Guest Post from Brayden

[Dear Matt (Mid-School Pastor),]

THANK YOU SO MUCH! I really appreciate you accepting Traig and I to be CIT (Counselors In Training).

P.S. I have been waiting all day and I just lit up when I found out you accepted me and was even happier to find out Traig got accepted as well.

Thanks again,
Brayden

Let me just tell you that a certain 11 year-old is flying sky-high around here after finding out "he made the cut" - and then being excited all over again upon finding out his cousin did too! It's only been in the last couple of days that I've realized just how much he's REALLY WANTED this to happen....Afterall, sacrificing the Monday through Friday of Spring Break to be at Camp Harlow from 8-4:00 to help "babysit" younger campers might not necessarily be the hottest ticket on the planet for a middle schooler. But, he and Traig eagerly completed the application, and participated in the "interview" with Matt to be considered for the limited number of positions offered as "Solid Rock Servants" (middle schoolers who are allowed to help out the counselors during spring break camp).

They were told they would find out sometime between Saturday through today - and by last night, when Brayden still hadn't heard anything, he was highly anxious. This was BIG for me to realize just how much he wanted it, but also a little hard knowing it could be a massive let-down - afterall, Brayden is just a 6th grader, and Traig is from out-of-town (even though he did a lot with the group last summer), so there's a lot of reasons why they might not have been chosen.

Just after picking up Mikayla on my way home from teaching in "my favorite class" (6th time this school year), Brayden called me - elatedly - to report he got the acceptance email. It was a rough half hour waiting for Michele to get home to check their email...but, you still couldn't control his enthusiasm. Part of the information he got in the email included details about their invite to a special "counselors-only thank-you night" on the Thursday night of the camp - where they'll be able to stay all the way until 9:30 that night - participating with all of the "real counselors" in fun activities, dinner, and a campfire. Traig and Brayden are "over the top". The paragraph at the top is the response email Brayden shot back to the mid-school pastor...

It's been a little bit of a "growth season" for us and Brayden lately in regards to school work and how his time is spent at home. This weekend marked a bit of a victory for all of us, in making some "adjustments" that fit Brayden and his life right now better - and made us, as parents, feel better. Brayden was super mature about the changes we made, despite it being a bit disappointing - but he was able to recognize the bigger picture. To now have this happen, and to see his enthusiasm soar for something we beyond-whole-heartedly endorse is pretty amazing. God is good!