Thursday, July 27, 2006

Ode to Prairie Camp

I know you've all been waiting on the edge of your seats for the next post. Oh, the anticipation! Ok, not really.

So, we leave on Saturday morning for a mission trip to New Jersey. Never been there before. We'll also get to head into NY City for a day. Never been there before either. I'm pretty excited. It's not the greatest time at work for me to leave. Kinda busy.

Also, we'll be gone during the whole time of Prairie Camp! This will be the first year of my life that I don't make it out to my beloved church camp. Sniff, sniff. It is one of the most wonderful places in all of the world. Really! Ok, maybe not by appearance. It doesn't quite compare with things like the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls, but it's still one of the great works of God's hands. It's mostly the memories that I've made over the last 20+ years there (yes, I know I'm older than 20....it's just I don't remember too many things before I was 5 years old). Anyways. It's just a fabulous place. They don't have a bunch of fabulous features like zip-lines and pools or high ropes courses or horses (except for the amish buggies that pass by)......they just have Jesus. Which is all that I need. Even the bathrooms have a kinda gross smell....but the moment I walk in there......it's bliss. Oh, I will miss my Prairie Camp. The dust you get on your car....wonderful. Sitting on hard benches in the tabernacle.....worth it. Sweating in the hot Indiana heat.....amazing. Worship at an evening service.....moving. Getting to see people that you remember what they looked like when they were in their awkward pre-adolescent years......pretty funny. Spending time with people who are committed to Jesus.....heavenly. Having a slushy from the snack shack.....yum. Being in the youth service tent and smelling the trampled on and soggy grass.....invigorating. Smelling the evening campfires and the famous chili.....mmmmm. Oh, Praire Camp, I hope you miss me as much as I'll miss you.

Anyways enough of my reminiscing. We will have a fabulous time in NJ and I have no doubt that we'll get to be a part of some pretty cool things. And I'd appreciate it if you could wait on the end of your seats in anticipation.