Just a few nights ago Camp was buzzing with the excitement of this year’s night game: Blackout.  As campers stealthily ran to different spots to get secret money and bring it back to home base, summer staff were on the look out as double agents, commanders, and rogues. 

In the same breath, earlier that evening, camp was filled with a different sort of intensity as the speaker challenged and encouraged all of us with the concept of forgiveness and confession.  Hearts were broken and students were challenged to forgive harbored hurts in their lives. 

We love helping out here at camp for a few weeks and are even more excited to be here full time!  Pictured below are some of our amazing counselors dressed in camo and summer staff.  (They don’t dress like this all the time.)  (Yes, the las pic is Laura with rag doll hair.)

Hiking the shore of Lake Superior is an incredible venture.  Leading a backpacking trip of junior high students makes it even more of an adventure.  Recently we were asked to help lead part of a Camp Forest Springs Backpacking Wilderness trip.  There is something about stepping away from I-pods, cell phones, and the demands of this world that so many jr. high students (and all of us, really) face.  It was refreshing to have intentional conversations about things that matter (and silly stuff that doesn’t too) and ultimately, to see the students receptive to the work of God in their lives.  There was evident growth in the lives of the students as we wrestled through scripture together and talked about what truly matters in this life.  We were thrilled to be a part of the experience.  (Pictured is the gang after we got back and showered….more trail pictures to come….)

While we are in the midst of transition, one of the things that I have found myself grateful for is time with family—time that we wouldn’t have together if we were not temporarily living under the same roof.  I am realizing that my sister and I are not the same people that we were eight years ago—which is a good thing…really.  My sister is an incredible individual—insightful and reflective.  A few weeks ago we headed to the Wheaton/Chicago area where she had a wedding shower and I helped her move.  In addition, I got to see a glimpse of her life and all that she loved about grad school.  We took one day to head to the city and explore Chicago.  I am thankful to Lisa as we learn to care for each other and love each other well beyond our hormonal, insecure, jr-high days and now on into adulthood.

Larry had the opportunity to participate in the Camp Forest Springs Golf Classic! 

Where now?!  Though about a week behind on updates….we thought we’d share a glimpse of where we have been and where we’re at now.  After leaving Lake Owen we headed to Minnesota and had a great time in the Twin Cities with friends.  We then went to Rochester to challenge our cousins in games of Disc-Golf, Settlers, and Banna-a-grams.  It was great to reconnect with family after being our East and missing family gatherings!  We love our cousins!  (And we should have taken some photos but were too busy playing games!)

We then stopped at Harvest Home Farm to visit dear friends and help out of a few days.  It was encouraging to talk with Mike and Becky, former staff of CFS.  Furthermore, it was incredible to catch a glimpse of an incredible ministry, and see God’s provisions for them.  We enjoyed a Wrangler’s Breakfast (food always tastes better when cook outside), assisted them as a local group came for the morning, helped with chores (Laura got to feed Lora, a baby lamb!) and simply basked in the beauty of the farm.  Thanks to the entire Poulos family…what a privilege to be with you!

Saturday afternoon we found ourselves scurrying to gather our camping gear for a night nestled on a picturesque bank of the beautiful Namekagon River. While we are truly thankful for short term work here in Cable, Wisconsin for the month of May, we are perhaps more thankful for the time that we have had with our friends Seth and Suzanne.  Larry and Seth spent a few hours in waders reenacting scenes of “A River Runs Through It” while Suz and I took some casts of our own and set up camp with baby Owen.  There was something simply life giving about the smell of the fire, the painted scene that the sun set paints, the constant gurgle of the rapids, excerpts of Patrick McManus, and conversation with friends about Life and the Lord.  We talked about what it means to actively wait on the Lord and challenged and encouraged each other with scripture.  It was simply refreshing!  Thanks for your prayers as we seek to actively wait on the Lord as He prepares us and the funding to be at Camp Forest Springs.