The Prayers of Childhood

As Camp Directors, Jessica and I have the opportunity to worship with a campful of 180 different kids every week. Our Christian Ed Director Laura always puts a time of prayer on the program when one camper from each cabin - about 15 in all - comes to the front of the Pavilion and prays about whatever God lays on his/her heart.

Some are "church kids" and obviously have done some praying in their life. Others, though, are new at this praying thing, and those are the prayers I usually like the best. My favorite so far - "Thanks God for the trees because if there were no trees there would be no oxygen and if there were no oxygen we would all be dead." Truer words were never spoken. Then there was the sarcastic young man who, when asked if he wanted to pray during cabin devotions one night, said, "Sure...Thanks alot, God, for the freakin' allergies!"

I love hearing the thanks for friends, the good weather, the counselors, and just the opportunity to come to Camp. I like hearing the complaints, too, because of the refreshing honesty in those kinds of prayers. Above all, it's just great to hear kids talk to God. It presupposes that He is there, listening and caring and ready to respond, which is an awesome truth to grasp.

Today's Top 5 - Pizza

My Top 5 places to get pizza, in no particular order (feel free to argue)...

Papa Ginos - A New England classic. Order a fresh pie to get the best pizza. The slices in the spinning thing at lunch aren't even close.

Portland Pie Company - 3 or 4 locations in greater Portland, ME. If you don't know what to get, go with either the Old Port or, for something different, the Cadillac Mountain.

Bill's - On Old Orchard Street, near The Pier in OOB. The only place we got pizza when I was a little kid on vacation.

The Famous Ray's Pizza - 6th Ave & 11th St., NYC. The best pizza in New York.

Bertucci's - Another New England favorite, but moving outward. Awesome brick oven taste. The hot rolls are a bonus.

More Top 5s to come...

Be All You Can Be!

That's the theme for NNE Gospel Arts Camp 2009 at Camp Sebago. Welcome to Aaron VanderWeele as our guest. It's great to hear the sounds of brass floating through the pines and white birches in the Maine woods. Nice work, Drew P, in putting the week together.

If you're near by on Tuesday night (7.21) around 6:00 PM, stop in for the Finale.

"Hallelujah! Praise God in his holy house of worship,
praise him under the open skies;
Praise him for his acts of power,
praise him for his magnificent greatness;
Praise with a blast on the trumpet,
praise by strumming soft strings;
Praise him with castanets and dance,
praise him with banjo and flute;
Praise him with cymbals and a big bass drum,
praise him with fiddles and mandolin.
Let every living, breathing creature praise God!
Hallelujah!"

Psalm 150 (The Message)