Choosing to Make Life Work - 13L - FULFILLING RELATIONSHIPS

         We learn how to love from the One who gave his life for us.   In Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book, Cost of Discipleship, he is big on Christians are called to carry our cross daily and follow Christ.  We need to be willing to lay down our lives for one another in His name.  What are some ways we can do that in our living together? 

 We can choose to forgive, care, reach out and help heal those around us.  What a gift we give others as we find ways to affirm, encourage and empathize with friends and loved ones.  Maybe even with those we don’t like.  The issues of life are opportunities for making decisions.  Just as in marriage, love is a decision.  So it is in relationships in general being committed to each other’s success is a decision.  

We depend on the Spirit of God to be the source to make this happen.  It takes a commitment of time and energy to develop a healthy relationship.   It takes cooperation from all participants to decide the ways we want to live with each other and especially to search for solutions to conflicts.   Life is one learning experience after another.   The longer we live the greater the capacity to learn and the more opportunity to practice what we learn. 

            As I mentioned before each of us is unique.  There is no one else like you or me.  Each of us sees things differently and the more we are willing to listen to one another and are committed to each other’s success, the healthier are our relationships.  The more fulfilling our life is.  The more we will experience the “abundant life.”

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Camp – 13c – SUMMER STAFF

             We planned interviews for summer staff positions up and down California as students applied from different cities.   Generally, the students from out of State colleges would make arrangements for interviews when they were home for the holidays.   The job application was a form including different kinds of questions about relationships, faith experiences and attitudes.     

            The interviews were very interesting and helpful in getting to know the applicants.   When I would ask what are some reasons they wanted to serve at camp, their response would often be, “because the Lord has called me to this service.”   I would quip back with something like, “Pray that the Lord clues me in on that information as I choose who to hire.”

            Another question I would ask was what they thought “serving the Lord” would be like during the summer.   They would respond very earnestly and sincerely that they wanted to serve the Lord in anyway they could.   We would talk about what it means to be of service to others.  It isn’t all sugar and spice and everything’s nice.   There will be days they would be so tired, they would not feel like doing what was expected of them.   They would be tired of the behavior of the campers, or the food, or relationships among the staff.    I used to alert the applicants that we found out through the years that we hired people because of their skills, and if called for, had to let them go because of their attitudes.   Most of us are open to serving God until we think we’re being treated like a servant.   Fortunately, there were very few we had to ask to leave through the years. 

          I’ll never forget my first interview with a college student.   It was at the First Presbyterian Church in Fresno.   As I was parking my car, I saw this scrawny young man waiting at the door of the church.   I remember thinking is this “kid” going to be able to be responsible for young campers?   This young man, after working for us for several years, went on to seminary.   While he was serving as a Pastor in the Presbyterian Church, he was influential in recruiting quite a number of students who we hired on camp staff.   This is how we multiply the experiences of faith.  

          One of the questions asked on the application form was something like, Who do you say Jesus is?  or  What do you think of Jesus?   The response on the form of a young applicant was three words, “I don’t know.”  During the interview I asked him, “Would you like to know?”  He agreed and we proceeded to talk about faith and life.   He accepted Christ as Lord and Savior that afternoon.    He worked with us at Westminster Woods for many years and was a very valuable and effective employee.

Through the years several of the staff went on to seminary.    It was such a humbling and yet gratifying experience to be a part of young men and women making decisions to serve God.   So many became ordained pastors and missionaries as well as serving as volunteers in the local churches.  I came up with a phrase for me as being “humbly proud.”  Thank you Lord!

Choosing to Make Life Work - 12L – MAKING FRIENDS

            Claiming the promise of our Lord that “ He came that we might have life and that abundantly,” I was wondering what that had to do with relationships—especially close relationships with family and friends.  Do we set goals in our relationships?  Are they just to get along?  Are they just to avoid conflicts?  Or, just because we do not want to be alone?       I believe each of us is a unique person, created by God with special talents and a particular personality.  We generally behave according to the best way we know how.

I believe we want to live with other people in a loving, caring, respectful and gracious manner.  Most of us go about our daily routines subconsciously.    Sometimes that gets us into difficulty.   We walk into a room and forget why we were there.  We occupy our minds with things, especially now with iPhones and iPads, while our loved one or friend is sharing something about their day or situation.  Our response makes it clear we were not listening.   We even respond with sharp words, wondering why did I just do that?  We become stubborn with opinions and actions out of our own insecurity.    Maybe if we listened we would learn something new and expand the choices we make in ways we develop satisfying and loving relationships.

We discover it is harder keeping friends than making them. What do you think?  We’ll talk more about this next time.    

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to Camp –12c – MARKETING

        Through the years, I visited many churches in Northern and Central California telling the story of camping and its value in the life of the Church.  One of the goals of our ministry was to develop positive relationships with the Commission, local church pastors, congregations, Presbyteries and Synods.   Marketing and Fund Development was a major area of Administering a Camp and Conference Facility.  It was always a challenge to balance the visions of those in Program and those responsible for the finances while doing ministry together.   It was important to communicate the many responsibilities and challenges in administering and developing a Camp and Conference Facility and Program.   God works in spite of all kinds of obstacles and challenges.   Praying together helps. 

        Richard and I would go to Las Vegas every year where I would lead a Workshop for the volunteer counselors coming from that area.  The Presbyterian Churches in Las Vegas would bring two bus loads of junior and junior high youth and one bus full of senior high youth every summer.

Elvera Bishop, the Christian Education Director from the First Presbyterian Church in Las Vegas, would make arrangements for our housing and entertainment.  She always managed to get tickets to a popular show on the strip.   It was fun.  We saw Bill Cosby, Tom Jones, the Follies, etc. 

Choosing to Make Life Work -- 11L - GRATITUDE FOR MIRACLES

Life situations are not always easy.  Sometimes we find ourselves envying what others have and think others are better off than we are.   In our world we look around and see many sad situations.   We have friends and loved ones who are hurting.    Choosing to make life work is being intentional about praying specifically for these situations and the people involved.   It is practicing a spirit of trust and gratitude.  Trusting that God is present with us in all situations.  Gratitude for what we do have and gratitude for the miracles of life.    If we threw all of our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we would grab ours back.   However good or bad a situation is, it will change. 

At the end of each day, identify the situations that occurred that day for which you sensed or now realize God was present with you.  Also, identify where and when you realized a miracle had taken place.  Recognizing the small miracles in our lives each day helps us to develop a spirit of gratitude which empowers us to take the next step of faith whatever that step may be.