You know that feeling you get when you step outside, take a deep breath of pine-scented air, and set out down a twisting forest path? Well, scientist have been busily studying exactly what that sensation is and why you feel so much better out in the glorious creation that God made. Here are a few of the things they have found.

Hiking in nature reduces negative obsessive thoughts that can lead to not enjoying the moment, depression, and anxiety. Wilderness walks even reduce neural activity in the area of the brain associated with mental illness. Hiking through the city does not have the same benefits.

Hiking through the forest combined with removal from all technology causes subjects to preform 50% better on creative thinking and problem solving tests.

Playing outside in a natural environment reduces the symptoms of ADHD

Outdoor exercise is good for your body, improves memory loss, helps prevent memory loss, reduces stress, boosts self-esteem, and just makes you feel better.

Hiking is also one of the easiest and least expensive sports you can participate in. So get out into the forest and let God wow you with the beautiful things He has made and the beautiful way that our minds respond to the creations of His hand. Or just come to camp! I can guarantee that campers will leave technology behind, get out into the forest, and have the pleasure of getting a glimpse of God. In their study of the Bible, but also in the amazing world that surrounds us.

Boo Boo

This year we tried something completely new. A day camp over spring break with lessons from the Bible and outdoor survival skills taught my aerospace engineer and 20 year boy scout veteran John (Ranger Halt) Dewsnap. What do you think? Do these kids have what it takes to survive . . . 

The campers learned about water purification through iodine tablets, pumping, and boiling snow.

Safe fire building. Be sure to dig down to the clay before laying your tinder!

Making paracord survival bracelets, which can be unraveled and used for rope in an emergency situation.

Campsite Cuisine, yum!

Building a group survival shelters using tarp, paracord, and natural resources.

Building individual Survival Shelters using whatever resources the area provides.

Princess Leia Freyja wishes that someone would let her inside their survival shelter. She only knocked down that one wall, and really, it was looking pretty wobbly anyway.

Just getting outside into the beautiful world that God made is always worth the effort.

Boo Boo

CamasCon is a retreat designed to get Christian gamers together for fun and fellowship as well as learning from God’s word. This year Chris (VanHelsing) Weedin challenged the campers from the Bible during chapel sessions and everyone challenged one another to some intense and friendly competition during open gaming time. 

Creating an epic heroscape battlefield.

Yes, sometimes we do use that picture where you posed goofy for the camera…because the other one was blurry.

Yep, sometimes you just want to sit with the big guys and make the miniatures fight each other while they play the game.

But the real question of the weekend, who will marry Mr. Darcy?

Boo Boo

Camas Kids Camp finished out our winter camping season with some singing and snow tubing and one or two crazy camp games. 

Of course Princess Leia came over to make sure that the children had a fuzzy friend to hold in the calmer moments when they weren’t…

Wrestling their camp counselor! There is a counselor under there, right? 

A chapel lesson from the fun and fabulous Pippin and some more singing. This was just the right length for a taste of camp for those kids who are wondering if they want to visit for an entire week this summer. What is your favorite part of camp? Singing, night games, inside games, hugging the dog, the tubing hill, attacking the counselors, chapel, eating, more singing…

Boo Boo