From Camper to Leader

This week, we're joined by two incredible student leaders, Frankie Hartman and Makayla Fleming, from our Summer Adventure Camp. What makes their story so special? They once sat in the same seats as campers and are now helping lead the next generation.

We talk about their favorite Summer Adventure Camp memories, how their faith has grown over the years, what they've learned through leadership, and why Summer Adventure Camp continues to make an impact.

It's a fun and meaningful conversation about faith, growth, service, and what happens when today's campers become tomorrow's leaders

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:09

Welcome, welcome to the Grace Period Podcast, where we gather for honest conversations about faith, everyday life, and the grace that carries us through it all. Think of this podcast like friends to be done over a cup of coffee, sharing stories, laughing at ourselves, and leaning into God's grace together. Expect honesty, humor, and a space to ask hard questions. No sermons here, just a good old conversation. Grace period, making room for grace in real life. This podcast is brought to you by Christ Lutheran Church in Visalia, California, clcviselia.org, and we are on Facebook and Instagram as well. My name is Noel Thompson, Director of Student Ministries here. It is my joy to have Frankie Hartman and Michaela Fleming joining us. Frankie, how are you doing today?

SPEAKER_03 0:56

I'm doing good.

SPEAKER_00 0:57

She is doing good. A little, a little nervous. I think Michaela too. Michaela, how are you doing? I'm good. Uh you know, full disclosure for our listeners here. I I asked Frankie to be on the podcast about three hours ago, and I asked Michaela to be on the podcast about 30 minutes ago. So there's some nerves, but both of you listen to podcasts, correct?

SPEAKER_02 1:18

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 1:19

And and is this your first time being on a podcast?

SPEAKER_02 1:22

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 1:22

Okay, yep. And their faces look like it too a little bit. They're like a little nervous, but don't worry, listeners. We're gonna get them out of the shell. That's my job. Um, Frankie, what kind of podcast do you usually listen to?

SPEAKER_03 1:35

Um, either like comedy or one. There's like one true crime podcast on this.

SPEAKER_00 1:40

What a that's such a like wide range. I'm the same way too, like comedy or like a crime doc, but podcast, right? Yep. What about you, McKaila? Are you a big podcast person?

SPEAKER_01 1:50

Not really. I do music, but I'll listen to your podcast.

SPEAKER_00 1:52

Oh, look at that. See, that's a correct answer.

SPEAKER_01 1:54

That's my getting ready routine right now.

SPEAKER_00 1:56

Your getting ready routine is the Grace Period podcast. Does it take you an hour to get ready? Because some of these podcasts are long, so I'll do it in like bits and pieces. I think that's what I love about podcasts is that you can just hit pods and then hit play, yeah, like later. I mostly listen to podcasts um on the car or at the gym. I can honestly tell you, I don't think I ever listened to podcasts anywhere else. Frankie, what's your kind of like what setting are you mostly a podcast?

SPEAKER_03 2:22

My go-to were the gym, and usually when I was like coming back home from school on my drives, I would listen to you about three three-hour drives, so that's a decent time.

SPEAKER_00 2:30

Well, you Michaela, you said getting ready. Is there any other time you listen to podcasts? At the gym, yeah, at the gym, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:36

I can't drive yet.

SPEAKER_00 2:37

Okay. Although, to be honest, there's only certain parts of the gym I can listen to the podcast too. I only do it when I'm doing like a like a cardio machine.

SPEAKER_02 2:45

Yeah, I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 2:46

When I'm lifting weights, a podcast is usually not my thing. I got my listen to like some pump up music, I gotta like motivate myself. Um, and so, but yeah, so we're excited. I actually um I don't know if this is a good idea, a great idea, or a horrible idea, but I wanted to talk about our summer adventure camp. And we we literally just got done. I kid you not. Uh we're recording this on Thursday, June 11th, and about 43 minutes ago, we finished our fourth day of summer adventure camp, and we have only one day left. So I was like, I want to talk about it. I wanted to. I was thinking about it this week, and I know it's a crazy week, but I was like, do I strike while the iron's hot? Do I do it next week? And so I don't know. This morning I saw Frankie. I was like, let's do the let's do a podcast. And so, but before we jump into kind of the summer adventure camp, or as many people call it here, or in our in our community, uh VBS, we're we're gonna do our national day bit because it is it is kind of a fun bit to do, and like I said, it is um it is June 11th, and so let's see here. I'm on the website, we're kind of doing this podcast on the fly. Okay, here we go. It is national corn on the cob day, and that makes me think of Michaela. What if if you were at church this past Sunday, one of the pictures your mom or dad submitted was you eating corn on the cob with no hands?

SPEAKER_01 4:10

Oh, yeah, that was me yesterday.

SPEAKER_00 4:12

Actually, are you a big fan of corn on the cob?

SPEAKER_01 4:14

I love corn on the cob. Do you really?

SPEAKER_00 4:16

Okay, it's so good. Is there a particular way you like it prepared? Like, do you smother it with butter?

SPEAKER_01 4:22

With butter and then pepper.

SPEAKER_00 4:23

Yeah, okay. On average, do you eat corn on the cob a lot? Like, I feel like it's a summer food, right?

SPEAKER_01 4:29

Yeah, especially yeah, for summer.

SPEAKER_00 4:30

I think it's in season.

SPEAKER_01 4:31

Yeah, my mom just got some fresh ones.

SPEAKER_00 4:33

Okay, yeah, this is where, yeah, Josh would know. But I I have no idea what season corn of the cob is in. I don't know, but I'm a big fan of corn of the cob. How about you, Frankie? Where do you stand on corn of the cob?

SPEAKER_03 4:44

I love corn of the cob.

SPEAKER_00 4:45

Yeah, is there a particular food? Like, obviously, corn of the cob is a side. Is there is there a particular food that you like to eat corn of the cob with? I mean, it's mostly a barbecue type of food. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:58

We like chicken.

SPEAKER_00 4:59

Yeah, okay. Well, shout out to the corn of the cob people. Today's your day. Uh, another food here, National German Chocolate Cake Day. I'm pretty sure I've had German chocolate cake. I can't tell you when it was, when the last time it was. So I don't know. Have you ever I don't think I've ever had it.

SPEAKER_03 5:22

I've heard it's some people's like favorite cake. Like really, I hear it's a good cake. I've never had it though.

SPEAKER_00 5:27

Okay, how about you, Mikhail?

SPEAKER_03 5:28

You've never heard of it.

SPEAKER_00 5:29

You never no not only have you never had it. That's the first time you ever heard of German, German chocolate cake. Now, there is a picture here. I'm kind of wondering what makes a German chocolate cake different than a chocolate cake. I don't know. Is it the it does look sitting? I don't know. I'm again, but okay, we'll just pass that on. Obviously, we're not very passionate about the about the German chocolate cake. It is National Making Life Beautiful Day, which kind of weird. I feel like that should be every day every day, but it's also say hi day. So make sure you say hi to people today.

SPEAKER_02 6:05

Hi, Michaela.

SPEAKER_00 6:06

Hi, there you go. So June 12th. Here we go. June 12th, what do we got here? It is International Falafel Day. Have any of you had falafals?

SPEAKER_03 6:17

Yes, I think so.

SPEAKER_00 6:18

Yeah, do you like them?

SPEAKER_03 6:20

They're okay.

SPEAKER_00 6:21

Yeah, I mean, just kind of adding it.

SPEAKER_03 6:23

I feel like every time every time I associate it was when I was in Spain, it was like the only thing open at like really late at night. So like two in the morning we're eating falafels.

SPEAKER_00 6:32

All right, yep, yep. Um, it is National Jerky Day tomorrow. Where do we stand on beef jerky?

SPEAKER_01 6:41

I don't like it.

SPEAKER_00 6:42

Not a fan.

SPEAKER_01 6:43

Nope. Is there a re like what part of it's like a texture that he reminds me of like dog treats?

SPEAKER_00 6:49

Okay. Texture, like it's I think obviously if you look at me, I'm a big fan of food. But I think the number one reason why I don't like certain foods is it is texture. Yeah, I'm a big texture. I didn't I don't think I'm a big texture, but a lot of foods I don't like. That's the reason, is the is the texture. But I like beef jerky. Although, you know, this might be TMI people. I'm sorry, but like I feel like every time I have beef jerky, I need floss. Like, yeah, I need to brush my teeth. I so I usually don't have it unless I'm like at home.

SPEAKER_03 7:19

I feel like my breath smells like it all day.

SPEAKER_00 7:21

Or yeah, I know for a fact I can floss my teeth afterwards. So um, I I do know. Shout out to like uh the Sawyer Reese people, shout out to Sawyer who has served in the army. There are people out there that not only love beef jerky, but they love particular brands.

SPEAKER_03 7:38

I have a particular type, I don't know what it's called, but my dad always gets it. It's super thin. I think it's from like smart and final, but it's like the super thin beef jerky. I like that where it's like really tough and thin.

SPEAKER_00 7:49

Yeah, okay. I was gonna say, like the people who do like it, they're yeah, they're pretty particular on it.

SPEAKER_01 7:55

I'd be open to trying it.

SPEAKER_00 7:56

Okay, there you go. I don't know if I'm necessarily picky. You know what's interesting is I don't think I ever buy beef jerky, but I never turn it down. Like it's usually not something I'll I I go in the grocery store. I'm like, gotta get some jerky. I know for a lot of people it's their favorite like road trip snack, but again, I don't know the last time I've actually like sought out beef jerky when buying it, but I never turn it down. So, yeah, shout out to National Jerky Day. Oh, tomorrow. Oh, I I might have to tell um Molly because I know she makes these. It is tomorrow's a great day. National peanut butter cookie day.

SPEAKER_01 8:32

Oh, those are so good.

SPEAKER_00 8:33

I love peanut butter, those I do too, Michaela.

SPEAKER_01 8:37

I love peanut butter. I'll like eat spoonfuls of peanut butter.

SPEAKER_00 8:39

Yeah, I mean, chunky, creamy, it doesn't really even matter on my point. But peanut butter is a top three food for me.

SPEAKER_03 8:47

I feel like peanut butter is something I always rediscover. Like, I forget that I like love it. Like, I'll like randomly have peanut butter chose, and I'm like, this is my breakfast for the next like two weeks, like or dinner, yeah, or breakfast.

SPEAKER_00 8:58

Like, so all right, so we have established that us three love peanut butter. Here is my question: What is your favorite peanut butter? Like, fill in the blank. Like, is it a cookie?

SPEAKER_01 9:10

Is it peanut butter cups?

SPEAKER_00 9:11

Peanut butter cups.

SPEAKER_01 9:12

My dad just ate mine. It's a whole dad.

SPEAKER_00 9:15

What are we doing here? We got a the dad tax, maybe, huh?

SPEAKER_02 9:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:20

Um, I tell you what, like a really good banana and peanut butter smoothie just hits the spot for me.

SPEAKER_01 9:28

I love bananas too.

SPEAKER_00 9:30

That's that's a great combo, peanut butter and banana. Um, love a peanut butter banana type of smoothie or like a protein shake. But peanut butter cookies up there too. Love a good peanut butter cookie. I feel though, well, as someone who's never baked peanut butter cookies before, I kind of feel like they're kind of they're kind of tricky, in my opinion. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 9:50

Like, there's different types, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:52

Yes, they can be like a little bit hard too, if that makes sense.

SPEAKER_03 9:56

I think it depends also because some people like their like I know some people particularly like their peanut butter cookies like more harder or like crispier, right?

SPEAKER_00 10:04

I mean, I'm just a yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:07

Like I've made them with my grandma, and that wasn't okay.

SPEAKER_00 10:10

I was really upset because there's that you know, the BJ's brewery restaurant, they have the pazokies. They at one point had a peanut butter pazuki, they got rid of it. I took it very personal, very, very personal. Okay, well, shout out. I don't know, tomorrow we gotta find some peanut butter cookies. It's our last day of summer adventure camp tomorrow. So um, shout out to that. It is a red rose day tomorrow. I don't know. Uh Red Roses, uh Superman Day is tomorrow. We at Summer Adventure Camp had a we had an icebreaker where people share their favorite superhero, and I think we had a few say Superman, like one or two. So this is where I love this with I love this website. It is Valentine's Day, but only in Brazil tomorrow. So hopefully all our Brazilian listeners are celebrating. Shout out to them, shout out to the Brazilian listeners, and the reason why we're laughing is because we have zero Brazilian listeners. So um, ooh, here we go. June 13th, which I believe that is Saturday. It's doll day.

SPEAKER_01 11:21

I hate dolls, they're creepy.

SPEAKER_00 11:23

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 11:25

Sorry.

SPEAKER_00 11:25

So when you were when you were little too, Michaela, were you not a big doll person?

SPEAKER_01 11:29

Um, I like Barbies and everything. I don't like like actual like glass dolls. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 11:36

Like the creepier looking ones.

SPEAKER_00 11:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 11:39

Did you like play with dolls or more stuffed animals?

SPEAKER_01 11:41

I played with more stuffed animals. I did dolls, Barbies was my thing.

SPEAKER_00 11:45

Barbies were okay huge on Barbies.

SPEAKER_01 11:47

I still have all of them.

SPEAKER_00 11:48

How many do you have?

SPEAKER_01 11:50

A lot. So we have like this like huge toad.

SPEAKER_00 11:53

Yeah, all right. And Frankie, you're you said you're more of a stuffed animal personality.

SPEAKER_03 11:58

I feel like I didn't have any dolls, like it was all stuffed animals.

SPEAKER_00 12:02

I know some people, there's a big following for those national girl, national American American girl doll.

SPEAKER_03 12:07

Oh, yeah, I always wanted one, but I never got one.

SPEAKER_00 12:10

Yeah, they're pricey.

SPEAKER_03 12:11

Yeah, I never got one. I've been to the store though. I got like built a bear, like my parents got me built a bear.

SPEAKER_00 12:15

I didn't realize how big they were until um Law of America, Minnesota had an American Girl Doll store. They're huge, and I was like, What is this? And then people I were with like kind of gave me a little education on it, and I was like, That's insane! Like, literally, like they had a section, it was like a Macy's, but for dolls, like they had a good like clothes on hangers, you can't do it.

SPEAKER_01 12:41

And they have like a restaurant, yeah. Um, and you like bring your dolls and they have like their own high chair, they have like a salon. I did not know that.

SPEAKER_00 12:49

It's a big, I don't know if it's still big. I don't I'm yeah, I don't know. Um, but it used to be pretty big back in the day. So uh doll day Saturday. Uh shout out to that. Oh, Jane Newell, who is a volunteer at Summer Adventure Camp. Uh Saturday's National Jane Day. So there you go. Um, it's World Softball Day on Saturday. And yeah, that's that's kind of it. It's random it's oh National Sewing Machine Day. You guys have a sewing machine?

SPEAKER_02 13:28

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:29

Do you use it? Um do you know how to use it?

SPEAKER_02 13:32

Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:33

Question I remember again, I'm older than you. I actually remember I don't know what class it was, like home economics or something, but we were taught to use a sewing machine. So at one point, I think it it definitely was junior high. I want to say it was like sixth or seventh grade. We the the project was literally making a pillow that we made our pillow.

SPEAKER_03 13:57

No, no, I don't even think that they should bring it back.

SPEAKER_00 13:59

We gotta bring that back.

SPEAKER_03 14:00

I'm a little more home at classes now, or like cooking. I don't even remember having cooking or anything like that.

SPEAKER_00 14:06

Really?

SPEAKER_03 14:07

In like a whole unless like they just I just didn't take those classes or didn't know about them.

SPEAKER_00 14:10

But we had a in my middle school, we had a classroom that was literally probably like six or seven kitchens. No, and literally the the the class was like kind of how to cook stuff in elementary.

SPEAKER_03 14:26

There was like after school programs where you could do like enrichment classes, I guess. Okay, and I did like musicals, but I think there was some cooking classes, but like not many people took those.

SPEAKER_00 14:36

Huh. Well, interesting. We'll just do Sunday here, real quick, while we're at it, June 14th, which is a week before Father's Day. So it's a reminder to you, Michaela and Frankie. Uh Father's Day is coming up. Sunday is National Strawberry Shortcake Day. I I'll be honest, I I'm not a big fan of strawberry shortcake, which is weird because I love strawberries. Uh not my not my thing. Do you two like strawberry shortcake?

SPEAKER_03 15:09

No, I don't like strawberries. Wait, what? I love them. That's crazy. Really, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:13

You love strawberry shortcakes? Yeah. Well, then you can have Michaela and I'll guess because we're over here being like, I think Pastor Sean loves national, uh, sorry, loves strawberry shortcakes. You're really a big fan.

SPEAKER_03 15:25

I mean, I'm not passing one up, but it's great. It's not like it's little cake whipped cream strawberries.

SPEAKER_00 15:31

No, no, no, no. And it's also monkey around day. So this is why we do this bit. I think some of these things are crazy. There's so many just random decided on these.

SPEAKER_01 15:44

I know who makes these.

SPEAKER_00 15:45

Josh and I have talked about that. Like, do you have to donate a certain amount of money? Or is it like a petition? I kind of wonder if it's a petition, like after like so many signatures that supported them.

SPEAKER_03 15:56

I know OOTD Day, like outfit of the day day that was created because of there's like a celebrity girl, or she was like um, she was on Vanderpump Rules and she created that day and like started it.

SPEAKER_00 16:08

So, how does she create that? Does she get like enough support or petition?

SPEAKER_03 16:12

I think and I think she also like pays for it. I don't and I think you have to continuously pay for it.

SPEAKER_00 16:16

I think so.

SPEAKER_03 16:17

I don't know if she still owns it or whatever that is, but she like owned the day or like created the day or something like that.

SPEAKER_00 16:22

I I'm not a big fan that involves money. Like for me, it's like I think you should I don't know, you should get 50,000 senior shares every year. But like, I don't know, yeah. Maybe it's something like that. Maybe we'll we'll figure it out.

SPEAKER_03 16:34

Yeah, we can find out, guys.

SPEAKER_00 16:35

One of these days we'll Google it.

SPEAKER_03 16:37

We gotta make our own day. What day would we do?

SPEAKER_00 16:39

Oh, that's a good question. That is a great question, Michaela. That's a that's a that is a pro podcast question, right there. You're you're coming a long way. You know, you know what, you know what the sad reality is though to that question? I think whatever we come up with, it's probably already a day. Probably just because we've been doing this podcast long enough, like we mean we've been doing this national bait national bit day. Like, I think this is like our 23rd or 24th episode. We've talked about some crazy, like not crazy, but just random, like like random days. But that's a great question. Um, I don't know. What would you do, Michaela?

SPEAKER_01 17:15

I don't even know.

SPEAKER_00 17:16

Like, that's a lot of pressure. Yeah, a lot of pressure. I wonder if there is a national VBS Day. So that's kind of our our topic, our topic. I'm I'm googling it right here. Uh National VBS Day, formerly known as National Day of Prayer for VBS. So here we go, is celebrated annually on the third Sunday of May. See what I mean? Like there you go. So third Sunday of May, I guess, is technically national VBS Day. There's a day for everything.

SPEAKER_01 17:51

Yeah, I'm trying to think. What would like there's probably like for everything like painting, plants, colors?

SPEAKER_00 18:00

Oh, but there's definitely colors and and names too. Here we go. Ready? Oh, here we go. There is no National Youth Director Day. National Youth Pastor Day doesn't fall on a single fixed date on the calendar, but is widely recognized um through October. Sorry, I was selfish. I was just kind of I was just kind of I was just kind of wondering, uh, you know, what's national? I know we did this, what's National California Day? California Day is June 11th. Oh, that's today!

SPEAKER_01 18:34

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00 18:36

Sorry if I was really loud here. Actually, wait, no. I don't know. February 22nd. I'm sorry. I think Google thought what day it was in California. Uh anywho. Yeah, there's always a day for something, but we gotta, we gotta. That's a great question, though. We gotta come up with something. We it'd be great. Wouldn't that be a big like uh I don't know, brag or just kind of like flex, they call it. Yeah, I came up with the national day. Yeah, I'm an author, I'm a I'm a founder.

SPEAKER_03 19:10

You gotta get like the whole church to back it up.

SPEAKER_00 19:12

Yeah, I'll tell you right now though, if it involves money, I'm not doing it because I'm like, I'm like so I'm so anti that. I'm like, no, that's that's you know, whatever.

SPEAKER_01 19:21

That's like it seems almost stupid to pay money for it, right?

SPEAKER_00 19:24

You know what? Since we're kind of going doing this podcast on the fly, how how do you make a national day? See, it's one of the top choices, it's already popping up on Google. Here, here we go. How do you make a national day? Creating an unofficial national day for a cause, brand, or hobby involves a few distinct steps. Okay, here we go. Ready? Search established databases to ensure your choot your chosen date and theme are already claimed. See that yeah, that's that that probably should be the first step. Submit an application, register your day through tracking websites like the National Day Calendar or National Day Archives. Okay, so we have to submit an application. Who's on the yeah, who's on that committee? Yeah, who's on that? Like, how do you get on a committee that approves that? And then number three is market the event, build buzz using social media, press releases, and community events to make the day catch on. I'll click on the national day calendar application. Is that it?

SPEAKER_03 20:30

You just gotta get people to like it. I'm like, how many people are advertising? Like, what does it mean? On what how grand of a scale?

SPEAKER_00 20:37

Yeah, I don't I don't know it.

SPEAKER_03 20:40

Uh it can't be that grand because half of these like days we don't even know.

SPEAKER_00 20:44

So on this website, one there's like two websites of National Day on this National Day calendar website. Applying is free. Oh, thanks. Um, and there is a forum to register for a national day.

SPEAKER_01 21:00

Um, that's actually pretty cool.

SPEAKER_00 21:02

So I don't know, we'll figure it out when we have time.

SPEAKER_01 21:05

But who knows, maybe in the future, we gotta, yeah, that'd be a cool day.

SPEAKER_00 21:10

That'd be a cool thing. Like, yeah, our youth group did a national day. Oh, national deeper day. Yeah, I mean, come on now.

SPEAKER_01 21:16

Oh, that'd be pretty cool. That'd be pretty cool.

SPEAKER_00 21:18

All right, well, yeah, so we are um, like I said, about an hour ago, uh it's we we kind of concluded our fourth day of summer adventure camp. And and I guess as the leader of it, I kind of view it it's in one way I think summer adventure camp is kind of over because Friday is always our water day, and we just kind of party. And so, as far as like the programming, you know what I mean? Like, as far as like the stuff that we do in the sanctuary, like there is a part of me that's a little relieved because I'm not gonna say that part's over, but we don't really do that on Friday. So I am a little relieved as I sit here because I know that tomorrow's just a more of a fun water day, water slides and And whatnot. So, I mean, essentially, yes, we have one day left. But I in my mind, in some ways, the 2026 summer adventure camp is is somewhat over. And I have two guests here, again, Frankie and Michaela, who not only were very, very not only have they been here all week and and shout out to them, and they've been instrumental. Frankie's been instrumental as far as just kind of like the behind the scenes, making sure the craft has been going great. Michaela's been doing good because you've just kind of been doing a one-on-one more of a leader with kids who are nervous, kids who are kind of shy. And so it's interesting, like your leader, both your both your leadership is so valuable because Frankie kind of keeps the machine going while Michaela kind of pays attention to the little details and the little kids that kind of you know just need a little bit more encouragement and and patience and and love and more than anything presence. But but what's great about you two is that you two have gone through summer adventure camp here at um at Christ Lutheran Church. And then I and I think Frankie asked us before the podcast, you know, why don't we call it VBS? That's that's a great question. I think from what I know, I took the name Summer Adventure Camp from Lynn Forge. He did it before me, he just called it Summer Adventure Camp. And and the reason why he called that before instead of VBS, not really quite sure, but to be honest, like I'm not a big fan of VBS because one, like everyone does it, and yeah, right. I don't know, vacation Bible school doesn't really sound exciting.

SPEAKER_03 23:31

I don't know if like kids are gonna be pumped about again again.

SPEAKER_00 23:36

Let me declare this, right? Like every church in town calls it VBS, so we're not at all like we are the minority for sure, and we're not here saying like that name, like we're you know, boo the churches that do that. Absolutely not, because so much of what we do is basically a VBS, but we just call it summer adventure camp. And so when I took on the children's ministry, and and you know, I just kind of I just kind of kept the name for Lynn, more just for like continuity, too. You know, I just didn't you want to change a name every every year, but so I I can say for sure it's been summer adventure camp for almost almost 20 years, and so I'll say the whole time I've been here has been summer adventure camp. Yeah, and and so you guys are 18, 19, 20. So again, like yeah, so again, 20 years has been summer adventure camp. So I guess my question, so so for the listeners out there, why do we call it summer adventure camps at a BBS? Again, that's why. Um Lim Forge, our wonderful music minister before uh who who who worked here for more than 20 years, he kind of led it on. I took over and I just kept the name because I like it. I don't know, summer adventure camp, kind of catchy, kind of cool, kind of unique, which I think we as a Lutheran church were pretty unique here in Barcelona, so we just kept that doing it. But I want to look back though, so let's kind of start with you two, real quick. What is your one of your earliest memories of summer adventure camp?

SPEAKER_01 24:58

Oh my gosh, that's so hard. Probably with Frankie, with Frankie. Yeah, we were talking about this, but I I remember following you around and like I because there's a three-year-year, four-year difference, like that.

SPEAKER_00 25:12

Okay, four-year.

SPEAKER_03 25:13

I didn't know that until like a few years ago, honestly, because we would always hang out when we were little, but I thought we were the same age when we were little, which is it, and for the listeners out there, Frankie just graduated college and Michaela just graduated high school, so I guess yeah, four-year difference would sound about right.

SPEAKER_00 25:31

So Michaela, you just kind of remembered following Frankie around.

SPEAKER_01 25:33

Yeah, I used to do that with like all the older kids.

SPEAKER_00 25:36

Okay, and you did that more just kind of for comfort, or I don't really know.

SPEAKER_01 25:39

I just like it kind of just stuck. I think part of it too is my brother was older, so like he knows all the older kids, so it was like, Oh, they're cool. I need to like be friends with them.

SPEAKER_00 25:48

Yeah, well, no, that's a very like natural feeling, is to you know, do that. So your your kind of first memory was just kind of fall being a Frankie's shadow a little bit. What about you, Frankie? Frankie, your mom and and dad, too. I mean, your parents have been gosh, crucial volunteers here at the church. I know your mom. One of my earliest memories, honestly, of of me being here was I volunteered for one of Limbs Summer Adventure Camp. And I don't know if your mom remembered this. I drove your mom drove me to McDermott in Limsicum. Really? Yeah, in that suburban, like the Hartman suburban.

SPEAKER_03 26:19

The Yukon or something. Yeah, the Yukon.

SPEAKER_00 26:22

Yep. So one of my one of my very first volunteer things I did here was I went to McDermott, and there's a pack, and there's a picture of me and tanneraling, and he's like super young, right? But um, but yeah, you're so obviously like that. What what is your earliest memory, Frankie, of of summer adventure camp?

SPEAKER_03 26:39

I honestly don't know. See, like, I know I remember McDermott, but then I also don't remember McDermott. Like, but I don't know, I feel like a lot of them are just like meshed into okay, like one whole memory. I just remember doing it every summer, and I remember Water Day. Like, I I remember like reptiles, yeah, like pedices, yeah, magic, like there was like a magician one year, like a like a cheetah, or I remember I got the whole timing on the table. I remember like firefighters coming and police officers.

SPEAKER_00 27:09

Yeah, we we've kind of changed it up throughout the years. I have so you're all right. So we we had five, we've had firefighters come, we've had uh CHP come over the years. Um, the reptile guy came one year and and you know, it took like it was like 15 kids like holding one snake. Like that was yeah. Um, I remember your dad shout out to Bobby, but Bobby does a lot of things, but one thing he doesn't do is mess with reptiles, but no, um, but yeah, the the cheetah came from uh the cat haven. Um, so you kind of just and the magician, I did bring a magician one time, yeah. Which I'm like, I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 27:46

I think what I remember most though is like the dancing and singing, and it's so funny now because I feel like I took dancing and singing so seriously as like a kid, like we would do awards for best singer, best dancer, and I would try so hard as a little kid, and like I never got the awards, but I would try so hard. Like, I remember no, I remember like never getting it, and I remember trying so hard, like being I would like purposely put myself like near a leader or something. Oh my you like played the game, yeah, but I never got chosen, and so now that I'm like in the position where I see them, and I'm like, they were just like picking random kids, like they were, but I took it so seriously.

SPEAKER_00 28:21

So that's a little bit of a full circle moment, yeah. Because yeah, during work during worship, we again we kind of do a best singer, best dancer, and no one wins the award twice, but it it kind of is like an encouragement. Like every kid will win something this week, but but like it is a little bit of encouragement to participate, yeah, kind of children's ministry one-on-one a little.

SPEAKER_03 28:41

And when you would choose people to like go up in front of dance, I would always like try to be the first to raise my hand to be able to be in front. Like, I just like wanted to sing and dance so badly.

SPEAKER_00 28:49

100% vouch that you always were like a serious worship, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:53

I was like, I'm not messing around. I remember I would do like cartwheels and stuff. I remember doing that in like over like dancing, and then I'm in the back.

SPEAKER_03 29:03

No, I'm like following the choreo to a T. I'm like making sure I'm following the videos.

SPEAKER_00 29:08

That's so great. That that is one thing that kind of kept this as like the video worship, which I think I love the video worship because it involves participation, but for you know, it's like it involves dancing, and some like I'll be honest, some of the songs are catchy, you know. Like some of the songs are really catchy, and I think I'll remember some of these for the rest of my life, yeah. Oh, for sure. And call me old school, I am, but there's some of the songs that I did when I was in Minnesota doing children's ministry, literally like 20 years ago. Living inside out for the for the youth who are listening. Uh, you guys know that song. Like, I I literally remember dancing with kids at my church in Minnesota.

SPEAKER_03 29:46

Oh, I didn't know it went that far.

SPEAKER_00 29:48

It went that that's where I got from.

SPEAKER_03 29:50

Oh, I didn't know that. I see, I just remembered it when we were kids.

SPEAKER_00 29:52

Yeah, and this is before like the internet and whatnot. So I remember when I got the job here calling my church back in Minnesota. It was like, I need these DVDs, like like burn them. I don't know if you know what that means, but like rip them, burn them. And they did. I had a friend in Minnesota send me like two or three DVDs. Oh my gosh, because this was like this was kind of before like the whole YouTube existed, don't get me wrong. But I was like, so that's where it started was living inside out, the spirit gives me life, the fruit of the spirit. Some of those older older songs that we do. I used to did that. I used to that started with you, yeah. That started with me in Minnesota, like literally 20 gosh, 29, 20, 21 years ago, which is crazy because those kids, those kids and those videos are probably now. I was telling Frankie, like 30, 40 years old.

SPEAKER_01 30:43

Yeah, that's so like weird. Yeah, and so they all have like kids now, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:47

Yeah, but like I said, though, we've we all we've obviously have added news, like new videos, and and new songs too. But we're so would you say like worship was your favorite part, Frankie? Oh, yeah, the worship video. What about you, Michaela? Was there a certain part?

SPEAKER_01 30:59

I loved all the dancing that and like getting to like do stuff. Yeah, I remember loving the crafts. Yeah, I still actually got to do some of them even now.

SPEAKER_00 31:08

So that's kind of you know, for those of you who are listening to, like our our schedule has pretty much stayed the same, like the first hour, nine to ten or nine to ten: thirty. We do sanctuary, we're in the sanctuary and we're doing icebreakers, we're doing the Bible lesson, we do videos, yoga, yoga, yeah. Yoga was today, which was new. I thought actually that actually went yeah, that actually went a lot better than I thought. You never know, you never know if kids, yeah. But we do video worship and we do a skit and we do a couple games, and then after that, we do craft time and shout out to Jane Dutton, who's been instrumental in doing craft, and again, even before Jane, Donna Hartman would help me with that as well. And then after um, after craft, we used to like bring in people, and I still want to do that. It's just kind of a budget thing, you know, because you know, some of these vendors, a reptile guy, he's pretty popular, you know. But now he's kind of do games, which the kids love, the kids love doing games, and then we also that gets him active too, because I think a lot of the time, if you think about it, they're kind of just sitting down too for a little bit, and then after uh after games, we do the we do we we have lunch, and so it's a nice little schedule, nothing too crazy. It's kind of again have stayed the same. And so, Frankie, your your favorite part when you were younger was kind of the worship, and you you kind of talked to Michaela about the crafts and stuff like that. Was there a leader or volunteer a moment looking back that honestly made like a positive impact on you? And you probably this is why I love having this conversation with both of you because I bet back then you probably didn't know it, you probably had no idea it made a positive impact. But now you're kind of both you are old enough now to be like, huh? Yeah, like that was like a good thing, and I didn't realize maybe how good it was. Yeah, um, but yeah, is was there a leader, volunteer, a moment, a song, a craft where you're like, This is life is good, you know?

SPEAKER_01 33:02

Like that's like trying to think. I know there's a few leaders, I don't know who because like we've always had like volunteers who like didn't go to our church, but I know like there's a few people that I like went home and made like thank you cards for at the end of the week. Yeah, that's how you knew if I liked you. You got a thank you card.

SPEAKER_00 33:21

You got a thank you card from Michaela, that's when he knew you made it. Um, what about you, Frankie? Was there something?

SPEAKER_03 33:28

I don't know. I feel like it's hard for me because I feel like whenever like I think of like the leaders, for some reason I can only like think of like my parents or think of like my siblings because I feel like that's what but not that it was anything bad, but it's just I always felt like super watched also at these like camps. So like I I don't know, like I feel like like my experience is a little bit different, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:50

Cause you're the youngest of four, right?

SPEAKER_03 33:52

So so like it was always like my older two siblings, they were like the volunteers, and I'm like, okay, well, I can't do anything bad because like they're right there.

SPEAKER_02 34:00

Like, I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 34:01

I thought I was a bad kid, but I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 34:05

I can't think of any specific leaders or moments, but kind of not to answer the question for you, but it kind of sounds like there were always positive experiences.

SPEAKER_03 34:15

Oh, yeah, like it was just a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_00 34:18

Yeah, and I think that's the goal too, you know. Like, I I've kind of changed my mindset too about summer of educamp too, where it's like, yeah, we do have kids that don't attend this church or maybe go to other churches or no church at all. I just want them to have a positive experience.

SPEAKER_03 34:32

I remember like just meeting people I would probably never see again, but like in that for that week, I was like, we were best friends, like we were like, like we would have and it was like huge groups of us that were like super close. And then I just remember like never be like, Oh, I'll see you around, but like that never is all them again.

SPEAKER_00 34:49

Like, well, and I preached on this a couple of Sundays ago. I don't know if you guys heard it, but I was at I was playing basketball at lifestyles, and me and this kid kept on like looking at each other. You know that feeling where you like you recognize someone, but you cannot place them, and it just bothers you to no end. And then finally I went up to him, I was like, Hey, like, I know you. He's like, Yeah, I know you too. And like we kind of like did a checklist, like, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope. And then he was like, What do you do? And I'm like, Oh, here we go. I was like, Oh, I work at the you know, Christ who through church, and he was like, Oh, I went there, I saw a cheetah there. Oh literally, he was like, Yeah, so he's he's so he's at Redwood now. Um he's a water polo player or something, but anyway, he was like, Yeah, I saw a cheetah there, that was awesome. And I'm just like, Hey, you know what? If if if your if your experience at if your only experience in your past with the church is a positive one, and and this church made that impression, like I did my job here, yeah. You know what I mean? Like, I think when you're younger, at least, or you know, you want like these kids to grow up. I don't know. Like, I I just want I want the families and kids here to at least have a positive experience, whether that's through the craft, games, worship. Hey, if it's positive, then I think we've kind of done our job. And so it's okay not to have like you know, a leader or a moment come to mind, but if you had a positive experience, obviously, I think that's what makes it makes it great.

SPEAKER_01 36:14

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 36:15

I don't know. Did you ever imagine that you'd be like coming back here and being a leader for summer adventure camp?

SPEAKER_03 36:23

Yeah, yeah, not as a kid. No, no, not as a kid. I thought the moment I like graduated high school, I'd be like, bye, I'm gone.

SPEAKER_00 36:31

Like, but well, you volunteered while you're in high school, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 36:34

That's true. Yeah, I feel like that just like kind of happens, like, yeah, there is an expectation, it's like a natural like progression.

SPEAKER_00 36:41

There is an expectation of like, hey, if you're free, please help me.

SPEAKER_03 36:45

Yeah, it's kind of just like time to just hang out with our friends too, even as leaders. Like, you're you know, yes, you're there for the kids, but also like you're it's more of an excuse to just it's kind of an excuse to tell your parents to be like, Oh, I'm helping out in the church, but like you're kind of just hanging out with your friends.

SPEAKER_01 36:59

Yeah, I know because this is the first time I've talked to Frankie in like I know it's been a minute, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 37:06

It is, yeah. I mean, we have a lot of youth volunteers this week, over 20, which is great. I think, and I think a lot of it is I want to see my youth group friends, which if that's the reason, that's a great like come on, like that's not a reason to really like get down on them or be mad at you know what I mean. Like, I think every parent would doesn't mind to be like, hey, I want to hang out with my friend at church. Yeah, like I don't know any parent that's gonna be like no looking, you know, like thinking bad on that. And if if they want to hang out with friends and then also kind of like be a leader, like what parents not gonna and so I I do think that's a lot of our I'm not gonna say the motivation of our youth, but I think a lot of youth wanna be like, Oh, you're helping? I want to help too, type of thing. And hey, that's that's good. And I think anytime you can experience serving or having fun while serving, that's a good recipe for success, like moving forward too. Because I think serving's and again, sometimes serving's not always fun. That's just you experience that on serving trips and whatnot, but like anytime you can experience joy while serving. So, Frankie, I want to talk to you real quick because again, you you did volunteer in high school, then you've kind of you know you're in Channel Islands and whatnot. So now you're like it's a you kind of kind of you've kind of gone full circle twice because now not only are you like a leader, but you're also kind of leading the youth too. Yeah, like leading the high, like you're leading the high schoolers.

SPEAKER_03 38:33

It's weird whenever they ask me questions, and I'm like, oh, I'm the one who's supposed to like tell them.

SPEAKER_00 38:37

I do like three levels to this, too, right? There's the camper, there's the youth leader, and then there's like kind of like an adult leader, and now you're in the adult leader. So here's my question. And you've been all three. Like, what is it like for you to kind of like not only lead the kids, but you're leading the you know, my junior hires and my high schoolers too, and kind of whipping them in the shape. How what's that been like for you?

SPEAKER_03 39:01

I mean, it's great. Like, I think it's super cool. I think I always try to keep in mind that like it's like it's supposed to be a fun time. And I don't know, it's weird that I'm the adult, like in charge in these situations, but it's also, I don't know, I kind of feel like honored in some ways. It's also nice to see our youth be so like respectful, like like the ones in high school and everything, because they do they're like, Oh, should I do this? And I'm kind of like, Oh, yeah, I don't know, but okay, like I'll come up with something on the spot. Um, yeah, and they listen and like there's like a weird, not power to that, but like power, I guess, of just like, oh wow. And they do it and they do it respectfully, and you know, they always say hi and bye. And like, I don't know, it's so weird. I just there's like a level of respect that I receive. Um, that like in high school, you're not necessarily not that I was being disrespected, but like you see each other all eye to eye. But there is a slight level of, oh, I see you as someone to look up to and listen to. And that's that's weird. I've been noticing that a lot this week, actually. It's funny that you point that out because I've been noticing a lot just from like some of the volunteers, um, from like Mason and like Bo. And I'm like, the way they just ask me questions sometimes. I was like, oh, okay, like, yeah, I can tell you what to do. But um, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 40:15

Is there a level of not I don't want to say humility, but like I I I I have gone through this my whole life, and I think this is something we all will do when you get older, and I'm sure McKilly experienced this too, where it's like when you're older, you look at kids, and you not that you shake your head, but you're like, Oh, kids, but then you're like, Well, I did that too, yeah, you know, but then junior hires, you kind of shake your head at junior hires, you're like, Oh, junior hires, but you're like, wait, I did that too as a junior higher. And then high schoolers, you're like, Oh, high schoolers. Wait, I did that too. Have you have you kind of experienced that this week of the high schooler, high school youth and the junior high youth, where you you can't help but laugh because you almost like you see yourself a little bit in these kids where you're like, was I that naive or was I that just kind of I don't want to say obnoxious because our youth are not obnoxious, but you know what I mean? Just yeah, like again, a 14-year-old's gonna act like a 14-year-old, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 41:10

Like it like reminds I think it like reveals so much to me because I think as a kid I always thought I was like so much older because I feel like I got told that it's like this same trope of like, oh, you act so mature for your age. But I see people like that at my age, and I was like, Oh wow, like I was just a little kid, like I was being just like stupid and did these things, and like I don't know, it it does really remind me of uh like being a kid because I don't know, I don't think you often reflect of like back to when you were that age, right? And the things that you did at that age and why you did them at that age, but you're like, Oh, it was perfectly normal to do those things at that age.

SPEAKER_00 41:44

Um, but it is weird to see, and yeah, it's weird to see because that's one thing I've got to tell my kids a lot now that I have a 14-year-old and 12-year-old, I think they forget that their parents were also 14.

SPEAKER_03 41:56

Yeah, yeah. I know how your mind's working.

SPEAKER_00 41:59

Like, but I know I'm old, right? Like, I know I'm 40, but like I was 14 too. I can't tell you how many times I was sick for school, but I felt better to be to go out at night. Yeah, like I've trust me, like and I don't want to say they playing games, but like yeah, been there, done that. And so, Michaela, what is it like for you kind of too? Like, you graduated high school now, like looking at these junior high youth and kind of all that. Have you had those moments too where you're like, geez, like yeah, like that was kind of me too.

SPEAKER_01 42:33

Yeah, a little bit. It's definitely weird because I've only been graduated for a week, so it's not too much different yet. But I've definitely noticed it, especially with like the little kids I've been hanging out with like this week. I'm like, oh, I like I like remember being like where you are. Because I don't know, I was a little like I wasn't shy, right? But I definitely have like times when I like did not want to talk to people, and so I'm like hoping I can be someone like they could talk to because I knew what it was like to like be there and like come to camp and be like, oh, like who are these like random people?

SPEAKER_00 43:06

Yeah, yeah, it it just as much as I don't I I kind of I I've become I don't want to say I I love nostalgia, but I've I've become like I I've come to appreciate full circle moments, yeah. And I think having kids is kind of forces those, but again, but I also like seeing other people have full circle moments like you two, where you're I'm like, Yeah, you know, especially like now with our youth, like your brother and your brother, like these these youth that are now young adults, and they'll say something about like you know, teenagers. And I just want to be like, That was you too, yeah, yeah. Like and they're like, Yeah, you're right. I'm like, you gotta have I hope that those moments create like sympathy and compassion instead of like, I don't know, the opposite because it's very easy to like look down on people, but then it's very easy to like forget, you know. Yeah, um. But yeah. I mean so here's my question to you. Then you just did you just did four days of summer summer adventure camp. Like, what is your favorite part about being a leader? Like what what has been some moments this week where you're just you just kind of feel like God's like yep, this is it. You know what I mean? Like you you you feel like I don't know, it could be a simple highlight, it could be a moment that was four seconds. So I realized sometimes that's that's what it is, right? It's a four or five second moment, you know. Like I had one kid today who just wanted to hold my hand. He's like, I he's like, Can I hold your hand? I was like, let's do it, you know. And it was like for like six seconds, but I was like, you know what?

SPEAKER_01 44:38

Like it makes their day.

SPEAKER_00 44:40

Absolutely. I think we want okay, there's a vent rant. I think we want a red sea moment, and what I mean by that is you know, Moses where the red sea split, like we want this huge moment, but life doesn't work that way. Sometimes it's a a six-second, 10-second thing. So I'm curious for the both of you, and I don't know the answers to these questions, people. Uh, what has been kind of a moment for you this week where you look back on and you're like, you know what? That's God's presence, that's God's love, got that's God's grace, or however you want to answer that question. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_01 45:12

This is a good question.

SPEAKER_00 45:14

Yeah, you gotta like think about it.

SPEAKER_03 45:17

Um, I always love it when the kids like volunteer to do things, or just like they like want to get up in the front and dance and sing, or they, you know, I don't know, like like just when they're super excited for games. Like, I don't know. It's kind of weird when like for like craft time, they're they tend to do craft time a little bit quicker as the week goes on because they want to play games. Yeah, they know what's next. Yeah, they know what's next. And uh usually I'm like standing by the door and I'm I'm just like playing, I'm trying to like buy time and I'm like, all right, what's the password? So we can like go to the other room. And they're saying all these like kind of sweet things, and like trying to I don't know, and then I'm like, all right, work together, like we gotta figure this out. What's the password? Um, I always just find that's really cute too. Whenever they're just trying to, I don't know, like work together.

SPEAKER_01 46:04

I like when they like are not friends with anyone at the beginning of the week, and then you kind of like you see them like finally start to open up and talk to people and like become friends towards the end of the week.

SPEAKER_00 46:15

Yeah, that is too because it's true a lot of these kids have never seen each other before ever.

SPEAKER_01 46:20

Yeah, and their parents just like leave them here, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 46:23

And you wouldn't like even today, you wouldn't know it. You had no idea that these kids were strangers three or four three or four uh days ago. Um, there was a moment today, um, and I'll throw him under the bus because he's my son, but like Elliot two years ago, he would sit down during worship. The thought of him like worship, and that's fine. And I and I want to say this too. Like, I don't believe in forcing kids to do to do things they don't want to do. Like, I'm not a big fan of that. I think the church has done that a lot. And I when I mean by the church, I mean the church, like the church in a whole. Like, I think oftentimes we force kids to know you're gonna dance and sing. And so I try my hardest to not do that. I I I again and you you can sit down. I always try to encourage kids. If you do dance, that's fine. Stand there and read the words, or you know, stand there and and and and sing the songs. But my son Elliott, the like couple years, the last couple years, he was just that's just not his thing. And so I'll be like, All right, well, then you're not gonna be disruptive, you're gonna sit down.

SPEAKER_03 47:22

But then today, him and a few of his friends were up on the stage and he's rocking out, and I was just kind of like, Yeah, I was talking about that with your wife uh how all those boys when I was teaching Sunday school would not dance, like when we played song, they refused to, which again is fine. We would just let them, you know, they're not disturbing anyone. Um, but these last past few days I've been seeing them like be in the front and dance, like they started in the back a little bit like mid-row, and then they kept going front, and then all of a sudden today they were literally on stage in the front, like being one of the like with the leaders dancing, like showing everyone.

SPEAKER_00 47:54

They were rocking out, yeah, they're doing great. Yeah, it was fun to see. Yeah, I took a picture in a video because I'm just like, who is this kid? You know what I mean? But I also think too, like, I think ministry, you gotta play the long game, you know, even though Summer Adventure Camp BBS is a week, like, hey, it's okay. Like, play the long game. Don't try and like just force kids into something you want them to be in a week, like it might take a few years, you know. And so, um, but but I also like to think, and correct me if I'm wrong, you two. I like to think that because we let them be themselves the last few years, they they were able to come out of their shell in their own way, exactly. Yeah, you know, they were come out of their own shell at their time and their pace, and I think that's important too. And so, but yeah, there is some boys today up there on the on the stage, and I was like, Oh, two years ago, this they would have been in the back, like boo not boo yeah. I'm thinking about my son here, but just like slouched over, just like sitting and watching, yeah, like just so over it, yeah, you know, like just waiting for it to be done, and now they're leading the way.

SPEAKER_01 48:57

I've noticed that with like crafts too. Like, if I like let the kids kind of like figure it out for a bit, and I'm like, if you need help, yeah, like let me know. But for the most part, they've been able to get through and it like it definitely was a harder craft this week, yeah, yeah, sure. But like they're they're getting it, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 49:13

I like this question. Uh and I don't know, uh the odds of these campers listen to this podcast 10 years from now, odds are very, very low. But what is one thing the camp what is one thing campers don't realize uh happens behind the scenes? Like what is one thing, yeah. That's a question. Is what is one thing campers don't realize that happens behind the scenes? And I and I, you know, what do you or or even like the church members too? Like, what is one thing that's that I think would surprise people about because you know, you two you get here early and you kind of stay late. Like, what is what do you think is one thing that would kind of surprise people or they don't realize that happens?

SPEAKER_03 49:54

Um well this is just like just the first thing that popped in my head was when I did summer adventure camp and was more of like in charge of it, um, I don't know, like a year or two ago. The decorations. Yeah, one year we went hard on the decorations. We went so hard, and it was it was I mean, it was fun and like it was fun to do and to see, but like the kids just don't they don't they think it's cool for like the first day and then it's like whatever.

SPEAKER_00 50:20

You don't want to say we don't care, but it's not like yeah, yeah, but that's just like one thing.

SPEAKER_01 50:26

But there's like many things I think I don't know, or like just like how much like we actually like care about all of them, yeah. Like we're there for them, that's what we're there for, right? I was talking to my mom about this actually, but she texted me, she's like, Oh, you didn't answer my text. I was like, I don't want to be on my phone in front of these kids who don't like they don't have phones, they don't there's no need for them to see us on one.

SPEAKER_00 50:47

Yeah, that's true. Like, as much as we you know talked about the youth coming here hanging out their friends. I I a lot of these youth were those kids, yeah. You know what I mean? A lot of our youth volunteers were these kids. I think that helps too. Like, you know, I think that helps them kind of be you know a leader that maybe they had back in you know when they were a kid. So um, yeah, it is true that we do have some amazing leaders, and it's been it's been a great week of that too. Where again a lot of uh one-on-one attention, a lot of kids being shy and and and stuff like that. In some ways, it's like the first day of school, especially if they don't go to this church, you know. Those there's those first few days, you have extremely nervous, uh, nervous kids. So if you could live one, if you could relive one summer adventure camp memory, what would it be?

SPEAKER_01 51:37

The snake. The snake. Yes, I loved holding that thing, and I thought it was so cool.

SPEAKER_00 51:43

Okay, all right. What about you?

SPEAKER_01 51:46

Oh gosh. Um, oh, or getting to like do again with like my brother.

SPEAKER_00 51:51

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 51:53

Like getting to do summer adventure camp with my brother. I've on my grad cap, I put a bunch of little kid pictures, and there was one on there from summer adventure camp.

SPEAKER_00 52:01

No way, really. You gotta show that to me.

SPEAKER_01 52:03

Yeah, I can show that's great.

SPEAKER_03 52:05

I think it would be just cool to be a kid again and play those like games. I feel like I don't, you know, I'm not playing those games now that I'm older. I'm usually the one just like watching it and seeing it. Yeah, but like I think it'd be fun to just like be a kid again and like just go hard on the and like care so much about those games, the amount of energy some of these kids have like we used to play kickball. I remember like out in the field, and like that was a lot of fun, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 52:29

A little hot now, but yeah, yeah. So our we'll we'll finish this with uh we'll finish this podcast with with kind of this week here a little bit. Our theme this week for the people listening has been road trip, and it's coming. And the the reason why I kind of created this theme was just I wanted the kids to know that wherever they go, God is with them, and so that's kind of our theme verse is Joshua 1.9, where you know, do not be afraid, do not be discouraged. The the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. And I kind of took that wherever you go and used the a road trip theme, you know. And so our theme this week was again, we started off with God is with us wherever we go. Um, the the second day was kind of unexpected detours, where again, on road trips, you might have a detour, you know, things might happen. So, again, detours doesn't mean that God isn't with you. Uh, yesterday it was about traveling together, more of like a friendship theme and community theme, and how you know road trips with friends are great and you're never alone in the journey of life. And then um today, uh today was uh rest stops, which was kind of cool because I just wanted to let the kids know that again, you know, just like a car runs out of gas or energy and and a car needs to you know fill up, so do we. Um, our mental health is important. Um, we want to make sure that you know God's love is um, you know, God's love does not run out, even though our our tank might. And so that was kind of our our theme today. We focused on Psalm 23. Uh, yesterday was Good Samaritan, uh Unexpected Detours was Joseph. Perfect story. And then tomorrow is kind of joy ride. We always kind of end it with joy, water day. Um, God's joy goes with us wherever we go. Um, celebration and gratitude. So I'll just kind of ask the both of you is there was there a certain theme or lesson this week that kind of hit home to you? Even though, again, you know, don't tell the youth this, but as I'm talking to the kids, I'm also talking to the youth, right? I'm also talking to like the youth volunteers. And so uh we'll kind of end up with this question. Um, Frankie, was there a certain lesson or or theme this week that you're like, yes, or I need to do that more or or whatever?

SPEAKER_03 54:42

Um, I mean, for honestly, all of them. I'm like, there's always like a moment where I'm like half listening, I'm half watching the kids, you know, and then like I'll just hear something I'm like, oh, that's good. But the two ones that come to mind was like where you went back up to talk about like the friendships, and you were saying like how important these friendships are, and like it's true, like a lot of these friends that we've made in summer adventure camp or in this church, like I'm still friends with today, example Michaela, you know. Um, even with like time and distance, like I feel like there's always like a moment of reconnection, and then also today of just um like the rest part, and like I'm very much someone who wants to just be on it all the time, and you can't do that, so it's nice to take those moments and remind yourself you're allowed to have those moments.

SPEAKER_00 55:27

Yeah, so thank you about you, Michaela.

SPEAKER_01 55:30

Mine was also rest day for today because it's like I just graduated, but I feel like I should already be like working on stuff. Like I know I'm going into like my freshman year in college that there's stuff I should be doing, but like I wanted to take like this summer to like actually enjoy having like these friends for the past like for the last two months because I'm not gonna see a bunch of them. Yeah, I might not see any of them ever again. You never you don't know.

SPEAKER_00 55:53

Yeah, yeah. Uh the rest things because again, I wasn't gonna talk about this, but I think I talked about it with the youth a lot. But rest doesn't mean just watching Netflix all day, yeah. That's that's not rest, you know. Don't get me wrong, every once in a while it's nice, just kind of sit there and have that moment, but maybe not for eight or nine hours at a time or two o'clock in the morning. But you know, I want rest is supposed to be like very intentional, you know, taking a walk, deep breath, even stretching. Like we did yoga today. And I was like, do something different. I think sometimes rest involves creativity and just kind of breaking that routine, you know. We want routine, even though routine, even the people who don't like routine, their routine, their non-routine is routine. Yeah, you know what I mean. Like, I'm I'm that person too, a little bit. Right, I don't like routine, but again, my non-routine is a routine, so um, even that yoga today was cool, and the kids took it a little bit more serious than I thought. I had no idea. I was like, that's that's kids, and that's children's ministry too, just in a nutshell where you're like, I have no idea how this is gonna work.

SPEAKER_01 56:57

But you still gotta end up like running around, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 57:01

No, well, actually, as soon as that video played, like some people, like some of the kids recognized where I got that video. They're like, No, I've seen this before. So I was like, Oh, good. Because yeah, uh, but that's children's ministry in a nutshell, is you you you plan for something, you think it's gonna go great, and it just falls flat, and then you just try something new that you found on YouTube, and it actually works really well, and you just gotta like roll with it. I mean, I don't know. Actually, I have one last question. What do you think? Like I almost I have I have a theory, I have a I have a saying here. I feel like volunteering in children's ministry like really sets you up for life. Yeah, like I I just really even a summer adventure camp for a week. I think if you if you do a week-long summer adventure camp with kids, like that it'll set you up pretty good for life. And like I just tried to talk about you know, things go, things don't. What do you think is like the most valuable lesson you've learned both of you from just starting with kids and and industry? Like, what do you think is something you're like, yeah, this will definitely help me in the long run, uh, as I just navigate the new the the the life, you know?

SPEAKER_03 58:13

Um, I think what I get complimented the most, like just in like past internships or jobs, is like adaptability. Because again, I've learned it so much through volunteering here, doing Sunday school, just like some sometimes these things just don't work, and it'll work one time and not the other. Yeah. And you just have to come up with something else on the fly. Um, and being able to do that has been a great life lesson. And it's like, you know, you can't have your heart set on something, even if like you really want this to succeed, it just it might not, and you can try again and maybe it will work another time. But and I feel like that's just like a good lesson for life. Like what works for you one day might not the next, and like oh, you know, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 58:53

Yeah, I feel like I've learned a lot about like how everyone thinks differently of things, especially little kids, because they don't they don't think of things the way like you would.

SPEAKER_00 59:02

And so it's like how they they like understand what you're talking about, and how like it's good because I think you're exactly right. Some kids love the craft, some kids don't don't love the game, you know, and so like each kid's a different ride in a sense, and you kind of have to like navigate that.

SPEAKER_01 59:23

And I feel like it's like that with like people too, where you kind of have to like gauge like how do you talk to them because like again, certain things don't work for everyone, or like in some ways, like how to just not even engage at all.

SPEAKER_03 59:36

It's like, oh yeah, you know what? There's nothing I can even do for you, you know. Like, it's let's five minutes.

SPEAKER_00 59:41

Well, we've done that this week. A kid will have a rough moment, yeah. And again, I think we want to solve it right then and then just circle back. I think sometimes just let them have that rough moment, yeah. Like, let them have that five, 10 second moment of maybe frustration or whatever.

SPEAKER_01 59:54

They figured out themselves, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 59:55

Like, I think you know, you gotta get you gotta you gotta let these kids be able to have their own space and have their own moment, and then yeah, I'm not gonna say they don't need us, but like they they can help them to feel yeah, and you know what? These kids can bounce back now. Sure, we're still there, we'll we're monitoring them, we're we're keeping track of them, and we're kind of you know assessing it, but like as long as they know we're there and they can figure it out, like that that's gonna help them in the future, yeah. You know what I mean? And so it's good because each kid has you know different frustrations.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:28

There's also knowing like when to actually help kids and when to just like let them let them take care of it because they'll figure it out, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:35

Yeah, no, for sure. So, well, all right. You know, these two they had no idea they're they're gonna be on the podcast when they woke up this morning, and so they've been here since you know 8:30 in the morning. So shout out to them. But thank you so much for all of y'all for tuning in today. We hope this conversation gave you something new to think about, whether it's an idea, a story, or just a fresh perspective on everyday life. Don't forget to subscribe so we won't miss future episodes, and share this podcast with friends or family who might enjoy it too. We love hearing from our listeners, so connect with us online and let us know what topics you'd like for us to explore. Until next time, keep asking questions, stay curious, and enjoy the little moments that make life meaningful. Hope you all have a wonderful day and goodbye here from the Grace Period podcast.