More Maranatha!

This summer I had the privilege of getting to be camp nurse again for a week at Camp Maranatha.

This is the third year that I have spend a week nursing at Maranatha.

It is a relaxing week with lots of energetic staff, counselors, and campers.  

The staff go to ridiculous lengths to make the week fun.  

BTW, this is isn't their regular attire.  Well, not regular for most days.  

There is an evening where the kids have to eat dinner without utensils or hands.

Cannonballing into the mud pit.  

A second after this picture was taken was these folks looked very different.  

The counselor-in-training (CIT) group spent most of their first week team building.  

Allison and her best friend Harriet were training to be counselors next summer.  

There were campers doing just about every version of camp activity imaginable.

like wall climbing...

learning how to macramé a bracelet...

(You know that is coming back, right?)

and making homemade ice cream.

Allison and Harriet had plenty of time to play in the water.

Always the infamous Banana Olympics. 

Fun on the water toys.

Slipping and sliding.

These CITs are going to make wonderful counselors next year.

Paintball capture the flag.

For some friendly competition during week 

the campers get divided into the Alphas...

and the Omegas.  

As you can see, the campers really get into the team spirit.

I love this sweet young lady and am so proud to be her mama.  

She will be wonderful at anything she chooses to do.

She loves kids and loves the Lord.

She will be an amazing junior counselor next summer.

2012 Fellowship Camp

Every August several families from my church descent upon Camp Maranatha for a fun weekend of fellowship.

There is time for chatting and showing off the latest phone games.

Silly games...

designed to induce side-splitting laughter.

Teens hanging out with the adults.

Teens showing off their little brothers.

and silly looks.

 Fireside devotions,

and group games.

There was plenty of time for adventure activities like the high ropes course.

This was a common site as folks watched the folks who were 

20 feet in the air on the high ropes course.

Safety first as the girls queued up.

There was plenty of time to stand around trying very hard to look cool too.

Nerves of steel are an asset when maneuvering around the course.

And then there is the climb up to the top platform to take a long ride on the zipline. 

Lots of courage needed to allow yourself to jump off the edge of this high platform. 

But the reward is pretty cool.  

Several folks were on the course at a time.  

There are two levels of rope challenged and four sides to each level.  

Exhausting but fun.

There was plenty of time to stand around and talk during the day

Lots of time to sit around and look cool.  

Pushing out of comfort zones.

Allison, your face is going to freeze like that.

 Your's too, Ashley.

Lovely ladies!

Is this the look of fear or oblivious confidence on our youth director's face?

For the most part Andrew did a great job -

then this would happen.  

Oh well. 

More zipline fun.

One just has to muster up the courage to step off the platform.

Now let's talk about style points:

We've got cool nonchalance...

Channeling Tinkerbell...

And the winner of the day: our newest church member who ziplined for the first time.  

He is in his eighties!  He got major kudos for the day!

There were also many folks who practiced their Spider Man skills.  

Fun on the water toys.

And fun on the boats -  

some to ski, some to just ride along.  

After lunch we were able to gather together for just a few moments before everyone scattered to continue playing. 

After all, there was the giant swing to conquer.

This is the second year that my family attended this weekend, and I am sure that it won't be our last.  

It is always so much fun to visit and play with my church family.