When I was little, Mode Camp was THE event of the year for me. (Well, along with Christmas.) And in some ways, it still is—at least the main event of the summer.

Our little church camp set on a hill in the Middle of Nowhere, Illinois, has shaped my life in more ways than I can explain. It represents a time unlike any other time of my year—a time when friends and believers come together for ten straight days simply to worship and fellowship together. We put away our devices, our routines, our comforts of home, and we gain a togetherness both in rest and in labor that profoundly marks our lives. We learn about each other, and we learn about God.

Anyway, I am at Mode Camp right now, so this is a kind of weeklong Sabbath for me. That’s why today’s blogpost is short and I’m unable to respond to comments or emails this week. I’ll be back in the office by next Tuesday.

I’ll just leave you with this picture from 2008, from a Sunday in May when we held a special service on the Mode campground. I ran across it last week and it made me smile. The two kids with me in the photo are now 16 and 18 which is CRAZY. And I’d forgotten the wild flowers that grow if you don’t keep the grounds mowed, which (though I’m very glad we have camp members who do mow faithfully) are rather lovely in their own way.

Good memories, and I’m thankful for another Mode Camp where we’re making more memories this year.