Well, we survived our week at camp. To be perfectly honest, at the beginning I didn't want to go. Not because I don't like camp - because I LOVE camp. It is a dream of Matt's and mine to one day start/take over a camp and run it. Wow. How awesome would that be! So that is not why I didn't want to go. It wasn't because I didn't want to be with Matt because I DID want to be with him - I always want to be with him. I miss him even when he is gone for a few hours - let alone a whole week. No, the reason I did not want to go was purely selfish, and something, quite frankly, I am ashamed to admit. I did not want to go because I knew it would be hard on me. This is not a huge camp, and it is not that far from home. But it has been around for 60 years and a lot of the buildings are pretty old themselves. (To see pics of the camp that I took last year, click here.) I am not really an "outdoors-y" kind of girl. I am not one who loves to go jump in a lake, or sleep outside on the ground with just my sleeping bag. No, I like a nice comfy bed and covers and pillows and such and a solid roof over my head. Although, to my defense, due to my back problems I do require something more than just God's green earth to sleep on. But anyways, that's neither here nor there.
I didn't want to go because it is a bit more rustic than I am used to, but still is a far cry from truly "camping." I didn't want to go because I HATE SPIDERS AND BUGS, and there is a plethora of them there. I didn't want to go because the cabin we would be staying in has no tub and I like to give my kids baths every day and they don't like to take showers (although Liam proved me wrong on this point). I didn't want to go because the sleeping arrangements meant that bedtime battles would be inevitable and I knew I would be stressed about that. I didn't want to go because it is so very hot, and there would not be any way to cool off, really, except to jump in the lake or take a cold shower. I didn't want to go because I knew I would not be able to be involved in much due to having to watch my kids, so what is the point in me going, right? I just plain didn't want to go.
But I am so glad I did.
I am glad that I went because we got to spend a lot of time together as a family (including the dog!) - more than we usually get to. It was nice going on walks together, actually eating all at the same time without me getting up and down to get/make stuff. It was nice going to put our feet in the water (I do enjoy that!) and watching Liam learn to actually LIKE the water (Leila already did like it). It was great seeing Liam get more used to our dog, Luther, and actually pet him and walk right by him without freaking out. It was nice to hear my husband say that he was so glad I was there so he had someone to come home to. It was nice to be there to watch my husband being pushed in the water by an 11 year old girl who was the first to memorize 28 verses that week. It was nice to see my kids excited about all the other kids and clapping there hands and laughing at fun stuff that would happen in the dining hall. And it was so nice to be able to have some great conversations with some of the staff and a mom who came to help out during the week while her girls were at camp. It was very, very nice.
The week did have its challenges. We did have bedtime battles. Sunday night Leila yelled, screamed, cried, and played for over 2 and 1/2 hours before giving in to sleep. Monday and Tuesday nights it was the same thing, but only for just about 2 hours. Wednesday it was only an hour. Last night she didn't scream or cry at all - just PLAYED and talked to herself for 2 hours. So, needless to say she is pretty exhausted - but we all are. We had other "fun" times like the toilet in our cabin (which they have been having plumbing problems with all summer - so it wasn't just us - haha!) overflowed and flooded the whole bathroom, and started going into the kid's room and into another room, as well as sewage coming up out of the shower drain and flooding out of there. Oh, and did I mention that all this happened at midnight? So Matt, myself, the camp director and his wife were all up until 1 a.m. cleaning up and taking care of that stinky problem. All I can say is YUCK!
I did see spiders - many, many of them. Some of them the biggest I have ever seen. Last year when we were there the weather was a lot colder so I think the spiders were all in hiding. But not this year! Oh, my hero husband killed many, many spiders for me! I even got brave enough to kill some myself when he was gone speaking in chapel (haha - that sounds great but you all would laugh at the size of them - they were small, tiny ones. But at least I killed them myself! That is a huge step for me!) The bed we slept in is just two mattresses on the floor. I would literally pray at night that the Lord would keep all the bugs away from me and off the bed and off my kids! Laugh if you want, but I had a huge fear that I would wake up with a big ol' spider on my face or something - especially since the biggest spider Matt killed this week happened to be one dangling in the corner OVER our bed!!!!! AHHHHH!
I did not attend any of the chapel services, so I was not able to be involved in any of that. But I am still glad that I went because I think it was good for the campers to see "Pastor Matt" as he is called with his family. I think it is good for the campers to see a marriage that is together, happy, and still in love. Unforntunately, in this day and age, it is getting more and more rare to see that. So even though I was not involved in any of the counseling type situations, I am glad I was there to be an example to that reason, as well as be by my hubby's side whenever he needed me.
But I am so happy I went. I have been having a hard time lately with a few things which, once I can get my thoughts together, I will share with you all. But the Lord used certain people this week to truly encourage me when they didn't even know what they were doing. And, for some reason, the Lord used Matt and myself to be able to be an encouragement to the camp director and his wife, and a few of the other staff. That is humbling to me to know that, even in the midst of my wrong attitude and selfish wants, God was still able to use me. Hmmm... How much more, then, could He use me for him when I am FULLY surrendered to what he wants me to do?
We did have a good time, but are quite tired. The kids are all "wrapped" (as Leila calls it) away in their beds, sound asleep. My laundry is going, most everything is unpacked and put away, and Matt and I are just trying to relax. We have a "quiet" couple of weeks here at home, until about 3 weeks when we are headed out again to a native reserve in Mistissini, Quebec, where Matt is going to speak at their camp meetings. So, moose meat and goose for supper - here I come! :-) Then, after that is VBS and then summer is OVER? Wow. Then it is time to start up our youth group and kids' programs again. Double Wow! Then, it is time for school to start - for our church kids and Liam!!! Triple Wow!
Anyway, I hope your week was great. Come back tomorrow when I plan to post some pics from camp for my Scenic Saturday!
Until next time.....
1 comment:
I can totally relate to this....I am not the "outdoors girl" either and these kind of things you listed are on the top of my *dislike* list as well. Yet, it is always wonderful because the Lord not only works in the lives of the kids, but in my heart as well. Glad you all are safe and sound back at home all wrapped up in your beds :)
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