CBLI 14 Recap Two

Wednesday was an especially fun day at camp this year. They called it Ditch Day, since they suspended afternoon and evening classes and had family time. After a quick visit to the zip-line, we headed back to the meadow to watch an amazing acrobatic troop, the Chicago Boyz, perform stunts. Trevor took loads of videos on his I-pod of their feats, including one of a young man jumping over something like nineteen individuals. I snatched this photo from the CBLI Facebook page:

After the performance, we enjoyed the picnic dinner (where the boys were thrilled because they served bacon with the hot dogs and hamburgers). Then, we headed over to the chapel to watch the Brain Show (a game show with a very enthusiastic emcee and spirited participation from several of the families out at camp - we didn't volunteer, but it was still fun to watch). Later that night, Sean and I headed back to the cabin and then Trevor left with a flashlight to walk down to the dock to watch the fireworks show they had planned. (Sean avoided any contact with the lakefront since he was convinced that if he went down there he might end up with a bacterial infection in his eye like last year. Hopefully, he sheds this fear by next year.) I think he enjoyed being grown up enough to experience that on his own.

Thursday afternoon the boys went for a Jr. CBLI field trip to a trampoline facility. I could have enjoyed a nap and some reading time, but instead ended up going in to Antioch to do a load of laundry. Thursday evening I had a great time at the banquet, sitting with some friends who are siblings, Emily and Laura:

I think one of my favorite things about attending CBLI is the opportunity I get to sing in a large corporate fellowship (something I rarely experience elsewhere). My niece is a member of The Singing Company, the group which led our worship times. They provided excellent spirit-filled singing. Thus, one of my favorite evening programs was Friday night's Hymn Sing. They string the titles of various worship songs up across the front of the chapel and then individuals are invited to come forward and select a song to sing and share an accompanying testimony.

Saturday night is always the Jr. CBLI performance night and Awards night. The boys were both excited because their group was singing one of the songs my kids presented back at Music Camp in June, "The Building Song." They kept singing it when we were at the cabin. And Sean informed me that his second favorite chorus to sing was the one with the verse "the God of angel armies is always by my side." It was so encouraging to me to hear my boys actually enthusiastic about worship songs and the meanings of the words.

During the Awards ceremony, my nephew Eric received an award:

Apparently, the young adult track held a cool activity Saturday evening, lighting prayer lanterns and letting them go, down by the pier. Once again, I snatched these photos from someone else on Facebook. It would have been cool to participate in that, but still fun to see the activity second-hand.

All in all, we had another wonderful year at CBLI. The boys were given brand new Bibles, which Trevor was quite excited about. I had a great time of spiritual refreshment. I came away with a heart-conviction to work on my tendency toward a complaining spirit. I want to be more thankful for God's many blessings and less focused on the things in life which seem less than ideal. As Trevor articulated, I want to remain rooted in His Word so that it guides my day-to-day living. I want to maintain the momentum CBLI gives throughout the rest of the year. We are blessed to have this opportunity and I hope God continues to nurture these blessings in us.