(photo by Andrew Brown)
This is not the cute "What We Did at Summer Camp" post that I was hoping to be able to write next month.
Nor is this the "I Wrote About Eagle Lake Camp on the Build-A-Bear Workshop" post that I've been meaning to write for the past month.
Instead, this is a grieving post. Though our physical selves are in Oklahoma City right now, our hearts are in Colorado Springs.
Craig gives a pretty good explanation of what's been going on there this week.
I don't know if you've been following along, but let's just say that things have gotten a bit worse since then.
I could post links to maps and news and updates, but we know what anyone else knows based on press conferences and #WaldoCanyonFire twitter updates. There is much we don't know at this point.
This map is from Wednesday morning's update, and Eagle Lake is that little spot in the middle of all the red. Again, we do not know what what this means yet (for obvious reasons, none of our people can get up there yet to find out), but we know that firefighters have been using camp as a staging area and using the lake itself to help fight the fire. Miraculously, camp has only lost one cabin to date.
My Eagle Lake story began in 1993 after my freshman year of college at Oklahoma State University. Though we started a new chapter in 2005 when we left Colorado to start seminary, The Navigators organization is still very much part of our story: Craig and I met at Eagle Lake; we and many of our friends married during our Eagle Lake years; we started our families together; we are family.
In the midst of the waiting, the praying, and the crying yesterday, I wanted to remember. I wanted my kids to remember. I pulled out all of our family scrapbooks and laughed all afternoon. And cried. And remembered.
The quality of photos in the slideshow below is about as low as the style of the hair (this was the early 90's, when neither digital cameras nor reasonable haircuts were around) so that disclaimer should cover a multitude of pixel and style sins.
Last night, Craig sent this out on Twitter: "No words and Psalm 121:1 too close for comfort: "I lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?" Help, Lord. #waldocanyonfire
Help, Lord. Please.
Half-Pint House 
Good gravy, you just had to pick my favorite Rich Mullins songs for that montage, didn’t you? Just when I thought the tears had stopped…
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Every. Single. Time. I start to pray, my prayer begins, “O God” and then the song kicks in and instead of begging God for mercy I end up just singing that song.
It’s really not like me at all, either.
So after the song plays through my head, THEN I beg him for mercy.
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so sad:( sorry to hear the bad news:(
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Grieving with you, and Praising Him that no one is hurt.
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Thank you, Megan, for this collection of wonderful memories. I can’t imagine the emotional roller coaster you and Craig have been on these last few days. We have been praying here and thanking God that even amidst the loss of property, there is, as far as we know, minimal loss of human life. Somehow, this doesn’t lessen the pain, though, of losing your physical past . . . one that has been so rich and full, and one that you were so intent on passing down to the girls. Thankfully, you have still have many pictures and memories of friends and family that will sustain you in this difficult time. It was so good to hear Craig’s music again. We continue to keep you and the Navigators in our prayers.
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What an awesome thing you’ve put together! Brought back lots of memories of the girls at different ages. So sorry for Eagle Lake Camp. We’ll continue to pray here in Illinois!
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Awwwwww. I hope and pray that when I bring my kids to camp someday, that they are sitting in the same buildings and sitting at the same tables, where I got to know Jesus in a more personal way. Thanks for all the pics and memories of ELC and no thanks for the mullet pics:)
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VERY Cool!!! Thanks SO much for putting this together!!! I loved the video…. and had my 8 year old son watching and sharing with him!!! thanks!
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Not sure if you remember me or not. It has been many, many years. Came across your blog while searching for news of the wildfire in Colorado. In your video, I’m the guy on the left at about 43 seconds in. I think we’re sitting on a boat. Not sure why though. 🙂 Thanks for the video and memories. My prayers are with Eagle Lake and its staff as the rebuilding and cleanup begins. Hope you and Craig are doing great!
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Hey Jeff! Glad for the reminder here and I’m trying to remember why we (or somebody) dragged that boat into the lower dining hall too… who knows? 🙂
Glad you checked in here and hope you are doing well.
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