Life here at Camp Pillsbury has been a bit chaotic at times since my last post here. Between getting the owner to and from the airport as she goes on the various work trips, getting another member of the staff to the airport for a recruiting trip, painting, cleaning, cooking, and doing after school activities with the after school kids.
The thing that I've loved about this job is the time spent with the kids. Of course, I've also enjoyed my time in the kitchen cooking for the staff and kids. It is thanks to my time in the kitchen that I have some time to myself. I've also enjoyed the time spent in the kitchen while the Mindful Fork people are there cooking. Not only are they friendly, but don't mind if I come in to see what they're making and get ideas from them.
Of course there are days that a bit rough, but that's to be expected with a new camp that is in it's first year.
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Looking back
Today, as I helped a boarder with their religion homework, I thought back to my time at Spring Hill this past summer and remembered the times when campers would ask questions of myself and fellow staff members.
Being here at Camp Pillsbury, I can't force religion on anyone. But, being able to share with a kid who is struggling with their religion homework, and explain what they are reading about in a way that the kid understands it, could make all the difference in their life.
I still remember realizing that, at camp, the smallest things make the biggest difference with so many people. That's what I've continued to tell myself when one of the boarders is having a rough day. I keep reminding myself that, if I keep giving of myself, then the kids I work with will be able to look back at the time spent with me as a time that they had fun, learned, and as a time in their lives that means a lot to them.
And that's part of what keeps me going on my longest days when all I really want to do is curl up in bed and sleep. Those are the days that I remember to grin, laugh, and do things with the kids that will benefit them, but will also help them to also have fun.
Looking back at it, my time at Wisconsin Badger Camp and at Spring Hill were both experiences that I enjoyed, but also experiences that informs the way that I handle many of the situations I deal with on a regular basis here.
Being here at Camp Pillsbury, I can't force religion on anyone. But, being able to share with a kid who is struggling with their religion homework, and explain what they are reading about in a way that the kid understands it, could make all the difference in their life.
I still remember realizing that, at camp, the smallest things make the biggest difference with so many people. That's what I've continued to tell myself when one of the boarders is having a rough day. I keep reminding myself that, if I keep giving of myself, then the kids I work with will be able to look back at the time spent with me as a time that they had fun, learned, and as a time in their lives that means a lot to them.
And that's part of what keeps me going on my longest days when all I really want to do is curl up in bed and sleep. Those are the days that I remember to grin, laugh, and do things with the kids that will benefit them, but will also help them to also have fun.
Looking back at it, my time at Wisconsin Badger Camp and at Spring Hill were both experiences that I enjoyed, but also experiences that informs the way that I handle many of the situations I deal with on a regular basis here.
Camp Food--Corn tortillas
Recently on a trip to Walmart, I cam across corn flour,which was an awesome find since we have a staff member who is gluten free. The next night, I tried making corn tortillas. The may have ended up a bit thick, but they were edible, and quite tasty. Here are the photos from bag to dough, to frying.
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Snow
The view from my window as it snowed out recently. It was quite a cook sight to see if gently fall from the sky to the ground,especially as I planned the meals for the next two months.
A little later, I ventured out to get ready for our after school kids arrival. The snow was still falling, and as I walked, I had fun kicking snow into the air, and watching this fluffy white stuff fall.
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Camp Food-Potatoes
Recently I made potato wedges as part of dinner. Here's the process (just add oil, salt and pepper):
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Post Spring Hill
"If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudging, and it will be given to you." James 1:5
I've never had all of the answers to the questions I've asked myself and others. Yet this past summer and more recently I've realized that there are so many times when I don't need to know the full answer, but just part of it.
This past summer, as I worked at Spring Hill, there were times when I didn't have all the answers even though I really wanted all the answers.
That last weekend on camp was one of the roughest couple days I had had in a long time. For once those were rough days, not because of something I had said or done, but because I didn't have or know the answers to the questions I was asking. At the beginning of the summer, I was beginning to spend time wondering and asking when that first "romantic" relationship would happen. By the last weekend at camp, I was asking what was next for me when it came to a job, when I would finally gain independence, and why it was taking me so long to figure out where I belonged.
Early in the summer, one of the campers wrote something on my paper plate award about having wisdom, which is part of why I put the quote from James as a part of this post.
Looking back at that paper plate award and the week leading up to it, I realized that throughout that week, God was working through me without me even realizing it.
There were other weeks that I found myself frequently asking God for the knowledge of how to help a camper, or what to say to a camper. I frequently found myself giving of myself whenever I could.
I still remember sitting at a campfire pit that last Saturday night at camp, praying, and trying to understand what was next. I still remember not getting a response from God that was obvious until a doe and her two children walked past me. Those deer stopped for a moment to check me out, and continued walking along their way. I still remember realizing in that moment that God was trying to tell me to be at peace with where I was in life at that moment.
That same day, a co-worker had told me that sometimes God remains silent so that we take the first step before he starts working in our lives.
Since starting work here at Camp Pillsbury, I've discovered that I don't always have the answers, even when the kids I work with really want them. Sometimes the kids do try pushing my buttons, as well as my co-workers just to see how far we'll let them go. On Friday afternoon several of the kids tried pushing my buttons, and learned that not only do I have a Mom voice and won't let them get away with certain things. One of the kids even asked me why I smile and laugh so much. It's harder than you'd expect to explain that smiling and laughing is a good way to remind yourself that even when you do have to be serious about certain things,that it's also okay to have fun.
Every few days I find myself stopping for a moment, looking up, then carrying on with dealing with a situation where I do need wisdom from God to get a kid to react to a situation in a positive way or do what they are supposed to do.
I've never had all of the answers to the questions I've asked myself and others. Yet this past summer and more recently I've realized that there are so many times when I don't need to know the full answer, but just part of it.
This past summer, as I worked at Spring Hill, there were times when I didn't have all the answers even though I really wanted all the answers.
That last weekend on camp was one of the roughest couple days I had had in a long time. For once those were rough days, not because of something I had said or done, but because I didn't have or know the answers to the questions I was asking. At the beginning of the summer, I was beginning to spend time wondering and asking when that first "romantic" relationship would happen. By the last weekend at camp, I was asking what was next for me when it came to a job, when I would finally gain independence, and why it was taking me so long to figure out where I belonged.
Early in the summer, one of the campers wrote something on my paper plate award about having wisdom, which is part of why I put the quote from James as a part of this post.
Looking back at that paper plate award and the week leading up to it, I realized that throughout that week, God was working through me without me even realizing it.
There were other weeks that I found myself frequently asking God for the knowledge of how to help a camper, or what to say to a camper. I frequently found myself giving of myself whenever I could.
I still remember sitting at a campfire pit that last Saturday night at camp, praying, and trying to understand what was next. I still remember not getting a response from God that was obvious until a doe and her two children walked past me. Those deer stopped for a moment to check me out, and continued walking along their way. I still remember realizing in that moment that God was trying to tell me to be at peace with where I was in life at that moment.
That same day, a co-worker had told me that sometimes God remains silent so that we take the first step before he starts working in our lives.
Since starting work here at Camp Pillsbury, I've discovered that I don't always have the answers, even when the kids I work with really want them. Sometimes the kids do try pushing my buttons, as well as my co-workers just to see how far we'll let them go. On Friday afternoon several of the kids tried pushing my buttons, and learned that not only do I have a Mom voice and won't let them get away with certain things. One of the kids even asked me why I smile and laugh so much. It's harder than you'd expect to explain that smiling and laughing is a good way to remind yourself that even when you do have to be serious about certain things,that it's also okay to have fun.
Every few days I find myself stopping for a moment, looking up, then carrying on with dealing with a situation where I do need wisdom from God to get a kid to react to a situation in a positive way or do what they are supposed to do.
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