A message from Linus

John Vandervelde - Program Director 

Maybe, like me, some of you caught the Charlie Brown Christmas movie
on ABC last night.  I'm quite familiar with the movie--it is one of my
wife's favorites.  In high school she played Lucy in her school's
rendition of the play.  I often get to tease her about that.  If you
know Kari at all, you know she is the complete opposite of Lucy. 

Last
night as I watched the movie with my boys I was moved by Linus Van
Pelt's recitation of Luke 2:8-14.  There it was, the Gospel message
right there on prime-time television.  My favorite part is when Linus,
after quoting the Scripture, walks off stage, dragging his blanket, and
says, "That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown." 

The verse from Luke 2 that grabbed my attention last night as I
listened to Linus was verse 14, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace to men on whom His favor rests."  Have you ever really thought
about how powerful that is?  Jesus coming to earth was all about
bringing peace--peace to us, on whom God has favor.  God favors us, God
loves us, God wants peace for us.  When we think about the trials and
hardships of our lives and in this world, remember that God's mission
and God's Kingdom is all about bringing peace and goodwill to people
and to all creation.

That is what Christmas is all about!  Let's let the world know!  

Happy 60th Birthday to Bill Long!

Liz Henderson--Program Team Assistant

Today is a very special day at HoneyRock.  It is Bill Long's 60th Birthday!  Bill has served faithfully at HoneyRock for over 35 years.  Bill and his wife, Nancy, have 4 children: Amy, Trevor (and his wife, Cassie), Betsy (and her husband, Nate) and Ben (and his wife, Klara).  Their first grandchild was born to Trevor and Cassie in early November and is named William Jaden.  

Bill has worn various hats throughout his time at HoneyRock, but he works primarily with construction and operations.  Bill has been instrumental in constructing almost every building on camp, and is currently building the new Village Cabins.  He is a humble and godly man who has invested in the lives of hundreds of people who have come through HoneyRock.  From Service Teamers to Operations staff and beyond, Bill has touched the lives of many people and has consistently been a kind and encouraging teacher.  The type of integrity and steadfastness that is evident in Bill's life is a rarity in our culture today.

If you know Bill, I would encourage you to send him a note today to wish him a happy birthday and to share a memory with him.  We are going to be honoring Bill this afternoon.  If you would like to send him an encouraging note, please email me (liz@honeyrockcamp.org) and I will pass your message along to Bill.  

Today we are thankful for the legacy of Bill Long and for the way that he has inspired and encouraged so many of us over the years.

Pictured below are Bill and Nancy at the HoneyRock Christmas Party last week.

An Important Week

John Vandervelde - Program Director

This is a very important week in the HoneyRock calendar.  It is the week before Wheaton College's Christmas break--the week when the majority of our Residential Camp counseling staff make their decisions to apply to serve at HoneyRock this summer.  The fall season is spent recruiting, doing interviews, and talking about the program with students, and much of that work comes to fruition this week.  Dan Elsen, Ann Swindell, and Craig Miller (our Southwoods team) are working long and hard hours this week building the right team for counseling ministry this summer. 

As you know, the camper-counselor relationship is key to the HoneyRock experience.  We believe that the environment that creates the most opportunity for growth and transformation in a camper's life is when a college student is leading a small group of campers through the camp experience.  This counselor plans and leads Bible studies and is responsible for the majority of the Bible teaching and spiritual formation that take place.  The counselor coordinates activities, leads camp-outs, and serves as "mom or dad" for their cabin group.  A college student counselor can have a deep and meaningful impact on the life of a camper.  We know that the right counselor, being led by the Lord, makes all the difference.

So this week we ask for your prayers as we build our counseling team for the 2010 summer.

A Great Christmas Gift

John Vandervelde - Program Director   

For a little over a month now we have been updating the HoneyRock Blog every weekday.  As you know, we've have multiple reasons for doing this, but mainly it's been about connecting with and encouraging HoneyRockers who are all over the country and the world.  We've tried to share our thoughts in a way that keeps people connected with HoneyRock and our mission, but also in a way that inspires people to action. We've intentionally tried not to make this blog about marketing HoneyRock to the world.  Unfortunately today's post may feel a little bit like marketing, so I'm sorry about that.

I got a call a few days ago from a mom who was interested in giving a HoneyRock camp experience to her kids for Christmas.  I was excited to get her call.  What a great idea!  She basically shared with me that she was just tired of her kids getting more stuff, more video games, more clothes, and more junk they don't need.  She was going to share the idea with Grandma and Grandpa and see if they would consider giving the kids a HoneyRock camp experience as a present this year.

I know many of you are in shopping mode and are searching for gifts.  I encourage you to consider giving your kids HoneyRock this Christmas.  If you're a camper reading this - ask your mom and dad or grandma and grandpa for HoneyRock camp this Christmas.

This year we have many financial assistance programs available to help you afford camp.  We have lots of scholarship money to give away and multiple incentive programs to help you, including our new matching program.  Please take advantage of them.  Click here for more information.

Have a blessed weekend! 

Some Christmas Fun...

John Vandervelde - Program Director   

We all can feel it--Christmas is in the air.  Christmas can bring a sense of anxiety for many people as they wonder what to buy, what to wear, and how to make their money stretch.  We know that Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Christ (while making memories with family and friends!), but for some reason we become bogged down by the busyness of the season, the stuff we think we need to buy, and the parties we think we need to attend. 

Last night we had our annual HoneyRock Christmas party.  It was a time for eating cookies, making crafts, decorating the dining hall and having fun together as a family.  This year we decided to throw an extra dose of crazy fun into the party.  This year's party involved a "Ridiculous Christmas Outfit Costume Contest".  Haley Ledbetter was the contest winner!  Basically we all put on crazy sweaters, red and green clothing, and anything else ridiculous we could find.  It was a blast, and it served as a reminder to us that fun and laughter bring joy to our lives and to our community.    

I hope this Christmas you make time to have some good, healthy fun with those you love.  Don't let the anxiety of the season overwhelm you.  While you thank the Lord for the birth of Christ, I challenge you to let fun and celebration fill your heart and be the place where you spend your time and energy.  

Below are some pictures from our party.  Enjoy! 

Bill & Nancy Long

 

Haley Ledbetter "Key West Santa"

The Vandervelde Family

Karen Bartos as Rudolph

Dan and Meredith Elsen

Rick Masters as Santa being pulled by his Reindeer, the GPAs.

Snow and Forgiveness

Liz Henderson--Program  Team Assistant

There is great excitement around HoneyRock today because last night it began to snow.  It is our first big snowstorm of the winter season and at least 7 inches have already fallen!  The snow is continuing to fall, and we are thankful that our Graduate Program Assistants (GPAs) can finally begin to learn winter activities such as snowshoeing, tubing, and cross-country skiing.

This morning during devotions, Pete Sailhamer, the HoneyRock Business Manager, shared a with us that the first big snowfall each winter reminds him of God's forgiveness for us.  Just like the snow covers all the dirt and dead leaves from the fall with a clean white blanket, so God covers over our sin and makes us clean.  I was reminded of the verse in Isaiah 1:18:

"Come now, let us reason together,"
       says the LORD.
       "Though your sins are like scarlet,
       they shall be as white as snow;
       though they are red as crimson,
       they shall be like wool."

I hope that today--whatever the weather--you will be reminded that though our sins be like scarlet, they will be made white as snow.  Thank God for sending his Son to die on a cross so that we could be forgiven.

Below are some pictures that were taken around camp this morning.