Impact 2013: Camp
Impact 2013 "Honor"
I sat in a room with 250 campers back in 1992. We were all emotionally charged and on the verge of total exhaustion. It was the last night of camp. Even as a 19 year old counselor, I remember wishing that week could go on forever. It was ironically the very first, “last night” of Impact. I stood in front of a cave, quarter in hand. Fast forward 21 years later and on a night very much like that one 2,000 Impact people were singing ”1,000 Reasons” at the top of their lungs, but not daring to wish that camp would last forever.
Camp, the word alone inspires so many different thoughts. The word alone wakes sleeping memories from my consciousness. I go back to Short Mountain, Montgomery Bell, Whispering Pines, and Hy-Lake. However, the mere mention of the word now sparks one simple question. How come a theme so obvious, so in our face, took so long to get around to? Twenty one years of Impact in the books and for the first time the event took a really hard look at the culture of Impact itself. “We spend our whole life preparing for camp, but why don’t we take what we learn at camp and prepare for life.” I have been guilty of this far too often myself.
The selfish me says, it is hard to believe that it’s over. All those nights lying awake, thinking about Camp Tippikauw. Those nights are over. It really is a downer, waking up to an empty campus on Saturday. By 10:00 a.m. it’s a ghost town. I always go through a little post-Impact depression. Listen, I look forward to about three weeks every year with similar zeal.
#3 The start of March Madness and my Fantasy Baseball draft.
#2 Our trip to the Disney Marathon every January, just Amanda and I, no kids ;).
#1 Impact.
So you see Impact is a really big deal to me. Impact is about three things: Jesus (of course), relationship and community. We get a healthy dose of all three here and by that I mean, I get a dose of all three here. But that was the theme right? Well yes and no, the Biblical idea is this; do we treat people with honor when we are not at “camp”. If yes, then I say go ahead and love Impact all you want, make it your favorite week, no harm in that. However if you don’t let the message of God taught at Impact have any effect on how you treat people the other weeks of the year, well I kind of hope Impact is not your favorite week., because to quote Uncle Butch…”just maybe your wasting your time”.
But anyways I digress, Impact 2013 is in the books and let’s eulogize it shall we? What will I take away from 2013? The first thing that springs to my mind is this. Maybe I am getting older but it really seems like Impact is flying by faster and faster every year. I mean to quote the theologian Kenny Chesney “don’t blink”. When I arrived on the Wednesday before Junior, it felt like I had actually never left from 2012. Then Saturday it felt like we had only just arrived.
But in ten years, what will I remember from Impact 2013? Although it has little eternal value I will remember that this was the last year of Flannel Board Theater. I will remember tearing up a little as we finished the last episode. I did not tear up because I love Flannel Board Theater, honestly I have been over that for a while, but I got a little misty because I truly love Skid, Rubio, and Jon Shoulders, and I will miss those late nights filming those silly flannel board movies. Guys, it’s been eleven years, that was one heck of a run! I feel truly honored that I can say three of my best friends in the world are these men.
Some quick hits: I will never forget…
The image of workers building a baptistery at midnight 48 hours before Impact.
A junior high girl blowing away the crowd at Impact’s Got Talent.
Robert Lindsay’s voice
Bob Ross all week.
Dave Clayton laying the word out with no frills.
The new “Just as I am” echoing in Allen Arena
“There always after me Jule Miller filmstrips.”
Our young actors, David, Cody, Lauren, and Brooke, doing such a great job.
Praying for L.T.
You see, that last one “Praying for L.T.” to me that’s what makes Impact special. Impact is not just a camp it is our family. One of our family members is hurting, and Impact responded.
We honored some special people last week, some special charities and special people. You guys donated a whopping $15,000 to charity. That’s not even including the money you gave to the L.T. t-shirts, and the Made in The Streets people. You guys always blow me away with your kindness. Let me take a second to say a special thank you to you guys. Thank you for being so patient and loving towards my son Brewer. The way you lift him up, one group made a spectacular sign, it always fills my heart with joy!
This year also marked a very special, anniversery. For twenty years our brother and mentor Jeff Walling has been a part of Impact and we honored him for that. I guess Steve could not book him in 1992 ;). Jeff is one of my favorite people. He is truly a good man. He has the ability to connect like no other man I have ever known. He communicates with everyone, the right and left brained people. I value his opinion a great deal, and he helps shape the Impact theme every year. Those of you who wonder what Jeff is like away from the spotlight can rest assured Jeff is the real deal.
So other than those earlier quick hits… When I remember Impact 2013 I will think of Uno Uno Sais, Chumpin, and the pre morning Impact dance parties. I will remember the Bell Mount guys and B.B. Purvis bringing the pain. I hope at some point you have visited the singing in the Ezell Lobby before going to your group’s devotional. I will remember the creepy Rubio stalkers from North Atlanta and the awesome One Day More Video which took almost nine hours to film. I will remember conversations in Impact Central and the Student Center. I will remember long lines at Starbucks, and outrageous lines for lunch during Impact Junior. I will cherish relationships that will last for eternity, Micheal Reed, Tyler Gean, Sarah Jo Clark, Gary Spear and the list goes on and on mainly because of Impact. I will remember Helpful Force One, and how my wife ruined every Danny Ray trick by telling me exactly what he was doing. I will cherish the friendship that was struck up between my son Battle and Aubrey Wood’s middle son Justus. I guess middle kids just get along. But think about, it how cool is the team of Battle and Justus?
Camp, the word just resonates with all of us on some level. Impact is our camp. It is the highlight of my year. I simply pray that in spite of my love for Impact that I never start living for one week. Because really, that was the point, right? If we spend our whole year preparing for Impact and not letting Impact prepare us for the world, then were simply hurling a quarter in a cave.
God is good, love others.
Todd
Camp, the word alone inspires so many different thoughts. The word alone wakes sleeping memories from my consciousness. I go back to Short Mountain, Montgomery Bell, Whispering Pines, and Hy-Lake. However, the mere mention of the word now sparks one simple question. How come a theme so obvious, so in our face, took so long to get around to? Twenty one years of Impact in the books and for the first time the event took a really hard look at the culture of Impact itself. “We spend our whole life preparing for camp, but why don’t we take what we learn at camp and prepare for life.” I have been guilty of this far too often myself.
The selfish me says, it is hard to believe that it’s over. All those nights lying awake, thinking about Camp Tippikauw. Those nights are over. It really is a downer, waking up to an empty campus on Saturday. By 10:00 a.m. it’s a ghost town. I always go through a little post-Impact depression. Listen, I look forward to about three weeks every year with similar zeal.
#3 The start of March Madness and my Fantasy Baseball draft.
#2 Our trip to the Disney Marathon every January, just Amanda and I, no kids ;).
#1 Impact.
So you see Impact is a really big deal to me. Impact is about three things: Jesus (of course), relationship and community. We get a healthy dose of all three here and by that I mean, I get a dose of all three here. But that was the theme right? Well yes and no, the Biblical idea is this; do we treat people with honor when we are not at “camp”. If yes, then I say go ahead and love Impact all you want, make it your favorite week, no harm in that. However if you don’t let the message of God taught at Impact have any effect on how you treat people the other weeks of the year, well I kind of hope Impact is not your favorite week., because to quote Uncle Butch…”just maybe your wasting your time”.
But anyways I digress, Impact 2013 is in the books and let’s eulogize it shall we? What will I take away from 2013? The first thing that springs to my mind is this. Maybe I am getting older but it really seems like Impact is flying by faster and faster every year. I mean to quote the theologian Kenny Chesney “don’t blink”. When I arrived on the Wednesday before Junior, it felt like I had actually never left from 2012. Then Saturday it felt like we had only just arrived.
But in ten years, what will I remember from Impact 2013? Although it has little eternal value I will remember that this was the last year of Flannel Board Theater. I will remember tearing up a little as we finished the last episode. I did not tear up because I love Flannel Board Theater, honestly I have been over that for a while, but I got a little misty because I truly love Skid, Rubio, and Jon Shoulders, and I will miss those late nights filming those silly flannel board movies. Guys, it’s been eleven years, that was one heck of a run! I feel truly honored that I can say three of my best friends in the world are these men.
Some quick hits: I will never forget…
The image of workers building a baptistery at midnight 48 hours before Impact.
A junior high girl blowing away the crowd at Impact’s Got Talent.
Robert Lindsay’s voice
Bob Ross all week.
Dave Clayton laying the word out with no frills.
The new “Just as I am” echoing in Allen Arena
“There always after me Jule Miller filmstrips.”
Our young actors, David, Cody, Lauren, and Brooke, doing such a great job.
Praying for L.T.
You see, that last one “Praying for L.T.” to me that’s what makes Impact special. Impact is not just a camp it is our family. One of our family members is hurting, and Impact responded.
We honored some special people last week, some special charities and special people. You guys donated a whopping $15,000 to charity. That’s not even including the money you gave to the L.T. t-shirts, and the Made in The Streets people. You guys always blow me away with your kindness. Let me take a second to say a special thank you to you guys. Thank you for being so patient and loving towards my son Brewer. The way you lift him up, one group made a spectacular sign, it always fills my heart with joy!
This year also marked a very special, anniversery. For twenty years our brother and mentor Jeff Walling has been a part of Impact and we honored him for that. I guess Steve could not book him in 1992 ;). Jeff is one of my favorite people. He is truly a good man. He has the ability to connect like no other man I have ever known. He communicates with everyone, the right and left brained people. I value his opinion a great deal, and he helps shape the Impact theme every year. Those of you who wonder what Jeff is like away from the spotlight can rest assured Jeff is the real deal.
So other than those earlier quick hits… When I remember Impact 2013 I will think of Uno Uno Sais, Chumpin, and the pre morning Impact dance parties. I will remember the Bell Mount guys and B.B. Purvis bringing the pain. I hope at some point you have visited the singing in the Ezell Lobby before going to your group’s devotional. I will remember the creepy Rubio stalkers from North Atlanta and the awesome One Day More Video which took almost nine hours to film. I will remember conversations in Impact Central and the Student Center. I will remember long lines at Starbucks, and outrageous lines for lunch during Impact Junior. I will cherish relationships that will last for eternity, Micheal Reed, Tyler Gean, Sarah Jo Clark, Gary Spear and the list goes on and on mainly because of Impact. I will remember Helpful Force One, and how my wife ruined every Danny Ray trick by telling me exactly what he was doing. I will cherish the friendship that was struck up between my son Battle and Aubrey Wood’s middle son Justus. I guess middle kids just get along. But think about, it how cool is the team of Battle and Justus?
Camp, the word just resonates with all of us on some level. Impact is our camp. It is the highlight of my year. I simply pray that in spite of my love for Impact that I never start living for one week. Because really, that was the point, right? If we spend our whole year preparing for Impact and not letting Impact prepare us for the world, then were simply hurling a quarter in a cave.
God is good, love others.
Todd
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