Senior High 1: Wednesday & Thursday

It has been a great week so far, with our high school students!

Wednesday was a very busy day, packed full of fun activities from start to finish!
Our day started out normally, with flag pole, breakfast, and cabin clean up.
The decoration theme for Wednesday was Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, and the girls of Cabin 3A won the honor of the flaming plunger.

Wednesday's Bible study was based on Matthew 26:57-75, which discusses what occurs after Jesus is arrested, and is questioned by the high priest. This passage also describes Peter denying Jesus three times before the rooster crows. These two passages found in Matthew really puts things into perspective for anyone desiring to follow Jesus because it shows the reality of how hard it can be to deny oneself and follow Jesus no matter what.

These Bible studies and devotions have sparked a lot of questions and conversations coming from our campers. The theme of denying oneself to follow Jesus is tough to swallow, and we are seeing amazing growth in the hearts of our campers!

Our choice activities yesterday included KanJam/Corn Hole/Spike Ball/Carpet Ball, crafts, 9 square, and soccer.

After lunch and cabin time, we began our rotations. Wednesday's rotations were done with their teams and included the legendary Slip 'n Slide and a wet version of Ultimate "Ball" (a variation of ultimate frisbee). Both were a big hit, but I think it's safe to say the Slip 'n Slide is a big thing everyone looks forward to! After these activities, everyone headed down to the beach for swim time.

Free time and supper followed rotation activities. But it was what we all did AFTER supper that was the talk of the camp...

It was time for square dancing at the annual Hoedown!! (Insert an enthusiastic "YEE HAW!" here)

Tables of refreshments and of course a place for the square dance caller and his band were all set up in the gym. Everyone learned how to square dance the night away, and it was a great time. It was agreed (even by those who were dreading having to participate) that it was a lot of fun, and no one regretted taking the dance floor!

After a fun time in the gym, and as the sun began to set, everyone headed back to the beach for a very special chapel and worship service. We got to worship God in His very own creation. It was peaceful, it was moving, and it was a perfect ending to a Wonderful Wednesday. Wednesday was sunny and absolutely beautiful outside. It was an amazing summer day, with even more amazing memories made with great friends.

Today we began our day with a lovely morning rain. Due to the rain, we did stretches on the porch instead of at the flag pole. After breakfast, everyone headed back to their cabins to decorate in today's theme: "Mascots with Ascots." The girls of Cabin 2A won with their creativity and cleanliness!

Today's Bible study/devotional can be found in John 21:1-25, which talks about when Jesus appears to his disciples for the third time since He had risen from the dead. This passage also describes when Jesus asks Peter if he truly loves Him.

Following great discussion on this passage, we began choice activities which included crafts, game room, volleyball, and dodgeball. By the time choice activities were over, the rain had ceased, opening up the day for outdoor activities.

After a great lunch and cabin time, we headed out to today's rotations. Today's rotations included crafts, a game of "Skittles," and swim time.

Today's craft was one that everyone participated in. We painted the word "follow" on logs as a tangible reminder to continue following Christ even when we get back into our normal routines at home. "Skittles" is a game that actually has nothing to do with skittles but it does have to do with protecting a plank of wood and knocking other people's planks down. Quite fun, really. :)

When rotations and free time were over, we headed to supper and then to our evening activity. Our evening activity was a great game of Battle for Bear Lake.

Later tonight, we have worship and chapel, and we will end our Thrilling Thursday with our night activity.

We have been having a great week so far, and the campers can't believe it's already Thursday!!! The week has flown by because...well...time flies when you're having fun! We can't wait to see what else God will do this week in the joy of camp.

Senior High 1: Monday & Tuesday

Our first group of Senior High kids have finally arrived!

The camp greeted the high schoolers Monday morning, and we have all been on a crazy ride since!
This week of camp is a little different than what Bear Lake has done in the past. Instead of having only one week of senior high campers, we now get to have two!

Because of this, we have a smaller group than what we are used to, but this gives us a lot of new opportunities for activities we can't do with a bigger group!

After the campers got moved in, everyone went down to the gym to go over rules, and to get split into two teams. This week's team names are "Moist Atlantis," and the "Galactic Empire." The teams then played name games, followed by a very entertaining (yet frustrating) game involving cut open PVC pipes and a golf ball, with a mission to move the golf ball from one place to the next. The two teams competed for quite a long time before we moved on to cabin pictures and a picnic lunch.

Following lunch the campers headed back to the cabins for some quality time with their cabin groups before moving on to Bible studies, swim tests, canoeing, and of course...GaGa!

Monday's Bible Study was on Luke 5:1-11, which describes Jesus calling his first disciples to follow Him.

When everyone had rotated through the cabin activities, the camp was open for free time. KanJam, carpet ball, 9 Square in the air, GaGa, Spike Ball, Corn Hole, and Basketball are just a few of the popular places during free time.

After free time, it was supper time at last, and the lasagna hit the spot for everyone. The evening activity that followed supper was a game of Goldrush, which is a great way to start out the week. Moist Atlantis and the Galactic Empire competed in a very close, fun game!

Following free time and a stop at the Snack Shack, everyone headed to worship and chapel. To kick off the week, we watched a video by Francis Chan on what it means to actually follow Jesus, and later had discussions with our cabin groups.

The night activity that followed cabin discussions was the Counselor/Staff hunt! Staff members dressed in black and camouflage to hide around the camp, waiting anxiously for cabin teams to find them. It was hot, sweaty...and a lot of fun!

After the night activity, we had snack time around the campfire and tallied up the points earned during Counselor/Staff hunt, and then headed to bed. It was a great Monday, and an even better way to start off the week.

This morning Cabin 2 went polar bearing, and the rest of us began our day with Flag Pole. After breakfast, everyone headed back to the cabins to clean up and decorate in today's theme: C.S. Lewis. The winning cabin of the day were the girls of Cabin 2B, who decked out their cabin in an awesome Narnia theme, displaying Aslan's victory over the White Witch! Cabin 2B got the flaming plunger/torch, and the privilege of entering into lunch first!

After Cabin Clean up, the cabins went out to do devotions and Bible study. Today's passage of discussion can be found in Matthew 14:13-36, which describes Jesus feeding the 5,000 and Jesus walking on water. The cabins discussed this passage and also tried to think of ways they could apply these lessons to their own lives personally.

Choice activities followed Bible Study. Today's choice activities were sand volleyball, disc golf, canoeing/kayaking, crafts, and ultimate frisbee.

When choice activities and lunch were over, everyone was able to go back to their cabins and rest for a little bit. Camp is just so exciting that it requires a nap to boost energy! :)

Following cabin time, the girls went to the team building/trust building exercises, while the boys played shaving creme wiffle ball (the boys and girls later switched). After snack shack, everyone headed down to the beach to swim!

When swim time was over, free time was opened up until supper time. After everyone filled their bellies with supper, it was time for the evening activity--Crab Soccer! Anything that involves a giant ball is always a good time.

Tonight we have worship and chapel, and we will end our terrific Tuesday with capture the flag.

Today was beautiful and sunny with a refreshing breeze just when you need it. God is so good and is working in the hearts of our campers, and it's so much fun watching everyone light up with joy throughout the day. Bear Lake is blessed with such awesome campers, and everyone is stoked to see how the rest of the week will play out.

Junior 1

Our first week of Junior campers have arrived!

The 4th, 5th, and 6th graders of the Junior 1 week joined us yesterday morning, and we have kept them busy with fun ever since!

After moving our campers into their cabins and kissing families goodbye, we kicked the week off in the gym by splitting everyone into four teams. The four teams played name games, came up with their team name, and made their team flag. We have team names anywhere from the "Cheesy Chinese," to the "Turkish Salmon!" I must say...Bear Lake always has such creative campers! After getting to know one another, the teams then competed in a few games.

Following the introduction to camp, everyone headed to a picnic lunch, and then back to their cabins for some quality down time with their cabin-mates.

When cabin time ended, the campers stayed with their cabin groups and either went to Bible study, took their swim test/went canoeing, or played the legendary game "GaGa," and then rotated, so everyone got a chance to experience each activity.


Monday's devotional for Bible Study can be found in Luke 5:1-1, and discusses when Jesus invites some of his first disciples to follow Him.



However, the camp did experience a downpour during Snack Shack in between rotations, so everyone had to take a break under the porch. In the mean time, the girls ran down to the gym to have a Disney song dance party (which of course included "Let it Go!") while the boys continued Bible study inside!

When rotations (and the rain) had ended, the bell signaled it was time for supper.
Bellies full and happy, everyone headed back to the gym for the evening activity, which happened to be four-way dodgeball!

Worship and a message given by our chapel speaker Jordan Chapple ended our day perfectly, and everyone went off to bed--exhausted from the exciting spark of a new week.

Flag pole and breakfast started off our day today.
Following breakfast, everyone headed back to the cabins to clean and decorate the cabin in today's theme: Disney Songs. The winners of the desired plunger trophy/torch, who also got to enter the dining hall first for lunch, were the girls of cabin 2A!

After cabin clean up, it was time for cabin Bible study. Today's passage of discussion was from Matthew 14:13-36. This passage covers two of Jesus' miracles--feeding the 5,000 and walking on water. These stories resulted in great conversations between campers and counselors!

The choice activities of this afternoon included swimming, archery, crafts, game room, 9 square in the air, GaGa, and carpet ball.

This afternoon's all camp activities were poker chip tag, and blob tag...both very entertaining!
Today's rotations were with teams, and included crafts, swimming, and "Hoop Ball," a variation of ultimate frisbee.

Later today we have free time, supper, our evening activity another message from Jordan and more worship! This week has started off beautifully! The campers are full of energy and excitement throughout each game and activity. Campers have also been responsive to learning about what it means and looks like to follow Jesus!

It looks like it's going to be another fun-filled week of camp, and everyone is looking forward to what's next!