Camping

So I'm going camping this weekend. Woo hoo. The excitement should be dripping off your screen. I'm not crazy about sleeping outside, even in a tent, and haven't done so since I was in college.

So why am I going? "It's all about the kids." Our middle school ministry is having a campout a couple hours away in Missouri. I really wouldn't be going any other way. And "only 2" of the guys in the grade I work with are going. But, our mantra in our leadership team is, it's all about the kids. There are SO many things we do that in our adult-ness, we'd rather not do. But because kids in our middle school ministry thrive on doing crazy things within the safety that we as adults provide, we do them anyway. Camping out is not one of my favorite things to do. But I will do it, enjoy it, and help create memories for those kids that are going.

As I learned on our short term mission experience in Rapid City, SD a few weeks back, being in an offsite experience can really open doors to conversation that might never happen otherwise. I had a great conversation with one of my students who's been struggling lately at a ministry site one day. I had thought we were sitting down next to a man staying at the homeless shelter to talk to him and hear his story. But as it turned out, the student was the one who I needed to talk to. That likely would not have happened back home. Perhaps the "only 2" guys going on this trip are looking for connection. We'll see.

I'm looking forward in a couple more weeks to summer camp. A week away eating WONDERFUL food and frying in the sun! OK, the cabins are air conditioned and I'll have my own adult shower. That makes a huge difference. Busted.

But for now, off to lay all night around all the things that go bump in the night. Sleep can wait... (Seems like I say that a lot in the summertime.)