“Granny, Don’t Take Our Picture.”

“Granny, don’t take our picture.”, originally uploaded by Shirley Buxton.

It started a few weeks ago, when we asked Rebecca’s parents if they would like her to go to the senior youth camp here in Arizona. Yes, they would like that, so church people pitched in and helped with her tuition, her mother began getting appropriate clothes together, we made phone calls and got all the paper work started. We

decided early on it would be a good thing if she had a friend to go with her, so we called Andrew and Shawnna to see if Chloe could go also. She could, so we met in Yuma which is half way between Lake Havasu and San Diego, spent a couple of hours with all of them at Cracker Barrel, and brought Chloe home with us.

On last Monday, we drove the 350 miles to Camp Shadow Pines…where on the first night, Rebecca received the Holy Ghost! and where the girls had a tremendous time. We had heard of the mud-pit from Zac, and Rebecca and Chloe said, “We’re not going into that,” but when we visited the camp on Thursday afternoon, one of the first sights we saw was Rebecca, soaking well, having recently emerged from the pit and having been hosed off.

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Someone’s hair looked like this:

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Shaving cream helps clean it all up.

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We picked up the girls just before noon on Friday morning, and as we pulled away from the camp, I noticed it was quiet in the back seat. I turned around and both of the girls were crying–tears running down their cheeks.

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“What in the world is wrong?” I asked.

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“We don’t want to leave. We don’t want to leave camp.” They were literally sobbing.

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“Chloe, do you cry like this every time you leave camp?”

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“No, Granny, but I know everyone at the other camps. These are all new friends…and I won’t see them again for a long time.”

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Those girls cried so much, that I started crying, then Jerry said, “Stop all of you or I will be crying myself.”

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They had a glorious time at the Arizona Senior Camp, those two girls of mine–Chloe, my beautiful granddaughter, the eldest of Andrew and Shawnna, and Rebecca, our “adopted granddaughter”, the eldest child of Dustin and Misty.

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I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who works in our camps, and who contribute so much to the lives of our young people. I know it is hard, exhausting work, and that at the end of the week, you are completely wrung out. But I want you to know it does not go unnoticed, nor unappreciated by us–the parents, grandparents and friends of these youngsters.

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When my own children were the campers, and now when it is my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren I have never failed to be amazed at the dedication and love of you–the  leaders, preachers, counselors and other workers at our church camps. Again, I thank you. Without question, there will be people who make it to Heaven because of your tremendous efforts and loving contribution to their lives.

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