We arrived with clean feet and open hearts
Some of us more ready than others-
a ragtag bunch of people attempting to get it right
and not always knowing exactly what "right" is
We were greeted by the pine trees with their brave branches,
the sun peeking through as if to say "Welcome home"
We sat in circles and prayed in circles and ran in circles
preparing for the days to come
But how can you prepare for the lakeside conversations that break your heart?
Or the nights spent stargazing, staring off into an endless sky created by an endless Creator
Or the hours upon hours spent scooping ice cream and watching children play in the water
singing to ourselves "No place I'd rather be"
I swear that laughter is God's joy personified
And this summer we laughed and cried and laughed until we cried
We broke bread and broke down
Each day offering a new chance, a new start, a new song
We were called to love and to teach and to empower
But there were mornings that I really didn't feel like getting out of bed
And still the Christ in me said "Let's tackle this one together
and learn a little bit about grace along the way"
This was not a mountaintop summer but instead a summer of foundation
Of building up the important things
and breaking away the not so important ones
It was a summer of empty coffee cups and beautiful conversations
Of growing and learning and letting go and changing
I think it rained so much not just to keep us on our toes
But to let us know that though storms may come
we are held safe by our Maker
Gentle raindrops calling "Come and worship, come be washed clean"
We'll leave this summer with dirty feet and full hearts
Some of us more ready than others-
a ragtag family of sisters and brothers in Christ
ready to go out and be light
Because we know that even when the dirt road turns to pavement
and the summer sky fades to fall
Camp isn't just a season, it's a feeling
A feeling of being loved and free and a tad bit crazy
Never an ending, always a fresh start
Knowing that we've become a part of each other's stories
Creating new testimonies in a place that always beckons
"Come back soon"
