Living Life by The Code

Sure, when you spend the summer at Falling Creek, you’ll have the chance to roast marshmallows around a campfire… improve your game and climb the tennis ladder… dash through the woods on Wild, Wild West Day, and a thousand more incredible opportunities. But did you ever stop to think that one of the best things about being a camper at Falling Creek is getting to spend your summer with a bunch of really great guys?

If you had to pick, who would you say is the most important, really great guy at camp? Your first reaction might be to name your favorite counselor, and that’s a nice thought. But hang on. Think again…

Could it be that the most important “really great guy” at Falling Creek is you? Not because the world revolves around you, but because if you choose to follow The Falling Creek Code, you can have a positive influence on everyone at camp. How great is that? After all, there is no better feeling than making someone else’s day.

Positive Attitude

Having a positive attitude means being fun to be around, living with enthusiasm, and focusing on the positive. Let’s make sure you’ve got that straight, the rule at Falling Creek is to have fun and be enthusiastic. Seriously? Yep, your job when you are a camper at Falling Creek is to be fun to be around.

So, joke around, be silly, and don’t just chuckle, but laugh out loud with your cabin-mates and at yourself, and at the goofy skits in the dining hall. Sing at the top of your lungs at Morning Assembly. Encourage your teammates on your ultimate Frisbee team. Laugh it off if you lose. Congratulate the winners. Have fun out there. And most importantly, be grateful for God’s blessings. Stop and look up at the clouds. What do you see? A dolphin? A dragon? Appreciate the breeze on a hot day. Delight in the cool lake after you’ve worked up a sweat in the game. Enjoy the lullaby of the crickets and bullfrogs at night. God’s creation is magnificent, and you are right in the middle of it. Notice and be thankful.

Warrior Spirit

Hmm, that’s certainly not a phrase you hear every day. What exactly does it mean to have a Warrior Spirit? Here at Falling Creek, it means to “live with courage, to persevere, and to always do your best.” Not a day goes by that you aren’t presented with a chance to demonstrate courage while you are at camp. Even on Opening Day, it takes courage to hug your parents goodbye and settle into cabin life with a group of new friends. It takes courage to try something new, like taking a hairpin turn on a mountain bike. And it takes courage to stand up for what is right instead of what is popular.

Without ever using the word “persevere,” a camper from Chattanooga perfectly summed up the Warrior Spirit when he described his love for rock climbing. He said, “Climbing is really fun. It teachers you to overcome obstacles. When you’re in the middle of a rock and you have to finish a really tough move, you think, ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t do this. It’s way too hard!’ That’s how life is sometimes, but you’ve got to just push through it. Commit yourself to getting to the top of that one move. And then get to the top of the next route. And then all of a sudden you are on top of the rock. Celebrate and just let go! You find that you can make it to the top of almost anything if you set your mind to it.”

Servant’s Heart

To have a Servant’s Heart is to treat everyone with respect, and to treat others the way you would like to be treated. It means taking the initiative to help someone without being asked. Demonstrating a Servant’s Heart can mean doing something really simple, like putting the balls away after you play basketball or helping the counselor clean up the arts and crafts supplies before dashing off to your next activity. It can mean introducing yourself to the new camper and suggesting that he join you on a trip to sliding rock. It can mean inviting someone to meet you at the lake to swim during the afternoon free choice period. Having a Servant’s Heart means making friendships a fine art!

Moral Compass

Last, but certainly not least, the FCC Code expects our campers and counselors to have a Moral Compass, which means to act with integrity, to tell the truth, and to take responsibility for our actions. Here’s an example. We offer a can of Cheerwine at the weekly cookout of hamburgers and hotdogs. We have enough Cheerwine for everyone to get one. Could you cheat and sneak a second can? Of course you could, we operate on the honor system around here. So the question is not could you take a second drink but, should you? No way! You know better than that, and you shouldn’t dare your friend to break the rules either. While daring your friend to sneak a Cheerwine is not the biggest disaster in the world, daring your friend to break other rules later in life can have serious consequences. So why not practice pointing your moral compass in the right direction when you are young?

Here’s another perfect example — You hear a few other boys whispering about a fellow camper. They approach you, wanting you to chime in on their unkind comments. “That isn’t cool, guys,” you say. “Keep it positive.” That’s acting with integrity, even when only a few people are watching. That’s what it means to follow your Moral Compass.