"This is the high of my week, no the high of my summer." -Annie

Over the weekend at camp we have 25 hours to sleep, eat, do laundry and get pumped for another week of camp. Somehow I convinced my friends to help me move from one apartment to another in the mid-afternoon humidity.

We had a lot of fun.

Promise.

These girls are expert packers and puzzle solvers.

Their positivity and helpfulness made the day so great even though it was hot and I'm not good with change and moving can be kind of stressful.

And even though they don't like Diet Coke, they still drank it because it was such a great day.

 We lifted lots of heavy furniture and sometimes had to switch it from car to car so it would all fit.

I'm really lucky that so many people would come help so I wouldn't have to do all of this work by myself. 

And all day I kept quoting Shauna Niequist and telling the girls they were, "acting out God's love in tangible ways."

That's what friendship looks like to me. Friendship is acting out God's love for people in tangible ways. We were made to represent the love of God in each other's lives, so that each person we walk through life with has a more profound sense of God's love for them.

Friendship is an opportunity to act on God's behalf in the lives of the people that we're close to, reminding each other who God is.

And then, not only did they help me move everything but they helped start the wall of fun, hang art from friends, take off the closet doors...

hang my Rachel-original CELEBRATE letters, and clean and organize the whole kitchen.

 When we do the hard, intimate work of friendship, we bring a little more of the divine into daily life.

We get to remind one another about the bigger, more beautiful picture that we can't always see from where we are.

"Weirdness is encouraged at camp."

Having more than one best friend is encouraged at camp.

Making a jumprope out of potholder loops and doing consecutive jumps like a clock is encouraged at camp.

Going on an adventure to find items left behind by Manuella, Irving's girlfriend, is encouraged at camp.

Jumping pictures are always encouraged at camp.

Eating hot-dogs and baked beans is encouraged at camp.

Having a (literal) chip on your shoulder is encouraged at camp.

Including everyone is encouraged at camp.

Doing the bernie is encouraged at camp.

Sleep-outs and buddy cabins are encouraged at camp.

Counselor impersonations are encouraged at camp.

Dressing up like elves is encouraged at camp.

Celebrating Christmas in July is encouraged at camp.

Photo shoots with your friends is encouraged at camp.

Being weird with Arielle is encouraged at camp.

Loving campers and making them feel valued and important is encouraged at camp.

Acting like a one-armed, tire dwelling hobo is encouraged at camp.

Making new friends that you treat like your sisters is encouraged at camp. Maintaining old camp friendships is encouraged at camp.

Performing hip-hop for an audience of 600 is encouraged at camp.

Being sentimental is highly encouraged at camp.

Loving your cabin is encouraged at camp.