Woman of Steel Wool

The SPEC kitchen has always reminded me of working in the Camp Luther kitchen, but this weekend this was particularly true.

Kris and I volunteered to help wash dishes for a self-catering outside group using SPEC facilities this weekend. It was some Christian organization full of college aged students with real maternal English women as the kitchen staff. There are a slew of different stereotypical English people that often come to mind for Americans. Kris and I agreed these women were Julie Andrews English… So we were entertained.

While being reminded of my kitchen prowess while scrubbing dirty pots and pans, I couldn’t help but reminisce of my weeks in the Camp Luther kitchen. Luther kitchen weeks are challenging, undoubtedly some of the hardest hours I’ve ever worked. They’ve been some of most fun hours I’ve ever worked, too. Above all, I think those weeks bent over the sinks in the July heat taught me a lot about work ethic, hospitality, unselfish servanthood, and attitude.

While there are a lot of things I don’t control this year, one thing I can control is my attitude. This was true for 4 summers as a Luther Staff member, too. You might not like how someone talks to you. You might be frustrated. You might not think you are being appreciated enough. You might not agree with decisions made around you. You might not want to look at another pot in need of a steel wool scrub ever again. But as simple as it sounds, attitude is everything. I am thankful for instances that remind me of this.

This post is in honor of all those faithful servants of the Camp Luther kitchen- past, present, and future! (In particular two of the finest masters of the kitchen I know- Stefan Diehm and Matt Plank.) Many your steel wool always be plentiful, your sprayer always powerful, your music always rocking, and your attitude always ready to roll!