A new blog from me has been a long time coming! There have been many moments when I say to myself, "I need to write this down, I don't want to forget to share this!" Then something happens and I go into my furbobbled state and loose every intention of writing and sharing my feelings, thoughts, experiences, and insights. Let me give you a bit of a break down...
I have been spending the summer working at Camp Lutherwood on Lake Samish and the last couple of months have been really great. There is an amazing and very unique group of people working here and sharing life together while serving kids in the name of Jesus. It has been fun watching them wrestle, grow, laugh, play, worship, and discover together and as individuals. One of the things that has made the chance to be in this community so unique has been the role I have had the opportunity to play as the Community Life Director. The staff is my job, my mission, my purpose - it has been my responsibility to care for them emotionally and spiritually as they serve side by side throughout the summer. In many ways I have really been enjoying my job, while in many ways I have also struggled with it (as there are many days and nights I just want to sit in the grass with my favorite people and exist with them).
I have come to the conclusion that I do not have a place on this staff as much as I have a presence. I do not have a cluster of people I hang out with all the time, or a couple of super close friends to share inside jokes with. I have bits and pieces of everyone's life on my plate and have been blessed and humbled by the ways everyone has been willing to share with me. I, on the other hand, have kept myself quite guarded. Aside from a few exciting details about my life I haven't let the staff get to know me all that well - or so I thought.
Throughout this week we have been doing some encouragement activities to begin affirming people before they leave camp and head out into the world to study, serve, and work. This morning the staff concluded their affirmations with me; and I was a bit surprised by some of the things they said. They filled me with encouragement and compliments and really lifted me up. As I was letting their words sink in I realized that it is not what they know about me, but how they know me. We can know every statistic about ever person in the whole world and not know who they are. But if we know someone through place, through work, through faith, through shared experiences - these are the moments when we truly begin to know someone.
One more week left and then life continues on with great, exciting things. I'm excited to see what's next in life! Until next time, peace.
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