.

Camp is a huge part of our family's lives, and it's a rather unique ministry, so I hope you enjoy hearing about it!

So, my question for you today is, Has there been a camp that has had a spiritual impact in your life? I would love to hear your camp stories!