Family Camp 2011 Part 1

We arrived at Lake Doniphan for Family Camp at approximately 5:00 on Friday evening.  It was a beautiful campground with lots of old trees, birds a chirpin, and the lake was magnificent beauty.  It had two mini lodges, a main lodge, classroom buildings, and a beautiful tabernacle where all the services were.    It was Misty, Levi, Issac, and myself.  Thank you so much Mom and Dad Corn for letting us use the camper!  I left Tuesday morning a different person.  I feel rejuvinated mentally and spritually.  This was just what I needed.  It also put an exclamation point on why I want to become a member of the Community of Christ Church!  It is hard to describe everything so I have decided to break it down into categories.  I will be writing a separate blog each day.  Today will be about the Services. 

Evening Services
I found out through this that I am a much bigger fan of the contemporary services mixed with some traditional. I had a little trouble keeping my focus in the evening services which were more traditional.   However, some of my favorite memories was just listening to the music of the traditional services.  It was amazing to just listen to the angelic choir of 300 people or so.  Rick Maupin is a brilliant man, and he was the speaker on two of the evenings.    I learned a lot from his sermons.  My favorite speaker in the evening services was Diane Maupin.  She had a great energy about her, and she talked about one of my favorite books of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird.  :)

Morning Show with Bruce and Andy
The morning show was my favorite part of camp.  I looked forward to this service every day.  I absolutely loved the Morning Show.  It was full of energy, fun and spirituality. There was laughter! Jesus loves you..oooohhhhh!!!  The weather and traffic reports were hilarious.  Way to go Scotty and Edna!  The Family Feud game was great, aside from a few technical hiccups. I loved hearing the Congregational Reports.  It was good to hear about the triumphs and struggles of all our congregations.  There was tears!   Of course, I am a little partial to my favorite part of the Morning Show.  I would have to say it was the Minute of Sunshine with Misty Thieman.   I was so proud of her because she spoke from the heart what she felt.  She showed a lot of vulnerability. I don't think there was a dry eye in the place.   I know she touched a lot of people's hearts.  Check out her blog. http://www.encouragingsweetness.blogspot.com/ She has her sunshine moments on there.   There was spirituality!  Hearing people's testimonies really touched my heart.  I loved the contemporary music in the service.  That is the type of music that touches my heart.   Communion on the last day was one of the most spiritual feeling to me.  Going up an hugging Lucas and receiving a hug on the end of the line.  You definately felt loved. 

Baptism of Felix
Sunday evening Felix was baptized at Family Camp.  It was truly an emotional experience.  I know God has big plans for Felix.  I think my favorite part was Felix and Tracy walking out in the water.  Each step getting deeper and deeper.  And then Tracy took the water and rubbed it on Felix's back.  And then the moment he was baptized, the applause happened and Felix started walking out and was shaking off the water.  I felt like he was shaking off his burdens.  He is now walking with Christ.

Later on this year, I will be walking that same walk, as I plan on being baptized and confirmed as a member of the Community of Christ!  I will write more about this decision later on.

Campfires
This is something Misty told me I was going to love and it was one of the things I was looking forward to most about Family Camp!  I loved Campfires.  Misty has been teaching me campfire songs so I would be ready for this experience.  There is just something to be out in complete darkness with just the fire going singing songs and hearing testimonies. My favorite campfire songs are probably BoomChickaBoom and  Koombaya!  I loved the mixture of fun and spiritual songs.  Elizabeth, Lucas, and Kelsey did an amazing job of leading campfires.  You are true blessings!   You got me Monday night!  All it takes is a Big Jerk.  I walked right into that one.  It was awesome! 

Stay tuned for tomorrow where I will share some things about the class I was in, and about what a blessing it was to have Levi and Issac with us, and talk about some friends who were there for us in our time of need.