Apart.

Sometimes everything just falls apart.  

Our sweet little bird house with the split roof and nest leaking out of the bottom.

The septic system becomes a nightmare, injuries happen, angry bees swarm, air conditioners break, water lines refuse to cooperate, and adirondack chairs attack (I hear it happens to some camp managers occasionally).  Drama surrounds, anxiety increases, finances decrease, and stress reaches a whole new level of fun and excitement.  Unwarranted criticism, unsolicited advice, and short answers.

Man, oh man, oh man.

Those voices inside your head take you down rabbit holes of despair and desolation and what-ifs and oh-dears.  The feelings of the "I just can't get it right" and "Why can't we just catch a break?" and "This just really stinks" swim around in our hearts.

It puts us on our knees with faces to the ground.  

But, sometimes, everything falls apart in order to be put back together again.  

The ancient septic system presented the area churches with an opportunity to rally around our little camp.  We have hundreds of people on our grounds learning about Love and Grace a little more each day.  The camp staff becomes likeminded and an unstoppable team when the big problems arise.  Friends and acquaintances provide the right words of encouragement at just the right moment.  Problems inspire creative solutions.  Plumbers fix the lines and gasoline kills the bees.

And when we bend low again with gratitude, we remember the importance of why we must do this every single day. 

We fall apart so He can put us back together.