Go. Be. Do.

...to bring to you a "live" update from Bible Memory Camp 2010.  God never ceases to amaze me.  How He can orchestrate such timing and placement of all people and things to create another awesome week of Bible Memory Camp is nothing less than a miracle.  60+ little faces show up on Monday...some looking scared and some having "Adventure is out there!" as their life's motto...all loved by God enough for Him to bring them to BMC this very week so He can grow them up in Him!  The Spirit of God fell upon our week in a big way...and the result was many children accepting Jesus as their Savior!  Christa's Bible time lessons were some of the best I've ever heard...and I've heard alot over the years, so I can say this with certainty.  God gave her just the right words and examples to use for His precious sheep to understand His Word better (myself included).  She taught from Matthew 4:1-11...the temptation of Jesus.  One c...

Friday, July 23rd The day started off great and breakfast going great...finally getting the hang of things now that the week is almost over. :)  Not really...just a smooth start to the day where I didn't have to run back to the kitchen for anything that I had forgotten to place out on the tables.  Everyone was happy this morning...including the cook...and people were just hanging out with me in the kitchen and having a great start to our day together.  One thing that I just love about this team is that the conversations have substance.  From chatting about what God's doing in our lives or what's going on in our churches to more informal topics of where we've been and seen in this world, they are just meaningful to me.  The team members are genuine. The team went off for their morning projects and I prepared lunch...build your own taco salad day...as close to Tex-Mex food as I'm going to serve Texans. :)  Birthday cakes a...

Thursday, July 22nd Cannot believe it's Thursday already...wow!  Today some of the team stayed here and finished the carpet they're steam cleaning for the church as a service project.  Glad to have more company around.  Duke helped me make today's lunch dessert...chocolate chip cookie bars.  And, since Cody and Adam were helping with the carpet they stopped in time to time and made sure the batter was just right.  Each day brings more fun and fellowship with this team.  More and more, I'm finding that the kitchen is just a perfect place to warm up and get to chatting with people about all sorts of things.  SherylAnn and I had a most blessed conversation about identifying ourselves with Christ first and foremost before any other "label".  Again, it went back, for me, to my first trip to Alaska and how God showed me I am to find myself in Him first and then go and tackle my other responsibilities.  Traci came after lunch and snatched me away fo...

After the park, we loaded up and headed to Palmer to go to the Williams Reindeer Farm.  You can find their website here... http://www.reindeerfarm.com/ .  The weather was holding for us even if it wasn't sunny and clear, it wasn't pouring rain, either.  This is a good thing.  The reindeer farm was so fun!  Team Texas seemed to really enjoy their time there...and I enjoyed seeing them enjoy the reindeer and other animals for the first time.  Took me back to my first trip there...great memories!  Everyone from the team came, too, so they all have the experience to recall together.  Considering they come from what would be considered a mega church to most, it's the little things that sometimes bring people closer together.   Handfeeding the reindeer is fun as I remember it...some come running as soon as they see you on their turf.  They are so cute, but they are not very good at judging how far their antlers are from y...

Wednesday, July 21st I do some of my best thinking in the shower.  The key is to remember what I've come up with once the water is turned off.  :)  Today, I remembered my idea.  Thank God that "Plan B" moments turn out better than the original some times.  The schedule had us down for a "light lunch" (which meant sandwiches) and a hot dinner.  I proposed to Larry that we switch these so that right after Bible Club time at the park, we could head north to Palmer and visit the Reindeer Farm.  If we had a hot meal at lunch, then we could make and take our sandwiches with us and eat them somewhere along the way after the reindeer farm visit.  He thought that would be a great plan and we should go with it.  I called after breakfast and made sure of their hours and was able to get us a group rate of $5 per person.  Things were falling into place for a great evening for us.  Now, I started praying ha...

Tuesday, July 20th I am loving my week in Eagle River and it's only Tuesday!  God is so good and he is moving among His people...I'm so glad to be a part of it all! The kitchen was a hub of excitement again this morning.  Between those seeking coffe, tea, and warmth (maybe a little of both) we all had a good morning chatting with each other while I made scrambled eggs and sausage links.  The smell of brownies baking also lured some in to the kitchen...made them to enjoy at lunch.  I enjoy cooking for my team...they make it a rewarding job.   Pastor Larry is their team leader for the week and Dr. Bowman, Hyde Park Baptist Church's head pastor, is their devotional leader for the week.  Both are highly respected by their team.  Larry is a great communicator and natural leader for the group...and hilariously funny, I might add.  His wife and two youngest children a...

Monday, July 19th First day of cooking for my Texas team of 21.  Never know how things will go until you are in the midst of them or until they're over, really, when it comes to food.  Breakfast on a Monday should be a great first impression...at least I think it should be anyway.  Made french toast and bacon as the main items...always had fruit and cereal as well as options.  I had made the egg batter the night before so all I had to do this morning is actually cook the food.  The stoves were awesome...two big gas stoves with most of the burners working.  The only issue was the fact that the plug ins for the griddles I was using to make the french toast were across the room from the stoves where the bacon was frying.  I am good, but not good enough to be in two places at one time, so when one of the ladies asked if she could help I graciously accepted and asked if she would take over the bacon.  It just so happens she fries bacon every morning a...