Dayton Oaks 2008

Once again I had the joy and privilege of ministering the Word of God to junior campers at Muddy .... er, Dayton Oaks camp last month.

We had a few more campers than last year: 45 in grades 4-6. We also had a few new counselors added to our staff from last year, and a new camp pastor, Larry Fellmet from Webster City Bible Chapel. You may remember that Chris Hinds (formerly from Stratford Bible Chapel and a graduate of Emmaus Bible College) and Nate Ribbey (from Webster City Bible Chapel and formerly at Immanuel Navajo Mission in Arizona) shared the duties last year.

This year's camp theme was Fearlessness. Larry taught about a number of Bible events and characters in which fear and fearlessness were contrasted. We memorized several scripture passages that help us remember that faith in what Jesus Christ accomplished for us on the cross gives us the power to overcome any fear that Satan uses to try to defeat us.

Nine youngsters gave testimony of newly-professed salvation while at camp. Quite a few campers reported making a variety of other decisions regarding their relationship with Christ. Time alone provides evidence of the genuineness and depth of these decisions, but prayer and discipleship are helpful in strengthening tender faith. So please pray for these young souls when you visit my blog.

Here are some pictures:

2008 Junior Camp
Dayton Oaks










The food is always good!









Sara led the chapel music.


Theresa is famous for her silly camp songs. This one is the Sticky Moose song.







More pictures coming.........

I am sick and tired

of sin!

I'm fed up with the damage, and the destruction, and the devastation it causes, whether it be our own sin or the sin of others committed against us. I especially hate the effect it has on those too young to understand.

May God's word help us discern the sin in ourselves that we need to deal with at the cross of Christ, and may it also give us the strength and encouragement we need to endure the effects of sin committed against us, just as Christ, for the joy set before him, endured the cross on our behalf and is now glorified at the side of God the Father.

Maranatha!

Illness

Don't know exactly what bug knocked me down this week, but it was a doozy. Since last Monday afternoon I have been really hit hard by severe muscle ache and fatigue over my entire body, as well as a constant fever and chills. The achiness has made it difficult to sleep for more than a few hours at a time most nights. Ibuprofen relieves the symptoms temporarily, but I hate popping meds for more than an occasional dose or two. The pain is very similar to what I experienced about 9 years ago when I had shingles. That was awful!! Don't know if this is some kind of recurrence or not. I didn't think you could get shingles more than once.

I'm not usually one to shirk responsibility unless I am on my deathbed, so despite the pain and fatigue, I taught school and Learn-to-Skate anyway. God granted a lot of mercy (he always does!!), and I have a week off now for spring break in order to rest. I'm feeling just a little bit better today (Saturday), but still weak and nauseous from all the aching muscles. I am thankful that whatever this was, it wasn't bronchial. I would be months recuperating if it were.

It has certainly been a good opportunity to rely on the Lord's strength, since I have had none of my own all week. A song from an old favorite cantata of mine that celebrates both the Rapture and the Second Coming comes to mind. It is based on 1 John 3:2-3.

Like Him
John W. Peterson

Sons of God are we beloved,
What we'll be we know not now,
Only that we'll be like Jesus
When before his throne we bow;
Purifying hope! O yes,
It makes me search my heart today,
Makes me want to be more like him
While I'm on this pilgrim way.

No more pain or earthly sickness,
Twisted limbs will be restored;
No more growing old or dying,
We'll have bodies like the Lord!
Free from sin and self forever,
Knowing then a perfect love,
All because he died to save us—
Make us fit for heav'n above!

Like him someday we'll surely be!
Like him when his dear face we see!
Like him for all eternity!
Someday we'll surely be like Jesus.
Someday we'll surely be like him!


Maranatha!

Frustration Vent

After just a couple of times wearing them around the house, the boots fit fine. In fact, if anything, they may be a little too roomy. That may be able to be fixed if I want to send them back to Joe. He guarantees the fit, regardless of how many adjustments he has to make. (I love his company name, BTW: Maranatha, Inc. What a name for a figure skate dealer!)

My frustration is with the left blade. Typically, blades get "center-mounted." Sometimes you buy them separate from the boot, and sometimes you can buy the boot/blade package. Either way, you generally have them mounted to line up with the toe and heel seams on the boot, then adjust from there. The front and back sole plates each have sliding screw slots as well as round ones. If you just mount the blade with the sliding slots, you can move it one way or the other until it's right where you need it. Well, I pronate so badly on my left knee and ankle that sliding the blade as far to the inside as the sliding slots would allow was not in far enough. We probably moved it about 1/4 inch total. (That doesn't sound like a lot, but believe me -- it is!) There is only about 1/8 inch left to go before the inside edge of the front sole plate is even with the edge of the boot. But we have to redrill the holes to get it there. Mandy is loathe to do that. She thinks I need to work on realigning my balance instead. I've lived with my pronation for 51 years. I have no desire to completely retrain myself to stand, walk, sit, and skate when a simple 1/8 inch blade move will give me what I want.

I told her I'd give her 2 weeks of trying to skate on the blade as it is. After that, I'm getting out my cordless mini drill! (I redrilled my old ones, by golly. I can do it again!) In the meantime, I can hardly maneuver on the blade. I can't hold a flat, much less an outside edge. I can't stop to save my life - very unsafe! The outside of the toe pick scrapes on everything I try to do. It's very scary because I feel like I'll go head-over-toepicks at any moment. Last night I managed some very tentative circle pumps, a few careful grapevine swizzles and slaloms, some crossovers and 3-turns at the boards. That's about it. It's a waste of my ice bill money ($17/hour), my lesson money ($40/hour), and my brand new skates ($250) if I can't skate on them properly. Lisa even put them on and skated around in them for about 10 minutes. While she was able to find the outside edge, she agreed that the left blade hooked horribly to the inside.

For now, I miss the energy of skating all out, and I miss doing my spins and jumps. I want to run through my program in the worst way. Instead, I'm hanging onto the boards like a frightened beginner! Mandy is reluctantly allowing me to wear my old skates for Learn-to-Skate. I can't be trying to teach new skaters who can barely stand up when I can't even stand up myself!

Maranatha!

Ouch!

My new skates have arrived. My feet are in great pain, and will probably be enduring more in the next few weeks.

My trusty old Reidell's finally gave up the ghost and had to be replaced after eight years. They were beginning to break down, but my coaches also decided I needed to change blades. They felt a boot change at the same time would be a good idea. So I have switched from a Reidell 320 Bronze Star with an MK Professional blade to a Jackson Competitor 2200 boot with an Ultima Mirage blade.

I wore the new skates around the house (with guards on, of course) today. Boy are they ever stiff. I guess I had forgotten how stiff the Reidells were when I first got them. They also seem shorter in length, though they are actually a half-size larger than the Reidells. Of course sizing varies widely from brand to brand. I got a C width, which I can already tell is very nice, but the toes seem really squished, especially on top.

Once I get on the ice, the top edge of the boot won't be fun to deal with. I do remember how badly the tops of the Reidells cut into my legs until they bled! Also, the new blade is 1/2 inch shorter and flatter in the rocker now. It will be interesting to see how that changes my elements. I am most worried about losing my scratch spin.

I hope my coach takes pity on me tomorrow night. Maybe the Lord will return before then, and I won't have to endure the pain after all!!

Maranatha!

Home Again

Just returned from the convention. I was very impressed with the overall quality, the content, and the emphasis of what I heard. It was a strong exhortation to excellence in the ministry of teaching and an unapologetic and definitive stand for academic training of children and teens that is decidedly, thoroughly, and consistently Christian. No waffling, no "salt and light" excuses for embedding kids 30-40 hours a week in temples to a false god, no integrating the world's philosophies and "christianizing" them with a few Bible verses.

The opening message reminded us teachers that our students are our Timothys -- our sons in the faith. Like the believers in Philippi were to Paul, our students are our joy and crown. We need to teach them diligently with that attitude so as to build them up in their faith to become worshippers of, and thus servants of, the Lord.

The closing message took us to the account of Jesus washing the disciples' feet and and encouraged us to approach our ministry with the humility of a servant. Instead of trying to climb to greatness, we need to descend to a place before God and others where we genuinely minister. It's not about our professional achievement, it's about God's glory and the eternal hope he offers to human souls.

In between, there were dozens of workshops from which to choose that provided information, encouragement, and instruction in both the pragmatic and philosophical aspects of teaching. They were packed into a small amount of time, so we got a lot of information at a fast and furious pace. I need some time to mentally download it all and sort through it. I'm glad I took a lot of notes. Fortunately I had my laptop with me, so I was able to type quickly.

DH had a restful time, and we had wonderful fellowship and conversation with the N's. They took us to a funky little burger joint in downtown KC at the Crown Center called Fritz's . Your food order is delivered to your table by a miniature train on an overhead track. It's really quite clever. I did a little shopping at the Christmas ornament store. Back at the hotel, we all spent a couple hours playing Wii. DH doesn't usually get too excited about technological fads, but he really enjoyed this one.

We were thankful to the Lord for safe travel, a comfortable place to stay, the generosity of friends who helped make the trip possible, and the AACS staff and presenters who offered the conference. I am already looking forward to next year!

Southbound

We are traveling to Kansas City (technically Independence, MO) tomorrow for the MAACS teachers' convention. DH gets to go -- a nice little much-needed vacation for him. We will be traveling with Mr. N and his family, as well. I am really looking forward to the trip, the convention, and great fellowship with dear friends.

New Students

We have some new students starting classes with us at MCA tomorrow. We are very excited!

Maranatha!

Happy New Year

Happy 2008!

May this be the year the Lord Jesus Christ returns for his bride! Maranatha!


I Am Resolved
Words: Palmer Hartsough
Music: James H. Fillmore, Sr.

I am resolved no longer to linger,
Charmed by the world’s delight,
Things that are higher, things that are nobler,
These have allured my sight.

I am resolved to go to the Savior,
Leaving my sin and strife;
He is the true One, He is the just One,
He hath the words of life.

I am resolved to follow the Savior,
Faithful and true each day;
Heed what He sayeth, do what He willeth,
He is the living Way.

I am resolved to enter the kingdom
Leaving the paths of sin;
Friends may oppose me, foes may beset me,
Still will I enter in.

I am resolved, and who will go with me?
Come, friends, without delay,
Taught by the Bible, led by the Spirit,
We’ll walk the heav’nly way.

Refrain

I will hasten to Him, hasten so glad and free;
Jesus, greatest, highest, I will come to Thee.
I will hasten, hasten to Him, hasten so glad and free;
Jesus, Jesus, greatest, highest, I will come to Thee.