Most of my family are working at a camp at Byron Bible Camp this week. I have been going out in the evenings to read stories to kids. A couple nights ago it stormed. It didn't really as it was just an ominous gray/green sky and heavy rain. When I left camp it was not really that dark and not really light, and it was still raining a bit. Somehow those conditions seemed like an invitation to take a drive around the lake and begin some sabbatical reflection about the days when college boy was working at Camp Byron. I tried to remember where Harmons' cabin was on the north side. I had a pretty good guess, but I think it's been replace. All the way at the end was the lodge we (very) occasionally used for something. I remember having junior high campers there for a cookout/party and we played a silly game in which you wore three clothespins and any time somone got you to say "I" you had to give one up. It was an island theme and that was supposed to make us sound like we were from the Caribbean. Not many years later that sort of thing would have been considered politically incorrect (and we would probably have done it anyway). And some years after that I would have considered it cultural appropriation and reluctantly played along with a grumbling heart. And now I would give a gentle instruction about it (maybe a good neighbor themed message) and come up with another idea for fun.
I remembered I used to ride my bike from the valley camp location to the waterfront on the lake. Measured the distance last night from the north side and it was about 5 miles cabin to beach. I'm thankful Joel let me have that moment of peace and a bit of exercise. I would leave a little before the bus each way. The kids thought it was great to pass me. When I timed it right I got there as kids were unloading.
I pulled into one of the lakeside use areas. Back then we did some camp sponsored Sunday services as an outreach. I remember writing a skit about the apostle Peter in the format of a daytime talk show. It was called "The Byron Lake Show" parodying a show of the era, "The Riki Lake Show." We had some of our castmember sitting in the audience. In my memory it was pretty clever. Sometimes I miss those days of being in my early 20s, knowing everything, and being willing to try about anything for ministry. During the pandemic we did Bethel services there. In a way that seems as far back in time as the camp days even though they were nearly 30 years apart. There's now an accessible fishing dock there. I think I'll go back and have a time of retreat and reflection ... R & R. Maybe that's what I'll call these sabbatical moments.
Perhaps because the weather invited melancholy, or perhaps because my soul sometimes sounds like a cello, I began to ask if I did any good back then. I didn't give God the space to answer. I think the answer is yes. But when I go back I want to spend some time asking God to remind me of the good things done. That seems like a question from a better heart posture than, "Did we do any good?"
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