Hello friends and family!
In the Old Testament, God ordained times of rest: years where the fields could lie fallow or days where no work was to be done. November and December are the ‘sabbath months’ for camp ministry. While we may not see as many campers, God continues to provide for His people and grow His kingdom.
Camp News
Most of the camps we hosted in the last few weeks were smaller in number, though not in effectiveness. A highlight in the beginning of December was Ministry Outfitters, a camp especially for highschoolers who are planning to go into full time ministry. The sessions are geared toward this goal and include a panel discussion with pastors from several different churches. It was fun to see lots of Leadership Live and Thrive come as campers to this retreat! Never fall for the lie that God is not working in and through the next generation of Christians.
Ironwood also held its annual staff planning meetings (affectionately referred to as ‘November Meetings’) just before Thanksgiving break. To the outsider’s eye, it does look like we just sit around and eat snacks and play games all day. In reality, it is an important time to share information, evaluate the last year, and make plans for the future. One focal point of this year’s meeting was the importance of investing in our resident staff team. This is becoming crucial as younger staff members prepare to take on roles and responsibilities from retiring staff members. It’s also a driving factor in the need for new and additional staff housing. Please pray that God would give wisdom and grace during transitions that will happen over the next several years. And pray for His provision of suitable living quarters for the families He has called to work at Ironwood.
Palkki News
Gabe’s big project in the last month was rebuilding the hydraulic cylinders on the backhoe. This required some help from the Grounds team and a lot of sand on the MAG Shop floor to soak up spilled fluid. He was very glad to check this monstrous task off his list. Camp prep continues to go well, although the beginning of the semester contained some (literal) speed bumps. In the last month, Gabe has pushed his crews to work at both their top speed and their top efficiency. He has seen some great improvements! We’re also thankful that his assistant has been able to step up and handle more of the leadership during camp prep.
I missed the last banquet of this year due to an ear infection that turned my whole world into a tiny boat riding nine-foot waves every time I stood up. (Praise God for antibiotics!) Though I was disappointed, I’m incredibly proud of my crew for doing a fantastic job without me. Outside of the kitchen, I worked on a variety of projects including fixing a hole in a truck seat, mounting a clock in the buffet room, and framing new signs for all the cabins. I also got to create a cake masterpiece with one of our Ministry Crew girls. (Pictures in the Gallery!) We’ve challenged ourselves to make a new cake every semester, trying to level up our skills each time. I’m thankful for this opportunity to build relationships around a fun hobby.
At camp, we sometimes talk about ‘pouring ourselves out’ for the sake of ministry. This imagery comes from a story in the Bible where a woman anoints Christ with expensive perfume shortly before He goes to the cross. While reading Mark’s account of this event, a couple things stood out to me.
First, the woman breaks flask of ointment. This means she can’t save any of it. She has to give everything she has, to the point of excess. And yet she doesn’t cry over spilt perfume. She doesn’t stop to think about all the other things she could have done with that fragrance. Her worship of Jesus consumes her own plans and desires.
Second, Jesus makes an interesting statement concerning the woman’s sacrifice. After straightening out the disciples’ skewed priorities, He says, “She has done what she could.” This woman didn’t have massive amounts of resources or power. She may not have even understood that Christ was going to die in a matter of days. But she did know that He was worthy of her most expensive anointment, and so she did what she could.
And I? Am I doing what I can in the service of my Savior? And having done that, am I doing it wholeheartedly, excessively, without reserve?
I hope this story challenges you as well, so that someday Jesus can say of His church what he said of the woman with the ointment. “She has done a beautiful thing to Me… She has done what she could.”
Love in Christ,
Gabe and Cheyenne Palkki
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