Drink Up!

Our theme for the week at camp was "Drink Up" based on the woman at the well in John 4. We spent the week doing chunks of the chapter at a time to explore that woman's story. Each day of camp had a different drink up theme...."Drink up....it's living" "Drink up....it's legal" "Drink up...it's refreshing" "Drink up....it's social" "Drink up....it's in you" "Drink up...with Christ". The program team tried hard this year to integrate everything into the theme so that games, curriculum, learning stations etc all had a water/drink theme. So, as part of that, on Monday morning during our worship time it was "Debbie Drinks Disgusting Drink."

Now, I have never been the type for gross or stupid tricks. I've always stayed on the straight and narrow and normally would scoff at such an activity. But, it was for the youth, and the worship team promised they would not give me anything living (like the goldfish they really wanted to add in). So Monday morning came and they blindfolded me and started adding things item by item. They got the kids to play it up and "Nooooo...." "Nasty!!" "Not that!!!" through the whole creation process. I knew half of the battle was the mind game since I was told nothing non-edible would be added in. I mentally prepared myself and tried to settle my nerves.

When the time came I plugged my nose and "drank up!" To be honest, it wasn't bad, it was smooth and sort of sweet, until I got to the salsa chunks. (Fortunately I had a heads up about those). After a few chugs I started to shake, I'm not sure why, but I was definitely shaking, and gagged a couple of times even. But I kept it down and drank about 3/4s of it. To be honest, I was proud of myself--I chugged (something I never do), I drank craziness (something I never ever do), and I did not ralph. That was a serious accomplishment.

After they took the drink away and I unplugged my nose the smell and sting of pickle juice rang strong through my sense and just about forced me to give it up. But I survived. They offered to show me the ingredients and I declined knowing that would do me in.

That's my crazy camp story. And here's the photo to prove it: