As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD’s renown, for an everlasting sign that will endure forever (Isaiah 55:10-13).

After my godly father, church, and Sunday school, the most significant influence on my spiritual formation as a youth was Christian camps. From age nine to sixteen, I was involved with camps—first as a camper and then as a counselor. My dad was on the founding board of a Christian camp that utilized a Civilian Conservation Corps facility in Western Michigan—the first AWANA camp started by Lance Latham. Dad was on the board from 1945 until his death in 1975. I was blessed to serve with him the last few years.

The camp motto is still the same: “Where Christ is First.” Being led by godly men who had a heart for Christ, for evangelism, and the spiritual nurture of children, the camp has probably led thousands of kids to Christ and helped motivate many into ministry, missions, and lay occupations where they have continued to spread and live out the Gospel. I could go on and list many more positives about that camp and about Christian camps in general.

Yet while I don’t fault the leadership of camps then, or camps today, I have come to realize that there has been a glaring failure in Christian camping that has created attitudes and misunderstandings among adult followers of Christ that have had some significant negative consequences: the failure to use their ideal setting to teach from God’s other “book”—the book of God’s works. The natural world (especially the beautiful natural settings of most camps) is a revelation of God: what theologians call the “general revelation.” The camp I attended, “where Christ is first,” almost totally ignored the link between Christ and the creation: making us aware of what some have called the “cosmic Christ.” No doubt this was the consequence of a big hole that still exists in the spiritual formation of most evangelicals and fundamentalists—the lack of a well articulated and well taught theology of nature and the absence of what I call the lost fundamental: that we are creation’s caretakers.

Since these elements are mostly missing in Christian homes, churches, and Sunday schools, one can’t entirely fault camps for the failure to recognize their opportunity to make up for it while they have a virtually captive audience out in God’s great outdoors. The camp at the top of Lake Superior in Canada where I served as a counselor did offer a nature walk.  Dear and patient Mrs. Plunkett came once a week to  offer about an hour-long trek in the bush to whoever wanted to go, but that was it.  Only a few kids ever gave up their play time for a walk in the woods.

With all the resources now available to camps for teaching the theology of nature, for offering intensive outdoor education, and for providing instruction in biblically-based environmental ethics to children and teens, there really is little reason that such cannot be a part of the curriculum of every Christian camp ministry. Sadly, some of the largest camps that have thousands of campers over the course of the summer have mostly become “resorts” and places for the entertainment of kids. Instead of having kids learning about Christ the Creator through the creation, they have the kids mountain-biking in it, playing in it (or in huge chlorinated pools), shooting targets in it, or sitting indoors listening to highly amped bands and dynamic motivational speakers.

That a kid should leave a camp in the Sierra without knowing the difference between a Douglas fir and a Ponderosa pine or leave a camp in the Midwest without knowing the difference between white pine and a red pine is to me a shame. That they should be able to sing “all the trees of the forest shall clap their hands,” and not have a clue that the forests around them are being threatened by invasive species, over-development, and destructive harvesting is to me sad. That kids should go away from camp spiritually (emotionally?) hyped and well instructed about the Jesus who lived two millennia ago, yet not understand the facts about the living Jesus who redeemed the creation, who sustains the creation, and who will come again to restore it as an even more awesomelybeautiful place to which our souls will return and reoccupy physical bodies to enjoy the Creator forever [consider today's Scripture] is to me the greatest tragedy of all.

If you’re involved in Christian camping or send kids to camp, I encourage you to see what you can do to motivate that camp to address these vital and commonly missing elements. Every kid should leave camp every summer awed by the wonder of creation—and motivated to live a “creation careful” life the rest of the year. If the camp you are involved with does that, appreciate the blessing and thank the camp leadership.

You might want to check American Outdoor Schools directed by my friend Bob Frembling.  It is a program that brings skilled outdoor educators to both Christian and secular camps to provide excellent outdoor education that is Creator-centered.

These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up (Deuteronomy 6:1-6).

Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children (Proverbs 17:6).

Let me tell you about life on Ellavia.  Ellavia is a small island on the shore of the east arm of Lake Michigan’s Grand Traverse Bay—about 100 feet long and 50 feet wide.  It’s inhabited mostly by herring gulls and mallards—and briefly by two little girls: Ava and Elle.  The girls did not live long on it—less than an hour.  The island, which really was not an island but a small spit of land, is now a vital part of Elle and Ava’s memories.  They had claimed the “island” after braving the current of a small stream that emptied into the bay, leaving Grandpa and Grandma Ohlman on the other side not particularly wanting to drench pants and shoes before getting back into the van.

The first order of business when you claim an island is to name it.  Elle suggested that they certainly must include the discoverers’ names in its designation; so Ava proposed “Ellava.”  But, with perhaps some placename pattern in mind, she changed the suggestion to “Ellavia.” It was immediately and enthusiastically agreed on by both that such was a most excellent name.

With a stick, a found child’s beach pail and shovel, and a half a loaf of sliced bread they explored the island, collected clam and zebra mussel shells from the creek and surf line, and fed the inhabitants—saying angry words at piggish gulls who wouldn’t share with a pair of mallards.  Having a sandy lake shore, an infinite horizon, a creek on which fresh beaver-clipped branches floated, an ample hill with steep drop-off to the creek, and sand to dig in, it was a momentary paradise in which they found joy—their time in Eden.  The only enticement sufficient to get the granddaughters back off the spit was the promise of the indoor pool at the motel.  But Ellavia was now in their hearts and on their minds, and we heard it mentioned frequently during the rest of our grandparent/grandchild weekend getaway.

This adventure reminded me afresh that the outdoors—God’s other book—captivates children and dramatically reduces the tensions our modern world and hectic lifestyles creates for them.  Why is it that when we wean children from milk, we also want to wean them from their feelings of natural connection to God’s good earth? Not deliberately, yet surely, we stifle those feelings and break those links.

My heart aches for children today who are not given the opportunity I had as a child growing up with free and safe access to woods, pastures, ponds, creeks. This is especially poignant for me in the spring when joy fills my heart and nostalgia grips my emotions as I wander anew among the born-again violets, adder’s tongue (trout lily), trillium, skunk cabbage, and marsh marigolds in the April woods and marshes.  Still vivid in my memory is making handled cones out of construction paper in school the day before May 1 and then filling them with wildflowers to take home or hang on the knob of a nearby widow’s front door.   We’d knock boldly on her door shouting “May Day, May Day!” and quickly hide in the bushes to see her open the door to discover not a visitor but a floral delight already wilting from the grip of our hot and grubby little hands.

Our children need the outdoors.  They need intimacy with it.  We know we are to teach them the “decrees, commands, and laws” of the Scripture—God’s special revelation.  But the facts, wonders, and wisdom that come from nature—the Creator’s general revelation—are also vital.  Sunday School at church is  important, but Saturday School in God’s great outdoors also provides wonderful, even everlasting, rewards.

Understand it, harried parents!  Get it, busy grandparents, aunts, and uncles!

The Wonder Kid’s page of this website offers suggestions about how adult caregivers can create wonderful memories and provide essential understanding of the creation to children.  It is intended to be an interactive page where you can provide suggestions of your own.  If you have forgotten how to register on the WOC site to make comments, you can send me a suggestion on Facebook (search “Dean Ohlman” there) or you can email me at RBC using “dohlman at rbc dot org.”

Be sure to check into the Children and Nature Network if you want learn more about curing kids of their NDD: nature deficit disorder.

If a couple readers of WOC have a desire to be regular “Wonder Kids” associates who would like to research children and nature connections and ideas and share them on the site, I’d love to have you contact me. –Dean

Fall is the ideal time to teach children about nature—and about nature’s Creator.  While Christian schools can be straight-forward about referencing the Creator, most secular schools cannot.  Home-schoolers, parents, grandparents, and other care givers might want to use the following list of biblical truths as a guide to some good outdoor teaching this fall—maybe starting today! [Photo by Cali2Okie]

The Natural World:

1. It was created by God. (Gen. 1-2; John 1:3; Col. 1:16-17)

2. It is owned by God. (Psa. 24:1; 1 Cor. 10:16, Psa. 104:24)

3. It is loved by God. (Psa 145:17 NIV; Psa. 36:5)

4. It is sustained by God continuously. (Gen. 8:22; Psa. 145:17; Psa. 104, Psa. 36:5-6; Matt. 6:26; Col. 1:17)

5. It was placed under man’s dominion. (Gen. 1:28; Psa. 8:6-8, Heb. 2:8, Psa. 145:13)

6. It was assigned to man for care and servant leadership. (Gen. 2:15)

7. It was altered by sin at the Fall. (Gen. 3:14-19)

8. It was altered again by the Flood. (Gen. 8-9)

9. It provides needs for all people throughout time. (Psa. 104:13-15; Matt 6:25-24; Zech. 10:1)

10. It is considered less valuable than people. (Matt. 6:26)

11. It has been redeemed by Christ. (Rom. 8:18-23; Col. 1:20)

12. It will be restored, reconciled to God, and unified at Christ’s return. (Isa. 11:6-9; Rom. 8:18-23; Col. 1:20; Eph. 1:9-10)

13. It will be assigned its destiny by God, not man. (2 Pet. 3:10; Rev. 21:1)

Implications of these biblical truths:

We do not own the earth and can never ultimately “possess” any part of it. When we buy and sell land, we are only assigning temporary care to “owners” who are expected by God to use it carefully, frugally, and justly for His glory. We should not deliberately destroy the land’s capacity to do its assigned work: to produce needed elements (fruit, oxygen, water filtration, moisture, etc.) for the health and survival of all that depend upon it. Our task is stewardship, which acknowledges that we are accountable to the Master for the creation’s health and for how we use its fruit (profit).

Since it was made by God, is sustained by God, is loved by God, and will be restored by God, we must use it with reverent care and respect. We must always be thankful for our parents and their parents for their care of it and be careful to hand it on to our children and their children as little damaged and diminished as we can.

Our worship is of the Creator, not the creation. But, we must also remember that with the astronomical wonders above we “join with all nature in manifold witness to [God's] great faithfulness, mercy, and love!” Mankind is expected to establish communities and cultures upon the earth that use the land and its produce with as little waste and destruction as possible. All creatures are made by God and must be respected as His creation. When we use the earth’s produce, we do it with gratitude and with the understanding that all His creatures, beginning with—but not limited too—mankind, have a right to occupy and make use of their allotted portion of it. As much as possible we should attempt to treat the earth now as we will be expected to treat it at its restoration in the coming Kingdom.

While “our citizenship is in heaven,” we cannot forget, as T.S. Eliot reminds us, that such citizenship “is our model and type for our citizenship below.” Children need to know that the earth we see now is not like it was at the creation (because of the Fall, the Curse, the Flood, and the ravages of time), and it is not now what it will be at the restoration (the “peaceable kingdom” of shalom). Nonetheless, we also must show them how it still demonstrates to us the power, divinity, beauty, and awesome creative nature of God. For that reason alone, we should tend faithfully to our stewardship tasks.

Motivate children to think of their use of the earth as a creative school project that will be graded by the divine Teacher at the end.  And if children offer up their creative work as art to the Heavenly Father, they can know that regardless of how imperfect and simple it is, He will post it on His fridge.

See you outdoors!

Dean

[Acorn photo by Amanda *Bake It Pretty*]

[Discover other issues and ideas related to children and the environment on the "Wonder Kids" page accessed from the top menu bar---or here.]

Nate Simons and I have a lot in common: our love of God’s creation, our interest in learning everything we can about the biology and geology of our region, our fascination with ecology (how everything works together in relationship to mankind), and our enthusiasm for making creation care a part of every believer’s life.

Where we differ is that Nate does creation care and I mostly talk about it.  I know that both are probably necessary, but I do have to confess that I am humbled by the prodigious amount of creation care work Nate and his team have been able to accomplish.  Nate heads up Blue Heron Ministries near Angola, Indiana—mostly in Steuben County.  It is a part of the ministry of Presbyterian Chapel of the Lakes, and I had the joy of seeing that work firsthand last Saturday.

The majority of the work is the restoration of some of the prairie that made up about fifteen percent of the state—primarily in the northwestern and north central part of Indiana.  Originally Indiana had 20 million acres of forested land of which only 2000 old-growth acres remain.  My home state, Michigan, however, was almost totally wooded with an estimated original prairie extent of less than one percent—most of it adjacent to Indiana.  So even though as a kid I walked to school along Prairie Street, I’m not sure if there ever was a prairie there.  For sure I didn’t know what a Midwestern prairie should look like.  Thanks to Blue Heron Ministries, now I do.  And I’m impressed—impressed again at the wonder of God’s creation in its “vast array.” [Photo: Cardinal Flower]

Because Blue Heron Ministries is an intense local work done by the caring hands of some dedicated volunteers, it does not have the time, personnel, or need for a website—which, in a sense, is refreshing.  Here are a few websites for you to visit to get an idea of the kind of work Nate and his crew does:

http://www.acreslandtrust.org/clientimages/44551/q443.pdf

http://www.nanps.org/photos_praries.aspx

http://gardenfaerie.blogspot.com/2009/08/native-plant-walk.html

The plant photos in this post are ones I took on my Saturday tour.  Many of these were new to me.  I even got to add a couple more species of golden rod, of which there are fifty species in North America (around ninety worldwide).

See you outdoors!

Dean

Stiff Goldenrod

Lobelia

Immersed in the prairie

See you outdoors!

Dean

Almost annually since 1991 I’ve made one or two treks “up north” to the Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies northeast of Kalkaska, Michigan.  Last week was my first time this year.  Perched on a wooded hillside above Louie’s Pond, the institute has been providing environmental education for some fifty years—first as a youth camp, later as a boys’ science camp, and after 1980 as a provider of college-level courses.

Au Sable’s primary mission is to supplement the curricula of Christian colleges that typically do not have enough students to support the teaching of various specialized subjects.  So students from colleges all over the country can take these often hard to find courses at Au Sable in a short May session or two longer summer sessions and receive academic credit at their own college or university.  Here’s just a sampling of courses offered this academic year: winter stream ecology, conservation biology, environmental chemistry, and watershed stewardship. Even if they can obtain a similar course on their college campus, a number of students will take their classes at Au Sable because of small class size, the availability of field studies, and the accessibility of their professors.  It’s a wonderful place—a place that has made a life-changing difference in the lives of most of those who have taken classes there.

Of course, as a former college instructor and adjunct professor, I enjoy visiting Au Sable when the students are present.  It’s always an encouragement to me to see the enthusiasm and dedication of both the students and the visiting professors—many of whom hold respected professorships in major universities in the United States and Canada.  The students would be the first to tell you that although they are housed in a beautiful setting, the courses they’re taking definitely are not what we used to call “crip courses.”

The value of the education they receive is reflected in the fact that many Au Sable students have gone on to become college professors themselves.  One of those students, Garrett Crow, has in fact come full circle.  As a student at Taylor University in 1963, he came to Au Sable Trails in the summer where he taught outdoor education to the boy campers.  He went on to gain his PhD. at Michigan State University and had a long and successful professorship at the University of New Hampshire, from which he recently retired.  This summer finds him back at Au Sable guiding graduate students in directed research projects.

The philosophy of the Au Sable Institute is one that I give a hearty “amen” to:

The board, faculty, and staff confess that God is exclusive owner of all and that human beings are trustees of that over which they have responsibility.  The task and responsibility of human beings is that of stewardship; stewardship is the responsible care and use of the Creation and all its creatures.  Stewards of the Creation must have ecological awareness and knowledge.  They must know and understand the interrelationships between living creatures and their environments.  They must know the nature and impacts of its use by human beings.  Stewards of the Creation must have knowledge and skills for acting responsibly in the sustaining, renewing, and preserving of the Creation and its rich diversity.

Also take a look at the more comprehensive overview of this philosophy found in “The Au Sable Idea.”

See you outdoors!

Dean