Lessons from Summer 2012

Our climbing wall at camp has an element called the Jacob's Ladder or Dangling Duo.  It is a free swinging ladder made up of 4x4s suspended 40' in the air.  Each space between rungs is 6" wider than the space below it and it takes strength, agility and team work to reach the top since this is a two person activity. 

Earlier this summer I was working the belay rope for a young lady.  She was about half way up the ladder with her partner when it appeared she would not be able to go any further.  I finally asked her the question I learned in training, and one we as one of His servants should always be ready to ask, "What do you need and how can I help you?"  Her response was I just need to rest for a moment.  She then proceeded to climb to the top of the ladder with her partner.  Afterwards, she thanked me for believing in her and helping her achieve this goal.  To be perfectly honest, I thought she had reached her limit and wouldn't be able to go any further.  What I wanting was to lower her down so that we could load up our equipment and quit for the day. 

Jesus never gave up on Peter even after Peter denied Him three times.  Where would I be if God gave up on me when I had reached what I thought was my limit.  Thank you to all those who have given me encouragement at times when I was ready to give up and help me not to give up on others too quickly.

Drudgery or Service??

What is the difference between simple drudgery and joyful service? The difference became apparent to me recently.

A few weeks ago, we had a group of men down from Casper for a weekend retreat. One of the activities we offered was for them to try our climbing wall and zip line. After I had unhooked the same guy from the zip line for the 3rd or 4th time, he commented that it must be pretty boring doing that all of the time. I didn’t say so to him but I have to confess that I was thinking, haven’t you guys had enough yet?

Then I was reminded of a kid's camp we had a few weeks prior to that. It was 45 kids from the 4th and 5th grade classes of one of the schools here in Laramie. We were running the climbing wall and zip line for them too and my job was to put a climbing harness on the kids and when they came back from the zip line, take the harness off and put it on the next kid. For about 4 hours that day it was put a harness on, take a harness off, repeat.
 


What stuck with me was one boy who was wearing mud boots which aren’t the best for climbing in. I asked him how high he thought he could climb and he said he wanted to go on the zip line but didn’t know how far up the wall he could get but that he was going to try. I asked if he had ever seen the movie “Facing the Giants” and he said no. So I told him about the scene where the coach made Brock do the death crawl blindfolded with a kid on his back and encouraged, cajoled, harangued him until he had gone the whole length of the field. I told this kid that I wanted him to go as far up the wall as he could then go a little farther. In short, we were able to talk him to the top of the climbing wall and he then rode the zip line down. When he came back to me to have his harness taken off, this kid who was around 4 foot tall was wearing a 6 foot smile. That is what our ministry is about and what turns what could be drudgery into joyful service.

Since we weren’t able to openly talk about spiritual things with those kids, my prayer is that my example from the movie prompted him to go home and watch it with his family. Remembering that smile and seeing other people’s joy in their experiences at Table in the Wilderness is one of the many rewards we receive for making the huge changes in our lives and following God on this faith journey.

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.~~ Colossians 3:17 (NIV)


Waldo

It's June....

Wow...I know we haven't written in awhile. Since Christmas to be exact. I am going to post a few pics and let them give you a glimpse of what we have been experiencing in God's great outdoors in the past couple of days. Then over the next few weeks I hope to get an update for you more!!  Enjoy!!

In Christ, Melanie

Sunset on the way to Centennial-June 6, 2011

Great spot for time with God before breakfast

Lots of water coming down the mountain into and through camp.

Aspen

Indian Paintbrush above the sled run

Fence above camp on morning hike

Getting ready to climb the wall

Waldo on his way up!

Even higher!!

All smiles on the way down