Hi Wonderers!
It is almost summer, and summer means camps, and camps mean new and renewed friendships.
These camps are meant for fun, but from time to time there are poignant moments that make you want to stop and say “Thank You Lord!”
Two Summers ago was just one of those moments. My cousin on my dad’s side of my family passed away– the Wednesday before I left to go to New Mexico for camp. My autistic mind went nuts. I distinctly remember thinking “Do I go to my cousin’s memorial service or go to camp and miss out?” When my dad called me with the news that Brandon had passed on– mercifully in his sleep — I asked if I needed to go to his memorial service. I was assured that Brandon would have wanted me to go to camp. So I went. I got more out of that moment than I had ever got before. God healed my emotions that year.
Fast forward to 2016.
I got the opportunity to help out at 3 different camps. There was two in the spring/summer, and I liked those two, but the one in the fall (Labor Day weekend) opened my eyes. I got the opportunity to meet some incredible people and kids but two in particular blessed me. Their names were Jake and Diego. Diego was 15 years old, and Jake wasn’t much older then Diego was. They were from different backgrounds (Jake’s dad Jeff was the Claude ISD Superintendent; he not long after camp accepted a job in Vernon as the Vernon ISD Superintendent effective at the start of the 2017-18 school year). I got to meet these two… And one of the two would tell me something that would make my weekend:
“I LOVE YOU!”
Diego told me that and it was if God was speaking directly to me. I believe God was telling me “I LOVE YOU!” through Diego. I will never forget that
Now to present day. We’re getting ready for our camp season to begin here in a few days, and I really can’t wait to see what small moments make me smile this year.
Lord, help me open my heart to others like never before and open my heart to Your love for me. I confess I haven’t been as close to you as I should be. Close the gap Lord and make me closer to You.
In Jesus name, AMEN!
autismwonderings 