Wednesday, July 19, 2006
NW Sr. High Camp
I am back in the Bay after Sr. High Camp up in my old neck of the woods Lewis River Camp Grounds. It is always good to return and do this camp... this year was no exception. However, it was different (as it is each year). I was very aware this year that I had migrated into a different role as a staff member. Once upon a time, I was the "young cool" counselor, and it was relatively easy to relate with the campers and for them to relate to me. This makes some things easier, some things harder when dealing with these youth. In many ways this has mirrored where I am in the larger picture of my spiritual path... finding that it is time to take on more responsibility, and use my questioning to bring me closer to the church rather than pushing me away from it. I taught in Theme Class about a "spiritual ecology" that leads us to seeing that we are all connected, and we must treat each other with the idea that perhaps God, is really made up of the spirit in each one of us. We did some "composting" of things that were holding us back from being connected to that Christ like self... not to toss that baggage aside, but to break it down into a nutrient rich, "spiritual soil" to grow from. I saw a lot of growth the past week, in myself, in others and in the camp as a collective whole. I am excited to see what that might lead to next year. For now... I will catch up on my sleep, and continue to mentally sift through the very rich week that I had.
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I fogot I was going to include this poem that my mom read during camp at one of the staff worships... it summed up my week really well (and spoke to how I want to be out in the world):
Cold Water, Hot Coffee
by: Ann Weens
Sometimes that cup of cold water,
turns out to be a cup of hot coffee,
and what we're asked to do is
to pour it... and to listen.
Sometimes we Christians
in our enthusiasm
think we were asked
to save the world,
when what we were asked to do
is to go into it
and tell God's story
to people in need of
some good news.
Anxious activists forget
that just listening is an act
of compasion.
Driven disciples forget
that just listening is an act
of faithfulness.
Guilty givers forget
that just listening is an act
of stewardship.
Since we church people
have a tendency to be
driven and anxious and guilt-ridden,
perhaps we should
read the directions again
and pour a cup of hot coffee
and listen
in His name.
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