Work Weekend

As most of you know, there’s been a bunch of construction going on here at Crestridge (if you’re not familiar with all of it, then take some time and read some older blogs about the cabins and new Bear Trap).  And with all the construction comes many more little details that need to be done before any campers or staff arrive.  In order to get things done in time this year , we added another spring work weekend.  Around forty people showed up and we had a ton of fun!  It was a good mix of former staff, current staff, new staff, alumni and camp friends.

The main thing for the weekend was putting together bunk beds for the new cabins…which the above crew knocked out in no time!  Other things that got done were moving furniture into new buildings, clearing out the dining hall completely so the floors can be refinished, raking leaves (always plenty of that needed after the fall and winter), and a few other little things.  With the bunk beds assembled the cabins are definitely ready and just waiting to be used now!  Check out how the cabins look with beds in them:

Thank you to everyone who came and helped out!

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Slacker

Slacker
Read This Passage: Proverbs 6:6-11

“Go to the ant, you slacker! Observe its ways and become wise.” —Proverbs 6:6

AESOP’S FABLE ABOUT the ant and the grasshopper is a classic. The ant works all summer long, stores his food, and prepares for the winter. Meanwhile, the grasshopper laughs at the ant and plays the entire time. Then, when winter arrives, the ant is warm and well fed while the grasshopper suffers and shivers in the cold. That tale has been used to help children understand the importance of hard work and to fight against laziness for centuries.

Though it was written much earlier, today’s Scripture passage reminds me of that fable. This portion of Proverbs takes the form of a father giving advice to his son. The key verse encourages the son to be like an ant, always diligently working and refraining from laziness.

We’re not supposed to be slackers, either. We’re not to be all talk and no action. And that truth applies to all areas of our lives, from jobs to school to camp to relationships to working for the kingdom of God.

As Christians, we shouldn’t be known for our laziness in any area—whether it’s living the gospel message or doing our homework to the best of our ability. Work diligently for God. Don’t be a slacker!

Pray
Father God, help me to work diligently for You in all areas of my life.

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Freedom

Freedom!
Read This Passage: Proverbs 6:1-5

“Do this, then, my son, and free yourself, for you have put yourself in your neighbor’s power: Go, humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor.” —Proverbs 6:3

YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE THIS! Yep, we live in a gotta-have-it kind of world. The latest in technology and gaming systems? Check. The coolest clothes and things to make life easier? Mark those off, too. The newest cell phone, best credit card perks, and every gadget you can think of seem to all be high on our lists of gotta-have items.

All these things are great when we use them wisely, but it is so easy to get carried away. High phone bills and even higher credit card bills are everywhere we look. And more often than not, greed and the allure of an easier way of life fuel our desire for more. Before we know it, we find ourselves entangled in financial obligations, bound by extreme debt. As a result, our relationships suffer.

The Bible tells us that we should free ourselves from the power of debt and live in financial freedom. Today’s key verses warn us to stay away from relationships and agreements that bind us, financially or otherwise. You might not think it applies to you, but it does. Be wise with your money and humble yourself in your wants and desires. Don’t be foolish when it comes to the relationships you allow into your life. Live in Christ’s freedom.

Pray
Father, help me to be wise about my finances and my relationships.

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Paving a New Way

So much is happening during this off season.  The big things of course are the new cabins, the new Bear Trap building, and the dining hall renovation.  There’s still lots of little things to do before the staff and campers arrive, but now we can cross one more off of our to-do list…paving the road leading up to Chipp/Chick hill!  Check out the pics below.

Before any of the questions start, we didn’t pave the entire loop, only that first little bit on Chipp/Chick hill that you see in the above pics.  

Now maybe during sock war all you campers who just have to charge down the hill won’t fall and trip as much since the loose gravel won’t be there!

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Equal Opportunity

Equal Opportunity
Read This Passage: Luke 6:27-31

“Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them.” —Luke 6:31

I ONCE HEARD the story of a woman who had been imprisoned in concentration camps in Germany during the Holocaust. Miraculously, she survived. She had lived through the torture and agony of the concentration camps, watched friends and family members die, and endured abuse and cruelty from many of the German guards.

Much later in her life, one of the guards who had so violently abused her and been responsible for many Jewish deaths came to her seeking forgiveness. This amazing lady, because of the love of God in her life, was able to forgive this man for all the atrocities he and others had done to her, her family, and her friends. Isn’t that amazing?

People are capable of terrible, hurtful, destructive things. Yet we are called to forgive them and treat them as we want to be treated. We can only do that through the love of God. We cannot do it on our own.
In today’s key verse, you find the idea behind the Golden Rule. Forgiveness is supposed to be a marked part of our lives as Christians. And we’re called to not just forgive, but to treat others with the same respect and compassion we would want shown to us. And the people in your life don’t always deserve that. Neither do you.

Jesus made it very clear that we are to respond to all people, including our enemies, with forgiveness and respect. He tells us to love them, do good to them, and pray for them. We’re to treat them the way we want to be treated, whether they deserve it or not. That command is never easy to follow, but it’s absolutely necessary to developing successful, godly relationships in your life.

Real Choices
Think about the relationships in your life in which you’re experiencing conflict and tough situations.  They could’ve have been at camp or at home. What do you need to do to forgive these people in God’s power? How would you like to be treated in the same situation?

Digging Deeper
Read Ephesians 4:24-32. What do these verses have to say about relationships? How do they challenge you in your relationships?

Pray
Father, please help me to always reflect Your love and show kindness even in times of adversity.

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Cabin, Sweet Cabin

We realized that it’s been a little while since we’ve done a post about the new cabins, so here you are!  At this point, not much else needs to be done to them in preparation for the summer.  The plumbing in some of the cabins needs to be completed.  Then final inspections and lastly, moving in the beds and other small furniture pieces.  Below are pictures of how they look right now.  

So there you have it…this is what will be home, sweet home for some of you this summer!

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Let There Be Light!

 It’s the little things in life that need to be celebrated, in my opinion.  And another little step towards finishing construction has been taken…we now have electricity in the Bear Trap!  

Each thing that’s done only brings us closer to summer being here!  It’ll be here before any of us know it!

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Freely Given

Freely Given
Read This Passage: 1 Corinthians 2:12-16

Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, in order to know what has been freely given to us by God. —1 Corinthians 2:12

HERE’S SOMETHING YOU may not know: Murfreesboro, Ark., is home to the only diamond mine in the world that allows the public to search for and keep any gems it finds—for a small fee, of course. My family visited this tourist spot last summer during a week that boasted 100 degree temperatures. We paid our fees to enter the park and rented the necessary equipment: shovels, pails, and strainers. Our excitement grew with every display we stopped to read, complete with headlines recounting 7-carat wonders. Even the sight of multitudes of bedraggled fellow -“miners” digging in 37 acres of dirt did not deter us. We had visions of a great discovery. And since we had seven “miners” in our family and two diamonds on average were found each day, we figured our chances were good.

Our enthusiasm did not last long. Squatting is hard, and it was hot. After about an hour of digging, sifting, kicking, changing spots, and questioning why we ever thought this was a fun idea, we quit. It was a unanimous decision, quite possibly the only one of the entire vacation. We chalked it up as a learning experience.

In today’s passage, Paul informed his readers that spiritual wisdom doesn’t come by experience. It isn’t a matter of human intellect or sitting under the best teachers. Paul pointed out that the ability to discern what is of Christ and what is not comes from the Holy Spirit. And as a Christian, it’s been freely given to you by God.

Wisdom is key to a successful life. And God has given it to you in the form of the Holy Spirit. Trust Him!

Real Choices
Do you base your relationship with Christ on past spiritual experiences or how much you know about the Bible? Acknowledge the Holy Spirit’s guidance, not what you do in your own power, as your only means of becoming a “spiritual person.”

Digging Deeper
How does Scripture describe the condition and abilities of our own reasoning in today’s passage? In Romans 8:7? How are you refusing to submit yourself to God’s leadership?

Pray
Make a habit of praying each day that the Holy Spirit would grant you spiritual wisdom.

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More New Skill Options?

Last week I uploaded a couple clips showing some new skill options for camp.  Of course, when we thought of these skills it was in the middle of winter so they would really only work if camp stayed open year round.  Even though that’s not going to happen anytime soon, it was still fun playing outside in the cold and icy weather.  

These two clips are a couple more options for new skills that we came up with.  The first one is a type of strongman competition.  Instead of a log or caber toss, how about an ice toss?  The person who can carry the biggest slab of ice and throw it the farthest wins. 

Hayne, one of our local go-to guys, wins this round. For those of you might want to try this at home, wear gloves! Hayne’s hands were freezing and remember…safety first!

Now watch the boys intern, Stewart, try and make his way across the frozen lake in a canoe. 

For those keeping a tally sheet, that makes:

1.  Ice Fishing

2.  Ice Disc Golf

3.  Ice Throwing

4.  Ice Canoeing

Which was your favorite?

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Introducing the 2009 Village Directors

If you haven’t checked your calenders recently, campers will be coming in 12 1/2 weeks. It will be here soon! We would like to take this opportunity to introduce the 2009 Village Directors so you know who is going to be leading you this summer!

My name is Lizzy Peterson and this summer I will be the Chippewa Village Director. I am from Charlotte, NC but I go to Denison University, which is a small college in Granville, Ohio. I am currently a freshman at Denison and as of now, my major is undeclared, but I am looking heavily into Psychology and Educational Studies. This upcoming summer will be my ninth summer at Crestridge; I spent 7 summers as a camper and 1 year on staff. Crestridge has meant so much to me over the past years, both as a camper and as a staffer. I am so excited to see what God has in store this summer. Even more, I am eager to meet all of the girls in, and out of, my village. Every girl that comes through the gates of Crestridge is unique in her own sense. I am most looking forward to watching these girls grow in Christ. I cannot wait to meet everyone in just a few months!

My name is Catherine Green and I will be the Chickasaw Village Director. I am a sophomore Biology major at the University of Montevallo in Alabama. This summer will be my 5th summer at camp, my 3rd on staff. I am most looking forward to building relationships and loving on the campers. One of the best things about Camp Crestridge is the awesome relationships that you make with your campers and the other staff because you are with them for at least 2 weeks! God is gonna do some amazing things this summer, get ready!!!!

Hello my name is Kelly Lipscomb and will be the Cheyenne Village Director. I just completed my freshman year at the University of North Florida, go Ospreys! I am currently undecided in my major and keeping my options open. This summer will be my eighth year at Camp Crestridge. I am looking forward to spending the summer with new and returning campers. I can’t wait to worship and praise the Lord through all the activities we do at camp. I am excited to sit around the campfire and sing along with the campers. My prayer is that the campers grow spiritually, kindle new friendships, and experience the love that Christ has for each and every one of us.

My name is Sarah Knowles and I will be the Choctaw Village Director. I am a junior at the University of Florida (Go Gators!). I am majoring in Elementary Education and hope to teach 2nd or 3rd grade. This is my 12th year at camp. Crestridge has been a huge part of my life and can’t imagine how my life would be different had I not attended Crestridge! I absolutely love working with kids. I have always loved working with younger kids (which led me to be an elementary education major) but this past summer, as a Choctaw counselor, I learned that I LOVE working with this age group! Choctaws taught me so much, and I had so much fun laughing, loving and learning with them. I am so excited to spend another summer with these girls who love to have fun!

My name is Caroline Knowles and I am so excited and blessed to be back at Crestridge this summer serving as the Cherokee Village Director! This will be my 12th summer I’ve spent at camp, my third year on staff. I am really looking forward to challenging these girls and digging deep, going beyond the superficial level. As a camper I built some great, long lasting relationships with my own counselors and village directors and treasured those. I am looking forward to doing that again with these girls this year. I am finishing up my Junior year at the University of Florida, majoring in Elementary Education and hoping to teach early elementary grades in the future. Looking forward to a great summer and seeing what great things God has in store for each of us!

We are so excited for you all to be here this summer!

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