Eric's Thoughts

Wow, it’s been a while.  Quick update.  Life here is good, though very quite without any Arrowhead students.  We’ve been keeping very busy.  I did get my email project working, so I’ll get that howto posted in the next couple of days.

Moving on to the topic at hand.
I had a thought hit me Sunday night. I was thinking about love, and it dawned on me that to love someone does not mean to ignore, or be ok with their flaws/sin. One of the reasons I struggle so much with love is I have this idea that if I love someone I’m ok with them, with what they do. I realized this is simply not true. In love, someones faults can and should be recognized. It’s not my job to do anything about those faults, but it is silly to pretend that they don’t exist. It seems so basic, but for some reason had never really sunk in before. I was getting so frustrated because peoples flaws annoyed me, and I thought to love them I couldn’t be annoyed with them. I finally understand annoyance and love are not mutually exclusive. If only I could be less comfortable with my sin and more annoyed by it.

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not saying it’s ok to sit around and chew people out (either in your head, or to their face).  I am saying, you can love some one with out accepting them or more specifically without accepting their sin (or what you think is their sin).  Maybe that doesn’t make sense.

Any ways that is something of what has being going on in my head the past couple of days.  As I reread this I realize this is not a fully formed image of what love is (I Corinthians 13 lays that out) nor is it supposed to be.  As with everything I write, if there is truth in it keep that, and chuck the rest.

John 12:25-26 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man server me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

This week I’ve been working on mirroring camps email.  Our mail is hosted through Google Apps.  Our problem is that because of our satellite Internet connection we have bandwidth restrictions.  Once you hit your limit, you can no longer check email.  What I’ve been trying to do is copy what we’ve got on Google here at camp so that even if you can’t get on-line, you can still access your e-mail locally.  I am happy to report that today I succeeded.  It’s been sad how excited I’ve been over it.  Any who, assuming I get the go ahead to actually set up a real one (I’ve only done it with my email and a test one so far) I’ll post a howto/walk through on here.

John 20:16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

If Jesus called my name would I know His voice?

Jeremiah 10:24 O Lord, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.

Another quick update (and then I’m off to bed).  The trip to Kansas was fun.  We drove the whole way in one day going there (about 18 hours), but split the trip into two days coming back.  We stayed with Andy and Ambers family (who were great), and went to Caleb and Marti’s wedding (which was short and sweet).  We also visited an ex summer staffer on the way back.  My family visited this week, and I can’t say how good it was to see them.  They are all doing well, and should be back in MN by now.

Psalm 143:8 Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.

It’s been a while since I last did an update.  Summer is done.  In case I haven’t mentioned it, Arrowhead has been cancelled this year due to low numbers, so we’re looking a long winter.  I went camping last weekend with some friends and it was a blast.  We hiked up to Phantom lake.  We fished, swam, took naps, went on hikes, and ate like kings.  We packed in so much food, it was kind of ridiculous.  It was very worth it though.  This coming weekend I’ll be in Kansas for a wedding, and then next week my whole family is going to be visiting.  I’m excited.

I was going to redo the Arrowhead intra-net the other day, and discovered (quite by accident) that DNS is actually installed and working on our router (who knew?).  Any who that got me really excited so I’m going to try and tweak that a bit this week.  Other news, a bunch of us staff guys have started doing P90X and I have to admit it sucks.  We’ve done three days so far, and I’m in pain and feel like a complete wimp.

Well, that is the short (and not very coherent) version of what has been happening in my life.  I’m going to try and get a photo gallery going on my website, so I can post pictures of the Phantom trip.

John 10:4-5 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

Father make me ever more sensitive to Your voice and less to the others.

Well, super summer was a brutal week (as usual), but I made it through basically in one piece.  This last weekend was glorious, I had three days off (like all the way off).  I have to admit I could go for that again.  It’s been hot and dry, though it is supposed to cool off a bit this week.

This week is our junior camp.  We’ve got about 90 campers plus counsellors.  Please pray that the kids will have soft hearts, the counsellors will be listening to the Holy Spirit, and that God will work in peoples hearts.  Also pray for the kids who aren’t here.  We had something like 35 first time commitments last week.  Last week was our foster kids camp, and many of those kids are very literally going to be sheep among wolves.  Pray that God will protect them, and bring into their lives other Christians to help them along the way.

John 18:11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

Father teach me this kind of submission to You.

Well, it has been a while.  Just about three weeks.  Summer is half over.  So far it has been good, but tiring.  We’ve got a big week this week with Super Summer.  There will be a lot of people here.  I’m trying to think what else to say.  So much has happened, but I’m tired and it’s hard to come up with which parts are important and which ones aren’t.   Well, when in doubt talk about the weather.  It’s been warm.  The rain has stopped, but the streams are still high from the melting snow pack.

Psalm 124:8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

John 13:12-17 So after he washed their feet, and had taken his garments and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

If I your Lord and Master have washed your feet. When you really think about this whole thing it just is mind blowing. Their creator who is about to die for them takes off His clothes, and cleans their feet. Talk about humility and love. God is humble. How does that work?

John 13:31-35 Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify himself, and shall straightway glorify him. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me; and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another.

He says good bye, and then follows it up with this new command.

We have finally had about three days in a row of nice weather.  Up until now it was about four weeks worth of rain with one dry day per week.  A lot has happened since my last post.  4H camp went well.  Last Saturday was Camp Experience/our 35th anniversary celebration and we had over 300 people on campus.  It was a good day, but kind of long.  We’re currently running horse camp, and ADA (American Diabetes Association) will be coming in on Wednesday.  Then the next three weeks will be nuts.  We’ll basically have people here constantly.  I’m doing fine, though I am a bit tired.  Nuff said.

John 18:11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

I wish I had that kind of submission. Father please teach me that.

The summer staff are here (most of them) and we are almost done with our second week of staff training.  Next week we will have 4H here.  A trial by fire so to speak.  I have to say we’ve got a pretty good facilities crew this year.  Not having worked with the other departments I can’t speak for them, but I think it’s going to be a good summer.

It has finally stopped raining.  I have never seen so much water since I’ve been here.  The wind has picked up tonight (a lot), and Jim and Warren finally got the water running down the road diverted into the stream.  Things should dry up enough for us to mow now.  I have no other random tid bits so I’ll stop rambling.

Psalm 108:12 Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.

John 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

14:31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

We soldier on.  This week we’ve got Trinity Lutheran (I think they are 8th graders) and the Evangelical Churches D.O.W. (Denominational Orientation Week) all at once.  It’s busy, and wet and cold, but summer staff have started trickling in, and we’ve had enough help.  Summer staff officially start this coming Monday, so that is good.  I got a hair cut last night and that has been wonderful.  This week I’ve done nothing but get ready either for the two camps we’ve got, or summer staff housing so it’s been very busy.  I’m rambling thought, so I’ll stop now.

John 5:17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

I want to be able to say this about the things I do. (By the way “hitherto” means “thus far” or “up until now”).

John 5:39-40 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

Scripture is insufficient to give me eternal life, only Christ can do that. I must never believe the lie that knowledge/correct theology is what saves me.