The Story of My Life: Things Are Going To Get More Crowded

I forgot to mention another crucial point in my life that should've appeared in the last chapter. The beginning of summer was loaded with anticipation. The end of it meant we would officially enter the one year mark in Cleveland. The hope of returning to the land of my childhood...Pennsylvania. But as the summer arrived, my parents had two important announcements for us. They didn't reveal them on the same day because that probably would've been too much for my young soul to handle.

The first one came in during a dinner setting, which was usually the way things were done for life altering announcements. My dad informed us that after the 10 month labor, the next year there was an opportunity for a full time service training. He was going to take part in it. Which meant we were staying another year. It was another hard pill to swallow, but not a hammering blow like the first time. I had become accustomed to my environment and the people around me. As much as I tried to full resist making super close relationships, that boat had holes. But there was a slightly harder pill to swallow. 

The other family that had left their hometown in Iowa to be part of the 10 month labor, were moving back home. My siblings and I had become really good friends with their two boys the past year, especially because they were in the same situation that we were. But now they were returning to their hometown while we were staying. It was another challenge I was going to have to face. 

I was hoping the first announcement was going to be the only big one of the year, but a month later, my parents dropped an even bigger one on me...and my siblings for that matter. It was another dinner table ordeal. Standard chit-chat was floating about until my dad mentioned they had an announcement. My mind started racing, trying to piece together what bombshell we were about to be hit with. My mom then loaded the bazooka and fired without giving us a chance to brace for impact. "We're having a baby." My fork fell out of my hands and the food in my mouth nearly escaped as my jaw was hitting the table. "Whaaat?" That's all I could muster. My brain was trying to comprehend the situation. It was panicking over where the baby was going to sleep, how much more space was going to be needed, how one van would no longer hold us all, and how my life kept changing in the blink of an eye. "And it's a girl!" my mom followed through. My brain calmed down a little at that revelation. That meant for sure that another sibling was not moving into my room. Phew. Bullet dodged.

The room had mixed reactions to that news. There was some celebration, some indifference, but definitely shock. It had been seven years since Stephen was born and three since we we lost Samuel. I thought for sure my parents were done. And at times in my young, adolescent, life, five seemed like too many. When it came to sharing rooms, trying to go places, using the bathroom, life felt rough as a kid. Yet, all minor life inconveniences that you tend to get over because at the end of the day, they're all still family. And now it was about to get bigger...but at least not until December.

August was coming to a near end and it was time to make a second return to public school. I was entering the 8th grade and this would be my final year at Riverside Elementary as high school would come calling soon enough. To say I was nervous for the first day of school in the 8th grade would be an understatement. Not only was I going to have new teachers and be in new classrooms, but I was filled with uncertainty what my little mystery letter mischief from the summer had done. Now in reality, I had this girl's email and AOL Instant Messenger screenname. I could've easily asked her about the letters, but I hung onto the thought of how fun it would be for her to tell me in person. The bus ride to school would've been excruciating, but school funding cuts ended our bus route. So we were dropped off by my parents.

I made it to the classroom before she did. I found a desk and settled in. Slowly the rest of my classmates from last year trickled in, with a few new faces as well. There was one kid who for sure wasn't going to be there because he never showed up on the first day of school. And sure enough, he didn't show. Finally she wandered in. I was trying to think of what to say when she asked me about the letters. My mind conjured all sorts of responses, but much to its dismay she did not mention the letters the first chance I spoke to her. Nor did she bring them up the rest of the day. I wrote it off to not really having time to talk due to class and hanging out with other friends. But I was still dying to know.

Later that evening, well after dinner, I turned on the computer and waited as the obnoxious dial-up tone wailed through the speakers as it connected me to the world wide web. Once connected, I loaded AIM and was delighted to see her online. I sent her a "hello" message and she replied. We made small talk for a short while and then I asked her about the letters and why she didn't say anything. She told me she didn't ask at school because she didn't want to embarrass me. There was a time I probably would've reacted negatively to that statement. But as that message came through, I gained the common sense I did not perceive earlier that day. There were a number of kids in that school that if they caught wind of something like that, they would've taken pleasure in stirring up so much drama that my life would've become miserable. She truly did me a huge favor by not asking. And then did me a bigger favor to tell me she didn't want to embarrass me. I was diving headfirst into my teenage years without looking where I was leaping. Letting untamed emotions rule and not throwing caution to the wind. She did tell me she enjoyed getting them and had a lot of fun trying to guess who I was. That helped my disappointment. I never did thank her for her way of handling that situation. Because by the time I matured and hit an age of wisdom, I had lost contact. But more on that another time.

The new school year brought many new faces. My primary teacher was now Mrs. Beam. I gained new teachers for English (Mrs. Smith), Social Studies (Mr. Shivey), and PE (Mrs. Anderson). I was delighted that I had Mrs. Morris for Science. Familiar faces included Mrs Jeric for Music, Mrs. Tillow for library, and Mr. Eagleye for art. The majority of my classmates returned for the 8th grade, but there were some who transferred schools. We did get some new faces as well. More on some of them later.

I've got a few more tales to tell about 2004, but for the end of this chapter we'll skip ahead to December. Our family of seven grew to eight, as Lydia entered the world. There were now four boys and two girls. I was in new territory being a teenager with a new baby in the fold, as my prior experience of babies was all when I was in early grade school. Life was going to teach me a few more things whether I liked it or not.

The Story of My Life: 1000 People, Baseball, and Mysterious Letters

The summer of 2004 kept sending waves for me to ride. After I surfed my first summer camp, a wave called Mountain Top crashed on in. This was another summer event for the youth, but it included Jr high, High school, and college age all as participants. It consisted of four intense and action packed days of activities, worship sessions, and group times. Mountain Top 2004 has the theme of Aspire to the Higher and was the second such event of its kind since its inception in 2003. What made this one more unique than the first was that the people putting it together had a dream and a goal. They wanted to be able to get 1000 people to attend. Hosting a four day event for a few hundred people is one thing, but doing so for a thousand was a dream. And believe it or not, I had a small hand in it.

My family was still living in the house on the front of the meeting hall property. Most of the main events were going to take place at the meeting hall so all the set-up and prep for Mountain Top was done there. Being a 13 year old kid with nothing better to on lazy summer days, I would wander over to the meeting hall and see what was going on. A lot of prep work was taking place. In one area, wood was being cut. In another, decorations were being made. Turn the corner and beach balls were being inflated. For an entire week I either helped or hindered the progress depending on how I felt that day. 

I specifically remember finding a set of walkie-talkies left alone and my mischievous side set in. I would wander the halls looking for an opportunity. Then one fell upon me. I saw and unsuspecting fellow working with 2x4s near some tall stacks of chairs. That unsuspecting fellow was Tim Reisen. If you don't recall, Tim is the son of Dan and Donna. The couple that helped bring family into the church-life and were a big part of my childhood growing up. I had known Tim for years and decided to pull a prank on him. I weaved through the stacks of chairs until I found one I liked. I turned one of the walkies on and carefully placed it down. Then I snuck away to an out-of-sight viewpoint. I flicked the other walkie on and the fun began. 

"Tiiiiiim," I spoke eerily into my walkie. "Tiiiiiiiiiim." I giggled as he turned around in confusion. I waited a pause and then spoke again. "I seeeeeee yoooouuuu!" He looked bewildered and followed the sound. It wasn't long before he found my hidden walkie. He picked it up and spoke into it. "Where are you?" "That's for me to know and for you to find out!" I said with gusto. He was too keen and eventually spotted my location. Even though he found me out, I was still happy with my mischievous plan. I went off and played my prank on a few more folks before calling it quits.

As the sun and moon traded turns rising in the sky, Mountain Top had finally arrived. It wasn't long before they came from all over the US and Canada. By the time the sun set on the on the day of arrival, 1000 people had indeed made their presence known in the 216. All the hard work of those who had worked for months to make this happen was about to come to fruition.

On the first night, I was out playing basketball in the parking lot when an older gentleman approached me. "Hi are you Josh? I'm John B and I'm your group leader." I introduced myself and we went to find the two other guys who were supposed to be part of our group. The other two members were Danny and Noah. I had never met Danny before, but Noah I had known for a year now as he was part of our youth group. With everyone now together, Mountain Top had begun. 

Each day was packed. We would come together for an altogether Power Session. You had to pick your seats wisely because that big empty room in the hall where all the prep work was being done the week prior, was now littered in a thousand chairs. There was just enough space for a narrow aisle between them so people could get in and out. The best part was when the music began. Full band set-up and a thousand people jamming along was something I had not witnessed before. At the end of the power session, there would be small groups, followed by lunch, followed by an activity, followed by another small group, followed by another activity, followed by dinner, and then the final Power Session. 

I'm not going to break down the remainder of Mountain Top day by day, but I want to highlight some things. The first was a moment that people who witnessed it still talk about to this day. The evening Power Session tended to go late. And after a long day, there was usually a snack provided. The only space to do this was in tents in the parking lot. The meeting hall is surrounded by residential homes. So imagine the noise the neighbors heard from a thousand people exiting the building at 11:30PM and carrying on for an hour while getting the snack and leaving the premises. It was a enough for at least one of the neighbors to call the police. So the very next night, before everyone exited the building, Rex, one of the coordinators, gave an announcement that asked everyone to simply get their hotdog in silence and go to their cars so as not to disturb the neighbors. Anyone could see that trying to have 1000 people, with many of them kids, be completely silent was an impossible task. But as the masses left the building that night, you could hear a pin drop in the parking lot. No one talked. 1000 people left the building in silence, grabbed a hotdog in silence, and went home for the night. The police were not called. It was a silent miracle.

The second major event was when we spent an entire day at a YMCA camp. Plenty of fun things to do including a group activity where you had to dive through a mountain of beachballs while blindfolded as your team shouted directions to where you needed to go. As the sun set, a thousand people gathered around the lake. They were about to witness baptisms. But what was supposed to be a handful of people turned into more and more. I remember at one point someone realized her friend was being baptized and in pure jubilation she dashed into the lake as she was and gave her friend a big hug. The end result was 60+ people taking a leap in their Christian walk and was sure something amazing to witness.

The third major event was a new life event for me. One of the planned activities they had was to take everyone to a Cleveland Indians baseball game. I had never been to an MLB game and this was going to be my first. Everyone donned their gray and gold mountaintop shirts and we descended upon Jacob's Field. Imagine attending a baseball game and seeing the entire upper deck in right field teeming with people in gray shirts. We were a presence for sure. I made sure to take in the sites and sounds of the ball park. We watched as the Indians battled the Oakland Athletics. The hits came and the crowd got into it. The Indians were down most of the game, but kept creeping back. And with each run, the crowd grew louder. It was in that moment why I understood why people love to attend baseball games. Unfortunately, I would not get to see the end as the game was going to run over our last scheduled Power Session of the night. We all left the stadium and returned to the hall. Now this was a time before smartphones and not everyone had established internet in their home. The next morning, John had received a free promotional newspaper on his doorstep. He went to the sports section and saw that the Indians had come back and walked it off in the 9th. My first MLB game was a walk-off and I missed it. Because I was not yet a full fledged baseball fan, it didn't bother me that much, but it became a stepping stone for my will to not leave games early. I still cherish the moments of my first ever MLB game.

The rest of Mountaintop was filled with activities, Power sessions, bonding events, and so much more. It was unlike any summer youth event I'd ever experienced and it would be the only one I'd ever experience with 1000 people. But this one was the beginning and many more were to follow.

The rest of the Summer of 2004 was filled with lazy days, hanging with my friends I had made out here, and the pure bliss of being free from the ties of a government mandated education. Now there was one significant event that took place in the waning month of July and bled into August. I've debated about sharing this story, but as it's a key cog in the wheel to my upcoming 8th grade year, I decided to include some of it.

While the summer distracted me from my failed attempt at a girlfriend in the 7th grade (mentioned in a previous chapter), I had grown fond of someone else. There was just one problem. She had a boyfriend. Being a naïve jr. high kid, I decided a fun thing to do would be to write mystery letters to her without a name or return address on the envelope. My plan was to keep her guessing until I would reveal myself right before the school year started. I had a lot of fun writing that first letter. Using big words and mysterious clues, I was sure she'd find it fun. 

After the second letter had been sealed and sent, I decided that 3 would be enough. So a couple weeks before school started, I wrote the third and penned my big reveal. I still didn't leave a return address so as not to spoil the surprise before the final letter was read. This meant I would have no idea what she thought until school began. I had put myself in an agonizing position. 

The final few weeks before school began, I was in knots. My thoughts had no direction. I would wonder if she found my little game amusing or if I would now be perceived as a dork. Did I overstep or would she it as a fun jest? Those questions would only be answered by the first bell of August. To be continued...

It's That Time of Year: 2024 Recap Baby!

I say this with the utmost sincerity...I cannot believe 2025 is less than a week away. Another year is about to be gone forever and a new one will take its place. But first, I must take a moment or two to reflect on what 2024 was to me. Let's journey back in time shall we?

January and February were slow months of the year where nothing super exciting happened. Sure there were geocaching events, days and evenings spent with friends, and other simple life moments that occurred. But if I included all of them, this would become a book. I did however have nine trips set into motion for this year, but did they all pan out? Read on to find out.

March came in swiftly and brought forth an unexpected wedding invite. I do enjoy weddings so when I got the invitation, I RSVP'd without hesitation. The cool thing about attending it was that I ran into someone there who used to work at my company and was able to shoot the breeze with them about the intricacies of our job. It was a lovely wedding and I wish you both the very best. Congrats again Nick and Kimberly!

Before March moved along for the year, my first big trip of 2024 took place. I bought a plane ticket to San Francisco for my first return there since 2019. I was once again meeting up with Josh Toly and once again it was mainly for baseball reasons. This was my last chance to see a game in the Oakland Coliseum. Once the baseball season ended in 2024, the Athletics would be leaving Oakland for good. Even though this ballpark was falling apart, it was still iconic to both baseball and football history. So I had to go and check it off the list. I chose the home opener so I could see the last home opener in the Oakland Coliseum and my Cleveland Guardians were in town. It was a really good thing I did because Guardian ace Shane Bieber pitched a beauty of a game and it was one of the only two games he pitched before requiring Tommy John surgery, thus ending his season. It may have also been the last time he pitched in a Guardians uniform as he is a free agent now. Other highlights included getting seats in the lower portion one section behind the dugout dirt cheap, going to two games back to back, nearly getting a game ball that Josh Naylor threw over to our section, seeing the Guards get two wins, and being able to be by the dugout as Guardians players were interviewed at the end of the game.

I also checked off a two bucket list items while I was here. I was able to walk the Golden Gate Bridge end-to-end and I rode the cable cars through the streets of San Francisco. I only got pics of the bridge though.

April wasted no time throwing the first curveball, but also providing a once in a lifetime moment. The first weekend I had planned to go down to Columbus to attend a Mega geocaching event. Then right after I was going to attend the Flyers vs Blue Jackets NHL game for my second NHL game ever. But then, in a whim of fate, the geocaching event was cancelled and my first failed trip happened. I got over that real quick because two days later, a total solar eclipse occurred over Ohio. I've seen a handful of eclipses in my life, but never a total solar eclipse. I took the day off work and gathered in Elyria, OH with a bunch of geocaching friends to witness this incredible event. For a brief period of time, the moon blocked out the sun, the parking lot lights came on, and day turned into night. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen. If you ever get a chance to see an eclipse in totality, do it. You won't regret it.

Mayday! Mayday! We have entered the month of May. The weather was getting warmer and summer was drawing near. But that excitement would have to wait because an epic week-long adventure was un the works. Geowoodstock, one of the biggest geocaching events of the year was happening in Flagstaff, AZ. I hadn't been to one since 2018, but I've spent less than 3 hours in the state of Arizona and there was a week long trip organized beforehand. I couldn't pass this one up. So the week before, a group nine of us flew into Phoenix where we met up with a local geocacher by the name of Craig. We all spent that week traveling all over Arizona and even dipped into New Mexico. There's so much I could put here, but for length's sake, I'll put the big high lights.

The first day we trekked through the Arizona desert, looking for geocaches especially...

...the oldest geocache in Arizona!

Day 2 saw us venture into Tombstone, AZ. Home of the O.K. Corral and where Wild West legends Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday roamed. It felt so surreal to be able to walk through the center of town, down the dirt road, and as the sun was beginning to set. We also got dinner at a saloon in town and the kicker was they were playing the movie Tombstone (which is a fantastic movie and you should watch it if you haven't). What was an unexpected moment, became a legendary memory.

Day 3 we took a detour into New Mexico (another new state off the 50 states goal), but our stay was brief as we cached our way back into Arizona. We stopped by road-side scenic views and eventually ended up in the Petrified Forest. We saw it at sunset which was incredible. Of the handful of national parks I've been to, the Petrified Forest is now one of my favorites.

Day 4 we traveled part of Route 66 to stand on the corner in Winslow, AZ, followed by the Meteor Crater, and then 200+ geocache trail up rocky roads into the hills. It was a good thing we had Jeeps!

The last few days brought three heavy hitters. Sedona. The Grand Canyon. And Geowoodstock. The Grand Canyon was a big bucket list item of mine and it was surreal. Someday I'll have to return and explore it even more. Oh and I went 0.7 of a mile into an underground cave which was pretty intense too. Arizona was a blast.

June brought the long awaited summer season, another wedding, and more travel. Dear friends David and Sarah tied the knot and had a reception that was a potluck meal provided by all those in attendance. What a fun time that was! Congrats David and Sarah! 

For the first time in 10 years, I was Boston bound. It was a bit surreal that I was headed back. Last time was in the dead of winter and I only spent hardly more than 24 hours there. This time I was going to see a friend, explore the city, and check Fenway off the MLB ballpark tour. And while it was a short trip, the adventure was memorable.

July was a mini roller coaster as it started off with my second cancelled trip of the year. I was finally going to get to Florida, check another ballpark off the list, and so much more. But due to a series of foreseen and unforeseen circumstances, including sitting in the plane on the tarmac waiting for takeoff, Florida once again alluded me. Be the month wasn't a total loss as I had an awesome 4th of July at the Greenwood's dwelling where we shot off high end fireworks to our hearts' content. I also served at a high school camp for a part of a week and once again returned to the Midwest Geobash where it's always a blast to hang with friends from all over for a few days.

August caught me by surprise as on the 6th, tornadoes tore through northeast Ohio. For the first time in my 21 years here, I actually took shelter, albeit briefly. I was concerned my massive sycamore tree was toast, but she still stood, like a rock. I was without power for less than 24 hours which was a blessing as most in the area lost it for 3-5 days. It took 3 days for the internet to come back on, but that's a minor inconvenience compared to what could've been. But the crazy thing was that a well-known youtuber in the pokemon go community, who is from Singapore, was touring the US and chose to visit our community at Lakewood Park. About 20 or so of us showed up even though there were trees down and power was out everywhere. The youtuber, Brandon Tan, had good 5G coverage and created a hotspot so a bunch of us could still play. It was a cool experience and I'm glad he chose to visit us. Here's a link to that video he posted of the time and I make a few appearances in it. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHyozx_GwMU&list=LL&index=2&t=257s.

In later August, three big things happened. I got summoned for jury duty for the second time in my life, my office was relocating and renovating, so I had to work from home for a few months, and our family vacation to my homeland in Pennsylvania. I looked into deferring jury duty to a later date so it wouldn't conflict with vacation and an upcoming destination wedding. I was successful and my new date would take place in October. My return to PA was a good time as always. Saw a lot of family and longtime friends, did a little disc-golfing, and made another return to the sweetest place on earth, Hershey Park.

September was for San Diego. My last major adventure of the year. I was planning on visiting in 2023, but after John told me in NYC that his wedding was taking place there in 2024, I decided to wait until then. Well, "then" has arrived. My original plan was to go for 8 days because I wanted to catch a Padres MLB game as their last home game was the weekend before the wedding. But after I saw what it was going to cost to stay that long and having traveled a lot this year, I decided to save the Padres for another time and shorten my trip to 4 days. But 4 days was still totally worth it. The weather was beautiful out there. I got an airbnb for the first two nights and I was hosted by an extremely lovely couple. My stay with them was fantastic as they were very welcoming and I had no problem coming and going as I pleased. I spent the first day exploring La Jolla and managed to squeeze in a Cali sunset I didn't think I was going to see due to clouds. I finished off that evening meeting up with John, Tim, and Jay, a face I hadn't seen in a few years, but reconnected as if time hadn't passed at all.

Day 2 I checked off a bucket list item by visiting the San Diego Zoo. I arrived in the morning with John, Sam (and his family), Jay, John & Sam's parents, and their cousin Vincent and his family. The zoo lived up to its hype and 10/10 would recommend, but the cost of admission is in the ballpark of an amusement park ticket. After the zoo, I made sure to check another item off the list by seeing an MLB game. I took my rental car and drove 2 hours north up the I-5 to L.A. Well it was three hours with L.A. traffic, There I found myself at historic Dodger Stadium for the final home game of the Dodgers regular season. They were playing the Padres (ironic ain't it?) in an attempt to clinch the division. With so many stars on both teams (Ohtani, Machado, Freeman, Tatis, Betts, etc) it was a real treat to watch. The Dodgers came back from behind to win the game and clinch the division. That made ballpark #16 for me with only 14 left to go.

Day 3 I left my airbnb and headed for the hotel. But first I had to pick up Stephen J from the airport and meet up with Jesse and Natalia. We had a blast exploring other parts of San Diego for the afternoon. Stephen and I went back to the hotel and found out there was a beach access in the Del Mar neighborhood within walking distance from the hotel. We had to check it out. We found the nearly hidden stair access and what my eye landed on was truly breath-taking. A clean, nearly people-less beach with foamy pacific waves lapping the shore. And there, on the horizon, was one of the most incredible sunsets I laid my eyes on. I took off my shoes and let my toes dig into the sand. And I just stared at the beauty before me. I did not know it then, but Stephen came up behind me and started snapping pics. I'm glad he captured that moment. Eventually the sun disappeared beyond the horizon, and we headed back into down town San Diego to spend an evening with the bride and groom to be as well as many other beloved friends who made the trip out.

Day 4 was finally wedding day. I've said it before and I'll say it again; I truly love weddings. The location was epic, the weather was perfect, the atmosphere was wonderful, and the night was just magical. Congrats again John & Lydia!

October turned out to be a very chill month. This was the month I pushed jury duty to. I called in the night before every day during the week, and it turned out they did not need me at all and my service was considered complete. So no jury duty for me in round two. 

November was a month for lots of social events. A college conference, some cornhole and chili, fall fires, a mini church conference, multiple friendsgivings, and to a mini reunion with friends I haven't seen in awhile in Hocking Hills. The weather was fantabuluos and it actually felt like we had a normal Fall for once.

PC: Caitlin Ciulla

And now here we are in December. I just returned from my brother's place in the Baltimore area where we spent the Christmas holiday. If I had to sum up 2024 in a single word, it would be adventure. I believe this blog reflects that. And I know more awaits me in 2025. I thank you for reading this mini book and I wish you all the best 2025 can bring. And whatever trials may come, I pray you can whether those storms. Stay well my dear friends and I look forward to a fresh year with y'all.

The Story of My Life: MFSC Final Edition

Hit the rewind button. We need to go back to early Thursday to recap a slew of events and moments that held their place in such high honor. The first being the progress towards trying to be the cleanest room. Every time we stepped up our game, it seemed like another boys room was one step ahead. Tim B decided that we weren't holding anything back this time. That morning before breakfast, we got to work. We packed all of our stuff as if we were leaving and neatly organized the luggage in our closet. We made all the beds with hotel blanket folds and they were so neat they looked as if no one had slept in them all week. We emptied the trash, did some dusting, and picked up every spec of dirt off the floor we could find. We made the bathroom spotless and the cherry on top was when Tim B gave French folds to the toilet paper roll to look like it had been handled by a five star hotel. The room was pristine. 

Post breakfast, and through the morning events, anticipation was building. The afternoon was scheduled for a massive competition. The mighty JHFC Olympics. The events were pre-planned by a select group of serving ones. Each varied in points which would determine the winners of the Olympics. And like dodgeball on day one, it was boys vs girls. We were put into teams by our groups for the week and lined up like sheep in a narrow corral. Relay races. We were doing relay races. The first 40 minutes or so consisted of crab walks, wheelbarrow races, dizzy bat runs, etc. Every time a group thought they finished first, they let out an eruptive cheer. I hated relay races, but I was still giving it my all so as to not let the girls teams beat us. 

The main event wasn't the last. It was revered. It was talked about all week. And it was one the boys could not afford to lose. The all mighty Tug-of-War. Laid out across the field was an extremely long, approximately 2" thick rope. There was no messing around here. The first round was jr high boys vs jr high girls. I found a spot on the back of the rope, closer to the midway point. We had a bigger kid as the anchor and he tied the end of the rope around his waist. Now here's the thing that young children forget. Before boys and girls hit puberty, they are nearly even when it comes to strength and physicality. So when the moderator who was doing his best to keep the marker centered, finally dropped the rope and signaled the start, I was surprised at how much of a pull was coming from the other side. My feet started dragging. I jammed my heels into the dirt and pulled until I was red in the face. I saw the marker moving the wrong direction and broke my concentration. Suddenly there was a brief surge on our side. But with my sweaty grip and exhausted state, I slipped off the rope and hit the dirt. I had to roll out of the way of trampling feet. I then watched in horror as the rope marker went further the wrong way and crossed the line of no return. Screams of joy broke out on the other side. Disbelief and stunned looks fell on our side. The battle may have been lost, but the war wasn't over.

One round of Tug-of-War was not enough. Best two out of three was the call. The boys huddled up and came up with a new strategy. We shuffled bodies and made sure no one would be in a compromising spot. The rope was raised, the whistle blew and we pulled like our lives depended on it. This time though, it wasn't brute strength. One of our high school serving ones was on the side shouting, "1-2-3 PULL!" In our huddle we were taught to give a surge-tug every time we heard the word PULL. That surge-tug was what we needed as we swiftly hauled that rope marker across our victory line. Now it was our turn to celebrate. Loud cheers, high-fives, and maybe an arm flex or two could be seen by the spectators. 

The final round waited for no one. We were back on the rope and both sides were determined to keep that marker from crossing the other side. The whistle once again blew, but when it did, chaos filled the air. There were now high school and college serving ones from both sides shouting "1-2-3 PULL!" That rope marker was barely moving. The shouts became screams. Sweat was running down faces and into eyes. Arms and legs were getting wobbly. But no one gave an inch. We were all going to drop from exhaustion as a stalemate ensued. My fingers burned and my muscles ached. Just as I thought I was about to drop again, I felt it. The rope marker was coming our way. We had got the advantage we needed. The pull on our side didn't stop and the marker broke our victory line. The end whistle blew and there was roar from the male serving ones that drowned out our cheers. We lost the first battle, but we won the war. The Tug-of-War.

There were more events included in the Olympics, but I only recall what happened in one last event. The Water Balloon Toss. Fairly simple concept if you're not familiar. You picked a partner and lined up across from a center line at an arm's reach away. Everyone on one side of the line held a water balloon. Then, at every whistle, the person holding the water balloon would toss it across to their partner. If the water balloon broke at any point, you were out. After each toss, everyone had to take one step back. There were line judges to make sure the everyone was at an even distance. You had to toss from that point, but once the balloon was in the air, your partner could move to wherever it was possibly going to land. The top three teams to get the farthest earned points for their respective group overall. I wanted to win this so badly as I had tossed many water balloons in my day from all of my Kid's Club days. This was just a dream, however, as I can't even tell you who my partner was as we got eliminated after the first few tosses. I think my mind blocked part of that memory due to disappointment. I do remember that at least two boy pairs made it the farthest two distances. 

Ultimately, I believe the boys wound up taking home the Olympic crown that year, but since I can't recall the other events involved, I can't say that with full confidence. What I can write with full confidence is an epic memory that I will never forget. It occurred near the end of dinner that evening. The room inspectors had given Mike S their final comments and scores. Everyone became silent waiting for the results. Mike began with the worst rooms first. Our number was not called, but we knew it wasn't going to be. Then he announced the top three rooms. The third place room was not ours and I was getting nervous and excited at the same time. He then announced a room that was not ours and started listing the comments. Their room was near spotless and I thought for sure they had won. But then, the strangest comment I ever heard became music to my ears. Mike announced that the inspectors had found a black piece of fuzz on the floor. The whole cafeteria went "OOOOOO". He then announced that they had placed second. He followed that up with, "that means room 17 had the best room for the day!" Tim B pumped his fists in the air in celebration. Me and my other roommates cheered at our tables knowing that our hard work had paid off. We went from the worst room on day one to the best room on the final day. Thank you rogue black piece of fuzz.

The final day brought two more unique events in what were known as the Talent Show and the Bible Bowl. The talent show was the final event to earn points towards the Bible Bowl. If your group chose to participate, you had to come up with something creative that incorporated anything associated with the camp. Most groups would perform a skit based on a bible passage. Some would perform an original song they created over the weekend. It was a time filled with laughter and wholesome goodness which gave a small reprieve from competition. 

Then it was time for the Bible Bowl. We all assembled in the gym with the boys in chairs on one side and the girls in chairs on the other. The serving ones had submitted questions over the course of the week based on the bible stories, verses, and general trivia about things that happened at the camp. The rules were as follows. A question would be read. To answer, you had to stand up. First person to stand up would get to answer. If the person who stood popped up before the question was fully read, the serving one would stop reading and the person would have to answer. If the person answering got the question wrong, the other team would get a chance to steal. No one was allowed to answer two questions in a row if they got the first one correct. The last two minutes would be a lighting round where there was no limit to how many times you could answer and there were no steals. You were either wrong or right and then the next question would be asked.

The competition was fierce. Loud cheers would come from each side for every right answer. Louder cheers for a successful recite of a memory verse. Arguments would also break out over rules or distractions, but the serving ones mostly kept the peace. The score was heavily close until the lighting round. It was there the boys took the lead and pulled away for good. I didn't contribute much, but I believe I had answered a question or two correctly during the competition, but don't ask me what they were. It was a thrilling end to what was an incredible week.

So that's it. We've finally come to the end of my first summer camp experience. What an amazing one it was. I met many great people, made some friends, had some life changing experiences, and found out what faith truly is. This camp was a staple in who I turned out to be and would be a factor for many years to come. I would eventually attend many more of these and have many more stories to tell, but those are for another time. I hope you enjoyed this section of my life, but buckle up because 2004 brought more life altering moments worthy of telling time and time again. See you in the next chapter.

The Story of My Life: MFSC 3: An Awakening

Slightly sleep deprived from the chaotic night before, I faced yet another full day of excitement. So much had happened already and much more was still to come. Before breakfast, we leveled up our room again. This time, we made it look as if no one was staying there at all. All the luggage and clothes were put away and out of sight. The bathroom was spotless. We were determined to get the best room recognition that day. 

Breakfast, small groups, and the morning meeting all came and went. I was a little more energized from the meeting and wasn't entirely sure why. Lunch followed and that afternoon's activities were announced. The camp was buzzing in anticipation of what they could be as some camp veterans had a good idea. When the activities coordinator announced it was Capture the Flag, the whole dining hall exploded. I had never played before because I had never been around a large enough group to pull it off. As we were finishing up lunch, I was being told tales of how crazy CTF gets. My anticipation was building. 

After lunch, we all went to change into comfortable clothing and then assembled at the cafeteria porch for instructions. When we were listing to the rules, it blew my mind about how much of the camp we were going to use as our playing field. Think of a lot of football fields that had terrains of flat, woods, hills, a creek, and standard trails. We were split up into teams and sent off to our sides. We chose our flag location and jail location and then took our positions. The siren sounded and the game was afoot. My initial strategy was to stay back and guard the flag until I felt comfortable enough to go for the other team's flag. Which was maybe 30 minutes. 

I ventured off into the main part of no man's land where both sides could go without being captured. I saw all the easy points were covered. I had heard and seen the college and working serving ones disappear into the woods. I wasn't willing to do that fearing I would get lost. But after long stretches of not finding an opening, I decided to go into the woods. I got about as far as I could go while still seeing the edge. Then, a sudden movement caught my eye. I saw a figure duck behind a tree. The person peered their head out to survey the situation. It was Joe S. Joe was Mike S's young brother. I would come to know Joe very well over the years and would also come to know that the man was a jr high camp staple. I, being the naïve kid I was, I started shouting "I see you Joe! You can't hide from me! I see you!" In doing so, I was effectively giving away my position to the rest of the enemy. Joe didn't say a word and slipped away deeper into the forest.

I didn't want to chase, but I decided to press my luck. I pressed into enemy territory. I spotted no one else in the woods. I was so deep, there was no turning back. Eventually, I saw the enemy jail. They had some of our people under guard. I couldn't quite see the flag so I had a decision to make. I either snoop around in enemy territory a bit more and risk getting captured, or I become an early hero and free the prisoners. I decided the prisoners were my better option. I waited for my moment and then I charged in. I thought I had a clear shot, but some of the prisoners started shouting in excitement. That alerted a guard I had not accounted for. Just before I could make the jailbreak tag, the quick-footed guard tagged me. Go directly to jail. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.

Here's where I wish I could tell you an epic tale of how we made a daring escape. But the reality was I got caught early in the game and that meant I rotted in jail for quite a while. I found out why getting caught was a bad idea. I milled around in the jail. Bugged my fellow prisoners, picked blades of grass and tossed them in the wind. Some of my teammates crept past us through the woods to go after the flag. My boredom was going to be the death of me. But then, there on the grassy horizon, was hope. A teammate came flying out of the woods and dodged the bored, but now alert, guards with ease. Then, they made the tag on the outstretched arm of another prisoner and we had won a jailbreak. We all celebrated as we got a free pass back to our territory through enemy lines. 

Once I had made it back, I didn't see many of our older and athletic players in sight. I questioned other teammates who may have had some intel. All I could garner was that they had made a late push for the flag. A late push? Had we really been battling for a couple hours? That jail stint must've confounded my concept of time. Since I had no idea where the flag was and didn't feel like another round in the slammer, I patrolled No-Man's land like a lion protecting her cubs. Nobody was going to get through our land the easy way.

I stared down my opponents. Sweat dripping off my brow. Complete exhaustion. But I wasn't going to reveal that. They taunted me. I dared them to cross. I wanted to tag them all and be known around camp as The Warden. But then, through gaps in the branches, across the grassy fields. The dreaded siren sounded. Game over. Did we win? Oh please say we won. I quickly made my way to the rally point. I watched as weak and weary bodies stumbled out of the woods. The came like zombie hordes yet with some sign of life. As soon as I could, I began questioning the bold. Apparently we managed to get their flag and in an attempt to allude them, it was passed to a teammate who had made it onto a building roof. That person then ran across the roof until they ran out of shingles. A mad dash was made through the woods and one of our players holding the flag was captured, so it fell short of the border. The battle was a draw. A stinking draw. So many good people were captured that day and their sacrifice was for nothing. But in reality, that game was such a blast, that we talked about it the rest of camp. 

The rest of the day was slow going with small groups, dinner, and the standard rest time. Then approached that night's meeting. I thought it was going to be like all the rest. Full of good singing, a good message, another satisfying way to end a fun-filled day. But something unusual was going to happen. Kids began to call out songs and one after another, we flowed with the music. Then someone called the song Nevermore This World Shall Bind Me. It was a popular song throughout the camp and had been sung multiple times during the week. But in that moment, it hit me different. I suddenly had a mini reflection on the week. The words that were spoken in the meetings, the verses we had covered from the bible, and the words of the very songs we were singing throughout the week. I felt like a spark was trying to ignite something in me. As we were singing this song, Mike S was leading and all the kids were really into it. Then we repeated the first verse. "Nevermore this world shall bind me. I won't let it tie me up, nor let it way me down. Although Pharaoh's force surrounds me, I am free from fear and doubt." That last line. "I am free from fear and doubt." For the past six years of my life, I had let fear and doubt rule it. But that night, for the first time in a long time, I was free from it. Then I felt something tell me, "go up to the front and join Mike." It wasn't my dad, nor my friend beside me. I let the feeling lead. I left my chair and went straight up on the little stage. Then the chorus kicked in. "Here I am, standing on Mount Zion high, far above the storms. Where I hear the heavenly Father's cry. Hear Him this is my Beloved. My Beloved for you He died." My spirit was so alive and I couldn't explain it. Something I really had never felt like this before. And while all that was going on, two more boys joined us on stage. There were four of us now in front of everyone else, but all of us enjoying that very moment. A taste of what it means to be free from fear and doubt.

The song concluded and we all returned to our seats. A message was then shared, which I can't really recall what it was about because I was enamored by that living moment I had experienced. I had felt a spark. But what I didn't know yet, was how real those sparks and that experience were going to become.

After that night, I began to see things through a slightly different light. I appreciated the serving ones more. Realizing they were giving up time in their summer to spend it with a bunch of loony toon jr. high kids. The small groups became a little more meaningful and I paid more attention to what the bible verses were saying. The meeting sessions were more real to me. Yet, something was still missing, and I knew not what.

Thursday arrived and excitement filled the air. The day was going to be filled with many incredible events all leading up to the grand finale on Friday. But more on that in the next chapter. I want to focus on a moment that was about to change my life. The day's activities fired me up and the meeting that evening was so uplifting. People were the most joyous I had seen them all week. The singing was so spirit filled that no one wanted it to end. As the meeting concluded, we were about to participate in an event that was a junior high camp staple. The bonfire, also affectionately known as the "bond" fire. No summer camp would be complete without one. 

We all went to grab hoodies and flashlights. Then in one massive group, we made the 10 minute hike through the woods, on a trail, that lead to a clearing on a hill where the bonfire was going to take place. As we walked through the night air, I paid attention to all the sounds that carried through it. The Pennsylvania woods really are something special. Eventually, we reached the clearing and I was in awe of what I saw. In the center was a roaring bonfire and in the distance on a higher hill, was a city all lit up under the night sky. The stars were out providing a twinkling blanket of wonder. It was magical.

Everyone found a place around the flames and shortly after someone broke out a guitar. Music filled the air as melodious voices sang out with gusto. Then came the best part of all. S'mores. An American summer classic. People were signing, marshmallows were toasting, and life was good. Then at one point, I found a seat on the grass. I stared deeply off into the night sky and began to reflect on what I had experienced that entire week. The friends I had made. The love from the serving ones that I didn't expect from people I barely new. The indescribable sensation I had felt during the signing time of the Wednesday night meeting. All of it began to sink into my being, down through the depths of my soul. Then, it felt like all the world had faded around me. But I was not alone. I felt an overwhelming peace I had never felt before. So much so that my anxiety couldn't touch me. I knew it was a presence greater than me, but one that knew me. 

All my life I had heard about the Lord. I had known of Him, but never really made him my own. I was riding my parents' coattails. Until this week. I began to get a taste of what it meant to know the Lord. To take that leap of faith on my own. To experience Him for myself. As this realization was befalling me, someone prayed. Then another person. Then there was a pause. I felt that feeling again. This time I heard something. "Now it's your turn." I didn't hesitate. I let out all that was welling up inside of me with a thankful and grateful heart. My spirit was so alive and I knew in that moment, I could no longer deny what I suspected to be true for a long time. The Lord was real and He had chosen me. 

When I finished that prayer, a loud chorus of amens came from everyone in the camp. The fire still roared, the stars still twinkled, and I knew the love of the Lord. That moment on that grassy hill in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania, was my moment where faith became real. It was my beginning of a lifelong journey. And the first, of many, many experiences that I would have walking the Christian walk. And to this very day, I can pinpoint who I am and who I have become to that very moment. This was my beginning.

The Story of My Life: MFSC 2, The Scream Heard Around Camp

Day 2 came with a early and rude awakening after a rough first night of sleep. I get we were here to participate at camp and follow the program, but getting up before 8am in the summer was painful. The only light through the gloom was that I had a fully cooked breakfast waiting for me in the cafeteria...but Tim B decided to put the brakes on that locomotive. Having had the worst room the day before, he was making sure history wouldn't repeat itself. 

The process began with making the beds to look like the day we first walked in. Then all the clothes lying around were put in an orderly manner. Any trash was put in the waste basket. All towels were hung, all water was cleaned up, and everything was in proper order. We felt pretty good about our chances as we finally headed to breakfast. We wouldn't know the end results until around dinner time.

After breakfast came a Take Five. These actually happened directly after every meal. They were up to fifteen minutes long, but were meant for everyone to find a secluded spot all to themselves and be quiet for at least 5 minutes. There were various intentions for this time, but the most simple was to be able to spend 5 minutes of calm and quiet to yourself in a jam-packed day. I'll admit that my first go around with the take fives was not anything as they were intended to be, but later I would find great value in them.

I mentioned group time previously, but I didn't mention anything about my group. It consisted of a group leader, a couple of assistant group leaders, and the rest were jr high kids, myself included. My Dad was assigned to my group as the main leader. The co-group leaders were Mark M and Isaac M (no relation). There were three other kids in my group who were Sam K, Vincent K, and another kid whose name escapes me. Having my Dad as the group leader eased my ever present anxiety during the week. But I want to talk a bit about Isaac M. This was the first time I had met him as he was from Michigan. He was pretty good friends with both Tim C and Mark M. Once I met him, I instantly thought he was one of the cool kids. He had the looks, personality, and a big smile that made him a very likeable dude. What fascinated me the most was that someone like him was willing to give up a week of his summer to serve jr. high kids. All of those things made me appreciate someone like him even more.

After a really good morning session, the afternoon activity had us back in the gym. It was set up for a large game of Knockout and two courts for volleyball. I quickly gravitated towards the ever growing knockout line. I wasn't long before we had intense games going. There were so many kids who wanted to play that we had to form two lines on both hoops. Once again it was mixed with jr high, high school, college, and even some post-college adults. 

There was so much chaos that you had to have the utmost concentration to win a game. And that was something I wanted more than anything. To be able to say I was the last one standing vs my peers and those greater than I. I took shot after shot. I ran all over that court like a crazed maniac. Game after game I fought for that W. But it was repeat after repeat. A missed shot followed by a swish. The clang of my desperation throws missing over and over. I became so drenched is sweat I could've splashed in a small puddle.

I was getting tired, but in the next game I made the top 5. I was oh so close to sweet victory that I could taste it. The desire and drive in me overcame my fatigue. I stepped in line for one more shot. The first shots were taken and we were off. Each time I got the ball in my hands, I made every shot count. Aggression was the key to my success. If the person in front of me missed their shot, they had to react quick because I was in the zone. My confidence grew when an older kid missed his shot and I sunk mine. Before I knew it, I found myself in the final 3. It was me, another jr high kid, and a college serving one by the name of Johnny H. We all slowed down to catch our breath. The other kid was up first. He missed his shot. I quickly fired mine, but I too missed. I managed to retrieve my rebound and lay it up off the glass before the other kid's ball hit the rim. I hustled back in line. It was now David vs Goliath. Johnny H took his shot and he made it. Then I made mine before he got back to the line to take another. Back and forth we went. Neither being able to knock out the other. Then a loud CLANG was heard as Johnny H missed was a seemingly easy shot. I didn't hesitate and heaved a desperation free-throw. I ran forward to grab the re-bound, but there was none. My ball hit the square and fell through the net. KNOCK OUT! I celebrated in pure ecstasy. Not only had I finally won, but I beat someone much older and better than me to do so. After that, nothing was going to ruin my day.

I want to pause this memory for a moment and reflect on a valuable life lesson here. It wasn't until years later, when I found myself at this very camp and in this very situation, but with the roles reversed, where I was now the older college kid taking on the last remaining jr high kid in the knockout line, that it hit me like a ton of bricks. Johnny H let me win that game. There were shots he took that he should've easily made, but it was clear to me now that he purposely missed them. Was I upset when I had this realization? Nope. Did it take away from that valuable moment in my life? Not in the slightest. I still had to earn my way into that top 2. To face the best of the best. And I still had to make the winning shot. But the lesson there wasn't about winning or losing and doing so to the best of one's ability. It was a matter of taking care of someone else. Someone like me who hardly played organized sports. Who very rarely got the taste of victory in front of a crowd. And anxiety-riddled jr high kid who felt like he achieved the impossible. And for a long time, Johnny H's act of kindness carried on in me for years to come. So when that young kid in front of me was playing his heart out to beat "the big kid", it became my turn to miss my shot. And when that kid made the winning basket, he felt the pure joy I had all those years ago. I small, humbling act of kindness can do wonders in someone's life. And I experienced both sides of that coin.

Un-pause. Knockout would not be the only exciting activity that day. The evening one was one I was looking forward to since I saw the schedule. A night swim. The boys were doing this one solo while the girls would get their turn the next night. Never before in my life had I been able to swim in a large pool well after the sun went down. We were out in the middle of nowhere where we could be as rambunctious and loud as we wanted. Just walking to the pool's edge and I was in awe. Heated, lit so you could see what you were doing, a volleyball net across the shallow end and a basketball hoop on the side. I was in kid heaven.

What made the experience special was not simply the fact that it was a night swim. It was the fact that all the boys were able to have an incredible bonding moment. While the first 15 minutes or so were spent getting used to the water and the feel of the space, the rest of the night was organized chaos. We organized volleyball teams that were competitive to a fault, but allowed younger kids to have their moments to shine. When someone got a nasty spike,  they roared like a gorilla defending it's territory which was followed by playful shoves, high-fives, and a ton of splashing. When we tired of that, we had a slam-dunk contest, where we got louder and louder with each epic dunk. Once the dunk king was crowned, we finished the night off with the human cannon. The college-aged serving ones would form a small circle in four feet of water. Then one by one, the jr. high would swim to the inner circle and place their feet on the serving ones' hands. Then the kid would get into cannonball form and the serving ones would bob up and down while counting down from three. After they got to one, the kid was launched as far as they could be thrown into the deep end. Yes I did take that ride and let's just say I made a splash.

About the time the clock struck 10PM, it was time to return to our building to wind down and soon drift off to sleep. Thinking that would happen so smoothly was wishful thinking at best. After a full day of fun and being able to stay up later than normal, the last thing a kid wants to do is go to bed. But the serving ones did a good job and eventually got everyone in their rooms for the night...

---knock knock knock. I thought I was dreaming, but having realized I was being awoken at 1AM to the sound of actual door knocks, I didn't dare leave my bed. Tim B had woken up and went to see who was at the door. It turned out to be Jeff B, one of the main camp coordinators for the week. I faked being asleep while he talked to Tim. Apparently, someone was roaming outside of the building tapping on the first floor windows with lights on trying to scare the girls. Jeff asked Tim to go help him search for the culprit. They both grabbed flashlights and disappeared down the hall. I rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. Just as I was drifting off, I heard an ear-splitting scream. Then another. Then a lot of screams coming from downstairs. Now wide awake, I jumped out of bed, ran out of the room, and made my way to the railing. There in the middle of the main floor was most of the girls all in one big cluster. Many of the other boys who had woken up joined me on the railing. No one had any idea what was going on. Jeff B came back in and calmed everyone down then asked everyone to return to their rooms and go back to bed. That's it? I thought. No explanation? Since my parents were staying in the motel section, I wanted to make sure they were okay. I had a small cut on my foot that was fine, but it did look like it could use some attention. So I asked Jeff to take me over to the motel. Surprisingly he did. We woke my dad up and he got me a band-aid from their supply. Seeing that they were all good and my toe was bandaged, I told Jeff we could go back. We walked back through the dark to the sounds of the night critters and I returned to a quiet building with everyone back in their rooms. I crawled into bed and finally fell back asleep.

The next morning during breakfast, I approached Jeff B and asked him what last night was about. He said they weren't sure who, but a girl complained about tapping on her window and thought she saw something wandering outside. Word was brought to Jeff and he recruited Tim B to go check it out. Word had spread amongst the girls who were awake that there was a prowler on the loose. Some were noticing flashlights and went to the windows to see if they could see who it was. In reality, it was Jeff and Tim searching for the mysterious tapper. But some of the girls did not know that and Jeff didn't want to scare them so in the moment, he held the flashlight up to his face so they could see it was him when they looked out the windows. Unfortunately, the light cast shadows over his face, making him look terrifying. Some girls thought he was the tapper and ran out of their room screaming causing others to follow suit. Jeff did end up chuckling about it even though it was a long night for him. There were other groups not associated with us utilizing other parts of the camp for the week. Jeff had his suspicions that it was someone from one of those groups trying to pull a prank, but the culprit was never caught so that is one mystery that won't be solved.

With that I conclude part two of this JHC recap. I have one more part to tell as it contains a crucial change in my life as well as other memories that mattered. Until next time.

The Story of My Life: My First Summer Camp Part 1

Summer camp was something every kid new about. Depending on what type of kid you were, you either always wanted to go or you dreaded going. I was in the group that wanted to go. But it wasn't really for the basic reasons of summer camp. Because my view of what those were like came from all kinds of 90s cartoons, PBS kids shows, TV shows, and movies that depicted how epic they were supposed to be. They made camp counselors look goofy and that kids had more free reign than they did at home. The epic competitions, prank wars, and doing all sorts of crazy stuff late into a summer night was the stuff of dreams.

But we all know that TV tends to exaggerate things and summer camps were not cheap endeavors. Plus none of my friends went to summer camp so it wasn't something that was in the cards for me. But in the summer of 2004, now living in Cleveland, OH, opportunity arose. It turns out that the church group out here ran a multitude of summer events for the youth and one of them was called Jr. High Family Camp. It was a week long Christian youth camp that focused on kids in Jr. High (5th-8th grade), but was open to families as well. And who were the counselor's? Any high schooler, college student, or adult who so desired to give their time and heart to serve. The big kicker? It was located in a remote area of Pennsylvania. The town was called Laurelville and it was almost halfway between Cleveland and Abbottstown, PA.

All the young people I had met through church were going and my family thought it would be a good idea to get involved. So while my three younger brothers were not old enough to be full participants, the camp was open to families so everyone, my parents included, made the journey. A three hour drive later I found myself in the middle of nowhere and surrounded by trees. Then buildings appeared. Some that appeared to be old and some on the modern side. I wondered which ones would house us. The camp itself was huge.

First stop was check-in. We let the leaders know we had arrived and we received our room assignments. While there were more rustic, camping style options, the organizers went for the more luxurious options. We exited the check-in and drove up a back hill where we found ourselves in front of a small motel and a lodge. The lodge had two floors with plenty of rooms on each floor. The rooms were hotel style with big comfy beds, a full bathroom in each room, and an AC unit, but no TV. The motel was the same, but it was like a standard motel where it was a one floor building and each door led to a room. The families were put in the motel and all the campers and their group leaders were put in the lodge. All the boys were put in the second floor rooms and all the girls were put in the first floor rooms. Strict rules were put in play where if the boys entered the lodge, they were only allowed to go up to the second floor and not linger on the first. The girls were not allowed on the second floor for any reason. Violators were warned there would be repercussions if those rules were broken. This arrangement would bring about a very interesting turn of events later in the week.

The only scheduled thing for the first night was the welcome meeting where we were given our packets and supplies needed for the week, the schedule layout, the rules and regulations, and all other necessary information. The general schedule for each day was as follows: Breakfast, group time, large meeting, lunch, afternoon activities, group time, dinner, break, group time, large meeting, evening activity, lights out. The last day's schedule would be different as it would contain two big events known as the talent show and the grand finale called the Bible Bowl. More on those later. One other note is that all the events throughout the week earned points towards the Bible Bowl. That included having the cleanest rooms, verse memorization, and not losing your belongings. 

But with reward also came consequence for failing the standard. Another aspect to this camp was to teach people how to be responsible human beings. Having a clean room and not letting it look like a pig-sty was one of those life lessons. During one of the activity times, room inspectors would do an inspection of the rooms, take notes, and report back to the leaders. Room inspection announcements normally came at dinner so the inspectors could make sure the room looked tidy throughout the whole day. Some rooms were spotless by lunch, but after the afternoon activities, they became a disaster. Being a camp rookie, I didn't think our room was that bad. Turns out I was dead wrong. Our room was announced as the worst room that night. We got nailed for sloppy beds, towels on the bathroom floor, clothes in places they didn't belong, water on the bathroom floor, etc. Our one saving grace was that it was the first day. First day offenders got a warning so they would know what the standard was. There was no mercy for second failure. When we returned to the room, we had to see the other rooms that got high marks. It was apparent why ours was the worst. Our serving one who was in the room, Tim B, apologized and said he knew better having been a junior high camp veteran. That "worst room" label put a competitive jolt in him as he said we were going to have the best room at some point this week. I was determined to see that happen.

Before I go on, I have to talk about Tim B for a minute. I got to know him a bit over the past year living in Cleveland. He gave me a lot of grief for the Pittsburgh Steelers shirts I wore (rightly so as I was an Eagles fan in Browns territory), like to make very bad dad jokes, and loved playing basketball with the young people. But this camp was where I'd really get to know him more. I discovered that he had to take a week off work to serve a bunch of rowdy junior high kids. I learned that he found joy in seeing joy on the kid's faces and would do things to make it happen. He deeply loved the Lord and desired the kids he was with to find that same love. To him, it was worth giving up vacation time for. I will share some of the moments that inspired me as we go on in this tale.

For the first big afternoon activity, we all went to the on-site gym the camp had. When we arrived, there were dodgeballs all lined up in the center of the floor. Then the obvious was announced that we would indeed be playing dodgeball. And when they announced it was going to be boys vs girls, the boys let out a loud roar while some of the girls did not look to enthused. To start it was jr. high vs jr high only. The two sides lined up on either end and when the siren blared, it was off to the races. Chaos ensued in blazing speed. One minute I was charging the line and the moment I blinked, a ball nearly took off my head. The rest of that game was a blur. But I do remember the slow build-up to a full scale onslaught. The teams changed from Jr. High and HS girls vs Jr. High boys. Then the HS boys were added. Followed by any college girls that wanted to join. By then if your senses weren't honed in, you were going to taste rubber. I witnessed some kids take some heavy blows. After a few tears and some comforting, they eventually re-entered the chaos. The play of the day came from the girl's side. A HS boy was targeting a specific HS girl. He unleashed a throw so hard that when it connected it knocked her down. But instead of having to leave the field, she hung on and caught the ball, not only eliminating the HS boy, but getting one of her eliminated teammates back with that spectacular catch. Everyone in the building went nuts. The play was so iconic that it was talked about the entire week.

After about an hour or so, they announced the split of activities. The girls were off to the pool and the boys were going to stick around in the gym for more dodgeball punishment. Here's where things went crazy. The older boy serving ones who weren't allowed to play when it was boys vs girls were now allowed to enter the battlefield. It was like unleashing powerful cannons that were hidden until the final salvo. One person in particular, Johnny P, had a deadly throw that was both risky and effective. He would load a ball into one hand, turn his back towards the firing line, then do a full 180 and unleashed the ball in a direction that could not be predicted. If it connected, you were in a world of hurt, but he also turned his back on enemy fire, so it could turn into an easy KO. One loose cannon of a throw ended up causing a casualty to someone not in play. One team was losing pretty bad. As more people got out, the longer the line that was waiting for a caught ball became. As the line got longer, people slowly shifted out of it to see the action. It wasn't long before the back end of the line curved into the field of play. Johnny wound up one of his no-look throws and fired it at full strength. The ball took a direction of its own out of his hand and scored a direct hit to the face of an unsuspecting jr. high kid in the "out" line, but standing in the field of play. Game action was suddenly halted as aid was rushed to the poor kid. After a few minutes, the kid had his marbles back in place and was helped to the restroom to clear up his sore face. The onslaught resumed shortly after. We dodged, ducked, dipped, dived, and dodged for another hour before it was our turn to cool off in pool.

The rest of that first day was a combination of excitement, relaxation, and getting a deeper understanding of God's word. The group time I mentioned previously happened after multiple times a day and usually consisted of going over a section in the Bible to find the facts. For a jr high kid, those times would only be as good as what I was willing to put in. If I got bored or distracted, I gained nothing. But if I paid attention and my curiosity got the better of me, I would actually learn something I didn't know before or gain something about life that was useful. The nice thing about the small group time after dinner was that it was always a "get to know your group" time. Lots of interesting ice breaker questions. I found that one so much fun because the social side of me was more than happy to share the parts and quirks that made me tick. 

The day would eventually wind down for an altogether group time with singing and a message from the Bible. In a way, I found these messages more fascinating than a typical Sunday morning message because these were given by mostly college kids who would sometimes perform mini skits to better portray the story they were sharing about. The messages combined with the massive group singing was an uplifting way to nearly close out a long day.

The last thing each night was always a different activity. For the first night, the boys returned to the dodgeball arena but this time to play a different game. The dodgeballs were traded for basketballs and it was last man standing in a fiercely competitive game of Knockout. For those unfamiliar with this game, everyone forms a single-file line from the foul line on the basketball court going straight back to the wall. The first two people in line each have a basketball. As soon as the first person shoots, the second person shoots. If the first person scores, they pass the ball to the next person in line and go to the end. If the second person scores before the first person, the first person is out and the second person goes to the end of the line. This pattern continues until one person outlasts everyone else. Seeing as there were over 40 people involved, the games got intense and there was a lot of cheering, laughing, and the occasional light jest when someone got knocked out. I wanted so badly to win one, but that night wasn't my night. But I did get to experience something I really hadn't before. That was the joy of being able to play large games with a large group of kids. As I was homeschooled most of my life up until this point, I lacked a lot of that type of experience. And I was loving every moment of it.

Stayed tuned as I continue this journey through my first summer camp, as I have more exciting and life altering stories to tell, more people of my life to introduce you to, and more memories to explore. This was only the beginning.