Youth camp: a blast from the past

Well, I just sent my oldest two off to youth camp this morning (however, I am in denial that I have two kids old enough for youth camp). I'm not so worried about my daughter, who's going into 6th grade, because she is pretty organized and doesn't really "go crazy" without the parents around. Now my son, who's going into 7th grade is a different story. Not that he really "goes crazy" without us around. He will pretty much act the same, but without us there to guide him along. :) I don't mean to say that he's a bad kid....he really is a GOOD kid. And it's not really any major behavior problems that I am concerned about. It's things like taking a shower, combing the hair, brushing his teeth, wearing clean underwear, eating the vegetables (or at least not living on candy and soda all week), ect that I am concerned about. He's also very ADHD, and I would really like him to return home with at least half of what he left with :) I did try and make it a little easier for him. Each day's clothes were put into a separate gallon Ziploc bag and labeled. That way he'll at least know if something in his suitcase is dirty or not, but I'm sure that it won't make much difference. Oh, well......it's just one week. AND, I have complete confidence in our youth ministers and leaders, and I know that the kids will have a lot of spiritual growth this week. And that's what it's all about, right?

Getting them ready made me start thinking about all my youth camp memories from my junior high (yes, that's what they called it back then) and high school days. I'm sure any PPBC youth will have plenty of memories too. Here's some of mine:

• Pep rally, talent show, and the coveted spirit stick......and all the hours of prep work that was put into them. I was always relegated to the "no dance/easy dance" group for talent show and it always used to bug me....but I really wasn't a good dancer :)
• How one missed hair could ruin your chances of getting the clean cabin award....I find it odd that I never once did that level of cleaning of my own room or bathroom, but I found it highly important that I did it at camp.
• Mail call at dinner.....Clifton was always sure to embarrass us with the goofy poems, but we all loved to get them :)
• Sadie Hawkins.....don't remember a single person that I tagged, but I remember what a big deal it was. And then there was Kangaroo Court that evening with Wally Banks :)
• Anyone remember "Ghostbusters"? I think it was my first year at camp, when all the 11th/12th grade boys kept saying "Beware of Ghostbusters" the whole week, and then the last night we were woken up and taken to the field. There were big bags of flour and barrels of water and everyone was handed a cup. I distinctly remember hiding out with Salena Johnson in the cafeteria because we didn't want to get all messy :)
• I have fond memories of the year my cousin Melissa got to come to camp for the first time and surprised me :) And my senior year when 4 of my high school friends got to come with me!
• I'll never forget the year that my brother David came to camp for the first time. I don't remember the theme that year (I think it was TV shows and they were the Beverly Hillbillies), but they wore those stupid overalls around every day all week. David was so little that there weren't any to fit him, so he had these huge ones on. Everyone talked about cute he was, and I though he just looked stupid :)

Gosh, there are tons more memories.....anyone else want to share some of their faves?