I Will Never...Okay, Fine I Will

Our first snow day of the year--which has nothing to do with this post

Today's lesson is brought to you by God.  Again.  

My prayer group has a week long sleep away summer camp for elementary aged kids.  Hubby and I grew up going to camp, and then served on staff after we aged out up until we got married.  Then life happened and we set camp aside.  

Hubby plays guitar and really wanted to return to camp as the music director.  I said I was okay with that once David was old enough to go.  I could handle the girls by myself for a week, but not all three.  So, Hubby has been going every year since David was in second grade, this being Hubby's sixth year.  I have gone twice, as childcare has allowed.  My first year I served in the kitchen, then a year off, then last summer I was assistant craft director.  

This year David aged out of camp.  I tossed around finding a place for David to go for the week so I could go to camp, but ultimately decided to spend the week with David up north with a friend and her similarly-aged son because that's what I felt the Lord wanted me to do.  Over the next two month, my plans started falling away one by one.  It was actually kind of odd.  First, my friend was asked to serve at camp.  She started tossing that around.  Then she discovered her son had band camp the same week so he would be gone.  Fine.  David and I would just go up north alone.  

My parents also were talking about taking a trip that week where David and I could tag along.  But then a conference sprang up and their plans for that week were up in the air.  Hm.  

Yesterday I received an email about the backpacking trip that David is going on this summer.  Up to this point the trip has been in the middle of July.  I looked at the dates for his trip and did a double take: his trip is exactly the same time as camp.  I just laughed.  Seriously???  I suddenly found myself all by myself.  No friend, no David, trip with my parents in question.  

MY plan was, were I to go back to camp this year, would be to go back as the assistant craft director because I loved it.  And it gave me contact with all the kids, but not TOO much.  Like, being a counselor "too much."  On Tuesday I was talking with my friends about camp.  One is going to be a head counselor, the other's husband is, too.  I said on Tuesday that they were crazy, that I would never be a counselor because it'd be too much for me.  Just like I've been saying for the past 5 years--I would go to camp but as anything BUT a counselor.

But I saw the letter with all the staff positions listed.  The only spots open were 4 female counselor spots.  I was left with a decision: camp as a counselor vs going up north by myself.  I prayed for a few minutes about it and asked God to make it obvious.  I was in my car driving at this point and I decided to call the women's camp director to talk to her about it.  I got to my destination and was looking through the papers in my car trying to find my phone book.  I used to store it under the center console so I reached under there and pulled out what I found.  Out came a picture that I had meant to give to my friend months ago--a picture of her son at summer camp holding up a fish he caught.  I looked at the picture, laughed, and set it down.  Looked like I was going to camp.

I called the director and signed up to go as a counselor.  In all its "live in a cabin with girls all around all the time" glory.  Something I have said for years that I would never, ever, EVER do.  And after I hung up the phone, I just laughed, because this is what the director, who is also a friend, said:  "You can just add it to your list of doing something new.  Are you still doing that?  It really inspired me to try to do new things.  If Lisa can do it, so can I."  

Yes, that is exactly what I was thinking: Lets do something new.  Ha!  Ya, not at all.  What I was really thinking is that God pretty much did everything possible to ensure I would be going to camp as a counselor.  Despite my every protest.  Despite my saying I would never ever do such a thing.  I decided to not go to camp, thus giving up the one position at camp that I loved.  And then when it was too late to get any job other than that of a counselor, God stripped away every plan one by one, until I was left all alone with nothing to do but be by myself for a week or go to camp.  As a counselor.  Once again, I am left trusting that the Lord knows what He is doing, because clearly I do not.  Ha!