Crestridge Night of Chaos

This summer we introduced a new camp wide activity…OMC or Organized Mass Chaos.  Campers who came session 1B and 2B got to experience what that meant here at camp.  As you saw in the video above, it really was chaos.  But, as in everything here at camp, there was a method to our madness…no, really. The night definitely was chaotic, but it sure was fun.  

Tell us your favorite part of the night!

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Crestridge Vegetable Salsa

Want another addition for that Crestridge recipe book I’m sure you’ve started by now?!  On today’s agenda is Vegetable Salsa (serving for 6).  

Indgredients:

1 can of niblet corn

1 green, red and orange bell pepper (add more if desired), chopped

1 purple onion and 1 yellow onion, chopped

1 can of black beans (drain)  

1 large can of rotel

3 fresh tomatoes, chopped

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in bowl.  Chill overnight.

Yes, it really is that easy and it tastes amazing!!  More recipes to follow in the upcoming days!

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Treasure Hunt

Treasure Hunt
Read This Passage: Luke 12:31-34

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. —Luke 12:34
 
MILLION DOLLAR HOUSES. Expensive fashion trends. Pricey cars and electronics. In today’s world many of us seem to be in love with the idea of more. We want more stuff, more money, more popularity.

There’s nothing wrong with having nice things or working hard and saving to get something you want. But there is a problem when this stuff—material, earthly things—becomes the treasure in your life. We can have all the money in the world, but if our bank accounts are where we store our treasure, our hearts have a zero balance.

I have learned recently what it means to be without. I found myself scrounging for enough money to pay my rent, yet I felt blessed because I learned what it really means to completely rely on God. Putting an emphasis on worldly treasures got me nowhere, but as I focused on God’s kingdom, everything fell into place.

Know this: the things God values aren’t the same as the things the world values. And He knew we’d have a problem wrapping our brains around His idea of treasure, so He explained it in today’s passage. God’s treasure isn’t tied up in money and bank accounts. God’s treasure is about the things He values: His love, eternal life, salvation, the gospel, mercy, and grace. And God’s kind of treasure can’t be destroyed or taken away from you.

Luke 12:34 contains a clear message about the insignificance of worldly wealth. The things we possess in this lifetime eventually rot away like everything else. When we trust in Jesus, we are setting ourselves up for eternity and storing up -treasures in a safer place.

Real Choices
Where do you store your treasure? Only you and God know the answer to that. Take some time to evaluate what is important to you.

Digging Deeper
Sometimes our desire for more isn’t a question of overindulgence, but true need for something we don’t have. Maybe your family struggles to pay rent and other bills. That can be scary. Take a look at Matthew 6:31-34 and find comfort in the love your Savior has for you.

Pray
Father, help me to focus on You and not the treasures of this world. Help me to seek after Your kingdom and Your will as You fulfill Your Word by adding the rest of things I need.

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Another Crestridge Recipe

Another dish the girls learned this summer in the cooking skill was fried chicken (serving for 6).  Below is the recipe we used here at camp.  

Ingredients:

Chicken tenders  

3 eggs

Cooking oil

Flour (all purpose)

3/4 cup buttermilk or low fat buttermilk  

Cooking Directions:

1.  Dip chicken in batter.

2.  Place flour in a ziploc bag then drop chicken into bag and shake.  

3.  Heat cooking oil to 375 degrees in an electric skillet.

4.  Fry chicken to a golden brown (turn chicken more than once to cook thoroughly). 

5.  Drain on a brown paper sack or paper towels.

6.  Wow your friends with your amazing culinary talent!!

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Trip Day at Crestridge

It’s the first Wednesday of the session and that means trip day here at Crestridge!  Two of the villages, Chickasaws and Choctaws, will stay here in camp while the other three head out the gates.  Watch the video below to hear from Sharon as she tells us where the villages are going.

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Crestridge Cooking Skill: A New Favorite

The cooking skill is a new one for this summer and has quickly become a favorite among the campers (and staff too).  The items made are very simple and can easily be made in your home!  To help that happen, we’ll be posting some of the recipes here on the blog.  The first one up is Chicken Enchiladas:

Ingredients are as follows (serving for 6):  

Chicken breast fillets, cooked (we used a crockpot)

2 sticks of butter

1 large can of Cream of Chicken Soup

1 package soft flour tortillas

1 can of Rotel

1 package of Mexican or Cheddar Shredded

Cheese

Directions:

1.  Tear soft tortillas into bite size pieces

2.  Place in a pan coated with Pam cooking spray

3.  First layer is cooked chicken (cut into small pieces)

4.  Next layer Cream of Chicken Soup…and broth from chicken

5.  Sprinkle cheese on top

6.  Bake 20 min. on 350 degree oven.

The campers certainly enjoyed it here and we hope you enjoy it in your home as well!!  More recipes coming soon…

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Whatever You Say

Whatever You Say
Read This Passage: Proverbs 26:23-28

A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin. —Proverbs 26:28

GOD DOESN’T HOLD anything back, does He? Verses like Proverbs 26:28 cut straight to the heart. The point is clear. Lies and flattery will never accomplish God’s purposes in our lives. They will only bring problems, pain, and in the end, they’ll ultimately bring ruin.

Proverbs 26:28 is today’s key verse for a reason. You’ve read a lot of devotions about the power of the things you say this week. The point of all this is that you understand this important truth: to live life successfully God’s way, your words matter. Scripture tells us that nothing good comes from lying, and false flattery sabotages trust and leads to ruin. Our words shouldn’t hide thinly veiled deception.

God has called us to live a life of truth. Sometimes, that truth hurts. But when we look at ourselves honestly, we will be more real with Him and with those we care about.

It’s so easy to build a world of lies around us. We tell small lies to our parents, our teachers, and our friends. And we think that’s OK because they’re just little lies. Not really even lies—we just make things sound a little better than they are. Or we make them sound a little worse than they were, so that we come off looking better.

God doesn’t let us off the hook so easily though. He looks right through us and sees what we say as truth or lies with no middle ground. As Christians, truthfulness is supposed to be a characteristic of our lives and our speech. Does it characterize you? What about your words?

You may know someone with whom you’ve not been honest. Has God put it on your heart to go and tell that person the truth? What will you do?

Real Choices
To whom do you need to tell the truth? Are you willing to step up and be honest in your relationships regardless of the cost? How have lying and false flattery affected your life?

Digging Deeper
Read John 14:6. Who is described as the truth in this verse? How important is the truth in your life?

Pray
Ask God to show you areas of your life that lack truth. Seek to know what He would have you do about those areas.

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Crestridge Musical Vlog

Hard to believe, but it’s almost another closing day!  Here at Crestridge that means it’s musical day.  Those campers who take choir as a skill perform for the parents on this day.  Watch the clip to hear Sharon tell a little more about the day’s activities.

In addition to the video updates, be sure to log into eCamp to see pictures from today and each day’s activities!

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The Crestridge Green Panther Case

The second Tuesday at Crestridge means SOCKWAR!!!  It also means another day of skills and campfire in the evening.  Watch the clip to hear (and see) more about our day today from Sharon.

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Fueling the Fire

Fueling the Fire
Read This Passage: Proverbs 26:20-22

Without wood, fire goes out; without a gossip, conflict dies down. —Proverbs 26:20

FIRE CAN BE an incredible thing. It can warm you up when you’re cold. It can be beautiful to watch as it sparkles in the darkness. It can be fun to just sit and watch as the embers drift toward the sky.

Yet, if you’re not careful, a fire can easily get out-of-control. Let a few embers drift to a dry spot, and before long you have a fire that’s consuming everything around it. All of a sudden what once seemed enjoyable is destructive and scary. In the end, it will leave damage that may take a very long time to repair, if it can be repaired at all. Fire is not something to play with. Fire has a lot of power, and power can become destructive.
Gossip is just like a fire. Oh sure, it may seem innocent and fun at first, but before long, we’ve spoken words that we cannot take back. Gossip hurts people, damages reputations, breaks the community in a cabin, and breaks trust.

Just as Proverbs 26:20 points out, a fire will go out if there is nothing to fuel it. Gossip works the same way. If there is no one there to keep pushing the rumors, feeding the desire, or otherwise fanning the flames, gossip will die down, and so will the conflict and destruction that go along with it.

Today’s key verse points out that we have an active role in stopping this destructive cycle of gossip and conflict. We can choose not to fuel the fire; we can choose to keep our mouths shut!

Choosing to not participate in gossip, walking away, or even confronting those who are gossiping can be tough. You may face ridicule or even rejection from those you count as friends. Yet, when you do what God’s told you to do, He will bless you. You will grow in your walk with Him, and you’ll be a better friend.

Real Choices
Will you choose to follow God’s leading when you hear others participating in gossip? Why or why not?

Digging Deeper
Read John 21:20-23. Even Jesus’ disciples struggled with gossip. Can you find any other examples of gossip and how we should deal with it in His Word?

Pray
Take time to confess any gossip you have participated in. Ask God to show you what He would have you do and to help you stand strong when faced with opportunities to participate in gossip.

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