Suckerpunched

Things didn't go as we were hoping at court today. Birthmom has been making some progess the past few weeks and because of that, the judge is encouraging her that she is doing good and if she keeps it up she can get her kids back. None of the professionals in the case are convinced that birthmom is actually making real progess but they still don't have hard evidence of that fact.

Visits will be increasing and becoming unsupervised for the first time in 12 months. This part of it will be incredibly difficult for us to bear, especially if and when they incorporate overnight visits into her schedule. But, we always knew it could come to this and we also know that it's definitely not over yet. As birthmom has more time with the girls she will really have to step it up in order to handle them well. We just pray that the truth is revealed in the next couple of months.

New Life!

Less than three weeks after the fire raged though Eagle Lake Camp there are signs of new life! What a beautiful sight to behold. Just wanted to share this glimpse into what is happening in those fire ravaged areas:-)

Nothing Is Wasted

From the ruins

From the ashes

Beauty will rise

From the wreckage

From the darkness

Glory will shine

Nothing is wasted

Nothing is wasted

In the hands of our Redeemer

Nothing is wasted

The lyrics of this song keep ringing through my head as I reflect on the events of the past 2 weeks. I have read so many beautiful posts from others that put into words so much of what I've been feeling. I wonder if I will even be able to express some what has happened in such a way, but I want to try.

From the ruins, from the ashes, beauty will rise. What a beautiful thought. As I drove up to Eagle Lake with Shaun on Thursday, I was able to see the extent of the fire damage. There were areas that literally had nothing left except blackened, burned tree trunks. No green. No life. Anywhere. There are homes that have all the trees and grass leading up to their backyards completely burned, but by some miracle, their home is still standing. Then, there are homes completely leveled, resembling the scene of a bomb zone from a sci-fi movie. Those families will feel the impact of this fire for months and years to come and my heart grieves for them.

Houses burning in the neighborhood just across the street from us (Photo courtesy of Canon City Daily Record)

So many stories we've heard have had a similar theme...."When we left our home on Tuesday afternoon we felt certain that there would not be a home to return to." God certainly put His hand of protection on thousands because the fire had the potential to do so much more damage than it did.

Now we look to the rest of the summer anticipating the good that God will bring out of this devastation. Our hearts are heavy with the thought of the hundreds of kids who are saddened and disappointed because they won't get to come to camp. Eagle Lake will not be the tool God uses to reach the hearts of those kids, but we pray that He touches them in some other way. We are grateful that Glen Eyrie was spared and that ministry can continue through that property. We will continue with the day camp program for the remainder of the summer as well as launching the new Mobile Day Camp in a couple of different locations. One of the Excursions programs will also continue because it is a program that involves hiking five 14ers in the Collegiate Peaks and that area is a couple hours away from the burn area.

Shaun and the rest of the Eagle Lake staff are moving forward, looking to what needs to be done to provide impactful camp experiences in the summers to come. Some of the areas that we have always used for our adventure activities will likely need to be changed so Shaun will be looking into that and scouting out potential new hiking and biking routes.

Next spring when new life begins to grow in the blackened, dead areas, it will be such an exciting time. We will see God's creative hand at work in new ways. God will use the brokenness, the heartache, the unexpected losses, to bring about His beauty in His ways. For the earth, for Eagle Lake Camp, for all those who lost their homes.