Today the realization that summer is finished hit me as I was staring into a freezer full of turkeys at the grocery store. I was thinking about how the beginning of summer felt like it was last week and how strange it feels to be preparing for Thanksgiving. The summer can be a bit of a blur with everything moving along so fast but it’s important to take a minute to reflect on everything that happened…Well, maybe I shouldn’t have taken that exact moment in time to do so as a polite “excuse me, dear” from an older lady reminded me that I was blocking the entire aisle with my cart.

There are so many moments in the kitchen that I am thankful for and thought I would share some of them with you.

1. Cook Devotion Time: If you haven’t been in the kitchen before you may not know that everyday during their morning break, the cooks meet together for devotions. They will read a passage of scripture or a devotional and pray over the camp session. We gather prayer requests from the session directors and pray for specific needs in each cabin. It is so encouraging to see cooks so engaged in camp’s mission to bring the gospel to campers.

2. Dining Hall Antics: The dining hall is not just a place for kids to file in and out of to fill up on food. This summer we saw skits and songs, memory verse learning, pudding eating competitions, jalapeno eating challenges, and auctions. Senior Boys is infamous for the roar of cheers that irrupt when they see dessert being rolled into the dining hall. While the loudness can sometimes be overwhelming, I know that it is the sound of kids and counselors having fun and building relationships.

3. New Friendships: In the kitchen, friendships grew and new ones began. Men and women of all ages came through the kitchen. The older ones took time to mentor and teach the younger people valuable skills and life lessons. While the younger ones taught the older cooks current slang and even a couple dance moves.

4. The Dirty Jobs: I can’t count the number of times I heard laughter and music coming from the dish room or later in the evening when the summer staff came to the kitchen to mop the floor every night. Even the “least liked” jobs where met with positive attitudes and smiles.

These are some of the moments that were a blessing to witness and experience. I’m so thankful for cooks who made this summer possible and made the kitchen a joy to be in.