A Fresh Reminder!

With the close of the summer camp season Debbie and I have spent the past 37 summers right here at Camp Nathanael. Some might say, "You don't move around much." and that's true but when you're content in where the Lord has placed you why be anywhere else. We just had a reminder of why we stay.

Last night a long time supporter of SMMM came to visit overnight. Her son had given her a "gift certificate" last Christmas for one trip to Camp Nathanael whenever she wanted. Yesterday she redeemed it! When I met her, along with her son and family, at camp last night, she was so joyful. She had finally come to a place she had long wanted to visit.

Mrs. Russell, who lives about a four hour drive from Emmalena, has prayed and shared financially for many years but had never experienced the result of her prayers and gifts. Over the past 24 hours she was able to walk the grounds (including the swinging bridge), hear the stories, view the 75th Anniversary DVD and see for herself what God has done in this place. I believe she was pleased with what she saw.

I don't know about you but I sometimes can get so familiar with something that it can lose its "specialness". But watching Mrs. Russell experience Camp Nathanael I'm reminded, anew, of what a special place this is and what a wonderful blessing I've lived for 37 summers. It is my prayer that I never lose the excitement of serving the Lord in this place. I would challenge you to look around where God has placed you and see its specialness as well. Because if you are where God wants you that place truly is special.

That's what's happening along Troublesome Creek until after a few days of R&R and celebrating 35 years of a tremendous marriage.

Mountain Man

He rolls into camp driving a mid-1980s work van with a hand written telephone number on the side. He opens the door and climbs out. It's Uncle Tim and he's come to help us dismantle and rebuild the log cabin I mentioned last time. With a bandanna tied around his head and a home-made bowie knife strapped to his side he heads toward the cabin. I go over an hour later to check on his progress and I hear classical music playing behind the pounding and screeching of loosening boards.

Tim is what I describe as a true mountain renaissance man. When I first met him I wasn't sure who this person was. But as I've gotten to know him I've discovered he designs and builds log houses. Not those kits you can buy but genuine, get the logs in the woods, log houses. He can operate a saw mill and he can dry out a log while its still on the stump. He's a licensed beautician and has remodeled historical homes in Lexington. He's even working on a way to liquefy the natural gas he has on his property. He's a Civil War "expert" and there's not much in history that he can't speak about intelligently. But what impresses me most of all, Tim is authentic. What you see is what you get!

Would that we as Christians would be as authentic and transparent. We play our games sometimes and put on masks to hide what we don't want others to know about us. Christ teaches us to be real and genuine in our walk. "Let your light so shine before men that they might see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven." May our goal be to draw others to the Gospel because we are authentic.

That's what's happening along the banks of Troublesome Creek until next time.

An Old Pair of Boots

This morning I had to visit the seventy three year old log cabin on the camp property which the mission is preparing to dismantle and reconstruct. The area around the cabin has been cleared of brush and undergrowth so I pulled an old pair of work boots out of my office closet that I rarely use any more.

As I laced them up I remembered these boots had been given to me a number of years ago by Tom. Tom is a former camper who had grown up in a difficult home environment and found himself living on his own at sixteen. He stayed in school and kept coming to camp each summer. After high school graduation he worked on the summer staff and stayed in our home on the weekends. When he went off to college he gave me these boots.

Today Tom is happily married, the father of two children, a college graduate, teaching school and, most importantly, following Christ. He overcame the odds that overwhelm so many others.

While I wouldn't say all that happened because of the ministry of SMMM in Tom's life, I will say it had an influence. If you were to talk with Tom I believe he would agree.

As we minister our way through another camp week I wonder how many other "Toms" are here this week or have already come this summer. I'm glad I don't have to know or keep record but Heaven is going to be a happy place when eternity reveals the full picture of SMMM's impact on the mountain folks of southeastern Kentucky.

That's what's happening along the banks of Troublesome Creek until next time.

The Blue Shirts Are Coming!

At the time of the American Revolution, the battle cry for the colonists was "The Red Coats are coming! The Red Coats are coming!" Well the Revolutionary War has been over for a long time but at Camp Nathanael you can hear a similar type cry this week which says "The Blue Shirts are coming! The Blue Shirts are coming!"

During family week all the staff, both full-time and summer, are asked to wear matching blue staff shirts. This makes it easy for guests to pick out who can help them whether in the dining hall or around the grounds. We have had many positive comments over the years about this practice. It also reminds our staff that we represent something (Camp Nathanael) bigger than ourselves when we put on that blue shirt.

That got me to thinking how, as believers, we represent Someone bigger than ourselves - the Lord Jesus. Our behavior, our attitude, our actions should make it easy for others to identify us as Christians and ready to help them with whatever need they might have.

Tonight is Patriotic Fun Night at Family Week. It's going to be fun. I hear there's even going to literally be some "rockets red glare" before its over.

That's what's happening along the banks of Troublesome Creek the day before July 4th!

Family Week 2008

Camp Nathanael's Family Week got underway last night. Over 200 folks from nine states have gathered along the banks of Troublesome Creek filling almost every cabin and room at camp. That number includes a team of eight from Lancaster, PA (Calvary Church) who have come to enhance the food service. It's hard to enhance the food at Camp Nathanael but they certainly are having an impact.

This week has truly become a family week. We have young parents with toddlers, experienced parents with school age children, grandparents trying to keep up with those lively grandkids and the "empty nesters" who think "I'm glad that's not me right now." The camp staff is working hard to make this a week filled with many memories for each one attending.

Harold Kime and Dave Tucker, our two speakers, are filling us up with much spiritual food while the food service folks are filling us up with physical food. It's a great time to be at camp. Next year we'd love to have you here too.

Oh, gotta run, it's time for supper!

That's what's happening along the banks of Troublesome Creek until next time.