Eldon!

Here he be!

Get Ur Wisdom On.

Heya Padawans, This is Phil here - and yup - not just Shelley writes at this blog.

I wanted to post a quick reminder for you Sojourner types. That's you first years! It would be a really good idea to read some Proverbs, especially the first 5 chapters. We'll be going over it in session and any reading you've done of it before hand will percolate into your soul. It really will.

Proverbs is just after Psalms, which is that really big book in the Old Testament. There's Psalms 150 then BAM! Proverbs is sitting there, ready for you to chew on.

Other random thing: Proverbs was written mostly by Solomon. He was the wisest man in the world, God blessed him so. There is so much excellent advice inside it's ready and waiting for you to expand your mind and heart.

Also, this is for all CLTDs, I want to talk about the importance of mentoring. Not just the Mentorship year thing, but the idea. Mentoring is where an older, wiser person walks life with a younger person (like you guys). They talk to them about life, about God, and about what it means to be a Christian or simply about growing up. Mentoring has changed my life. One of the biggest reasons I am helping Shelley lead CLTD is that when I was a CLTD myself (I was wee!), my leader took the time outside of camp to listen to me (over phone calls and email mostly, but also hanging out) and it really helped me with some of the things I was struggling with as a young man, and also with growing up.

So what do you do if you want a mentor? - First, pray. Talk to God to bring someone into your life, and to prepare you for it.

- Find someone who is older, you trust, and you know is walking solidly with God, usually God's been working in their heart as well and making them ready too.

- Ask them if they would being willing to start mentoring, and if they aren't don't be discouraged. God will provide the right kind of timing.

- Tell your folks if you start being mentored, tell them about the person and what's going on.

Mentoring means that the "pupil" (that's you guys), is a very active player - as a mentee you make the first steps, and you call or email first. Then you figure out when during the week you want to call/email/Facebook chat/MSN/meet.

What do you talk about? That's mostly up to you too, but some good idea is to have a list of questions that the mentor can ask that really get to the heart of where you are at, such as:

- How was your week? Really? (Kinda like high and low at winter camps)

- What have you been learning from God this week? How do you think He's been speaking?

- Has anyone been on your heart lately?

Things you can do: - Pray together.

- Also a really good idea is to set up a Bible reading goal with you mentor, say, you want to read a chapter of Proverbs a day - and talk about it, do it together.

- Hang out. This is kinda on the mentor's head to decide where and what you'll do. Make sure your parents are aware of any plans made.

Aight, that's it folks! See you this weekend!

Another weekend!

Is it just me or does there seem to be a growing promise that summer is just around the corner? On the days I get up and smell the spring-time smell of melting snow I get so excited for summer that I want to dig out my shorts and sandals encourage it to move faster!!

With that thought in mind, GET YOUR SUMMER APPLICATIONS IN!! We have 2 completed participants and have 10 other files started in varying degrees of completeness.

Something to keep in mind as you are writing up your answers to the questions is that technology is so advanced these days that you can push a button and your computer will check your spelling for you! Seriously, my friends, if some of you were to look back on some of things written, you would be embarrassed that you didn't take 2 minutes to reread and edit your writing! Let me share with you a little bit from times I did not go back and read what I wrote:

Once, while I was at school in Rosebud, I was updating a friend, who was on the road with our touring team. I was telling her about attending the play 'The Loin, The Witch and the Wardrobe'! I heard about that one for awhile!! (If you missed the oops, read the name of the play again slowly!)

While I was in bible college I didn't read over one of my reading responses and told my professor (a former pastor) about drink offerings. The problem? I missed the 'r' in the word 'drink'!! I was so terribly embarrassed when I got it back!

While texting Marie one time I failed to read the text before I sent in only to find out that instead of telling her I hadn't 'baked in years' I told her I hadn't 'naked in years'!!

Yes, folks, this is your leader speaking. Learn from my oops's and EDIT your assignments ALWAYS!! Or you can wind up looking mighty silly!!!

NOW... as for the next camp: we will be teaching on life as a leader at camp to the Mentorship crew. There is a session to answer any questions you might have about camp, leadership, the how-to's of camp and such. It's like 'Sticky Questions' but camp-based, so think of any questions you might like to ask - you might even want to email any questions you think of to me and I will make sure we cover them!

Sojourners - you will be learning about the importance of wisdom (it is not just for old people who look like owls - really!!), growing Christ-like characteristics and solitude (which can be so very refreshing in our world of ever running!

Remember that we love you, are praying for you and are here for you if you need us!!

(Now I will re-read this to make sure I do not confuse you with any errors or embarrass myself before I post it!)

ONE LAST THING... Kelley has asked me to post the following video for you to watch. She found it very powerful, real and inspiring. I have to agree with her!! I first saw one version of it a few years ago and have been moved every time I see it! Check it out on YouTube and you'll find it done in several ways (I have to admit - this was one of the best I have seen)!

Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwsTUW4fsV4

Cheesy!!

I know some people might find this... disturbing perhaps. Personally I think Jesus has a sense of humor and probably finds it ridiculously funny that someone carved him in a block of cheese!

On another note completely, I wanted to let you know that this summer Camp Chestermere is bringing back TEENS CAMP!!! Yes, after a 2 year hiatus due to low enrollment we will see the return of this special event, not to be missed, the last week of summer!! If you have friends you have wanted to check out camp, this would be a great time to do so! If you attend both CLTD and teens camp you get $50 off the price of teens camp! Check it out at campchestermere.com today and get those applications in people!

Hola!

I was tagged in a note this week that I thought was an amazing thought that camp from Brianna Gluszak. Since this is 'Tell her she's beautiful' day it seems like a good time to share it!

Brianna says: the world has made us think of perfection as something like this ( skinny, perfect complextion, big but, etc). but the thing that i realized the other day was that our image of perfection as chirstians is well God since we live in his image. thought its just so easy to think that perfection is that girl we see on tv or in a magazine(when we think this its sadning because well we arent like this and most of the time that person is not like that either.) but the part that when i thought this was comforting was even though we don't live up to the image of perfection (the God one) God still loves us tough our faults and wrong doings. and that makes me happy!

I think everyday should be 'tell her she's beautiful day'. I think it needs to extend beyond the ladies too! Our society can be just as hard on guys!

I want to share with you a 2X4 that God hit me over the head with one day. I was sitting around feeling sorry for myself for some reason, calling myself not so nice names and reminding myself of how dumb I was. And then it was like God smacked me and shouted at me (because I guess I would have missed a whisper) "How can you believe satan's lies about yourself rather than my truths?!" I realized at that point I had been letting the devil win! I was following what he was telling me and not trusting God's opinion!! Don't listen to the lies the evil one puts in your heads!! Remember that you children of the King of kings. You are beautiful and utterly and completely loved. You were made the way you are for a reason. Cherish it.

And so all my friends out there, I send love and blessings to all!

-shelley

Hey my Beautiful people!

I got an email from Emily this morning and she would like to share with you something that lifts her spirits. She says, "It Really Shares A Good Message And I Think All Of You Guys Will Enjoy It." Here It Is :

Ragman, by Walter Wangerin, Jr.

I saw a strange sight. I stumbled upon a story most strange, like nothing my life, my street sense, my sly tongue had ever prepared me for. Hush, child. Hush, now, and I will tell it to you. Even before the dawn one Friday morning I noticed a young man, handsome and strong, walking the alleys of our City. He was pulling an old cart filled with clothes both bright and new, and he was calling in a clear, tenor voice: "Rags!" Ah, the air was foul and the first light filthy to be crossed by such sweet music. "Rags! New rags for old! I take your tired rags! Rags!"

"Now, this is a wonder," I thought to myself, for the man stood six-feet-four, and his arms were like tree limbs, hard and muscular, and his eyes flashed intelligence. Could he find no better job than this, to be a ragman in the inner city? I followed him. My curiosity drove me. And I wasn't disappointed. Soon the Ragman saw a woman sitting on her back porch. She was sobbing into a handkerchief, sighing, and shedding a thousand tears. Her knees and elbows made a sad X. Her shoulders shook. Her heart was breaking. The Ragman stopped his cart. Quietly, he walked to the woman, stepping round tin cans, dead toys, and Pampers. "Give me your rag," he said so gently, "and I'll give you another." He slipped the handkerchief from her eyes. She looked up, and he laid across her palm a linen cloth so clean and new that it shined. She blinked from the gift to the giver. Then, as he began to pull his cart again, the Ragman did a strange thing: he put her stained handkerchief to his own face; and then HE began to weep, to sob as grievously as she had done, his shoulders shaking. Yet she was left without a tear.

"This IS a wonder," I breathed to myself, and I followed the sobbing Ragman like a child who cannot turn away from mystery.

"Rags! Rags! New rags for old!" In a little while, when the sky showed grey behind the rooftops and I could see the shredded curtains hanging out black windows, the Ragman came upon a girl whose head was wrapped in a bandage, whose eyes were empty. Blood soaked her bandage. A single line of blood ran down her cheek. Now the tall Ragman looked upon this child with pity, and he drew a lovely yellow bonnet from his cart.

"Give me your rag," he said, tracing his own line on her cheek, "and I'll give you mine."

The child could only gaze at him while he loosened the bandage, removed it, and tied it to his own head. The bonnet he set on hers. And I gasped at what I saw: for with the bandage went the wound! Against his brow it ran a darker, more substantial blood - his own!

"Rags! Rags! I take old rags!" cried the sobbing, bleeding, strong, intelligent Ragman.

The sun hurt both the sky, now, and my eyes; the Ragman seemed more and more to hurry.

"Are you going to work?" he asked a man who leaned against a telephone pole. The man shook his head. The Ragman pressed him: "Do you have a job?"

"Are you crazy?" sneered the other.

He pulled away from the pole, revealing the right sleeve of his jacket - flat, the cuff stuffed into the pocket. He had no arm.

"So," said the Ragman. "Give me your jacket, and I'll give you mine." Such quiet authority in his voice!

The one-armed man took off his jacket. So did the Ragman - and I trembled at what I saw: for the Ragman's arm stayed in its sleeve, and when the other put it on he had two good arms, thick as tree limbs; but the Ragman had only one.

"Go to work," he said.

After that he found a drunk, lying unconscious beneath an army blanket, and old man, hunched, wizened, and sick. He took that blanket and wrapped it round himself, but for the drunk he left new clothes. And now I had to run to keep up with the Ragman. Though he was weeping uncontrollably, and bleeding freely at the forehead, pulling his cart with one arm, stumbling for drunkenness, falling again and again, exhausted, old, old, and sick, yet he went with terrible speed. On spider's legs he skittered through the alleys of the City, this mile and the next, until he came to its limits, and then he rushed beyond.

I wept to see the change in this man. I hurt to see his sorrow. And yet I needed to see where he was going in such haste, perhaps to know what drove him so.

The little old Ragman - he came to a landfill. He came to the garbage pits. And then I wanted to help him in what he did, but I hung back, hiding. He climbed a hill. With tormented labor he cleared a little space on that hill.

Then he sighed.

He lay down.

He pillowed his head on a handkerchief and a jacket. He covered his bones with an army blanket.

And he died.

Oh, how I cried to witness that death! I slumped in a junked car and wailed and mourned as one who has no hope - because I had come to love the Ragman. Every other face had faded in the wonder of this man, and I cherished him; but he died. I sobbed myself to sleep.

I did not know - how could I know? - that I slept through Friday night and Saturday and its night, too. But then, on Sunday morning, I was wakened by a violence. Light - pure, hard, demanding light - slammed against my sour face, and I blinked, and I looked, and I saw the last and the first wonder of all. There was the Ragman, folding the blanket most carefully, a scar on his forehead, but alive! And, besides that, healthy! There was no sign of sorrow nor of age, and all the rags that he had gathered shined for cleanliness.

Well, then I lowered my head and trembling for all that I had seen, I myself walked up to the Ragman. I told him my name with shame, for I was a sorry figure next to him. Then I took off all my clothes in that place, and I said to him with dear yearning in my voice: "Dress me."

He dressed me. My Lord, he put new rags on me, and I am a wonder beside him. The Ragman, the Ragman, the Christ!

Moved By the Spirit

I have found that in the past while the Spirit has been moving in me in a deep and profound way. It has been a long time of not really feeling God and having to move on faith to make sure I stayed as close as I could to Him. I have found there are times that I can be not expecting to be struck by God then I find myself moved to tears by His love and presence!

One of these such times I was in church the weekend before camp. I was a little late (punctuality is not one of my strong characteristics) and worship was just ending and announcements were beginning. I go to church alone most Sundays, which can be a very lonely time and I find if I am not careful that can lead to a bit of bitterness while I am at church. I was standing in the back of the church by myself, while the pastor lead the congregation in communion (It is a big church so it takes awhile). I stood feeling bitter and thinking they would forget about us latecomers and single people and debated whether I would even take communion this weekend. Was I in a place to accept it? As the ushers brought the grape juice and crackers to us it was as if I had no choice but to partake. As I took each in my hands I instantly began to weep – tears rolling down my face and neck and all! The moment I accepted communion that Sunday I had an image in my mind of Ireland where there are place you can feel the connection between heaven and earth and felt so loved and cherished it consumed me and I cried at the beauty of it all!

On the Sunday after this last camp was finished I was chatting with a good friend and fellow camp worker. I think we were talking about serving and why we serve (as was taught in Mentorship that weekend). I was saying how we need to be willing to listen to God and to respond to His call for us. Then I realized the very noble call on our lives as God’s children and followers of Jesus and I struggles to speak because I was so moved by it (and the fact that I, again, began to weep!). God is love and we are called to be love to others. How noble is that? That our job it to BE love? Is there a more noble call our there? Is there any other fight worth fighting? Personally, I don’t think so. I have noticed lately how often our own pride and selfishness leads us into conflict with others. Any other fight leads to ourselves and if it only the self that was worth fighting for how horrible this world would be!!

I have been praying since than for God to help me to have great love for the people has brought into my life: my family, my co-workers, my beloved babies. If you ask Him to fill you with love for others, He will. I would rather love than be bitter with people or enter into petty arguments that can fracture friendships. Try it. I think you’ll be amazed my what He will bring you!

Sending love, blessings and prayers to all!

- shelley

Hello friends!

If there is something you would like to see taught at the next CLTD SYC (school year camp) pop an email off to me and we will look into it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2MZN7ludRs&feature=related