Friends

Our friends, Bob and Alli Benz make the trip to Warm Beach Camp extra special. One of the things Alli and Carly like to do together is mountain boarding. No, the dads don't get on those boards, but we are the go-fer's. We pull the boards up the hill for the girls. Have our daughters got us trained or what?

Father/Daughter with Carly

I finally have a few minutes to sit down and tell you about my two days with Carly at Warm Beach Christian Camp in Stanwood. I have taken Ellie and Carly to Warm Beach for four years now. There is a special father/daughter weekend that features a two night stay and tons of fun activities for dads and daughters. We had a blast, literally and figuratively.

The actual blast-off occurs Sunday morning with a rocket launch, which is one of the activities you can choose to do with your daughter. Building a rocket together, selecting the paint and decorating it is all part of the fun. The launch is a site to see and the rockets ascend out over the horse barn and corrals. Most of the rockets are retrieved, but occasionally one will stray into the trees and get hung up forever.

Another activity she and I have challenged ourselves with is the rock wall climb. They have a 40 ft. climbing wall and this year the two of us made it to the top. Yahoo! I am so proud of Carly, overcoming her fears and pressing on to the top. She was awesome!

Our friend Bob Benz and his daughter Alli have been going with us the last three years and have made it possible for us to go through their generous giving. We are so grateful! There are so many fantastic moments to reflect on; creating a massive whirlpool with all the dads and daugthers during swim time, shooting BB guns at targets, archery, horse back riding, mini-golf and evening devotions (time with God) together.

See the next post for more on friends, Bob and Alli. The devotions this weekend were particularly powerful for me. Our leader for devotion time, Ed McDonnel contrasted living a fear-based life with living a love motivated life and how those who follow Christ are empowered to live a life of love. Wow!

Ephesians 5:1-2 Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.