Seven years ago this past April, our lives took an unexpected turn.
After sixteen years working in Maintenance at Camp Homewood, my husband was asked to step into the role of Camp Director.
On the surface, life didn’t change drastically: our address stayed on the camp property (we did move into a different on-site house a year later), our children kept the same schools, and many of our friends still lived just down the road.
But his new position brought with it different expectations for our family, and I quickly discovered that other people’s assumptions about my role shifted as well.
I often joke that “life was much simpler in Maintenance!” because the responsibilities were clear and my place was well defined.
Those who know me understand that I’ve been learning — sometimes fumbling — how to discern where community expectations end and where God’s call begins.
I don’t have a neatly written job description for myself. I wish I did.
What I do know is that we were placed here for a purpose, and I want to obey what God is asking of me. I want to support my husband faithfully and reflect Jesus’ love to everyone we meet.
From the beginning, though, I set one firm boundary: I would help with anything the camp needed…
EXCEPT
I would.not.be.the.cook.
(Insert a nervous, crazy laugh here.)
Never say never, though—life has a way of changing plans.
As it turns out, I’m now being called to take on kitchen responsibilities, at least temporarily.
I’m honestly terrified and overwhelmed. At the same time, I’m curious to see how God will work in and through these new responsibilities. I’m willing to try, and I’m holding tightly to the promise that He will be my strength in weakness. That truth settles me deep inside and helps me sleep at night.
I’m also so grateful for a wise, talented, and godly woman who has graciously agreed to mentor me through learning camp cooking, meal planning, and kitchen management. Her guidance is a huge blessing.
Why am I sharing all of this with you? Because it helps explain what may happen to my blogging rhythm over the next few months.
I had big plans for home makeovers, crafts, and a month-long series, but with the current needs at camp I can’t promise those projects will happen on schedule. If my posts become sporadic for a while, now you’ll know why.
I’ll miss connecting with you regularly, but I’ll share updates whenever I can.
Would you pray for our camp as we look for a full-time cook? We need someone who loves Jesus, enjoys serving people, and has a heart for preparing meals for groups. I’m only a temporary solution while we search for the right person.
***
One reason I haven’t been in a constant state of panic is because of the wonderful people in our community who have stepped up to help in practical ways. When I realized the camp kitchen needed a deep clean before the first group arrived in about a week, I knew I couldn’t do it alone.
So today we hosted an “Extreme Makeover: Camp Kitchen Cleaning Edition” event.
I half-jokingly called it a party, thinking the word might entice volunteers — and it worked. These women (and a few men) knew exactly how much work it would be, but they came anyway. They scrubbed surfaces, organized supplies, stripped old wallpaper, and tackled high shelves. Their hard work made an overwhelming job manageable.
Honestly, I don’t know what I would have done without them. My muscles are aching, and I didn’t even do half the heavy lifting they did. Their help and cheerful attitudes carried the day.
You are the best!
P.S. The photos in this post are a little mixed up because I’m using my husband’s computer right now, and his images are different from mine. As I looked through his collection, I found a few older photos that I liked, so I included them. The first two were taken at our camp, and the rest are from other spots around the island.
