Renew Camp 2104 Tuesday (Day 3)

Tueday, day three of Renew Camp 2014 came quickly. Again, four hours of sleep and it was time to roll. Thankfully, no more texts came through the night and I returned to camp a bit more optimistic. One of Darrel’s team members did go home sick, but no other reports of sickness came.

After breakfast and devotions, we got our marching orders and headed out. Our team returned to HFCN for VBS prep and helped to guide Team Raisin Bran along. I was delighted to get to spend the day with Brandt and his team. Baker5 went to camp together this year, but we went in three different directions as I led the Cornflakes, Darrel led the Trix with Carson and Jordan and Brandt was with the Raisin Bran team. It was a blessing to have him and Carter with Angel, Maddie, Kelli and Jennifer too. God knew I needed those connections on that day and gave me the gift of watching my firstborn interact with his cousins and others.

Around lunch time, we set out for Merriweather Hills to set up, eat and begin our routine. We repeated the activities of the day before but had less children show up, so it was a bit more relaxed. I was able to hang back a bit and rested as much as I could. The youth played hard with the children at VBS, they did a wonderful job teaching them songs and acting out the skits. Our pool time was cut a bit short because of rain, but I think we were all more than ready to head back to the school by that point.

We feasted on cereal and other snacks, as our dinner was scheduled to be later that evening at the pool. Our evening service was a blessed one, we had Pastor Sam Montenez from HFCN share about Hope Distributed clothes closet and Olivia Michael shared with us. She did a fantastic job and called us to be merciful and extend forgiveness to others. She invited us to come forward and write the names of those we chose to forgive on a poster. I knew God was asking me to go forward and I took one marker and wrote a name…then another…and another…I switched marker colors and tried to disguise my handwriting, but I was there for awhile, weeping my way through it.

On the drive to Ashby Pool, I whispered to the my girls about the work God was doing in my heart, calling me to forgive family members and church leaders who have hurt me. I used my “onion analogy.” I compare forgiveness to an onion, today I choose to peel back a layer and forgive. A week from now, or three years from now, God may bring a memory to my mind and I’ll get to peel back another layer. It does not mean that I didn’t forgive before, but that God is allowing me to go deeper. Forgiving is not forgetting. If only, for that would make it much easier. And…to go with the onion idea…it makes me CRY!!!  Wherever we are in your journeys, we can be encouraged!
God isn't finished with us yet. Our stories are still being written and forgiveness is just one theme that reoccurs in each chapter. I told them that often we are tested soon after we take the step of obedience to forgive someone, so we need to be ready and not be taken by surprise.

Once at the pool, we gobbled up pizza and the festivities began. I assure you, the pool party is one of my favorite annual events. There is not another event that makes me laugh to the point of exhaustion! Synchronized swimming contests, largest splash contests, belly flop contests, all woven together with the most hysterical commentating brought to you by our directors. This year Adrian and his brother from another mother Brain kept us in stiches, as did the heroic and completely ridiculous antics of the contest participants. This year, two scholarships to Renew Camp 2015 were given to the winners of the biggest splash contest and belly flop contest. Poor Kelli bruised her arms and legs and gave her all. The winner of the biggest splash contest was Rob, and the belly flop contest was Isaiah. They gave their all!

Some of our previous Renew campers stopped by to see us at the pool. It was a joy to see Zach, Ian and Brady. I get so attached to the youth each year and when they cannot return to us, I am saddened. I saw one young man a few days before camp and told him I’d miss him this year.  “There will be others there,” he said. “But I will miss YOU, “ I replied. Indeed. I know who is and is not there…