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Monday, April 30, 2012

Random thoughts


My brain is a jumble of many thoughts today so try to stick with me:

1) I had the honor of attending First Baptist Church in Madison yesterday to talk about Camp Tamarack. It was great to see so many people that already knew the joy of the camping experience. The last part of the day was a luncheon and I presented a short PowerPoint about camp. As I finished, Art Basile walked in! What a great opportunity to meet someone that made Camp Tamarack possible for all of us! Here I am in my "God said Go Camping" t-shirt and he is in a suit tie - jeesh this younger generation!
I stayed in the newly renovated Basile Retreat Center this past weekend and it is a GREAT space. The Missional Group had their meeting there and I brought up the food and stayed to visit. Sounds like some great conversations are being had!

B) Still looking for two full time accredited lifeguards for the summer!

*) Before starting to write today, I looked at the stats for this blog and the pages have been viewed over a 1000 times in the continental US plus Alaska! Next I conquer the world! Ahem, or maybe share my message with my friends in different countries. :-) Thanks everyone for the support!

4) I started ordering for the craft barn this summer - that was FUN! Plus Lauren has some cool new ideas.

C) I am working on my paper and project for Hebrew Bible II and picked Amos 5:18-24. I love this passage and have gained a lot of insight already into the prophet and his message to the people of Israel. I actually have too many ideas and need to pick one. (Or two??)

&) I follow a blog on FaceBook that asks a question every day - thought I would share this one with this group since I have gone through many changes with work, school, family, friends.







7) In a month I will be up at camp!!!!

Hope everyone is having a great Monday - Shalom~ Carolyn

Monday, April 23, 2012

Gardening 101

Isaiah 58:11 And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.  

Last week a friend (pretty sure we are friends, never really talked about it :-) ) and I were talking about different things and she was telling me about a message she heard during Holy Week and the gist was something along the lines of "what gets watered grows". In my corporate world there is also a saying that what gets measured gets done. That has stuck with me the last few days as I have been thinking about what I have been watering and measuring the past few months.


Part of me is ashamed to list out all the things I have been watering and shouldn't have been. My garden has the following things growing in it: worry, too much work, too much time on the computer, too much TV. I have updated my list of what needs to be watered and what really should be measured and my relationships with my husband and daughter are on the top of the list. Next on the list come things like all my critters and farm work, time outside, school, family & friends and the positive parts of work. To me, if I water and nurture those aspects of life my relationship and faith will also grow.


I am really looking forward to my first summer at Tamarack and seeing all the campers and leaders have water dumped on them. You know what I mean :-)


What are you watering that shouldn't be and where should the watering can be focused?





Monday, April 16, 2012

Where you go I'll go, Where you stay, I'll stay - I will follow you

Numbers 9:18  At the command of the LORD the people of Israel set out, and at the command of the LORD they camped. As long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in camp.


What's up at Camp Tamarack this week?
I am getting lots of registrations starting to come in for the summer! It is great to see names I know and new campers. Pretty sure we have all our Directors and Pastors lined up. We will probably need volunteer cabin leaders for some of the weeks. Let me know if you are interested.
I am starting to worry a little as I don't have all my full time staff hired. By Friday I anticipate having all positions filled except for the 2 full time lifeguards....that seems to be an elusive position to fill. Know anyone??


Starting this Sunday I will be on a "speaking junket" for camp at several different churches and was working on my children's sermon material and presentations. I decided to "open" with the Numbers verse posted above. This past summer shopping in Minocqua, WI at the Monkey Business store we found different shirts that said things like: God said - Go Running, God said - Go to the Lake, God said - Go Fishing, etc...well, there was one that had God said - Go Camping quoting Numbers so of course I bought it. Then for Hebrew Bible I we had to pick a passage and write a paper/give a presentation on the passage. I decided to use Numbers 9 and included this verse.


It is easy to use this as a joke and say that God said we should go camping. As I did my research and really delved in to the passage where it led me was the idea of the pillar and the cloud. When the cloud or pillar stayed put, the people stayed put, but when the cloud or pillar moved - the people moved! I started to think, if I was in the middle of something I thought was important and the cloud started moving, would I be able to immediately pack up and start moving? I think I may have ignored a few clouds and pillars in my life. I think there is a pillar/cloud moving right now and I am afraid to follow it. 
Anyone have a pillar or cloud staying put and you are itching to move?
Anyone have a pillar or cloud moving and you are afraid to move?

Monday, April 2, 2012

What have you got?

Psalm 71:17-18
17 Since my youth, God, you have taught me,
   and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
18 Even when I am old and gray,
   do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
   your mighty acts to all who are to come.

I was out last week and didn't get a chance to blog, but the above verse is what I read in a park in Harrogate, England. I was sitting in the sun with daffodils and tulips blooming around me and as I read the Bible this verse spoke to me. Now, to be honest, the first reason it spoke to me was the line...even when I am old and gray. See, I am pretty gray - started when I was 16, but anyway that line made me laugh and I don't think I will ever consider myself old. 

I kept coming back to this verse during the week and it spoke to me again when I was shopping for souvenirs in a store in Ireland. I was wandering around and a song was playing in the background. It was the song - All God's Creatures. It is a pretty catchy tune and before I knew it, I was singing along in the store and downloaded it the first chance I got. Clink for link to YouTube of All God's Creatures

It is amazing to me where the Lord speaks and how he speaks. In my head I am putting this verse and this song together and want to recreate the fun I had in my youth learning and singing new camp songs and I want to share this song with the campers! I still sing One Tin Soldier and The Unicorn Song. It will take some practice, but I think it is a good message - everyone has a place in the choir and clap your paws or whatever you got. Come to the Lord with whatever you have!