Mourning Loss of CBLI 2020

Today would have been the start of our annual Bible camp, Central Bible and Leadership Institute - CBLI. Neither of my younger boys intended to go along anyway, but I had hopes of going solo for the first time since my teen years. I even contacted an old friend who provides a great deal of care for her grandsons. I pitched the idea that we share a Shagbark cabin together and I could have the counselor's room for privacy, yet be there to help her with the kids. I had visions of such fun because this is a cherished old friend whom I hardly ever see and love to spend time with.

Enter COVID-19. Exit dreams of CBLI-20. 😢

So, I came up with a plan to celebrate CBLI in my own way this year. I cannot benefit from the outstanding Bible classes. But, I can make a point to focus on my own Bible study. Since there are nine days to CBLI, I selected the one book of the Bible with nine chapters - Amos. I don't know how it will go, but I'll give it my best.

My Bible introduction to the book states:

"Amos prophesies during a period of national optimism in Israel. Business is booming and boundaries are bulging. But below the surface, greed and injustice are festering. Hypocritical religious motions have replaced true worship, creating a false sense of security and a growing callousness to God's disciplining hand. Famine, drought, plagues, death, destruction--nothing can force the people to their knees. Amos, the farmer-turned-prophet, lashes out at sin unflinchingly, trying to visualize the nearness of God's judgment and mobilize the nation to repentance. The nation, like a basket of rotting fruit, stands ripe for judgment because of its hypocrisy and spiritual indifference."

My, my. Timely!

Secondly, I decided to write nine letters (a letter each day) to individuals who have blessed me during my CBLI years and to make a point to pray specifically for them on that designated day:

1) I will start with Laura Allen, whose friendship and constant presence at CBLI have been like returning to a warm hug. She provided me with tons of camping tips (things she learned in her years of CBLI and CMI attendance - I think she's probably stayed in every cabin on the campgrounds - including Navajo, to which she wrote "NAVA-NO!!" when she spent the week there with mice - that cabin has since been condemned and torn down - yikes). I always look forward to our annual selfie and since she is a far better photographer, I often steal some of her images for my CBLI Re-cap posts. I have known Laura since my parents moved to an appointment in Chicago my freshman year of high school and am so grateful that our friendship endures and that she is always at CBLI, as well.

2) I could not miss thanking Linda Himes for being a Bible teacher extraordinaire! Over the years she nurtured my return to the importance of time in God's Word. I have such fond memories of all the deep learning in her classes on Ruth, covenant, and the tabernacle (those are the three that stand out the most - but I took other ones, as well). She always takes time to talk to me outside of class and has been a true blessing in my life, spurring me on to depth of Biblical study.

3) Many different individuals have led the worship times at camp over the years. When I think back to my first years of bringing Bryce to CBLI, I reveled in the worship leadership of Randy Bonifield. I can still remember standing with his wife, another Wendy, remarking on how odd it was to watch all the teens and remember that we were in that teen track over a decade before. And I will never forget the experience of one particular worship song Randy led (I believe it was a song called "I Went to the Enemy's Camp"). The teens went absolutely crazy during the chorus where they would chant of the devil, "He's under my feet!" and jump around in their rare teenage enthusiasm. Us oldsters (we were what? 35?) sat in the back and sucked it all in.

4) Another blessed memory, both with Bryce and from the years when my younger sons were small - fishing on the pier with Todd Thielke. He was so kind to take time for us (first helping Bryce to catch fish, then in later years, watching over Trevor and Sean in their enthusiasm for fishing). He took a photo of Bryce's largest fish title catch, but sadly, we couldn't seem to get it from his phone to send to me (probably because we had such archaic phones back then). I remember it was a whopper! Todd's kindness to my boys and enthusiasm for fishing will always be linked with our CBLI experiences.

5) There have been a few couples whose regular attendance at the camp always blesses me. Cheryl and Tom Westberg come to mind. Cheryl had a light bulb idea one year. Since she works in the book industry, she decided to set up a  Little Free Library at camp. For several years, she would load up tons of books to display on shelves and tables, free for the taking for campers to read during their free time and even to take home with them. You can imagine how much that thrilled me! She was also the mastermind behind several mom's day out trips into the nearby town of Antioch. I am so grateful to her husband Tom for keeping my boys so that I could participate in those adventures. We would go to the ice cream shop, the candy shop, and often a thrift store, too. It felt great to be included in that group.

6) Another regular couple at CBLI - David and Dawn Tooley (Dawn is one of the women in this ladies day out photo - This also makes me smile because Louise Rowland is in the photo and her friendship was very dear that year). I always appreciate their friendship, but I also benefited from several of David's classes. I think my favorite two were the ones he taught on John Ortberg's The Me I Want to Be and Donald Miller's book, Storyline.

7) In recent years, I've been blessed by the song leadership of Eric Himes and The Singing Company (for a few years, my niece, Kirsten, was a member of the group). He instituted something called Evening Hymn Sing. Individuals would go to the front to share a brief testimony and then select a hymn or chorus from a laundry line of possible titles and we would join in corporate worship together. I don't often get the chance to experience intense corporate worship like I experience at CBLI. The swell of voices communicating praise to God brings me right to His throne. I have several favorites, too many probably to mention. I even used one to prompt a focus phrase one year - "Let Nothing Be Wasted." He is an outstanding songwriter and worship leader.

8) Carol Wurtz has been such a good friend to me during the years of her leadership at CBLI. She made it possible for the boys and I to continue coming to CBLI even after we stopped attending The Salvation Army on a regular basis. She always asks after me, talks to my boys, and prays with me when things are stressing me out (like one dreadful night last year when the troubles with my prodigal son were first appearing). We owe a great debt of gratitude to her.

9) Way back when we first attended CBLI, Bryce and I always knew we would get to spend time with Carol Hedgren and her girls (close to Bryce's age) and Christy Mantel and her kids (her youngest daughter was Bryce's age). We hung with them during the mid-week trips to Great America, took classes together, and spent free time sharing in the same activities (down at the waterfront, rocking the Funbugs - triangular boards you stand on and move across the water with your body movements - this is a photo of Carol's daughter, Jordan, who recently got married - ah, time flies). Many happy memories. Sadly, they stopped attending so it has been years since we were able to hang out together.

Third, I plan to focus on one worship song/prayer chorus with sentimental meaning on each day. These are songs I remember singing at CBLI. The links to the YouTube versions don't always communicate the same vigor we sung them with, but give you a taste of each tune:

1) "I Went to the Enemy's Camp" (this version is not nearly as energetic as Randy Bonifield's)

2) "Let Nothing Be Wasted" - original by The Singing Company

3) "These Are the Days of Elijah" - my boys begged to listen to this after we returned from camp one year - I love the part where everyone chants "There's no God like Jehovah"

4) "Never Mind, Go On" - another Singing Company song

5) "10,000 Reasons" - This was another favorite often requested by the boys

6) "Be Thou My Vision"

7) "Shine, Jesus, Shine"

8) "In Christ Alone" - this version is sung by Owl City - I love his voice!

9) "No More, No More!" - another Singing Company song

So, as I mourn the loss of my beloved Bible camp experience this year, I will celebrate all the memories and carve out a special observance of my own. I will study the Word, express gratitude, pray, and sing praise. It won't be the same, but perhaps it will in some small way dull the pain.