Summer Thought; Winter Day
I sit here, easily distracted by the snow covering the sidewalk, driveways, and roads just outside my living room window. As with much of the world at the moment, I find myself working primarily from home, a scenario I am thankful for but not always good at. I like to move, change scenes, and travel more often than the regular individual might. It’s sometimes a nervous twitch yet more specifically a need for experience and adventure!
This paints a good picture as to why I ended up being the Program Director at Covenant Bay. Never a dull moment. Once the winter days settle in, a week or so after the time change (which somehow still throws me off, every year!) I recognize my need for adventure, travel, and warmer weather, calls me, subtly yet not lacking fervor, it demands I take note. Which I do, momentarily at least. like most Canadians I know, I long for the warm days with exponential increase as the winter months drag on.
I like to consider myself an expert in Summer. Not like, a meteorologist or anything, just simply a person who has experienced summer and much of what it has to offer through many years of serving Summer camp! It is much harder to have a slip-n-slide in negative 30-degree weather! (trust me, I’ve tried)
The exact timing of “evening” seems to get less exact as the year draws to an end. “Is it 2:00 pm? Or Midnight?” I am genuinely unsure most of December due to the lack of any prolonged sunlight.
Midnight is and has always been the time when I get my best thinking done. This year I have been captivated by the thought of how we carry experiences with us and how those experiences, help grow and oftentimes define us long after they’re initially experienced.
Every summer, since I was 18, I have watched children, youth, and staff, grow through experiences. This growth is often more profound than any individual expects. Each winter, around this time I remind myself to pray for those individuals, for the change they experienced, and that the spiritual growth they experienced in the summer months has been fostered, cared for, and encouraged into this season.
We, at camp, or in ministry, recognize that this type of life change comes through an interaction with the Holy Spirit. This is the exact life change and connection we pray for and love to see during the summer months, or while doing relational ministry with people!
My encouragement and end thought for today is simple. As the days get colder and we see the sunless, let’s remember to pray for those whose lives have changed, for the children, youth, and families that are impacted by local ministries sharing the Joy of the Holy Spirit.
