Campfire: Fourth Evening

The fire is warm, and though the hour is rather late, I have marshmallows and cookies for anyone who is interested! A toasty campfire on a summer night - a perfect place for some story-sharing, wouldn't you say?

I just wrote a short scene for my WIP (Historical Romance), and I thought I'd share a few lines in honor of "writing day" here at Camp Humility:

A shiver racked her body as the wind swept through Seven Mile Canyon. Sally pulled her shawl more tightly about her shoulders, longing to leave the wretched scene but held in place by the rhythmic beating of desert sand and dirt being flung onto a pathetic casket. Joe and John took turns filling up the hole in the ground, neither man saying a word. What could any of them say? John’s wife left this world mere days before his brother brought his new bride to the ranch.

The scene is rather somber - sorry about that!

But now it's your turn! If you'd like an extra entry in this week's giveaway (click the button in the sidebar to enter if you haven't already done so!), just leave a comment sharing a line or a few lines from some writing that you've done recently - a poem, a scene from your WIP, or anything! Let's celebrate writing and get excited about our stories! =)

(P.S. I had a wonderful time enjoying the outdoors today with my mom and a dear friend - so be sure to stop by tomorrow for our hike here at Camp Humility, complete with freshly taken pictures!)

Let's Write!

I suppose it's rather hypocritical of me to put this sort of post together right now, as I'm going to keep this short and sweet, and I'm not planning on doing any other writing at the moment... But here it goes!

Today I plan to go on an outing with my mom and a friend, and I'm hoping this will lead to some beautiful pictures for tomorrow's hike! So, that's kind of my main focus today rather than writing.

However, I encourage you if you have some time to enjoy the lovely scenery of our virtual Camp Humility and maybe let it inspire you to compose a poem or add another scene to your WIP or write a short story. Tonight at the campfire (which might be kind of late depending on when I get back, but you can check in tomorrow, as well!), I'm hoping we'll have some sharing time. =)

I participated in what is called a #wordwar on Twitter recently with a couple of friends, which was about a 45-minute writing session, with the person writing the most words during that time being crowned the winner of the "word war." Afterwards we shared our favorite line (or more) from the writing we had just done. I'd love if sometime today we can squeeze in some writing, and then tonight at the campfire we can share our favorite lines. I'll even throw in an extra entry to the giveaway if you participate! ;)

Also, if we're not already "friends" on Twitter, and if you have a Twitter account, I'd love to meet up with you there (I'm @SeasonsHumility.) Maybe we can do some more of these #wordwars or #1K1HR (1,000 words in 1 hour) to help motivate each other to just sit down and write! (Huge thanks to Krissi Dallas and Allison Duke for introducing me to #wordwars and for allowing me to join ya'll the other day!)

Well, I hope you all are enjoying Camp Humility so far, and I hope you have a beautiful day! See you later around the campfire!

(My mom took the picture of the dogwood flowers in Grants Pass, Oregon, when we stopped there on our way home from graduation. Aren't they gorgeous?)

Campfire: Third Evening

Tonight I've set up an outdoor projector screen so that we can enjoy a movie while we snack on our s'mores and some popcorn! I "previewed" the movie yesterday in anticipation of talking about it tonight. For all you Disney fans out there, we're watching Brother Bear!

(In lieu of posting the whole movie on here, which probably isn't allowed anyway, I'm just going to share a YouTube video I found of a scene that shows the joy of relationships. Enjoy!)



Humility and Relationships

Brother Bear has a lot to say about familial relationships - whether it's blood-related family or love-related family. The three human brothers (Kenai, Denahi, and Sitka) all have different strengths and were given different ways in which they specifically needed to grow in order to become men. In order for there to be harmony and unity between the brothers, appreciation of their differences and a dose of humility are necessary.

Humility, you ask?

Well, Sitka is the eldest, and as such he is supposed to help guide his brothers. But all leaders need to be humble, and it is often shown in their interactions that Sitka doesn't choose to act high and mighty, but instead listens to his brothers, laughs at their antics when they are harmless, and helps them without the need to make himself look good.

Denahi is supposed to be wise. At the beginning of the movie, he often isn't. He mercilessly teases Kenai at times, suggests that he blames Kenai when Sitka dies, and then decides to seek revenge. And yet, he learns from his journey. In order to reconcile with his brother and with his future, he has to be humble enough to realize his errors - and humble enough to share the story with his village later on in his life.

Kenai has a long way to go to learn how to love when the movie first starts. He scoffs at his totem - "the bear of love." He thinks that real men don't need love - they need something much more "manly" like "bravery," "strength," or "greatness." But throughout the movie he realizes how important and powerful love really is. Love, too, requires humility. Kenai had to be humble enough to accept responsibility for his actions, to be open with Koda about his sin, and to choose to sacrifice for another rather than seek his own way. (Jesus Himself gave us the ultimate example of humility in love: "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even the death on a cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him..." ~ Philippians 2:8-9a)

No matter what position we have been placed in within our family or in our other relationships, humility can help us draw closer to one another. But it all has to start with being humble before our Lord, as our relationship with God is the most important relationship we can have, and it determines how we choose to act in our relationships with others.

Easier said than done, right? This is something I really have to work on! But I hope that on this blog we can remind one another of the value of humility and encourage one another to strive to be more humble. It's a journey, and I'm so glad that you are willing to share it with me!

(You can read more of my thoughts on the movie Brother Bear HERE.)

Vlog: Let's Try Some Archery and Go Canoeing!

So here it is - the surprise activity I mentioned in our itinerary! My parents got our family a Wii for Christmas, and we've been enjoying the Wii Sports Resort games recently - which include archery and canoeing. Well, since this is a virtual camp, we ought to have some virtual camp activities, right? ;)

Archery

I think it's much easier to aim with a remote than a real arrow...

Canoeing

This is the way to go - no need to worry about getting wet!

I was wrong in that last video - one of my vacation posts from a couple of years ago included a video of me in it ("Beautiful Oregon"). But I think this is my first actual "vlog" where you can really see and hear me... It's not professional by any means, but I do hope the sound and quality are OK. I mean, these were filmed with a little iPod, so they're not too shabby, right? ;) I hope you find the videos fun and maybe a bit humorous - and not too boring, LOL! 

Special thanks to my mom and sister for being willing to do this with me!

See ya tonight at the campfire, where we'll continue today's technology-meets-camping theme!

Campfire: Second Evening

It's been a long (but hopefully rewarding!) day - so let's relax around the campfire with a thermos of hot chocolate (complete with mini marshmallows) and some more s'mores.

Did you enjoy the fishing today? How many of you actually caught fish? And if you didn't, did you still enjoy the experience??

We're going to continue the fishing theme with our devotional tonight. What does fishing have to do with humility? - you might ask...

Well, plenty, if you can't catch any fish! ;)

But seriously, let's consider a story about a fishing miracle:

Humility and Miracles

When you think of fishing in the Bible, do the gospels come to mind? Some of the disciples had been fishermen before Jesus found them, and were still found fishing even after Jesus died and rose from the dead. Consider the account in John 21, when some of the disciples went out fishing, but "that night they caught nothing" (v. 3). In the morning Jesus called out to them and asked, "Children, have ye any meat?" And they responded, "No" (v. 5). So Jesus told them to "cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find" - and "they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes" (v. 6).

The disciples had to admit that they had "failed." They hadn't caught any fish. Having spent hours at a time fishing with my family, I know that it really is disappointing when the fish aren't biting. It's humiliating to go out of your way to catch fish and then not catch any! And to think - we fish for pleasure. While fishing might have been "pleasant" in some sense to those disciples, I'm pretty sure that catching fish meant much more to them. It meant food. For some, it meant a livelihood and a way to provide for their families. So I'm guessing a night of catching nothing was not something to be proud of.

The disciples had to experience what it was like going a whole night without catching fish to truly experience the miracle of catching a ton of fish (153 fish, according to v. 11). Why?

The humbling thing about miracles is that they don't occur because of our own strength or genius or prowess. They occur because of God's power and goodness and love. They occur in order to bring God glory. Not us, but God.

About a year and a half ago I wrote about my very own Christmas miracle - the almost-horrible trip home for Christmas break that turned into an amazing testimony of God's provision. I met a friend who kept me company during the long wait at the San Francisco airport, helped us get a ride back to our hometown when our flight was cancelled, and watched out for me to make sure I was alright. The long delays, the flight cancellation, the late-night drive with virtual strangers... Nothing I could do was going to change the fact that I was not going to be able to fly home that day, nor the fact that unless someone reached out to me and helped me along, I was clueless. The miracle didn't point to my own intelligence or abilities. It pointed to God's mercy and the blessings of friendship that He gives us.

Your Turn!

Can you think of any other connections between fishing and humility? (Feel free to be creative and stretch the connections a bit!) Do you have any miracle stories that you can share with the rest of us that can remind us of how amazing God is?

Let's Go Fishing!

Just look at that view! This is what makes fishing so wonderful.

Let me start off the day by being very clear: I'm rather under-qualified when it comes to teaching anyone how to fish. So today, I'm not going to tell you what bait is best to use to lure a certain type of fish, or how much you ought to spend on fishing gear, or what time of the day is the best for catching fish.

Instead, I'm going to show you how to experience the joys of fishing - with or without actually catching fish. So grab your fishing pole, your tackle box, and some munchies, and we'll head for the lake!

Here are some important things to remember about fishing (according to me, anyway!):

1. Pick a beautiful day to go fishing. Sunshine on the lake - that's what I'm talking about!
2. Pick a beautiful place to go fishing. (If you're ever in Northern California, I highly recommend Lewiston Lake - just look at these pictures, if you're not convinced!) Notice that I said the place has to be beautiful. I'm not really overly concerned about where the most fish are. I figure, if I'm going to spend a day fishing, I want to enjoy the view, right?
3. Bring food. A well-stocked cooler (not the one designated for the fish you catch!) is essential. Consider packing a Subway sandwich, chips, sodas, cookies, and fruit.
4. Bring a journal/iPod/book. If the cooler is essential, one or all of these are even more so. Want inspiration for writing your latest scene or composing a poem? What could be more inspiring than riding on a patio boat on the lake? Want a nice spot to relax? Music can add to the mood. Want some time to dive into that great summer read sitting on your TBR stack? Umm... The one thing about fishing that is pretty much guaranteed is waiting. So bring something with you to best help you enjoy the wait!

Today we're renting a patio boat or two so that we can all experience the wonder of fishing. By now you're probably wondering how exactly I define fishing...

Well, OK - catching fish is nice, and it does kind of come with the territory. There is a certain thrill in reeling in a fish, and I really like fishing - as most people define it - in theory. But at this point in my life, you won't catch me preparing the fish afterward! And, quite frankly, you probably won't catch me catching much fish either. I'm really not that skilled at it.

So to me, fishing means taking the time to go away for the day. It means spending a sunny summer day on a covered patio boat in the middle of a sparkling lake, writing in a journal or listening to music or reading a book (or all three!). It means enjoying the beauty of God's creation and just sitting in the sunshine, thinking.

Yes, sometimes I get upset when the fish aren't biting. But I'm sad to think that I've helped ruin a wonderful day by being grumpy and having a poor attitude for some reason or another. I much prefer those times when - fish or no fish - I just enjoy a day away with the people I love.

Today, I invite you to come fishing with me, "Amber-style." No pressure. No worries. Just a peaceful day out on the lake together. =)

Campfire: First Evening

Tonight we're having a barbecue along with our campfire - so feel free to help yourself to some steaks or hamburgers or veggie burgers while we get the fire going. Renee brought marshmallows, and there are some graham crackers and chocolate bars over at the picnic table. I won't say anything if you choose to have dessert first. ;) I know this is a bit of a late start to the evening for those of you not living on the West Coast, but I hope you'll still enjoy the refreshments!

Earlier today I attended a Memorial Day service at a local cemetery. This year's service was especially moving, as the group the Avenue of the Flags was dedicated to was none other than our local branch of the Honor Flights program. (I interviewed Vince's sister a year and a half ago regarding her experiences working with this program - you can read more about that HERE.) The determination and dedication given to make sure our veterans get to see the war memorials in Washington D.C. is so admirable and beautiful. My own grandpa, who served in the Korean War, even got the chance to go last year.

I'll pass around some pictures of today's service while I prepare to tell you a story:

The story I want to share tonight isn't actually from today's service, though. It's actually from last year's Memorial Day service. My grandpa was the main speaker, and I was supposed to sing the song "This is My Son" along to the music from the CD "Don't Believe" by the bluegrass band Cherryholmes.

Everything started off great. I sat next to my grandpa on the platform, and I listened to him do a great job giving the speech he had been practicing over and over. At the end of his speech my sister was supposed to read a poem by one of my grandpa's friends who had recently passed away, but I ended up reading it instead. His testimony seemed to really bless the people in the audience, and they gave him a standing ovation. It was a powerful moment.

And then the man overseeing the ceremony turned to the man who was going to play the bagpipes and asked him to begin. But wait... What about my song?? I tried to make eye contact with the man in charge, but it didn't work. I had been forgotten, and the ceremony concluded without me singing a note.

As everyone mingled after the ceremony, I was eager to leave. Yes, I was proud of my grandpa, and nothing was going to change that. But I was also hurt and embarrassed, and I didn't want anyone to see my shame. My name and the name of the song I was going to sing had been written in the program, but still I had been overlooked. (As a side note, the man in charge apologized and was very kind about the whole thing!)

The whole way home I sulked in the car, huddled into myself and my own hurt. But when we got to the house, I spent some time outside thinking and talking with God - and God showed me that the way things turned out had more important things to teach me about humility than if things had turned out the way I had planned.

You see, my poor attitude was because I was embarrassed. I had been overlooked and forgotten, in my opinion. I felt short-changed. But that Memorial Day service wasn't about me. Sure, I think the words of that beautiful song by Cherryholmes could have blessed the audience. But they had already been blessed by my grandpa's story and his service to our country. And I shouldn't have let my embarrassment keep me from wholeheartedly sharing in the honoring of my grandpa and others who had served in the U.S. military.

In a twist of wonderful irony, the last line of the poem by my grandpa's friend that I read went like this:

"This once proud ship will sail no more."

When that realization hit me - how those words tied into what I needed to learn from the experience - I laughed. My "proud ship" really needed to stop sailing!

Oh, laughter really can be such good medicine! =) How can you stay angry and hurt when you can honestly laugh at your own folly and rejoice in the goodness of God?

As the author of Ecclesiastes noted, there is "a time to weep, and a time to laugh" (3:4a).

So now I'll open up the sharing time! Is there anyone else who has had to learn some lessons about humility the hard way? (Really, is there any other way than the hard way??)

"He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding. The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility."

~ Proverbs 15:32-33 ~