I know I know...

It has been a while...to say I have been in a funk is an understatement. So much so that I boycotted 2 months of blogging. Ok, that is not true...but it is interesting how people deal with adversity.

Some people just get busier and stay distracted by the 'stuff' of their lives. Workaholics and the like...

Well, that is not me. I am a pouter, and so is Cessie, so we just "take our toys and go home," suck our thumbs and sit in the corner. It is weird because I would have argued with anyone that my spiritual gifting was FAITH. But in the last year or so it has not been.

I don't like a pity party and I hate making excuses...they are so cliche'. So I just stay quiet and withdraw. I can fake it pretty good on the surface and I am talented enough in church life to still be effective, but I am not happy or fulfilled in where we are or see a lot of hope in the near future. Though it is hopeful, it take lots of energy to live in that hope at this point.

Forgive my ranting but this is kind of therapeutic. I am fine and God is still in control. I know all the promises God has for me and He still speaks. It's one of those seasons where things don't "feel" right. Relationships are strained, finances are limited, and the Ministry is just there. No movement on any front and sometimes it just all hits you at once. Ya know what I mean?

Keep praying for us, and don't take this post for more than it is. Just 'words for the wind" (the book of Job).

First Day of School

Well I am getting old...of course I dont know it yet, but the fact that my first born son has started kindergarten must mean I am entering into the realm of the elderly. Teehee :).

All joking aside, this day was about Nathan. He has an awesome Christian teacher in the public school (Summerfield Elementary). Her name is Mrs Rutherford and her husband is lead pastor at The View Church ( a church plant in Riverview). He was super excited to start school and in typical Rice fashion he was the loud, social one in the class, asking the other kids their names as they sat sheepishly in their seats.

Nathan is ahead in letters, numbers, and time. We thought that if Mommy was going to be in school, so should Nathan. So here he goes, growing up right before our eyes!

What a Gift!

God is so good! I got to do a baptism at camp this year. This was such a God thing and it was totally dropped right on my lap.

I got to meet a new friend in the process. His name is Forest and he was a former staffer here at Camp Baldwin. As most of out lives go, especially after high school, Forest was not satisfied with the choices he made in the last few years and months and really felt that their were some unanswered questions about his relationship with God.

Forest was excited to have me at camp and about Wednesday he pulled me aside to share his story with me and to get my perspective. I share with him God's love and God's desire to be his Father and for Forest to be adopted as God's Son. We made the connection with Jesus that that was who Jesus was (Son) because that is what God wants of us, sons and daughters.

So Wednesday night after some thought and prayer Forest sought out the "way" to nail down this relationship, and he believed and confessed his desired relationship with God through Christ. I baptised him Thursday night August 14th at the Lake Hanel waterfront of the Camp Baldwin Boy Scout Reservation.

What an honor it was to share this time with Forest and to be used by God in a powerful way. Thanks Forest for seeking out answers, being a 20 something and wrestling with your faith is not an easy thing to do. Please pray for Forest as he returns to Oregon State University this fall and that he would find a good church and jump head first into God's Word.

We also took advantage of the LARGE group of friends that Forest had supporting him and had the Lord's Supper (communion) directly following the Baptism. 20+ staffers joined us for the Lords Supper and I got again to share the Gospel as we walked through the elements and took it together. What a victorious night!

Extreme....yeah right!

Yeah, I just jumped off the side of a cliff. What a rush!

This was tame compared to the stuff that the climing guy Josh has done. One step at a time I guess. i am really digging this rappeling stuff. And If I can find a mountain in florida I am totally going to climb it! HA HA

I am back

Yes I am back...back online (blogging) and back at Camp Baldwin. I spent the last week here and missed the opportunities to update my blog. But I am here, alone.

No kids, no wife. Please pray for me! I got 2 more weeks and a total of 21 days away from my family. This is a great time to focus (me and Jesus time) but it is lonely too.

I had lots of participants this week in my program. But only 1 actually completed all the requirements. I made some great headway with some of the Staffers and I hung out with some old friends from last years camp that visited this year.

Elizabeth "Betty" Hazelhurst

10/26/ 1933-7/18/2008

Known as 'Grandma' around these parts. Betty was the ultimate cheerleader and a great encourager. We loved her so much; she will be missed greatly.

Many people wear thier religion as a trophy to be paraded around for all to see. Betty simply loved, just as Jesus commanded, "to love one another". She never wanted to be the center of attention or to make too much fuss about life's problems, she knew that as long as we stuck together and loved one another, everything would be alright.

We don't have to say 'good-bye' to this great woman, just "see you later". She left this earth in peace, and will meet us again in heaven.

LDS Week

So it is not offically called LDS week by Boy Scouts, but 1 week a per summer all the Northwest camps have a "monday start week". This is to accomidate those troops who want to worship Sunday and begin camp on Monday. Many LDS church troops sign-up a year in advance to secure this week. So out of 28 troops, 4 are non-LDS.

All that to say is, that it has been difficult to get participation from Scoutmasters. They take care of all of their spiritual formation 'in house' so they need little imput from the outside. For example I had 20+ scouts interested in my Chaplain's Aid program...this week I have 2. My interaction with scouts and leaders has been positive, just not as many opportunities as in the past weeks. I am trying to be intentional without chasing people off.

Keep the prayer coming!

Pics Galore

Twice in a week

I just had my 1st 'Christian' chapel Service. It went really well. I had about 25 kids and adults which is 10% of the total camp. That was my average last summer, so its good to see. The sad thing is as I go from camp to camp, talking about godly things the older (15+) scouts are not interested at all. At one campsite I was ignored, by all 25 scouts and leaders except 4 and not one of them was an adult. I got a little emotional leaving that campsite, I just saw in action the disconnection MY generation and the 'boomer' generation has had with God and their children. In my humble opinion, having 'faith' in Scouts seems to be an inconvenience for many. Now I'd like to add their are some great Christians here too, there is a very obvious line between the two. In some sites God is embraced and in others God is treated with mild neglect. Keep praying for these scouts.

Got to swim this week, and shoot guns! The water was a glacial 65 degrees, with a 60 degree wind chill. Once you get wet you can't escape the cold! Caleb was shivering!

I know i promised pics...next time...

We all made it safely

I promised myself that I would blog more while I am here and keep you all informed more than once a week...like twice a week. So....I am not as on top of it as I had hoped,but it is not because of laziness, I just run out of time. The day starts at 6am and I get to shower and bed around 10:30-11:00pm. I will do better this week.

Camp details:
We are at a Boy Scout Camp near Dufur, Oregon. We expect about 2,000 campers this summer. This week we have over 300 including staff. I just had my chapel service last night and it went great, except I forgot the second verse to 'Blessed Be The Name', but I challenged the Scouts to pray. I cannot mention or teach about Jesus specifically here but I am believing that the power of the Holy Spirit will convict these kids and adults to a deeper relationship with Christ. The simplest way would be for them to simply pray and allow God to do his work, and if God is who he says he is and can do what he says he can do; then prayer is enough. Cessie said that I balanced that line well and maintained my Christian integrity, and REALLY put God on the line to show up. So pray that those who take up this challenge will see some fruit early and often.

The kids are doing great, of course. They are picking up where they left off; playing with sticks and singing all the camper's songs. Plus, their is a lake for swimming and about 50 horses we get to ride. This is gonna be a great summer!

I'll post some pics later this week.