Optimist’s Roundtable

By Martha Sykes

Memories can be a very special gift to us as we go through life, as you probably all agree. As I was trying to decide what to write about this week, I realized that at this time of year, like the last 26 years, I would now be at the Special Needs Church Camp , praising God and away from all the hustle and bustle of every day life.

In the book of James 1:17, It tells us every good and perfect gift is from God above. And I count all those summers a gift!!

As we realize how much life changes, and we think about what we once experienced, it becomes a very special memory for us to treasure. Whether we move to a different place, change jobs, retire, lose a loved one or, as for me, because our Camp is no longer in existence, I had no choice whether to go or stay home.

It has been a true blessing to have made so many friends, and in a beautiful setting in the middle of the mountains of Pennsylvania, and to be blessed by bringing the good news of Jesus Christ to so many special needs adults. We learned so much from them about what matters in life.

In the beginning, it was a challenge, but those years turned into the best experiences for me as a Christian, to touch the hearts and lives of those campers.

So, this week, I will think about those special memories, which were certainly gifts from God for those years and I will be thankful.

Life goes on, the world changes, but God remains the same. He will never change. Every day is a new opportunity to share the love of Christ to someone around us, no matter where we are.