Keepers

Let’s just talk irony for a moment.

Last year, during the second session of camp, I stayed in bunk 12. It was the hardest session of my counseling career.

This year, during the second session of camp, I was assigned to bunk 12, and it now has a place in my top five bunks of all time.

 I was nervous waiting for the girls to arrive. In particular, I was dreading over the news I heard through the grapevine; the church I had was known for being rambunctious.

Therefore, I was reciting scripture and shooting up prayers in preparation as I waited for my girls to arrive. I was dwelling especially over this verse;

 “All her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; all who lay hold of her will be blessed.” (Proverbs 3:17-18)

 That’s who I want to be for my girls. I want to be pleasant and peaceful with them. I want to speak life to them and bless them with any influence I may have over them.

But this is really hard when you are also a disciplinarian.

 However, the Bible says the wise woman is like this, so this means it is possible to be a disciplinarian and a pleasant blessing at the same time. There is no excuse!

My prayer was to be this kind of woman for my girls during session two, and boy did the Lord bless me with opportunity.

 These girls were golden.

 Moments after they walked in I discovered their so called reputation for being rambunctious was misplaced-these girls were from a different state but had the same name as the bad rep church.

 Without much hesitation, I can say the first day I spent with these girls is the best first day I’ve ever had with a single bunk.

 We bonded instantly.

I told them about the commonly used attention call for girl bunks where the counselor says “Hey Ladies” and the girls respond with “Hey What?”, and they decided they wanted their response to be “Hey Miss Melody” instead. I was ecstatic.

Then, as they were coloring their name plates, I told them I would be right back, because I had to go drop something off by the store. When I came back, everyone was missing. Then all at once, they opened the bathroom door and yelled out “Surprise Miss Melody, we love you!”

 Could they be any sweeter?

 Additionally, before we even left for dinner, I received several notes in my white paper bag mailbox (an idea developed from the wonderful Samantha Sikes).

 One read “Dear Miss Melody, I love you and I will miss you!”

 I was blown away. From just two hours that little one decided she would miss me when she left. Crazy.

 I could tell from here that these girls were keepers.

 That was just the first day, but the rest of the week followed suit.

 -We won the Golden Sombrero (the Cleanest Bunk Award) twice out of four chances, which gave us an ice cream party on the last night.
-We found time to do about every fun extra thing I had brought: face paint, wash out hair color, disco light dance party, and so on.
-At every transition stage (such as walking in line, or waiting in line at dinner) they were asking to make it fun. So we sang the camp song and chants, went over the memory verse, played follow the leader, and yelled at the boys, of course.

The only real issue that came up throughout the entire session was over self image issues. Some of my girls were trying to get approval and affirmation from young boys, instead of their loving creator, and it was getting out of hand.

Thankfully though, the Lord brought me to Psalm 139:14 “You are beautifully and wonderfully made.”

I was able to address the girls with this verse, telling them that the Lord who created them thinks they are beautiful, and he wants them to look to him, and not boys.

 I think my point came across clear to them. All praise and glory to the Lord for that.

 By the end of the week, most of the girls were begging to stay. All of them asked if I could be their counselor next year, too.

 I am thinking the answer to their question is no, but I am already praying that whoever gets them will be even more fantastic for them.

I really can’t keep them for but a week, but I know I’ll be keeping the memory of their session, and I hope they can keep those memories, too.