Volume 138: Rest in How Much More
In Mark Buchanan's book, The Rest of God, he wrote:
"Jesus, speaking of things unseen, often talked about 'how much more.' If you, though evil, know how to give good gifts, how much more does your Father in heaven? If even bad judges eventually dispense justice, how much more our God?
This Sabbath Liturgy is to help train your restless heart heavenward, and it borrows from the logic of 'how much more.' If this meal with friends and family is rich, how much more the banquet of the great King? If resting in this patch of sunlight is refreshing, how much more to rest in that place where God and the Lamb shine brighter than any sun?
Take anything you delight in here on earth: Your children. Your craftwork. Your hot tub. The dewed green of a fairway on a July morning. The sweet corn from your garden, butter-drenched.
Enjoy them all. Find rest in them.
But imagine how much more awaits you."
How much more. Practicing heaven, here on earth.
The greatest moments will be even greater.
There is hope even in the worst moments.
How much more. More than we could ever think or imagine!
I read this quote as the ~launch~ at Yoga and You with instructor, Debbie (who, did you know, can do the yoga headstand??). I pointed out the reminder that no matter how wonderful or how difficult our time at camp is, we shall go about our days with the hope and appreciation for what's to come!
From there, we went on to have a full day, dealing with all the humans that came our way. Later that night, Debbie mentioned that she should journal everything she deals with in a day, just to be able to look back and see what a VARIETY it all is.
On Wednesday, I had one of those days, so I jotted down in my notebook:
Arriving to Hub before wakeup and girls were already waiting by the door, wanting their phones for a parking pass.
Receiving a report that led to two staff members being sent home.
Working schedule changes and a boy asking me, being dead serious, "Is laughing a class?" When I broke the bad news to him, he sighed "Man, my friend lied to me!"
A Kitchen Staff member coming into my office, telling me she had ordered a pair of sunglasses but hadn't gotten them yet so Amazon told her to call the police.
A Mom calling the HR line to have her daughter call her because one of "their animals had died."
A second email titled "urgent" from a mom who needed to ask her daughter a question.
Hugging Erika, while she was balling crying, after she found out that her Dad's cancer has spread.
Regina knocking at the door, crying and sharing that no one likes her because she dates the Top Staff.
In the midst of that conversation, a staff member calling me, letting me know that some of our staff had gotten in an accident in front of the Family Dollar (everyone was okay!).
JD returning a pair of shoes that had been taken.
This was all before 2:30 PM... Quite the day!And then came a moment I wanted to shut down... but I remembered the launch I had shared from the day before...
I asked myself, what does it look like to practice Heaven, even in days like today? To keep the perspective of how much more?
And I think it looks like acknowledging that God is over it all.
He is sovereign.
He is in control.
And God never gets weary. Crazy to think about, huh?
That even on a day that I feel like the needs of our staff are never ending, how much more does God deal with??? With all our frustrations?? And doubts?? And fears?? And questions?? And lack of faith??
And yet He never gets overwhelmed.
He never complains.
He never shuts down.
Rather, He exemplifies patience and INVITES us to bother Him!!
He is a well that never runs dry.
A grace-giving, perfect Father.
He can do so much more than we can even imagine.
He equips us so much more than we realize.
He loves us so much more than we are worthy of.
May we find rest in the fact that our God is so much MORE. Amen!
There I was, driving my church van on the last Opening Day of the summer.
I received the honor of following the Monks driving Hayden to good ole Cabin M30. My heart was full, as I just know the beauty of this moment! A lot of meaning to it. So many people that love the Monks lit up with excitement as they drove by. And I thought to myself, man, Hayden is surrounded by love! But how much more does God love little Hayden! So much more! Amen!
And then today, I returned to camp on my day off to be there as Bailey made her last Mish Mash call and closed out her time at Camp Ozark. Her whole life spent at this place, surrounded by a family more extended than blood, and leaving things better than she found them.
As I looked around the radio room, full of photos of Bailey and streamers and balloons and her favorite people, my heart was full, as I just know the beauty of this moment! A lot of meaning to it. So many people that love Bailey were sad that it was her last. And, I thought to myself, Bailey is surrounded by love! But how much more does God love big Bailey! So much more! Amen!
I am grateful for Camp Ozark and the cultivation that is experienced at this place. From Hayden to Bailey and every one in between, we are all impacted by this place. What an honor to be a part of it and witness so many ways that God moves.
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