Week 4 at Lakeside

Our emphasis this week has been on Gideon .... how God used water through the dew and fleece and narrowing down his army to 300 soldiers by the way they drank water. If you know the story Gideon was an ordinary citizen... nobody special or important in the eyes of man... but used by God to do an amazing feat.....just as our MGM group is being used to change lives of those facing water troubles. The kids have now raised over $400 and are really excited about their efforts. We saw some amazing concerts at Hoover Auditorium this week. This facility was built in 1904 and holds 3000 people. Melissa Manchester was here(and no ...I did not cry out loud.
A Canadian family group of 8 brothers and sisters named Leahy gave an amazing concert. They wowed the crowed with their fiddle playing and Irish step dancing They have been featured on a PBS special. Phil Keaggy and Fernando Ortega also performed together and their talents were extraordinary. The Wooden Boat Society had their annual show here.... there were over 50 boats on the grounds and by the dock...some dating back 80 years. We spent some time at the McCallum Art Gallery where they featured a jazz band and some great food from a new restaurant called Ritzkys. There were 125 artists here this weekend to paint landscapes around Lakeside... some wonderfully talented people who were happy to chat and answer questios about painting. The weather has been in the high fifties in the evenings so it has been jeans and hoodies .... too good to be true for July. I completed a 77 mile bike ride ... in about 5 1/2 hours ... getting closer to my goal of 100!

week 3 at Lakeside

This week brought some challenges for us. Bonnie returned to Charlotte to be with our daughter Caroline who was having some outpatient surgery. She was born with one kidney and that one is not working to full capacity. Eventually she will need a transplant and this surgery was to connect a vein and artery in her arm to prepare for dialysis. The surgery went well ....but the recovery was longer than expected so Bonnie stayed the entire week to make sure Caroline was capable of functioning on her own. I hired Sam Creech .... a young man who will be a sophomore this year and has been an outstanding participant in our program for the last 5 years. He was an invaluable help and did a superb job! For 3 of the days we had over 50 kids in the Upper Room and I needed some help with logistics. I also managed to get in some beach time in the afternoons. Our focus this week was how water was used for healing .... and the water crisis in el Salvador. We are very close to the Meyer family whose cottage we live in for the summer.... we have a separate apartment on their second floor ....but we cross paths a lot with Laura...the Mom ....and her two children Ellie and Nathan. We often joke that it is not communal living....but it is about as near as you can get. The husband and father ...Doug Meyer ... died of a heart attack two summers ago... He was one of my best friends and all of us still miss him dearly. Laura's cousin Dan has taught in a school and worked on water projects in El Salvador and spent two days sharing his experiences. He brought his wife Ruby and their two daughters. His teaching skills were superb and slide shows raised awareness of the problems caused by the lack of clean water. The 5 gallon jug....weighing 40 pounds when filled .... which you can see under the table in the picture.... caused quite a stir when our boys had to carrry it on their shoulder ....and the girls on their head ....none of them were very sucessful. When they saw the mountainous terrain the children in El Salvador had to travel for hours to acquire water they learned some lifetime lessons! Our kids raised another $100 so 3 families will now have access to clean drinking water. They are learning you can make a difference!

Week 2 at Lakeside

I am never ceased to be amazed at the new experiences we have at Lakeside. This is a place where people love to get together and since we meet so many new kids in our program, we often develop friendships with parents. We experienced Lake Erie from the deck of a beautiful boat owned by our friends the Albrechts..... going out to Kelly's Island and enjoying the beach on the Canadian side. One afternoon a 1955 vet was parked across the street from our cottage .... the keys still in it and no one around. (yes...the crime rate here is next to zero) As I was checking it out one of the neighbors came out with her cousin and and asked if I liked the car. I assured them I did and the owner said, "take her for a spin." The junior high group from the United Methodist Conferences was here this week. One day they were knocking on doors of cottages offering to sing for anyone who was there ... then they stopped by our cottage and asked me to get my guitar .... we had some great fun lifting praises to the Lord. Our focus this week in our MGM program has been Moses and his experiences with water.... some of you may recall how he parted water....and having to beat on a rock to get some in the desert. We have also looked at the water crisis in Ethiopia. Our kids raised almost $200....mostly by selling coookies and lemonade ....which are incredibly popular in Lakeside ....the money will go to Samaritan's purse "Turn on the tap" which builds rock and sand filtration systems which give families clean water for 20 years! We are so proud of their efforts to Change the World. The kids also continue to love the competitive team building games and relays we do each day. The picture is one my favorites ... the shoe race.

Week 1 at Lakeside

Arriving at Lakeside is always exciting … there are so many good memories here … we have already reconnected with many of our friends …have been amazed at the growth and maturity of our MGM kids…. And Bonnie and I have the wonderful gift of time to enjoy this beautiful place…..such as the sunset you see on the picture. We were privileged to be invited to be a part of the new Lakeside playground dedication by sharing some music. It was held at this program by the gazebo on the lake….. also the sight of many weddings. I was also invited to share some music with the 400 high school kids here from the Ohio UMC gathering….. I am always teenagers who will sing and do motions…. I played with their band who truly could rock the house. Bonnie and I also attended the kick off luncheon for the Lakeside interns. The photo of us by the cottage we stay in for the summer is just before we left. We will be a mentor for Candace who is here for the entire season. Our theme this summer for MGM is “Water,” so we are studying water in the bible and raising awareness of the lack of clean water and the problems those people face. Our focus this week has been water as a part of the creation story and the water situation in Bolivia. Our kids have real hearts of compassion and many have already shared their plans of how they will raise some money …. A lot of lemonade stands in Lakeside will be dedicated to bring folks clean water!

Summer in Lakeside

Lakeside,Ohio is a Chautauqua on the Marblehead peninsula on Lake Erie. It started 135 years ago. The Chautauqua mottto is to provide opportunities for spiritual, cultural, intellectual and physical growth. There are 900 plus turn of the century cottages, 20 plus businesses, two hotels, a 3000 seat auditorium/amplitheatre and numerous other amenities. Recreation enthusiasts can play tennis, basketball, mini golf, shuffleboard and try just about any watersport you can imagine. There are hundreds of seminars each summer covering everything from finance to raising children. It is an amazing place to spend the summer and Bonnie and are are blessed to be entrusted with the Middle Grade Ministries program(MGM ....as it known here.) We combine a biblical curriculum with lots of team building games and relays. Last year over 1000 kids came through our doors in the Upper Room as we studied our theme for the summer ....the acronym LIP .... God Loves us, He is In Control and He has a Plan for our lives. This summer we will study "Water" in the Bible and also try to raise awareness for the severe water problems a billion people face everyday. We hope to raise some money to provide families water filtration systems. Two years ago our kids raised $650 for Sacks of Hope .... an organization that provided these sacks which included mosquito netting, a blanket, a water container, a tarp, seeds and some tools to help recently freed slave get started into their new life. We want our kids to know they can change the world! Living and working in Lakeside is really a throwback in time. People do not lock their doors, take the time for conversation and hundreds of kidsand adults who ride their bikes freely through the community (and not one is locked when parked) sharing the streets with cars and golfcarts. The entertainment and shows each night provide fun and laughter for every age group! I hope our photographs and descriptions will give you a clear picture of this amazing place!