The Best Summer of My Life

They say that your college years are some of the best of your life. I think it's because you're close to adulthood, yet still able to call Mom and Dad if you need anything, ...and you're not too mature to forget to be silly. (As the following photo proves!)



Probably the biggest highlight from those years in my life was a summer spent working at Forest Home, a Christian camp here in Southern California. I worked with 4th-6th grade students at a section of the camp known as Indian Village. There, the kids spend the week sleeping in tepees, and having pow-wows and other such Indian activities. Each summer staff member is given an Indian name; something that suits their personality. (As you can see, Forest Home is a very PC sort or place!) Mine was Quiet Waters: aka Waters, for short.

The ironic thing about my job at Forest Home, is that I spent many summers there as a kid, and the only summer I truly HATED was my 4th grade year at Indian Village. I wanted so much to be at Main Camp with my family, that I was unable to find much joy in my time at Indian Village.

(Click on this photo to read the actual letters I sent to my parents in Main Camp.)


When I applied for a job at Forest Home, in college, the last place I wanted to work was at Indian Village (what with such horrid memories!). But wouldn't you know it, the Lord had other plans. It was an amazing summer, filled with laughter and tears, good friends, and fun times, and most of all, I had the chance to see the Lord work in the lives of children.

Since the only nicknames I had growing up were "J", or "Sis", (oh yeah... and there was that wacky science teacher in high school who called me "Jode-eye Knight" ... if you're a Star Wars fan, you'll get it...) I had trouble choosing a name for this blog. Quiet Waters, seemed like it might work, ... and it will be a good reminder to me of a time when the Lord gave me a second chance to enjoy one of His blessings!