Summer Camp Blog: FINAL

I actually blogged day five but there was some weird stuff going on with my Mac that day and so it never actually posted. I assume it was trying to update itself but couldn’t get through the PLNU firewall. Anyways, here are some final thoughts from camp.

First, I love Hume. I like that the people who run the camp are down to earth guys who seem to genuinely care about my students, and it shows in the way they run things. The programming is always excellent and they always manage to keep things fresh from a design and look perspective. I do wish the cost was less, but c’est la vie. I look forward to returning next year.

Second, it seems like every year the seventh-graders keep getting younger and younger. There were times this week I felt like I was doing children’s ministry… that frightens me and frankly I never want to feel that way again. I’m not sure what the cause of this is… some say I am just getting older, that is just ridiculous.

Third, my volunteer staff are awesome. They spent a lot of time with the students this week and I never had to tell them to. Each one proved to me at times that they also cared about the students and liked being around them. Me, on the other hand… kidding.

Fourth, I realized how protective I am of our girl students at camp. If you are a father of a junior high daughter reading this, know that I have your back when she is at camp. I had 3 girls totally mad at me on Friday because I wouldn’t let them say bye to their “really good friend,” at camp who happened to be a baby-faced skater boy from Orange County. I felt the “murderer of love” from Dan in Real Life. And that was before I took their cell phones away for the ride home! I’m not sure I would make a good dad to a girl after all… she would run the house as a cute little girl and then be kept in a safe as a teenager.

Fifth and final, it is true that the youth group takes on the personality of the youth pastor. Here was a conversation I over heard at the outside BBQ dinner on Thursday night between a few of my guys and few from another church. Apparently, someone had put a Mountain Dew bottle in the bronze hand of a Jesus statue on campus and they were arguing over it. (My guys thought it was hilarious)

Other church kids: “Stop laughing! This is disrespectful to our Lord and Savior!”

My guys: “No its not, its funny! Show me in the bible where it says, ‘Thou shall not drink Mountain Dew’!”

Other church kids: “Ummmmm” (no comeback)

My guys: “Besides, its just a statue, it sounds like you guys are worshiping an idol statue if you ask me.”

Other church kids: (looking at each other dumbfounded)

Then I stepped in and told my guys to drop it that it really wasn’t THAT funny and that they were just being contradictory for the sake of arguing. Then it hit me that I was raising a bunch of cocky, cynical, born again breach Christians… just like me! I am not sure yet if this is good or bad. What do you think?

I am glad to be home and not having to worry about some 8th grader putting deodorant on my pillow when I am not looking.