Ready for the pool!

I've got YL Camp on the brain. 
It is our biggest planned event of the year.  We are a little more than 2 months away and the to-do lists have begun.  Ivan is busy meeting with local government officials, businessmen, and contacts to raise money to help sponsor campers.  In his last national meeting, club directors presented their goals of how many kids they hope to bring to camp this year, and their numbers have exceeded our expectations!  It's exciting to see God move beyond what we thought possible but it also means we've got a lot of work to do for camp to be ready for all those campers! 

Feather boas!

I'm always on the lookout for things that we could use for YL and more specifically, camp.  So, when I was at a yard sale hosted by some fellow missionaries, and saw a clown nose, I immediately jumped on it.  Why wouldn't we need a clown nose for camp?  When I was paying for all the treasures I had found, the woman asked me if the clown nose was for camp and would I be interested in more?  What could be better than a clown nose?....but MORE clown noses!  Later in the week, she came by to drop off a few other things she thought might be useful for us.  Among the items were over 20 clown noses!  It was by far the most exciting English tutoring time I've had with my nephew thus far!  And wouldn't you know, we were learning the letter "N" that day, so putting on some red clown noses was the perfect reinforcement!

I know it's a simple thing.  A bunch of clown noses.  Whoop-dee-do.  But I love how God uses such a simple thing to teach me of His abundant love and provision.  He lavishes His love upon us and the part that really gets me, is that we don't deserve it.  That's grace.  That´s His amazing grace.  His love is deeper and wider than we can imagine.  As I sit here, looking at the multitude of clown noses, I sense God telling me, "There's so much more that I have for you.  Dream big.  Set your sights high.¨ (And perhaps even a hinted ¨lighten up a little and laugh more!¨)

From the book, My Utmost for His Highest:

"The great enemy of the life of faith in God is not sin, but the good which is not good enough.  The good is always the enemy of the best."

Couldn`t resist trying out this costume I found!

Psalm 100 

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!
² Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
³ Know that the Lord, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;^[a]
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

⁴ Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
⁵ For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.