Adventure 920: A View from the Perch-LIttle Eden Camp/33

Another day of traditions. Since it was my turn to contribute, I cooked a breakfast scramble. The ladies played cards. They worked puzzles. We took a boat ride for a "Beer on the Pier", and the adults had dinner out at Glenwood, which advertises a distinctive dining experience. It was. Our waitress, Chloe, was fabulous. She's a born and bred Onekemite. She calls us visitors, "Fudgies". She graduated in a class of thirty-seven. She said she knew everyone in her class, including their middle names. She listed the view and the water as the best features of Onekema. This year she will graduate from Ferris State to become a secondary Language Arts teacher. She gives me hope. Her excitement, her positive attitude, and her "I can make a difference" attitude bubbled out of her like the fresh water springing from the fountain at the edge of Little Eden. The message I've been hearing this week at worship service is that the country is on the verge of ruination egged on by the wiles of Satan and the ravages of modern culture. The sky is falling as it were. I take a different view. The world is my oyster. I can be anything; I can do anything; I can make a difference; I can overcome any challenge. Everyone is free to make their way as they can. This is the spirit of the America I grew up with. I believe it still exists. Young people like Chloe, young parents like Scott and Kate, like Micah and Kim, like many others fill me with the thrill of the possibility of lives lived well, lives lived with purpose, lives lived with courage, lives lived with love. This, and my own lived experience tells me that the American dream is alive and well. It's what makes me appreciate that life is good, especially today.

Addendum: Tonight, Johnny Crist's talk focused on what he views as the all out culture war. He led off with a reference to a 1970s song by the Temptations called Ball of Confusion. He followed that with several examples of people being canceled for speaking "truth", several references to scripture (some New Testament: Romans 11: 6-8; Ephesians 4:11; I Corinthians 13:1-3. And he spent a great deal of time working through Psalm 109 from which he drew the following guidelines verse by verse:

1. Public discourse should  begin with prayer. "Oh, God, whom I praise..."

2. Admit that it hurts.

3. Commit to fight fair: love for my opposition and self-denying prayer must always preceded my engagement with them.

4. A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

He finished the talk with the following prescriptions:

Don't give a rip about cancel culture.

When you'r wrong, admit it.

Don't cancel others.

Expect that whatever you do or say is being recorded.

He says, "There are two churches. One silently prays with love, about love, and for love. The other steps up to the fight and engages in the resistance. Johnny lives in the resistance.

I find his prescription to be good advice. I also think about the warfare adage that the best laid plan doesn't survive the first battle. Twice tonight, Johnny used the words diametrically opposed. My personal hope is to focus less on what we oppose and more on what we agree, less on how we're different and more on how we're alike, less on engagement and more on consideration. I've always been taught that God's mind is infinitely more subtle and omnipotent that my mere humanness. My faith trusts His plan. My humility suggests that my truth may not be another's truth, and further, I'm in no position to judge. I'm allowed to live my faith, and others should be allowed as well. The fact that their truth doesn't align with mine matters not. It doesn't shake my foundation; it doesn't cancel my belief. I do hope in Johnny's battle and those in his army follow the prescriptions he laid out tonight. I think they provide a good approach, but for me it seems a senseless war. 

Three future leaders in search of their dream.

Glenwood lived up to the claim of the sign.

Beer on the pier. This place, located on the west edge of Portage Lake offered a nice afternoon pause.

Thanks to a no show, we were afforded a table on desired "porch".

Like Chloe said, "The view is the best part."

Photo of the day: The adult tradition.

After dinner, I sat on a wooden swing enjoying the waterfront view at camp.

These two birds symbolize the "Perch". Carved by Vermont artist, Norton Latourelle, they represent yet another example of the opportunities afforded in this life. 

Like they say, "Carpe Diem."