It's that time of year again..... summer camp! Spencer & the youth group headed off to church camp on Monday. We really miss him, but know that he is growing in his faith & making great memories! Life changes at camp! I have been thinking about to my own experiences at camp. I am going to share a few with you...
I started going to camp when I was 9 years old, and went every year until I was 19 ! I even went one year ( before I was camper aged ), when my parents were youth directors. I LOVED IT! We went to camp in Joplin MO.... Camp Sagmount. Here is a link, so you can see some pictures of what the camp ground is like. http://mabyc.weebly.com/history.html - it has some good pictures at the bottom & http://www.sagmount.org/ - this site is under construction, but has some pictures too. It looks like it has changed a little since we went. There used to be separate swimming pools for the girls and boys. We didn't have zip line, fishing or canoes. I think only a couple of the smaller cabins were air conditioned, when we were going.
We left at 5 am on Monday morning! In later years, we would sleep over, at our family friends house, the night before.... we stayed up all night..... who can sleep the night before camp?! So, it was always dark when we were leaving Winfield. It seemed like camp was HOURS away! We always stopped at a place called Goldie's Donuts in Independence ( I think, that's where it was ). We usually arrived at camp around 9 am. We had to clean our rooms, make our beds, and clean the bathroom, before we could go run around ( look for cute boys! ). That took FOREVER! The smell of Pinesol takes me back in time, I still love that smell. We stayed in an old hotel. It seemed really cool. I'd like to go back and see things through my adult ( germ-a-phob ) eyes....or maybe not. It's nice to remember certain things through rose colored glasses! Anyway, the hotel had many rooms. I can still hear the sound of the screen door slamming shut, over and over again. We always had rooms grouped together. Each room shared a bathroom between another room. We were usually on the bottom level. I always wanted to be on the upper level.... they had sort of a balcony area, overlooking the ground level....we called it the overflow area. No one wanted to be out there! No privacy! The big hotel, was cooled by an cave that ran under it. We had a couple nurses in our church, so when one of them was the camp nurse, we would hang out at the nurses station... it had air conditioning! We also had secret pizza parties there!
We had campers from all over Kansas. Many years that I went, there were up to 300 kids. So many new people to meet! We had a pretty scheduled day. We had devotions at the flagpole, before breakfast. After breakfast, we had time to clean our room and get ready for morning chapel. Our rooms were inspected while we were gone, so they had to be neat and clean! We all took turns with different chores. Morning chapel was a couple hours and then we had lunch. After lunch was free time and competition time.... sports, talent, vocals, preaching, puppets ( I know, right? puppets! ha! )....etc. We had a singing group a couple of years... even had matching outfits. Really?! Uggghhh!!! I usually went swimming in the afternoons. The pools were filled with fresh, crystal clear spring water, and it was FREEZING! After supper, we had a little time to get ready for evening chapel, which usually lasted until 9 or so. We had free time after that, as well. The canteen was open during free times. I loved to get Hot Fries there. I bought some of those, a couple years ago.... didn't taste the same! Our pastor made sloppy joes to sell after evening chapel. When they were gone, they were gone... so, you had to run to get one of those.
The cabins were at the top of the hill, with the mess hall and nurse station. Running down each side of the hill, were ridiculously steep and long steps. They were a little very treacherous! Every year, at least one person had a pretty big accident. I can't believe we went up and down them in heels! Yikes! It was quite the workout too. I don't think the pictures could do them justice. Downhill, there was the cave ( not allowed inside), by a lagoon, the sports fields, swimming pools, canteen and chapel. Every year, someone also went flying into that green lagoon!..... boys!!!
The first night of camp, a funny pastor, ( and usually his embarrassed daughter ) would show us the proper way to hold hands. Which is the only physical contact allowed at camp! We had a camp "Sheriff"... I think it was another one of the pastors. Each night at chapel, we were told when "lights out" would be. We had devotions with our counselors, before bed. We had to be in bed, with lights out.... when the sheriff came through. I remember lying there in the dark, waiting for their flashlight to pass, so we could start talking again. If you were lucky, you didn't get a counselor in your room! We had some pretty fun counselors though! Our favorite was Punkin Kadau.
We had awesome food at our camp. The counselors were always on kitchen duty. Each church took turns with cooking & cleaning. Breakfast always had the most variety of food. There were pancakes, sausage, bacon, eggs, biscuits, french toast, gravy, honey buns, oatmeal and a variety of cereals, fruits and drinks.... everyday! They saved the juice from the canned fruit and every meal it was available. I remember how yummy pear juice in a big cup of ice tasted. I've never had that anywhere else.
We weren't allowed to bring radios or anything like that to camp. We also had a strict dress code. We had to dress up for morning and evening chapel. We couldn't wear shorts or pants... dresses, skirts and culottes ( gauchos?! ) had to be a certain length. Only one piece swimming suits. I hope they have changed the dress code rule a little. It's hard to do competitive sports in a dress or those flappy culottes!
I will never forget the smell of the trees at night, while we walked up and down those steps with new friends.... or the breeze blowing through the open wall chapel. The smell of the water, suntan lotion... everyone had that coconut oil ( for the best tan!) The smell of Polo... a fragrance I still love. (Sigh!) That comment will totally date me! Ha! EVERY guy, who had a clue... wore Polo!
Evening chapel always kept me captivated. It felt like we were in our own little world, where everything was good. My heart bursts with renewed love for Jesus. My mind and spirit full of determination... with all the ways I would change my life. It was so easy in that little bubble. The need to walk that isle and confess my sins. The thankfullness, that I could be forgiven. The knowledge that He lives in me. The desire to tell others.... the desire for my life to SHOW others, that I was different and why. There are no words for that sacred time. The time when you are alone with Him....and 300 other people. The time when you feel His presence, without a doubt. The time when you KNOW you are HIS. It's magical and wonderful.
There's just something about camp.
Every year, it was harder to leave.
I miss our Spencer, but I know where his heart is. I know who will visit him, in those sacred hours. I know his heart will grow even more, with his love for Jesus.
Dedicated to a few of the Millington Campers:
Punkin Kadau, GlowWorm Karen, The Wright girls, Debbie Badley, Kelly Miles, Mischelle Foster,
Sue Gregory, The King boys, Carl Helsel, Jimmy Gray....
Without you, camp wouldn't have been the same!
