Quick hit

During our men's retreat a couple of weeks ago, I had some time to think about things I wanted to write about. There are some things that just tug at your writing strings and others that you can shrug off. One, I will make it a point to not tube while Mike Wall is driving a sea-doo and two, why does it take a retreat for us to get spiritually closer to each other? Isn't that what church is about? It's like we ignore each other for 51 weekends out of the year and then, magically for one weekend, it all comes together.

If we're to define "retreat", isn't the true definition to be "treated again". That prefix, "re-" to do something over or to do something again. It had been a while since I've been to a church retreat but it still amazes me how we, no matter our age, still need reminding of some of the simplest things that God asks us to do. To love each other and be there for one another and nothing is more important than our relationship with God. Our excuses have no place at the foot of the cross. Wouldn't it be great if church was our retreat?

A tale of two camps, part 2

Only one week seperated the end of Nashville Work Camp and the start of White House Christian Camp. One week, that's it. And really, it was only five days since a bunch of us left on Saturday afternoon to go up to Holland, Kentucky to prepare. Church camp in Tennessee is different. Growing up, there was one Church of Christ camp that everyone went to in Michigan. You went during the week that matched your age group and people from all over were there. Here, your church does camp. So, basically, churches all over Tennessee have their own camp, their own staff, traditions, rules, games, etc. We have an extra demographic with the academy that uses part of our church building so some of those kids would also be a part of the week.

I had never managed a camp before so I wasn't sure what to expect. I felt understaffed and unprepared even though I had all the formalities done. Once the kids started arriving on Sunday, the week flew by. It was great being around the smaller kids and re-learning on how to be a kid again. It was relieving getting to let my hair down (the hair that is left) and proving to everyone else that I'm not worried about being "white and nerdy"

No matter what the future holds, I'm thankful to God for the experience. Everything that happened during the week was a learning experience for me. God took care of everything and the response from the kids and the staff was that it was one of the best weeks. I was able to get closer to some of the kids and parents from my church and understand why their camp is so special to them. I still look for the kids here to get out of their White House bubble and to be around other Christian teens and build relationships, but as long as God continues to do the great things he does at Taylor Christian Camp, I'm satisfied!