Pentecost 10b - conclusion

I've been wearing a green wrist band for the last three weeks as a reminder to pray every day for the staff at Ebert Ranch Camp. Today was their last day with campers which means they can get on with the kind of things we do in the outside world and I can take this band off and stick it on my office door as a reminder to let the memory of the staff and campfires and trail rides and sunsets and silly songs be a prayer for me. I was fortunate – blessed – privileged – gifted – to spend two weeks at Ebert this summer and I’m still living the “joy of the Lord” that I experienced at camp. “I could sing unending songs of how you saved my soul…” Not that the staff doesn’t experience stressful weeks filled with difficult days where making a joyful noise is the last thing they are able to do. They have their own troubles and live into uncertain futures even if they have plans for continuing ministry or school or professions or relationships. But for a summer they step outside the every-day rest of their lives to do some extraordinary things that bless young people and (older) pastors alike. And for that I will sing unending songs…