Crescent Lake Bible Camp

Today is our last day at beautiful Crescent Lake Bible Camp in Rhinelander WI. David has been here for 2 weeks, but the rest of the family has been here for one.  We have had wonderful weather with very few mosquitoes.

We have been able to enjoy boating, tubing, biking, hiking, riflery, archery, sports, skits, and some rockin' chapel worship. This place is a little piece of heaven. The counselors are mature believers (college age) who really love the kids. The boys 4-6 grade cabin stinks like teen spirit! Whew.

John and I had work responsibilities that we needed to attend to this week, but both of us are blessed to be able to complete so much of our jobs anywhere there is wifi. So we could work in the early mornings and the evenings and enjoy activities with the kiddos. I have not prepared a meal or cleaned up after one in a week. This is living! I am so grateful for the life I have. I am a blessed woman indeed.

Here are some pictures of the activities for you to enjoy:

A surprise visit

I took a quick drive to Wausau today to have lunch with my amazing grandmother.  For those of you who are grand mothering right now, never underestimate the power of your influence in your grand kids lives. This woman means the world to me. Even though we see each other one or two times a year, I think of her almost daily. I have a great deal of respect for this amazing 93 year old lady. Her life is a beautiful testimony of hard work, true faith, joy that is contagious, and a life well used for His glory. Thank you Grandma Inga for all you taught me, modeled for me, invested in me, and all the countless prayers you prayed for me. I adore you!

Happy 14th Birthday David

It is 7:41 am as I write this blog entry. It is just about 30 minutes past David's 14th birthday.

Today he is at camp, 4 hours north of our home and we are not with him.

 As I walked by his bedroom this morning I was struck by how empty it was. I reminded myself that each year I must let go more and more as he journeys from boy to man. He is getting there. I miss the little sweet boy he once was. Frequently I hear his 4 year old voice in my mind asking me if I would like to "play trains?" Being a stay at home mom during those years was an amazing gift. I soaked up all the memories I could. I was blessed to be given that gift.

Today I know that he is at camp serving some of my next favorite 4-5 year old boys. Two boys from my Cubbies class are also at camp. They are there for the first time. David and his 2 friends were caught in this picture teaching the little dudes how to use the paddle boats. I remember when I had to help David reach the pedals on a paddle boat at Lake Wingra years ago.

I was just so proud to see that my son, who is away on is birthday, is serving the next generation of boys. Immediately upon seeing this picture I though of the end of the Awana pledge. To reach boys and girls with the Gospel for Christ. and train them to serve Him.  I am so proud of the man he is becoming. I am more often pleased by his decisions than not. That helps me to let go more and more each year. 

Happy Birthday David. I am so proud of you, not because you make great choices, I am proud of you because you are my son.  I bet that is how God feels about us. 

Birthday Away - David 14 years

This year David will be at Bible camp for 2 full weeks. We will miss him so much!

He will have his 14th birthday while he is away. That will be so weird for us.

I enjoyed the best 4 hour car ride with him and his 2 buddies from church. Their voices are all more manly than last year. Their topics of conversation along the way were much weightier in subject and deepr in understanding. It was awesome to be the person privileged to drive them. I very much enjoyed the drive with them.

When we arrived at camp, we learned that their camp leader was Matthew. He was Nathan's leader last year. He is a very serious young man who should be a very good match for these guys. 

I giggle at this picture as it is difficult to tell who is the leader and who are the students here. There isn't much time before these boys will be the ones working at this camp

Momma's of young ones: It really does go by so fast!