Stars :: Camp Lawroweld 2013

     My favorite place on earth? Sitting on the docks at Camp Lawroweld gazing at the billions of stars above Webb Lake. It's 9:45pm and I'm taking pictures of the Milky Way. When I gaze at the stars, me and my problems seem so small. I feel humbled, tiny and pathetic, compared to my God who created this all.
   
     As I sit on the dock, I look to my left to the spot by the shore where I was baptized a year ago. Before Pastor Ron baptized me, he said that all of heaven was stopping to watch. All of heaven. For me. Wow. Whenever I feel as if I'm alone in this life, I think of that and remember I'm important to God.
   
     After a few pictures of the docks and Mt. Blue, I move over to the canoes and kayaks. I play with the focus a little, then sit back and wait for the camera to capture the scene. I glance up at the starts shining through the trees, then back to my camera. I'm surprised to see that two minutes have passed. I might have fallen asleep.
   
     This is my second week of volunteering at Camp Lawroweld. When I arrived 9 days earlier, for Family Camp 1, I found that there were quite a few staff members sick with a 3 day virus. So I started helping out down at the Horse Barn, around Camp with Maintenance, and in the Bakery. By the end of the week, my parents decided I could volunteer for the second (and last) week.

     Four days ago, I discovered I had only taken 3 pictures throughout the week... wait, WHAT?! Three pictures? So I decided to fix that problem... I brought my camera to Smalls Falls on Sabbath afternoon and captured my friends cliff jumping and I documented the baptism of 5 youth later that evening, Now I'm sitting here on the Small Boats dock watching the stars.

     That was written on Monday. Despite some rain at the end of the week, FC2 was a great week. From the rodeo on Tuesday, to moose hunting from the back of a pickup truck Friday night, I had a wonderful time.
   
     Being out in the middle of nowhere, with limited wifi (you have to be within 30 feet of the camp store) and no cell coverage (sometimes you get lucky standing at the end of the diving board) you end up having plenty of time to think and pray. I worship at night. I feel God best in the dark and quiet. Also, when the alarm goes off at 7:30am, it's all I can do to stumble down to staff worship. But when night comes, I'm usually wide awake, so after reading a chapter or two of what I'm currently reading, I pull out my Bible and switch my iPod to Jamie Grace and Britt Nicole. Or, on a clear night, I grab my camera and tripod and head outside.

-Autumn Story Mott