we live at a camp--actually the camp i went to as a child, and the one my mom, aunt, uncle, and grandma went to before me. jim and i met on staff here in college, we got engaged on the hill under the stars, and we were married in the little outdoor chapel of the pines. in a lot of ways, camp is like home, but living in ligonier year round, i still feel a lot like a stranger in a strange land.
jim's job is year round, which most people have a hard time grasping. camp only last three months, but a lot goes into recuiting staff and campers, and planning programs in the "off-season." jim directs the adventure program, and that doesn't really get an off-season, except perhaps between thanskgiving and new year's. youth groups, law firms, schools, and sports teams use the property year round for team-building and challenge activities. jim builds and maintains the high and low ropes courses, climbing tower, zip line, and bike park and organizes off-site caving and white water rafting trips. it's a pretty sweet job, and his favorite time of year is the summer when is able to train a staff of twelve college students to run the adventure program for the 2000 kids who will come to camp this summer. he loves teaching and training and vision-casting, and he is great at it. his staff arrives tuesday, and the whirwind begins!
yesterday, i took the baby to visit two friends i made when i was a couselor at camp. i spent almost five hours in the car, dylan barely napped at all, and she screamed the last hour back, but it was still so good to see my old friends. we all have babies. one of the girls, who i met when we were on high school staff together, amazingly has four kids, two of whom i had never met. it was fun to reconnect and get to know one another again in another capacity. i am so thankful for the people that God has brought into my life through the ministry of camp.
