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

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?

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?

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! 

Influence

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

I am over the Monday blah's from last week - this fabulous weather sure has been helping with that! First long run outside has me a bit sore, but a good sore. It is also Spring Break for Emma and she is hanging out with mom all week. Today we are in the Elm Grove office and she is "helping" me. I think it just connected with her today that I "am" Camp Tamarack now.

I have been thinking a lot about how camp will go this summer and trying to listen to all the different ideas and suggestions. Emma just gave me an idea that each night the cabin leaders should read a Bible verse pertaining to the lesson - she said she would really like that. I think we have a great theme in Journey (not the band :-P) that will lead to some great discussions.
Our overall verse is:
Judges 18:6 "Go in peace," the priest replied. "For the LORD will go ahead of you on your journey."

Back to the original verse at the top of the blog...my husband and I were having a discussion this weekend about Emma's friends and as any parent does, you worry about them being a bad influence on your child as they get older. I thought about it the other way though and maybe Emma will be a good influence? At my other day job, I like to post random questions as a type of fun/teambuilding. This week's question was "What is something everyone should know how to do?" I asked Emma this question and her first response was - everyone should know how to pray. Yup, I think she will be a good influence.

What do you think everyone should know how to do?

How is your Journey going?  Whatever it is - go in peace :-)

Monday blahs

I have the Monday blahs today. I went to bed with a headache and woke up with a headache. Plus, it is thunderstorming. Don't get me wrong, I am excited for the rain and it washes away all the dirt and junk from the winter. I am just not my normal self to be a writing a blog.

So, here are some random thoughts and updates for the week:

• I am working on a brochure for the updated Basile building at Tamarack. I have not visited it in person yet, but the pictures I have seen look great and the plans sound great. 
• I am looking for lifeguards this summer to work on staff at camp - if you know anyone, send 'em my way!
• I started looking at what t-shirts/sweatshirts I want to order this year for Camp.
• I am Irish so looking forward to this Saturday. I am not a good cook, but every year I do make Corned Beef and Cabbage. Plus I found a baked cabbage recipe this weekend. In about three weeks I will also get to visit Ireland briefly.
• Legend says that each leaf of the clover means something: the first is for hope, the second for faith, the third for love and the fourth for luck.
• Was St. Patrick Irish? Nope - he was born in Britain.

Hope everyone is doing well and I leave you with a prayer from St. Patrick:

"St Patrick's Breastplate"

This prayer is also sometimes called "The Deer's Cry" or "The Lorica".

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness,
Through the confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with his baptism,
Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial,
Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension,
Through the strength of his descent for the Judgment Day.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In prayers of patriarchs,
In predictions of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.

I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me:
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to save me
From snares of demons,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.

Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator of Creation.

The Spark

He makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire. Psalm 104:4


A couple weeks ago, for my other job, I went to a conference that had a motivational speaker. I usually like that type of thing anyway, but this message has stuck with me for awhile.
The name of the speaker was Lance Secretan and his book is called "The Spark, The Flame, The Torch". He was focused on leadership, but at that word spark, I immediately went to the song Pass It On where it only takes a spark to get a fire going.
That was his message really, but his twist is that the spark is really a dream and how do you take your dream and turn it in to a flame to inspire others and then a torch to inspire the world.
It is amazing what a "spark" can do to some one's mood, vocation, faith. I have been thinking about my dream for Camp Tamarack and how does that translate overall as my dream may not be the same as someone elses, but I don't want to put water on their spark as adding all those sparks together gives you the flame and eventually the torch that goes out in to the world.

Do you need a spark right now? Have you seen a spark in action?

My dream is to work with youth in way to help them see the love of Christ and have fun along the way. It seems pretty simple, but I have already seen how my sparks have helped others and it is enough to keep me going!

I would love to hear your dreams or how you have seen the spark in action.

Shalom!



P.S. Here are the lyrics to Pass It On in case you aren't familiar with them:

It only takes a spark to get a fire going,
And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing;
That's how it is with God's Love,
Once you've experienced it,
Your spread the love to everyone
You want to pass it on.

What a wondrous time is spring,
When all the tress are budding
The birds begin to sing, the flowers start their blooming;
That's how it is with God's love,
Once you've experienced it.
You want to sing, it's fresh like spring,
You want to pass it on.

I wish for you my friend
This happiness that I've found;
You can depend on God
It matters not where you're bound,
I'll shout it from the mountain top - PRAISE GOD!
I want the world to know
The Lord of love has come to me
I want to pass it on.

I'll shout it from the mountain top - PRAISE GOD!
I want the world to know
The Lord of love has come to me
I want to pass it on.