Grandparents Camp

It is Sunday morning at 6:30 and I am up early because I went to bed so early yesterday.  Grandparents Camp was very very tiring but good.  And my time as leader is over.

I have said all year that I want to be able to attend with Maggie  next summer. . I started this with Mary Wood 12 years ago after a conversation with someone from Indiana on the porch at Chautauqua. I have co directed it every year since.  We started with 18 people the first year and this year there were 75.  We devised a curriculum of "stories of Jesus" for three years.  And during the time we met we had three stories learned by the kids, lots of games and crafts and times with grandparents and grandchildren.  It has been immensely satisfying.

yesterday there was one way in which I found myself utterly convicted.  I presented two stories.  The first - at vespers - was the story of the shepherd searching for the lost sheep.  We had the kids count to 99 and then the shepherd - Audrey - searched high and low for the sheep.  Afterwards I share with the kids that God is always searching for us.  everyone is important.

The second story was from Jesus "I am the good shepherd" and we had the kids learn the 23rd Psalm.  This year I actually had motions for them to learn it and it was very sweet to do them and teach them.  One of the games we played was about the sheep, shepherds and wolves.  The kids were the sheep and we appointed two shepherds and one wolf.  I explained that the sheep were afraid of everything and even when rabbits were around they jumped up and down in fear.  But when the wolves came, they ran - to the shepherd.  If they didn't they became a wolf.  It was a lot of fun.  And towards the end of the game, we gave the shepherd "superpowers" so that if they touched the wolf - they became a sheep.  And I explained at the time how Jesus could change the hearts of all of us even when we were feeling mean and hard.  At the end of that game I said - remember the point of it all - stay close to the shepherd.

Even in the midst of the game, I found myself aware of how we - as people - are afraid of so many things.  We live our lives jumping in fear about things that turn out to be "rabbits."  And most of all, I left the day with the words - "Stay close to the shepherd."

It has been a fun run and I really appreciated working with Marsha and Mary Jo.  I watch Mary Jo in leadership before a group and am always impressed by her manner and her humor with everyone.  Marsha continues to think long and hard about the crafts she offers and really enjoys the interactions with the kids and grandparents.  She hopes to bring Charlie next year and I will bring Maggie.

All of this is at our beloved Camp Christian which is in trouble.  The pool is broken and will not be available this year.  The staff that is working is very small and all of us worry that it is too much for Wendy and Ted - the food service person and the superintendant.  I go up there this morning to lead a - what I am sure will be small - worship service in the woods at Vespers.  I will try this for 4 weeks and see if there is any interest.  After that I go on vacation and will decide whether to recruit someone to do it in my absence.  I am trusting God on all of this.

On my ride home I had a moment of missing Chuck, of course.  He used to help with the fishing for years and I was very aware that this year - for the first time - I am not coming home to him.  The seasons come and then they go.  And now I am no longer a married woman or a co director of Grandparents Camp.  But through it all I keep learning that the key to everything is to stay close to the shepherd.

The Lord is My Shepherd - I shall not want.  YES