BUT that changed this summer. In the Spring I had an invitation to speak at Camp Mission Meadows. (for the record Marjorie says that this was not a vacation because I was still working.....but it was vacation for the boys and her and close to one on my part)
We LOVE Mission Meadows. It's on Lake Chautauqua about an hour north of us. It's just a gorgeous camp. A few years ago they built a giant new chapel building....that even though I've been in it, 100 times or more, still puts me in awe and reverance. I've had the priviledge to speak out there two other summers (a few years ago) and our family just loves this place.
Beyond that....I love camp. I realized while we were there, that camp is like the purest parts of youth ministry. It's spending quality time with students, playing games, having good conversations over meals, laughing, swimming, and learning about Jesus and what he wants to do with our lives. No paperwork. No budgets (at least that I have to deal with). No meetings to attend. No newsletter article to write. Just quality time with teenagers. LOVE IT.
On top of all of that.....camp is where I started doing youth ministry. Not Mission Meadows, but youth camp near Pittsburgh. My buddy Kent Chevalier called me up and asked me to help lead music with him for a week, and then called the next day to ask if I'd be in charge of junior high boys. I'm pretty sure I hung up on him. He called back to beg me....and I caved in....and by the end of that week, I was hooked...not just on that group of boys (though that happened too) but on youth ministry. So there's a special place in my heart for teen camp.
This week was fabulous. The weather was near perfect. No rain until campfire night (of course). Just awesome. I got to hang out with some amazingly cool kids all week and teach. Mari and the boys arrived Tuesday night and then the fun really started. We were so busy we forgot to take pictures until the last day of camp!
Corban our drooler.
Notice the balled up fists....he did that in the first picture we ever got of him!
This was our little house they let us stay in. The boys are showing off their cheapo toys we got at the dollar store to entertain them for an afternoon.
This is just after the big game where all the kids paint their faces, the staff let my kids play the game. They were "jailers" and got to make captured students do funny things. They loved it.
The staff let the boys help serve some meals. They have a big bin of silly hats that you have to wear if you're going to serve. These guys were awesome.


Friday night at Mission Meadows is the banquet. All the students actually take showers and get into nice clothes. The boys and I decided this year we were going all out. So the three of us did white shirts and bow ties. We were styling!
Tobiah likes his ice cream.
So does Corban!
This is Tobiah in his natural habitat....surrounded by girls.
So as the banquet was happening, the heavens opened and there was water everywhere. The boys wanted to play in it, so we took their shirts and bowties off and let them have at it.

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