Today was the 75th anniversary of camp. They’ve been planning this celebration for well over a year. Josh and I were support staff during the year of the 50th anniversary and it was a big deal of people buzzing all around in the dining hall and enjoying the day. Today was similar. There was a great turnout, due in part to the fact that God blessed the day with beautiful weather and milder temperatures. We were grateful for that.

Someone recently asked me if living here has allowed me to keep the same love for camp. He was one of the support staff when Josh and I were counselors and comes each year with his wife who he met here. They bring their girls for the weekend parent camp. In my memory, people of the opposite sex who I knew from before tend to be remembered through one of two categories. Did I have a crush on them or no?

This one I did not because he was too young. And while looking at him and talking not a single thing had changed beneath the beard and extra pounds. He was still the same person, except now he is a science teacher and has been the principal of a public school system and all kinds of neat things. But in pondering his question I didn’t know how to answer at first. I ended up saying that yes, living here has allowed me to keep the love.

My answer was rushed. Thinking about it now I do not think that was fully true. I do not think or speak anymore about how much I love camp. Instead I think and speak about how I appreciate camp. I appreciate the role it has played in my life and my kids’ lives. Recently I asked my kids what the best thing about their childhood was or has been so far. All five of them listed camp as their number one best thing. I appreciated that.

When I came to work here camp was (at first) an escape from my home life. I didn’t even ask my parents’ permission. I just called the director one afternoon and told him I’d be there Wednesday. I chose camp over my family when they decided to change churches and I decided to stay Lutheran so I could keep working here. The biggest disappointment in living here has been how many people from then never came back.

This dad who I was talking to said it probably makes a difference if both parties had a connection to camp or not. I’d never thought of that before and then it made a lot more sense. When only one would’ve known camp, it’s easy to see how something would get lost in the shuffle and busyness of life and marriage. You bring things into your marriage that stay, but you also bring things in that along the way get left behind.

My son and I were at the beach from 2-4 during the auction time. He played with a camp friend and I sat on the dock with another friend and chatted about life while helping kids in and out of their boats. After that we went up to change and head down to the dining hall. It was wonderful to see so many cars and people. Josh and I went through the line to get our food and we sat and ate with another church/camp mom.

Eventually it was time for chapel where Josh was leading the church service. I sat with my nieces and three of my sons. Zorro even made an appearance up on the hill. After that was an Echelon concert which was very fun. I was so ready for bed when everything was all over but then they announced that there was still the campfire time with smores if people wanted. I heard the kids singing in the pavilion. I walked over and sat down.

And then I started singing with them. It was always hard to decide, but the best part of camp besides the being at the lake was the dancing and singing of happy worship songs during the morning indoor chapel time. My kids were all there, even the one still feeling sick. My husband was around somewhere too. And all these wonderful people singing were there, and it made no difference who we were. They were my siblings, my family.