Where Have We Been?

Wow, it has been 4 months since I last wrote on my blog.  Why?  Oh so many reasons.

Did you know that I have a seasonal job?  If you've followed me closely, or are close to me for real - you certainly have seen it.  I am the program director at an amazing camp in northern Indiana.  We moved back to camp at the start of April and spent our summer living on campus full time.  The boys LOVE it there.  I have loved it since I was a child and am so blessed to be back at the camp.  More about the camp another day - I have plenty to share.

We came home to Fort Wayne officially on September 11.  Why this date?  It was the first night of Awana and the boys couldn't miss it.  We love Awana for so many reasons.  Poor Azariah can hardly wait until it's his turn to stay for the evening. 

 

We started kindergarten this fall.  Manasseh loves learning.  He really likes worksheets.  I love it that when we do school at home we have such a great wealth of resources and can do tons of outdoor education that can't happen in a public school. We have already had tons of fun, hands on learning experiences as a family.

We're keeping busy - on top of these things I am auditing a discipleship class at Anderson University School of Theology.  This is rocking my brain with ideas about how to improve the camp ministry.  I can hardly wait to start putting some of these new ideas into practice.

I have also begun a little bit of volunteer work with Silent Blessings, a ministry to deaf and hard of hearing individuals, bringing the gospel to life in a new way.  Their television show, Dr. Wonder's Workshop, is going to be the base for a new Vacation Bible School curriculum - Dr. Wonder's Sign Lab.  I get to do a little bit of behind the scenes helping with some things.  How fun!

The boys go to daycare on Thursday mornings while I'm in class, they absolutely love spending time with new friends - the oldest 2 are especially little socialites.  Since they're going to the daycare, I get to help with some things around there on Thursday afternoons.

Whew.  That's where we are, and where we've been in a nutshell.  I'll share about a few of these things in some more detail over the next few days.

Beautifying the Camp with Birdfeeders! (sponsored post)

** This is a sponsored post.  I was given a product or products in exchange for review.  All opinions are my own.**

 It is spring at Yellow Creek Lake Camp, where I work.  Come to think of it, it's quite possibly spring wherever you are.  One of my favorite things to do in the spring is watch the birds.  For this reason, I love having a good relationship with Perky Pets!

I currently have 6 bird feeders hanging around campus.  Yes, I know that may seem a bit excessive, but I want other people to enjoy the beautiful birds that we have visiting us every day!

This is one of my favorites, it sits on the lake side of the cottage we stay in while I work.  As you can see, it is in need of a refill.  I love the look of this feeder, and the fact that it holds a LARGE amount of seed!  It's called the Squirrel Be Gone II Country Style Wild Bird Feeder.  Pictured above is a Finch Feeder from Perky Pet.  My boys really enjoy identifying "Mr. and Mrs. Finch" that often visit us (we have at least 2 ladies) and now we appear to have a pair of Pine Siskin visiting this feeder!

Our featured feeder today is this fantastic hummingbird feeder.  I am really pleased with the design of this particular feeder.  I've had a couple of other hummingbird feeders in the past, and this beats them all hands down!  Now - to see some hummingbirds would be fantastic!

This is the Perky Pet Funnel Fill 16oz. Glass Hummingbird Feeder.  It sells for just under $13 on the birdfeeders.com website.   It is incredibly easy to use!

This is the bottom of the feeder.  There is a stopper that unscrews to allow easy pouring, the hole is funnel-like and mess free!  Once filled, you screw the camp back on and quickly turn the feeder over.  That's it!

I really adore the site of this feeder outside my window!  The only improvement I might make on it (if I were the designer) would be to include some type of rope or thread for hanging it.  We were fortunate to find a good thin rope in the cottage that holds it up quite nicely.

Overall, I give this a 5 star rating for quality, price, innovation and functionality!  Great job on this feeder Perky Pets!



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What is your favorite bird to watch?

The Most Important Lesson I Learned at Church Camp

I started attending camp at Yellow Creek Lake about 27 years ago.  As a young camper I was impressed by all the great, fun activities.  I especially loved crafts and swimming.  I enjoyed the relationships that I built with other campers and with volunteers over the years.  I could not imagine a summer without YCL.  In fact, during high school I began volunteering at the camp as much as I was allowed.  I even spent 6 of my 8 summers during college in ministry at the camp.  I never imagined that as an adult I would end up back in this same place that has so touched my life.  I can see though how God has been working on me for this place and this time at Yellow Creek.

Through the many years as a camper and a staff, I was learning something again and again - and it only hit me about a month ago.  I just realized that all of that time I had been learning the same lesson: Spiritual Retreat.

Just over a year ago, I began working at YCL as the program director.  This was not a part of my plan as a happy stay at home mama with 3 little boys.  I knew, however that God was leading me back to the camp, and that was confirmed after I chose to do the things I felt as though he had urged me to do.

During those first weeks, as I talked with a children's minister, who I highly respect, she asked me to, "explain why church camp is relevant in today's culture."  I was stumped.  I mean, I know it's valuable - but how do I explain what makes it "culturally relevant"?  I spent most of a year trying to figure this out.  Then, one morning as I was preparing to share with a church about the camp - I realized that our kids are in DIRE need of spiritual retreat.

Do you know that there are preschoolers involved in 3 or 4 activities a week?  I don't condemn their parents for wanting to have active, involved children.  Those kids are learning things my kids won't ever understand.  By high school many parents become chauffeurs, only spending time with their children as they shuttle them from one activity to the next.  Our kids are busy all the time.  When they are not busy - they are watching television, using the internet, talking on the phone.

Kids don't know what it is to have quiet in their lives.  They don't know what it is to "rest in the Lord".  It is hard to hear God's voice in a world that is constantly moving.

Church camp is culturally relevant because it helps kids learn spiritual retreat.  It gives busy students a chance to have a break from their constant movement.  It slows life down.  There is a unique opportunity to bond with spiritual leaders in a new way as students participate in small group devotions away from home.  Often it's easier to be open and honest when they are not afraid of who might be listening.

Church camp is relevant to our culture because it teaches healthy relationships with others (and without a computer or cell phone in the way).  It offers community in a very real way.  The relationships that children build at church camp can grow over the years and allow for life-long friendships that encourage spiritual growth beyond the school days.

Church camp is important in our culture because it allows students to step out of their comfort zone without fear of condemnation.  Kids can try new things, take risks, and have a supportive family behind them when they fall down.

It allows students to ask difficult questions of adults who are trained to help them search for answers.

Camps get kids that are media saturated outside, breathing natural air, chasing kick balls, fishing, shooting arrows, and so much more.  Camp is active in a world of inactivity.  Many children feel lost without a screen in front of their faces.  This is an opportunity to put the screen away and really interact, really live.

Many churches are failing to present the Gospel message in a meaningful way to children.  Many do a great job at presenting the message, but neglect to invite children into a relationship with God.  Church camp tells the story and invites the relationship.  Camps like Yellow Creek Lake even report back to the churches when life changing decisions have been made so that church leaders can follow up on them.

Have you considered sending a child to church camp?  If you're in or near northern Indiana, I highly recommend Yellow Creek Lake Camp Ministries.  If you are not, I recommend searching for local church camps that offer activities your child enjoys.

The Best of 2012

A few days ago I saw a post on Facebook that made me kind of sad.  It was something like "The top 15 things I want to forget about 2012".  I don't know if that was exactly the title, but that was the idea.

Why does that make me sad?  Well, I guess I am an optimist.  I like to focus on the positive things in life and wonder why I want to spend time thinking about the things I want to forget.  Now, I can think of some things that have happened this year that I would like to forget (some will be etched in my mind until I die).

I decided I wanted to spend some time today thinking about the best things of 2012.  I hope you'll join me and leave a comment with some of your best things.

My scraggly haired boys in spring 2012

• Manasseh graduated from speech therapy after 3 long years!
• Cassius continues to overcome the brain troubles that the doctors said would cause difficulty for him.  Also, he got glasses and he looks incredibly cute in them.
• Azariah started walking (finally).
• We spent our first fantastic summer at Yellow Creek Lake Camp/Ministries together as a family.
• I have made some huge health leaps with the addition of insulin and a gym membership.
• The Hoosier Outdoor Experience was a great family learning time with the boys.  Next year it will be on our plans ahead of time.
• As of (about) August 1, I have 2 boys in underwear!
• We worked hard and tore down the garage!  Now we have a nice sized patio for parties, and snuggling by the fire pit.
• So many fun afternoons exploring various woods and hiking trails with my curious boys, they know so many trees and flowers already - just amazing.
• The season of Advent has been a beautiful time of learning and anticipation with the boys. 

There are so many fantastic things to be thankful for.  We have been blessed again and again.   

What are your greatest memories of 2012?

The Placebo Effect

You've heard of it.  Maybe you have even had experience with the placebo effect.  It is truly amazing how many times a non-medicine can have an effect on a person's health.  Why does this happen?  We convince ourselves that we are getting better because we believe that we have actual medicine.  The mind and body can be amazing sometimes!

I had some experience with a placebo when I worked as a first aid administrator years ago.  You see, when you are working at a camp you have a lot of homesickness.  We frequently used the code name, "Marshmellow Fever".  So many times the sick child really just needed a break from activity to receive some extra special attention from an adult.  Sometimes the cure was writing a letter, others it was simply talking.

One of my favorite camp time placebos was the "stomach ache" medicine.  I kept a few "pills" in the cabinet for special times of need.  They had the letter "S" on them and a fruity flavor if you chewed them.  I generally recommended swallowing them quickly because I did not want my campers to figure out that the placebo of choice was really a Skittles candy.  They worked like a charm.  In fact one particularly homesick little girl was having a miserable day.  She was terribly sick and could not function.  She came into the office and sat down.  We talked a while, and when that did not help, I offered her some stomach ache medicine.  Immediately she was better and on the way back into regular activities.  Ah the miracle of Skittles.

Last night one of my children, the one that will be 3 in just under a month, was having a terrible night.  He just could not let himself relax to go to sleep.  After what felt like hours of him screaming about a scratch on his back, I requested that daddy go get some "H2O medicine" in a med cup.  Randy obliged and brought it to our screaming preschooler.  Cassius quickly drank the medicine that Randy assured him would make his back better and make him VERY sleepy.  Upon finishing his medicine, he laid back down quietly.  Within a minute he was screaming about wanting another medicine cup with water.

I guess we can fool ourselves, we can fool campers, but when it comes to 3 year olds - they know all the tricks!