It has been over a week since I engaged grace through words on this blog. I have been a recluse acting as chaplain at family camp. This week was grace in so many ways.
Being away from phones and electronics, from preparing meals, and from scheduling appointments and family events was only the beginning of beautiful.
Every day dining hall graces were sung. The table graces had been written over the years by camp staff and sung to their favourite tunes. This was really fun and the creative genius superb.
My son and I shared a cabin and neither of our running shoes made the cabin unbearable. Together we participated in a balloon shaving competition and made a winning erupting volcano. A memory that I will never forget. I met my son on a new level; creative, intelligent, fun, thoughtful, and caught a glimpse of him as an adult.
Every day the adults met for Bible Study in the outdoor chapel, under sun-kissed trees. The discussion was lively as we engaged scripture using our five senses. Questions asked and blogged about included: "What does love smell like? Does God smell the same?" "What does joy taste like?" "What does God look like?" "How do you hear God?" We played with the smells of frankinsense, myrh, the sound of a brass bell, and a social justice personality colour chart.
Grace was heard and felt through my whole body as I would open the windows on my cabin to the view of trees and the lake. I would play the bagpipes and the sound waffled across the water. Very cool!
Grace was spoken through the pages of the children's stories read at evening campfires, the enthusiasm of staff, and the laughter of young and old.
God was in every moment. God grew closer the longer we were a community focused around word, sacrament, and nature; the longer we were away from the business of our lives.
I am now back home and back to the routine of daily church life. The goal is to carry the grace of camp for as long as I am able; a grace that is routed in nature, community, and word.
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