CAMPING ADVENTURES 09: FLAKING AT WHISKEY SPRING

Up the Butte Falls Highway, past the quaint little mountain town of Butte Falls, is another portion of the Rogue River National Forest. Willow Lake is in this section, a camping. boating,and recreation mecca. If you are following twenty recreational vehicles, at least fifteen of them will turn on the road to Willow Lake. The rest will either proceed to catch Highway 140 or they will turn into the Big Butte Watershed and the pleasant campground & picnic area known as Whiskey Spring.

This camping adventure was the least adventursome so far. For me, it was a time to get caught up on a couple of projects, to think deep thoughts, to spend time in the Word and prayer, and to do nothing (not neccesarily in that order). I did not visit the beaver pond this go around...a place where in the early dawn you might catch a glimpse of furry beavers hard at work. In fact, I didn't wander far from the campsite. I was having too much fun just flaking.

Flaking is good sometimes. I remarked on Twitter that I had permission to leave on Friday afternoon a half hour early. Not only did I not leave a half hour early, but I ended up staying nearly a half hour later! "Getting away" for the weekend is a bit of a challenge. And come July, I will be on a marathon of VBS prep. But as I get more experience in this life, I'm finding that I must deliberately, willfully, stubbornly, and doggedly carve out time to do....nothing.
And I enjoyed it.

Dog on a raft?

Dog on a raft? Where? Where?

Nope...just a dog on an air mattress, soaking up the rays at the campsite (the mattress is on a blue tarp)

CAMPING ADVENTURES 09: NATURAL BRIDGE

One of the things I enjoy about southern Oregon living is the proximity of outdoor recreation. Above the mountain town of Prospect is a group of campgrounds that border the rafting haven of the Rogue River. One of those campgrounds is the "Natural Bridge" campground. Not as big or developed as Union Creek (see previous camping adventures), the Natural Bridge campground has...the Natural Bridge.

The Natural Bridge area was formed by a series of lava tubes, one of which actually bridges the Rogue River. The river simply disappears into the tube and then reappears a little further up. Pioneers would use this land bridge to cross over the rather dangerous rapids. It's really a remarkable sight.

Rain plus sunshine makes the campsite glow

The Rogue River runs past our campsite

The famous Solar Toilet. Using solar technology to "pump" the disagreeable odors away, this is a step above the ordinary outhouse.

One of the large lava tubes. Rafters like to zip in and out. Not for me, thank you.

The Natural Bridge. The Rogue goes underneath and comes out the other side.

One of the adventures on this trip was our hike. The Natural Bridge campsites are located on the east side of the river. The viewpoint is located on the west side. A very nice footbridge leads to a gentle, paved path with interpretive signs explaining the geography of the area. But once the paved path ends, the visitor can either turn around and go back over to the east side or take the trail that borders the west side of the river. We opted for the west side, because, after all, how hard could it be?

There is a reason why the trail is not taken much. Although technically classified as a "short, easy" trail, it is actually a couple of miles of narrow, steep grades that led us up further and further up the side of the hill. At one point, we could see our campsite far down and across the raging river. At several points, we wondered if we should have turned back. We had no idea how much further we were going to climb or how far down we would have to go before being able to cross over to the east side of the river.

And, oh yes, it started to rain. Wet and tired, we eventually found an older bridge that creaked a little as we crossed over, but returned us to the trail that led to our campsite. It was enjoyable, great exercise, fresh air, being out in nature.

And then I got to thinking...

Christian life and ministry is a lot like that hike. We don't always know what the trail will be like. As much as I'd like the path to be paved and even, the reality is that the going sometimes gets rough. And it rains. And a lot of times, I feel like turning back. But then the Lord reminds me that the best way to go is forward. The past is the past. The mistakes, hurts, and tragedies of yesterday fade into the distance as we keep going up and forward. And when we reach that bridge, when we "arrive", we can look back and rejoice that the path was taken.

FIRST SUNDAY IN JUNE: PROMOTION DAY & WORSHIP ON THE LAWN

It was a good day.

The first Sunday of June is Promotion Day, in which our 9:00 a.m. Small Group Celebration kids are recognized and advanced into a new grade. For some of the kids, it means an actual move to a new group. For other kids, the transition is bigger, as they make the move from "children's ministries" to "youth ministries", joining the middle school group.

Earlier this year, we appointed a special committee to set up and develop the Promotion Day activities. They did a fantastic job, from coordinating "goodie bags" to making a special arch highlighted with bubbles for the kids to pass through.

The morning festivies were topped off with the jump house and refreshments. It was fun talking to the kids afterwords and seeing the excitment on their faces, knowing that they have spent the last school year hearing God's Word and growing in their faith. And the best part of all was being a link in a team that got to help do it.

Walking through the arch on the path to advancement

Celebrating Promotion Day by leaping in the jump house

But the day wasn't over with Promotion Day. The day also happened to be when our congregation moved outside for the 10:00 "Worship on the Lawn". What started as a periodic event (tied into a concert or barbecue) has become an almost-annual routine in which we spend the entire summer of Sundays on the spacious back yard of the church.

Since we are located in a residential neighborhood, there are quite a few folks who drive or walk by and wonder what is going on. We've actually had some families start attending because they saw the outdoor service. For those who don't care for the sun or the potential uneven spots in the lawn, the service is also broadcast on the screens indoors (okay, I know this is standard to my mega-church friends, but this is about as "multiple venue" as we get at the moment).

Gathering on the lawnOur worship team "bringing it" as they do every Sunday.

So the first Sunday of June is done. What a great way to start the month and to start the summer season!

CAMPING ADVENTURES 09: UNION CREEK

Ahhhhh...tents, motor homes, roasting hot dogs over an open fire, waving off bugs, and watching chipmunks. Yes...our family's annual camping adventures have begun. And I have to say that for sheer ease, nothing beats going camping the weekend before Memorial weekend!

It had been a very full week, so we were looking forward to a break. Our anniversary was Friday, but my wife's sister was flying in from Hawaii the night before and wanted to go camping. So we had our anniversary dinner and movie (Star Trek, if you're curious) the weekend before and plunged into prep for the first camping adventure of 2009.

It rained on Wednesday. It rained on Thursday. It rained Friday morning. And then....sunshine! Clear skies. It was almost like a sign that as soon we were done with work, we needed to throw ourselves in the buggy and high tail it out of town. But we soon discovered that the "one more thing" syndrome hit. I felt guilty trying to get "one more thing" done before leaving, until I discovered my wife was also trying to get "one more thing" done as well.

But get done we did and soon we were zooming up Highway 62 to the Union Creek campgrounds. My wife's mother and sister were already there, with the fire going. And from Friday night to Sunday afternoon, we pretty much did absolutely nothing! And it was wonderful. I read a lot, I strategized for children's ministries, I walked around, I prayed, I napped whenever I felt like it.

The best part was that it was very quiet. Union Creek is a big campground and there were very few campers. We got our favorite site (#43, if you're ever wondering) and there was nobody next to us. Since the official opening day for camping is next weekend, I think we timed it just right.

Campsite 43: in my opinion, the best site at the Union Creek campground. It's big and roomy. The amphitheatre is just up the hill. And it is a short walking distance to the flush toilets!

Lots of room

Bridge over Union Creek. Water seemed higher this year than usual.

The Amphitheatre

No camping visit would be complete without a visit to the more traditional, uhhh, facilities. But these are brand new, spacious and clean. I took a pic of the inside, but it didn't turn out. But trust me, these are cadallac of outhouses.

What is Drea so fixated on? Let's zoom in and see....

It's a chipmunk. Union Creek and the other campgrounds in this area are full of them! We probably had fewer of the little guys because of our dog, but they are there. My sister-in-law, who lives in Hawaii, looked forward to seeing the chipmunks again because, as she said, "Mongoose are a poor substitute."

THE JOY AND THE TRAIN STATION

The following video has had extensive play before on YouTube (and probably other sources). But to some of you (and to me), this is new. Please watch this before reading my comments.


I am not a fan of musicals. In fact, I can probably count on one hand the number of musicals I actually enjoy. Perhaps I should say that I enjoy the music of some musicals, but not neccesarily the story line. I'm too "stuck in the mud" to comprehend characters suddenly breaking into song and dance.

Having said that, I was completely fascinated by this video. Imagine being at that train station and seeing some guy suddenly start dancing? You would think it was odd. And then one more starts dancing. And another, then another. Two more, three more, and then flocks of people descend upon the middle and perform a synchronized routine (I understand there were two hundred dancers).

But the best part was watching the reactions of the crowd. Shock, amazement, and unabashed joy could be seen on the faces of the bystanders. Something big and amazing was happening right before their eyes. And the pains and the delays and the frustrations and the multitude of other "bad day scenarios" that the individuals at that station might have been feeling were suddenly set aside by a pocket of sheer happiness.

Can I live my life in such a way as to bring those pockets of happiness to those I meet? I'm not talking about singing and dancing (both of which I love to do, but neither of which would get me on American Idol), but by my word and actions do people see a bubbling over joy? Can I exude the peace and happiness that comes from a close relationship with God? Can folks see my good works and glorify my Father in heaven?

Just some thoughts.

THE PRESIDENT AND THE CHRISTIAN NATION: SOME THOUGHTS

The furor over President's remarks in Turkey has once again raised questions about our identity as a Christian nation. Even granting our President the benefit of the doubt and figuring he meant to say that we have all kinds of religions in the U.S., the simple declaration that America is not a Christian nation has incited the fundamentalist right and inspired the fundamentalist left in our country. Blogs, opinion pieces, and talk radio and tv have been flooded with comments. Some of the debate has been very reasonable and well thought-out, a testimony to our capacity to agree to disagree agreeably. But sadly, most of the "stuff" I've read from both sides has been reactionary, vicious, and mean-spirited.

So in my own humble attempt to insert my own two cents, I offer the following thoughts in order to set the stage for better, more constructive dialogue:

First of all, President Obama's views, policies, and so on do not change anything about Christianity. Christianity has survived and thrived under governments of deep oppression and persecution for over 2000 years. To my brothers and sisters who are tempted to cast worried glances and bemoan the doom of the church as we know it, all I can say is: the church as we know it may be modified, but the church itself is built on the ROCK and the gates of hades will not prevail against it.

Second, with all due respect, President Obama's opinion is not the first or the final word on the subject of Christianity in the U.S. As my old aunt used to say, "Just 'cuz he said it, don't make it so!" The sentiment that "America is not a Christian nation" is an old and oft-repeated one that has been proclaimed long before the President was even born. My liberal friends have expressed their extreme pleasure that someone has come forward to clear up the question, as if my President's words magically settled a long standing controversy. They haven't…all they did was once again stir up the proverbial pot..

Third, those of us who proclaim faith in Christ should try to define our terms. When I am asked if America is a Christian nation, I usually say, "yes and no." Yes, because we can build a pretty good case for the Judeo-Christian consensus in the founding of our country. Yes, because we can document a stream of statements and quotes that demonstrate that. But no, because our country is not a branch of Christianity, it does not send out national missionaries, and, quite frankly, we allow a lot of things that are decidedly un-Christian. So perhaps as we start this debate, we need to take a moment and discuss exactly what we mean by "Christian nation", so at least we are all on the same page.

Fourth, many posters have used the President's words to launch into a diatribe against the Bible. Aside from the fact that most of the attacks are the same tired old stanzas that Christian apologists have addressed years ago, it still doesn't change the original question of whether America is a Christian nation. Your agreement or disagreement with the source material does not change the founding of the country on this source material.

Fifth—and I might add, the most incredible, amazing thing of all—in many parts of the world, we would not even be discussing this at all! The grand and glorious irony of our country is that her core belief system even allows beliefs that stand in opposition to her. And to that I say, "God bless America."

WHAT CHILDREN'S MINISTRIES DOES RIGHT

So there I was, watching the Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Awards, along with my almost 18 year old daughter. Okay, I think she was actually reading a book on the other end of the couch, but I’m sure she at least glanced up periodically to find out what all the screaming was about.
Like all things related to kids and kid culture, I found myself asking, “what can I learn here that will help in the all time goal of ministering to children?” Well, there were no surprises on most of the winners. When I-Carly was announced as best television show, I dutifully asked, “what can we learn from this in our ministry?” My daughter, not looking up from her book, replied, “Start a webcast for kids.”

Not bad.

There were a lot of lessons, applications, and even a production value or two I gleaned from this slime filled excess. But the moment that stuck with me wasn’t about flash and bang and wild cheering. The moment that defined it for me was when Miley Cyrus cried.

I realize the parental jury is still out on Miley Cyrus. But when this pop culture icon, this cornerstone of children’s programming, was named best female singer, her jaw dropped and the tears fell. It was a sharp contrast to the upbeat acceptance from everyone else. What caused this display? Her voice choking, her gaze down, she said, “I thought I was going to lose.”

Amazing.

In spite of her phenomenal success, this actress/performer thought that the kids of America would not vote for her as their favorite singer. She seemed genuinely touched that she won. And I had to wonder what would cause a kid like that to feel insecure about her popularity?

For that matter, what would cause any kid to feel insecure? Or fearful? Or full of doubt?

Suddenly, the Kids’ Choice Awards intersected with the real life world of Children’s Ministries. Children with far fewer privileges and connections have a hard time believing that people like them, love them, and value them.

And that’s where those of us in Children’s Ministries can do something that Nickolodeon with its tri-level stage, flashing monitors, zip-lines, and slime cannons cannot do: build relationships with these children and let them know they are loved and cared for by others and ultimately by the Creator of the universe.