Prayer Request

One of my goals when starting this blog was to be able to pass along prayer requests to the entire Camp Deer Run family. If you are reading this then you are a part of that family and know first hand how powerful God is, and that he listens to our prayers and answers them the best way he sees fit. I want to pass on a prayer request to all of you. Some of you may have heard about this, but others haven't. I suggest you click here and read what Jaymie has written about the situation with Kanyon. Kanyon is a tough little dude who is a joy to be around, and I have always enjoyed seeing him around come out to Camp when he is able to. He can really use some prayers right now. Everybody who has been out to Camp in the past has been impacted by Jaymie and her family. (Jaymie's parents are Jay and Gay Spencer.) Right now is a time that we can come together and lift Kanyon up to God in prayer and ask him to take over. God can do amazing things, we just need to ask him to do them.

As you are prayer, also pray for God to protect the campers and staff this week, the 6th and final session of Camp. As it has been all summer, it is going to be a very hot week. Pray that God brings some cool relief, and makes this last week the best week of the summer.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky

Friday at Camp

Today was the last day of 5th Session. Fridays at Camp are always an emotional time for both campers and staff members. After taking in Cross Devo on Thursday night, and not getting much sleep afterwards, Camp is in a different mood than it is any other time. Everyone is exhausted, especially in 2 week sessions. Friday morning has a since of finality to it. Instead of the excitement of the next great Camp moment being on everyone's mind, everyone knows that Camp is over. Cleaning up Camp becomes a priority. Right after Flag Pole Devo, all campers and staff member make a huge line that stretches all over Camp, and then walk across Camp picking up every piece of trash they see. Next, each cabin has to go to their camp improvement site to clean it up as good as they can. After all of this, then the campers finally have to go and pack up all of their stuff to take home. They have to clean the cabin, and make it look like it did when they first arrived. Sometime late in the morning, the campers start to see their families show up. The campers are both sad for having to leave Camp, but also excited because they get to see their family again. Finally the hardest part of Camp has arrived...having to say goodbye to so many good friends. The relationships that are established at Camp are unlike any other. The campers get to know each other so well after living close together for one or two weeks. The campers developed a strong bond with the staff that they have learned from and looked up to. Today it is much easier to for the campers to stay in contact with each other during the year, especially with email and Facebook. But it is still hard to say goodbye to so many good friends at once. As a camper, I know that I hated having to leave Camp, to go out into the real world. Campers today felt just like that. It is so easy to live the way God wants us to live when we are at Camp. It is much tougher to live like that in the real world. Today, just like most Fridays during the summer, campers have gone through the Camp Gates, and are back in the real world. They are fighting the Devil, and hopefully use the things that they learned during their time at Camp to defeat him. Friday's can be hard for the campers, but they also can signify a start to a life that serves God.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky

Mellow Night

Last night was the third and final Mellow Night of the summer at Camp. I always loved Mellow Night because it gave me a chance to dress up in something ridiculous and also gave campers and staff members a chance to show off some off their talents. I don't know when or why Mellow Night begin, but it is basically a Camp talent show. Everyone dresses up, usually in some sort of hippy attire, and has a very Mellow Night. I hope you enjoyed the pictures.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky

Pray for the Staff

Its hard to believe that the Summer of 2011 is almost over. There are only 2 sessions left, just 3 weeks. I know that all of the campers who have come through the gates so far have been very blessed with their time at Camp. I have asked many staff members how things are going and they always say that it has been a great summer. The staff has a huge challenge in front of them for these last 2 sessions...to present the same Camp experience to the campers of the last 2 sessions as they did for the campers of the first 4 sessions. As a former staff member, I can speak to the fact that by this point of the summer the staff is tired and worn out. Pray for the staff. Pray that God can give them the energy and excitement that the campers deserves. Pray that God gives them the clear minds that are needed to lead the campers. Pray that God gives them the knowledge they need to teach the campers what living a life for God is all about. It has been a hot summer, and I know that the staff has been working harder than ever and they need all of the prayers they can get. God has done many great things this summer, but the summer isn't over. There is still a lot of work left to be done, and God's kingdom is growing because of the work of the staff. Keep them in your prayers and in your thoughts.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky

A Great Sunday at Camp

This Sunday was another wonderful day of worship at Camp Deer Run. A crowd of close to 600 gathered for worship, and stayed throughout the day for a great hamburger lunch and fun games and activities. The activities included a fun carnival with wacky games for both the campers and their families, followed by the Camper/Staff Football Game. But I think the watermelon that was served during the game drew more attention than the actual day. There were many CDR Alumni who made the trip to Camp. I know for many of them that it was the first time they had been out to Camp in several years. They talked to me about how they couldn't believe they went that long without being at Camp, and how it felt so good to be out there again. I kept hearing people say things like "good memories", and "happy to be out here". I am so glad that we are able to have days like Middle Sundays where we can all gather together and fellowship with old friends.

If you have been wanting to visit Camp but haven't been able to yet, there is one more Middle Sunday left in the Summer. July 24th is 5th Session Middle Sunday, and will be the last one of the summer. I encourage you to come out and spend the day worshipping the Lord with old friends and relive your time at Camp.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky

4th Session Middle Sunday

Just a quick reminder that this Sunday is another Middle Sunday, and another opportunity for you to make a visit out to Camp. 2nd Session Middle Sunday was a great success, especially with it being the first time that everyone stayed at Camp. Worship was wonderful as always, and the rest of the day went great. Class starts at 10:00 world time followed by worship at 11:00. There will be a hamburger lunch that costs $5.00 a person. Afterwards there will be fun games and activities for all to enjoy.

I love Middle Sundays because it gives me a chance to get a small taste of Camp. I haven't been on staff in 8 years, but every time I get the chance to go out to Camp for a Middle Sunday, I get the same feeling as I did when I was a camper and staff member. I see old friends, I sing familiar praises to God. I hear God talking to me and know that He is right there. There really is no better place to be near God. So if you are contemplating coming out, I highly encourage you to do so. It will be well worth it for you. For 2nd Session we had almost 500 people at Worship, let's see if we can get to 600 this Sunday. Hope to see you there.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky

Staff Weekend

This morning, Junior Cox posted this on Facebook...

"Woke up to 35 college kid spread out on every piece of floor we had in the house. We always love having the CDR staff come in."

This blog post is inspired by that. Even though Staff Weekends aren't technically a part of Camp Deer Run, they are a vital part of what makes Camp Deer Run what it is. I have always said that God does amazing things through the staff of Camp Deer Run, and the time that they get to spend together on staff weekends makes staff closer and stronger. I remember 10 years ago that I was one of the college kids sleeping on Junior and Christie's floor, and I can remember so many memories that I made on all the other staff weekends I was on.

When the Camp Session ends on Friday, the staff heads into Winnsboro to start off the weekend by eating as much pizza as possible at Pizza Inn. Then for some it is off to do laundry or run errands or head to whichever city in East Texas everyone is spending the weekend. It could be Longview or Paris or Sulphur Springs or Dallas or Holly Lake or somewhere else. Sometimes all the staff stays in the same place, sleeping on the floor or even outside. Sometimes, like at Holly Lake, the staff would stay at different host families houses. One of my favorite times was when the entire staff would go worship together at church of the town we were in. It was wonderful seeing the support that we got from that church. Every staff weekend was different, but all were wonderful experiences for me for me. I'm sure they are equally great now. I made so many wonderful memories, and spent wonderful quality time with my best friends. Staff weekends help the staff to fellowship outside of Camp, and develop a strong bond that allows them to work exceptionally well together at Camp. I love how the staff is able to show the campers how young Christian men and women interact with each other, and how they are able to love each other and love God. The staff weekends play a big part of that.

Hail, Dear Ol' Deer Run,

Sparky