"Three Things Sarah Wright Taught Me: Love God and everyone, nothing is weird, Diet Coke solves every issue."

Chapels have been phenomenal this week. Today I walked in and saw none other than Heidi Olsen on stage playing violin. I immediately teared up and was so happy to see her. She was at Tecumseh while I was growing up and was such an influential and inspirational person in my life. Then in the back row of chapel was Heidi's best friend Sheila who was my youth pastor all through middle school and high school. Sheila had such a significant impact on my faith, my desire to go into youth ministry and my character. I wouldn't be who I am today without those two women. 

The skit this morning was Kalepo and it was fantastic. Jordan sang, Joel was Desmond the Lion, Brittany, Dayna and Joy were back up singers, John Amy was Kalepo and other support staff filled the rest of the roles.

Even with the rainiest summer in years, Brother Nature found a way for the CILTs to hike to the Gish Adventure Outpost! We hiked to the South Pasture...

followed the fence line to the road and then turned left to get to the Elliot's house. There we stopped to say hi to Katrina and the kids and perform the CILT cheer in their driveway.

Next we followed the road to the Man Hike hill where we dropped back down to the river trail...

and half walked, half slid all the way down. Then we were walking on a regular muddy trail, following the river.

Liz and I just kept screaming, "THIS IS SO FUN! THIS IS AWESOME!" This hike is one of my favorite things and I've missed doing it this summer.

I loved seeing all the CILTs having so much fun. I kept hearing them say things like, "I've never done anything like this at camp before. This is so cool."

I love the way Bob Goff talks about adventure in Love Does, "Most great adventures work that way. You don't plan them, you don't wait to get all the details right, you just do them." When the path is flooded you take another trail. When you have to slide down the man hike hill you just commit to it and slide all the way down.

"Every day God invites us on the same kind of adventure. It's not a trip where He sends us a rigid itinerary, He simply invites us. God asks us what it is He's made us to love, what it is that captures our attention, what feeds that deep indescribable needs of our souls to experience the richness of the world He made. And then, leaning over us, He whispers, 'Let's go do that together.'"

"Know this: When Jesus invites us on an adventure, He shapes who we become with what happens along the way."

"Jesus says, Let's go after those things that inspire and challenge you and let's experience them together. You don't need a lot of details or luggage or equipment, just a willingness to go into a storm with a Father who's kicking footholds into the steep sides of our problems while we kick in a couple ourselves too."

"He guides us into those footholds with His strong hands while we're safely tethered to Him by a bright red rope of grace, which holds us securely. Somehow in all of this, the terrain we navigate doesn't seem as scary either, because when we're on an adventure with God we're too excited to be afraid and too engaged to be thinking of anything else."

"That's the way love is--not unlike loaves and fishes, its impact multiplies. You don't need to know everything when you're with someone you trust."

"The kind of adventure Jesus has invited us on doesn't require an application or prerequisites. It's just about deciding to take up the offer made by a father who wants us to come."

I think adventuring and hiking and exploring are all so good for the soul. I'm so thankful that our hike to the Gish was finally a hike and not just a bus ride. Today I loved walking along side these friends as we climbed over giant rocks and squeezed under fallen trees.

Today I loved doing life together. Tomorrow we'll spend the morning in the Party Room, but today was our last big hurrah, the last great CILT adventure of the summer. It's been a heck of a six weeks and they've flown by. So many of the kids I met this summer, in all three Sessions, have made an impact on my life and my heart. I'm better for knowing each one of them.

I love that so many of these friendships have spanned so many years. Sarah Maynard and I have known each other since she was born I think, but our camp history goes back to her very first summer. Today I stumbled across a picture of us together in 2011 in the CAC.

 

Ok how fun is this? Brilliant artsy name tag idea from the girls.

Did you know that it was Hools who really encouraged me to get the Keep Exploring flag? It's been a staple in Choctaw's window all summer long and has frequently shown up on adventurous outings.

Hools is always up for an adventure with me, always ready to go explore something new, to try something she's never done, to make a new best friend. I love her courageous and joyful heart and the loyal, kind friend she is to everyone she knows. I have been her teacher, her YL leader, her friend and now I have loved being her CILT counselor too. 

Last summer Liz's motto was, "No regrets, just mems." At this point, I think we have all done an excellent job of continuing to live that out. We've got a whole six weeks of mems with the CILT Pack and I wouldn't trade them for anything.

Back to River just in time to hear the hopper bell ring, the CILTs quickly found their campers. I loved seeing Katie Wills' girls run over and attack her with hugs. Ellyn and Emma ran to each other too. 

Emma and Ellyn are two of my best gal pals in the Riv and I don't know what I'd do without them.

Katherine and Erin are the kookiest-- don't you wish you could be in Oneida with them? Me too.

Do you know which one of these friends wishes she was a Great Dane? Which one answers to the name Elizabeth? Which one thought she was black until she was in 2nd grade?

I think Diggy was trying to cuddle with Erin. And see this pic of Diggy and me? Can you tell that I'm being her and she's being me? Nailed it I think.

Late this afternoon I ran into Bridget and talked for a little while about how quickly CILTs has flown by and how we really, really, really just want to stay. I'm so thankful for her friendship. Soon I was attacked by Julia, Lilly, Katie Giovani and Lucy. Such great gal pals.

Wylie and Erin. Life twins. Soul mates.

Roberto came to flagpole!!!! Do you remember him from last summer? He's come back again!

Roberto ran around during flagpole hugging campers and inviting everyone to come to Polar Bears tomorrow morning at the pool.

Ellyn and I were both off but we had a funny kind of night. I started Parent Letter introductions in Choctaw. Halfway through I took a break and we went to dinner in Delphi. We headed straight back to camp so I could finish the second half before the CILTs returned home.

Slowly the CILTs trickled back home from their cabins. They piled into Choctaw and soon a crowd of girls was telling stories.

Eventually we met up with the boys for devotions. We picked our graduation song for tomorrow and then started devotions. Tonight we wrote letters to our future selves, sending hope and joy and love and wisdom and encouragement in written form that we'll open back up in a few months.