Countdown till Summer !

If you're like me, when I was younger, you're counting down the days till summer, and also counting down the days till camp starts! Its been a long winter, spring is in the air and you can just feel the anticipation. Its like the whole world is just waiting to "spring" forward into a new year of growing.

When I think of nature, and trees, and outside, I think of camp... and then promptly start missing camp. It seems like camp is a world away, I mean, I can't remember what I did 2 weeks ago, let alone 7 months ago. Some of the friendships I made at camp have fallen by the wayside, maybe sometimes I'll facebook them, or tell them about my latest farmville score, but for the most part I've forgotten a lot of what camp was. I don't remember the sound of the cottonwood trees blowing in the wind, I don't remember the feeling of the lake at Koino (I do however remember the awesome game of broomball I had at Moose Lake a few weeks ago! :) The point is camp seems very far away right now, and I'm here to say, hang in there!

I see signs of spring everywhere. I see the sun melting the huge pile of snow in my front yard. I can feel the trees just waiting to send out their new leaves. I even see more people out... its like as soon as the temperature goes above zero people come out of their holes they've been hiding in and welcome a new season. I was woken up by birds yesterday! If spring is here, then summer is right around the corner.

If you're at all like me then you're totally sick of school by now. Whether you're in grade school or post-secondary you've been in school for what seems like an eternity. I'm ready to be done with late night essays, projects, homework, reading and all those other things. I'm ready for a change, and good thing that change isn't too far off. I'm ready for the intense refreshment of summer!

So here's my challenge to you (whoever you are). Take the time to think back on camp, think about what it was, the things you did, the nature out there... then think about the people you met, and if you can, get in touch with one or two of them, and remind yourself and them what camp was like. After all, camp is only a little ways away.

-John Neufeld....Camp Assiniboia Bible Instructor 2009

PS. March 19=100 days until the first week of summer at Camps with Meaning!

Just feel.

Recently I had the chance to participate in some interesting conversations regarding the Camp Assiniboia forest. Many of you know of the feelings I had expressed regarding the forest—feelings of fear (of the forest being destroyed years from now), feelings of respect (for the forest and for the people who spoke up about the issue), and feelings of frustration (for those who just would not listen).

Recently I have also had the opportunity to listen to an Aboriginal elder as he teaches one of my university classes. He emphasizes that there are four parts to each person: the physical aspect, the mental or intellectual aspect, the emotional aspect, and the spiritual aspect. So often when approached with an issue we focus on the mental part. Again going back to the forest issue, I found that people would only listen to me if I had something intelligent to say, some reasoning behind my feelings.

This has brought me to wonder, do we as people of God emphasize the mental aspects of ourselves over the emotional and spiritual aspects? Yes I agree that we need to think things through and come up with logical solutions but perhaps it is equally important to also pay attention to our feelings and our intuition.

I feel beauty and truth often through song and especially when this is set in a natural setting like camp. I hold on to those firesides outside at riverside (for Camp Assiniboia). I am filled with a deep connection to a community all singing the same thing while also feeling connected to God as an individual.

I encourage everyone to remember that while yes study and learning is important, it is equally important to express and engage in activities that strengthen you emotionally, spiritually, and physically. It’s okay to just feel.

-Stephanie Ens -Integration Coordinator 2009 (Day Camp Director 2010)