Crossroads Celebration Church

We have done some form of Xtreme Camp since 1991. It has grown and evolved since then and all for the good of the Kingdom. I love church camp because it is one of the top places for a person, usually a young person, to accept Christ. That’s what it’s all about.

We are excited to have a new location this summer at Hidden Acres near Dayton, Iowa. The opportunities of fun activities tripled and the cost of camp was cut in half. How’s that for a bonus. With the rising cost of gas and other things of the world, it’s great to have this new camp experience at a reasonable rate.

If you are interested in: horse rides, climbing walls, miniature golf, paint ball, archery, swimming in a lake or a million dollar pool, going to a live concert/worship every day and lots of other great things to do at camp, then you may want to join us. It’s geared for 5th grade through high school and our theme this summer is 1 Timothy 4.12 Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. Now that’s some good material for young people.

With all the new opportunities the youth staff suggested that we are now AMP’D. Yes we will have more energy, a new look, a new location and of course the offering of new life, offered to us by our Creator and Savior. Now that’s amp’d.

If you are interested in registering for this camp Xtreme Amp’d contact me at sacredmessage@gmail.com I would love to see you there and together let’s get amp’d!

My friend Sue had her birthday last week. Almost mid-April. She prayed for snow on her birthday. They say April showers bring May flowers, but I’m not sure what April SNOW showers bring? I know it brings some frustration for some people, but not Sue. Guess what, she got her snow. God does answer some peculiar prayers. Her story goes back to her birthday in Kindergarten and it snowed. She was thrilled and now these many years later, she still wants snow on her birthday.

I really don’t blame her though. I remember when I turned nine, our family and another family, (whose son was named Mark and was the same age, with the same birth date) went and celebrated at a restaurant called Buffalo Bills. To this day I remember that particular birthday celebration and often have a hankering for a steak or hamburger at some restaurant with a western theme. Odd isn’t it. I have a coffee mug from that trip and keep it up in the family room with other memorabilia.

I say celebrate the quirks. Enjoy the things of life that make you, you. Have fun with the little details of life that are the most memorable. Laugh and play and don’t let the details dampen your spirit. I was really looking for a beautiful spring day myself when Sue celebrated her birthday, but secretly I was praying for snow, because I knew it meant something very special to her. May all your birthdays, holidays and just any old day, be filled with little God surprises!

We’ve been feeding the birds all winter and it has been a blast. Cardinals, squirrels, finch, junko’s and more. Recently we’ve been adopted by a pair of ducks. It’s funny going out to the mail box and getting “quacked” at. So we are creating a bird sanctuary in our front yard. Front- so the two dogs won’t bother the birds or eat the seeds. We’ve transplanted lilacs and snowball bushes from the farm in our front yard and some pampas grass and some other tall grass from our neighbors expanding decorative grasses. Maybe a bird bath this summer and some kind of patio bricks. It’s gradually growing to new and creative ideas. The neighbors think we should put in a pond for the ducks. I think we need to cut it off somewhere. So the neighbors can put in the pond.

What’s fun is just watching the creatures. The squirrel is the funniest. We have an acrobat climbing up the metal poles to the feeders. But what really amazes me is the culture of God’s creatures. At any one time there can be three or more species of birds, squirrels, and a chipmunk all at the same spot at the same time. Don’t you wish humans could get along as well? We let our language or cultures or beliefs get in the way and keep us from being together.

As far as congregating together, the small creatures of God have it together. They can be singing their songs, chirping, or quacking their praises to the Creator and God loves it. Sometimes you can hear me “quacking” along as well. I love praising God as well. (And sometimes that’s how my singing is viewed – quacking) Anyway, let’s join in the chorus of praise for our Creator and learn a lesson from the creatures great and small about how to get along.