Naval Academy

My son wants to attend the Air Force Academy, so as a rising senior in high school he applied to all of the events sponsored by the various US military academies. He was accepted to the US Naval Academy Summer Seminar, which began last Sunday. A better description for it would have been extreme boot camp for 5 days. 

I knew it would be tough, but I was shocked when he told me the events he had experienced over the past week. From the lack of sleep to the intense physical training to eating mostly MREs, I'm guessing it will take him a week or more to recover. 

I suppose the point of the Summer Seminar was to give the teenagers a true idea of what it is like to experience basic training. They were immersed in situations that put a strain on their mental and physical capabilities and the entire focus was on making it through the week. 

I've often heard that we are soldiers in the Lord's army, but I never really understood the extent of the training required of good soldiers. 

II Timothy 2: 3-4 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier, 

He succeeded at the Naval Academy Summer Seminar, but I'm really praying he goes Air Force!

Hawaii

My daughter and I returned late yesterday from a 10 day trip to Hawaii. It was our first visit, but I hope it won't be our last. It was everything I hoped for and more. We visited three islands, Oahu, Kauai and Maui. We had more fun in Maui because we had more time and could really play - with snorkeling and biking. However, we loved Kauai because it was so laid back and relaxing. Kauai lived up to it's moniker as the Garden Island. The scenery was beautiful, the waves were big and it was a lot of fun to ride around in a Jeep with the top down. :)

On Maui, we took a trip along the Road to Hana. It's famous for the 600 turns and 54 mostly one-lane bridges along a 30-mile road. It took about 4 hours one way with the few stops we made. One place was a arboretum named Maui Garden of Eden. It was like a rain forest with trails in which you could see gorgeous flowers, trees, waterfalls and the ocean in the distance. 

This was a dream vacation and we did our best to make every minute count. The weather was warm and breezy, the kind of place you wish you could live full-time. As we drove on each island, we were surrounded by the vast Pacific Ocean. Looking on the horizon there were no ships or boats to mar the view. It was only water as far as you could see. 

Genesis 1:9-10 Then God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear"; and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

And I saw on this trip that it was absolutely beautiful!

Camp

This week was strange. I went to a conference as usual, but instead of leaving my youngest with my parents, she went to church camp. For 5 days. And 4 nights. With no phone. This was her first venture away from home for more than one night. It was also the first time I didn't have to watch the clock to be sure I called her to check in while I was away. (I'm sure that my parents felt like we deserted them with so little communication!)  

Everyone at my conference knew my child was a church camp because I would wonder aloud what they were doing, if the storms were bad there, if I would get a call about any problems. Thankfully, we all made it through the week and, according to my daughter, it was a wonderful success! They played in the rain, had Bible studies each morning and services each evening. Out of the 330 students attending, they baptized 31 kids and 50 accepted Christ!

Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

They may not be the littlest of children, but these 330 sixth to twelfth grade students were allowed a week of faith, fellowship and fun. I believe they will forever be changed. 

And she's already planning for next year's camp...