I'm Moved.

This is totally awesome. I spent today packing up my stuff in my apartment and moving out. And now I'm living out at camp ... in the great outdoors, surrounded by God's beauty and in the freedom of His presence. There's something totally endearing and enthralling about Pleasant Vineyard ... it's a warm and jovial place that really feels like home.

I can't move into my cabin yet because there's someone renting it out until Wednesday morning. So I'm staying in the left side of the staff cabin ... it's kinda weird, because there are 12 beds in there. But I'm all set up in my sleeping bag, ready for the next two weeks of insanity. I'll be driving to Cincinnati each morning then back to camp each afternoon (about an hour each way), living two lives. The counselors come to camp on Wednesday, then staff training begins.

We just laid out the schedule for staff training during the next two weeks, and it looks really good. We'll be bringing in experts in rock climbing, nature, post-modernism, and first aid/CPR. We'll also be doing a lot of servant labor, programming study, staff policies, and training on various aspects and activites at camp. Plus, we'll just hang out quite a bit and get to know each other. My prayer for the staff this year is that God will grasp our hearts, collectively and individually, to give us a sense of mission and a driving passion to touch the kids that'll be coming out to camp this summer. Bring it, Lord Jesus!

I also spent quite a bit of the weekend working on the 8th grade graduation video ... what a chore! It's going to be about 45 minutes long, once all is said and done, and it will hopefully include all 99 8th graders a couple of times. Video editing is so much fun, especially with kids that you love so much (like this 8th grade class!), but if only they could pick a better time to graduate. Like the beginning of the schoolyear ... that would have been awesome. Don't they know how busy I am right now? :)

I want to take this chance to say something ... I really totally love the eighth graders. It's unbelievable to me to see how loving a group this is, overall. There are some really special and mature kids in that class, and they've even reached out and made my first year of teaching especially exciting and enjoyable. Even the guys that I always give a hard time to are really incredible people. Sometimes I wonder if they think that I don't like them, or if they don't like me in return. I really have no problem challenging some of the things that the eighth grade guys do or say, or confronting them for the stuff that clutters up their lives ... but I really hope that they can see that I don't dislike them at all, I just dislike some of the junk in their minds. I seriously think these young men and women are leaders, and I've been privaledged to be a part of this crucial time in their lives.

As long as they don't all get too "cool" to come visit little 'ol Mr. Webel at the middle school. :)

Alright, I'm going to go read a book before I hit the sack. Amen to that.

New Games

I added Frogger and the Mini-Mizer to the games section, for those of you who are interested. Good stuff. :)

Woah, Cowboy

Can I just say that I'm officially weirded out by this picture?

yeah.

Afterschool Ponderings ...

Homophones are words that sound the same but are spelled differently. Is it any coincidence that the word hottie sounds just like the word haughty?

Gobble Gobble

Check out PacMan in the games section ... it's a real classic!

Kitty Litter Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 spice or German chocolate cake mix


• 1 white cake mix
• 1 large pkg vanilla instant pudding mix
  
• 1 pkg vanilla sandwich cookies
  
• Green food coloring
  
• 12 small Tootsie Rolls
  
• 1 new (and definitely unused) kitty litter pan
  
• 1 new plastic kitty litter pan liner
  
• 1 new Pooper Scooper

Prepare cake mixes and bake according to directions (any size pans). Prepare pudding mix and chill until ready to assemble. Crumble white sandwich cookies in small batches in food processor, scraping often. Set aside all but about 1/4 cup. To the 1/4 cup cookie crumbs, add a few drops green food coloring and mix using 5. When cakes are cooled to room temperature, crumble into a large bowl. Toss with half the remaining white cookie crumbs and the chilled pudding. (Mix in just enough of the pudding to moisten it. You don't want it soggy. Combine gently).

Line new, clean kitty litter box. Put mixture into litter box. Put three unwrapped Tootsie rolls in a microwave safe dish and heat until soft and pliable. Shape ends so they are no longer blunt, curving slightly. Repeat with 3 more Tootsie rolls and bury in mixture. Sprinkle the other half of cookie crumbs over top.

Scatter the green cookie crumbs lightly over the top. (This is supposed to look like the chlorophyll in kitty litter.) Heat 3 Tootsie Rolls in the microwave until almost melted. Scrape them on top of the cake; sprinkle with cookie crumbs. Spread remaining Tootsie Rolls over the top; take one and heat until pliable, hang it over the side of the kitty litter box, sprinkling it lightly with cookie crumbs. Place the box on a newspaper and sprinkle a few of the cookie crumbs around.

Overlooked

I think eye contact is one of the most neglected aspects of human interaction.

Blogging

Here's a really interesting article on blogging (keeping online web logs like this one). More and more people are claiming that this is the new journalism ... superceding and overshadowing traditional news and opinion reporting by empowering the grassroots of America and beating old media to the punch. It's fun to watch traditional media outlets (like newspapers) go crazy at this online revolution ... their audiences are being stolen and actually interacted with ... and there's nothing they can do about it.

Hi, I Want Cancer

On my way home tonight, I pulled up to a light just as it turned red. A thirty-something man in a bright green Mustang proceeded to pull up beside me and drop a cigarette out of his open window.

So I got out, walked around the back of my car, picked up the cigarette, and handed it to him, saying, "You dropped this, sir. Oh, and if you didn't notice, there's burning chemical poison inside this paper roll you've been sucking on."

I turned around and got back in my car just as the light turned green again. When I looked in the rearview mirror, I noticed that he was pretty angry ... but I didn't see him throw the smouldering butt back out of the window.

People think I'm strange for doing things like that. But I think that people are strange for igniting paper-wrapped tar and nicotine (with a touch of cyanide and rat poison for good measure) in their mouths and sucking on it until they get cancer. How can people be so utterly duped?

Potties

According to uselessfacts.net, 40,000 Americans are injured by toilets every year. Most toilets flush in the key of E flat.

Why Dogs Kill Their Owners

Slot Cars

I updated the games section, adding an awesome one called Slot Cars. It's a throw-back to the days when new-fangled things were called "electronic." I also added the pictures from Saturday's excursion up to camp (below).

It's Peanut Butter Jelly Time!

My first bell students introduced me to this website, which Hannah Cesler describes as "The best website ever!!" I'm not sure I'd go that far, but it's pretty fun the first 8 times.

Toys for Big Kids

Yesterday I went up to camp and we built a fort. It was like we were little kids, making our fortress in the middle of the woods. Except this fort is two stories tall, roofed, and camoflauged. It's on the top of Hamburger Hill (in the paintball course). We also just ordered 500 sandbags for the other paintball bunker. I'll post a couple pictures here whenever I can get them uploaded. Next weekend we'll be adding ten feet (and a roof) to the forty foot outdoor rock climbing tower. That should be fun, hanging off the tower while hoisting heavy telephone poles fifty feet in the air. I hate to admit it, but this definately beats Legos.


THE FRONT OF THE FORT


THE BACK OF THE FORT


THE "LORD OF THE RINGS" SET


A NEAT LOOKING BRIDGE


THE BEGINNINGS OF THE OTHER FORT

Laundry

I sometimes wish that laundry machines were never invented. Then we'd hardly have as many clothes cluttering up our lives. But then again, I really like some clothes. If only they would've invented washers and dryers that only clean awesome clothes ... we'd have a much better (looking) society.

Just Posted on my Office Door

Hi.

I don't really have anything specific to say, I just feel like rambling a little tonight. I'm so worn out right now ... my days are really full with camp and school stuff alike. I've been working pretty hard on the 8th grade graduation video for school. And it's fun, but I'm just not getting very much sleep. Scanning photos has to be the most tedious process on earth. Well, one of them, at least. But Jackson gave me a call from camp and told me that the teen retreat we had scheduled for this weekend has been cancelled ... we only had 3 high schoolers sign up! So a much-needed break is on the way tomorrow evening.

This is fun ... I'm sitting in my bed, typing this while I watch Batteries Not Included, an eighties film by Steven Speilburg, in another window. It's interesting how this movie can be so corny and yet so endearing, all at the same time. Spielburg is on the cover of Wired this month, talking about the sci-fi genre and his dark and hopeful views towards it. They just tried to restructure the magazine this month ... I like the organization they're now using, but I think they lost a lot of design quality by making the thing so uniform cover-to-cover. It was an especially bad move for them to lose their circly table of contents. But why am I typing that here? You don't care.

I just maxed out the RAM on my iBook today, so everything is totally flying. even movie editing is seamless and super-fast now ... anyways, I'm pumped, because the main villan guy in the movie, a latino punk named Carlos (or something like that), is wearing the exact same pair of Nikes that i own. Oh yeah, my thrift store gems are truly original eighties garb. That's something to be proud of.

Ok, I'm going to bed before 10 tonight, for once. Yes, I'm old now.

Sermons We See

I'd rather see a sermon
Than hear one any day;
I'd rather one should walk with me
Than merely tell the way.
The eye's a better pupil
And more willing than the ear,
Fine counsel is confusing,
But example's always clear;
And best of all the preachers
Are the men who live their creeds,
For to see good put in action
Is what everybody needs.

I soon can learn to do it
If you'll let me see it done;
I can see your hands in action,
But your tongue too fast may run.
And the lecture you deliver
May be very wise and true,
But I'd rather get my lessons
By observing what you do;
For I might misunderstand you
And the high advice you give,
But there's no misunderstanding
How you act and how you live.

-- Edgar A. Guest

The Amish Virus

What am I to make of the following email I just received? I'm almost tempted to send it out to the middle school faculty (but I know a couple who will think I'm serious, for real):

You have just received the Amish Virus. since we do not have electricity nor computers, you are on the honor system. Please delete all of your files. Thank thee.

I Have No Comment.

If I Were A Lego

Spreading ...

webel.net was just added to this list of Christian blogs.

Retro to Dark Castle!

Wow, I'm pumped. The best retro video game ever, Dark Castle, is being remade into a new version, Return to Dark Castle (DC3)! Oh, the fond memories of hours upon hours wasting my eyeballs and sanity in front of our old Mac Plus perfecting the art of navigating through the intricate worlds of Dark Castle!

New Menu Design

I just developed a prototype page where the menu on the right slides down as you scroll down the page. For some reason, it's loading really slowly ... I don't want to make it the standard layout if it's that slow, but I kinda like it. I really want to make it more of a smoother motion, perhaps even with a few bounces in there, but don't really have the time to tweak it right now. As it is, this website stuff is enough of a procrastination tool!

What do you think about the sliding menu?

This Pope Is Dope.

A patron saint of web users?
The Net Commandments?
Geeks shall inherit the earth?
The pope getting blessed by the Internet?

This pope is just cracking me up.

Seriously.

Capitalizing on one of the best words ever, dude.

Racism?

I don't get it ... what, exactly, is racist about throwing bananas?

Pleasant Vineyard Pics

i'm getting more and more excited about camp this summer ... yesterday i went out there to walk around a little, pray over the places where we'll be ministering to kids this summer, and do some climbing on the rock wall. it's just such an amazing place ... a place where God dwells. i snapped some pictures along the way ... here they are (click to enlarge them):

the archery range	my home this summer!
the chapel	jackson making the set
the clay overhang	down to the creek
just hanging out	one of the many waterfalls
the teepees are almost ready!	the best natural carpet ever!

Berry Nice.

I just found the following Powerpoint saved on a disk in the computer lab. Apparantly a fifth-grader thinks I'm superman or something ... if only it was true (not the superman thing, the "everyone likes him" thing).





Does this mean I have to start changing in telephone booths? The glass walls make me pretty uncomfortable ...

Punish Dr. Frankenstein or The Monster?

This is pretty funny if you're a computer geek like me:

Justice to Break Up Apple for Turning Microsoft into Monopoly

This is a Long One

The Unknown (a new visitor to this site) left a very intersting post yesterday. i started replying to it, then as i typed, i realized that my reply was way too big to fit in one of those little comment boxes. so i decided to bring it out here into an entry of its own. first, i'll post The Unknown's message (in bold), then i'll post my reply.

--------------------
You really have to wonder what sin is nowadays. Back then (In bible times) Deuteronomy 22:5 says "A woman must not wear men's clothing, nor a man wear women's clothing, for the Lord you God detests anyone who does this." This basically means today that any woman that wears pants God is going to detest! Now you're probably wondering what Im getting at. What i'm getting at is back then it was bad for a women to wear mens clothes, but nowadays women wear pants and I'm pretty sure God doesn't care (Or there would be ALOT of people going to hell). Im just saying that sin may change with the time its in. And even though sex can be bad, I don't think its as bad as it was back then. You never know. This was just a thought I just had.

-The Unknown
--------------------

ah ... here we start getting into some really interesting discussion. i'm glad you're bringing this up, Unkown (i feel really weird calling someone that, but hey), because you're totally on to something profound.

first of all, let me point something out ... i absolutely do not think that sex is bad ... not now, not back in Bible times. sex is a gift from God ... a blessed way of enjoying the most intimate of relationships in not only a physical way, but also by establishing an emotional and psychological bond with the person you are joined with in committment. it is the physical and emotional manifestation of the mind and will's committment to marriage. and that's a beautiful thing.

the place where sin enters is the point of perversion ... the point where the meaning of sex is nullified by interruption or a "twisting" of the original purpose of sex. in other words, there is Intelligent Design at work behind all of our relationships, including marriages, and sex is designed to be a natural part of that design. when we mess with the purpose, we start finding the consequences of sin (shame, guilt, injury, power-trips, etc).

alright ... now to the issue of pants. Unknown, i understand what you're getting at, but let me just point out that the pants example was a pretty weak example of "changing morality" (that's what i'll call it). i say this because no one in america today would say that pants are only acceptable for men ... it is totally acceptable for women to wear pants in our society. it might be more appropriate to say that Deuteronomy 22:5 in today's world would be like men wearing dresses, or women's underwear (which are both pretty unacceptable by our society). but as we'll see later, that's not really what Deuteronomy 22:5 is talking about.

pants themselves are not the root of your argument (correct me if i'm wrong) ... the root is this idea of "changing morality." what God stated as being "wrong" in the old testament (and even sometimes in the new testament) often just isn't applicable today, in our culture and setting. this is obvious ... we don't ride on donkeys or pay for wives with silver or wear cloaks to put tassels on.

this is what we see when we look at God's commands (laws) from a human perspective ... a rigid set of rules, a God who decides (arbitrarily, it seems) that this is good while that is bad. of course we'll all have problems with that, because any view of an eternal law on this changing earth will be out of date, sometimes within the year (hey, i wouldn't doubt it if men in dresses, or women in neckties, became commonplace this decade).

rather, when we look at God's decrees in the Bible, it's important to look at them in context, considering three main things: audience, culture, and purpose. God clearly has laws dealing directly in human context and laws dealing within a seemingly broader eternal context.

first, who was God talking to? was He speaking to a specific person? a nation? a generation? all people who follow Him? are all of God's followers supposed to travel 7 times around the city walls of Jericho? of course not. am i supposed to circumsize myself because God commanded it in the Old Testament? of course not (thank you Jesus, literally). to see more about this stuff, check out Romans 14-15:13 ... it's an amazing explanation of acceptance, changing morality, and what our attitude as Christians should be.

second, what is the culture? this kinda goes along with the first thing ... in Deuteronomy, God was clearly talkiing to a specific group of Israelites, and even dealing with specific situations and cultural problems that existed. it's sometimes sad to me to see how specific God had to be, because humans couldn't get the broader and more black-and-white eternal laws (i call them "kingdom principles") - He had to spell it out. it's important to note differences in culture by looking at the context of scripture ... otherwise it makes no sense.

finally, and most importantly, we need to seek the original purpose of God's commands. even when you look at something specific, like men wearing women's clothes and vice versa, it's important that we ask WHY God would have to make this a law. let's look at this example, because you brought it up, to try to see the purpose behind it. the following paragraph is quoted from The Bible Knowledge Commentary, edited by John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck:

"the adoption of clothing of the opposite sex was forbidden because it obscured the distinction of the sexes and thus violated an essential part of the created order of life (from Genesis 1:27). it was also perhaps associated with or promoted homosexuality. the same hebrew word translated "detests" ("toebah", literally "a detestable thing" or "an abomination") is used to describe God's view of homosexuality (in Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13). also some evidence exists that transvestism (the interchanging of clothes) may have been connected with the worship of pagan deities."

The Abington Bible Commentary adds that this rule against the interchange of clothes was peculiar to Deuteronomy ... in other words, that's the only place that this law is mentioned. it also states that it is "not simply a law of conventional propriety but directed against these simulated changes of sex common in Heathenism [a common pagan culture of the time]." in other words, God is not talking merely about clothes in Deuteronomy 22:5 ... he is specifically addressing the infiltration of pagan ideas (and worship of pagan deities) and confronting the perversion of homosexuality and transvestism (because they contradict His design for the created order of life). there is a broader reason why God had to make this law against cross-dressing ... and it is that reason that we must pay attention to.

wow. that's a lot to say, just from one little verse, and i can see now how my jumbled thoughts in the above paragraphs could get confusing. i wanted to do that for two reasons ... first, to point out that a simple "surface" reading of scripture, without looking at context, is dangerous, because we often misinterpret the purpose of that same scripture. that's how we get fanatical cults thinking that women who don't wear headcoverings should be shot. second, to point out that there is a clear distinction between specific laws directed at specific humans/cultures and laws derived from Kingdom Principles (timeless laws of morality). there is such a thing as Absolute Truth, whether we believe in it or not (a.k.a. "God doesn't believe in atheists"), and morality is simply a general code of conduct for us as humans that arises out of this Truth.

finally, let me point out the most important thing of all ... that Jesus came to earth to become our peace, to abolish in His flesh the law, with its commandments and regulations. i won't type it all out here, but Ephesians 2 talks about this concept beautifully. Jesus came to earth to become the fulfillment of the O.T. law ... in Matthew 5:17 Jesus says, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." and through Jesus we have true freedom ... eternal life.

following Christ is not about following a rigid set of rules. sure, there are Kingdom Principles, and even basic morality, but that's not the epitome of Christianity. nope, it's all about following a living, breathing person ... the Author of life and Redeemer of our souls. amen to that, because i like pants.

:)

Look at the friend who just stopped by the computer lab! I couldn't let him in, because he didn't have a pass, but it's always nice to have visitors, eh?

I'm starting to feel like Ace Ventura here ... the fish, Nadia (our little mouse-visitor), and now this little bunny. As long as creatures larger than me and birds of prey don't start stopping by.

Perversion Is Overrated.

i just deleted several base and vile comments from a couple of my students who think that that perversion is funny. it makes me sad ... it really does ... that middle school boys, especially ones who associate themselves with Christ, would talk like that and treat people in that manner. i take that seriously, and confronted it directly, with this message for them:

---------------------
boys, you need to grow up. come and say that to my face. i guarantee you wouldn't ... you know why? because you're ashamed, deep down inside, of the trash that has entered your mind.

i would highly suggest that you know what ground you're stepping on before you say things like you said. i know who you are. everything you do on the internet is tracked ... and your computers ... at these addresses (152.163.194.206 and 24.29.8.28), have officially been banned from leaving comments.

i could easily call your parents, but i won't ... because it has to be your decision to act like a man and not a little perverted boy. it's very clear what kinds of things you put in your mind (pornography, etc.) simply from the words that come out of your mouth. and you'll soon learn that even the world has no respect for people with those things in their mind and on their tongue.
---------------------

here's the neat thing ... that these boys are doing this anonymously. they're afraid of what would happen if i knew who they were (hence the "say it to my face" comment). this tells me that they have a conscience about it ... they know that it is wrong and might even be aware that it is messing them up, but they're just afraid to stop. the root of sexual sin is usually insecurity ... the fact is that most men today don't know what it really means to be a man, and they're insecure about that. they degrade women, try to "grow up" by pursuing sexual fantasies, and try to get attention (even if it's negative), by talking and joking about sex. and they do it in the dark, lurking in shadows, afraid of being confronted by a moral absolute.

check out first corinthians 6:12-10 for more information on this.

let me clarify ... i don't think these are bad people, at all, i'm just extremely disappointed at what they have chosen to let enter and leave their minds. that trash has controlled me in the past (yes, i struggled with pornography for several years), but it will do so no longer. i have decided to be man of character and confront it directly and aggressively, and i have freedom from the dirty chains of sin. and i know that God has created sex to be a beautiful thing, between a husband and wife. I WILL NOT LET THIS WORLD TARNISH THAT MOST AMAZING OF GIFTS!

i will continue to pray for these boys, that they will make the harder choice: the choice to flee immorality.

The Way To Hitchhike

Yesterday after track practice, I asked Daniel Jepson (shot, disc, 4x100) if I could get a ride back to the middle school. Little did I know that it would be quite possibly the coolest ride of my life. His father had just obtained a family heirloom that day ... a 1929 Model A that his father and grandfather had restored 25 years ago. This thing was in top condition ... it was comfortable, ran well, and most of all, looked totally spiffy. bring that.

The Salary Theorem

The "Salary Theorem" states that "Teachers can never earn as much as business executives, sales people, accountants and especially liberal arts majors." This theorem can now be supported by a mathematical equation based on the following two well known postulates:

Postulate 1: Knowledge is Power.
Postulate 2: Time is Money.

A common formula in the scientific world is that for power:
Power = Work / Time.

Since: Knowledge = Power,
then Knowledge = Work / Time,
and Time = Money,
then Knowledge = Work / Money.

Solving for Money, we get:
Money = Work / Knowledge.

Thus, as Knowledge approaches zero, money approaches infinity, regardless of the amount of work done.

The 8 Queens of Death

This is really hard. Can you do it?

Betsy Buzz

i got to talk to a really good friend of mine, betsy nees, online tonight. it was absolutely wonderful. she's over in taiwan as a missionary ... and i was just thinking of her today, because i got her prayer letter in the mail! it's amazing ... everytime i talk to her, it's like we've picked up just where we left off. cliches are almost nonexistant, and we're able to talk about the Lord and life and little joys and struggles so easily.

you know, i'm just a boy. a boy named lance, who God has randomly chosen to use for His purposes at a school and a camp. i work hard, trying to be faithful to what He's placed in front of me. but truth be told, i'm just a boy. if it wasn't for His grace, i'd have been slapped silly by now, kicked out on the street corner. i mess up all the time, and don't really know what i'm doing. but i do love the Lord, and i have the pleasure of being able to see His creation all around me, so i'll continue to plod on.

and i'm starting to get really tired. this has been a long, bewildering year. so many big changes, so many moves full of trust. i'm way over my head, all the time. sure, i'm young, i can kick my legs and keep my head above water, but those legs just need a break. i need some of those little orange water wings. figuratively speaking, of course. those little orange water wings would never fit ... i'd need big orange water wings.

speaking of which, i'm going to bed.

BillyVision

Yesterday I put a live webcam up in the computer lab. Just click on the picture or on "webcam" in the menu on the right to view the most recent images.

Testing from my cellphone.

I.M. Excited.

This is a test message posted from Instant Messenger using BloggerBot. This is going to rock my socks if it works!

How To Be A Ninja

This is about the only thing black shirts are good for.

The Bible on mp3

I purchased the NIV on CD earlier this year, but I just found this website with the Bible in mp3 format available for free downloads. Check it out.

Anachronism at its Best

i was browsing on Are You Pondering What I'm Pondering, tony chang's website, when i came across this link. it's so interesting ... this rich guy put a computer with a high-speed internet connection in the cement wall of a trashy empty lot (used as a public bathroom) in the slums of New Dehli. he then monitored the computer with a camera hidden in a tree to see who would use it and what they'd use it for. the most avid users, who taught themselves to browse the net and draw on the computer, were ghetto kids ages 6-12.

i'd highly advise reading the article, even if you're not a computer teacher or parent or anything. it's pretty thought-provoking and profound!

Are you a fashion expert?

so here's the deal ... i've been wearing contacts for a few years now, so i haven't bought glasses in a while. ok, a long while. yes, the glasses i wear each night before i go to bed are from junior high. i know, that's lame. so i'm planning to buy new glasses next week, but i'm finding that basically every pair looks weird on me. coincidence? i couldn't be that i just look weird, could it?

anyways, i'm considering getting this pair, and i need your opinion. what do you think?

Hmm ... what an idea!

A school teacher injured his back and had to wear a plaster cast around the upper part of his body. It fit under his shirt and was not noticeable at all. On the first day of the term, still with the cast under his shirt, he found himself assigned to the toughest students in school.

Walking confidently into the rowdy classroom, he opened the window as wide as possible and then busied himself with desk work. When a strong breeze made his tie flap, he took the desk stapler and stapled the tie to his chest.

He had no trouble with discipline that term.

Hey Sis...

for some reason, i just feel like posting this excerpt from an email i just sent to my sister...


mona,

i had a wonderful meeting tonight with david, the camp director, where we laid out much of the programming for this summer. now it's just up to me to get specific, get it laid out on paper, and get it as cohesive and comprehensive as possible before anyone else sees it or tries to do anything with it. it's kinda fun ... like i'm planning a whole new world, with schedules and curriculum and rules and procedures and props and dramas and building projects and roles and responsibilities and everything. it's really going to be an awesome summer ... there are so many creative juices flowing, and i really think that the Spirit will be able to flow freely through what we're planning.

as far as specific prayer requests go, i'd like to ask for prayer for my relationships with the college counselors. i know a couple of them already, but most will be "fresh meat" ... new friends and colaborers. i'll be in an amazing position with them ... a boss and mentor who is only a year or three older, part of their culture and worldview, and side-by-side with them in daily ministry. i'll be calling them each this week to start our relationship ... to build trust and begin praying for them specifically. and i feel that the effectiveness and freedom of the summer will hinge greatly on the quality and depth of trust and comraderie that i can establish with them before may 29th rolls around (that's when everyone will roll into camden, ohio for the beginning of staff training). these 16 guys and gals are the front lines, the real ministers at pleasant vineyard, and it's my job to make sure that they get what they need and give what others need.

i'm going to hit the sack and be a little proactive about rest tonight. :) take care!

love,
lance

The Empty Lot

Yep, CHCA wasn't even here in 1984.