Laity Lodge Family Camp

Transformation

The goal created by the Strategic Planning Oversight Committee was big and holy and audacious: By 2013, Laity will create and expand unique, powerful and effective opportunities for the transformation of this and the next generation.

Transformation is a word we used often during our strategic planning process. It means change, alteration, conversion or transfiguration.

Laity Lodge Family Camp is one of those opportunities for transformation. This past weekend, I witnessed numerous examples of transformation of this and the next generation.

One father told me that he had stopped going to church. All he saw was thirty minutes of teaching and preaching. After the weekend at family camp, he said he had experienced the Christian life the way he wanted to live it in his family, work and church.
One mother was struggling in her relationship with her teenage daughter. The mother was trying to live up to her daughter’s expectations that she be the perfect mom. At family camp the mother allowed herself to be imperfect with her daughter, and her daughter forgave her while staying in relationship. They were able to go deeper with one another.

Another father spent time playing and talking with his daughter for the first time in a long time. They did the things she liked to do, and the daughter saw that her father cared for her in a way she had not seen before.

One young couple spent valuable time together while their baby was well taken care of by the staff. This was the first time they had time for one another in a while.

Another mother, while in the midst of a divorce, recognized the power of forgiveness, even if reconciliation may not be possible. The time to hear of God’s forgiveness really helped her.

When the families arrived, there was a sense of stress. They came from a variety of stages in their lives. When they left, a playful peace spoke of the transformation in their lives. Thank you God for continuing to transform our lives in Jesus Christ through your Holy Spirit.

Time for Families

It was the end of a wonderful March Family Camp when a father came up to me with tears in his eyes and said “I wanted you to know that I really didn’t want to come this weekend. I have had a lot going on in my work and really have not had time for my family. This weekend has changed my life! Thank You!”

The Renewal of the Family is what Laity Lodge Family Camp is all about. This March Family Camp once again showed me the importance of time with our families. We live such busy lives with work, school, sports, friends, media and much more competing for our time. It is no wonder that our families are divided. Relationships take time to build. We may live in the same house but never spend any quality time listening and sharing with each other.

The March family camp was wonderful in so many ways. We had 25 families,130 people, sharing in a beautiful weekend. We had an incredible staff who served the families so well. The families were awed by their care for them. One family shared “We all felt like the LLFC Staff was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO accommodating! If we said we would like to do something it happened! The food was great; loved the fact that we didn’t have to bring sheets, blankets, towels etc.. The activities were a blast!” Families had an amazing weekend.

Yet the most amazing thing that happened was God transforming the hearts of people. Families opened up and allowed God to forgive them and in turn they forgave one another. Children saw their parents in new ways. Parents heard their children with new ears. Couples had time to share and laugh together. It is amazing what God can do when we set aside time for Him . It was a wonderful weekend of God’s Grace! Thank You God for spending time with us!!!!!

The Imagine Postcard

Imagine arriving at your family cabin at either Singing Hills or Echo Valley, late in the afternoon or early evening, everyone a bit cranky from the drive and close quarters. As you step into your cabin, you find the beds made and fresh towels enough for everyone hanging in the bathroom. A gift basket awaits you from the Laity Lodge Family Camp (LLFC) staff that contains candy, a sketch pad and crayons for the younger children as well as a family Bible. “Welcome!” the basket and made beds and prepared environment seem to say. “We are glad that you are here, together.”

The kids flop on the bed for a moment and then out the door they tumble to explore the immediate vicinity. Other kids have arrived with their families, and dinner will be ready in another hour. Parents unwind a bit from the drive.

After a good meal and greetings from the John Hill, director of the LLFC and his staff, families gather for evening Roundup. There are families from Austin, Midland, San Antonio, Houston, and even a family from California or Atlanta, Georgia. There are serious moments, funny moments, and even singing moments.

You return as a family to your cabin. No television or radios or computer games pull members into different rooms of the house. As you fall asleep, you might hear a great horned owl hooting in the distance.

The next day brings a prepared breakfast followed by a hike. Imagine hiking through the Frio Canyon with your teenagers toward the front trying to lead the way, and your younger children stopping every so often to pick up another interesting rock. Someone else, LLFC staff, has been in charge of bringing water and the band-aids. As you walk for a while, your teenager drops back to be with you and begins talking about Life. You’d almost forgotten what big thoughts your child can have in the midst of all that happens over the course of any given week. When you arrive at Circle Bluff overlooking Blue Hole, LLFC staff photograph your family as a celebration of this journey that you have taken together.

The afternoon offers a variety of activities that you can choose as a family or as individuals. What a range of things to chose from: Alpine Tower, riflery, rapeling, arts and crafts, swimming, fishing, canoeing, mountain biking and more. If couples want some time together, the children who need supervision can spend afternoon hours at Canyon Club, jumping in the castle, swimming and enjoying activities with other children under the attention of experienced LLFC counselors.

The evening closes again with a shared meal and Round-Up and perhaps a bit of dancing. Imagine square dancing as a family as the stars brighten against the night sky, and the Frio keeps pouring its faithful currents downstream.. Sunday morning offers brunch and a worship service that includes a skit by LLFC staff that brings the weekend themes to fruition. As you are peering under the beds for your youngest child’s sneakers, your middle child, who’s been helping you look, suddenly hugs you and says, “This was fun.” The drive home doesn’t seem too long. And, a few months later, as you wonder what to use as a Christmas card, you look on the refrigerator and see the portrait taken at Circle Bluff – search no more. LLFC can truly be a highlight of a family’s life.

Postcard from John Hill, Director of LLFC

We had a great time at family camp this weekend carving pumpkins. I love traditions like carving pumpkins. It really brings the whole family together. When we lived in Australia, Halloween always came in spring (the seasons are opposite in the southern hemisphere). There were no pumpkins because it was fall not spring. If we did find a pumpkin, it was always blue. Yes, I said blue. Australia doesn’t have orange pumpkins (at least not in spring). So we would get a blue pumpkin and try to carve it. Blue pumpkins are much harder then their orange counter parts. They are also filled with much worse inner gunk.

When we placed our blue jack-o’-lantern out on the front porch, we received a number of questions. Why? Australians really don’t have this tradition. Pumpkins are for making soup not for carving. Definitely not for pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving since that is only an American celebration. Carving pumpkins became for us a way to hold on to our tradition.

At family camp this weekend, every family carved pumpkins with different faces or images. The pumpkins were as varied as the families that were there this weekend. That is what I love most about Laity Lodge Family Camp. People come with all different traditions and come to Laity knowing that they will be loved just as they are-no matter what face is carved.

God is so amazing that he created us with so many different faces. Yet all of us are made in his image. I thank God for the privilege of getting to see and know so many of you who God loves and cares for every day. We are carved in the image of God. That is amazing!!!

The weekend was filled with other family camp traditions like hiking, rapeling, alpine tower, crafts and much more. There were a few that even ventured into the Frio (there is a reason they call it the Frio), but they didn’t stay in long.

Traditions are an important part of families. In both our church families and our biological ones, traditions bring us together. I hope family camp will become a tradition for your family to enable you to come together in God’s Grace.

At the top of circle bluff Kris knelt down before Krista and asked her to marry him.

There was no hesitation just tears of joy as she said yes, yes , yes.

Yes is the best word to describe the weekend. Yes to wonderful time with family and friends. Yes to fantastic food and cabins. Yes to a wonderful time at round-up. Yes to hiking through this beautiful canyon. Yes to the many activities that families enjoyed over this family camp weekend. Families were able to rappel down echo bluff, climb the alpine tower, mountain bike to blue hole, create picture frames and bead necklaces, race down the zip line at the water front and much more. Everyone hiked up to experience the beautiful view God created from Circle Bluff.”

The early morning was filled with quiet devotion to our Lord and we were all filled with delicious food through out the day. In the evenings we gathered for round-up to sing songs, watch the three amigos (or was that only dos amigos), and hear of God’s unending forgiveness in our lives. Families were able to come together through out this fun filled weekend surrounded by a loving God who revealed Himself not only in His beautiful creation but through every person. Thank you God for the opportunity to say yes to you and each other.

Here are a few yes’s from the weekend:

Family Camp was great!”

The food tasted GREAT, was fresh, and was presented well.

I know everyone appreciated the convenience, and again, the hospitality, of coming into a cabin that has a bed with comfortable linens and mattresses. Good work!

Our family did the Alpine Tower that afternoon and had an outstanding time. The entire group enjoyed cheering each other on and the fact that they could have 3 on the tower at the same time helped move things along. Good group ended-up a the water front after that and had a great time.

Must admit I was not looking forward to square dancing Saturday night after Round Up, but it was an absolute ball. Everyone that participated had a great time,

Gift bag in the room was a nice touch. Not having to pack linens, blankets and towels was HUGE.

Chandler handled Round Ups in his usual manner and it was, as expected, one of the highlights of the weekend.

The messages at Round Up were very on-target for the crowd. The topic that was simple enough for kids to grasp, but profound enough to capture parental attention as well. I think everyone got something meaningful from our evenings. I know we did.”

Click here to view the slideshow.

Laity Lodge Family Camp has gone to the Old West and made Square Dancing a big hit with all ages. Every age from toddlers to grandparents square danced their way around the back porch of the ranch house at Singing Hills. Parents said it was the most fun they have had in years. Youth, who earlier poked fun at the idea, were laughing and dancing with their friends and family. Children paired up with other children and families to learn a variety of new dances. The College staff tore up the dance floor with star studded moves. Everyone enjoyed the crazy all inclusive fun.

Yet Square dancing was just one of the many activities that families enjoyed over this inaugural family camp weekend. Families were able to rappel down echo bluff, climb the alpine tower, mountain bike to blue hole, create picture frames and bead necklaces, race down the zip line at the water front and much more. Everyone hiked up to experience the beautiful view God created from Circle Bluff.

The early morning was filled with quiet devotion to our Lord and we were all filled with delicious food through out the day. In the evenings we gathered for round-up to sing songs, watch the three amigos (or was that only dos amigos), and hear of God’s unending forgiveness in our lives. Families were able to dance together through out this fun filled weekend surrounded by a loving God who revealed Himself not only in His beautiful creation but through every person. Thank you God for the opportunity to dance with you and each other.