In the month of December most people are not thinking about camp. Most of December everyone was thinking about their families and friends, what they were going to get them for presents, making cookies, or surviving the holiday’s without going bankrupt/spending a night in the hospital. But in reality there is so much more going on in camp world to prepare for the summer season. Past summer staff came in for a Winter Reunion, Ferncliff hosted a wonderful Christmas party for all staff on the property (where we created a lovely video for our Canadian camp friends!) and Kelsey and I attended the Focus Event at Cedar Ridge Camp and Retreat Center in Louisville, KY. We also had the great opportunity to tour Hopewell Camp and Conference Center in Oxford, MS with Allyson and Darren Ashmore. Both retreat centers were fantastic and very hospitable.

The Focus Event is designed for anyone that has a vested interest in becoming a camp professional/leader in some capacity. This event gave us an opportunity to meet others with similar interests, talk to current leaders in the camp industry, and an opportunity to discern what our next step might look like in our call to camp and conference ministry. This event is co-sponsored by PCCCA (Presbyterian Church, Camp and Conference Association) and the Outdoor Ministries Association of the United Church of Christ, but is open to all denominations.

While visiting Hopewell Camp and Conference Center we were given an extensive tour of the grounds, slept in wonderful facilities, and treated as family. Allyson and Darren have truly done wonders for the camp and conference ministry in their area.

I had the luxury of running the grounds and walking their peaceful Labrynth and prayer walk early in the morning before leaving. And of course Kelsey and I both took a few turns on the big swing.

After visiting the other two facilities I returned home to Ferncliff just in time to prepare for a spiritual retreat at Mount Eagle in Clinton, Arkansas. We were only at Mount Eagle for two days, but it brought me great peace. We had been so tied up with work, traveling, and preparing for the coming New Year that I truly needed time to step away and spend time with God and each other before everyone left for the holiday season.

I had the wonderful opportunity to spend the Christmas season with my family in Missouri. After traveling all over, I hadn’t really taken time to buy presents. As I sat contemplating what I should give my family I realized that I should share the joy of camp with them. So I gave my family camp for Christmas! We played games with a parachute, watched camp movies, ate smores’, sang songs, and we ate meals together after singing a camp prayer! Oh, and each “camper” received a camp shirt of course! Each camp that I have been to has always made me feel at home, so what else could I give my family but the same joy that I get to experience everyday.

I returned back to Ferncliff just in time for the New Year and felt like I was ready for 2016 to begin. I was home again and ready to get things going for the 2016 calendar. At first it looked intimidating and then I found myself excited about the great things to come; campers, summer staff, retreat groups, etc. So even if you were not thinking about camp, camp has been thinking about you! And I hope that you find some time each day to incorporate camp into your daily life. I also hope that many of you consider Ferncliff to be your home away from home, as that is how it makes me feel.