Here I am!

I know this is a little late, but here is my final entry for this blog.

It's hard to walk away from camp knowing that I won't be back.  No more initiatives, straight lines, shock machine, bonfires, blobbing, locker room showers, checking off memory verses, pigtail day, full value contract, pizza nights, flag lowering, larshes, picking your friends noses.... 
I'm not a camp counselor again, and I won't ever be.
I miss the other staff.  It's amazing how close we got.  God was very, very good to us.

I am glad that I came back.  God definitely did an awesome work this summer at camp.  Honestly, I was just as scared going in the second time as I was the first time, but it was a different fear.  I was not sure that was where God wanted me to be for the summer, and I was really apprehensive because I knew what I was getting myself into.  All during training, I really struggled with whether I should even be there or not.

But from the day that the first campers arrived, the thought never crossed my mind again.  My body is ready for camp to be over, but my heart isn't.  I had the privilege of being a part of the salvation of one dear girl, and had awesome discipling conversation with countless others.  And I got to watch God work in my heart as well.  I thank God that we didn't have to use any of our CPR or first aid training this summer.  The biggest injuries happened to staff!  God really kept us and the campers safe, and I thank Him for answering all of those prayers.

One awesome thing about this summer is that I got to do many new things I had never done before - which I wasn't expecting the second time around.  Here's some of them:

1. I took an overnight train there
2. I worked the top of the zip line (and got to ride it down every week! )
3. I self-belayed myself - even though I didn't make it to the top, I made it pretty high!
4. I climbed the hardest side of the rock wall
5. I went camping with my friends!
6. I did the shock machine (yes with it on) - 3 times.
7. I saw my first bear in the wild!

and one of the best things is, I ended the summer with more friends than when I started, not fewer!  Yes, I love camp and I know this is the permanent end... but for a good reason.

I hope to be overseas next summer, possibly in Africa.  I have to walk away from one of the best things in my life because finally, my lifelong dream is so close to being fulfilled.  Missions is my passion.  I've waited so long to go, and I can't wait.  I miss camp, but the thought of where I could be a year from today.... it's definitely exciting!

Thanks so much for your love and prayers! 

camp staff have to be crazy people!

listening to and checking off memory verses.  After hearing the same verses hundreds of times, I have them memorized too!

setting up an initiative. 

Greg and I lost.  But we're not losers.

ok, maybe this picture proves that we are losers after all, haha!  Skit night. 

the shock machine - Lance, Me, Andy, and Sarah getting DC current piped through us.

Rachel doesn't really hate me, but she won and yes, I lost again.

working the top of the zip line :)  here's my official proof

Sarah and I fighting gladiator-style on the Blob.

Things learned this week:

1. eight hours of sleep can do wonders to one's attitude
2. I'm big enough to blob Andy (the counselor) into the air
3. it's possible for Greg and me to lose the week even when we are on the same team
4. pushups do not help hyper extended elbows heal properly
5. There's enough work to do with ten campers to keep one counselor and two SRTs busy
6. I can burp louder than Lance.

Tuesday morning, John Skaggs put all 10 of us counselors in BK 102 and made us take a nap on the floor.  It was one of the funniest experiences of my summer.

The burp thing was very embarrassing.  Mr. Holloway made us do it one night when the red team lost the day, and Lance and I were the red team captains.  I do not make noises with my body.

I let Greg blob me this week.  I was very scared.  I have a personal policy to not let the male counselors blob me, but for some reason, once a summer I overcome my inhibitions and give in.

I'm going home next week.

The elbow is fine, but still hurts in certain positions.

All the other counselors are rafting today, and are too proud to let me do their laundry for them while they're gone.

OK, about my cabin:

It was a weird week.  I had over half of the girls last year, and they are self-centered and dense.  We would talk about the same thing all week, about communication and cooperation and all this stuff, and they would still get into an activity and would not cooperate or communicate.  It was hard to love them.   They did not unite very well.

I had two that I think were unsaved.  One said she was, but had no interest in the things of God, so I think she wasn't.   the other one I had a chance to talk to Thursday night, and she prayed to accept Christ as her Savior.  She seemed to understand everything when I explained it.  So that's super exciting! :)

I am very, very tired.  It's bad to stop moving, because then I can't start again.  I plan on getting some sleep...