Preparing for the Summer

The month of May was packed full with tons of work and preparations going on at camp for a busy summer of ministry.  Sam has had his plate full with remodeling a staff house (“Hillside”), as well as helping as needed with the remodel project of another building that will now become staff housing (previously a guest house).  Both projects have been much needed and the time has been now to complete them!  The latter project (girl’s guest house) will now open up more cabins to be used for campers (previously the girls were using up a 4-unit cabin.  This will be especially helpful during Family Camps…allowing more of those on the waiting lists to come!), and the first project mentioned will now allow more staff men to be housed in one building.  What a blessing!  It means however, that every single staff member that has been involved in these projects have been working their tails off to complete the details because staff began trickling in last week, with the rest to descend upon camp this coming week! 

I’m not super great about capturing every project and detail that Sam is working on…in fact sometimes it’s just difficult to capture it in pictures (grouting those tiles….plumbing that line….fixing that toilet….laying that floor….installing that window…you get the idea!).  But I’ve grabbed a couple….

Roofing one of our main buildings during Work Weekend

This is at the guys’  staff house.  It doesn’t really show Sam’s work, but this was a day we visited to see what he was up to.  Truman is really into goofy posing these days…..

Pouring concrete at the girl’s staff house basement.

Over Memorial Day Weekend camp hosted our first Family Camp of the season.  This year I have prepared the class-time lessons for the preschoolers, but have handed off the actual teaching responsibility to others.  I was glad to be a part in this way, but felt that with Sam’s unpredictable needs that arise at camp, I could not commit the time involvement for teaching the actual class.  The rest of our Family Camps will continue in mid-July.  Here’s the theme logo for Family Camps this summer:

Next up??  Our counselors are currently going through their 2-week training before camp begins and the rest of the staff arrive next week! Ahh!  Summer ministry is upon us!  In a lot of ways, I have felt in a fog the past several years. Between having babies….taking care of babies….and well….babies….It has been more difficult for me to stay connected personally out at camp.  I am praying for ways to open my heart and home to the summer staff this summer….in whatever way that looks like.  They are the ones on the front lines, and I want to be an encouragment to them especially in their long days of serving.  However, I also know that even if I still don’t see a strong connection with myself and camp this summer, I can be faithful in who God has already given me to encourage - my kiddos and the hubs.  Embracing and giving thanks for those everyday opportunities is key for me as I enter this season, and holding my time and energy with an open hand is what I’m learning to do.  So thankful for God’s grace…...praying He uses me as a conduit of His grace for others.  That’s all I am….just some empty plastic pipe on my own…..asking He would be merciful in letting His grace flow through me.