Cascades Camp Blog

A bit ago we showed a picture of the preparation for repaving our roads.  Since that post we have finished the majority of this project.  The portions of the road that needed work have been “chip-sealed”.  This is a process of putting down a layer of hot oil, adding chipped rock and then rolling over it with the “VIBROMAX” to compact the rocks into the oil.  And let me just say that for the un-road-construction-savvy individual this is quite the undertaking.

The photograph above was taken at Timber Rock as the truck that spreads the layer of oil dispenses it out of valves at the back of the truck.

Throughout the fall, winter, and spring the staff at Cascades gather together in the mornings and do a devotional to start out our days.  We use the book, My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers.  I really enjoyed today’s entry and thought that I’d share it with you.  It reads as follows:

“We have to develop godly habits to express what God’s grace has done in us. It is not just a question of being saved from hell, but of being saved so that “the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” And it is adversity that makes us exhibit His life in our mortal flesh. Is my life exhibiting the essence of the sweetness of the Son of God, or just the basic irritation of “myself” that I would have apart from Him? The only thing that will enable me to enjoy adversity is the acute sense of eagerness of allowing the life of the Son of God to evidence itself in me. No matter how difficult something may be, I must say, “Lord, I am delighted to obey You in this.” Instantly, the Son of God will move to the forefront of my life, and will manifest in my body that which glorifies Him.

You must not debate. The moment you obey the light of God, His Son shines through you in that very adversity; but if you debate with God, you grieve His Spirit (see Ephesians 4:30). You must keep yourself in the proper condition to allow the life of the Son of God to be manifested in you, and you cannot keep yourself fit if you give way to self-pity. Our circumstances are the means God uses to exhibit just how wonderfully perfect and extraordinarily pure His Son is. Discovering a new way of manifesting the Son of God should make our heart beat with renewed excitement. It is one thing to choose adversity, and quite another to enter into adversity through the orchestrating of our circumstances by God’s sovereignty. And if God puts you into adversity, He is adequately sufficient to “supply all your need” (Philippians 4:19).

Keep your soul properly conditioned to manifest the life of the Son of God. Never live on your memories of past experiences, but let the Word of God always be living and active in you.”

I believe the words above speak for themselves.  Adversity and all that is disagreeable can become enjoyable when we live with the light of God shining upon the areas of darkness in and around us.

Blessings to you,

Dirt

Current Prayer Requests include:

• Since last week one of our summer staff had to decline employment-so right now we are in the process of looking for our final lifeguard.  Pray that we would receive applicants who are well-trained and excited for serving God.
• This weekend is our Grandparents and Grandkids Retreat.  We ask that you would pray for the people who are attending and that they will grow in their relationships with one another, but more importantly, with God.
• Continue to pray for our preparations for the summer.  Our first summer staffer is coming on this week and the rest are close on his heels.
• Also, if you could keep praying for the Mohrweis family as they are still adjusting to life with their new baby Sophie (and a lot less sleep)!

One of the bigger projects that Cascades Camp has coming down the pike includes some re-constructive work on our roads.  After almost 20 years of operation, Cascades’ roads are beginning to need repaving.  Some places where the road has remained gravel will now be paved to ensure smoother travels for our guests.

In the photograph above Dan Clifford, our head of Special Construction Projects, is preparing the roads for paving using a road grader to remove debris from the shoulder and create the proper angles in the road itself.

Camp could not survive without the prayers of our many faithful prayer warriors. In order to keep everyone up to speed on the current prayer needs of Cascades, we will be posting prayer requests on the blog every Tuesday-check back weekly for updates, and thank you all for your support of the work that God does through the ministry here at Cascades.

  Current prayer requests include:

• Summer Programs-our desire is that the Gospel would be spread to as many kids as possible, so pray that God would bring His children out to Cascades this summer and prepare their hearts for the lessons that they will learn while spending time at camp.
• Summer staff-It is a huge PRAISE that all our summer staff have been hired at this point, but please continue to pray for the hearts of all the college-aged students working at Cascades this summer as they serve and give their time to God’s ministry here.
• Operations Assistant-we are currently still looking for an individual to assist our Operations Manager, Alan Thomas in the general maintenance and upkeep of the facilities at Cascades. Prayer that the right person would apply and that their heart would be open to God’s leading.

Here is the THIRD Official Winner of the Cascades Camp Photoblog Friday Photo Contest. Kitsel Belmudes sent in this great shot of her daughter Lexi. Here is the story she shared with us about her photograph:

“This pictures was taken on the final day of the camp our daughter attended at Sunrise Ranch. We had the opportunity to watch the kids showcase their riding skills. In her week spent at camp, our daughter not only gained a lot of confidence in her riding and being around the horses, but we really saw how much she had grown as a person. We know camp was an awesome experience for her…she left very timid and frightened going to camp for the first time, and came home bubbling with excitement and an inner strength that we hadn’t really seen before.”

-Kitsel Belmudes

Our second winner in the Photoblog Friday Photo Contest is Barbara Dean!  Here is what she had to say about her photograph:

“What a view!  Mount Rainier in the early afternoon from Brightwood Station.  We have traveled from Texas the past 2 years to attend the July Family Camp.  The clean mountain air, crisp cool mornings, bright sunshine, refreshing lake dips, lazy canoeing, and excellent motivating speakers and services keep drawing us back.  We find there is no better way to really relax and enjoy God’s gifts of nature than visiting Cascades Camp.”

-Barbara Dean

The first winner in our Photoblog Friday Photo Contest is Rebecca Darling!  Here is what she had to say about her photograph:

“Ahh..the joys of summer…swimming in the ice cold lake followed by a cool ice cream treat from the snack bar.  What could be better?  Sharing it with your PaPa each afternoon!!   We took a family trip with Grandma & PaPa last summer during the 4th of July Family Camp and spent great quality time swimming, hiking, riding horses, playing games, building derby cars, making crafts….but most importantly, making an incredible memory that we will have forever!”

-Rebecca Darling (David Dean, Morganne Darling, and Jack Darling pictured)

“Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 5:18-21

Tuesday was April 15th. Tuesday was tax day.

I don’t necessarily enjoy taxes. In fact, they scare me a bit.

In a fit of rage (well not really rage, but maybe defiance) I decided to rebel against the government and rather than filing my taxes without thinking, I was going to educate myself a bit first. And being the resourceful person that I am, I went to dictionary.com and typed in the word “tax” so that I would be somewhat more informed…The first definition, obviously, was directed at the money that you and I pay to our government. The second definition, however brought some other thoughts to mind. This alternative definition describes the word “tax” as follows, “a burdensome charge, obligation, duty, or demand”.

Using these two definitions together we can understand “tax” to mean that we pay (in this case our government) taxes for the work they do for us and these taxes are “a burdensome charge, obligation, duty or demand” on us as humans.

I see some very real correlations to our relationship with Christ in these words. If anyone has earned the right to tax us, He has. Christ, in His death on the cross, completed the ultimate work of salvation. And for this, He has every right to demand a tax on our lives. And, I think, in some ways He does. But, rather than these taxes being a burden or an obligation or a demand, Christ lovingly asks not that we pay, but that we receive His mercy.

His tax is that of love seeking to set us free from the demands of the world, His tax is simply a life lived in worship to the One who saved us from an eternal obligation to evil, His tax is grace over death, and His tax is not one to fear, but to embrace!

Blessing and taxes to you,

Dirt

Sorry folks, no picture this Friday…we are still waiting on you to send us your pictures for our Photo Contest. Here is a friendly reminder of the contest rules:

-Photo submissions must be of digital photographs.
-The picture should be one that was taken at Cascades.
-Email submissions to claudiafisher@cascadescamp.org with “Photoblog Photo Contest” in the subject line.
-You must also tell us the story behind your photograph or why it is meaningful to you.

The winning photographs will be displayed on the blog for the next FOUR FRIDAYS! Submit your meaningful pictures and you could be the next winner. Winners will be awarded a Cascades Nalgene water bottle.

Email Claudia Fisher with any questions.

Blessings to you!