I’m in the middle of my 24^th year of Staff Training.  I have spent an exorbitant amount of time on this through the years.  These young adults have come here to Camp Peniel to serve, and I want to arm them with the best material, deepest insights, greatest stories & all the ‘armour of God’ they can put on!  These are ‘my people’ that I will pray over, love, and cry with and over through the years.

I lead. It’s one of my strengths along with being a connector, a developer, and a learner.  In saying all that, each day during summer camps, as soon as my feet hit the floor in the morning, I pray for wisdom and insight. About 33+ staff work with a few hundred children each summer, and I am the ‘Poo-baa’!  What a joy, and what a responsibility!  I look into the faces of these young adults, and some not so young who are still giving their all, and realize what a great opportunity as well as responsibility I have.  Parents and loved ones leave their most precious wee ones and teens with us to give them a week that will remain a positive memory in their lives forever!  As I write this, I am listening to them sing “Aunt Ooda Had Chickens” to teach the newer staff some campfire songs.  It’s a joy to my heart.

So, in saying all this, I know how blessed I am.  I know, even with my Life Coaching clients, that I have been given a great gift of helping folks accomplish goals that are in their hearts just trying to get out.

 I have a Peer Coach and a trainer that are helping me to be the best I can be so that I can give it away. Today I met with both of them and they coached me.  They both care so much for my health and know that I’m not very good at taking care of myself.  At this moment I have a plethora of pills and potions for an aerosol machine, so that my bronchitis filled lungs will ‘inflate’ as I say.  There’s a baby elephant lying in the middle of my chest, as well as an IV tube hanging out of my arm for nurses to come everyday and put in some strong antibiotics because pills just aren’t cutting it after two weeks of not breathing well, but this is not new as I am chronic in this area, and have been for over 20 years!  Good heavens!

I have been teaching all this week and will continue to until Friday, but…. I made a decision today; I can’t do it all.  My body is caving, and I’m not listening to it.  It’s that plain, that simple, but ever so hard as I’m a ‘doer’, and like to accomplish all sorts of things.  In the end, I have asked two other people to help me, who know what they are talking about.  We’ll tag team the four-hour session, and I can sit on a stool and still do my part.

Am I still giving my best?  Yes, because these precious women gave me a body check to my mind (as they say up here in Canada regarding Hockey Game moves).  I stopped – really stopped – and evaluated what was going on. This side of being in the hospital again, it can’t get much worse. I will pass the mantle on things that can be passed.  My Board of Directors tells me I must take care of myself, people who love me and know me say the same.

 I have made a choice, by God’s grace, to slow down, and to step down. Yes, I will finish up here at Camp Peniel after 24 years at the end of this year.  I will give myself over to my other business of Life Coaching ‘full time’.  My Board knows of this and the ad is up for someone[s] to replace me.  The future is here and I will meet it head on.  I’m not scared, and I’m not worried as I’m just not a worrier.  I know my God knows, and that’s all I need.  I have seen enough miracles in my life to fill a large lake, just like the one I live by everyday, so I will be just fine.

The choice has been made and I took action.  Will this be easy?  I fear not, as there is so much of my heart in this place, and in the thousands of children and hundreds of staff that I have worked with.  It was/is my baby, but I’m OK.  This is good.  God is good.  Life is good in spite of the semi-unknown future, as I will be moving off-site.  I’m tough, and it’s tricky, but it’s all just fine.  I know how to do this.  I help others like me.  I will be an example of what I coach others to do.

There it is.  The news will surprise some, and others maybe not so much.  I do really enjoy Life Coaching, and folks tell me I’m good at it. It’s so much easier on my body and gives me more time to take care of myself, so that I in turn can help others in a different way.  It’s all good!!!!