"O" is for Onward . . .

"And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi,

Let me now go to the field,

and glean ears of corn after him

In whose sight I shall find grace.

And she said unto her, Go, my daughter."

Ruth 2:2  KJV


Picnic

“O” is for Onward . . . the 2014 theme for Quaker Haven Camp sessions.

Alright, I’m signed up and ready to go . . . but I’ll be going to camp two weeks later than I have in the past few years – they’ve switch ‘Adventure Camp’  (incoming 5th & 6th graders) with one of the 'Senior High Camp' weeks.

The camp brochure begins with: “Are you excited to see all your old friends and make new friends at camp this summer? You excited to play some crazy awesome games? You ready to see and experience God move in a mighty way? This summer we want to direct your life ONWARD towards Christ and His Kingdom. Camp is going to push you ONWARD through the mess of life . . . and the messy games. So get excited for everything as we trek . . . ONWARD!”



Water games . . .

The scripture reference is Philippians 3:12-14: “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press ONWARD to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting who is behind straining toward what is ahead, I press ONWARD toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”



"My Girls"

So, I know the theme and I know the scripture for the week/summer, but where in the world is this going to take us? And as it has been the last 4 years that I’ve served as a Counselor, yes I’m a Counselor and not a camper, other than the brochure that comes out I’ve got no clue what’s gonna happen during our session at camp until after I get there and then sometimes you’re still not quite sure what’s up! That being said . . . I do like to think about it and try to envision what kind of journey we will go on together during the week.



Singing in the Chapel

Seeing old friends and meeting new ones, whether they’re campers, CIT’s, Counselors, or Camp Staff is always lots of fun. Playing crazy games – not sure I’d call them awesome or not, but the campers love them and that’s what really matters, right? Seeing and experiencing God moving in camp is a pretty awesome sight.

Now, we get down to it . . . we’re going to ‘direct their lives,’ ‘push them through the mess of life . . . and the messy games’ and ‘trek’ ONWARD! I’m only concerned about one little tiny piece of this . . . and that’s ‘the messy games’ part! I don’t even want to know where that’s going!



Popcorns ready!

After Friends United Meeting Triennial (FUM) next weekend, I will begin to move ONWARD . . . to begin to prepare myself for a week up at Quaker Haven, with a cabin full of what I expect will be another amazing group of giggly young ladies. I can’t wait to meet them all that Sunday afternoon and their families when they come into our cabin for the first time that week . . . and then to see how they blossom and grow in God’s love during our week together. I’m eager to see how this ONWARD theme will play out through the week and where it will take us.

I’m looking forward to:

The amazing conversations that will happen;

The amazing camp food that Steve and his staff will prepare for us, including the cookout and maybe a piece of Sugar Cream Pie?????;

Not having to think about what I’m going to eat and the when & where of it and not having to cook & wash dishes for a week;

Enjoying a chocolate malt cup or two as well;

Watching the swans out on the lake;

Going on a pontoon boat ride around the lake;

Watching the campers play 4-way kickball and all camp dodge ball in the Quack;

Going ‘hiking’ with the campers . . . I did that last year and it was so much fun . . . we saw some parts of camp that none of us had ever seen before and had some amazing conversations along the way;

The popcorn pop down by the lake and Kevin leading us in some crazy songs and telling some tall tales;

Some awesome games of Gaga Ball;

The talent show;

Sunrises and sunsets;

Chapel time – the singing, the stories and the sharing;

Cabin devotions – and spending that outside, somewhere around camp – our time to share, talk about God & the scripture and spend some time in quiet reflection and prayer;

The sounds of the campers laughing, singing, playing games and having fun!



On Sunday morning, July 6th, I will leave home about 7am and travel northeast, about 170 miles, up to Quaker Haven Camp. I'll either stop at a Friend's Meeting along the way or head straight to camp and join Friends at Dewart Lake Community Friends Meeting at camp.

 

Pontoon boat ride . . .

My last two blogs were about "Ministry" and "Nurture" - both come into play when I go up to Quaker Haven Camp as a Councilor - I get to do both, yes I just said that. I minister to those around me and I also get ministered to, which feels really good! I also will nurture those that I come into contact with and I expect some will nurture me a bit here and there . . . that's what ministry and nurturing are all about. I feel really blessed . . . and I haven't even gotten to camp yet!

So, as I close out this blog post, I’d ask each of you reading this to stop and say a prayer for Quaker Haven Camp, for the Camp Staff – Brandon, Kevin, Dottie, Steve, Lynn and Larry & the young adults that help them and for Nurse Kelly. Please pray for the campers, CIT’s, Counselors, session Directors and the two Yearly Meeting Christian Ed Directors – Pat & Aaron – as we all prepare for the roles that we will have at camp and that God will be with us, directing us, keeping us safe, blessing us each and every day . . . as we ‘trek . . . ONWARD!’

Amazing sunset . . .

 

 

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I never thought that finding a few “O” recipes would be so hard – unless those are the ones that I didn’t like so I didn’t pull them out and copy them to use! Anyways I’ve got a couple to share, both are desserts, go figure. First off is Oat-Peanut Butter Cookies – yummy, and the second one id for Old Fashioned Sugar Cream Pie – and I LOVE Sugar Cream Pie, made a version of the Quaker Haven Camp Sugar Cream Pie to share with Irish Friends while staying at Moyallon Center in Northern Ireland last summer, but this recipe actually comes from one of my mom’s cousins, Eleanor Rummel, from Nappanee, Indiana, Amish Country, so it’s ‘GOOD’ as my mom noted on the recipe card!

 

 

Oat-Peanut Butter Cookies

(makes 6 dozen cookies)

1 cup soft shortening (Crisco shortening)
1 cup brown sugar, packed
¾ cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda     
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup oatmeal

Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Ungreased cookie sheets.

Beat shortening and brown sugar together until creamy. Add eggs. Mix well. Add peanut butter, flour, soda and salt. Mix well. Stir in oatmeal. Shape into 1” balls. Press top with fork to make cross.
 

Bake for 8-10 minutes.
 

Old Fashioned Sugar Cream Pie

(serves 6)

½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup white sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter
1 cup boiling water
1 cup Milnot Evaporated Milk
1 unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 350˚ F.

Mix brown sugar, white sugar and flour together. Mix butter and boiling water together and add to the sugar/flour mixture. Mix and add Milnot.

Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake 10 minutes at 400˚ F.  Reduce temperature to 350˚ F and continue to bake another 35 minutes.