For the last 5 years, my parents have held a cousin's camp each summer. They invite all the 5 year olds and older to come to their cabin for a weekend and they plan a little camp with lots of activities that are all based around some spiritual theme. The kids LOVE it. It is a lot of work for my parents but they enjoy being able to share time with the kids and give them some lessons too.
At the beginning of each camp they sit in Cousin Camp Circle and welcome the new campers who have turned 5 in the last year. Then they introduce the theme for that year and begin their activities.
Well this year my parents are in Africa on a mission. But we didn't want the kids to miss out on cousin's camp. And this year the only new cousin that would have turned five was Camille. So I volunteered to run cousin's camp this year with a theme all based around angels.
After months of preparation, this weekend we had our Angels cousin camp. It was an incredibly special weekend for me. I felt angels with us at cousin's camp. I felt Camille there. I felt my grandparents there.
We had lots of fun doing activities like fishing on a boat at Panguich Lake and making marshmallow shooter guns and doing an obstacle course. We also had some really spiritual times when we heard about peoples experiences with angels.
I shared some experiences I have had when I have felt angels helping me. We also heard from our Aunt Nikki about some experiences she has had with angels. I had Sabrina read Nie Nies book Heaven Is Here and report on her experiences with angels helping her. And I also had Ann Marie read and report on The Message by Lance Richardson. I love that book.
We all learned more about my grandparents and Camille as we shared what we knew about them and our memories of them. I hope the kids came away feeling that angels are real and that when we need them most, they will be there helping us even if we can't see them.
I have shed a lot of tears this weekend. I shared so many personal things with these lovely little campers. And I reminded myself that in my needy times, angels will attend me. All I have to do is ask for help from my Father and He will send His Heavenly help. That is a reminder I needed.
3 comments:
How very special Stephanie! Cousins camp is a great idea on so many levels! I just may have to start something like that too! It sounds like this years cousin camp was really something special for all of you~
What a great idea! I'd love to hear more about how cousin's camp works. Sounds like a great tradition.
Stephanie, I saw Jon and Noble and Harrison at the Aquatic Center in Cedar City while you were doing your cousins camp! I felt a little silly telling Jon that I totally recognized him from his wife's blog--hehe--but if he was annoyed he did a very good job of hiding it:) I didn't tell him this (not sure why), but the way I noticed them was that I saw little Harrison's face peeking over his dad's shoulder and I thought, "that little baby looks just like Camille Waite!" (well, just like the pictures I've seen anyway). It didn't even occur to me that it might be her sibling until Jon turned around. Then I was scanning the place for you like a stalker! My husband was giving me a hard time asking me if I was going to ask for your autograph if I spotted you--I said maybe:) Anyway, just thought I would share. Your cousins camp sounds awesome!
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