Ninety Years of God's Own Time

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. God hath made everything beautiful in His time. Ecclesiastes 3:1,11

Ninety-one years ago, God brought a baby boy into the world. Through the first years of his life, little Reuben lived in ordinary circumstances. Eventually he became a man and joined the Marines where he served throughout World War II. After the war, he returned home, fell in loved, chased his sweetheart (until she caught him), and was married. Sixty years of marriage later…

The Young-at-Heart crowd is gathered at Camp Joy for the seasonal retreat. A fire burns in the fireplace. Puzzles adorn the walls, testimony of past retreats. Groups sit comfortably around the fireside room or shuffle over to the beanbag boards. They are a friendly, pleasant crowd.

Among this crowd are Reuben and his sweet wife, Doris. Wherever Rube is, there is a story to make you smile, a tale as TALL as Paul Bunyan. But for Rube, the most exciting part of the story is always true. Love, war, friends, ministry—all figure largely in Rube’s history of his era.

If anyone says that Rube talks too much, they have to remember that he has over 90 years of life to tell about. The honor of publishing his stories is well-earned. He has served his country. He has cherished his wife. He has been generous toward others. He has loved his God.

Each of us have “many dangers, toils and snares” to go through in our lives. As Ecclesiastes says, there is a season for everything. Many of these young-at-heart folks could teach us a lesson of human tenacity and the grace of God. From them, we learn that God truly makes everything beautiful in His time.

Celebrating in Style

The hardworking girls at Camp were able to enjoy a weekend off (when there weren't any retreats), spent at their very favorite “Brodhead Castle.” Mr. Scott, we confess to be praying against you that we might be able to enjoy the Brodhead Castle for a looooooong time to come.

The Danger of Blogging Camp Life

There is a danger in blogging our life here at camp.  Those who read this will either realize that these sweet "normal" girls aren't so normal after all OR they will realize how much fun we have, and all want to come work at camp joy, and we just won't have room for all them to stay here!

I’m Still Tired, but Now I’m giddY!

Today at lunch the girls in the kitchen were strangely quiet. It’s been this way across the campground wherever staff is found. Tired machines creak quietly through repetitive tasks. Lights flicker on in the morning and off at night, and all goes on as before. But the energy is missing.  

Miss Charity types and answers phones in the office. Aunt Carol wipes lunch tables between “cool downs.” Mr. Ramsby  tinkers with the dryer. One of the kitchen girls takes a siesta at the lunch table before clean-up, while another mumbles, “I'm so tired” on her way back to the kitchen. In the Snack Shack, Ruth prepares for hungry high school campers, and somewhere on the grounds a lawnmower is heard. 

It’s Thursday of the first school camp. Summer camp is over. Our summer staff has gone home to school and to college while we stay behind to keep on keeping on. You might wonder how we do it. So do we.

Then…a light breaks. Actually, it’s just the sun setting behind a line of trees. But there's something else. Even before the sun goes down, strange things begin to happen. Noises. The sound of laughter and chasing. Too much sugary caffeinated beverage is being consumed. Aunt Carol can’t hold her drink, even if it is only iced sweet tea.

Peanut butter is found in the strangest faces…er…places. Wet towels crack and wounded staff howl. Soap suds become a threat and chip bags a defense. Everyone is smiling. If you were to ask what happened to the formerly fatigued staff, someone would answer with a laugh (and a wet dish towel), “We're still tired, but now we're Giddy!” 

They're Back!!

The Triplex Triumvirate is complete once again. Rachel and Ruth were away for several weeks and now they’re back. The house wasn’t the same without them.

I missed Rachel’s smile and sense of humor, so balanced and generous. (Her generosity is one thing that isn't balanced. She gives much more than she receives.) I missed Ruth’s practical nature, regularly cleaning out the refrigerator when we let food go too long. I missed the mountain of bobby pins that Rachel would take from her hair at night and Ruth’s sweet, “Excuse me” as we shared the mirror in the morning while getting ready. I missed the towel on the floor outside their bedroom door and Rachel’s guitar standing by the piano.

Angie and I have been two lost souls drifting around the house like ghosts. We haven’t been home and awake at the same time in the last few weeks—me working late and she working early. Last Thursday we managed to slip away and have dinner in town which was a rare treat.

Now the girls are back and things will return to a form of normal. “Normal” seems to change pretty frequently and usually permanently. But we’re together, and for now that’s just what I wish. 

Unprofitable Servants

Serving at Camp Joy is our chosen responsibility, and anyone who thinks we do it grudgingly needs to keep reading this blog. God, working through us, led us here where we clean, cook, organize, welcome, and serve in any way we can. Like your job, it often tires us, and when we go home, like you, we have work to do there too.

This was an especially tiring week since we’ve been out of the groove of week-long retreats. We had the Young-at-Heart group here Monday through Thursday, which means our nights didn’t end until 10:00 or so at camp, but our mornings still started bright and early. After the camp was over, we went home to a house that needed some attention.

We’ve shared the house cleaning responsibilities, but one night Ruth did a number of other little jobs that brightened up the dusty corners. Rachel came home and noticed the extra care given around the house and said, “Oh Ruth, thank you for doing that!” to which Ruth dryly replied, “I’m just an unprofitable servant…doing what I’m supposed to do.”

Luke 17:7-10

But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.

So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

How funny! But how true! Sometimes I feel I deserve a medal for making my bed in the morning. Of course, rooms and houses are for living in, not showing off, so they don’t always maintain a pristine appearance. Our responsibilities are just something we do because we are alive. They make possible the privileges we enjoy.

The only one who deserves any praise is God the Father who created the world and its order. He maintains all things and keeps them running in their place. He fixes what we break. And He does all things well!

  Girls night out!

                                          Back Row: Natalie, Miss Charity (Camps secretary), Aunt Carol.
                                          Middle Row: Angie, Rachel, Hannah.
                                          Front Row: Rebekah ( Rachel and Ruth's sister), Ruth.