The End of the Summer
Mood:  down
Topic: Ministry

It's the end of the summer ministries. Day camp is over. OK, I know, there still is a lot to keep me busy. We still have to clean up everything. There's still the "community" garden that the community seems to have left to us. There's still the back to school bash that needs to be planned. And, there's still our Sunday afternoon ministries and ladies ministries and ...! I know, I know, with all that coming up, why should I be down?

I don't really know. I've worked in the camping ministry enough (since 1983) to know that I should be prepared for this feeling by now. It happens every summer. Your busy one minute. There are kids everywhere! Activities going on! Noise! Excitement! And then...the next minute...there's silence. The silence is eerie. It's almost depressing. It's really no different than the silence that comes everyday when the kids go home. But this silence is the final silence. I guess it's the finality that is what causes the eeriness - the sad feelings. It's over for another year. Nothing to plan for tomorrow...no activities. Nothing to study for...no Bible Lesson. This is it...it's over.

You would think that this year would be different. In the past, at the camp that we used to work at, we had camps going on everyday for six or seven weeks. It was so wild that you couldn't even remember what happened when it was over. This year was different. We had one full week of day camp at the beginning, then only did day camps on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the rest of the summer. In the past, we left our cozy world, moved to the camp for a couple of months, then came back to our cozy world. This year, we stayed in our world. These are the people we work with all year around. These are the kids that we minister to week in and week out. This year we stayed at home and worked with the people that God called us to minister to full-time. And we made it! God blessed each day!

In the past, at the big camp, we had 120 campers per week. We had day camps and resident camps. We had over 40 staff members. This summer we barely made it to 40 total people all together. We didn't have a counselor training week. We didn't hire experienced staff. We didn't advertise to folks all across the USA. This year we stayed at home. We worked with the kids and adults that we work with the other 10 months out of the year. We used some of Sarah's ladies that she is discipling to help us cook food, herd kids, set up games. And we did it! God gave us strength and help!

In the past we had a budget! Thousands of dollars for the kitchen. Thousands of dollars for program. Seemingly unlimited space and supplies.This year we had a yard sale to raise money. We used what we had. We bought what we could. We had games in our yard. We used the two rooms of the mission for Bible class and eating. And we survived! God provided!

I used to think that I would miss the big camp. The endless potential, endless supplies, endless space, endless help. I do miss it in some ways. In some ways it will always be a part of me. 

So, why am I down? I guess I'm down for the same reason I was always down. Because we've come to the end of a fruitful, productive summer. We saw kids and adults grow in the Lord. We had the usual struggles. The usual ups and downs. But God used us for His purpose. God gave us a job and we tried to be faithful. God opened doors and we saw lives changed. New kids are coming to the mission, new adults have been reached. We have more kids to invite when we start our fall ministries. We have more adults to minister to and disciple.

So, why am I down?  I don't really know. I don't really know if I even am down. After writing this I don't think I am. Come to think about it, I'm not really down at all. In fact, I'm looking forward to the future. I'm looking forward to the next exciting thing that God has planned!

Thank you, Lord, for using me. Thank you for using my family. Thank you for the opportunities, big and small, that you have given us. Thank you for the people you have given us to minister to. Thank you for the place that you have given us to minister in. Thank you for using us in this exciting adventure. Please help us to always be faithful to you, just as you have always been faithful to us. Amen

 

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The Crud
Mood:  don't ask
Topic: Family

Be afraid! Be very afraid! It's coming, and if you don't watch out it will get you! Don't walk alone at night! Always be aware of what's behind you! Make sure you know where your children are! Or...they may be lost to...The Crud!

We know from experience. It always sneaks up on us when we least expect it. Always effects us at the most inopportune times. We are going through one such battle even as we speak.

What's The Crud? It takes the form of many different things. This time it is strep throat for Joshua, an ear infection for Jacob, an unknown virus for John Allen, and aches and pains for me. Sarah is about the only one that has not been effected...but...she could be next!

Joshua's took effect on Tuesday. We had day camp, then decided to go to take some of the workers to the lake for a barbecue. The first sign that something was wrong was when Joshua didn't want to go into the water to swim. He loves swimming! He took one step into the lake, and said it was too cold (the water felt like a warm bath!). Then, he didn't eat a thing, he just laid around on the ground or on a bench. Sarah put one hand on his forehead and it was burning up. We quickly packed up, came home, and Sarah took him to the emergency room. They had him move his head a little, gave him some antibiotics, called in "sinusitis" and sent him home. He cried all night.

That same night, Jacob woke up screaming and tugging at his ear. So, the next day a call to the doctor for both was in order. Sarah and I took them and left John Allen home with our house guest/summer ministry help. Two hours later, after a throat swab, Joshua was diagnosed with strep and, after taking out a large chunk of wax from his ear, Jacob was sent home with an ear infection. Both, after some antibiotics and a regimen of Motrin/Tylenol felt better.

Meanwhile...Sarah and John Allen had planned this trip for weeks. They were to meet grandma, then go on to South Carolina where cousin Olivia was competing in a clogging competition. No sooner had they gone a few miles down the road that John Allen tells Sarah to stop because he was sick. After losing his cookies, and a called in prescription by the doctor, John Allen and Sarah are safely in SC and  JA is feeling much better.

My bout of sickness began Thursday morning. I woke up, hardly able to move, with joint aches. I struggled through day camp, then went straight to bed. I'm feeling much better today, but am still dragging and not up to my full potential.

The Crud is a terrible thing. It saps your energy so that you have almost none left. The house is a wreck, the mission's a mess, but both can wait until tomorrow. Until then...be afraid! Be very afraid! Of...The Crud!

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Homeschool Crew
Mood:  chillin'
Topic: Homeschool Product Review

Things are really gearing up with the TOS Homeschool Crew Reviews. We are presently reviewing two items in the Tinkel household and impatiently awaiting a third item to arrive in the mail. John Allen and Joshua are reviewing two really neat Bible studies from Grapevine Studies. John Allen chose the New Testament Overview, while Joshua is working through the Old Testament Overview. The author, Dianna Wiebe, calls it "Stick Figuring through the Bible"! So far John Allen and Joshua are both enjoying their studies, but you'll have to wait until my full review is written before you find out what the "Stick Figuring" is all about.

Another item that just arrived in the mail is "Web Design for Kids", a DVD that teaches kids (yes, I said Kids) how to use HTML (yes, I said HTML)! The subtitle adds "...and Curious Grownups". It sounds like something that I need as well. We haven't done much with this yet, but stay tuned for a full review in the near future!

The item that we are waiting for in the mail is from Maverick Books. Maverick Books is the company that puts out the "Hank the Cowdog" series. If you've ever read this series, then you know that the books are hilariously funny. Since we haven't received this item yet, I can't tell you exactly what we are reviewing, but I'll let you know as soon as we get it.

To make it easier for you to follow the items that I will be reviewing, I have created a special section over the the left. Under the section "Homeschool Crew Review Companies". If you press on one of the logos, it will take you directly to the companies website. Later, when my review is done, it will take you to my review. There you will find a link to the company.

I have also added a special button called the "TOS Homeschool Crew" button. It's that little black strip right under the Homeschool Crew logo to the left. If you press on the little + sign, the whole thing will expand with the blog addresses of everyone on the TOS Homeschool Crew. Please take some time to get to know some of them. I have had the privilege of getting to know many of them through reading their blogs and through the Crew forum. Many of their stories are fascinating. Have fun reading! 

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Sarah's Put Out A New Prayer Letter!
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Ministry
Do you want to know everything that's been happening at our ministry -  "Good News Mission"? Do you want to know how to pray specifically for the Tinkel's? Just click here, or press on the Prayer Letter link to the left to read Sarah's latest prayer letter. Thanks for all of your prayers and support!

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3 Boys & a Dog is Having a Great Giveaway
Mood:  happy
Topic: FamiliesAgain Freebies
 A fellow blogger friend of mine (and fellow Crew member!) is having a great giveaway on her site. The giveaways are for some "eebees" vidoes and some "Out of the Box" games. She has 13 (Thirteen) ways that you can get your name entered into the drawing. Just click on her blog logo above and find out how you can win. (But I got their first...I wonder if she puts an extra chance in if you're an early bird...mmm)
 

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