Slow Down and Smell the Rose

The winter season is coming to a close here at camp. In just a few short days, we will be welcoming a number of amazing individuals to join our team. There is a mixture of emotions amongst the staff. We are excited to begin this new season and ready for change, but change is scary and transition can be hard. So I want to take some time to reflect on this past winter season.

 

The Winter Staff

One thing Taylor Jenkins has said to me from day one was "Slow Down and Smell the Roses." In spring, summer, and fall, we have guest group after guest group. We are running from the kitchen to activities, from activities to the kitchen, from the kitchen to cleaning. It is busy, busy, busy! Often times, you feel like there is no time to slow down and really take it all in. But Winter is a very different story. Weekends are still busy, but for the most part guest groups are smaller in number. We are ever so thankful for all the volunteers who helped us out on the busier weekends. We wouldn't have been able to do it without them! But we get the amazing opportunity to slow down and smell the roses at camp.

What are the roses at camp you might ask?

Let me tell you!

Camp is incredibly peaceful - a great place where we can connect with God through His creation. Whether this is a walk by yourself to pray or hanging out with the staff, discovery a new part of camp and having a camp-fire. Both are incredible experiences. We often are building fires for others to enjoy; but when we get the opportunity to fellowship with one another over a fire it is so much fun.

The night sky. I love how at camp we can easily go out to the playing field and star gaze! It really is so beautiful. 

The Internet. It is super frustrating that the internet can be slow or not work at all. But it truly is a blessing in disguise. When the internet isn't working, it simply forces us to be social with each other.

The endless opportunities to be active, through sports and leading activities. There are always enough people to play some kind of sport. When it was actually winter and we had ice on the rinks, we would play hockey! Regardless of how much experience we had, we all loved playing it. For our winter staff wind-up, we played some soccer. Final goal, Blitz scored on Ranger and it had nothing to do with the fact that Ranger was hungry for some tacos!

Truly getting to know other staff. You learn small things about individuals that make them special!

Meeting new people! It is so amazing to meet all kinds of different people and hear about their experiences.

Needless to say, it has been a good winter! One full of fun and adventure. Some good days and some not-so good ones. 

I often think that change is God's why of making sure that we never get too comfortable. Although, change is so hard for me, I know that God is just stretching me and pushing me outside of the norm and what is comfortable. Change is good. Rather than looking at the past and what we used to have or looking to future and what we will have soon. Let's "Slow Down and the Smell the Roses." Enjoy each moment you have in the now and look for the good in what you do have!

Bekah aka Blitz