Sometimes You Reap

Jason, Jessica and the boys were all great help in the kitchen.

I can't tell you how exciting it's been to share Camp of the Woods with so many friends this year.  The latest ones were Jason & Jessica Dildine and their boys.  We asked Jason to be the speaker for Teen Week 1, and he did an awesome job.  Many of the campers were from nearby youth groups, and many people had been sowing the Word in their lives.  Many of them were return campers too, ones who have come to camp year after year.  Jason preached and gave the invitation and the response was immediate every night.  Campers stood and came forward for prayer and stayed in the chapel to talk long after the service had ended.  I told Jason, "Sometimes you sow and sometimes you get to reap, and right now, we get to reap."  It was a very exciting week.

It was exciting for Jason and Jessica also, because Harrison and John were counseling this week.  They got to see the seeds they had sown in these boys lives bring fruit too. The boys were so solid and good with the kids.  I told them to be bold in their witness and I believe they were.  What a joy it was to have them here!

Harrison talking to campers after chapel.

John with Scotty, one of our favorite campers

Although I am pretty tired after this busy week, I had some exciting times too.  I have been sending birthday cards to all the campers, and it has given me another connection with them throughout the year.  I heard from campers and also from parents that the cards were appreciated.  The worst moment of the week was when I acted out the story of Naaman by actually dipping myself in the lake.  The only problem was that I got water up my nose and came up coughing and choking and could hardly finish the story.  But the best part of the week was asking the kids to come up and tell me about their hero.  I heard some wonderful stories and made yet another connection with these campers.

Sometimes your visuals don't turn out as well as you would like.

I know Jaron and Jaxon had a great time being kids here.  This place is a neighborhood like so many of us grew up in years ago.  The kids go out in the morning and come in for the meals, but the rest of the time they're just out there playing, riding bikes, crucifying frogs... you know, normal kid stuff.

What a blessing it has been!  And this is just the beginning...

I loved having the boys here!  I think they loved it too.

A Flurry of Activity

We had 54 mission camps here this week from Terre Haute, Indiana, and from Waterville, Wisconsin.  This was a great group of people and we enjoyed each other immensely.  There was a wide age range in this group, but the teenagers gave us enthusiasm and energy with none of the drama.  It was quite a blessing!

Keeping 54 people busy for four days is no small task, even when there is lots to do.  We were able to assign groups to different adults and let them take charge.  Some worked hard on very physical tasks...

Working on the foundation of the Lodge

They made a big dent in the wood pile.

While others put their creativity on display...

The crew who worked on decorations in the Lodge and Chapel

Lots of tracing, cutting and gluing going on

And when you have this many people you have to have lots of help in the kitchen.  I helped with setting tables and had a fine crew to help at every meal.

Serena, Victoria and Savannah (along with Alia) were
faithful workers at every meal.

Our speaker this week was Mark Gold.  Although I had heard of him before, this was my first time to meet him, and I enjoyed having him around this week.  He is an engaging and challenging speaker, and he has a great rapport with kids.  I learned good things from him, and I really hope to meet up with him again someday.

And now the stage is set for the teens to come on Monday.  Jason and Jessica Dildine arrive with their boys on Sunday.  He will be speaking in the evening chapels, and I know it will be great.  We are a little short on staff this week, so pray for us to get it all done.  We can't wait to see what God does!

Holy Moments

Every summer one of the things that I love is sharing holy moments with the people who are here.  Sometimes they are planned but sometimes they just happen.  This week there were two of those moments.

The first one was very unexpected.  At camp, if you get mail you have to sing for it.  So a letter was delivered for three people who weren't really connected and so it seemed weird.  But it was a set-up.  One of the men from Fon du Lac named Alex had written a poem during our quiet time.  When Alex found out that Natalie could play the piano, he asked her to set the poem to music.  He asked Natalie and her sister Bonnie to sing it with him.  So that is what they sang for us when the mail came.  The refrain asked the question, "What am I doing here, Lord?"  And the final verse said, "I know what I'm doing here, Lord"... worshipping You.  It was such a neat connection between old and young, each using their gift, their talent, to build us all up.  A holy moment.

Alex shared his song with us.  He said the only
way to be ready when the Lord speaks is to have
paper and pencil handy.

Then on Thursday afternoon, Ella decided that this was the perfect place to be baptized.  We all met down at the lake and watched as her dad baptized her as our sister in Christ.  Another holy moment.

Holy moments happen often here at Camp of the Woods.  And one of the reasons they do is that we have slowed down enough and quieted ourselves enough to see them and recognize them.  

Two more groups arrive today.  Waiting to see what holy moments happen in the coming week!

Dear Ones

The past couple of weeks I got a chance to share my life here at Camp of the Woods with some of the dearest people in my life.  First, Kathryn arrived and spent a week with us.  We kept her busy helping around camp, working in the kitchen and cleaning some of the cabins.  But she also got to do a lot of fishing with her dad, and just enjoying the beauty all around us.

One of the guys fishing here said he didn't like being out-fished by a girl.

I love this picture of Kathryn and Phil.

She had to go home to rest up from her vacation.  But before she left Mary and Gene arrived.  They also stayed a week and just left yesterday.  

We had a great time hiking to Bear Track.

They got to stay in the Jones Cabin which is right next to the Loon's Nest, so we could just run across the deck to see each other.  One night it was late when I was coming home, and I could see Mary was still up reading.  I went to the window and said, "Psst," and she came over and we had a little conversation.  She said it was like we were kids trying to get our friend to come out and play.  

People come to Camp of the Woods and they bring their gifts.  Some of the gifts are things like food or books or items we need.  Others bring the gift of their talent, and so Mary used her love of gardening to make the place beautiful.  She and Gene worked together to put out lots of flowers around the camp.  They did a great job!

I miss them already, but now everywhere I look I see their fingerprints.  And it makes me smile.