Keep showing up

My youngest daughter is a camp counselor this year. Last week she put in a full week at a drama camp, and this week she is full-time at our church's VBS day camp.  Thanks to the wonder of Facebook memories, I was reminded of the year when my oldest was volunteering for the first time as a junior leader. 

The days ran from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm.   It was fun, full of rewarding little moments, and a huge opportunity for personal growth and community connection.  But it was also exhausting.  Many adults backed out of their roles, some at the last minute, and we thought we were facing a crisis that would cancel the whole week's programming.  But instead, our youth rose to the occasion and adults who had planned on giving a few hours put in the equivalent of a full time job.

I looked around my house at the end of that week and felt the weight of all I didn't get done.  I scrubbed the bathroom.  Then I sat down with a crochet project because I was just so.so.so.tired.  

I admit that at the time I felt a lot of resentment toward the volunteers who didn't follow through.  Monday especially, there were tears - and they weren't from the kids.  (The kids attending camp had an amazing week!)  But people showed up.  They did their part and picked up the slack, even when it meant sacrificing other commitments or their own vacation days.  

And 13 kids expressed a desire to know Christ during that week, while we felt like we were drowning in chaos and failing.

Keep showing up, mama.  It is hard, there might be tears, people will let you down, and the job will not always be the one you signed up for.  But one little person at a time, you are quietly changing the world. 

Love you!