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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

I just want to be a sheep....

Baa Baa Baa Baa :-)

Last week we had the primary and middler camps up here at the Chain 'O Lakes.
The first thing the staff and I realized is that the work we needed to do was different. There were less numbers of kids so the dishes were less, but they did need more oversight at the craft barn and waterfront. We were all tired, but it was a good tired as we were rewarded with many smiles, pleases and thank yous!
I am pretty sure there were some kids that if they weren't picked up the staff would have been ok with that.

Speaking of staff, I am still watching them as they start their third full week of campers and the conversations continue to be about superheroes and their powers. My superpower is looking through windows :-P



Here is a picture of Nola explaining to her primary campers the story of Jonah and telling them to look for rocks that are in the shape of a heart.













At the end of the middler week, the Director has a peanut carnival. I didn't get to see much of the other games, but here are a few of pictures of campers playing Hang the Hanger:


















One of my a-ha moments last week had to do with the people that make camp happen and the ownership and love that goes in to being here. I already knew it on some level, but watched how deep it really goes in action. Thanks to EVERYONE that helps to support this ministry - God is absolutely at work here - in the campers, leaders and staff!

I received some bad news on Friday afternoon and took off in the kayak to just get away. When I found a quiet spot on the lake I opened my Bible and found Proverbs 16:20 calling to me: Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he that trusts in the Lord.
Once I was able to reset and pray I felt so much better. I hope everyone has a moment to realize that they are blessed!


Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Sr. High and more

Now may he who supplies the seed to the sower...supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness. 2 Cor 9:10

No offense to any Sr. High campers that may read this - I survived the first real week of camping! My staff also survived, but I am concerned about them as they were talking yesterday at breakfast about getting a sugar glider, making a walnut helmet for it and shooting it out of a canon. I think they will be OK, but I am keeping my eye on them.

We had a great week of the Lord moving in many different ways. Because I was running around trying to fix all the things I messed up and getting ready for a wedding at our farm, I missed out on a lot of the worship time, but heard that it was wonderful and messages were given that needed to be heard. I was given a lesson as well on making sure the light of Jesus is shining even when people are feeling it isn't there.

The verse above was part of a calendar of the day I received as a gift about leadership, but it also struck me as relevant to the camping experience of last week. Many many seeds were planted last week and I saw some start to grow even before campers and leaders left. Some I know still need watering and time to germinate and God will provide what is needed to increase His kingdom.

Where are you in your growing? Are you helping to spread the seeds God has provided? Are you finding a way to tend to the plants that are growing? The love and encouragement I saw last week was amazing and I pray that it continues long after.



What a great looking crew - on the inside and out!  :-)

Thank you campers/leaders/volunteers/staff and whoever I may have missed for a great week - thank you God for the opportunity to help multiply the seeds!






Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Past due

The title of the blog this week has different meanings for me:
1) This blog is 10 days late :-(

2) Have you ever had a decision to make or a tug on your heart and when you finally made the decision you can't believe you didn't make it earlier? I quit my job of 18 years on May 24th. While I loved the industry, most of the people I worked with and opportunities I had, I am ok with the decision to move on. The tagline for our company was "Bringing the Miracles of Medicine to Market Sooner". It was time to move on to different miracles. Doesn't mean the process has been easy, but I know I have made the right decision.I feel like an onion with layers of stress peeling away. May take awhile though.

3) Still looking for lifeguards to help this summer and if I don't find any the plan is to fill the lake with oatmeal. Ok, maybe not really, but I am feeling like the cut off date is coming and I may not be able to provide the campers with the lakefront experience.

4) This past weekend was the AB Women's retreat and the speaker shared a lot of stories and ideas and I think one that has stuck with me was the idea that you need to love yourself and take care of yourself otherwise you won't have any love to give away. I am not very good at that. I go, go, go (writing this blog at 10:15pm when I should be getting ready for bed) and then have crashed before and can't take care of anyone.

5) I started my summer class and already feel behind there. My own issue, not a camp issue :-)

Even though as I read this list it sounds negative, I know God is already at work here and will continue to do amazing things this summer.

Thanks for the support and continue to pray for us and the needs of the camp as we start with Sr. High this Sunday! The Journey begins....