This picture represents my worst nightmare while I was at camp. A big mud hole with a gaping water leak in the bottom of the hole, quickly filling up. From about March 1997 until August 2000 I was the site manager (a more prestigious way to say "maintenance man") at Shepherd's Fold. Of course I was also the development director, summer camp director, marketing director and, oh yeah, executive director.
It's not so much that I minded these jobs. In fact, many of these jobs I really felt that I'd love to do…if that's ALL I had to do. Except for maintenance. Man those water leaks drove me crazy. Almost nothing's worse than laying down in the mud and reaching into that hole to fix the leak. And asa with any plumbing project, the right tool is the secret. And I never had the right tool.
There are only a few weeks now until your summer season begins. Where's your head? Are you lost in the myriad of details gathered at your feet, gnawing at your ankles? If that's the extent of your vision, it's easy to lose hope (unless you're one of those blessed individuals to whom the above picture causes you to break out into a huge smile).
David wrote in Psalms 3:3: But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. When our vision has fallen down to our ankles, God loves to reach down and take our chin in His hand and raise our face so we're not looking down in the mud but so we're looking at His face. We're looking out to the horizon. We're looking out to the future. No matter what you're role at camp, you've got to take some time every week or every month or at least every year when you can get your head up out of the mud and dream. To have good perspective on the little things you've got to occassionally get a glimpse of the big picture.
God has a great summer planned for you and for your staff and for the campers and families who will be guests in your camp or conference center. Don't miss it because you're too busy wallowing in the mud.
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