What exactly is Lent? I would ask myself that when I was younger but I lacked the motivation to find out. Sure, I knew it was a time before Easter and Jesus wandering in the wilderness and praying a lot. I also remember my father setting up a large wooden cross in the baptistery, where our church immersed individuals for their baptism. …
Camp for a Week, Friends for Life!
Camp for a Week, Friends for Life!
Living most of my life in Texas, I had never experienced so much snow. Usually in Texas, we get sleet or ice or nothing at all. While I would love to have a white Christmas that would add that wintery, magical ambience seen in so many Hallmark movies, I was still elated to see the snow fall and stick in February. The…
Yesterday, my 3-year-old son told me that I was the best sinner as he was climbing to the top of a mulch pile! My heart stood still. What were they teaching him over at Friedens UCC’s Early Learning Academy over in Geronimo, Texas! What was I doing that would give him that impression? Before allowing my mind to snowball in thought, I…
One of the traditions that stuck out to me comes from Greece. In this particular cultural tale, there is a race of beings called kallikantzaroi. A kallikantzaros (singular) is a malevolent or impish goblin type of creature that is often depicted with a hairy body, goat legs, boar tusks, and/or donkey ears, but these depictions can vary widely in description and size.…
It is hard to believe that we are in mid-November. This year has been surreal on so many fronts. I feel like I have been behind the eight-ball on so many things. We didn’t decorate for Halloween until Halloween Day. That did not sit well with my two-year-old son, we really enjoyed the decorations but…
The wind chimes around my house and camp office continue to ring with the gentle autumn winds. The cooler temperature and relatively recent rains have encouraged the fall growing season including fall flowering. Temperature changes, aging nectar, and the earth’s tilting axis all play a role in migration patterns within wildlife. This year, the butterfly…
I was privileged to join a mid-week, online gathering to discuss Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s presentation on the “Dangers of a Single Story.” Adichie is a female, Nigerian author who encourages people to see beyond single stories or narratives of individuals or groups so that we do not misunderstand or relegate them to a narrow existence. The days that followed the Ted Talk…
This has been a summer to remember! Looking back to the beginning of summer, I had many sleepless nights on whether offering summer camps was the right decision for our children and youth and their families. With so many questions and unknown variables, the amount of research was immense and changed daily. Camps across the country were shutting down for a variety…
Having a two-year full of energy is a joy. Discovering the world again through his eyes has been a blessing, but more importantly, it has helped me renew my awareness of the wonderful world of creation. From lizards and butterflies to fossils and shooting stars, the universe is alive and moving. The fingerprints of God are limitless. Before Benjamin came into our…
It is surreal to walk on the property at Slumber Falls Camp. With our staff working remotely and groups following recommendations to stay home and slow the spread of the coronavirus, the camp has entered a period of rest and restoration. The grass is growing and the wildflowers and cacti are blooming. We have shut down many of the non-essential buildings that…