HEY SOJOURNERS! 
Since you were here in August and I was a little less present I don't have any group shots of you! Let me know if you have any good full-group shots - I want one from each group!
-shelley

Sure, everybody but me! Jenny suggested this be posted. It was a GREAT weekend, crew!!

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