With it being a little farther to Toccoa than I first thought, we need to revise the arrival time by about an hour, so instead of 3:00-4:00 pm, we’re probably looking at 4:00-5:00 instead. We will phone you timing updates when we know more about our time of arrival specifically.
Centri-Kid Update-OMC Day!
Hey mom and dad! Today was such a cool day, and I wish all of you could have been here with us to enjoy it. Thursday is the last full day of Centri-Kid and is the day that OMC takes place. OMC stands for Organized Mass Chaos and that definitely sums up the event. Picture this: 400 kids running crazy all over a field getting hit with water balloons, shaving cream and doing cartwheels, push-ups and singing happy birthday at the top of their lungs. Those activities and hundreds more going on at the same exact time makes for some serious chaos. The only rule in OMC is that you can’t say no to any task that is assigned to you. Check out the slideshow below…
Centri-Kid Video Vignettes!
Good morning, parents and loved ones of a Centri-Kid camper. Day 3 was a very full day, but not as hot as the day before. There was a cool breeze blowing across the campus all day and it felt great! We followed the same schedule today as yesterday, with all of the kids noting that their Track times being a favorite part of their day. Track A & B are two segments that are back to back each afternoon when the kids split into groups by the special activity they wanted to take part in. There are things like Just Add H2O, Scrapbooking, FootPraise and many more. One popular choice is Archery. Check out a video of Anderson Miller checking out how his arrows flew…
Ain’t that cool!?! Now here’s a short clip of Ally Roberts and Ashlee Coyle practicing for the variety show at Centri-Kid on Thursday night. Emilee Marr was also a part of this cute group…
Finally, a question for you all. Have you ever heard of a game called Tutty Fruity? It’s one of those great travel games that kids play to pass the time on a long van or bus trip. Some of our little girls have been trying to learn the game and were practicing before supper one Wednesday evening when Mark, lead singer (and all around cool guy) from The Lads sat down with them. The Lads are a band of Kiwis. Know what that means? That means they’re from New Zealand, the island nation just north of Australia. They are super cool and have a real heart for helping kids connect with God on a real world level. You may see them visiting us at TDF sometime in the near future.
Here’s a quick look at a little bit of what happened when he sat down with the girls…
There is so much we would love to show you, but there’s just no time right now. Look for more pictures and videos as the week progresses and Sunday night at church, too.
Centri-Kid Chaperone Update
For those of you wondering how we “grown-ups” are faring while at camp, we’re doing fine. I realized this morning that I never introduced Tommy Marr to the kids officially, but just said, “you drive that van.” Tommy has just dove right into their lives, playing with and leading kids. In other words, he didn’t wait for me to make an introduction, he just got started influencing their lives. That’s what I pray for when I pray for the Lord’s ministry to kids at TDF, people who will just get started loving kids and getting to know them.
Wendy Walker has also been a great leader for the kids to follow. Not only does she love them and guide them to make wise decisions when they’re in her area, she also has helped kids locate their articles of clothing and whatnot that get strewn about the rooms. I wish all of you could see her in action. Another new development for Wendy is that she now has the necessary experience to start her own pest control business, specializing in ant removal.
Shelly Miller is our photojournalist and resident Ferdinand Magellan. She has taken most of the great pictures that you are seeing on the website. She has also been a prayer warrior for our kids, taking the time to pray for your kids by name. Those of you whose kids had the privelige of being in her Lifegroup have had a great teacher. She’s someone that not only teaches the kids in a way they can understand, she loves them and wants to be a part of their lives! She is also an awesome photographer!
Mrs. Robin Shipp is also doing an amazing job with the group of 5th and 6th grade girls that she is providing leadership to. She has such a way with kids, of letting them know that her (and ours) expectations for them are high and demanding that they rise to it, without making them feel like someone has been down on them. Robin is a rarity. She understand kids in a way that some people will never understand them and has the amazing ability to calm kids and soothe them, and help them realize their great potential for the Kingdom of God.
All in all, they are doing an amazing job! I believe there is a good reason for that, by the way. We didn’t just get lucky with this group of leaders. The reason is that everyone of them wanted to be here, not to keep Steve from going crazy, but because they love these kids and want to have an influence on them, or build on the relationships with your kids that they already in place from their Lifegroup. Thank them when you see them, for they are the ones doing the most together to influence our kids!
Centri-Kid Update
We’ve had an absolutely great day! We are tired, sore (Mr. Steve) and just a little sun-burnt, but all in all, the first full day of camp has been a lot of fun. I think all of your kids are having a great time and will have plenty to tell you about when they come home.
I want to tell you all how proud I am to be the children’s pastor to your kids! They are such a great group and all so fun. Beyond the fun though, I’ve seen clues of the transformation that I pray I get to see in them in their spiritual lives. Little things like stopping to hold a door open, pick up someone else’s trash or plate, or better still, stopping what they are doing to include someone who looks like they may be a little left out.
One of our great chaperones, Shelly Miller, said it best, “I am so glad I’m here. It’s just so great to see the looks on their faces…” The smiles and laughter is the best and I hope that you will look forward to learning about the things they have gotten to do.
Pictures say a lot about the events that we participate in, so here’s a slide show of some of our camp adventure so far. Keep praying for your kids and keep working on memorizing John 20:31. You can do it.
More updates to come!
Well, We Made It!
Centri-Kid 2008! We’re here and having a fine time. We made the trip without serious problems of any kind and I can report that all of your kids were awesome. Not one of them needed to have a turn riding in the Uhaul trailer, although I was ready to put myself there once or twice.
I have learned some valuable lessons today on our adventure to Centri-Kid.
1. Check your route and the distance of your trip BEFORE announcing a departure time. The problem here was that I didn’t think it would take as long to arrive at camp as it did. The website says that the campus is just one hour northeast of Atlanta. If you’re driving a Ferrari F450. Or if you make the trip at 3:00 am. Other wise it will take about 2 hours from Atlanta.
2. If the camp does some parts of registration different, do not assume that everything is different. Apparently in the move from one office to the office in Adventureland and then the move back up to the new and improved office wing, I missed a valuable and important piece of paperwork that would have made registration and check-in a breeze.
At the end of the day, we made it, but I helped make the day a little bit longer for our kids.
The theme for the camp is Lights, Camera, Action and the teaching focus is for the kids to realize that God invites us into the action of the big Story He’s writing for this world. The basis for this theme comes from John 20:31. You want to blow your kids mind? Memorize that verse and quote it to them after they get home. Commit to making that one verse a singular focus for not just them, but for your whole family for the rest of this summer and just see what God can do.
Well, Mr. Steve is sleepy, so I’m off to bed. That is, until some boy comes knocking on my door for some reason or the other. But you know what? I wouldn’t be anywhere else on earth right now. Thanks for trusting me with your precious ones.
Look for more updates tomorrow!
