A Senior Moment

I bet when you read the title you thought Roy must be "losing it". Maybe you simply thought I'd forgotten to write this week and just realized it. Well, my memory isn't what it used to be but that's not tonight's topic.

We just concluded "Senior Night" during Camp Nathanael's high school camp. It's a special night as everyone, well almost everyone, dresses up real nice in your not so typical camp attire. We enjoy a wonderful dinner in a beautifully decorated dining hall with table clothes and candles. The campers who are graduated seniors sit at the head table and everyone has a great time.

But that's not the highlight of the evening. That comes as we gather in the Chapel and the seniors are recognized and have an opportunity to say whatever they'd like. I've never been to one of these evenings without being moved at the impact Camp Nathanael and Christian fellowship can have on a person. Most of these students we've watched grow up year by year at camp. One young lady was recognized for completing the Bible lessons for camp attendance for 11 straight years.

One by one each senior (14 in all) shared with the other 110 campers. One camper told of how when he was in the third grade a tall, skinny, bald headed man came into his classroom with a wooden dummy (Larry Toner and his dummy, Lutie) and scared him to death. But he began to memorize the Bible verses for camp attendance and he's glad he did.

A senior camper who had accepted Christ this week simply said, "Camp Nathanael rocks!" A young lady, after several attempts to get past her tears, shared how she had spent nine weeks at camp, one week each summer for nine years. She said that's not that long in the scheme of things but they were so important to her. Another told of not growing up in a Christian home. It was at camp she first learned to pray before a meal. It was at camp where she got her strength to live the Christian life. Others thanked counselors, mission staff and fellow campers for the great experience of camp and the influence they had on their life.

But each one thanked God for the opportunity to be a part of Camp Nathanael. They now all move on to other opportunities of life - college, jobs. But our prayer is that they keep a tight grip on the things they've seen and heard during their time at Camp Nathanael. It was a great evening!

That's what's happening along the banks of Troublesome Creek until next time.