Where Did All the Kids Go?!

By: Kathleen Corrigan

GOOD NEWS for all you avid Camp Gray blooggers-we FINALLY have another blog post! We apologize for our slack, but some of us got so caught up in the Holidays that we forgot our blogging responsibilities. But, fear not! We're back to provide you with all the "going-ons" of good ol' Camp Gray! :)

Well, it's winter here at Camp and a beautiful one at that! Just before Christmas we had a solid 2 feet of snow come rolling through and we staff have been taking advantage of it: sledding, cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, snowball throwing... and TONS of shoveling! Camp covered in snow has allowed me to experience one of the most beautiful winters yet, and I am incredibly thankful for it! Though, as of late, some snow has melted and we have been finding other ways to keep ourselves busy.

As a first year staff member, I am, personally, still getting used to this time of year. While winter is my favorite season, winter on camp also means a lot less time to spend with kids! (?!?! What could we possibly do with ourselves?!) Well I have quickly figured out that though we don't have group after group arriving at camp, there is still plenty to be done - a lot of cleaning, updating, polishing, and preparing camp for the pending insanity the spring will bring. I must admit that though this doesn't sound as exciting as the fall season we made it through, I actually was pretty excited for this slower pace to start up at camp and to do some of these mundane, yet necessary, projects. The hectic fall go me ready for a low-key winter. Though I am already anxiously anticipating the craziness of spring!

It's interesting, and maybe even a bit of a struggle, looking at my winter responsibilities at camp in light of my fall responsibilities. The fall was busy ALL the time; it was a craziness! We were run ragged every day tending to energetic children, late nights, running around camp, energetic children, few days off, oh... and not to mention energetic children. For some of us, coffee had become our best friend, and we were all exhausted! Yet, I still managed to go to bed every night able to say, "This is totally worth it!" Because every day that I got to spend with a group of children, I got to se smiles on their little faces, repeatedly hear the words "I love Camp Gray!" shouted from their little mouths, and receive giant-sized hugs from their little arms. How could you not praise God at the end of an exhausting day (week, month, whatever) after being able to experience all of that?

That being said, feeling the same joy and motivation is different throughout the winter. While I'm not as exhausted, it can be a struggle making the mundane winter work feel as meaningful as the lively work of the fall. Because of this, I find it important to remind myself that when you're living life as a Servant for the Lord, even the most trivial of tasks is never meaningless. As St. Teresa of Avila said, "If obedience sends you to the kitchen, remember that the Lord walks among the pots and pans." Though sometimes a struggle, the quietness of winter is also providing me with more time to work on important things such as my prayer life. I find more time to be still with the Lord and work on my own relationship with Him so that I am refreshed and renewed to share His love with others in the spring. Praise God!

Well all, thanks for taking time to read! We pray that you all have a safe and blessed winter season! And please remember to keep us in your prayers as we prepare for another busy season coming up in just a few short weeks! Be well and God bless!