The weekend of July 4th, I organized a watermelon carving competition. Below are the entries.
3rd place
2nd place
1st place
The watermelons I purchased for the contest.
More goodies from our garden.
I have the opportunity to sew with some kids for their expo projects which is always fun.
The Expo will be CVE only this year because of COVID-19. It will be interesting to see how it goes.
I've been enjoying my second year as a buddy at our annual Joy Camp! There are two groups, older girls and younger kids.
Joy Camp is a fun, relationship-focused, brain-training camp. We focus on building joy. The definition of joy is, "Someone is glad to be with me!" Which becomes extremely powerful when we feel that someone is still glad to be with us even when we experience the negative emotions of shame, anger, disgust, sadness, hopelessness and fear. Think about it? How many of the issues in this world are caused because we don't know how to recover from those emotions, how to respond to them, or how to act appropriately in the midst of them. And most importantly when we experience joy (someone glad to be with us) in those emotions, it becomes real to us that Jesus is glad to be with us in those emotions!
A few key aspects...the three rules are 1. Stick together, 2. No Hurts, and 3. Have Fun. There is structure (rules and a posted schedule) and flexibility (kids can use their words to ask for what they need and compromises are allowed). There is a big focus on appreciation and gratitude. There are activities to get kids excited and hyper and then activities to help them calm down. (A much needed exercise for most.) There are activities that train their brains to synchronize with the people around them, to give and receive care, to negotiate their needs, and to identify when there relational circuits are switched off. A lot of time is spent talking about the way our brains work and our emotions.
Perhaps you can already tell, but these are the things I am passionate about! The concepts I have learned about the brain and relationships have changed my world in wonderful ways and I long to pass that on to other people!
With Selah in the younger group
With Lucy and Marissa in the older group
Thanks as always for your love and support!
A couple poems that relate to joy...
Love of my Life
Love of my life, watch over me.
Hold me and mold me more like Thee.
Teach me forgiveness, mercy, too.
And strengthen me Jesus, yea, all the way through
Joy of my life, sing in my heart,
Praises and blessings for who Thou art.
Lift my voice higher each day I live.
Thou givest me more than I ever can give.
Hope of my life, I come to Thee,
Asking that Thou my anchor be.
Tempest and waves may threaten sore,
Yet expectant and clinging I’ll watch for the shore.
I Rejoice
Oh, I rejoice and praise Thee, Father
Mighty Ruler; King of kings
The burden presses; I feel weary,
Yet my heart thanksgiving sings.
Though I know not what the morrow
Holds nor know the way ahead,
I know my Father knows each sorrow;
He will lead as He has led.
