Camp Living Stones: Focus

Mondays are usually difficult for me. I go from spending every waking hour doing fun things with the staff on the weekends, to sitting in an office alone hoping Stephen will come edit photos or a Pop Ice addict counselor will come grazing by the freezer in my office for a moment of brightly colored ice relief. While the other counselors are getting to know the new campers and finding a way to connect, I (wo)man the office sitting isolated from the rest of camp. Although my office duties are finished at 2pm, I often continue to feel lonely for the rest of the day. During the weeks I’m not helping in small group, I find it hard to connect with the kids in any meaningful way. It’s easy for me to become focused on myself. How lonely the office can become. I find myself envious of the relationship others are forming during the times spent together throughout the day.

I was praying about this last night after my time with the adult small group, and God so clearly brought the scripture to mind that reads “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be give to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). That verse totally put me in check. You would think that it would be very easy to continually seek God while working at a camp totally centered on God, but it can be a challenge. While I am removed from the distractions of my life in Orlando, working here provides a whole new set of distractions. Whether it is new relationships I’m trying to build with friends here or tasks I need to finish in the office, these things can so quickly take my focus off of Christ. Sadly, there are days [even here] that pass where I do not make time to spend quality time focused on God. I get so focused on the details and intricacies of the ministry I am trying to further that I forget to focus on the one on which all of this is centered. I find myself more focused on who I haven’t had the chance to talk with today or who I’m feeling distant from instead of placing my primary focus on Christ. And for that, I’m ashamed and saddened.

I write this from a place of honesty. A place where I admit that I can get so focused on selfish desires and doing things for God, that I quickly forget to spend time with God. My focus is on things of this world, as godly as they may be, instead of solely on Christ. I’m slowly learning that my focus cannot, should not, be on ministry. As odd as that may sound, focusing on ministry isn’t focusing on God. It’s the whole Mary and Martha thing. Although ministering to others is something all Christians are called to, I cannot let that become my focus. My focus must entirely remain on Christ. Ministry will come simply as byproduct of that.

I would ask for your prayers. Pray that I would not seek with others the companionship or fulfillment that God is meant to provide until I have first found that with him. Pray that I would feel God’s love and the love of others during the lonely times. Pray that God would continue to reveal himself to me as he shapes me more into the person he has created me to be. Pray that I’m open to listen and apply what he want to teach me, especially in the moments when God is teaching me how self-centered and worldly I can be.

I hope this wasn’t a downer post. It certainly was not meant to be such, for I am not saddened or depressed. Instead I find encouragement when God teaches me something new, even if it challenges me to examine myself in a way that may be uncomfortable. Stayed tuned, for I know God will surely teach me more on my journey this summer at Camp Living Stones.

Camp Living Stones: Fun with Friends

A lot has been happening since my last update. Here’s a quick rundown.

* I turned 23! My friends here made me a birthday poster for my room and 100+ campers and staff sang to me.

* My old church from Stuart, FL came last week. It was a blast getting to spend some time with people I’ve loved for a long time.

* We found a puppy at church and brought her back to camp! I named her CoCo [Chanel]! Jon wouldn’t let us keep her, but I enjoyed the 24hrs we did have with her!

* We went funyaking with the group from Covenant. I affectionately renamed it suck-yaking because Courtney and I kept spinning in circles and ended up hitting a rapid, falling out of our boat, and losing our paddles!

* Chase’s mom sent him a new calculator watch to replace the one that died [see previous post] but he had already bought a replacement, so he gave one to me! We’re now twins, and I’m pretty stoked about my new wrist accessory!

* Courtney, Chase, Michael, Liz, Marcus, and I went to Chattanooga on Saturday. We hit up the mall, The Olive Garden, Guitar Center, and Plato’s Closet. Lindsay couldn’t join us in our trip to Chattanooga, so Chase told her he would buy her something. He ended up buying her this ridiculous dress from Plato’s Closet that cost him $1.09. She’s awesome, so she wore it to church the next day. That night Courtney, Chase, Michael, and I stumbled upon a real deal lawn mower race on the side of the road. We watched for an hour or so then headed to downtown Athens for a late night skateboarding session in which Michael dodged traffic as he skated the winding streets of TN!

* I went to a drive-in movie theater for the first time! The entire staff went, and we had a blast! We rolled down all of my windows, put my back seats down, and watched “The Jumper” from the trunk/backseat of my car. For “Indiana Jones” we moved to the roof of my car and sat in our Crazy Creeks under the stars. I fell asleep around midnight, but it was fun nonetheless.

* I’ve been working on the CLS website. I’ve added tons of photos from this summer. Check them out at http://www.camplivingstones.com/ under CLS Picture Albums.

* A group from Pell City, AL came today, and they came bearing gifts! I can tell this is going to be a great week!

That’s all I have time to write for now! It’s worship time with the campers!

Greetings from Camp Living Stones!

Because I am so easily influenced by the opinions of others, I’ve decided to comply with the requests of some to keep my blog up to date with the events of life at Camp Living Stones.

Because free time is extremely rare during the busy days at camp, my blogs will probably mostly consist of short random thoughts and stories. So, here goes.

*I played a game of “If you can catch it, I’ll kiss it” (referring to a frog) with one of the boy campers the other night. Apparently boys from Texas catch frogs for fun, so needless to say two minutes later he was holding a frog and I was kissing it in front of a large, cheering group of children.

*I’ve been given the nickname Cassie “Flo-Rida” Fryfogle here at CLS. I am one of two counselors named Cassie this summer, so I’m repping for my home state by adopting the name of a well-known rap superstar.

*I’m working with amazing people this summer! There are 10 counselors, and you can check them out at http://www.camplivingstones.com/ under Staff & Alumni! I feel like I have 9 new best friends, and I always look forward to camper-free weekends to hang out with them.

*For our “Counselor Challenge” before the kids arrived we canoed for 10.5 hours on the Hiawassee River. In the beginning it was fun. Around 11pm it became scary. There were tears. And cows. We slept in the rain on the front porch of a man named Bear.

*I’ve realized the thing that makes people experience a “camp high” and miss camp when they return home is that at camp Christians are actually behaving like Christians. And that is always refreshing. God is the same whether you’re a camp or at home.

*My birthday is tomorrow, and I will be celebrating with my new friends from Texas! I’m also hoping to spend some time with my Tennessee family (the Sharpes) this weekend!

*I've shared my testimony with girls several times since I've been here, and a lot of girls have been able to relate. Although my story is one where God has provided for me, and been faithful to me as my heavenly father, difficult emotions are brought up each time I share my life with others as I witness girls experiencing similar situations at home. It pains me to see them hurting because I've been there and realize many of these girls do not yet have the perspective to see what amazing things God can bring about through difficulties in life. Pray for these girls as God continues to write their stories.

*We had a funeral for Chase’s beloved calculator watch/magical cell phone. We sang songs and buried it on the volleyball court. I was a pallbearer.

*God is making it more clear to me everyday how selfish, vain, prideful, and materialistic I am. I’m hoping he’ll break of me of these things as I embark on a summer that is not and cannot be about me.

*My church from Stuart, FL (Covenant Fellowship) is coming on Sunday, and I’m super excited to see some familiar faces!

*I haven’t received any real mail, and as the girl in charge of checking the mail everyday that kind of depresses me. So, send me stuff!

Camp Living Stones
534 County Rd. 876
Englewood, TN 37329

That’s all for now!