California...

We have gone from Summer to Winter in less than a week. Last Monday it was in the high 80s and today we are having our second snow storm of the season. As in the words of Dylan, "the times they are a changin'..."

I am convinced more and more that our camps should focus on equipping the saints to do the will of God instead of just being christian. Our time with kids need to bring the whole message of God to their understanding, as best we can. Preparing them to do, without fear, God's call and will than just debate the issues that are in controversy today. We need to do this without always talking about being a non-believer. We spend so much effort on convincing them they are going to hell if they don't throw a pine cone in the fire that once they have done that we back off. We have their hearts and souls, now we need to be "renewing their minds." Not with doctrine but with His wisdom and understanding. We should be teaching to listen to the still small voice and be obedient to His directions. We should give them understanding to the conversation rather than just "pray often". We give them old words that have no meanings to a new creation. I think we do this because it was done to us.

Many young people are looking into old liturgy. High masses are becoming popular because it causes us to look to and participate in something higher and greater than ourselves. So prayer labyriths and other fads will come and go but people are looking for the reality of God. This isn't a fad it is a relationship. It happened in the flesh of Jesus, it takes place in the conversation through the Spirit.

This cannot only be taught, it must be modeled or discipled. They must see it in our lives and experience it themselves. It must not be pious but genuine, worts and all. Good days and bad.

Well, it is time to play in the snow...