Innocence of Children

Of course throughout the week we had to deal with different problems with our children. Things like name calling, hitting, one throwing stones or something, some getting hurt, but one major thing we had to deal with; well major for the kids; was when one didn't want to be friends with the other. One boy Michael May was so upset that Willie was mad at him, and he was crying because he said he said so many mean things to Willie and that he'd never forgive him. At dinner I sat with them and Michael said he was sorry and Willie said he still wanted to be his friend...later they shook hands and all was well. Why can we adults do that? Why is it that a simple I'm sorry doesn't work with us, the way it does children?

It seemed so simple to me when Michael was upset, say your sorry and Willie will definitely forgive him, but when someone hurts us adults do we forgive instantly? No. We hold on to that hurt and pain. We hold grudges and I know I talked about grudges a while ago, but it was brought to my eyes once more at camp. Willie didn't hold a grudge towards Michael because he said he didn't want to be friends. As soon as Michael said he was sorry all was well again. That is one thing that God wants us to think about and act when he tells us to be like children. They don't judge, they are quick to forgive, don't worry about tomorrow, most of all they put total trust in things they don't see: Santa, Tooth-fairy, Easter Bunny, and for many Jesus. Why do adults have a hard time accepting Jesus simply because we can't physically see him? I'll talk more on that subject tomorrow.

A few of our kids lost teeth during the week. We told them to take the tooth home and put it under their pillows because since cell phones didn't have service at Laurel Hills State Park the Tooth-fairy wouldn't be able to find us...they believed us! They thought that was good reasoning. Why is it so hard for us to think the same way a child would? We lost our innocence somewhere along the line and we need to get it back in a sense.

YES Camp

Well we are back from camp. What a week! I tell you I was so exhausted on Saturday, but you know what: it was well worth it. I learned so much and throughout the week I will be telling you of what I experienced. We were in the mountains where there was no television, no internet and almost all of the phones had no service so there was no calls or text messaging. All these kids had was each other and to learn about Jesus. We had two camps: Junior Camp and Senior Camp. We were combined at one site, but it worked out well. I was a cabin director at the jr. camp (ages 6 to 10).

First Y.E.S stands for Youth Experiencing Salvation. The kids had two services so to speak: RWG {rapping With God} and a chapel service along with cabin devotions. My part was to do the cabin devotions all week. As I said before I was way out of my comfort zone. Many of you reading know I have problems speaking in front of people even if it is young children. But I was able to do it with God's help. I was speaking his word and many times it was as if God was there helping me through it; especially in the beginning before I got used to my kids. Granted I haven't made it to where I want to be but I now know I can teach. Baby steps. Soon I will be able to be in front of a large crowd and not have a panic attack.

God sends things our way to teach us different things and to help us through something. YES Camp was his way of showing me I could do the things I never thought I could do. It helped me grow in my faith. God puts in positions where he knows we will learn, but many times we don't take the opportunity presented to us. I know plenty of people who didn't take this opportunity to be either a camper or staff and missed out on something wonderful. What opportunity are you missing? What are you passing up by not volunteering to do something even if it is helping in the nursery at church one Sunday? Are you going to keep passing up opportunities? How else do we grow in God if we don't do things like being a cabin director for a camp?