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What
Are You Looking At?
Lights, tinsel, ornaments, gifts…
they’re all signs of the season. On that very first Christmas, God
revealed his own signs… angels, a star and a tiny baby in a manger.
Where are your eyes focused? We hope you’ll read this issue
of Bounce
for a fresh look at the signs of the season. We also hope you’ll
read it so you can play the coolest online game (and have a chance to win
some awesome prizes, including a free week of summer camp!) and find out
how you can register for Summer 2007!! Don’t miss this issue!
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News
@ SpringHill Indiana
It’s time!! Time to start thinking
about Summer 2007 at SpringHill that is! Starting Friday, December 15,
you can see the whole summer schedule online at www.springhillcamps.com and start
planning the week you’ll be talking about for the rest of the year.
Be sure to check your mail after the first of the year for the Summer
2007 brochure and dig into it with your parents. Your mom or dad can go
to the SpringHill website starting January 2 to create an online account
to be ready when registration opens January 22 at 6 p.m.!
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What the Wise Men Saw
When they saw the
star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child
with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they
opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense
and myrrh. —Matthew 2:11
This is probably a part of the Christmas
story you’ve heard for years — how the wise men came from far
away to find and worship Jesus. But how often do we think about how
unbelievable this part of the story is? The wise men were kings
themselves. They were men of great privilege and wealth who left their
country on an arduous journey to follow a star. A star. Imagine telling
your friends today that you were going to hop on your bike to ride
several hundred miles to see a newborn king and you were getting there by
following a star!
Here’s the really wild part. Once
they found the spot where the star was shining, they went in to find the
baby. Now, if you were a rich wise man, a king in your own right,
wouldn’t you think you’d definitely be led astray if the star
led you not to a palace but to a barn? If you found the baby king you
sought in an animal’s feeding trough? This would have to be a joke,
a very big mistake. Right? Somehow, though, these men had their eyes open
in the most incredible way. The only explanation is that they truly saw
Jesus. They knew they had been in God’s presence.
Think about this: When
you hear the Christmas story, do you experience the kind of awe and
wonder that the wise men experienced? The Bible says they were
“overjoyed” to find the place where Jesus was. When was the
last time you felt overjoyed? Do you think you could have the kind of
faith that the wise men had? If not, what would be necessary for you to
have this kind of faith?
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A SpringHill Counselor Talks to Bounce
A lead counselor for InPursuit this past
summer, Zach Brooks is a computer science major in his senior year at Center College in Kentucky and
will soon be looking for a full-time job! Zach talks to Bounce
about how he celebrates Christmas and remembers to put Jesus first.
Bounce: How
will you celebrate Christmas this year?
Zach:
My family will go to my grandma’s house in Nashville to be
with cousins and aunts and uncles. It’s our Christmas tradition to
go there every year.
Bounce:
Is there anything special you do or your family does to keep the true
meaning of Christmas your focus?
Zach:
We always go to a Christmas Eve service. Also, my mom puts nativity
scenes all over the house. It helps us remember who’s the focus of
the season.
Bounce:
What’s one of your favorite Christmas memories?
Zach: One
Christmas Day, my brother and cousin were horsing around in my
grandma’s bathroom (the only bathroom in her house) and knocked a
bar of soap into the toilet. My dad spent the entire day taking the
toilet apart to get it out. That was the same Christmas that everything
iced over and we had to park a couple blocks away from my grandma’s
and carry everything down the big hill to her house because it was too
icy to drive down it. All in all, a very memorable Christmas!
Bounce:
Who do you most admire in the Christmas story?
Zach: The
wise men and the shepherds. The wise men had positions of power and yet
came from so far away not only to see a wee baby in a feeding trough, but
to present him with gifts and bow down to him. It goes against every
ounce of common sense. And the shepherds were in the lowliest position
and yet God chose them to witness one of the greatest events of all time.
Bounce:
What advice do you have for campers on how to keep their eyes focused on
what really matters this Christmas?
Zach: Try
to remember what Christ’s purpose was in coming to earth. Christmas
is just the beginning of the story. It’s not an end in itself.
Also, think about God and the unlimited power he has but how he
didn’t make Christ’s birth a royal extravaganza. He made the
most humble entrance, which should be an example to us as we celebrate
the event.
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SpringHill Stunt
For this month's stunt, we're going to attempt a Mirror Shootout. Watch
the video to see how
it’s done or follow these easy steps:
1. Get two hand mirrors and, to make
it an authentic shootout, put on a cool Western getup.
2. Find someone to challenge to a duel, go outside during the day
and stand about 15 feet apart.
3. Count "1, 2, 3, Draw!" and use your mirror to try to
shine the light in the other person's eyes before they shine the light in
yours.
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Now
Playing
Restored by
Jeremy Camp:A favorite of SpringHill counselor
Zach Brooks, Jeremy Camp is no stranger to loss and heartache. However,
this powerful album is evidence of how God’s grace and faithfulness
can rock one guy’s world — literally. Says Zach, “A lot
of the time I don’t listen to the lyrics of music these days, but
when I play Jeremy’s album I really listen to the words. They go
straight to your soul.” Check out some tunes on Jeremy’s website.
This Too Shall Pass
by The Fold:Counselor
Brian Turner likes discovering independent bands. The Fold is one
currently on his play list because “their sound is excellent and
their lyrics are deep.” All former members of other known bands,
The Fold went back to the basics to produce this rich and inspirational
album of hope. Visit The Fold's website to learn more
about this up-and-coming group.
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He who has not Christmas in his heart
will never find it under a tree.
—Roy Smith
He who can no longer pause to wonder and
stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.
—Albert
Einstein
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Talk About
It
Sometimes we can become bored with the
holidays or get focused on what’s not essential. Then, Christmas
becomes more about “what’s in it for me” than about the
coming of the Savior. How do you keep your eyes focused on what really
matters at Christmas? Is there anything special you do (yourself or as a
family) to make Christ’s birth the focus of your celebration?
We want your ideas and stories! Talk about it with other SpringHill
campers and counselors at myspace.com/springhillcamps. Or,
if you have another question you'd like to discuss, email us.
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Play the Game!
Want to win a free week
at SpringHill
AND a great waterproof digital camera to record all the fun? Go to the SpringHill Game website to play the
game and be entered in the drawing! (Plus, we’ll be giving away an iTunes gift card every month!)
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What You Said
35% say you think
more about serving others; 15%
say you think more about serving yourself; 50% aren’t sure.
The majority of you expect to see someone’s life improved or changed when you serve.
35% of you find it most difficult to serve people you don’t know; 30% find it most difficult to serve
others at school.
When you think about Christmas,
50% feel thrilled. 20% are in awe of what God did for us.
What gets the
most attention in your home at Christmas? 70% say family time; 10% say the Christmas story.
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