Joyful Servants!

Joyful Servants! I wrote an entire year's worth of parochial day school bible studies on that topic one year...four studies a week for a nine month school year. I could dig it out of a file somewhere and see what I wrote about. But somehow, what I wrote is not the point. It is the images I recall of the 40 some volunteers I had working in the school that year that sticks with me. They were indeed joyful servants...even when a particular circumstance did not warrant joy. You see they had something more to give that circumstances could not erase. They followed the example of their Lord when he knelt down and washed the feet of his disciples just hours before his arrest and trial. They followed the example of their Lord who chose to serve by dying for them...and they wanted to pass that joy on to others. It was awesome then...and it is awesome now. Not only to remember those people but to continue through the years to see it in others as well...and that is what the images below illustrate for me. JOYFUL SERVANTS who gave of their time and their abilities to see that adventure retreats happened here at Athelas. Without such servants, Athelas Outdoor Ministry could not function. Even when the circumstances did not warrant a joyful heart, they gave it freely. So to all the joyful services rendered on behalf of this ministry, Athelas extends to you a huge hug of gratitude! Thanks for teaching, mentoring, building, cleaning outhouses, washing dishes, building fires, guiding, cooking, listening, encouraging and loving all those God sent our way this past year. May you continue in HIS service with a joyful heart so that others may know better how to follow in His Steps!

Tradition--"The Wet Butt Picture"

If you should by chance ever happen to go to Glacier Park and see a bunch of people bent over showing off the wet butt of their pants, laughing and giggling the while...most likely it is a bunch of people somehow or other associated with the Kaarre tradition. Whenever one hikes the mountains in spring or summer and runs across patches of remaining winter snow, tradition dictates that you climb to the top of the patch and slide down on your butt and take a picture. So what makes it tradition? Only that as the Kaarres began their family adventures with their young children that is what they did time and time again. The tradition continues now with others who join them on adventure retreats. Does it make sense? Is it comfy? Is it beneficial? Who knows? What we do know is that it is crazy and wild and brings a sense of joy and belonging. I think that is what tradition does...brings with it a sense of joy and belonging. It is delightful to see people catch that spirit and delve into the experience not expecting it to make sense, yet somehow knowing that though they will hike the rest of the day with uncomfy wet butts, they will reap some unconscious benefit from having just participated in someone else's crazy tradition. We have lots of crazy traditions in our adventurous lives. We hope you will get to experience the sense of joy and belonging that tradition brings to our lives. What traditions do you have that do the same?