I write this, covered in several layers of sweat. Cabin dudes lookin over my shoulder. The sounds of chattering and stomping feet… Mosquitoes biting my bare back.
This was a great week… though I’m very very tired.
I’ve been counselling this week with a guy named Steven. He’s real awesome. At the start this week, I had asked if he could share his story for later this week. I never really grasped how much that may mean. It was a tough week. But a good week. Anyways, yesterday I asked Steve if he could share his story again. The guys in our cabin joined in the interest of Steve’s past. That’s when we got a bit of a surprise. We found out that 2 years ago to the day, Steve had been in an accident in Mexico.
He had been stick fighting with a friend on a short mission trip with metal brooms. They were in this high building and when he held up the broom stick at one point, the power lines were nearby… The 14000V electricity made an arc across to the broom and went through Steve’s arm and then down the building into the ground. This accident left him with a charred arm and clenched hand for a while and he had to stay in the hospital for 7 weeks. It was really painful for him to talk to us about this, because this day was the anniversary. It was really cool to see God work the healing process. It gave the whole cabin a great respect for him. Suddenly I realized why he did some of the things he did.
It was so great to see him telling these kids that God can use even terribly painful circumstances and problems to work out good things in the end.
Things will work out in the end…
That is a comforting thought.
An end to pain and suffering…
An end to bitterness…
An end to endings…
And the beginning of forever…
- July 14th 2007
Another week have camp has begun. This is not the same camp, nor does it feel anything like it. We are at Camp Evergreen and I was quite pleased that I got a free staff T-shirt, that not only fits, but that I quite enjoy how it looks. In large letters, 'Reckless Abandon' in a strong yellowy orange straddles chest.
This week has been interesting in that it is a lot larger than any of the camps I have previously been. They have a lot of staff. In fact, our VTI team's responsibility is only to take a half hour in the evening. Normally, I'd be let down that we don't have much to do. On the other hand, this allows for me to be able to catch up on some very much needed rest and this frees us up to focus on the IMCO conference that is beginning to loom ahead of us with many mixed feelings. It's great as far as the conference goes. But we also realize that the IMCO conference at Briercrest will be our last opportunity to experience as the team F&F63. Bryce will be going to Bible School next year instead of coming back on Encore. Alas, we will cease to be 'Portable Instanity' without him letting us know when we do crazy things.
He will be sorely missed.
As also I have sorely missed many of you all this year. Thank you so much for your prayers. You are not forgotten.
Life is such a strange and fragile thing. We blink and we see moments pass us by that will never return. And to dwell merely on the thoughts such as this as we watch ourselves and others age would only lead to sorrow and hopelessness.
This is why I am so exceedingly glad to know that life does go on. We were never made to live forever in this body. But one day we will. In fact, the very longing for immortality, for joy and a lack of pain is our souls longing for the day that is inevitable when things are set right by the Creator of all things. What a day that will be.
In the meantime, let us show the world to which citizenship we truly belong.
~James
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