Winter Goes On

Here we are in February and Winter is still dumping on us.  I'm a fan in general.  Sure, our driveway is difficult to navigate and our shovels have been pushed to the limit, but I'll still take this.  I've been reminded of Michigan Tech days over and over again, yet even this is a shadow of what they go through every year. 

I made plans to watch the Super Bowl up at camp  and arranged for lodging with the Alchin's.  It turned into a great weekend where I got to catch up with most of my camp friends. 



Tubing with Andrea Ford was fun!  As well as some good ole pond hockey.

Adela spent more time in the skate hut.

I know I'm the minority, but I really enjoyed the Super Bowl.  Anytime one team is so clearly dominate I usually like it.  Especially a defense that executes perfectly.  I don't really blame the Broncos for that mess, because the Seahawks came out with a good game plan (another thing I enjoy watching- solid strategy beating another usually solid strategy).  Plus I enjoyed seeing most of the ads, which are another aspect that got knocked but I thought they were at least par for the course.  It helps to watch with kids cause they are all about laughing at those commercials.

This week our Youth Group enjoyed sledding.  A lot of folks balk at the idea of going out to sled in some of the single digits we've been dealing with, but I'm a huge fan.  Kids need to learn that if they go outside and run, their bodies will keep them warm.

After some hesitance, most of the kids (and helpers) ended up sledding.  I actually ended up freezing my toes (too many layer, too tight, doesn't let the blood flow) and I bailed to the car after about an hour.

The girls do what they can to stay warm, including sledding.

Noah Wygant is getting down.

Most of the kids were majorly bundled.

We made it to Pizza Sam's and enjoyed the pizza and a group devotional with Tim.  I've been enjoying the steady group we're getting at Youth Group and I'm looking forward to Valentine's dinner this Thursday.

To finish up the weekend Adela and I went to the Valentine's banquet for our church.  In about 17 years of attending Garrison Hill's I've never joined the Valentine's banquet.  I enjoyed the special evening with Adela and 17 other individuals from our church.  We took home a solid door prize with dinner for 2 at Culver's.

In a final note I'd like to mention that some of my dear friends from Camp Barakel have left their positions there.  I spent many nights at the Harris' house, joining them on family events and learning what it's like to eat the best kind of food.  All while Randy gives me a hard time for eating all his yummy food.  And while I worked for Randy, I worked with Mike Baker.  I grew very close to him and his family over my years there. 

Their exit from Camp doesn't surprise me, but it is a bittersweet ordeal.  Friction is often difficult to work around, even among Christian friends.  Most of our churches have experienced some kind of difficulty over the years, sometimes ending in catastrophic meltdown's and other times ending on good terms for all involved.

My hope and prayer for Camp and these families is that everything comes together over the next months and years.  I just experienced jumping off of the cliff from one job (Camp) to another (Denso) and I understand the nervousness that mixes with excitement.  Yet my experience didn't include taking a wife or 4 kids along with me. 

So I pray for these folks and for the stability of camp.  And I send out a big thank you for the decades of service represented in these two families.  They were a tremendous help to me for my years at camp and I am confident they'll be a great asset to the ministries and communities that they land in.

In the meantime life goes on like it does.  I look forward to weeks of swim lessons, church outreach, ultimate Frisbee, volleyball, and whatever else comes my way.

Adios!