Ready or Not...Summer is Here:
After a week of Staff Training our first group of the summer has arrived here at camp; an inner city ministry from Washington D.C. The leaders have a clear passion and vision for the youth in their community and they have been thoroughly enjoying their time at Arrowhead. Their program is focused on the spiritual formation of students in the face of the cultural influences of media. Beside the normal camp stuff like tons of good food, swimming in the lake, foosball, and basketball in the gym; they have program activities revolving around the media. The group leader wrote two plays which the campers are practicing and will perform tonight for the whole group. All of the campers have broken into groups which have been spending time creating inspirational films for their peers. Their films will be shown tonight after the plays. They have been a pleasure to serve and a joy to partner with. It is exciting to see believers who understand their community and are seeking to meet their actual needs. The interesting thing about it is that even though this group and camp are very different...we are like-minded and our passion is much the same.
Shepherds Camp is Just Around the Corner:
Sunnnnday! Sunnnnday! Sunnnnday! (for those of you who know the Buck Arena down in Harrisburg) Shepherds Camp begins on Sunday with our first two-week program. You can't get any more excited than this. We passed last year's numbers a few weeks ago AND we have over 35 new campers! With a total of six weeks of programming we have closed the first two programs. We are praising God and watching the third program increase. Just the other day I was talking with the mother of one of our campers. She said her son David already had his bags packed and they were sitting by the door. What an amazing IMPACT camp has the lives of so many individuals in our community...who otherwise wouldn't hear the good news of Jesus Christ. Let me again encourage you, thank you, and implore you to join us - by praying for Shepherds Camp and by praising God for all the amazing things He is doing the lives of the developmentally disabled.
What's New at Camp:
This year's newest and hottest activity is down at the lake. We have replaced our diving board with a two-tiered jump tower. That's right! Looming tall above the dock, campers soar through the air screaming with joy as they plummet to the water below. The new jump tower is a very exhilarating method for getting wet and cooling down in the summer heat. Of course you can try it when you come to visit.
Baby Report: It has been two years since I started writing this "camp correspondence" which has come to you in several different formats and frequencies. Remembering back I think one of the primary reasons for starting News from Arrowhead was the Baby Report. Well, here we are again. We officially have 43 days left until our second little girl is due to arrive. That's only six weeks away. Kelly and I are feeling the days count down and waiting has lost its luster. We are both ready for her arrival. The sooner the better I say. We will definitely keep you updated.
GoodSearch Update:We just passed 10,000 searches for Arrowhead. Just by using GoodSearch as your search engine,
GoodSearch will be donating over $100 to camp. That's not too bad - $100 in seven months. Thanks to everyone who has been GoodSearching for Arrowhead.
This past month we have definitely enjoyed the warm (sometimes HOT) weather. Natalie absolutely loves being outside. Some of her favorite activities include: kicking her soccer ball on the blacktop, throwing the Frisbee (which she can throw perfectly about 15 feet...but you never know which direction), riding one of her cars, tricycles, or wagon and SWIMMING in the lake. Last week we jumped in the shallow end together as a family. Natalie was jumping around, laughing, splashing, and kicking. She was all over the deep end running back and forth from me to Kelly. The water was certainly chilly, but refreshingly fun. In the past few weeks we have been blessed to have many family and friends come up to camp to visit. In fact, we've had visitors the past three weeks. The weather has been great and nothing beats sharing the ministry of camp with loved ones. Natalie loves having guests at our house. On the weekend the Grandma and Grandpa were visiting...Natalie (feeling a little spoiled) got carried away with licking the chocolate-beaters. We were standing in the kitchen talking and in just a few short seconds I turned around to see Natalie attacking an empty bowl. When she came up for air she just smiled with wide eyes and dove back in, licking the inside of the bowl clean.
We're Having a Picnic
This past Saturday we had our 3rd Annual FREE Picnic. In the past it has been a great source of exposure, hospitality to the community, and a great way to build relationships...and this year was no different. We had about 85 people in attendance for a very beautiful and sunny afternoon. Everyone had their fill of Hamburgers, hot dogs, cole-slaw, seedless watermelon, and few other fixings. Then families and friends scoured the camp playing table games inside, basketball outside, swimming at the lake, and even a hayride. This year we were blessed to have a large number of our campers and their care-providers at the picnic. We also met several families from the area who came to see to the camp. It was a great turnout for a great day.
Summer is Coming Soon
Well, if you didn't notice...it's June. Summer is definitely here. Our Staff Training starts in just two weeks. Then begins a jammed packed summer of Loving & Serving at camp. In the meantime we've got a big wedding back home in the Hanover area. Then we'll be hurrying back to put the final touches on camp and working with some of the leadership staff.
This past weekend I had the pleasure and privilege of going on a weekend retreat with about 10 other guys from the Lancaster, PA area. The retreat was hosted by Lancaster Bible College (LBC) and lead by my mentor and best friend who is now a professor at LBC. This was the third installment of "Soul Thirst", a weekend retreat for student ministry leaders. Each retreat focuses on a specific spiritual discipline, through discussion and experience. On this Soul Thirst we looked at the discipline of Sabbath or rest.I was very excited for this retreat, especially because the summer is fast approaching. I was praying that God would use it as a weekend of preparation for the summer, which He certainly did. Entering the weekend I actually felt rested. This past year has been a good one for me. I haven't been burned out by work and ministry. My plate isn't SO full that I'm going crazy while getting nothing done. I've also spent good time with my family after working during the day and on the weekends. I'm very thankful for the rest that I have had in this full time ministry.
As we drove from LBC to the retreat cabin I was excited to think that for once I was going to go on a retreat where I wasn't going to be completely convicted two minutes after it began. On the other hand, I was very eager to explore and experience the discipline of Sabbath AND to learn how God wanted me to change my life to be more like Jesus in that area.We had a great weekend with beautiful weather. The whole retreat was designed for us to be challenged with God's Word concerning the Sabbath AND to experience times of Sabbath within the retreat weekend. I must say that disciplining yourself to rest is much easier than disciplining yourself in Fasting or Solitude & Silence. I found myself to be rested as I predicted. My body physically didn't need to nap during the day so I was able to spend a good amount of time reading, praying, journaling, and eating. I also enjoyed meeting a bunch of new guys from the Lancaster area and seeing some guys that I knew from previous Soul Thirst retreats.Through the Soul Thirst retreat God brought to light something about the rest I have been getting. Yes, I've been getting good rest. Yes, I'm not burned out by the ministry. Yes, I'm taking care of my first priority - my wife and kids. BUT, when I was resting I wasn't always resting in Him. The purpose and the effectiveness of Sabbath is - that God is the One we are to rest in. Sure we can rest by taking a nap or reading a book or some other pleasurable activity, but those things should not be where we run to for rest. The key behind Sabbath is asking God to show you what things in your life need to go...so you can rest, and what things need to be added so you can rest and find delight. The Sabbath is characterized by a lack of work and the presence of delight. In Genesis, God created the world in six days. Then on the seventh day He declared that creation was complete and He said, "It is good." God also gave us the commandment to observe the Sabbath - a time to cease working and delight in what is good.I had a great weekend and I definitely grew closer to God through His Word and experiencing the discipline of Sabbath.
Last week Kelly and I were up late cooking food for a retreat I went on this past weekend. Actually, it was more like I was helping Kelly cook. Anyway, it was late at night when we finally finished cooking. I grabbed a few bags of trash that we had made and headed outside. I hopped on the golf cart (which was still outside from earlier in the evening) and drove to the dumpster down at the maintenance area. I threw the trash in the dumpster and hopped back on the cart. Sitting on the cart for a moment I heard something on the other side of the fence behind me. I paused and listened carefully thinking I didn't really hear anything. Then I heard it again. It was a gentle noise, as if something was taking it's time, meandering along the other side of the fence. By that time I was definitely intrigued to see what it was going to be. The noise faded away...but came right back further down the fence on my left side. I was expecting to see a cat or a possum squeeze under the fence on its routine trip to the camp dumpster for a midnight snack. Then I thought..."What if it's something else? What if it's a raccoon or a dog or a raccoon with rabies." So I continued waiting, listening and watching the bottom of the fence just 15 feet away. After what seemed like an eternity I became impatient. "What was it?" Then I decided I had had enough. I was just going to drive the golf cart out around the corner and see what this thing was. As I moved my foot to the gas pedal, grabbed the steering wheel, and looked up...I saw a massive dark shape slowly and quietly sneaking around the corner by the gas tanks. There was no question about it. It was a bear! As it came in plain view my eyes scanned from its back to its head. Oh yeah, it was a bear! Like any red-blooded American standing between a black bear and its evening meal (with barriers on either side)...I yelled, "Woah!" I know what you're thinking..."Ohhh, real manly." Well, it was a very deep, "Woah!"Before I could blink the bear turned and ran. Immediately the thought entered my mind that I couldn't see this bear any more, I didn't know where it went or where it was, and to get home I was going to have to drive around that fence. So I hit the gas pedal, threw my hands up in the air, and starting growling and yelling. I rounded the corner by the fence and just caught a glimpse of the bear heading out around the trailer about 30 yards ahead. I could barely see it (no pun intended) which made me realize that I didn't have my flashlight on. So I continued down the road after this bear yelling, waving my hands in the air, while fumbling to turn my flashlight on and drive at the same time. In just a few short seconds I passed the trailer, scanning camp grounds rapidly...but it was gone. Maybe it ran straight for the woods behind the staff cabins or sprinted up towards the main building and down into the woods by the lake...I couldn't tell. With a slightly elevated pulse I turned around and drove back to the house eager to tell Kelly.So there you have it. That's my bear story. It's been a while since I've seen a bear here in Brackney. I saw them all the time during my freshman year of college in Wisconsin. But, it has certainly been a good while since I've seen a bear or come that close to one by myself.There are a few important things everyone should know about black bears:1. They usually are more afraid of you than you are of them.2. They will be more afraid of you if you look bigger then them. If you can - stand up straight, raise your hands, and yell.3. Bears usually only attack when they feel threatened. For example: If they are cornered, or if you are in between a mother and her cub(s).4. Bears can run faster than horses in a 1/4 mile sprint. So if a bear does charge you...don't just run away. Run to the nearest building and get inside.5. Being in a group of people is usually the safest situation. If a bear charges you and your friends, the only thing you have to worry about is whether or not you are the slowest runner in the group.
6. These helpful hints only apply to black bears. If you encounter a brown bear, kodiak, grizzly, or polar bear...say your prayers and get into the fetal position.
Thanks for reading. Tell me about your bear story. Click on the word "comment" in the white box below.
As you can imagine, I'm getting pretty sick and tired of writing about snow. It's April 16th for crying out loud. Actually, I don't mind the snow at all. I would choose cold & snowy over hot & buggy any day. The only thing I'm not so crazy about is sideways snow. Sideways snow is down right nasty. I know what you're thinking, "Just keep your back to the wind." Yeah, well...easier said than done. One false turn and you've got a face full of blustery ice crystals. Sometimes you run into a situation where you have to shovel a path and you just can't get your back to the wind. See what I mean.To any extent, we got a bit of snow overnight and it's still coming down. [We are thankful that the power hasn't gone out] I'd say we're at 10" or so.The commute to work this morning was a bear. The traffic was bumper-to-bumper.
For those of you who don't like snow...just relax and have some fun.
