Today’s guest post is from Kara. She has a passion for words, books, photos, and gardens. She enjoys life on the family farm in the hills of West Virginia with her husband, four dogs, and six cats. Ramblings-n-Writings is a collection of personal experiences, photographs, and professional advice.
We met through Cyndi’s blog, I think. She designed my business card, writes with me at Garden Vines, and when she finishes writing her book I’m going to be one of the first readers! In the meantime she stays busy with her business, Skala Creative LLC.
Because I am unable to connect to the Internet this week only readers who have left comments previously will be able to see their comments. All others will be held in moderation until I’m back. Now, here’s Kara:
Camp memories. Wow, do I have a lot of those! From the time I was in 2nd grade through some time in high school, I spent at least one week each summer at camp with my friend Karen.
When we were younger, we went to New Life Island Camp on the Delaware River between New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Then we switched to High Point Baptist Camp in Geigertown, Penn., as teens.
We did all the usual exciting camp things like shoot a bow & arrow, swim in the pool, consume large amounts of Skittles, ride the horse trails (why did I always get the horse that failed to follow in line?), have bonfires, play big ball volleyball, and make friends.
I wish I could tell you the things I learned at camp during the Bible sessions. But I can’t. I don’t remember. I can picture the outdoor pavilion, the benches, the platform but not what happened … except for one thing.
Depending on how the camp weeks fell, sometimes Karen and I were at camp with Karen’s older sister Kathy. This particular year, Kathy’s friend Cathy came along. (Yeah, I know … Kara, Karen, Kathy, Cathy … our intent was to confuse the counselors! To top it off, Karen and I were both brunettes, and Kathy and Cathy were redheads.)
During one of the Bible sessions, probably at night, Kathy and Cathy sang a duet of Heaven Came Down by David Crowder. Do you know the song?
The first verse and chorus are:
O what a wonderful, wonderful day – day I will never forget;
After I’d wandered in darkness away, Jesus my Saviour I met.
O what a tender, compassionate friend – He met the need of my heart;
Shadows dispelling, With joy I am telling, He made all the darkness depart.Chorus:
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul,
When at the cross the Saviour made me whole;
My sins were washed away -
And my night was turned to day -
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul!
I don’t remember much about the duet, other than it sounded really good. A few years later, wish I knew how many, that song was a source of comfort to me.
One Monday morning during junior high, I got off the school bus and went to the “holding area” where we waited before going to homeroom and first period classes. On this particular day, the “holding area” was unusually quiet. Somber.
The news wasn’t good. The morning before Cathy had stayed home from church and was caught in a housefire. She didn’t make it.
I didn’t think of much other than Heaven Came Down…
Born of the Spirit with life from above into God’s fam’ly divine,
Justified fully thru Calvary’s love, O what a standing is mine!
And the transaction so quickly was made when as a sinner I came,
Took of the offer of grace He did proffer – He saved me, O praise His dear name!Now I’ve a hope that will surely endure after the passing of time;
I have a future in heaven for sure, there in those mansions sublime.
And it’s because of that wonderful day when at the cross I believed;
Riches eternal and blessings supernal from His precious hand I received.Heaven came down and glory filled my soul,
When at the cross the Saviour made me whole;
My sins were washed away -
And my night was turned to day -
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul!
To me, that will always be Kathy & Cathy’s song and my strongest camp memory.
(And, moms, if you’re struggling with the choice of sending your tyke to camp, even if it means she’ll spend nights away from home, go ahead and make the reservation. Little Suzy might not take a bath for a week … um, I just didn’t admit that, did I? The pool counted as a bath, right? … but she’ll learn a lot and grow. One never knows the impact that one week of camp can have on a life.)
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Thanks for sharing, Kara. I hadn’t heard this story before. I have been to New Life Island also, (went there with my parents for family camp) and as a camper to High Point Camp. Good memories. That’s neat that you remember Cathy and Kathy singing that song. I remember how we all felt when she died. Yes, I agree, camp can be life-changing. Thanks again for sharing.