Faith Rain

Rain.  We need it.  We need it badly.  Pastures are going to nothing, hay field yields are down, and it's looking like a dust bowl.  We pray for it.  We wish for it.  We......prepare for it.  In faith, believing that God will provide rain, you move important stuff inside, close up any and all doors and windows, and believe.  In faith, I moved materials inside or under cover, cleaned out the back of the truck, and I'm prepared for rain.  Just like the little boy who brings an umbrella to the prayer gathering for rain for a dry community, let's believe it'll rain.

Happy Mother's Day

"I want to wear out, not rust out."

How many times have I heard that from my mom.  She doesn't want to sit around, waiting for life to come to her but rather always on the move, not letting the rust accumulate.  Let me tell you that my mother moves around so much that there isn't a speck of rust on her.  Nowadays she babysits my 4 nephews every other weekend.  I just hope that I'll have grandkids in time for her to love on them the way she loves on those 4 crazy boys.  Every kid should have a grandma like that!

She (and my dad) drove me (and my brother) the equivalent of around the world (number of times, don't remember) just in taking us to school and back every day from kindergarten on (I started driving in 10th grade so that took some of the strain off).  She sat through countless school programs, watched me play "Little girl #2" in Heidi in 4th grade, several animal parts in Peter Cottontail, and the bean seller in "Jack and the Beanstalk".  I started 4-H in 6th grade and from then on there were 4-H meetings, shows, clinics, and everything else in between.  I took riding lessons for three years starting in 5th grade.  Once I hit 7th grade, sports took over.  There were practices that she had to pick me up from, games that were hours away from us that she and dad drove to knowing there was a good chance I wouldn't play (until I made starter).  She helped me with decisions, both big and small.  When I got to college, she picked me up nearly every weekend so I could go home (freshman had no cars) and even brought Hansi with her too.  It was two hours, one way, just to pick me up but it was definitely something I needed at the time.  My parents have been so dependable throughout the years.  Sometimes I make the mistake of taking them for granted and don't always take the time to call.  As the years go on, I realize that I can't take either of them for granted anymore.  They still rescue me when I've needed it as recently as this past winter when they drove over to drive me to a doctor's appointment after my foot got infected and things were a little uncertain.  I'll love them forever and like them for always.  My mom never asked for anything in return yet has given everything without complaint.  She's a mom, she's my mom.  Thank you.

Missing the Train

We've missed the train.  The train has left the station and we are still standing on the platform, pacing back and forth, wondering and hoping that there will be another train coming along soon.  We didn't even get a chance to grab onto the railing of the caboose.  We just plan missed it.  What do you mean, you ask?  Summer camp.  In just a few short weeks, our equestrian staff will arrive and our training will begin and there is SO much to do before they arrive.  Yeah, we usually say that we're behind, there's a lot to do, and we wonder how we'll get it all done.  But this time, it's May and we haven't done any prep work.  No horses have been ridden, no pastures mowed, no arenas cultivated, no games/activities prepared.  Not sure what happened, but we just haven't been able to get to things.  I feel like I haven't been able to string together consecutive work days working on the equestrian center.  Our weekends have been crazy and seems like we spend the first part of the week recovering from that.  Then it's time to get ready for the next weekend.  The weather was great in March and poor in April.  But no matter what happens and how much we do or don't get done, one thing is true.  Actually two things.  First off, kids are coming no matter what.  They will come and even if all the details don't get ironed out, chances are they won't notice.  And secondly, God's in control and He has His finger all over camp.  We'll work a lot between now and then, almost every day, I'll get saddle and tractor butt, and my life will not be mine anymore.  It'll be camps.  But I give because I want to and I want to give those kids the best that I have to offer.  They probably won't notice the little things and they won't know that I prepared an activity the night before we did it and their experience will still be awesome.  I might have to work harder and longer but they deserve it.  So here's to the summer.....the weeks of prep before summer.....here's to CT2012!

The Hunger Games

Yep, I've read it and I've seen it.  And no, I have no problem with the books or movie.  Yeah, when I first heard about the concept of the books, I had no interest in reading it.  It seemed unimaginable to be entertained about a world where kids kill kids in a reality game show.  But I decided to give it a shot because the people who were telling me how good it was weren't people I'd normally think would be entertained that way.  And from the first chapter on, I couldn't put the books down.  I read them all in about 3 days, all 3 books.  The books were entertaining.  A great read.   The story was well written and the author drew you into an unimaginable world that, through words, you felt a part of.  Katniss is a strong, independent women of 16 years of age who sustained her family, raised her sister, and learned to adapt in an unforgiving, unfair world.  She wasn't glamorous, a pencil thin fashion star who thought only of herself.  She has a quiet strength.  She loves her family so much that she is willing to put everything on the line for them.  She is beautiful without trying.  What a good example for young women.  You can be strong and independent and lovely and attractive all at the same time.  And she didn't complain about her rights, about what she felt she was entitled too like so many of today's youth complain about. Then there's Peeta.  A strong young man who, knowing that his chances of winning the game were slim, decided to give his effort towards helping another succeed.  How selfless was that?  Yeah, he loved Katniss and that fueled his desire to help her win but he was willing to sacrifice for love.  Peeta's desire that the Capital not win, to not take the part of him that made him, well, him.  That in the midst of pure tragedy, goodness can shine through the darkest of times (Katniss's tribute to Rue).  The people of the districts of Panem were not used to having plenty of anything yet made do with what they had.  We as a people are straying from being a self sufficient folk who now ask our government for everything, to be involved in all aspects of our lives and allow them to control us.  And that is exactly what the people of Panem were fighting against.  The government controlled them, regulated them, and they wanted their freedom.  Not a freedom for internet, cell phones, etc but freedom to live in peace, free from tyranny and oppression.  Do not these issues seem somewhat relevant now?  The people of the "Capitol"  live outlandish lives, oblivious to the hardships of the districts.  They wear their hair in crazy colors, decorate their bodies with random jewelry, have plenty of food and waste it, and find enjoyment in a reality game show that pits child against child until only one is left, with no regard for human life.  Also sound familiar?  The series follows Katniss to the end and the effects of the games on her are not glorified as she suffers and the ending isn't a Hollywood ending.  That's real.  Life's actions have consequences and those consequences have an effect on us, change us, and sometimes, we'll never be the same again.  Not a fairy tale ending, but a real life one.  Yes, there is violence in the book and therefore in the movie.  The violence is not glorified and in the movie, the violence is toned down from the books.  I'm sure if they had stayed completely true to the book, the movie would have been "R" rated and I'm not sure I would have wanted to see it visually.  But the movie stayed true to the book, moved along well, and helped bring to life the environment we had read about.  These books and movie are not for everyone and I would not recommend it to everyone.  If I had children, they would not be reading this until they had reached a certain age and were able to sit down and talk about the issues that the book brings up.  If you don't want to read the books or watch the movie, you, thankfully (unlike the districts of Panem who were forced to watch the Hunger Games), have the freedom to not watch it.

What frustrates me and what I don't appreciate is the judgement posed upon this movie (and many other issues) and this is why.  There are Christians who decry the movie for its lack of reference to God or a supreme being (I read this on Focus on the Family website) and, obviously, for the violence and premise of the book.  By that account, those folks shouldn't be watching any movies but those that are overtly Christian otherwise they are violating their own standard.  Not saying that's what we should do, but that, by their own standards, that's what they should be doing.  I guess what I really grow weary of are double standards that self-righteous folks impose on us.  There are folks out there talking about how we need to be careful of what images that we allow into our minds and how we let it influence us.  That is true.  As Christians, we need to watch what we allow to enter our minds whether it's through music, tv, music, or the internet.  No argument here.  What goes in will affect and influence us in some way.  If we fill our minds with garbage, we can only expect garbage out.  Much like when we stuff our faces with food that isn't healthy, we can't expect to have a pro athlete body.  And if this movie or anything else would cause you, yourself, and only yourself, to fall, take your eyes off of God, or promote unwholesome images in your head, then you should not watch it, participate in it, listen to it, read it, etc.  But that is your choice.  First off, you cannot hold everyone else to your personal standard and you can't flaunt your standard to make yourself look like a better Christian.  It doesn't make you a better Christian, it makes you like a Pharisee. Doing things to draw attention to yourself, to your goodness, and your "righteousness".  I don't like labels.  This is what I am.  I am strong in my faith.  I know what I believe in, I know why I believe in it, and I try to live my life to the best I can do according to what I have read in the Bible, which I believe to be 100% accurate and 100% true.  There are some things that I don't do because I know that it will take my mind down a path I don't want to go down.  I avoid those things and activities.  I also don't tell everyone about it and I don't judge others.  There are other things that don't distract me from the given purpose in my life.  Therefore I allow those things into my life.  I also try to keep things as simple as possible and worry about me and my walk and no one else's.

Here's a good example of a "double standard," one I've personally heard and took part in.  Harry Potter was being criticized for it's wizardry and witchcraft but then I heard those exact same folks in almost the exact same sentence praise Lord of the Rings for it's representation of friendship and loyalty and said that those qualities of LOTR set it apart from Harry Potter.  Neither has a reference to the Christian God that I could remember.  Both have characters with "supernatural" powers.  Different subject matter, but I don't find one to be more or less "Christian" than another.  Both have heroes making difficult choices, doing the right thing when it was hard, and a friend that stands by them.  Personally, I found Lord of the Rings to be too much for me at some parts and I didn't care to watch him suffer carrying the ring.  It's a good movie, but not one I really want to watch more than once.  But I saw no difference between the two.   I watched all the Harry Potter movies.  I never read the books and it isn't a movie box set I'll buy, but it entertained me.  It just didn't make sense to say that one was more Christian than another.

I hope this makes sense.  The main point is that it's fine if you have a standard for your life.  That's your choice.  But be consistent, especially if you're going to make your views public.  Don't put down others who choose to participate in something that is not sinful but perhaps violate your man made standards.  And don't flaunt your personal choices in front of others.  So maybe you don't like the Hunger Games.  Maybe you'll never read it or maybe you will and be horrified by what they've read.  Or maybe you'll read it and enjoy it.  Whatever you do, that is up to you.  Make the choice that's best for you.

And may the odds be ever in your favor.

Last Week for Brackets for Good!

This is your last chance to turn your donation of $10, $25, $100 or more into $5,000 for our campership fund that allows students and campers the chance to come to camp that may not otherwise get it.  Students get to come with their class on an Outdoor Education experience and campers can come for a week of experiences that will last a lifetime.

http://animoto.com/play/DvO1csYOsrbrn1vlq39GpQ

Entitlement and the True 1%

It's been hard to not hear about the "occupy" demonstrations in the news.  Thankfully I haven't been hearing as much about them and I hope that they are nearing their end.  I'm sick of hearing about the "1%", the young adults who can't find a job, people demanding more from others yet giving nothing in return, and those whining for more assistance from the government.  That's right, I don't want to hear about it.  Yes, there are definitely people in this country who are hurting, can't find jobs, and are in legitimate need of help.  And I think that they are the "1%".  Then I hear about the $1 million lottery winner who lives in a nice waterfront home who is still receiving benefits from the government in the form of food stamps.  Lottery Winner  Yes, you read that right.  She won $1,000,000, lives in a very nice house, and still receives government assistance and only feels "a little bad" about taking our money because she doesn't work.  She has the same mindset that so many Americans do.  The government pays better than a minimum wage job so why go work?  (Apparently feeling good about yourself and a good day's work is overrated?)  I read about the government providing cell phones and internet access to low income folks and calling it their "right". Of course the health care "right" issue falls in here somewhere.  I am subject to drug screens and taxes but someone who is receiving government benefits is not?  I work very hard for my money and I not only pay for my internet, cable, phone, health care, other luxuries that I decide to give myself, car, food, etc but I also have to pay for someone else's?  They sit on their butt, refusing to get a low paying job, and I bust my ass to pay for not only me, but them?  The government is as much to blame in this situation as anyone else.  Who is holding these citizens accountable?  Who is keeping watch over the money?  Do we have standards for those receiving assistance?  Somehow, somewhere, at sometime a list of rights have come about that are so far from being a right that they must have confused the definition with a privilege.  Where has our common sense, our sense of pride (the right kind) and self worth gone?  Yeah, maybe you can't find a job in your major or in the income range you want but there are jobs out there.  We, as Americans, are too proud to take jobs that are supposedly "beneath" us and are more willing to take a handout from the government than work a good honest day's work.  That's why so many of our jobs go overseas.  They are actually willing to work at a minimum wage.  Our standard of living is so high that we can't imagine being without cable, driving a fancy car, or buying the latest technological gadget.  We could get by on so much less than what we are willing to do.  But we can't give up a 3 car garage, our fancy coffee, or our smart phones.  We whine and complain that the government isn't doing enough to help us but the blame can't go beyond the end of our own nose.  We need to own up and take responsibility for our actions and for our inactions, we need to prioritize the "needs" and the "wants" in our lives and realize that our "rights" do not include our "wants" and that the government doesn't need to provide either, and take some pride in a honest days work.

Take some time to read the thoughts of another kind of 1%.  The Other 1%  Our service men and women who have lived in nothing over in Iraq and Afghanistan and come back to find us complaining about "not enough foam in our latte" while they sacrificed their all over there.  And some don't come home to hear your complaining, whining attitudes.  I'm ashamed of the protesters, the generations around me that expect to be waited on hand and foot and expect an A+ for C work, and refuse to accept the blame for their actions and responsibility for consequences.  To those who have their parents come in and talk to the professor when their child doesn't get the grade they want, despite it being the grade they deserved, and to the children who allow it to happen-you are raising a generation of helpless kids.  We live in a world where everyone gets a participation ribbon and there can't be losers.  My losses taught me more and pushed me to work harder and get better.  It pushed me to work hard to become a starter on my volleyball team, to graduate with distinction from college, and to push myself to be the best me I could be.  Helpless Kids  I was raised to learn from my mistakes, to take ownership of my actions, and to work hard each and every day.  I will be successful even if I never make more than my low 5 digit salary from camp because I'll know that I worked hard for every dollar, I made a difference, and I did it myself.  And you can bet that is how I'll raise my kids.

In the eyes of the Lord, I deserve and are entitled nothing but He has given me everything that I don't deserve.

Brackets for Good

Have you ever wondered how you can help Camp Tecumseh?  Or maybe it's never occurred to you?  Either way, there is a way you can help.  Camp is participating in Brackets for Good and every dollar that you pledge to camp will go to camp and our campership fund.  Each round, we'll square off with another non-profit.  Every dollar equals 1 point and every round, the point total starts over but we get to keep the money from the previous round.  If we win the tournament, we get an additional $5,000 to put into our campership fund.  Our campership fund allows kids who may not normally get a chance to come to camp the opportunity to experience a week of summer camp.  These kids and families apply for a campership and we make sure that the money is being used wisely.  There is also more information on camp's website and the opportunity to sign up is at Camp Volunteer Form.  You can link to Brackets for Good through your facebook page too!

Thanks for thinking of camp and if you happen to be near the Purdue campus on Wednesday night, eat at Nine Irish Brothers.  A portion of all food proceeds from 5:30 pm on will go to benefit camp!