Seven Years

Discovering purpose at 19 years old

Yes, I'm still alive. I apologize for the lack of posts, but it's a busy summer so far. First, my brother's wedding was a week of madness and excitement. It was a incredible event that made him and his wife, Adrienne, feel really special. Second, Me and my brother are teaching a Wednesday night class at church where we bring in guest speakers from different faiths to suggest some ways we might be able to build community instead of ignoring each other. Third, lately I found bloging to be a futile waste of time. You'd be amazed at how much living you miss when you spend alot of time behind a computer. Bloging talks about life experiences, but as you blog who knows how many untold experiences you might be missing.

A week from tomorrow I am traveling to Shiloh to begin my 7th consecutive summer as a counselor at teen session. I will be at Shiloh for teen session only which is a new experience to spend the rest of summer at home for the first time since 1999. At 25, I am a dinosaur in the eyes of the rest of the counselors. A prehistoric fossil who was given two tiny cookies and a cup of juice at his first snack time. An ancient relic from a different age when counselors were made to sleep outside in the dirt with no tent to protect them. Despite my age I wouldn't have it any other way. The opportunity to engage and challenge teens whom I've known since they were small kids is a priceless gift I don't deserve nor could ever purchase.

Returning to Shiloh is not a matter of just going to camp, it's the chance to go home. It's the chance to speak softly to child instead screaming at them. It's the opportunity to love a child unconditionally as I wipe the spit from my face. It's the occasion to put a child's needs before my own. It's the hardest work I've ever done, but the decision to return has been the easiest choice these past seven years.

CJE