July Wrap Up

I haven't posted much this month but you're about to find out why. I had a very busy month!

July started out with a sleepover at my Aunt and Uncle’s house and with my cousins for the Fourth of July. (Okay, disclaimer, they aren’t exactly my flesh and blood aunt and uncle and cousins, but they’re close enough so we call them Aunt and Uncle :D) We had a fun time swimming and just talking and such. We watched a Tim Hawkins DVD which was hilarious and then we watched War Room!!!! I’ve wanted to watch it forever and finally got to. It was amazing. You have to watch it if you haven’t yet.

Then one of my best friends had her graduation party but it was a real small one with just her closest friends and family. We had an amazingly fun time. Towards the end, one of the adults came over to us kids and announces “Kids versus adults volleyball game!” So almost all of the teens get on one side of the volleyball net and the adults file onto the other side. Now, realize that all the adults are over forty, one lady had surgery in her hand only about three months ago, one man has had two shoulder replacements, and my Momma tore her ACL years ago too. I opted not to play and instead videotaped the hilarious game. One of the ladies played in a dress and pantyhose (or nylons depending what you call it lol). But adults actually won and they all were able to somewhat move the next day haha.

THEN the best week of my life occurred. Rachel, Grant, and I along with seven others from our Youth Group went to summer camp at the WILDS of New England located in Deering, New Hampshire. I’m telling you what: summer camp is always fun no matter what camp I go to, but the WILDS….WOW. You have to go. It’s probably more expensive than other camps, but it is SO worth it. You have to try and go before you graduate and you’re too old! Talk to your parents or church about going.
Just to be away from the world and without distractions (no electronics policy :P) and no responsibilities was amazing, not to mention being submerged in the Word of God and be surrounded by like-minded teenagers! I feel so refreshed now that I’m back and I’m also stuck with Camp Depression :P For those who don’t understand, Camp Depression is when you’re at summer camp for a week, you make friendships with your cabin and your counselor, you have so much fun, and then you have to come back home and you miss EVERYTHING about camp.

At the WILDS of New England, there were about 140 campers there for the week. Here’s an example of what we did in a day at camp. We woke up at 7:00, dressed, cleaned the cabin for cabin cleanup, ate breakfast, had morning chapel at 9:00, had God and I time (devotions basically), then God and I time follow up (discussion with your counselor and cabin), Game time with the entire group, lunch time, Christian Life Seminar (a little seminar where someone talks about a daily Christian life struggle kinda-sorta thing. One day we discussed purity/dating/courting, another day we discussed using your phone to help you grow spiritually etc.) After CLS was Free Time for a few hours. During free time we could play games like dodgeball, nine square, go to the game room, go to Cool Beans Coffee Shop, and the Sweet Shoppe Ice Cream parlor. At one point throughout the week, your counselor would take some time during free time and have One-on-One time where they learn about you and just see how you’re doing. After free time is dinner then evening chapel. After evening chapel is cabin devotions with your cabin and counselor and then bedtime!

It’s a busy, full day and I’ll admit, on Tuesday, I almost wished I was back home, but on Saturday morning, I couldn’t bear to leave! I was trying to figure out a way I could come back for another week! It is a little scary going to a camp and wondering what kind of girls will be in your cabin and what your counselor will be like. But God blessed me with a cabin full of wonderful, friendly, and amazing girls. As for my counselor, I had the best one! (Not biased at all of course :P) Seriously, she was great and we became really great friends. Your counselor is pretty much your momma for the week and Rebecca was a great momma 

Somethings I learned that week: (Disclaimer, they will be serious and silly)
• Girls love to sing in the shower and when you get a group of girls in the shower room together, a mini-musical breaks out :)

• Refusing to forgive someone doesn’t hurt that person, it hurts you. Bitterness will make you miserable. Learn to humble yourself and forgive.

• Counselors go to great lengths to support their team. On the final day of camp, everyone dresses in their team colors. Mine was red and while I was getting ready, my counselor offers me a piece of gum. I ask what kind of gum it is. My counselor flips over the gum pack and announces, “Big Red.” Even her gum represented our team!

• New Hampshire doesn’t get as cold as I thought it would. They still have upper 80s and 90 degree weather just like PA.

• Sin Deceives and Destroys. Satan deceived Adam and Eve and it destroyed their lives, resulting in Cain’s murder of Abel. King David was deceived when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and it destroyed all of his children, resulting in murder and jealousy among other things. However, there is still hope even after sin deceives and destroys. Jesus came through the line of Adam and Eve and God promised that Jesus would crush Satan. King David confessed his sin and gained forgiveness and lived a good life honoring God.

• Camp Counselors are superheroes. They not only deal with troublesome kids or kids from terrible home situations, they deal with them with VERY little sleep. The counselors are the first ones up in the morning and the last ones to bed at night.

• My counselor hates Smarties, but we were still great friends XD

Also this month, my sister and I got to house-sit and dog-sit over the weekend for a couple we know from church. We were allowed to invite some friends over so Friday night, we invited our best friend over and we got in the pool, had pizza and ice cream, and played air hockey and pool. Saturday night we invited another friend over to swim, eat pizza, and play Wii. It was a fun weekend and great for my sister and I to get away and enjoy some time to ourselves.

Something I’d like to add to my monthly wraps is a monthly verse or two that impacted me this month.
Ephesians 3:20. This was my counselor’s life verse and I have now made it my life verse.

Psalm 46:10. It is so easy to get caught up in the busyness of life and to get worried and fearful of everything that is going on. During those times, we need to take time and BE STILL and just meditate on who God is. God has everything in control.

So, a fantastic month!! I’ll try to get around and read other bloggers monthly wrap ups, but did any of you attend summer camps? How were they? Have you ever house-sat or pet-sat for someone before?