Getting In Shape

On the first Monday of camp (June 18) I giggled as I took this picture of the stairs leading to "upper campus." Every year for 10 years our family convinces ourselves that having to walk up these stairs all summer is going to get us in shape. Every year we say, "We walk so much at camp and particularly these stairs that there's NO WAY we won't lose weight and get in shape." I chuckled as I thought, "But we always forget about the fabulous and not low calorie/low carb food is at the top."

As I began to climb my mind quickly went to the two Doyle children not here this summer--they're not here because they are young adults out living and expanding their lives. At that very moment SK was in Iceland having an adventure and creating memories before returning and serving as a delegate for The Episcopal Church General Convention, and Boss had just moved back to Georgia after telling me, "Mama I love you, but I need to grow up. I need to go and do what I need to do. Please don't write me letters every day." (A promise I have reluctantly kept.) "The babies" are still here this summer, but no longer the wild campers (we prefer to call it extremely enthusiastic) they once were. Instead, they are in leadership roles--William for the third summer and Caroline has a rookie. And they are rock stars (proven by the camper evaluations and not just Mama's bias).

It didn't take two winks for my mind to hop, skip and jump to the real shaping of these stairs. Our thighs and backsides may not have changed much, but our hearts, souls and minds did. These stairs and all the time walking them at All Saints camp helped shape the O'Doyle children, now young adults, into the people they have and are becoming--people who have confidence, strength, courage and faith--people whose minds have been open to other perspectives in the world--people whose hearts have learned to love unconditionally--people who sometimes had to walk difficult paths but who walked them with hope even when it felt like just a sliver---people who know in their souls, even when the world tries to tell the otherwise, they are worthy and good---people who are on paths of self discovery and are striving to be the people God created them to be--people who want to be a part of bringing about God's kingdom in their own ways.

As the summer draws to an end and the "children" prepare to move into their next phases of life (Have I mentioned those phases include the states of Mississippi, Georgia, Virginia and New York?) I am once again reminded that God is always present to help shape us into the people God wants us to be. God uses the "ordinary," things like a burning bush or the stairs at All Saints. The ordinary becomes holy when we turn and look. I give thanks for these stairs and the paths to which they have led.

Oh, and the delicious food at the top...