Mid-month Mention: Wheaton College Summer Institute

This week I received an e-mail about an opportunity I desperately wish I could snag. Wheaton College, my alma mater, wrote to inform alumni of their Wheaton College Summer Institute for high school students. Yes, I have a high school student who fits the requirements (will enter junior year with a strong academic record). No, I do not have a high school student willing to participate. I mentioned to Sean that Ivy Tech was offering free summer school courses to high school students this summer. His response? "Why would I want to take summer school? Besides, I plan on getting a job." Well, there's that. Plus, I cannot imagine Sean heading off for two weeks to a camp experience, even if it would prepare him for the college application process. He always hated our annual Bible camp excursions. But this opportunity sounds like something I wish I could give my child.

The Wheaton College Summer Institute offers a two-week campus stay from June 18th through July 1st, 2023. Students not only experience living in the dorms and eating in the cafeteria, developing friendships with other college-bound teens, but also take one college course for credit. There are 16 courses to choose from and I see several that appeal to me (say Shakespearience, Otherworlds of Imagination in C. S. Lewis, The Brain: A Neuroscience Primer, or The Makings of Middle Earth). Besides earning college credit, they receive hints and strategies for college entrance applications and essays. Plus, if you complete the program, you gain an expedited Wheaton College application (with fee waiver) and the chance to earn a renewable $500 scholarship.

My time at Wheaton was wonderful and full of many happy memories. It was a chance to make life-long friendships and sit under excellent professors who taught fascinating courses. I enjoyed the Wheaton-in-England program and the rare opportunity to work in The Marion E. Wade Center, transcribing C. S. Lewis' correspondence. Although it was expensive, I received outstanding financial aid and worked three jobs to keep myself afloat. I could think of nothing better than to send my child off to experience the same. Perhaps you have a teen contemplating a Christian college journey. Look into the Wheaton College Summer Institute today!

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.

CBLI 2019

Last year, Trevor and I were convinced we were experiencing our last annual Bible camp, CBLI. For years, the high school football team's summer camp has always fallen on CBLI week. Since Trevor intended to play, we figured CBLI was out. Thankfully, we discovered (early enough) in the spring that they moved the team camp dates from July to June. Since we no longer take our attendance for granted, I insisted Sean join us. Still, I worried he might ruin it for me, because his friend was having a big party on the Tuesday night of our encampment, and he would have to miss it because his mother was forcing him to go to Bible camp. Thankfully, the camp had a new draw for him - Great America.

Years ago, when Bryce and I first attended, the camp always headed to Great America on the Wednesday. Twelve years ago (possibly considering it an unnecessary expense), they pulled Great America off the schedule and switched that middle day to a family day (often holding a large picnic with games and a petting zoo). Thus, my younger boys had never really ventured to the amusement park near camp.

Sean surprised himself. He had a great time. The tween track was loads of fun and he made friends easily. Every day, he spent most of his free time with friends at the pool. He didn't even beg to go into town (something we routinely do). The only problem he encountered during the whole week was an inability to find tween friends willing to ride the thrill rides with him. Thankfully, the Lees (a couple on the tween track staff) rode some rides with him prior to the all-camp dinner in the picnic grove. After the dinner, we ran into our cabin neighbors (the Nashes) and I even joined in riding some of the coasters (I only rode the Demon, the American Eagle, and X-Flight).

I spent most of my free time reading in our room. One day, I attempted to read in the hammocks set up near the chapel, but alas a young girl came along (unsupervised) and decided it was her mission to spill me out of the hammock by continuously rocking it, despite my pleas for her to stop. That ended quickly.

One of the really great things about this year was the joint theme covering the book of Philippians. Every track focused on that book of the Bible, so the boys learned from the same passages I studied.

The adult track had outstanding guests in Majors Jonathan and Barbara Rich. Some of the highlights of the teaching included: the idea of being careful not to photo-bomb Jesus, the concept of salvation having three tenses - past (moment of salvation), present (sanctification) and future (Christ's coming), the need to have the gospel on video, instead of merely on audio, the idea of dual citizenship (heavenly is an umbrella over earthly citizenship), and the idea that there is no better antidote to anxiety than to rejoice. He asserted that what we live for can be untouchable if we understand the hardness of life, the alchemy of life (alchemy attempts to turn lead to gold; God is the only alchemist able to take evil and turn it into good), the definition of life (what we base our identity on), and the dynamic of life. The power of the resurrection makes us resemble him (more people, more like Jesus). Mindset is so important; if you focus on Christ, all the rest falls into place.

Some noteworthy soundbites:

"Those who do the most good in this world are the ones most focused on the next." - C.S. Lewis

"Oh, bless the stern schoolmaster that is my wheelchair." - Joni Eareckson Tada

"We have received your application for the Trinity, and we regret to inform you that you do not qualify." - didn't catch the author of that quote, but loved the way it communicated that we are not God.

"The gospel plus something is not the gospel; the gospel plus nothing is everything." ??

"If your 'if' is based on your 'I', your assurance of salvation will always be denied." David Bowden (click here to watch his powerful six minute spoken gospel presentation "If I")

"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen; not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." - C.S. Lewis

The Athiest and the Acorn story

I enjoyed time with other repeat attenders who have become great friends over the years (Laura Allen and her sister, Emily Southfield; Tom and Cheryl Westberg, Carol Wurtz, and Susan Nash):

Trevor, while stoked to go, ended up really struggling with the transition from the tween track into the teen track. He stayed with his buddies Emmet and Ethan in one of the teen cabins.

We brought along his fishing equipment, but I don't think he really spent any time fishing. Twice I took him along for a jaunt into town. Given our experience with Cedar Point, he was not impressed with Great America (although both boys listed Superman as their favorite ride).

While Sean was acclimating better than ever before, Trevor was begging to go home early (all his smiling photos were taken in the first half of the week). It makes me sad that he didn't come away with better attitudes and memories. Oh, well. Teens! I consider we were greatly blessed by CBLI 2019!

(Special thanks to Jennifer Minter, Laura Allen, Emily Southfield, Carol Wurtz, and Susan Nash for use of their photos.)
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Update: We received shocking news. While we were at camp, I was in a small group with a young woman named Tamara Eagle and Sean swam with her 11-year-old daughter, Nyobee, during free time. The two were on their way (with the grandmother) to a funeral in South Dakota, when a car crash took all three of their lives. So glad we had a brief chance to get to know them. Hoping they enjoyed a wonderful time during their final days of life, at CBLI. We were definitely sobered by this sad news.

CBLI 2018 - Contemplating Possible Finality

2018 marks the twentieth consecutive year of our family attendance at Central Bible and Leadership Institute, our annual Bible camp with The Salvation Army. I'm really kicking myself for not insisting that Sean attend (camp is more challenging for him, given his shyness). Trevor and I both had a wonderful time. We battled dueling feelings of joy and sorrow because we approached the week feeling it would be our last CBLI encampment (next year, when Trevor will finally be old enough to attend the teen track alone, he will probably be on the football team and the high school coaches do not tolerate absence for the week of football camp - it always falls on the week of CBLI). It added a touch of gloom as we continually thought, "Will this be our last?"

I was thrilled to learn that two friends from my teen years would be attending for the first time in many years. Lori Dalberg Gjovig came to work in the jr. high track (had no photo of Lori) and Tina Carlson Fewell came to spend the week with her son, Blake. Here's a photo of Tina (on the left) with another friend, Susan (who has attended CBLI for several years):

This provided two more individuals for me to eat meals with (especially important now that Trevor eats most of his meals with his friends instead of with me).

We were housed this year in Robin (a cabin I haven't been in since the first two or three years of attendance when Bryce was 3-5 years old). Although they were working on re-siding the cabin (lots of afternoon sawing and pounding), I still managed to nap through it due to my early rising. My 5 a.m. Eastern time waking hour translated to 4 a.m. Central time, but my body refused to give up its circadian rhythm. I happily rose early, showered, and headed over to the lodge lounge to carry out my typical morning Bible and writing routines.

A curious new space at camp provided a perfect setting for my annual photo with my friend, Laura. The tiny room was located outside the chapel, but I'm still unclear what purpose it was meant to serve (apart from photo ops):

The adult track enjoyed the Christian comedy team, Bean and Bailey, on the first Sunday night:

Other activities included a concert by Joseph Solomon, a dog presentation by Extreme Obedience, and a celebration of 50 years of teen track leadership by the inimitable Barb Higgins. But, I think my favorite part of the adult track, was the Bible study led by Capt. Marion Platt. He taught about the character of God, focusing on such attributes as immutability, omnipresence, holiness, sovereignty, faithfulness, justice, mercy, and love. I was deeply moved by his words about God's unchanging character when he introduced the concept of "would-be Jesus," a Jesus we're more comfortable with because he is made, by us, in our own image. His words hit home so much that I feel I must share them (available to listen to in the link above on the You Tube video for the second day of the study, at the 37:30 minute mark):

"We'd rather have, sometimes, 'Would-Be-Jesus.' Do you know who W-B Jesus is? It's a kinda, but not-quite Jesus. It's based-on-a-true-story Jesus. It's the kind of Jesus you create, not of wood or gold, but in your own image. W-B Jesus takes cues and gets counsel from you. W-B Jesus hates the stuff you hate, permits the stuff you permit, omits what you omit, condones what you condone and pets the doctrines you pet. W-B Jesus only ever votes the way you would vote and can't believe that other people vote any different. W-B Jesus ... prefers your preferences, is outraged by what you are outraged by, and when your ideas, opinions, views, and values change, as they often do, so do the ideas, opinions, views, and values of W-B Jesus change. W-B Jesus is made in your image. If you are a disgruntled, disillusioned person, so is W-B Jesus. If you're an angry person who screams at the TV at every shift in culture, then your W-B Jesus screams at the TV beside you. If you're a hard-core permissive, hemp-wearing flower child, your W-B Jesus strums a harp on the lowest branch of the oldest oak tree. W-B Jesus tolerates other churches, but likes your church the best....

"It would shock you how similar W-B Jesus is to you. He walks with you, He talks with you, and you tell Him 'You are my own.' And if you look closely, if you conduct a comparative analysis of W-B Jesus to the middle-Eastern, middle-aged Jesus of history and Scripture, you will find that you have hung a carefully cultivated scarecrow in the garden of your heart. W-B Jesus might keep the crows of culture away, but W-B Jesus can never save you or make you holy. Why? Because W-B Jesus is too busy changing. And you know what? The fact that W-B Jesus changes is proof that W-B Jesus is not Jesus at all.

"We find a complete character profile of God between the gospels... My main point for this entire week is that God will be who He will be, unchanging, omnipresent, holy, faithful, just, merciful, and loving independent of the culture or our political preferences. And we learn that from turning our eyes upon the actual, real-life Jesus, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever."

From my own notes, I gleaned some powerful observations: 1) Despite the sensation of loneliness, we are never alone because God stands outside of time and is geographically and chronologically ever-present; 2) We can talk about holiness but still be empty until we interact with the source; 3) God wants us to be the "spittin' image" of Him; 4) Our biggest problem in imitating His level of faithfulness comes from our contract-thinking instead of covenant-thinking; and 5) Righteousness includes not just loving God in a proper way but others in a provisional way.

But my notes were haphazard at best, compared to the beautifully illustrated notes Valerie Carr took and shared:

While I was soaking up the spiritual nourishment of the Bible study (and insight from my elective class on spiritual gifts), Trevor was studying wisdom in the jr. high track (especially fun for him because he was able to play drums for the praise band in his track:

He spent a bit of time down at the lakefront fishing, but gave up on his usual goal of winning the largest fish competition.

Instead, he spent most of his free time hanging with his buddies, Ethan and Emmet (sometimes literally hanging):

(Another crazy glasses purchase at our favorite Antioch, IL joke, magic, and costume shop, J.J. Blinkers - a fun annual tradition.)

By the end of the week, despite our eagerness to get home to our own beds and showers, we were both fairly sad that our possible final encampment was over. I keep trying to come up with some way to salvage plans to make it work again. Perhaps I can insist Sean go with me next year. Perhaps Trevor will decide against playing high school football. Or perhaps I will simply go on my own. A year without CBLI would be, well, a year with a gaping hole during the month of July. Only time will tell, but my heart hopes CBLI will be in our future again, somehow, some way.

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I only took the photos of our private room in Robin. All other photos came from those who attended the camp with me, so special thanks to Jennifer Minter, Laura Allen, Emily Southfield, Tina Fewell, Kim Suydam, Brenna Lee, and Valerie Carr for use of their photos.

Indiana Music Camp 2018

For the last seven years, I've graciously been invited to serve on the faculty of The Salvation Army's Indiana Music Camp. Originally, I thought I wouldn't be able to participate this year because I hoped to attend a Highlights Foundation Novel Workshop. After much thought and deliberation, we decided we simply couldn't afford it ($2500) and so I attended music camp after all. I don't regret the change in plans.

I'm uncomfortable in leadership positions (I was never a great conductor when I led the junior choir, although I do think I selected appropriate and inspiring songs for them to sing), so I was thrilled to learn I would be assisting instead of leading. I worked with the middle school band instructor who led the Intermediate Band and assisted another officer teaching the creative writing elective, my favorite part of camp. I also taught a small group of campers during the daily theory time. I used to love theory, but after years away from it, it is like an unused language and not quite so much fun anymore. I played in the second horn section of the faculty band (especially challenging because I haven't picked up my horn in almost an entire year). While I'm sure I wasn't much of an asset to the faculty (messed up quite a few passages during the faculty band performance), I did enjoy the camaraderie and the chance to nurture a love of music in the campers.

On Wednesday evening of the encampment, we always make a faculty run to the nearby Steak 'n Shake:

This is the photo of our group, minus a fair number who stayed behind.

I was able to take Trevor along as a camper. He fought me tooth and nail about participating in the solo contest. He just didn't care about placing and didn't want to do it. Finally, in the week prior to the camp, I laid down the law and insisted. I don't think he regretted his change in plans either. He ended up winning first place in the Advanced Band competition. That's quite an accomplishment because he played a snare drum solo without accompaniment, competing against instrumentalists with accompaniment. But he blew the judges away with his confidence, accuracy, technique, and dynamics.

Moreover, if he hadn't participated in the solo competition, he wouldn't have scored enough points to win any of the larger awards. On the final day, at the closing concert, he received the Brigadier Richard Miller Award.

This award includes a scholarship to one of the territorial camps, either Central Music Institute or CBLI (the annual Bible camp we've attended for twenty consecutive years). Back when Trevor's older brother Bryce used to attend music camp, he won this award several times, but at that time you could only use it for CMI and that camp always conflicts with Indiana school schedules. While I would have loved it if my boys had been able to take advantage of these opportunities to attend CMI (a beloved camp from my teenaged days), I simply couldn't put them behind the eight ball by missing a solid week of school at the very beginning (when teachers form first impressions).

Midway through the week, Trevor regaled me with his three favorite parts of music camp, in order: 1) the ukulele elective class, 2) paintball, and 3) advanced band. In the advanced band, he was assigned the drum set for one of their pieces, "Moses." After doing so well in the band and in the solo competition, one of the officers who will be in charge of the tween track at CBLI asked Trevor to play the drums for the tween praise band there. While it was wonderful to get home to our own beds and loose schedules, both Trevor and I had a wonderful time at Indiana Music Camp 2018!

Book Review: The Power of Praying for Your Adult Children

Anyone who knows me well, knows about our annual trek to a nine-day Bible camp, CBLI, at the end of July. Several years ago, when my two younger sons were quite small, I took a class at the camp called "The Power of a Praying Parent" based on Stormie Omartian's book of the same name. It was a wonderful class and I came away feeling super-charged to exert a positive influence on my children through my prayers on their behalf. Now, my oldest son is no longer a child. Indeed, as he moves away and embarks on a new path beginning his work assignment with the Solvay company in Ohio, I feel a strong desire to cover him with prayer just as intensely as I did when he was younger.

I think anyone who has an adult child knows the typical inner desires for their benefit - their career choices, relationships, financial security and wisdom, spiritual and physical health and well-being, and guidance through the inevitable storms they will face in life. In that sense, The Power of Praying for Your Adult Children will not suddenly stir in you an insight of something you should be praying for but haven't. No, the benefit of this book lies primarily in Omartian's clear language expressing those desires in heartfelt prayers and Scripture passages. I listened to the book in audio form, but would like to seek out the physical book to jot down some of the Scripture passages she references, the prayers she expresses, and the format for the final letter she composes to give to an adult child.

I was pleasantly surprised that while I walked and prayed those prayers for my oldest son, I couldn't help but think of myself as an adult child, as well. I recognized that several of those prayers could be just as important to pray for myself. I fully believe in the tangible, trustworthy power of prayer. My life bears evidence of it through my miracle story and through the many times when I've experienced my own parents praying for me through bad circumstances and difficult roads. I vow to continue to lift my sons to the Lord and ask his protection, provision, and purpose for their lives. My prayers for them have already taken fruit, as they express their own intentions to pray for me when I approach challenges in my own life. How fortunate I am to know that both my parents and my children are bringing me to the foot of the Lord for His best purposes.

Central Bible & Leadership Institute 2017

One of the most significant blessings in my life over the years has been our involvement in The Salvation Army's Central Bible & Leadership Institute. My sons and I have been attending every summer since my oldest was three; that's nineteen consecutive years! I cannot begin to express how grateful I am for all that has been poured into us over the years through this camp. This year was slightly different, in that only one of my sons accompanied me, but we both came away with a feeling of great fellowship and intense spiritual nourishment.

(Photo courtesy of Emily Southfield)

(an annual selfie taken by my dear friend, Laura Allen)

Thanks to the dates being bumped up a week, we were able to attend without driving back and forth to accommodate the start of school (we proved the level of our devotion by doing just that last year).

We received a housing assignment that gave me some pause, but we've had plenty of years of excellent assignments, so I felt it was certainly our turn. Beech provides a long hallway of tiny rooms (four on either side) with two twin beds in each. The room itself, despite being small, was perfectly sufficient for our minimal needs. I was most anxious about the bathroom dilemma, since there are sixteen people sharing one male toilet/shower and one female toilet/shower. Amazingly, Trevor only had to wait occasionally for access (there were more men than women billeted there), and I only had to wait once (primarily because I'm such an early riser that nobody else was ever up when I began my morning routine). It was cozy and a comfortable distance from the dining hall.

I am always blessed by the opportunity to join such a large group singing praises to God. The times of worship, in both the general meetings and in our smaller adult track Bible study, thrilled my soul. I think my very favorite worship tune this year was the song "Let Nothing Be Wasted" (especially poignant on the heels of writing a redemptive women's inspirational novel this past November).

(photo courtesy of Jared Collins)

The spirit really moved distinctly in the adult Bible study this year (once again taught by the excellent Bible teacher, Linda Himes). We studied the tabernacle/temple and focused on the idea of the meaning of worship. I think, in general, people tend to view worship as the singing of praises to the Lord, but Linda encouraged us to delve deeper into God's original intention for worship and the significance of his provision of a pattern for redemption drawn in the specific instructions for the tabernacle and temple. We began with Old Testament passages where the words "love," "obey" and "worship" were first used, in the story of Abraham's testing when God asked him to sacrifice his one and only son, Isaac. God clearly chose the place where this act of worship should take place. We then shifted to Old Testament passages containing God's specifications for the act of atoning for the sins of His people. Linda brought along a model of the tabernacle pieces and we were able to visualize exactly what such worship would have felt like.

 (photo courtesy of David Tooley)

 (photo courtesy of David Tooley)

(photo courtesy of David Tooley)

In the midst of these discussions, we thought about David's insistence on paying full price for the land God selected for the temple, not wanting to give a sacrifice to God that cost him nothing. Linda emphasized God's desire to dwell with His people and His presence filling the temple. Of course, the temporary (tabernacle) was merely a pattern for the permanent (temple), which was a pattern for the eternal (Christ's sacrifice tearing the veil, destroying the temple, and raising from the dead to provide eternal life for all believers). Finally, we focused on the priesthood of believers and our ability to approach God with boldness directly (the external becoming internal and the letter of the law shifting to heart change). With new eyes, we studied the importance of worshiping in spirit and in truth through full obedience and devotion. There were several moments during the class where the spirit of the Lord was tangible and real.

For my workshop, I selected a class on Trusting God Even When Life Hurts (based on the book by Jerry Bridges), led by Major Ruth Fay. I will review the book separately, but gained new insights into the purpose and meaning of suffering through this class. I don't think I had ever thought so intensely about the sovereignty of God (something I have personally questioned when faced with trials in life). I appreciated that the discussions never dissolved into arguments about what and why God allows tragedies to play out in the sphere of our world. The homework pages helped me work through the ideas presented in the book.

When we were not in classes, our free times were primarily taken up with Trevor's focus on fishing. He entered the longest fish competition and ended up taking first place. I think everyone was at a disadvantage this year because of the recent flooding in the area. The pier we normally fish from had broken off and floated to the middle of the lake. It had been retrieved and was wheeled up onto the side of the lake, but without the pier's availability, everyone had to fish where the weeds were thick and the fish less plentiful. Still, Trevor managed to catch a ten inch fish. We were able to determine the length because he took this photo against the square portion of his t-shirt (next year, we'll have to remember to bring a ruler or yard stick).

Several times, we ventured into town to buy lures and live bait. During one of those trips, Trevor purchased a pair of alien sunglasses that became his trademark accessory for the week. He had a blast fishing and hanging out with his friends.

(photo courtesy of Kim Suydam)

(photo courtesy of Christina Joy)

As we drove home from camp (quite a feat since we were hindered by a stopped train, causing us to get lost, an accident diverting traffic, and then the standard slow movement on the highways home), we both reflected on God's rich blessings this year. Now that Trevor is joining the junior high football team, I'm not sure we will manage next year again. If we do, it will be our 20th year, Sean's first in the tween track, and Trevor's last in the tween track.