I ask for your prayers...

Today, my daughter Taylor felt like she had the flu and called the doctor and was told to come to the hospital immediately because of the risk to the triplets. There they found one of the babies had died. There may be complications with the others.

We are very sad and pray for the health, both physically and emotionally, for Taylor and the babies as well as for her husband, David.

UPDATE:
Thank you for your prayers and emails
Taylor goes back in on Friday for blood tests and ultrasound. Will keep you informed...

Future...

I was in a board meeting the other night and we were talking about a visioning plan for the future of Calvin Crest. It was an introduction to the discussion that will take a lot longer in the near future but it was a good beginning. Looking at what immediate needs in the facilities, 5 years, 10 years, and then it jumped to 50 years.

Fifty years from now what will camping be like. I am sure it had many of us thinking. I was thinking at first, what will we need to be doing, then I thought what will the people of the valley and surrounding areas be doing that we will need to be reacting to?

What will the moral issues be? What will the communication devices, if any, be like? What struggles will people be facing. What will technology, economics, etc do to the family and what will that do to the thinking of children and then what will that cause culture to reflect.

Will we have individual rocket suits? Computers be faster than they are now? Will people be wearing a lot of aluminum foil? Will there be a George Z. Bush in the White House? Will people still blog? Will they show up for any church services?

Will the Emergensia be the traditional service and the college students will rebell?

Will anyone remember me?

Grandfather cubed...

As many of you know, my daughter Taylor and her husband David are expecting their first child in late November - early December. They will also be expecting their second one in late November - early December. They will also be expecting their third child in late November - early December.

That is correct campers, triplets!

Mazel tov!

Band of Brothers...

Christel and I are watching the HBO series, Band of Brothers, again. I am always impressed by these men who braved it for about two years... two years! Such leadership, bravery, intense loyalty, etc. I always weep in the eighth story when they discover the concentration camp. What a scene, what a time.

Thanks Ryan McKenzie for telling me about it, I always stay around to see your name on the credits...

Control...

During this "down time" I try to debrief the summer, debrief my life, cook, clean up after I cook, draw a little, dream, stare a lot, drink a little wine, read detective novels, catch up with my family, eat hard cheeses, throw away some clothes, make coney island hot dogs, BBQ fish, and other things that I didn't get to do much during the summer.

Thursday, I spent a few hours with Nellie debriefing the summer, which was a great beginning. I haven't looked at the summer with anyone else before so it was good to speak out loud and listen to her perspective.

I have been spending some time debriefing myself and I am caught in a quandary. I think I have control issues. I lead 80+ people, responsible for about 2400 campers, get about 50 or more phone calls, letters, or emails from parents, pastors and others complaining or are concerned about something or other, I have to send campers and staff home, stop people who shouldn't be on campus, encourage, pray, counsel with the staff, etc. For ten weeks I am earlobe deep in decisions and putting out fires, that I had nothing or little to do with in the first place and then in a matter of hours I am home and don't have any of the issues that I just had. My poor wife, Christel, then becomes the "target" of my leadership. But then it is not considered leadership qualities but control issues.

She is very gracious as I plan, critique, and basically tell her my opinion on everything. Then she gives me The Smile. It is usually the first Tuesday when I get it. She is a music teacher, an opera singer, a mother of 3, soon to be a grandmother, an elder at the Local Corporation, graduated Cum Laude from CSU,Fresno, a beautiful woman, can cook the best lasagna in the world, even better than my mom's which is a huge accomplishment by the way, and my best friend. She knows her stuff. Why would I try to lead her? She is the one who has been faithful, compassionate, long suffering, bill paying, put up with this bozo for 30+ years, etc.

I don't know how to turn it off. I don't think I have to lead her just because of my plumbing - know what I mean? It comes down to control. I tend to control people I care about. These are good people, smart people, accomplished people. I go out on a boat with friends and I start controlling where we go, what we eat, what music comes out of my iPod, etc. Control.

It is easier when I have job title and people that gives me license to control but when I am a friend, a husband, a son, a dad, etc I need to mellow out. So a huge "I am truly sorry" to all of those that I tend to control and have been quietly patient with me. I will try to sit back more and let you drive the boat.

Something to work on...

The end of a summer...

We finished our season of summer camp last night. This was a great summer with a great staff who did a great work. I feel like Santa Claus the day after Christmas...

Another one joins the bloggetts...

My friend Leisel just started blogging. This is going to be good...

Finishing strong...

umm.
It is early.
Can't sleep.
Much on my mind.
Not anxious about tomorrow.
Perplexed about today and yesterday.
Too much wasted time inside my head.

It is an interesting place to be, trying to get people to finish strong but the desire for many is an early celebration. If I stop the celebration it will most certainly cause feelings of frustration and we end on a sour note.

I will continue to encourage good behavior, which there are still many doing the right thing, and correcting when people want to celebrate themselves instead of waiting for the party on Saturday.

Dude!...

I don't think this is on the "What To Bring To Camp" list.

A man, a crew cut, a djembe...

This is one of the main reason I am at Calvin Crest. I do feel called but it is great having a friend like Cosby listening to the Voice with me...







(This is Cosby playing at the 2006 Worship and Celebration yesterday.)

Gifts...

This picture to the left hangs in the doorway of my office. It is a reminder for me to bend over each time I go through my doorway. The doorway is 5'8" high and I am 6'0" high. I have not bent over enough so many time and smacked my head and some times I don't bend enough and shave off an 1/8 of an inch that I am probably more like 5'11" by now.

This also greets me each time I enter my office, I call it the Field Office, to remind me to bow in worship when I enter my job as well. It was a gift from the crafts woman from a few years back and I am much appreciative...

Tuesdays with Tony...

I meet every Tuesday, for lunch, with the coordinators. We laugh, support, give counsel, complain, offer suggestions, laugh, and love. I will definitely miss these times in two weeks. These have become dear friends and I am honored to have served next to them this summer...