Camp Agape Cove

Memories of Camp Nesodak

2007-06-22T11:56:00.000-05:00

For a great food/camp memoir story, don't miss my Put Down The Hangi story from the Entertaining With Kathi newspaper column.

Learn the steps to cooking a delicious sunken treasure.

2007-06-22T06:25:00.000-05:00

One of the ways that I've been supporting myself has been to accept blogging assignments to link my posts to different commercial products.

Some of these products are certainly more fun to write about than others.

Not being a math person, but an artsy type, posts like financial reporting software stretch me and help me to realize about a product that might really be able to help me with my dollars and cents.

2007-06-22T05:41:00.000-05:00

Over the next several weeks I'll be launching a program to tweak the Camp Agape Cove blog.

Many fun ideas dance in my head on how to make this blog a fun place to visit.

I'll be updating the look, adding compelling photos, videos, and much more.

Stay tuned! Come back often and tell me what you think about the changes.

Also tell me what you would like to see here.

I'll also be adding some resource pages for companies to promote products, where I'll link to great products like Callaway golf in out-of-the-box ways.

2007-06-19T20:26:00.000-05:00

If I were to get a new office at some point, I might like it to have big windows and maybe French Doors leading out to a rose garden.

For office furniture I might like rare antiques or fine reproductions with impressionistic art and elaborate Greek molding.

Ok, maybe I'm dreaming. I'd be happy with a happy little office filled with sunshine and good synergy and whatever company-issued furniture I would be allowed to use.

In fact, I would be thrilled with a great position where I could pour my heart and soul into making the world a better place.

2007-06-19T18:33:00.000-05:00

Who would ever think that a person could live through lean times on buckets of change?

I certainly didn't realize it was even possible. But then my life entered seasons where cash didn't flow and I quickly learned just how little a person can by on if their life circumstances require them to do so.

It might not be fun, but there are valuable lessons to be learned during times of struggle. We realize that so much that we invest our hard-earned money into is simply worthless. The return on our investment should we desire to sell something becomes mere pennies on the dollars.

But buckets of cached change... ah, now that is a different matter alltogether!

Get yourself a coin sorter and you will quickly realize that you might just have a small fortune in loose pocket change.

2007-06-15T22:50:00.000-05:00

I could see Camp Agape Cove as a place where dogs would come with their owners. When I was growing up I had the wonderful privilege of being at a camp where dogs did come with their owners. These dogs were seeing-eye dogs and the camp was the Lions Club Blind Camp in Nebraska. I was a junior counselor. It was one of the amazing experiences of my life that taught me the value of service, it also brought me face-to-face with Nebraska's Governor.

For all your K9 Cuisine needs think...Premium dog food.

2007-06-08T11:10:00.000-05:00

"Now I have something to smile about!" I said showing off my beautiful pearly whites.

"Your teeth look great! What is your secret?"

Whispering my response I said," Hydrogen peroxide and the wonderful Dr. Tom Farley, the charlotte cosmetic dentist extraordinaire."

2007-06-08T07:06:00.000-05:00

The window blinds were parted in a rather unusual way, Lexi thought as she drove her BMW into the driveway.

Hopping out of the yellow convertible, she raced to the suite, ready to see her friend. But nothing in all the world could protect her from what she would discover inside.

2007-06-05T12:00:00.000-05:00

A Florida vacation can teach many lessons to the willing student.

The problems of discipline are always the same. Essentially, you have to decide what works for you.

Find a process that works and delivers the results and then apply that process to the job of getting the work done.

Sometimes the process we come up with works for a long time, other times perhaps only briefly. The important thing is to not get cemented into one way of doing something. Be flexible and willing to move with the flow.

Need A Little Energy Boost

2007-06-05T06:44:00.000-05:00

Need a little Energy Boost this morning.

I've been pecking away for almost an hour. But I'm still in my pajamas. Better go get some breakfast, so my brain will be revved for the work ahead.

Be back in a bit after I hit the treadmill and shower.

In A Connect The Dot World

2007-06-04T22:45:00.000-05:00

"Well, I'm honored that you have been dedicating your blog postings to me tonight."

"Its the least I can do considering everything that you do. I appreciate the job you are doing. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks that means alot to me. So do you think you might continue to speak to me like this?"

"Well actually writing in this style, could actually be helping me to hone my skills."

"You are already an excellent writer. I love reading your column."

"Thank you. But there is big difference between writing a 750 word column and an 75,000 word love story."

"Are you suggesting something..."

"I can't say... It's a God thing! This could be a God-written love story."

"I'm wondering something. I have reservations at an Orlando vacation home rental for the weekend. Would you be my guest?"

"For now I think it is best for us to exist in a connect the dot world. Patience is a good thing. If it is meant to be, we will have all of eternity together."

The Beneficiary

2007-06-04T19:23:00.000-05:00

"Well this is just dandy!" Agatha hissed, "Not only have you managed to highjack my heart, you've killed my chances of performing on this stage ever again! I just wish you would get out of my life forever. I wish I had never met you."

"Wow, Baby! You're killing me. It is not my fault. Talk to the director and see for yourself. Sheesh the way you are talking to me I think I better purchase some Death insurance."

"You do that! Just make sure you make me the beneficiary," Agatha said as she stormed off the set.

Stay Afloat

2007-04-09T21:11:00.000-05:00

Businesses of all sizes and shapes require the ability to manage complex financial functions.
You can not hope to stay afloat without a system in place to help with consolidation, job costing, allocations and currency management. PROPHIX is one company that offers the software that allows its clients to easily handle the many variables involved in performing these complex financial analyses. For Budgeting software check out the options available.

Just A Click Away

2007-02-01T19:33:00.000-05:00

Question:

What is your favorite resource for ordering business cards?

Answer:

One of my favorite places to order business stationary supplies is through 123print.com This resource is on the Internet and therefore they are open 24/7.
I like doing business over the Internet because it doesn't interfere with my daily schedule. It just gets to be too much of a hassle to get in the car and drive across town when the best solution is only a click away.

Stay Warm Shop At Home

2007-01-30T16:11:00.000-05:00

It feels like the Ice Age today in Florida! I kept sipping hot beverages and wondered why I couldn't warm up.

Everytime I walked by the thermostat I would punch it up a couple notches.

Still, I shivered. Of course, I could change outfits. I am wearing shorts. But my legs are not cold.

Then it dawned on me. I had the heat turned off! Go figure!

Anyway it is starting to warm up in here and as long as I don't have to leave home I'll survive this cold snap.

This is just another reason why I am so glad that I can shop over the Internet.

Imagine if you had to brave these chill winds to buy presents for an upcoming special occasion. Find your best catholic gifts with the click of a mouse.

Creative and Conservative Options

2007-01-30T12:15:00.000-05:00

I'm looking for a creative type of business card. Through the years my different cards have reflected a professional, conservative image. They looked good.

But now I'm looking for a more creative approach that reflects my message today.

I'm not exactly sure how I want it to look. Except I know that I want my business card to be unique and not look like just another standard business card.

It is fun to view different options in business card printing to get the creative juices revved up.

Perfect Makeup

2007-01-26T21:47:00.000-05:00

There are so many Mary Kay consultants in Tallahassee, Florida. When I first moved here, almost every woman I met sold Mary Kay cosmetics.

I had always worn Estee Lauder makeup.

However, these days I rarely go to the mall, so I just pick up my lipstick and mascara at the drug store. But Aveda is my source for my tinted moisturizer that I wear every day.

I might not wear a lot of makeup, since most days I work at home.

But when I go out for special occasions, I like for my make up to look perfect.That is when I
use my trusty Makeup Mirrors .

Ladder Rack

2007-01-19T10:52:00.000-05:00

"I see you got your new truck outfitted. She looks great!"

"We are real happy with how everything turned out.'

"You have the real toys, buddy. Check out that hitch. Looks up to the task of hauling your Boston Whaler. When are we going fishing?"

"I was thinking about going next Saturday. You want to come."

"You bet!"

'I like that ladder rack. Where can I get one like that for my truck?"

Getting A Paternity Test

2007-01-05T09:21:00.000-05:00

"Sometimes you just have to do things you don't like."

"I'm not thrilled about this new development."

"Well just get the test and then you can proceed accordingly. But there is no point drawing it out any longer than you need to."

"Ok I'll check about how to get the Paternity Test tomorrow."

"Do it today!"

How To Whip Up Luxurious Bath and Body Products For 25% The Retail Price

2006-12-14T20:57:00.000-05:00

Imagine the simple pleasure of whipping up your own luxurious bath and body products. This sounds like a GREAT project for Camp Agape Cove.

While surfing through EzineArticles tonight, I happened uopon Katherine Durkes Article for How To Whip Up Luxurious Bath and Body Products For 25% The Retail Price.

Sounds like fun to me! How about you all? Want to join me for A Bath and Body Workshop?

So with out further ado... Here is Katherine's article:

How To Whip Up Luxurious Bath and Body Products For 25% The Retail Price
By Katherine Durkes

If you think about making your own spa products - such as lotions, body washes, and exfoliating scrubs - you probably think it sounds difficult. It probably brings to mind lots of weird ingredients, chemicals, and slaving away over a hot vat of goo for hours. After this article, you'll know that nothing could be further from the truth!

In fact, using my method (which I call The Easy Way), making your own bath and body products takes less time than going to the mall, and you get twice the quality of skin care.

There are two ways to make your own bath and body products - The Hard Way, and The Easy Way. The Hard Way means investing a lot of time in books and trial-and-error in your kitchen, and a lot of money in ingredients. Often, you need patience and perseverance as you attempt to make a basic lotion or liquid soap, but it doesn't come out as well as you'd hoped. Heck, you don't even get to the fun part, which is adding the scent and color!

The Hard Way is what is taught in soapmaking classes, websites, and books. It can be fun and rewarding because of the natural ingredients and the high-quality products that result. Shea butter lotions... aloe body washes... If you are prepared to invest the time and money, and you have a lot of patience, The Hard Way does pay off. You get wonderfully moisturizing products in your favorite fragrances - even hard to find ones - that are much better than Bath and Body Works.

The problem is, The Hard Way is often incredibly discouraging to beginners. As they pour their failed body wash down the bathtub drain, most beginners start to wonder if it's really worth the trouble. Sooner or later, they go back to the mall and pay too much for what is essentially drugstore-quality products in fancy bottles and scents.

The Easy Way of making bath and body products is, well, easy! With The Easy Way, you get all the benefits - the natural ingredients, the high-quality skin care products, and your favorite scents - for only 10% the work. The Hard Way is like baking a fancy Julia Child cake recipe, but The Easy Way is more like making a cake mix.

The Easy Way uses professional unscented product bases (also called "cosmetic bases") that are specially manufactured for this purpose. These bases are made with natural ingredients, such as shea butter, avocado oil, aloe, and goats' milk, so you still get high quality skin care, the same as if you had made the bases yourself with The Hard Way.

You can get unscented bases for almost any liquid product you can think of: body lotion, massage cream, bath oil, shower gel, bubble bath, salon-quality shampoo and conditioner, body scrub, hand soap, and face wash.

To these basic products, you add your own fragrance, color, and other special ingredients, such as silk proteins and botanical extracts. You can even experiment with natural anti-aging ingredients such as carrot seed oil, green tea extract, and collagen. These ingredients are what makes your products unique!

If you compare three bottles of shower gel from Bath and Body Works, The Body Shop, and Origins, you will see a lot of similarities in their first few ingredients. That's because they're all taking a basic body wash and making their own improvements on it, just like you can with The Easy Way.

There's no need to reinvent the wheel (or a basic body wash.) If what you want is to quickly and easily create your own high-quality spa products, The Easy Way is the method for you!

Katherine Durkes is an experienced teacher of bath and body. She runs a popular website on how to make bath and body products with articles and e-books, as well as the Yahoo Group “Home Bath & Body.” Her first e-book, “The Fast Guide To Making Bath Bombs (& Fizzies)” has over 10,000 downloads and has been featured on About.com and in Ready Made Magazine.

To find out more about The Easy Way of making products, you can request a quick 8-page PDF about The Easy Way with a recipe and photos. Just send a blank email to productreport@excellentlivingguide.com, and it will be emailed to your inbox. You must be able to receive attachments over 1MB (it's 1.1MB.)

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Katherine_Durkes

Christmas Stuffed French Toast With Cranberry Sauce

2006-12-14T20:28:00.000-05:00

While perusing EzineArticles tonight, I happened upon this yummy sounding recipe by Christie Will for Christmas Stuffed French Toast With Cranberry Sauce.

I have not tried it yet. But doesn't it sound simply divine? I would love to make this version, but since this holiday season I'm on a diet, I'll probably have to tweak the recipe to be a bit more diet-friendly.

But here is Christie's version. If you try it, let me know how it tastes!

Ingredients:

8-ounces Cream cheese, softened

¼-cup Cranberries, dried

¼-cup Pecans, chopped

8-teaspoons Strawberry Jam

2-loaves French bread, cut into 8 one inch slices

4-large Eggs

1-cup Milk

1-teaspoon Strawberry extract

3-tablespoons Butter

2-tablespoons Powdered sugar

Instructions:

Combine cream cheese, cranberries, pecans and strawberry jam. Cut a horizontal pocket into the top of each slice of bread. Spoon 2 teaspoons of cream cheese mixture into each pocket. Whisk eggs, milk, and strawberry extract. Dip stuffed bread slices into egg mixture, coating all sides well. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook stuffed bread slices 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with warm cranberry sauce (see recipe below).

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1-cup Sugar

3-1/2-cups Fresh whole Cranberries

1-tablespoon Orange peel

1-cup Water

1-cup Fresh Orange juice

Instructions:

Combine sugar, fresh whole cranberries, orange peel, water and fresh orange juice in a medium sauce pan. Cook on medium heat stirring often for about 30 minutes or until sauce has thickened into a sauce. Let cool before serving, but serve warm.

Makes about 3 cups

You can find this recipe and much more at Cristie's Cookin. Please submit your favorite recipe for a chance to win a free "Gotcha Covered" apron. While you are there check out Cristie's recommendations for losing weight and gaining wealth. If you like to read and looking for something full of suspense then pick up a copy of Cristie's newly released novel "11.11.11" by TJ Stokes.

Cooking lessons for Cristie began at 8 years old with the best teacher in the world -- her Mom! Later, she cooked for the restaurant the family owned, and her love of the "trade" has grown ever since. Cristie's creative cooking has continued for over 40 years. Her creations can soon be on your kitchen table. Check out Cristie's books at www.cristiescookin.com and www.tjstokes.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cristie_Will

Looking For A Free Diet?

2006-12-11T08:44:00.000-05:00

It is diet time here at Camp Agape Cove.

Yep, over a month ago I decided it was time to get serious and lose some weight.

With a big watershed birthday down the pike in 2007, I want to look and feel as good as possible. Seems that for about sixteen years, I've been carrying around extra weight.

Strange that before 1991, my closets were filled with elegant couture garments in the mid-single digits.

I've always like the number 22, considering that I was born on the 22nd, but I have decided I don't want to wear a size 22 ever again! Next year at this time I want to be shopping for some 4's again! Looking for a Free Diet?

Working With Your Raleigh Real Estate Agent

2006-12-01T06:04:00.000-05:00

"We like the looks of the house with the big old fashioned country porch."

"Lets start there. Are there any others that you would like to see today?"

"This Country Victorian sounds nice too."

"There is another house in the same neighborhood as the Victorian, that is very nice and it has
a beautiful landscaped backyard with a swimming pool. Are you interested in owning a swimming pool?"

"A pool would be nice. We sure are happy to be working with you as our Raleigh Real Estate Agent."

Stay at Orlando Condos For A Fun Vacation

2006-12-01T05:46:00.000-05:00

Imagine this... the opportunity to spend time this holiday season in the land of year-round sunshine and fun.

Whether you spend the day, at the wonderful theme parks, or take short side trips to nearby destinations for antiquing, boat rides, horse back riding, or a step back in time to Marjorie Rawlings Cross Creek, you are destined for a fun vacation.

The first step in planning your trip will be to make reservations at a place to stay. The Orlando options are unlimited, but they do book up fast during busy holidays.

Check out Orlando condos .

Find Out Why Hoodia Has Become So Popular

2006-11-29T14:00:00.000-05:00

I have heard reports that Hoodia is the wonder pill and the secret strategy of many celebrities in need of losing a few quick pounds.

I like the idea of anything that can help me lose weight. However, what I want to know is this: Is Hoodia safe?

Before putting anything in your body, take the time to do your due diligence and perhaps you will find out why Hoodia has become so popular.

Where To Stay In Outer Banks NC

2006-11-27T09:46:00.000-05:00

"Where are we going to stay in North Carolina?"

"Do you want to stay in a tent?"

"No way!"

" Ok, I'm just kidding around! I read an article in the Washingtonian magazine about the best bet for rentals in Outer Banks NC . Let's check out the website! We can look at thousands of vacation home images, views, and floor plans!"

See Some Raleigh North Carolina Real Estate

2006-11-13T16:43:00.000-05:00

I always thought it would be fun to have either my own bed and breakfast business, my own retreat center or my own camp in North Carolina.

But now as I'm getting older, I don't think I want all the responsibility that is involved in those type of businesses.

At this stage of my life, I would love to find a charming North Carolina Cottage Style Home in Raleigh.

I've been looking at some Raleigh North Carolina Real Estate and I like what I see!

Looking for Orlando Town Homes

2006-11-13T16:24:00.000-05:00

I have been thinking that a trip to Orlando would be a great idea.

Orlando is a city of inspiration. The creativity within that county is beyond my comprehension!

Imagine the mind power that has gone into creating all the different theme parks! Maybe a little creativity will rub off on me.

What could be a better way to jumpstart my own creative juices than spending a week or two visiting Disney World, Epcot, Universal, etc? On second thought, I don't know if a week or two will be sufficient. Maybe, I'll just take my work with me and go stay in a community of

Orlando town homes for a month or two.

Life 101 ~ Lessons from The Kitchen

2006-01-07T06:44:00.000-05:00

Life 101 ~ Lessons From The Kitchen: What Cake Baking Can Teach Us About Life!

I received the following story in an e-mail from a friend. Unfortunately, the author is unknown. I wanted to share it with you because this story resonates with hope, wisdom, and the incentive for patience when we want something NOW! As this story illustrates the ingredients alone can not create the synergy that is required to create a delicious cake.

Also I would like to add to the story, that even when you have combined all the ingredients, there is a heating process that the cake must undergo for a certain period of time in order to become the delicious cake that can later be enjoyed. What happens if the cake doesn't get properly baked? It tastes simply horrible and you want to toss it out.

There is great life application here! So here's to your life and to your hope, wisdom, and patience
in allowing the synergy to happen by accepting the ingredients and the heating process needed to take humble ingredients and transform them into something as delicious as a slice of home-made cake. Agape! Kathi

Here's the story...

Sometimes we wonder, "What did I do to deserve this?" or "Why did God have to do this to me?"

Here is a wonderful explanation!

A daughter is telling her Mother how everything is going wrong, she's failing algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her and her best friend is moving away. Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and asks her daughter if she would like a snack, and the daughter says, "Absolutely Mom, I love your cake"

"Here, have some cooking oil," her Mother offers.

"Yuck" says her daughter.

"How about a couple raw eggs?"

"Gross, Mom!"

"Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?"

"Mom, those are all yucky!"

To which the mother replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake! God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good! We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!

God is crazy about you. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart.

If you like this, send this on to the people you really care about. I did. Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.

Screenwriting Workshop

2005-12-27T10:23:00.000-05:00

Tuesday, December 27, 2005 at Camp Agape Cove

Syd Field's Screenwriting Workshop ~ Writing a Screenplay that Sells to Hollywood

Over the next couple of days, I will be tuning in to what The Hollywood Reporter has called "The most sought after screenwriting teacher in the world." Sounds fun and I'm bound to learn some invaluable information. The workshop series claims that it will help me convert my idea into a properly structured screenplay; one that I can confidently submit to the big film studios and production companies. WOW!

Syd has been teaching this craft for over 25 years and has guided many of the biggest names in Hollywood. While, I don't have ambitions to be a big Hollywood name, I do have a desire to see
more spirit and truth portrayed in the entertainment industry. My prayer is for the world to see less and less of Satan's influence and more and more of GOD's influence coming out of Hollywood. Hollywood has the far reaching potential to offer so much more to audiences. The impact that screenplays can have on a culture is profound. The question I often wonder is shouldn't our screenplays raise the bar to higher standards? How much of our entertainment truly transcends the ordinary? What is keeping us as a society shackled to such inferior entertainment? It is the strongholds placed by the enemy to keep the extraordinary out of our reach. The enemy has permeated every nook and cranny of our culture and we see the ugly reflection in far too much of our cultures art.

Oh Lord, help us, guide us, empower and equip us as new artists who are filled with your love, and your spirit, and your message. Send us into the world in creative ways to make a difference for you and for your purposes that all people will come to know of your faithfulness and love.
That all people will grab hold of the excitement that comes from knowing you and being in a relationship with the creator of the entire universe! May everyone realize that nothing compares to you!

Christmas at Camp Agape Cove

2005-12-25T15:30:00.000-05:00

Christmas 2005 at Camp Agape Cove

Which version? The reality or the dream? For me the dream and the visions I create in my imagination often far surpass the reality of the ordinary events. And yet, in truth the actual reality is far richer than the surface would ever suggest. On the surface, the life of a forty something childless divorced woman on Christmas Day might appear to some to be sad or the source of ill-spent pity.

The truth is that singleness provides an opportunity to experience something so profound in the celebration of Christmas that it can soar galaxies beyond what is ordinarily possible in the family or marital context. I don't claim to know the reason, but I would imagine there could be any different number of theories as to why a solo surrendered status on Christmas Day or any day returns a gift of love that cannot be measured by human standards. The reason this love can not be measured is that it is literally worlds above and beyond the one we see. Even though this love created this world and is manifested throughout the world daily in miraculous ways it is of a supernatural nature that often cannot be seen with the naked eye, but is only known through a deep and abiding faith.

Christmas at Camp Agape Cove is essentially a time of spiritual intimacy, a time to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas and God's faithfulness. Jesus Christ is the most important factor in my life. Every day throughout the year is about Jesus. If I begin to forget, He gently reminds me that it is all about him and not at all about me. But in this statement there is an essence that needs clarification, especially for non-believers, seekers, new believers, or jaded believers. We need to grasp hold of our birthright and our divine inheritance. Yes, it is about Jesus! It is about Jesus, our Savior who said he had to return to Heaven so that He could send the counselor to be with us. It is the counselor that lives in our souls that knows what our unique purpose and destiny is and through our willingness to give birth to HIS manifestation anew each day we are given the most beautiful gift~ the opportunity to live our lives in fulfillment of our God ordained purpose. That is a bottom line reality of what is meant by the saying ,"it is all about Him and not about us." When we interfere or are afraid to let the full manifestation of HIS love come forth from us ... that is when everything gets messed up! Our best life is the life that we experience when we accept and actively engage in the blessed assurance that Christ in us is the hope of glory! Let us leap for joy, Christ was born for you and for me! Christ came to remove the shackles of fear, to show us a better way, to help us to be the people God created us to be.

It is nice that the world takes time to pause and remember every December the Christ child, but oh what would happen in our world if we started each and every day pausing and remembering and allowing the full and divine manifestation of the Christ child to be born anew in each and everyone of us every single day of the year. Our world would be transformed and we would experience Heaven on Earth.

Let us rise to that challenge, let us claim that inheritance, let us be like the wise men of so long ago and follow the star. They knew it was a star unlike any other star in all the sky. And yet today, we know the rest of the story. Our time in history affords us such a vast wealth of information... it is all there. There is proof that the Christ child is the Messiah. Have you seen or read the proof? Do you believe? Do you want to believe? Is something keeping you from believing? I invite you to research the proof. The wise men who followed the star didn't have all the answers but they were wise by willing to start the journey and follow that star. How about you ... do you have the wisdom to start the journey and follow the star to the Christ child and allow HIM to be born anew in you this Christmas and New Years Season and throughout 2006? Please See my Christmas Morning Posting titled: The Greatest Gift at my Agape Cove living Blog. Merry Christmas!

copyright (c) by Kathi Dameron December 25, 2005

Morning Bible Study Psalm 119 and the Hebrew Alphabet

2005-12-24T10:32:00.000-05:00

Psalm 119 has 22 chapters. Did you know that each chapter of Psalm 119 corresponds with a different letter in the Hebrew alphabet? How cool is that? I can't wait to dive into this adventure and see what treasures God has for me! Won't you join me?

Today I'm reading Psalm 119: 1- 8 Aleph The first Letter of The Hebrew Alphabet.

Since there are 22 chapters, I'll probably take one chapter per day to meditate and study on over the next 22 days. If you are doing this adventure with me please send me an e-mail or leave me a posting. I would love to hear from you and hear what treasures God is revealing to you! AGAPE!

Here's my tentative schedule through the rest of 2005:

Sat. 12/24/05 Aleph
Sun. 12/25/05 Beth
Mon. 12/26/05 Gimel
Tues. 12/27/05 Daleth
Wed. 12/28/05 He
Thurs. 12/29/05 Waw
Fri. 12/30/05 Zayin
Sat. 12/31/05 Heth

Introduction

2005-12-24T08:50:00.000-05:00

"Each one of us has a fire in our heart for something. It is our goal in life to find it and keep it lit." ~ Mary Lou Retton, Olympic gymnast

An inextinguishable dancing flame that burns in varying intensities within me is based around the thematic ordered simplicity of camp life. As I journey to a place of greater inner authenticity I ask the question: Is it possible to recreate a personal lifestyle designed around a camp theme? Absolutely! A camp theme or any other theme that rings in harmony to one's own self is an authentic theme that will surely ignite one's life with sizzling flames of passion.

I have said adios to the old life. Bring on the sizzle!

No longer am I willing to let the flames of authenticity that once warmed my soul get buried under the cold demands of a life that pulls me in directions that do not resonate with true authenticity. My adult years have been filled with the tending to too many daily fires of life. It is true that in this life, we can't escape the refining fires of human existence but that reality should never keep us from embracing the sacred fire within that is uniquely ours. It is a gift of the most divine proportions.

For me, it has taken some radical departures to break free from the demands of others so that I can become more in tune to my true self, that unique creature that God designed for a grand purpose. In connecting with Him and the simplicity of life, I am able to find new meaning. Interestingly, the new meaning I find is beautifully woven to the very things that have been at the core of my being all along. Surprise, surprise! The things I loved as a child are still the things I love today!

The concept of camp is still as delightful to me as it was in the 1960's and 1970's when summer weeks were spent in preparation for camp time adventures. Everyday at camp was a grand adventure. The magical ambiance of singing campfire songs under starlit skies to the crackle and romance of a big outdoor fire, or roasting hot dogs and marshmallows and telling tales and ghost stories, sleeping in rustic cabins close to the sounds of nature, waking up to big lumberjack style
breakfast buffets, creative morning bible studies, and the fun filled daily curriculum of arts and crafts, music and drama, water activities and great outdoor adventures. Camp was a fun adventure that has long lingered in my heart.

What if I create my own camp? Not a public camp, but rather just my own quirky camp-like lifestyle for me here at home. What a cool way to schedule into my life all the things I want to do! Too fun! There are so many different projects and activities, so many different things I want to learn to do. The list stretches quite long.

To explain how this has come into being right now. I've been selling the catering and restaurant equipment from my former business, the business that no longer was an authentic path for me.
But it was not an easy thing to let go of the things that had been such a part of my life and my livelihood for so long. And yet I needed to let them go. As I do that, I have some great space that is in the process of being freed up. To soothe myself through the process, I have turned my thoughts to how to use the two rooms when everything that I don't need anymore is gone. That is how the camp theme resurfaced. Now I'm excited to watch those old things be moved out knowing that the emptying of what no longer fits will be made new with what is more authentic for me today.

Welcome to Camp Agape Cove ~ The Home of Kathi Dameron~ writer, artist, weekend adventurer, renaissance woman in search of true authenticity.

copyright (c) Kathi Dameron December 24, 2005