Lessons from kids camp- P3

More thoughts about prayer:

Several times throughout the camp, when praying I asked kids to repeat after me.  I do it for several reasons.  Some kids don’t know how to pray so they need someone to model for them, some kids can’t stay focused, so helping them with the words provides a auditory way to focus, it helps kids be comfortable hearing their prayers out loud (too often I think kids don’t practice praying out loud, or they have somehow learned that if you don’t pray a certain way- or you think your prayer isn’t good enough, you shouldn’t pray out loud- I hate that…), and sometimes we pray out loud because it can bring energy and passion to our prayers when we pray as a group (another example would be saying the apostle’s creed together, there is power in numbers!).

One child did however remind me one day that it’s not good to pray other people’s prayers, because everyone has their own prayer to pray. I love that!  The little boy seemed pretty upset that they had to repeat a prayer so after thanking him for the reminder I gently told him we prayed out loud to help kids who maybe didn’t know how to pray.  He seemed okay with that response.

And again, I am challenged to think about why I do ministry the way I do. It’s easy to take something like that for granted- just pray and move on already!  But we can’t just tell kids to do something without knowing or beleiving in what we are doing.  And every moment is a teachable moment- not just for the learners, but for the teachers too.

 

Reflections on psalm 63

¹ O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.

I can’t help but be drawn to the passion and emotion of this psalm.  My own heart echoes the words of David, yet it many ways, I’m not sure I can relate.  I have never experienced the physical desperation of being thirsty.  To the extent that someone would walk miles for  a gallon of water is unfathomable to me…how then can I grasp that desperate of a need for Jesus?  I’ve never been in extreme pain, never known persecution.  My life has not been easy, but over all it has been comfortable.  I want to thirst and long and seek my God like David writes about here…and I know no mountain top encounter or valley of death is necessary for this intense longing for God, but I think in my comfortable life, it’s easy to feel joy and thankfulness to my Heavenly Father, but not as much desperate need for His presence in my life.

² I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.

³ Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.

⁴ I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.

⁵ My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

⁶ On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.

⁷ Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I am not ashamed to say I am an emotional believer.  Those who can worship God, study the word, pray and praise God and be void of expressing emotion (as they might when they are in love, or angry, listening to a great piece of music, or in a lively conversation)- I don’t understand them.   I think David and I would get along great.  We whine, complain, cry out in frustration, and make lots of mistakes, but from the inside out, our true desire is to know God and be known by Him.  It isn’t uncommon for me to shed a tear when feeling God’s presence, to feel the need to raise my hands and move my feet when singing a song to him.  But like David I too have enemies.  My enemies probably look more like laziness, being too quick to criticize, not showing enough affection/affirmation to the people I love most, and lack of discipline in certain areas of my life.

⁸ My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.

⁹ They who seek my life will be destroyed;
they will go down to the depths of the earth.

And when I feel my enemies (my sin) overtaking me, it’s comforting to know who is there holding my hand.  I look forward to the day my sins will be destroyed forever, given over to the sword.  I’m a little like the Israelites and tend to forget from season to season how God has taken care of me- which makes me that much more grateful for Jesus life and resurrection to bring me back to a place of remembrance.  A place of reflection.

¹⁰ They will be given over to the sword
and become food for jackals.

¹¹ But the king will rejoice in God;
all who swear by God’s name will praise him,
while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

 

Lessons from Kids Camp- P2

Ways to Pray

When it comes to a child’s faith, there is so much to teach, and so many learning opportunities.  At camp, I tried to make the most of every moment I had with the kids, to be salt and light, and help bring kids close to Jesus.  So of course, we prayed each morning and afternoon together.  After our first monday morning prayer, I had the kids yell amen as loud as they could so God could hear.  At the end of camp that day, someone told me a story about a girl who went home yelling her prayers so God would hear her. I actually know the child, and know that she knows she doesn’t have to shout her prayers (she was probably doing it to drive her older brothers crazy- truth be told).  But it was a great reminder to me, to teach kids many ways to talk to God.  We didn’t shout amen at the end of every prayer.   Sometimes we said a silent amen, sometimes we said a quiet amen, and yes, we still shouted amen as an expression of excitement and love for God!

 

Lessons from Kids Camp- Part one

Last week I had an amazing time at kids camp.  I learned quite a bit too!  Even though it was my 7th summer camp at Quest (and 10th camp at Quest if you include spring camps!) I felt like a new-by all over again.  And I had some great mini-conversations with kids/teens throughout the week that inspired and encouraged me.  So I thought I share a bit of what I learned through SonRock kids camp.

Reminder to myself and other camp directors (none of which I’m sure read this little blog!): The week before camp is crazy, chaotic, rushed, hectic, exciting, nerve-wracking, and emotionally, physically, draining.  This year, I thought for sure I would have some sort of crazy break-down during camp week, because I felt so empty and used up even before camp began!  I was weary and exhausted and worried it would be evident at camp.  Never fear- super man, I mean SUPER GOD is here!  Woah, did He bring the rain just when I needed it!

That first day of camp was so much fun- a little crazy yes (particularly registration which is typical I know)- but REALLY fun.  What made it fun was really watching volunteer leaders step up and serve, camp counselors, guides, youth helpers, snack & craft & game people.  People using their gifts and also people willing to learn new things.  And excited kids, a little shy at first, but happy to be at camp.  It was refreshing and energizing right from the beginning.  I realized by day two that while the week before camp is crazy, the week of camp, at least for me as a director, was revitalizing my soul.

lesson one: Kids Camp is worth all the hard work and effort put in before camp, so that the week of camp kids can learn, youth and adults can serve and grow in their faith, and directors can watch with goofy grins and delight in the fruit of their labor!!!!

 

where did june go?

Brief summary of the month that just disappeared while I barely blinked:

• weeek one: trip to AK for a dear college friends wedding.  First trip without Ezra…
• week two: preparing for kids camp and catching up on everything from being gone, Ezra also started potty training on his own
• week three: the crazy rush to kids camp, tons of new kids registering (web problems of course), last minute leader sign-ups and organizing everything for a “hopefully” seam-less week of fun with kids
• week 4: SonRock Kids Camp!  woohoo it was so much fun and truly did go fabulously well!
• week 5: resting from camp, playing with my babies in the back yard, hanging out with cool people, reading, and pretending that I don’t have any work to do (at home or otherwise)

Now it’s time to get back to work, start writing and continue to enjoy life, as crazy as it may be.

 

josiah’s 7 month pics

i haven’t been writing as often as i’d like. in fact, i tend to jot notes down on paper, ideas i want to blog- and then by the time i get around to blogging, the notes are either irrelevant or i can’t remember why i wrote down the things i did.  darn technology, information gets old way too fast.  one thing that doesn’t age- pictures a couple 4 month pictures and most of them are 7 month…

 

ready- set- go!

Last week went by so fast! beginning Saturday afternoon at 4pm, with a trip to Home Depot with my father- bless the man- ending at 12 noon the next Saturday afternoon, we accomplished all THIS with the help of some amazing volunteers, gifted carpenters, and a whole lot of soul…THE BIGGEST THANK YOU TO SOME WONDERFUL FRIENDS!

 

A rough start to potty training

we’re trying to start potty training.  the morning went like this:

- ezra, it’s potty day!  you get watch the cars movie [for the first time] when you sit on the potty and when you go potty you get a potty treat!

- okay mom [sits on the toilet for 15 minutes] i’m all done

-[turn cars off] did you go potty

- no! i want to watch cars! [TANTRUM]

- lets put pull-ups on so you can eat breakfast

- no pullups! [TANTRUM]

- here’s your big boy underwear [puts them on, then pulls them off quickly]

-no big boy. i want a diaper! i want pants! [TANTRUM]

- [on go the pants, no diaper] if you have to go potty tell mommy okay? [eats breakfast, gets down to play] let’s go potty!

- no potty! [small tantrum] i want to go outside! [looks down at his leg and starts shaking it like a dog

-did you go potty?

-no [wiping the pee off his foot]

- uh oh, you went potty in your pants, let’s change your pants.

- no take it off! [TANTRUM]

- let’s wipe your legs, with toilet paper

- no toilet paper, i need wipes! [BIG TANTRUM]

- we need to change your socks they are wet [from pee]

- i need THESE socks! [TANTRUM]

-[sigh] let’s just put a diaper on.

- i want potty sticker!

- if you go potty on the toilet you get a potty treat AND a sticker, let’s go potty!

- NO! no potty! i need my potty sticker! [TANTRUM]

- okay, it’s time for a nap…

- no nap! [TANTRUM...crawl in bed, lie down, go to sleep]

I want to give up and it’s only been 2 hours! he only sat on the potty for 15 minutes and now he refuses to sit on it. maybe we’ll wait another week.

 

babies a redemptive element of poverty?

isaiah 54: 1 “sing, o barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband, says the Lord”.  though initially this passage makes me think of women i know who may be struggling to get pregnant- ultimately it’s an image of Jerusalem- the israelits- during exile, and the call to rejoice even in your suffering and rise above your situation.  wow, easier said than done.  it reminds me of what happened to the israelites when they were first slaves in egypt.  what did they do? the bible tells us they multiplied.  egypts officials were concerned because even in oppression, they wouldn’t stop populating!

i think about our current day and age, some of the most poverty stricken places can have the highest populations.  this could be due to many, many things, none of which i am an expert in.  but as i personally reflect on this passage, i am struck with a thought.  what is the most beautiful miracle God has ever done, with exception to Jesus Christ? Creating something from nothing- a baby.  i am a firm believer that children are God’s greatest miracle, maybe that is why i love them so much.  and if that is the case, in places where it seems God has literally abandoned people to pain and suffering, oppression, injustice, poverty, plagues and illness- it is in those places that we also find many of his greatest miracles. ever thought about that? experts say even in times of recession when many people wh, like we face in the us now, we can expect there to be more births. interesting.

now what i have the hardest time excepting is that while God provides his greatest miracles, maybe as a reminder of his presence, what is happening to these children? more pain, suffering, illness and possibly even death.  that breaks my heart. that is the broken and sin-filled world we live in.

isaiah 54: 7-8, “for a brief moment i abandoned you, but with deep compassion i will bring you back. in a surge of anger i hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness i will have compassion on you, says the Lord your Redeemer”.  there is the word again.  redeemer.  redeem.  redemption. to jerusalem he reminds them of his return- which is his son jesus christ.  to us i believe he is reminding us of eternity with him, when we accept his role in our life as redeemer.  and thankfully all those little miracles who may not grow up to know the redeemer, he has a place for them too.

maybe babies are the beauty from ashes of poverty?

 

dedications and baptisms tomorrow

I get to be a part of 3 dedications and 4 infant baptisms tomorrow.  i don’t know what it is, but lately I have been getting so excited about this event for families. It is such a special and meaningful time.  I think as parenting gets more challenging, moving from caring for a baby to caring for a toddler who needs rules, boundaries, guidelines, discipline, and knowledge of God’s love for him, I realize the importance of having people around me, advising and supporting me.  It’s very important to have help during the first year with food, and advice on health, and care for a baby, but the type of support needed for dealing with tantrums, and independent will, and teaching young children how to love others and love God iss differen than that first year.  I obviously dont’ have older kids, but I think it is this way for all different stages.  can’t wait ’til the teenage years…oh boy. but i am thankful for the people in my life who have helped corey and i and inspired us to strive for excellence in our parenting- thank you.