Eugene Peterson begins his memoir with a brief discussion of topo and kairos, the Greek words for place and time.  He comments that pastoral ministry takes place in extremely specific places and extremely pregnant times.  This thought resonates with me on a deep level.

This week I spent four days at preteen camp.  Talk about topo and kairos.  The place was specific: Camp Tejas in Giddings, Texas | bunks | lunch lines | the lake | the swimming pool | zip lines | worship | small groups by the swing.  The time was also pregnant: summer | four days away from home | youngsters at an impressionable time of life | one time a year (for some … perhaps only once).

If I could bring my family with me and my aging body could hold up … I’d contemplate never leaving camp.  It’s fun. It’s joyful.  And God uses the place and time to do mighty things.