Church camp always starts out with prayers being poured out over the whole camp. I saw these senior boys headed for the entrance and decided to follow them to capture a moment. And I did. Bennett, Harrison and Cole praying for our youth. My favorite part of camp…praying over it to prepare for the campers.

This is the 3rd year our church has had “old school” camp and we had 148 campers and counselors this year. We kitchen mom’s did some major cooking! Four of us have been together for 3 years and 3 of the moms are repeat offenders so we can whip out some meals. Between flies in our coffee, breakers flipping, trips to Wal-Mart for missing supplies and hot temperatures we were able to pull together and have lots of laughter and silliness as we were the hands and feet of God, serving meals to these kids.

Our youth minister and his wife have three little boys and they were constantly catching frogs, toads, tadpoles and even a turtle and would bring them in to show us. I’m sure no heath codes were broken this week!! Everything caught was let go each night. Except the turtle.

Justice and his turtle were precious. He took good care of it getting food from the kitchen every morning. He even had dinner with him. Mr. Turtle was let go after a few days.

I loved slipping away after lunch and seeing what craft they were making. I like to watch them create. This was always my favorite part of camp growing up. I can still remember crafts we did at camp. Crafts have come a l long way!!!

Camp is all about relationships. It’s a great place for people watching. I love to see kindness being shown, love being shared and friendships being born. I loved my hubby being there this year.

Sweet Wyatt loved funnel cakes and was very concerned that we might possibly run out.

Each day they had a mock trial where people were brought before the judge for crimes committed at camp. It was quite entertaining. We had a real judge from our church so it made it all the more interesting!! The last day the kitchen mom’s were brought before the judge for causing “gluttony among campers”. We were found guilty after several witness including Wyatt above who testified he ate three funnel cakes!! We were sentenced to be first in line at dinner and be served by the senior boys!. We took our punishment and enjoyed every minute of it!

You never know what you are going to see at camp! One day while melting butter I look out and this is what I see.

I can’t pass up taking THAT picture.

The kitchen mom’s dressed up in Mrs. Roper’s style moo moos one day and served breakfast. Sorry I don’t have that picture to share! One day we wore fake eyebrows.

Our youth minister made this awesome video featuring his cabin. I’m the one giving Kevin (my hubby) a bowl of brownies & our son Chad takes them away and the quest continues. Hilarious video!! Watch it here.

After a long day of being on our feet way too long, I loved to lay in bed and look through my pictures captured during the brief moments here and there and know that beauty is found anywhere.

My favorite pans that served many many dishes to hungry kids this week.

Linens that I watched dear friends hang out everyday to let dry for the next day. They felt stiff just like the towels I had growing up that my mom and I would hang up.

The old piano in the corner of the mess hall that occasionally a tune I could recognize would be played by a camper and drift through the air.

I would come across a camper during solo time reading God’s word and be reminded why we are all here.

The steps we take every evening to go to worship together. I read difference inscriptions each time.

I snapped this photo showing the end is near, our time is done, our bodies are beyond tired and we readying the camp for the next youth group to come and be blessed….

until next year.

Katey Deasy