The Best Moment of the Summer

Gavyn

When I arrived at church in Sioux Lookout on Sunday, I ran into several campers.  One of them was Gavyn, who reminded me of my favorite moment from the summer.

Gavyn has been a camper for several years.  His whole family usually spends 3-4 weeks at camp as his mom serves as the camp nurse.  The whole family pitches in to help, and we really enjoy the time we get to spend with them.

This summer  was different.

In early June, Gavyn was experimenting, as Gavyn is prone to do.  He was using a knife to remove power from some caps and then putting the powder in a tube.  He was using the handle of the knife to tamp down the powder when it suddenly ignited and propelled the knife upward, and it pierced Gavyn's eye.  The next several weeks were spent in surgeries and trips to specialists and ended with doctors removing the lens from Gavyn's eye.  When he grows up, they intend to replace the lens, but for now, Gavyn has lost sight in that eye.

It was quite a struggle for the whole family.  Plans were disrupted.  Anxiety about Gavyn's sight was constant.  And they were also upset that they weren't able to come to camp.

But finally, during the last week of camp, everything had settled down enough for them to come.  Gavyn was told to take it really easy, but that is a very difficult thing for him.

During the week of camp, Gavyn came to one of the activities I was leading, "Parachutes with Pam."  I would help the kids make a parachute and then we would attach water balloons to them and see if we could float them safely to the ground.  Gavyn made a parachute and launched his, but as soon as he did, he was off saying, "What will happen if we tie two parachutes together?  What will happen if we make it bigger?"  And on and on.

So we happily experimented.  Later I said to Gavyn, "I just love watching your mind work, Gavyn.  You are so curious and wondering what will happen next.  I think it's so great."

Gavyn said, "Yeah, that's how I lost my eye."

Wow!

While he was working with me, he saw my rocket launcher.  He wanted to know if he could build a rocket and launch it.  I said sure.  I showed him the ones we had built and told him how they worked, but Gavin had his own ideas about how this should go, and he wanted to build one that had a parachute.  I told him that rockets with parachutes are very tricky, and I had not seen anyone be very successful with them, but that did not deter him.  He spent a good part of the day developing a rocket that had a parachute attached.

That evening we launched his rocket.  The parachute did not deploy.  He was so disappointed.

He spent a good part of the next day tinkering with his rocket, refining the design, trying to correct the mistakes.  He is a really hard worker and very persistent.

That evening after chapel, we launched his rocket once again.  His dad had arrived and both his parents were able to be there for the launch.  This time the rocket blasted off and quickly reached the apex of its flight.  And then, as it started its descent, the parachute deployed perfectly.  The rocket floated flawlessly to the ground.

And we celebrated!  The smile on Gavyn's face was priceless.  It was a spectacular moment!

We launched the rocket again to see if we could replicate the flight, but this time, the parachute did not deploy.

But no matter.  The success of the previous launch was enough.  It made Gavyn's heart sing to have had this moment, and I'm so glad I was there to share it with him and his family.

On Labor Day

When God created our world He taught us some things about work.  First of all, there is the fact that God works, and this tells us that work is important and valuable.  Next, we learn that God worked with great enjoyment.  Every time He created something He pronounced it good or very good.  If you're like me, you've felt the deep satisfaction you can get from a task completed and a job well done.  God felt that in His work, and He wants us to feel that way about our work too. 

I read a passage from a book by John Ortberg that opens our eyes to what it would be like if God approached His work the way we often do.  I've shared many times since I read it and thought it would be appropriate to share it on this Labor Day.

"In the beginning, it was nine o'clock, so God had to go to work.  He filled out a requisition to separate light from darkness.  He considered making stars to beautify the night, and planets to fill the skies, but thought it sounded like too much work; and besides, thought God, 'That's not my job.' So he decided to knock off early and call it a day.  And he looked at what he had done and he said, 'It'll have to do.'

"On the second day God separated the waters from the dry land.  And he made all the dry land flat, plain, and functional, so that-- behold-- the whole earth looked like Idaho.  He thought about making mountains and valleys and glaciers and jungles and forests, but he decided it wouldn't be worth the effort.  And God looked at what he had done that day and said, 'It'll have to do.'

"And God made a pigeon to fly in the air, and a carp to swim in the waters, and a cat to creep upon dry ground.  And God thought about making millions of other species of all sizes and shapes and colors, but he couldn't drum up any enthusiasm for any other animals-- in fact, he wasn't too crazy about the cat.  Besides, it was almost time for the Late Show.  So God looked at all that he had done, and God said, 'It'll have to do.'

"And at the end of the week, God was seriously burned out.  So he breathed a big sigh of relief and said, ' Thank Me, it's Friday.'

So people are working at jobs where they find no joy or satisfaction. You hear it all the time in the way they talk about what they do.  But joy and satisfaction doesn't come necessarily from the particular job we have to do, but mainly from the attitude we choose to have as we work.  Even the most menial of jobs can be very rewarding if approached in the right way.

We find the right attitude in Colossians 3:17:  "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father." Just as God pronounced his work good and very good, we should strive to work in such a way that we, too, can feel that the work we do is good and even very good.

So. may you find joy in your work and satisfaction in a job well done, whatever that may look like in your life.

Happy Labor Day!

Guest Post by Phil Kiper

     My Father, Roger Kiper, passed away three years ago this week.  Since that day, I have had time to reflect on his life and on our relationship.  He died when he was 85 years old and by his own account had a wonderful life.

     If you ever knew him for any period of time, you knew that he was a carpenter.  I don’t think he became a carpenter.  I think he was born a carpenter.  When I asked him to name his favorite childhood toy, he quickly replied, without any pause, “a hammer”.  One of his older brothers told me that when Dad was a small boy, he would spend hours sitting on the ground pounding nails into a board.  When all of the nails were driven into the board, he would turn the board upside down, drive the nails back out and then repeat the process over and over.  He was a child of the depression of the 1920’s, and money for toys was scarce. 

    When he was about nine years old he gathered some scrap lumber and pieces of tar paper from a building site and built a boat.  He told me that my grandfather, William, took him and the boat to Sugar Creek to see if it would float.  When they pushed the boat into the water, it floated, but barely above the water line.  He admitted that he had used far too many nails, and that the tar paper and coats of tar made it very heavy.  He always enjoyed the engineering part of carpentry, but he had a life long habit of over-building.  He didn't want things to come apart.

     Later, in school, he was taught carpentry skills in shop class by Mr. Chiddix,  Mr. Chiddix, must have seen his passion and talent because he encouraged him to pursue a career in carpentry.  Mr. Chiddix must have motivated many students.  They later named a school in Normal, Illinois after him.

     When he was 16 years old, he and a friend were hired to frame and roof a ranch style house in Bloomington.  World War II was raging, and many of the working aged men were fighting oversees.  I drove by the house a few years ago, and it is still standing.  My Aunt Kay once told me that when your dad builds something, it stays built, pretty high praise for any carpenter.

     As World War II was slowly ending, my father enlisted in the Army and was sent to Vienna, Austria, as part of the occupation policy.  He safely returned, met and married my mother, and settled into his life’s work as a carpenter.  He worked out of the union hall and was hired by many different builders for a variety of projects.  He was once fired from a job for using too many nails.  Many years later he was still amazed that anyone would want to build something in such a manner that it might come apart.

     As the Korean War began he was recalled to service.  He was sent to Korea where he used his skills as a carpenter to build structures for officers and enlisted men.  He was placed in charge of a number of Korean carpenters, who much to his amazement, would not use American saws, which cut on the push stroke, but only Asian saws, which cut on the pull stroke.

Roger Kiper in Colorado Springs
 before deployment to Korea, 1950

     My father taught me many things, but I think the thing that I am most thankful for is that he taught me to go to work.  He went to work everyday.  I don’t remember him complaining or whining about work in any way.  He simply loved what he did.  From watching him, I learned to get up and go to work.  I am sorry many children never have that kind of example.

     As a young boy, I was never very interested in building.  Sports consumed most of my energy.  Later, when I became an adult, I started to develop an interest in woodworking and building.  Some of the best times I had with my dad were conversations about building with wood.  Like many fathers and sons, we would often argue over many things, but we were always able to enjoy our time together when we were building something. I think it surprised him that some of his skills and talents had maybe rubbed off on me.  When I built my first house, he came to Tennessee for a few weeks to help me hang doors, install kitchen cabinets, and build steps to the second floor.  I don’t live in that house anymore, but I can guarantee you that all of the doors installed by him still open and close perfectly.

     Over the years my woodworking interests have gravitated more toward woodturning than building, but because of my father, I know good work when I see it.  A couple of days ago my 25 year old son, Will, asked me if I would teach him to turn wood.  Much like my father, I was a little surprised and very pleased.

     So hear's to you, Roger Kiper, builder of things that stay built.

My father made this table in high school shop class with only
hand tools over 70 years ago.  I made the maple bowl from a
tree that grew in my parent's yard and was planted by our
neighbor, Mr. Boyce, a World War I veteran.  The red vase I made
from a hackberry tree planted by my grandfather Moit.
The wood for the walnut box came from some walnut Dad bought
when he was a teenager but never got around to making anything
out of it.

Women of Valor: Cheryl and Peggy

I had supper Monday night with my two college roommates, Cheryl and Peggy.  We try to get together whenever Cheryl is in the country, to reconnect and catch up with what's going on in our lives.  As most of you will attest, when you meet up with great friends the distance and the time apart just seem to melt away, and it is as if there has been no time or distance between you at all.  This is the feeling we have when we get together.

I've written about them before.  Today I want to salute the character and the courage of these two wonderful friends.  They are both talented, funny and kind, and I count it a great privilege to have them in my life.

Cheryl, along with her husband Steve, is a longtime missionary to Hungary.  In fact, she told us last night that they are approaching their 25th year on the field.  In the past few years Cheryl completed the grueling task of earning her doctorate in special education.  Currently she is serving as an educational consultant for her mission board, working with teams all over Europe to identify educational needs in the children of missionaries and in international schools run by their mission board.  Further, she helps to design programs of study that will address the needs identified and lead to a better educational program for each student.  Her heart for her work and for the people of Hungary is always evident, and she bubbles with enthusiasm whenever she talks about either of them.

Peggy is a pastor's wife and leads many activities at their small church in Summerville, GA.  She is an administrator for the Christian school in her area and has taught many classes in this school.  She loves history, and we laughed last night as she told us about getting "history cold chills" when she teaches and tells certain stories from history.  She and her husband Danny have dedicated their lives to serving their community through their church.

Whenever I spend time with these ladies I come away full... full of joy, full of laughter, and full of encouragement.  Their words bolster me and affirm me.  I hope they feel the same.

We've all become grandmothers in the past few years, and we all relish this new role.  There is nothing like it in the world.  We showed our pictures and told our cute stories, just as any good grandmother would do.

We are each facing several challenges in our lives right now.  It was good to sit together and share our burdens.  There are no others I feel more confident in sharing these hard things, and in the sharing, we are stronger and more courageous.

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“Eshet chayil—woman of valor— has long been a blessing of praise in the Jewish community. Husbands often sing the line from Proverbs 31 to their wives at Sabbath meals. Women cheer one another on through accomplishments in homemaking, career, education, parenting, and justice by shouting a hearty “eshet chayil!” after each milestone.  Great women of the faith, like Sarah and Ruth and Deborah, are identified as women of valor.”
--Rachel Held Evans

My daughter's friend Rachel, who makes her living as a writer and hosts a blog, has a series dedicated to women of valor.  She highlights women she knows, and also had a contest in which other women could write a tribute to a “woman of valor” in their own life.  I have been inspired by these stories and want to share this story as my own reflection on a “woman of valor” who I have come to know.

Woman of Valor: Tammy Colvard

“Eshet chayil—woman of valor— has long been a blessing of praise in the Jewish community. Husbands often sing the line from Proverbs 31 to their wives at Sabbath meals. Women cheer one another on through accomplishments in homemaking, career, education, parenting, and justice by shouting a hearty “eshet chayil!” after each milestone.  Great women of the faith, like Sarah and Ruth and Deborah, are identified as women of valor.”
--Rachel Held Evans

My friend Rachel, who makes her living as a writer and hosts a blog, has a series dedicated to women of valor.  She highlights women she knows, and also had a contest in which other women could write a tribute to a “woman of valor” in their own life.  I have been inspired by these stories and want to share this story as my own reflection on a “woman of valor” who I have come to know.

Tammy Colvard is a long time friend of mine.  I have known her since she was a teenager growing up in our church.  She is a tough competitor, a trait that has served her well in many areas of her life, but one that she would acknowledge hasn't always helped her in her spiritual life and growth. After she became a mom, I watched the dedication and love she always showed to her children.  She has raised them with a strong work ethic and has done a great job of instilling in them the value of serving others.

A few years ago she and Beverly Key started a class at church called First Place.  I was a part of this program for several sessions, and I would say it was one of the most fruitful and transforming times of my life.  It helped me develop some discipline in several areas of my life, and I was the strongest and fittest I had ever been as an adult.

Recently I heard about the testimony Tammy gave at church about her work with the youth.  She has been a rock solid leader in the youth program for many years.  She continues to work by creating events for the youth to participate in and for taking them to camp and other programs that will help them grow spiritually and in other parts of their lives too.

In particular, she told of a group of girls that she has been mentoring over the past year at their request.  These girls were serious about their spiritual life and wanted to do everything they could to be the best Christians they could be.  Tammy has worked with them, led them in Bible studies, and facilitated things that they wanted to do like creating their own "war room" as in the movie by that name.

I am so proud of the woman she is becoming and for the zeal and tenacity that she has for each task she undertakes.  I am glad she is my friend, and I will always be indebted to her for the role she has played in my life.

And so I say to her, "Eschet chayil, Tammy!  You are a woman of valor!"

Tammy (far right) with some of her girls

Aunt Betty and Uncle Ralph

My parents with Ralph and Betty on St. Patrick's Day

Some of you know that in January I arranged to have my Aunt Betty and Uncle Ralph move to the nursing home in Dunlap.  They were both continuing to decline, and I thought they might not have much longer to live.  I didn't want them to die alone, and that was a big fear I had if they remained in Indianapolis.  So they came to Dunlap.

Between my mom and dad and me, someone from the family was with them almost every day.  They got to see my kids and Penny's kids, and they had several very enjoyable visits with Madeline.  Madeline warmed up to Aunt Betty especially, and it was enjoyable to watch them "play" together.

On April 9 my Uncle Ralph passed away after succumbing to an infection and pneumonia.  My mom and dad were with him when he died.

And now, on Friday, my Aunt Betty passed away.  My mom was with her when she died.  She had just celebrated her 88th birthday the week before.  She had several visitors during the week including her niece Charlotte and dear friend Brenda.  I'm so glad they came to visit before she passed.

Aunt Betty celebrating her birthday with my parents and
my sister and some of her family.

My friend Mary was there to celebrate too.

Throughout my life, Ralph and Betty had been important people to me. They lived next door to us growing up and their swimming pool was the center of lots of fun when we were teenagers.  When I went off to college they would come to visit and take my roommates and me out to dinner and let me stay with them at the Chattanooga Choo-Choo.  When I got married and had children they continued to visit us in Tennessee and their visits were always much anticipated and filled with laughter.  Oh, my, how Ralph and Betty could laugh!  It is one of the things I will miss most about them.  They could make anything exciting.  When we visited them at their home one of the most exciting events was waiting for the cuckoo to come out of their clock.

They also let us spend time with them in Florida.  On one visit we ended up being the worst house guests ever.  I had pink eye that I had contracted from one of my students at school, Will got sick and threw up on the carpet and we discovered that Kathryn had head lice.  Although they had to do some major cleaning up after we left, they were gracious hosts and at least made us feel as if they had enjoyed our visit.

In the last few years I have been through a lot with Ralph and Betty, but I have learned so much and this time has been a blessing in many ways.  I will never regret the time I spent with them in these last years, even though walking this journey with them has been one of the hardest things I've done in my life.  The decision to move them to Dunlap at the end was a good one too.  My parents have been keys in making their last days pleasant and comfortable, and for that I am thankful.

Visiting Aunt Betty back in May

We will lay Aunt Betty to rest on Tuesday.  The last time I saw her was the day before I left for Canada back on June 1.  I told her I wouldn't see her for a couple of months because I would be in Canada.  She said, "Don't worry about it.  We're leaving to go home in a couple of days."

I looked at her and smiled and said, "Well, Aunt Betty, if you get ready to go home before I get back, you just go on home."

And so she did.

Strong and Courageous

This past week was Junior 2 week here at camp and three of my students from Dunlap United Methodist Church were able to come and volunteer.  They arrived on last Thursday and spent about 10 days here in northwest Ontario.  Kaitlyn and Seth served as cabin leaders and Krislan was a team captain.  They had other duties in the kitchen and around camp as well.

One of my favorite songs that we sing here at camp is "Be Strong and Courageous," and once we've introduced it to the kids, I try to encourage them with it throughout the week.  When someone is afraid to jump off the high dive I say, "Be strong and courageous."  On the most difficult hike I tell them we are going on an adventure, and they must be strong and courageous.  And then we celebrate together when they have made it through the hike or jumped off the high dive.

This week I am celebrating the strength and courage of my three students.  They took a risk and stepped out in faith to come to a land far away, where they didn't know anyone but me.  They came without an adult accompanying them on their flights. Two of them had never flown.  They stepped into some demanding roles that challenged them and stretched them out of their comfort zone.  Faith always requires you to risk, and being successful in this pretty calculated risk will make the next call to step out in faith a little easier.  And nothing pleases God more than our faith. 

The other thing that made me proud of them was that they used things that they had learned back at home here in their work.  Krislan had a great experiment that had a spiritual application.  She stepped right up and demonstrated it to us, and we were able to let her share that with the girls in their cabin devotions.  She also shared it with Seth, and he was able to teach it to the boys.  And in their general temperament and demeanor, learned from their families, these three were able to be kind and patient and gracious to some very difficult campers.

I also want to salute the courage of their parents.  It is not easy to let go and allow your child to step into the unknown.  It is not easy to have them far away and not be able to communicate with them at all for several days.  I so appreciate these parents trusting me and believing me when I presented them with the possibility of this trip.  I also appreciate all that they did to work with me in making this happen financially.  In allowing their kids to take this step of faith, they make the next step easier for themselves and others.

The congregation at DUMC was exceptionally generous in supporting these young people.  They went above and beyond in making it possible for all who were willing to come to be able to make the trip.  I am very thankful.

God has dealt bountifully with us this week in so many ways.  I can only praise Him and say, "Not to us, not to us, but to your name be the glory."

Seth with some of his Bears

Hiking with Krislan and Kaitlyn