Keep doing some kind of work, that the devil may always find you employed.
—St. Jerome

Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.
—William Penn

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.
—Annie Dillard

talk about it

We all experience it at some point: too much time and not enough to do. What do you do when you're bored and can't come up with anything worthwhile to do? Where does your mind turn? How do you start feeling about yourself? Or what if you're waiting for an amazing week (like a week of summer at SpringHill!) or an event that's just around the corner, and everything else you could do in the meantime pales by comparison? Do you sit around and wait? What do you think God would want you to be doing?

Talk about it with other SpringHill campers and counselors on the SpringHill MySpace page. Or, if you have another question you'd like to discuss, email us.

say something

1. Who decides how you spend your time during the summer?
Mostly me
Mostly my parents
I spend most of the summer working

2. If you could add one thing to your summer, what would it be?
More free time
Working TST at SpringHill
A job
A family vacation
More time with friends
A service project or volunteering
Other

3. What is the main reason you become idle during the summer?
Too much free time
I don't get to do things that I like
I'm always tired from working so much
My friends aren't around
I'm waiting for a fun event or week
I don't know what to do
I'm never idle

4. If you feel idle this summer, which of these ideas would you most be willing to try?
Find a new friend
Help out a neighbor or volunteer
Get involved at church (service project, youth group, etc.)
Learn a new hobby or do something creative
Get outside and do something active
Talk to God and ask him to show me what I can do

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what you said

· Who is your greatest influence? 40% of those surveyed say Jesus; 30% say friends and 15% say family.

· 30% of you say that the influence you would be better without is the wrong kind of friends; 23% say fashion magazines or media that tell you that you don't measure up; 15% say television or negative messages from the people around you.

· 85% say you have a positive influence over your friends.

· When you think about having free time over the summer, 40% feel excited, 30% feel relieved and only 15% feel bored.

· Nearly half of you say your summer is totally planned out; 30% say you have a good idea about what you'll be doing; only 15% don't think about summer until it's here.

how we spend our days

Add up your days and you have your life. Sounds kind of simplistic, but look at it this way: if you waste your time, what do you have to show for it? Not much. God is hoping for a lot more from us. And, truthfully, we should expect more of ourselves as well. So, how can you put your extra time to good use? In this issue of The Well, we'll challenge you with ways to do something for God this summer. And we'll tell you about all the fun and exciting things coming up at SpringHill — from Summer 2007 to our awesome new Fall Music Festival!! You'll find other inspiring stuff here, too, including some great new music and book reviews and a chance to speak your mind on our myspace page. Check it out!

news @ springhill indiana

Don't miss SpringHill Summer 2007!! Check out the SpringHill summer schedule and all the details about TST. Then, start planning the best weeks of your summer! Go to the SpringHill website NOW to register!

Want to spend an out-of-this-world weekend with your youth group at SpringHill? Be sure to tell your youth leader about the SpringHill Senior High Retreat September 14-16. We provide the program, the activities, the food, the housing, the speaker and the band — all your group needs to do is come and have the time of your lives. Ask your youth leader to visit the SpringHill website to get your group on board today!

An amazing lineup of some of today's hottest Christian bands (like Sevenglory, Red Umbrella and Sidewalk Prophets) will be coming to SpringHill for our first annual Fall Music Festival September 22 and 23! Bring your whole family to this awesome, fun-filled event that includes all your favorite SpringHill activities and three stages rocking with music all weekend long. Check out the Festival webpage and the Festival myspace page for more details — and to register!!

good versus idle

We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.
—2 Thessalonians 3:11-13

Having a whole summer stretch out before you can feel like such a relief after a long school year. And, rest after hard work is, of course, a good thing. But do you ever find yourself, maybe mid-June, experiencing too much of a good thing? What do you do with an abundance of time?

Without a plan or a purpose, it’s easy for our extra time to become wasted time. The Bible calls this idleness. Instead of being busy and doing things for God and others, our minds and bodies stray. We might become busybodies (gossiping and getting into other people’s business) or couch potatoes or self-indulgent in the way we think and behave. God is longing for more from us. He gives us time as a gift and an opportunity to do good. (And not doing something bad is still not doing something good.) This is the only Summer 2007 you will ever have. How will you spend it?

Think about this: How will you spend your extra time this summer? Is there something you could do for God? What keeps you from being productive? Who could help you keep a focus on doing good? How would you feel at the end of the summer if you had done something for God instead of becoming idle?

a springhill summer staffer talks to the well

Last summer Mattea Sportel was the photographer at SpringHill and this summer she'll back in the same role. Looking forward to her junior year as a photography major at Grand Valley State University (after another awesome summer at SpringHill, of course!), Mattea talks to The Well about how to keep summer from becoming boring and how to spend your time well.

The Well: Tell us about a memorable summer and what made it great.
Mattea: I remember summers in late junior high and early high school (before I had to get a job) where I just loved the break from school and spent a lot of time doing fun things with my friends.

The Well: Why are you choosing to come back to SpringHill this summer over other things you could do?
Mattea: I had such an amazing summer last year that I just felt called to come back.

The Well: What do you think God thinks about boredom?
Mattea: I don't think he likes it. There is so much that he created for us to do — the world is full of endless possibilities. If nothing else, you can read your Bible.

The Well: How do you get out of a rut when you feel bored or feel like you are wasting time?
Mattea: I usually try to do something active like run, hike or go swimming.

The Well: What advice do you have for students about how to take time that's being wasted and do something for God?
Mattea: Find something you're passionate about that glorifies God — like playing music, writing, helping someone or just getting out in his creation — and explore it to its fullest.

now playing

Beauty from Pain from Superchic[k]
Originating out of Chicago, this Christian punk band actually brings together a number of musical styles to create their unique punk/pop/hip hop sound. SpringHill summer staffer Khristen Shaffer loves the band’s positive lyrics, especially how they emphasize being your own person and not conforming to the standards of the world. Although this album chronicles the band’s struggles and the painful personal experiences of a lot of the members, the messages are universally compelling and point to the one and only God who can make us all whole. Read a longer review of this album and an interview with some of the band members. Also, be sure to check out the Superchic[k] Myspace page.

Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges
SpringHill counselor Ansley Howard recently rediscovered this classic. After twenty-five years in print, The Pursuit of Holiness still has as much relevance as it did when it was written. Ansley recommends the book for the way it inspires real and tangible holiness. “We’re going to fail a lot,” she says. “But the author provides a lot of encouragement and practical ideas for how to pursue holiness on a daily basis.” If you’re interested in knowing what holiness looks like and how to bring the pursuit of it into the real world of your daily life and decisions, check it out.

Black by Ted Dekker
Summer is a great time to hit the books — the ones you want to read. Several SpringHill counselors delve into Ted Dekker’s novels whenever they have a break from school. Counselor Justine Kenning recommends Dekker’s Circle Trilogy, which starts with the book Black. An adrenaline-packed collision of dreams and reality, Black pushes its hero to the limits of space and time. It’s ultimately a story of love and betrayal and good and evil, or, as Justine says, “an amazing allegory for the Christian life.” If you pick it up, be prepared to continue the trilogy with Red and White. We dare you to just read one. Find out more about Black or read a chapter of Black on Ted Dekker’s website.