So it’s that time of year y’all. Time to pack up our sleeping bags, our flashlights; insect repellent, swim suits and head off to camp. There’s nothing like it, meeting up with the other camp staff early Saturday morning, groggy yet buzzing with excitement as we mill around the parking lot connecting before we pile into our cars and head north to camp.

The drive always feels long, but as the buildings start getting farther apart you can’t help but roll down your window and take a deep breath of fresh air as you idly take in the picturesque scenery whisking past you. You sing camp songs, you nap for a bit, you munch on snacks, and you catch up with everyone in the car. And before you know it, you turn on to a narrow road that winds its way through a forest of majestic trees. Then you’ve arrived. The car stops, the engine turns off, you get out of the car to stretch your legs and it hits you – from the sparkling lake to the rolling hills, just how spectacular Gods creation truly is. And you feel anticipation knowing that in the next week those grounds will feel the walking, running, stomping, jumping feet of happy kids. The lake will be splashed in, rowed and canoed on. Cabins will house rowdy and quiet kids; neat kids who help make cabin clean up a breeze and messy kids with their clothes strewn everywhere.

As you can tell, I love camp. I love seeing our city kids enjoying the great outdoors. No video games, no computers, no cell phones, no i touch, no mall! They’re able to luxuriate in peaceful moments reading a book, making a craft, sitting on the dock with their heads together sharing stories. I am already yearning for the experience since I’ve missed out for a couple years due to terrible morning sickness in my pregnancy and recovering from childbirth. But this is a new year and I cannot wait to immerse myself in the experience.

And after a week of breathing the fresh air, singing around the campfire and connecting with my faith community, there’s no way I will be leaving without my relationship with God deepening and growing even stronger!