Delighting in God

Just this week I received a request in my school mailbox from some folks working with our middle school students youth ministry called "Chrysalis" They were looing for submissions to the questions "What does it mean to delight yourself, (or in this case myself), in the Lord?" So here's what came to me on another walk to work:

The first thing it means to me is that I have to expect delight, I have to be ready to recognize it when delight comes my way and that starts with reflections on all that God is, and that starts with worship. Not necessarily praise songs, reflective and heartfelt prayers – these are good things – but, as my pastor back home put it in a recent online sermon (and I quote as best I can recall) worship involves “responding with all that we are to all that He is”. Diving deeply into the character and track record of God and giving over those parts of me I’d hold onto if God wasn’t so good – that’s the start of delight.

One thing I delight in God is His unlikeliness. It’s unlikely that the God of the universe, the God of six and a half billion people (that’s just right now) would love and care for me BUT HE DOES – delightful! It’s unlikely that in this messy fractured world God has a grand scheme for all and a particular and meaningful role for a messy and fractured me BUT HE DOES – delightful! It’s unlikely that God would become man to clean up man’s problems for the glory of Himself BUT HE DID – delightful! It’s unlikely that God would choose me to become a brother (and friend, and servant, and disciple, and delight) of Christ BUT HE DID – delightful! So, delight in God’s unlikeliness, in His total uniqueness and otherness, in I guess what we can view as the delightful aspect of His holiness. And then keep on looking for unlikelinesses great and small – today, walking to work, I passed a rose in full bloom, a rose whose buds were, last week, to the day, encased in the season’s first snowfall. Beauty past the point where it should exist – unlikely, indicative of what God does in our lives, delightful!

Walking to work - Russ

What a treat it is to be able to walk to work in a place like Kandern, Germany. Parts of town those manmade and those put here by the hand of God are postcard pleasing to the eye. Comically steep hills, some wooded with a Germanic sense of forest (well tended and organized), some pastures for sheep ring the town. A mix of architecture stretching from the late middle ages to recent modernism crowds the narrow streets. Flowers – everywhere. Others walking, biking, driving towards their purposes for the day. Cool, cloudy but not, at the moment, raining. The chance to listen to three songs on the iPod during the 1.2 km walk to BFA - it’s a great way to start the day. I get a chance to reflect on my purposes for the day, for our purposes in being here through the direction of God and the generosity of those He’s called to send us here. How will I be trying to direct the thoughts and hearts of my classes today? How can a town and population with such a tradition of religion allow that tradition to replace living faith. The traditions are wonderful – last Saturday we attended the Glockenfest – the pouring of a new bell for the state church in Kandern (replacing the one that’s worn out after only 450 years!)- see photo above. What a cool thing to see. The accordion band played songs from “Mama Mia” and the city men’s choir and the city band’s performed, wursts were consumed – all the usual things followed by the spectacle of molten bronze being poured into the buried form made from an impression of the old bell. Even though the process was proceeded by prayer very few of the people will be in their churches next week. The traditions are powerful but the faith is often absent. As I walk to work I pass one house dedicated to witchcraft – it has enough artifacts to qualify as a witchcraft museum but if it is a museum, it’s a working one. The occult has a powerful foothold in this region. As it is here in Kandern, it is through much of western Europe. Our school here exists to speak to this condition through the work of our kids’ parents – beyond western Europe into eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia and we have the privilege of participating in that. Yeah, walking to work is great!

Good start

A few shots: Opening Day at BFA and two home photos - the view from Carl's room and the back yard.

It's been "crazy busy" but "good busy". Each day is full and never quite finished with business but we move ahead. The practical issues of living are ironing themselves out. After a few months of schleppen (authentic German word) groceries up our significant hill we've obtained affordable wheels.

The house itself is quite comfortable and more than adequate for our needs. We've conquered ordering heating oil despite language barriers and next we'll tackle ordering firewood for the winter. It's sort of refreshing to live without the intrusions of TV and we're finding ways to get our news fix through internet radio and publications. Food, an important consideration for this family, is working out. Apart from most meats and a few other items, groceries are quite affordable and the lettuce, potatoes and carrots here are the best we've ever had. Daily routines are becoming more routine and that facilitates normalcy overall.

In terms of work I (Russ) am adjusting to teaching something that is not, after all these years, pure history. My Word Views course is for all Seniors. In it we explore the foundational "lenses" through which people observe and understand their worlds and by which they act, decide and live their lives. My goals for the class are that each of my 79 kids leave BFA with a strong, well-reasoned, and effective Biblical worldview, a true sense of their identity in Christ, the ability to "understand (and cope) with the times" and a personal mission for the next chapter of their lives. In addition to all these things we'll do much in the way of practical knowledge and wisdom for their enormous transition from MK life at BFA to the wilds of post high school campus and community.

I'm already so fond of my students. The classroom climate that's developing is wonderful and I pray it spills outside of the classroom as well.

English Camp -is it ever over?

We've spent a relatively quiet week here in Kandern since closing up shop at Maugenhard last Sunday. We held on to a dorm van (big blue for you veterans) to take care of some details on Monday after new staff conference meeting were over. We also snuck in a trip to Schliengen Pizza Grotto, home of the Monday night 3 euro (now 4.50) pizza, a meal shared with a family that worked at the Swiss camp. I foolishly left the van's lights on and ended up with a dead battery. So the Kraines'got to make some more memories, pushing big blue through the streets of Schliengen and finally successfully popping the clutch before cruising back to Maugenhard for final camp inspection (we did well, by the way).

Diane spent some time online with our campers since getting back to our house on the hill in Kandern. The upshot is one of our campers has already arrived for a visit (JB) - he's got nothing but good to say for all aspects of the camp (quote for our cooks: "the eating at English Camp is Paradise"). Those veterans of te last few EC6 camps at Maugenhard - pray for this guy as he continues to process the love he received from staff and the love God wants to extend to him, pray that he'll realize none of us ever starts out good enough or valuable enough for God -that it's God that makes us good and valuable in Him. Pray that he'll get into the Word and vice versa.

Our location in Germany could turn into many opportunities for follow-up like this time with JB. In the meantime BFA staff conferences start on Monday and then we're off on the next whirlwind.

The end - not!

Monday –

Saturday the goodbyes began. Campers don’t want to leave, they just don’t. Some are returning to fine situations, some are returning to some rough situations – neither population wants to go home. Diane has been on Facebook with a few of our campers already and it sounds like they’re making plans to come and visit within the next few days! (for EC veterans S.O. and J.B. may be spending some time with us). And then it’s Sunday and goodby to the staff – if you personally know a staff member pray for them now – it’s a hard transition back to the real world.

We’ve been perusing the camper evaluations of camp – the reviews are in! We did very well in the campers eyes. Teachers, cooks, counselors, Activities leaders and even the Bible teacher got some really positive feedback. From the staff’s point of view, I think we saw some real spiritual progress with the campers (which many also self-reported - 9@”first step with Jesus”; 8@”fresh start with Jesus”; 18@”took a new step with Jesus” and if you do that math you’ll figure out that some kids indicated more than one choice but I’m so pleased so many were stirred spiritually).

It’s been the usual end of camp whirlwind over the past few days – you’d think once the campers left it would ease up but there’s tons to do to wrap up camp. If you plan that the tasks will take X time, you need to then multiply by a factor of 3 to get the accurate estimate.

Our clean-up went fairly well and the day was perfect for the visit to Freiburg. The train trip itself is only about 5 minutes long but that was plenty of time for about half of our folks to nod off. Early Sunday I made the first of two runs into the Basel Train station to drop folks off for the direct trip to Zurich airport. Apparently I’ve set a new record for getting two different folks to the trains with 30 seconds to spare – nothing like a shot of panic and adrenaline to end a camp.

We arrived back at our home in Kandern about 6PM last night – absolutely spent – we slept well last night – and today new staff conference began – time to change hats.

May God continue to grow and bless the fruit of English Camp Maugenhard ’08 for years to come – to His honor and glory – AMEN!

Almost finished

Friday-

I think we are finishing well. From the feedback sheets the kids turned in to the strong connections between campers and staff to the questions raised I think this little battle in te spiritual war for the universe was well fought to the credit of the God who has motivated and empowered those working with and for Him. As I write the kids are making smores around the firebowl and having just a grand time enjoying each other. Earlier I challenged them on two fronts. Once again I asked if they were ready to live dangerously for God and added the challenge that living dangerously for God means you give yourself away to others. We listened to two great songs (The Last Jesus, and Declaration) from Kirk Franklin’s new CD The Fight of my Life – great songs really underscoring so many of the points God led me to raise over eight nights of teaching – te cool thing is I had never even listened to them before Wednesday and it’s as if they were written to preach the last night’s message.

Tomorrow they leave – it will be a long morning of long goodbyes and lots of cleaning. Debriefing is also on the agenda – it’s so important to reflect on what God’s done, what to expect as we reenter the real world and what we need to do with our experience. In the afternoon we take the train to Freiburg for sightseeing, souvenirs, and German chow.

Guten Appetite!

Pure contentment

Thursday-
To the pool today – the first time I’ve not been sweating all week. The plan to open up the schedule worked out fine and it was great to enjoy the cool waters of Kandern’s spring fed (and therefore refreshingly cool) pools and slide and relax for a bit while the kids kept themselves entertained. Camp has really achieved its unique flavor and energy as we proceed into the last days.

Tonight we had our talent show (or should I say “talent” show in some cases) and it was pretty much the usual hoot. The quiet campers all of a sudden become outrageous extroverts and the staff does embarrassing things – all I all what you’d expect if what you expect is expert teachers and counselors spitting toothpaste-frothed water at each other.

Tonight’s message was about the sufficiency we have in Christ (Colossians 2) and the power of pure contentment (Philippians 4). Some of our counselors are experiencing the great breakthroughs that I asked you to pray for in my last entry. We’re seeing the hand of God at work over time preparing the counselors to be in the right place of mind, heart and experience to be ready to handle the questions and concerns they’re receiving. And it’s not just the counselors. Teachers have formed some strong bonds and have had great chances to speak into these kids hearts and lives.

Tomorrow is the last full day. Pray that we will finish well.

(Sorry about the late posting - internet down last night)