camping

I'm going to pause from a the "why I love camp ministry" theme for a minute, just to say that I love plain love camping. I love picnics, I love being outside and I love being close to big bodies of water.
The very, very best Harrington family vacation we ever took was living in a popup camper on The Circle Tour on Lake Superior. In a little over two weeks, we pulled our house behind our minivan, with a car top carrier loaded full of additional luggage and made one of our greatest family memories. And that's saying a lot, because we took a lot of great trips. But for some reason, all of us agree that this was a highlight of our childhood.

The picture above was taken on another trip in the Boundary Waters. I am pretty sure this was the trip we almost all died in a straight line wind thunderstorm. We had to tear down camp around 2 am and get out of dodge before trees started falling on us. I remember this night vaguely with fun and adventurous memories. My dad would probably say this is a night he recommitted his life to the Lord under the condition that we all survive.

The thing about camping trips is that good stories are easy to make. Whether everything goes according to plan, or nothing goes according to plan. It's just good to be out in God's creation, taking in fresh air, cooking over a fire, and getting up with the sun because it's just too hot to say in the tent any longer.

holy moments

This picture was taken when I worked at Mount Carmel two summers ago. We had an evening worship overlooking the lake. An artist was there and as the sermon was preached on Peter, the artist painted Jesus telling Peter to drop his net and to instead become a fisher of men.

During the worship there was one lone boat out on the lake with a solo fisherman quietly puttering around. The night was still and calm and comfortable. It was holy.

But that's the thing about camp. It lends itself to lots of holy moments.

freedom at camp

There is a freedom at camp that is like none other. When the caravan door flew open upon our arrival to Mount Carmel we were free to run around, find our cousins and revisit all of our favorite places. We were just expected to show up for meals and check in once in a while.

Of course, kids camp is a bit different! The camp I'm at now, every kid is with his or her counselor at ALL times! But even still, the freedom of being outside, the long, stretched out days and the unexpected adventures are all still the same.

The picture above is the prayer chapel on Lake Carlos at Mount Carmel. It's a tiny building that seats eight, and was always a favorite destination when we'd run around camp. The picture below is of me and my cousin Dan. I love this picture and hope to frame it soon. This chapel was good for praying in, but it also served as the most perfect location for the best barbie weddings you could ever imagine. Lots of barbies were married here, complete with toilet paper runners and Ken-pastors.

why I love camp

I know that I won't have time to blog during staff training (or if I do, it will be a complete bonus) so it is Saturday night, and I thought I would put together some posts surrounding camp and why I love it so.

I grew up going to Mount Carmel Family Bible Camp in Alexandria, Minnesota. Each year my family would go for a full seven days. Both sets of grandparents were there, along with cousins and aunts and uncles. I was certain we owned the place, just because every part of this camp was so familiar, homey and safe.

I've got memories unending of weekly water carnivals, talent shows, finding one of my grandpa's each night during canteen to buy my skittles, and late night sauna meetings that concluded in the lake. In the mornings adults would hear a speaker and have their own Bible studies while the youth were taught about Jesus by counselors who were fun-loving and easy to like.

My grandma used to say that Mount Carmel was a "little piece of heaven on earth." It felt that way. Filled with loving community, familiar friends, faithful conversations and so much joy and laughter...I always have thought this is what God intended for us all. I love camp because it truly is a place set apart. There is no other time when our family had uninterrupted family time for seven whole days, where the everyday life stresses were left back at home, and where peace and blue skied days, sunny afternoons on the beach and lots of late night popcorn and conversation are the norm.

Correction!

Ah! I just called my dad to wish him a happy birthday and said, "I really can't believe you're 69." To which he said, "I'm not. I'm 66." Brother. Here I was all sad that my dad was getting older, but I just got three years of his life back! Happy Birthday to me!

Plus, this way he has four whole years to plan for the family cruise he should take us on for his 70th!

Oh Dad. Sorry. So sorry. Glad you're just 66. Happy Birthday!