How to be a Camp Counselor

As I've said before, I spent over two months of my summer working as a camp counselor. It's pretty much the coolest job ever (better than a superhero or the President of the United States or an astronaut on the moon...well, that's debatable) and so I'm sure all of you are wondering how you could possible be so cool as to attain a job position like mine.

Well, today's your lucky day because I am going to tell you! Ready? Buckle in!

1) You cannot be a child-hater. In fact, one of the biggest parts of being a camp counselor is being at least somewhat fond of children. The reason behind this is because children make up the majority of the population of people that come to summer camp. So if you are spending a lot of time around them and do not actually care for them, you will be grumpy and the children will be grumpy and that will make you more grumpy and it's a vicious grumpy cycle. However, if you like children, you will be happy around them and they will like you and they will be happy and you will get happier and it's a joyous happy cycle. See? By the way, you can't be neutral about children. At some point you will be tired and hot and sweaty and stressed out and then you will decide you don't like children at all anymore and we're back to the grumpy cycle.
Key: 1- You are grumpy
         2- Children are grumpy
         3- You are grumpier
         4- Children are grumpier

2. To be a camp counselor you have to be CRAZY. Crazy as in insane, off your rocker, not-quite-right. If you are not crazy, not only will the children think you're boring, you'll also probably have a mental breakdown. 

Oh, and notice in this picture that I have almost-dried mud all over my face. You can't work at camp if you're afraid of getting dirty.

3. To be a camp counselor you cannot have other summer plans, like going on a mission trip to Kenya or something ridiculous like that.

4. You have to like nature. If this picture makes you nervous, maybe you're not ready to spend two months in the woods:

5. This isn't true for all summer camps, but it's true for my camp: you have to love Jesus to work there. HEAD-OVER-HEELS OBNOXIOUSLY IN LOVE because it's just part of the job. You can't lead a two hour bible study every day if you don't care about Jesus. That's just...how it is. 

Because Jesus loves the little children! Including babies!

6. God doesn't call the Qualified, He qualifies the Called! (If God wants you to be a camp counselor, don't worry about not being "good enough". For that matter, if God wants you to be anything, don't worry about not being "good enough". Shut up and do his good work. Clearly if he asked you to do it, you're good enough for him.)


God bless :)