Hi guys! Hello to the faithful ones who read my blog regularly, and hi to those checking it out for the first time (probably since I gave you my prayer card at camp). Thanks for being interested in what I have to say, hope you enjoy it. :)
The title of this entry might need a little explaining…I got back on Friday afternoon from an exciting, unusual, and relaxing week of youth camp at Lake of the Ozarks. Woo hoo for Training Camp 2008!!! It was a great experience, seeing as how it was my first week at the Southern Missouri district’s campgrounds/retreat center. I am grateful for the week away, and so glad I got to be there with the youth from Forest Avenue. God did some amazing things in all our lives, but there were also some hilarious and stretching moments which I like to refer to as my slew of Camp Mishaps…
Camp Mishap #1
The open water bottle vs. Heather’s dry and unsuspecting lap.
As you can probably assume, as I was driving the van to camp I took a slightly sharp turn going onto a narrow country road, and my co-pilot Robert (another youth sponsor) hadn’t put the lid back on his bottle of water perched on the dash. So…yeah. The kids said the best part of the experience was my facial expression as the cold water soaked my lap. Good thing I dried out before we stopped for lunch, or else Robert would have been a dead man. Haha.
Camp Mishap #6
Forest Avenue’s van vs. a small, unsuspecting silver four-door sedan.
Classic facial expressions became the highlight of Monday’s rainy afternoon before camp started. It was still raining pretty hard when we arrived and checked-in, so we piled back into the van to drive the youth to their dorms to unload. I casually asked the kids if there was anything behind me and started backing out to the main road. As I slowly reversed, I felt us bump into something…and one of the youth yell out, “Oh my gosh, you hit someone’s car!” !!!! My emotions once again painting my face, we all jumped out of the van to inspect the damage. Fortunately, our bumpers had only touched and there was no damage on the car! Praise God! I don’t know if I’d ever felt so guilty and scared before! Luckily, after taking the girls’ stuff to their dorms, I ran into the really nice woman whose car I hit, gave her my contact info, and promised her I’d fix her car if anything went wrong with it anytime soon. Wow.
Camp Mishap #11
The mother of all embarrassing and awkward moments.
As we drove to the staff lodgings the youth kept themselves busy making fun of me and teasing that they were going to call Pastor Jim and tell him what happened (who, by the way, felt more sorry for me than angry! Haha.). We arrived at the motel, and quickly learned that both Robert AND I were assigned to room 9. Yeah… One room, two beds, one bathroom. This had to be a mistake! Once again, the kids were practically on the ground laughing their behinds off at my expense. Robert and I couldn’t quite look at each other, so we quietly unloaded our stuff and vowed not to tell anyone until things were resolved. Glad that the youth had something to take their minds off of how nervous they were for their first youth camp, we made our way to the chapel for orientation--with the youth singing their own rendition of “Going to the Chapel.” Sigh.
Camp Mishap #12
A vow broken.
Within 30 minutes, Robert had told 4 people about the room situation. Welcome to SoMo youth camp, Heather Goff! No time to be nervous, only embarrassed!!! :)
Camp Mishap #18
No food or drinks in the gymnasium. Duh!
After some time in the incredibly hot Snack Shack, I checked out what the girls were doing in the gym during free time. Trying to stay out of the crossfire of an intense game of dodge ball between staff and campers, Savannah and I chatted about the first two days of camp. Just as I was thinking, “This isn’t such a good idea…we might get--” a large yellow dodge ball hit’s the Styrofoam cup of Pibb Xtra in my hand, baptizing Savanah and I in a sticky mess! Cleaning up the remnants on the floor (and picking up the pieces of my pride left after the game paused to check out the damage), I laughed at myself and wondered if I had done anything the week before to deserve a lesson in humility…
Camp Mishap #23
Killer mosquitoes. No joke, they’re vicious and stealthy in Missouri.
After service and concessions time on Tuesday night I decided to chat it up with my neighbor and with Robert (even though by now word had spread quickly of our brief stint as roommates). Standing with my door half-way open I knew I risked having to kill a few critters before bed, but took the chance and talked for about 30 minutes with the guys. As I went to read a little before bed, I noticed a swarm of small, transparent, quiet mosquitoes that were buzzing my overhead light. After at least 20 minutes of carnage involving unsuspecting mosquitoes and a rolled-up pair of gym shorts, I had killed almost 30 mosquitoes in my room! Add to that a roach and a stinkbug that conveniently fell in my trash can, and I was ready for bed! As I laid down talking the day over with my Mom on the phone, the lone surviving mosquito began dive-bombing my face! Twice it circled down from the ceiling at me, until I stood up and swatted at it again with the shorts. Then it came with a full-frontal attack and again went for my face!! I eventually killed it, got back on the phone, explained the shrieks and squeals to my laughing mother, and went to bed. The remaining troops that hid in my bathroom that night were properly disposed of the next morning. Tough little boogers.
Camp Mishaps #34-37
You mean we had staff meetings every morning?!?!
My ongoing faux pas at youth camp was the fact that every morning I slept in, then lazed around my room and at Cross Pointe reading, reflecting, and praying. It wasn’t until Thursday afternoon that Cheri, a wonderful pastor’s wife that I spent the week befriending, asked if I had heard the devotion in staff meeting that morning. Staff meeting? What staff meeting?!?!? She laughed at me pretty hard, then explained that I must have missed the meeting every morning above the chapel. Yeah… Pretty sure I was sleeping during ALL of them. Hopefully Darrin Poe (the District Youth Director) didn’t notice…and if he did, I’m sorry Darrin! Wow, I am good.
Well, I really hope you have enjoyed reading about my adventures at youth camp this past week. Ask any questions you might have about the experience, and check back in a day or two for all the God Experiences that we had there as well. I would write them tonight, but it’s getting late. I will have them up soon.
Hope everyone reading this remembers that mishaps in life can be stretching and a blessing; so be humble, never trust someone when they say you’re clear to back up, always carry bugspray, and remember not to bring any food or drinks in the gymnasium!!!!
Enjoying life through Him,
Heather
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