peace

I am going through a Bible study with my girl staff this summer. I love having the opportunity to pour into them and talk about how God is teaching us. We are going through the fruit of the spirit found in Galatians. Each week we have focused on one part of the fruit and talked about how we struggled with it or how God used us in different ways through that previous week.
This week is peace. Reading through Galatians 5 there are a few of the fruit that I know I may struggle with. I was not sure how I would be able to find time to find peace in my days working at a summer camp. Each day brings a new set of complications and each group handles them differently.

Last week we had a men's group who, although very unorganized, were extremely encouraging all weekend to me and my staff. I am so grateful for that! On the last day of a group our staff flip camp. Meaning,,,we clean camp and prepare it for the next group to arrive. Which, in this case, was the next day. Cleaning days are always more stressful for me. When we are done cleaning we get to be off! After a long week it can get stressful knowing that our off time is just over the other side of the next 4 hours of cleaning. While my staff clean camp I make sure the group gets their invoice, they hit the road and have everything they need as well as finishing the schedule for the next week. I try to pitch in when I am done with my work but sometimes I can't always do that.

This past cleaning day I was exhausted. I was up late the night before and had very little sleep and my stomach started to seize with pain that morning. (not fun) So, I also did not eat much for breakfast and started to shake and feel really weak. Great start to a day! The staff was able to get into the rooms early and they were doing an amazing job! The group was still in the chapel for a while and some of my staff were waiting to get in so they could get done. Tempers were rising as the clock ticked closer to the afternoon and typically that makes me anxious and in a bad mood but for some reason I was extremely mellow. By the end of the work day I had squelched a few fights and had a couple confrontations with staff and while that usually drains me, I still felt pretty good going into the afternoon.

Sundays' start to the day was great! I was able to get up and go to church and see a few friends, grabbed groceries and enjoyed the sunshine as I headed back up the mountain. When we started in the afternoon there were problems awaiting me: the internet was not working, one of my staffers was late, the group could not connect to the wifi and them or my nurse could not access the health records all as the kids were starting to arrive. I had not had time to work out that morning and running around camp was a good cardio for the day! There were extra dietary issues at dinner and the internet I thought I had fixed went out again, but I felt an odd sense of peace throughout all of it. I think satan was using almost every tactic to bump into my happy by making my day extra long and chaotic.

God is so much stronger. As I sat on my porch Sunday night listening to the campers playing all over camp and avoiding getting bitten by bugs; I took a minute (which rarely happens at camp) and saw how I was able to find peace in those moments. Each day this week has brought chaos, We just sent a camper to the emergency room and I have been covered in poop water more than once so far and it is only Wednesday.

I find when I let myself get overwhelmed with the craziness of camp I lose my focus. When I focus on the stress; that is when groups' demands aggravate me, I am more tired, quick to panic and rely on my own strength. (which at this point is pretty low) When I focus on what God is doing at camp I have a better attitude about things. I am able to take a breath and see Him all around. I see Him in the way He is working through the campers and my staff, when schedules get messed up, when I am somehow still functioning after very little sleep, and how He can work in the midst of a stressful and hectic moment.

It is easy to lose sight of the bigger picture of what is done here. I get wrapped up in the problems but when I can take a moment and see how God is working that is when my heart refocuses and I can see His peace amidst it all. I hope you are able to find that too. I am so thankful for His strength and peace that is carrying me through this week and I am excited to hear how my staff have experienced peace too!