Coon Family Adventures

Spread the word about adoption during the super bowl!

2012-01-27T11:19:00.000-05:00

Tony Dungy has an adoption video out for people to show during the super bowl! Help spread the word! You can download the video from adoptionjourney.com/share/dungyhalftime.

Marketing and Ministry

2012-01-07T12:16:00.003-05:00

Dale, our director, recently challenged us to think about our roles and how that fits into the mission of Miracle Camp - probably one of the greatest camps in Michigan (of course I'm biased). This was a great exercise to think through why I do what I do each day. Basically...our mission is to create opportunities to help people to draw close to God.

Since I work on program and marketing I see what I do in marketing as the "creating opportunities" and the programming as "helping people draw closer to God." Sometimes it feels weird to market a ministry, but I think that it's important to run Miracle Camp on good solid business principles. At the same time, I believe that we shouldn't charge people to hear the Gospel...so it's important that we have a great scholarship program and seek to give away our services to those that need Jesus or those that just can't afford a full camp fee.

Here's some of my goals for this year...

Developing a church partnership program and to increase our relationship with the churches that attend - I really believe we have to serve churches...we can't exist on our own. Christian camps have been called "church camps" often...and that's exactly what I want us to be - a great church camp in Michigan! We are many churches camp.
Grow by 1,000 guests in 2012. This is a lofty goal...but I'm going to shoot for it. The more people, the more opportunities for people to grow closer to God. Some people say numbers aren't important, but if each of those 1,000 people has a name, a face, and a spiritual journey...then I think that numbers are important.
Pray about everything - if we truly believe it's God who changes lives...then it doesn't matter how good of a program director I am. God does the work. May I never forget that!

Let me know your thoughts on these goals. Let me know if you think there's some other things we should work on this year! I would love to hear from you!

Family Camp in Michigan

2011-02-05T00:13:00.003-05:00

I am really looking forward to Family Camp in Michigan at Miracle Camp and Retreat Center! That sounds funny, because I work there...but I really do love family camps. My family has been attending family camp here at Miracle Camp for the past 20 years! We've never missed a summer! When I was in 2nd grade we made our first trip up to Michigan to participate in family camp. We've been coming back ever since. There are Michigan family camps on Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day weekends. These are great times with fun activities for everyone in the family!

Miracle Camp and Retreat Center is in Michigan not far from Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. In fact, we're only a 2 hour drive from Chicago, Illinois!

We just started our planning for this summer's family camps. We're looking forward to seeing how God works in the lives of each family member during the retreat weekends here.

Cookbooks Finished

2010-12-20T17:01:00.001-05:00

We finished our family cookbooks! It includes our favorite 30+ family recipes. It was a lot of fun having to photograph all the food...mainly because that meant we got to eat it after. You can purchase it through Blurb's website (http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1798070).

Imagine Ethiopia! by Jason & Emily Coon by Jason & Emily Coon | Make Your Own Book

Adoption Update - We're Officially Waiting

2010-11-27T16:56:00.000-05:00

Many people have been asking us how the adoption is going...and...we think it's going great! But...it's hard to know because we haven't done much for a while. It's nice to be done with some paperwork for a while, but at this point, we're just waiting to hear from Ethiopia. We can't wait to get a call to hear that we have been matched with a child, but for now, we're just waiting on God's timing.

So...to keep this post interesting...I've included a picture of our kids that we just put on our facebook (www.facebook.com/jasonandemilycoon)

T-shirts Available

2010-09-16T13:20:00.006-05:00

We have finished a new t-shirt design. T-shirts are $15 and are available for pre-order from our paypal store below...

A Much Needed Vacation

2010-09-14T21:09:00.001-05:00

We enjoyed spending the past week on vacation at a beautiful lake home near Camden, MI. Much thanks to some special family friends who let us spend some time here relaxing and enjoying being away for a little. It's kind of funny that even though we live on a lake, the place we want to go to get away is another lake, but it was super relaxing and lots of fun. The kids had a great time in the pool, tubing, playing at the playground and we even made a special trip to the zoo.

I love vacations!

Coon Family Gone Country

2010-09-14T15:03:00.003-05:00

We had a great end to the summer here at camp! Our staff did a tremendous job with the 1300 some campers that were here. It was crazy as always, but we love it.

Britt and Brady were especially sad to see the staff leave. They miss many of them and wonder where all their friends went when the summer is over! :)

Last weekend we had Labor Day Family Camp which is a ton of fun. We had a country western night so we decided to get in the spirit and get a family picture taken!

Our Doccier is Complete!

2010-07-14T14:58:00.002-05:00

We just completed our doccier, which is the international adoption paperwork that goes to Ethiopia! It was about 60 pages, all of which had to be notorized and state sealed! That was quite the task! Anyway...our paperwork is in Ethiopia and we're so happy to be done with all of that. The best estimate we have right now is that we'll be matched with a child sometime in the next 6-12 months and will travel sometime in 2011. Of course, nothing is a guarantee, but that's what we're planning on right now.

Thanks for your prayers through this process!

Winter is Ending!!!

2010-03-09T22:14:00.002-05:00

It's been a long winter, but it's raining outside right now and all the snow is mostly melted. The kids went to the playground tonight and everyone is getting much happier with the warmer weather (especially Jason). This photo reminds us of the fun that can be had in the snow, but despite the fun...it's definitely time for spring and summer.

We have finished 6 weekends of winter retreats here at Miracle Camp. They went extremely well and many youth had their lives impacted for Christ. We are now in the process of travelling around to churches to tell people about the summer and other various retreats we have throughout the year. This has been a stressful time period, but God has been faithful to our family. I had two days off the past few days and it has been nice to spend time with the kids just playing around the house.

We are finishing up our international paperwork for our adoption very soon. From that point I think it will probably be just under a year until we are matched with a child from Ethiopia. We are so excited and are praying for our son every day, even though we don't even know his name. Thanks for your prayers and as we continue this process!

Ethiopia Adoption

2009-12-26T23:31:00.002-05:00

Emily and I are beginning a long process of adopting a boy between the ages of 1 and 3 years old from Ethiopia. Adoption has been something we have both been passionate about since before we were married, and we are excited to begin realizing this dream.

Ethiopia is a very beautiful country (as the photo of the Blue Nile Falls above shows) with a rich heritage and culture, and we are excited to become a multi-racial and multi-cultural family as we integrate new traditions into our lives.

Please pray for us as we move through this process! For more information on adoption in general, or if you are interested in your own adoption please visit www.bethany.org.

Updated Kids Pics

2009-12-02T21:58:00.002-05:00

Here's some fall photos I have been waiting to post...OK...I lied...I just haven't gotten around to it. It's been a really warm fall thus far so the kids have been having a lot of fun playing outside.

Sports Photography

2009-11-29T21:47:00.001-05:00

WMU vs CMU #8, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

I haven't posted anything recently. We have been pretty busy with camp stuff and various projects. Hopefully December will slow down a little and I can catch up in some posting.

Throughout the past few months I have been taking a sports photography class through a local art institute. It has been a fabulous opportunity and has been so much fun. Here is one of my favorite pics so far. You can view some of the others on my flickr page (www.flickr.com/jasoncoon).

Happy Anniversary Grandpa!

2009-10-04T14:04:00.002-05:00

We stopped in to visit my Grandpa Coon the other day. It was a few days after his 72nd anniversary! What a heritage Emily and I have for our marriage! We had the opportunity to take his guitar to him and sing some hymns with him. It was a great reminder of our faith and the importance of family.

Medal of Honor Recipients

2009-09-18T14:51:00.002-05:00

Medal of Honor, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

Emily and I enjoyed a great Cubs game yesterday with my parents. It was a beautiful day in the city, the girls did some shopping (while Dad and I sat on any available couch), and we ate at a really unique restaurant called Cozy Noodle and Rice which was really good.

At the beginning of the Cubs game there was a ceremony to honor armed services medal of honor recipients. It was about at 10 minute ceremony that had the whole stadium on their feet clapping and cheering for these men who had risked their lives for others. This is the highest honor bestowed on anyone in the armed services. At the end of the ceremony was a fly over which was really cool.

Anyway...here's a couple pics from our day...

A Great Family Vacation

2009-09-16T15:29:00.001-05:00

Early Morning Sunrise, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

We had a great family vacation at Coldwater Lake this past week. It was great times enjoying playing with the kids, golfing (Jason), shopping (Emily), and riding the jet skis (everyone except Britt).

Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Andrews for making this possible!!

Kalamazoo valley museum

2009-08-31T10:49:00.001-05:00

We're at the Kalamazoo valley museum today learning all about area history. It's really interesting learning about checker cab, gibson guitars, stryker, upjohn and other Kalamazoo area businesses. The highlight of the trip was B running full speed into clear glass. I wish I had a video of that.

The guitar pictured is from gibson guitars. It's a combo harp and guitar. My grandpa coon would have loved seeing it.

Astronaut Emily

2009-08-27T10:49:00.000-05:00

This is from the air zoo the other day. This thing was pretty sweet.

day at the zoo

2009-08-26T14:10:00.000-05:00

We're all enjoying the toledo zoo today. It's the best.

enjoying the airzoo

2009-08-22T11:58:00.000-05:00

We're at the air zoo today with grandma coon. This is a pretty sweet place with several rides for the kids. Britt really liked the balloons. Brady really enjoyed the fighter pilot movie.

Chicago Fire

2009-07-11T20:47:00.000-05:00

Go Chicago Fire!

Our New Family Member

2009-07-05T16:31:00.003-05:00

Our New Family Member, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

Just a quick post to put up a picture of our new puppy...Zoe. She is a black lab (if you didn't notice from the picture). She is very smart and likes to eat everything.

Chicago fog, Tasty food, Mary Poppins

2009-07-05T16:29:00.002-05:00

Chicago fog, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

Emily and I had a great couple days last week as we had the opportunity to go to Chicago for the Taste of Chicago and to watch Mary Poppins on Broadway. It was a great relaxing time for the two of us. We stayed in the Swissotel, which was fantastic! The city was under a sweet fog the first day we were there. It was kind of creepy, but kind of cool at the same time.

Sleeping Bear Dunes

2009-06-29T12:33:00.002-05:00

Sleeping Bear Dunes, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

This post is for Mindy Bland who was complaining this past weekend that we hadn't updated our blog in a while. I guess she was probably correct...

Summer camp is going VERY well this year. We have a fantastic summer staff that has been so focused on loving God this summer! They have really given of themselves to make this a great summer for the kids and they are growing tremendously in their walk with Christ as well.

To start the summer off, we went to Sleeping Bear Dunes during staff training to allow everyone to focus on their relationship with God away from camp. We wanted to start with the right focus of personally getting right before the Lord.

This photo is from an early morning hike with the staff to the top of Empire Bluff! It was a beautiful morning and a beautiful view as we all worshiped God together.

Mufasa

2009-03-21T20:51:00.002-05:00

Mufasa, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

This photo is from our Grand Rapids trip to the zoo last week. Last night Emily and I attended the Lion King on Broadway in Lansing. This photo made me remember a portion of the play in which Mufasa (the big dad lion) tells Simba (his son) that he needs to always remember who he is. Later in the movie, when Simba has run away from being king, he is reminded of these words. Simba had to return and be king, even though he didn't want to, because that was who he was. He was the king's son and that was his role. I was challenged as I sat watching the play as I realized that there are probably many times that I neglect my role as a child of the one true king. I must follow in my heavenly father's footsteps as Simba followed his father.

Getting away

2009-03-21T20:00:00.002-05:00

2 stooges, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

We took Monday and Tuesday of this past week to get away from the craziness of our lives for a few days. We took the kids to a Holiday Inn in Grand Rapids that had a small indoor waterpark. I use the term "waterpark" loosely, but for 2 little kids, it was pretty nice. They enjoyed splashing around in the different environment.

We enjoyed McDonald's, a trip to the zoo, and great time together as a family! Our kids are definitely pretty mischievous though as shown by their faces in this picture!

My Daugher is SUPER athletic!!!

2009-03-11T10:42:00.002-05:00

Chest Pass, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

I think I am that ridiculous father that sees everything my children do as a sign of significant athletic prowess. This perfect chest pass to me is a great example of this. Or when Brady loses his balance but manages to catch himself. Instinct and reflexes??? I think not...pure skills. Which they probably got from me!!! :)

Narnia...or is it Miracle Camp?

2009-02-03T14:26:00.001-05:00

Narnia, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

Ice Camps have been going so great lately. This has been my favorite year for Ice Camp from the speakers, to the bands, to the staff who have volunteered, and of course...because of our AWESOME interns. God has really been doing some great works in the lives of students as more than 80 students have committed their lives to Christ and many more have made significant decisions to rededicate their lives to Christ. It has been so encouraging to watch God work.

I have also been doing a little photography throughout the weekends, mostly taking pictures of kids to post on the MC website, but occassionally I get lucky with a good shot of the camp. Here's one of them!

Foggy Lake

2009-01-15T11:57:00.000-05:00

Foggy Lake, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

A few weeks ago we had some warmer weather and the snow was melting all around. I took some time to hike back to Little Bankson Lake and walk out on the ice. It was very peaceful and quiet as there was a lot of fog rising above the snow on the lake and in the woods. I really enjoy times like this to reflect on what a great Creator we have!

Christmas Time

2009-01-03T20:45:00.003-05:00

Cousin Sleigh Ride, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

We have been enjoying the past few days here in Portage for the Andrews family Christmas. Britt and Braden have been having a great time with their cousin, Jack. The other day we went to the Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, where this photo was taken on a sleigh there. I would recommend the gardens as a valid attraction in Michigan. The sculptures were very interesting and there was a worldwide Christmas tree exhibit.

The End of Christmas

2008-12-25T22:03:00.001-05:00

Showertime, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

We had a good Christmas here at MC. It was a snowy day...the kids took their sled outside and had a kind of good time. The reason I say kind of good is because they were all "Christmas Story" bundled up and couldn't really do much of anything.

Britt got a princess little people set, Braden got a Tigger and Pooh playhouse, Emily got some Mickey Mouse earings, and I got some beef stick. Emily and I are going shopping tomorrow to buy our real gifts (I am looking forward to my new hiking backpack).

We ended the day with bathtime which is where this picture was taken. I'm normally not one for bath pictures, but Britt's face was priceless as she tried to grab the water that was falling.

A Magical Vacation

2008-12-15T21:38:00.002-05:00

It's Magical, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

Emily and I just got back from the Orlando, Florida, area for a great vacation. We spent 8 days enjoying the beach, Disney World, and a Christian camping conference. It was a great time away from home (and the kids) refreshing and relaxing. You can check the two previous posts for each of our favorite parts of our vacation.

Emily's Favorite Part of Vacation

2008-12-15T21:37:00.002-05:00

Tower of Misery/Terror, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

Emily, the Disney expert, loved everything we did at the Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT. She especially loved torturing me on the Tower of Misery/Terror. I have never seen her walk so fast as when we were in these parks.

Jason's Favorite Part of Vacation

2008-12-15T21:36:00.001-05:00

Christmas Palm Trees, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

One of our vacation days, we took a ferry out to Caladesi Island and took a mile hike through a pine and palm tree forest, enjoyed the beach to ourselves, saw armadillos, and saw a sweet kayak trail which we will do in the future. It was so relaxing and we got some great pictures.

Daddy Day Care

2008-11-21T22:58:00.003-05:00

Emily is out of town for the weekend so that means Dad and the kids are having a party. Translation...we are struggling to get by. This means three basic thing...

1) Frozen pizza and cereal becomes a staple of our diet
2) Sport shorts become the chosen apparel by everyone in the family
3) We can't wait for mom to get home

We're having a good time in the meanwhile playing lots of games and watching lots of sports. I have to get some college football into these kids to help filter out all the Hannah Montana they have been getting lately!! :)

A Day at the Fair

2008-09-08T22:04:00.003-05:00

We have been enjoying having 5 interns at camp this year. Sarah Shadowen, Dorie Voyles, Nick Mock, Adel Stemen, and Rachel Kinningham are all here at camp helping out throughout the year. We have been enjoying some local culture (haha) and took a trip to the Allegan County Fair this evening. I particularly enjoyed the doughnuts and my "Baa" burger. I was a little dissapointed they were out of the goat burger.

A day at the zoo

2008-09-02T22:11:00.001-05:00

A day at the zoo, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

I have not updated my blog for a while. My apologies for not keeping everyone up to date with the development of Britt and Brady. Britt is starting to talk and run and it absolutely hilarious. Braden is a typical 4 month old and is just learning to eat rice cereal. He should be crawling sometime soon. We took the kids to the zoo the other day. Britt loved the cheetah and the turtles.

Go cubs

2008-08-17T22:03:00.001-05:00

Go cubs, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

Brady is getting a lot bigger and is starting to get really fun. He has been smiling and laughing a little and loves to play in the lake. He is shown here sporting his cubs pj's. We are pulling hard for the cubs to be in the world series this year! Even Brady is hoping for it.

Updated family pic

2008-07-30T23:11:00.002-05:00

Updated family pic, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

New Coon Family Member

2008-04-15T14:38:00.003-05:00

From Downtown...It's Braden Coon!!!, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

I just wanted to take a minute to post a quick picture of my brand new son, Braden Roy Coon! Emily and baby are both very healthy here at Bronson Methodist Hospital.

For more pictures and frequent updates be sure to check out our flickr photo page at www.flickr.com/photos/jasoncoon

Making the Yearly Rounds

2008-03-15T12:18:00.003-05:00

It is that time of year again where we travel around to recruit staff for the summer. We are just about done with the process and everything is coming together quite nicely. So far I have spent weekends in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio recruiting and interviewing staff.

I am always amazed at how God puts together just the right staff with different talents, different abilities, and different personalities. He will use them to accomplish his purposes in the lives of the campers this summer.

The nice part about all the travelling is that I get to eat dinner with lots of cool people. My favorite spot is Woody's in Groveland, IL, where Ted Beaupre and I had our interview. I recommend the Groveland Skillet if you eat there.

Oooooh...Shiny...

2008-02-23T10:16:00.002-05:00

I Want THAT One, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

I just wanted to take a moment to post an update about our lives. I'm actually in Fort Wayne this weekend working on my MBA through Taylor University. It has been a great program thus far and I am excited be able to implement several ideas with Miracle Camp in the future.

Emily and I have been working on creating our own website in our free time. We are attempting to sell some of her artwork and some of my photography in our freetime. The website is www.twofrostedmugs.com.

We just finished up six weekends of Ice Camps at Miracle Camp. All in all, around 100 students accepted Christ for the first time which was very exciting. We are also working on a lot of projects getting ready for the summer from creating a new blob tower, lighting the playing fields, creating an ice/roller rink, and renovating Bankson Lodge. It has been a very interesting and engaging place to work and I'm excited to see how we continue to grow.

Britt is doing great, as you can see in the picture. She is almost 10 months now and is such a happy, funny baby. She is on the verge of walking and can take steps while she is holding onto things. She is excited to spend a week at her Grandma and Grandpa's house in Morton next week!

Light Painting #2...a more manly subject

2008-02-06T09:09:00.001-05:00

Light Painting #2, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

This time I played around with light painting and decided to paint a more manly subject than some flowers!

Basically...light painting is when an entire room is dark, leaving the shutter on the camera open for a long time and using a flashlight to "paint" the objects that you want to appear. Often photographers will use this technique in a cave or if they want just their subject to appear and the rest of the picture to be black...as it is above.

It's kind of fun to play around with at least...

My First Attempt at Light Painting

2008-02-05T13:54:00.001-05:00

My First Attempt at Light Painting, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

It has been a while since I have added a post to this blog. Emily and I are doing very well and are enjoying parenting our daughter, Britt. We are looking forward to the birth of our son sometime in April.

Last night we took the day off and went to Grand Rapids. We ate supper at a restaurant called Yesterdogs...which I must say was quite unique.

On the way home we got some flowers and I tried my first attempt and light painting photography. It's pretty rough, and Emily was making fun of me, but it didn't turn out half bad.

The Cubs are in the Playoffs!!!

2007-09-29T16:13:00.001-05:00

Cubs Sign, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

Maybe this is the year! My Cubs are in the playoffs for the first time since 2003. Hopefully this year will end a little bit better than that aweful collapse.

I think it was our family trip to Wrigley Field that sparked the Cubs. They won that day 12-4 over the Reds. Good thing we were there to cheer them on...

The Pumpkin Festival!!!

2007-09-19T07:31:00.001-05:00

Bagpipes, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

This past weekend Emily, Britt and I headed back to the good old hometown of Morton, IL, to experience the Pumpkin Festival! For those of you who didn't know, Morton is the Pumpkin Capital of the World. It's kinda weird and strange, but it actually is a lot of fun. Saturday morning we watched the parade which lasted nearly 2 hours. You can check out some more photos from the weekend at my flickr account (www.flickr.com/photos/jasoncoon). We spent some time walking through the craft show, the merchants tent, and just enjoying watching my sister on the rides. Fairs are a great time.

Just Walk Across the Room

2007-09-13T06:55:00.001-05:00

Some Boats, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

If you're looking for a great book, check out Just Walk Across the Room by Bill Hybels. It is a great book about practically sharing your faith in a non-cheesy way. Bill talks about how he uses his hobbies to connect with un-churched people to share his faith with them. Hybels has a yacht that he crews with all un-churches people in an effort to develop relationships with them and ultimately to help them understand his faith. I highly recommend it.

Charlevoix Vacation

2007-09-09T08:32:00.001-05:00

Church by Lake Michigan, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

Emily and I got the chance to take a three day vacation up in Charlevoix, MI this past week. It was a great chance to be able to unwind and relax after all the craziness of the summer. Often I find myself taking everything a little too seriously so it was a good reminder that even when I'm not on vacation I need to be taking time to relax and unwind. That's my goal for this year.

Mountain Silhouette

2007-08-02T23:22:00.001-05:00

Mountain Silhouette, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

A couple weeks ago I got the chance to go to Oregon and Washinton State for a week to visit and observe a ministry to the Basque people group from Spain. It is a ministry to foreign exchange students that come to visit the US for the summer. For more information on the ministry check out www.aboutimpact.org.

Anyway...we visited a young life camp in the mountain desert of Oregon. We arrived at the entrance to the camp which was 45 minutes from any sort of civilization and then we drove on their driveway for another 45 minutes of gravel road. While I was there I was able to hike up the mountain shown in this photo. It looks a lot more intimidating in the full light, but this was a cool shot with the sun setting behind it and the clouds just how they were. Thanks to a spring fed lake the camp was an oasis in the middle of the desert. It reminded me that there is hope even in our lives when we feel dry and spent, that God keeps a spring welling up inside of us to keep us going.

On the trip I also got to experience a Seattle Mariners game and see the beautiful state of Washington and the Columbia River Gorge that runs along the border of Washington and Oregon. I recommend a trip to the Northwest if you get a chance.

Campfires and Office Work

2007-05-28T08:10:00.001-05:00

Fire on Bankson Lake, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

I have been reading a lot this week about truly Encountering God. I have to admit that part of the reason is because that is our summer theme at camp this year. However, I really want to know God as much as I can regardless of whether or not that is our theme for this year. I have been studying Bible stories and characters that encountered God and how that experience changed their life. There isn't one person in the Bible who truly encountered God and didn't have a changed life after the encounter. It is really quite fascinating.

This weekend has been pretty busy with a family reunion and a couple of other groups here at camp. I have been running around crazy helping them with activities and things that they need throughout the weekend. For some reason there has been an unusually large number of campfires to start as well. At each campfire I usually try to take a couple of minutes to stop and take in the beauty of God's creation and reflect on my life. It has been a good week of refocusing myself on encountering God myself as this summer and the camping season approaches.

This week the program office also arrived for the summer. We are in the middle of lots of office work and planning for the summer camping season. It has been great having more company here at camp and seeing the chapel and the grounds start taking shape and life and ready for a thousand kids! I can't wait.

I am sure that throughout this summer as God does some things through our staff and the campers that we will know are awesome works of God. When this happens I am sure our response will be something like the disciples after Jesus calms the storm. "Who is this man...even the wind and the waves obey him!" Matt 8:27. May we continually encounter our God throughout this summer!

4 Generations

2007-05-19T13:23:00.000-05:00

"Your faithfulness continues through all generations..." -Psalm 119:90

Seeing a new life come into the world is one of the most beautiful things. It is really quite hard to describe all the emotions that flow through you when you first hold your child. I am still quite in awe of the whole process and can't believe I'm a father. Sometimes when Britt is sleeping quietly I even forget that I have a kid! Everything really makes me think about the values that I will be passing onto Britt. She doesn't comprehend anything right now, but it won't be long before Emily and I are shaping her life. I am incredibly thankful for the heritage that both of us have. This past week Emily's grandparent's were at our house visiting their great-granddaughter. First of all, it's pretty amazing to have 4 generations in the same room. But more than that, I was so thankful for all that Emily's grandparents had taught her parents and that they in turn had taught her. The same is true of my grandparents and parents. Without their faithfulness and love for God, I wouldn't want to even attempt to raise a family. God truly is faithful through all generations and with His help everyone can raise a Godly family.

1st Family Photo

2007-05-18T15:16:00.001-05:00

IMG_1200.jpg, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

After church this past weekend Emily and I and Britt took our first family photo! It was a pretty exciting event except that it was a little cold outside and Britt was cranky after.

Brittney Elizabeth

2007-05-07T19:29:00.001-05:00

Brittney Elizabeth, originally uploaded by coonjamm.

I'm not going to type much other than to announce the birth of my new daughter, Brittney Elizabeth, born this morning at 4:27AM! She weighed 6lbs 14oz. and was 20.5" long. She is really cute and Emily and I are so excited to have Britt as the first member of our family!

First Golf of the Year

2007-05-06T15:34:00.001-05:00

I got a chance to get out an golf with my father and brother in law this past Friday. It was great weather, and though I didn't golf very well it was good to get out. We golfed at Yarrow which is a pretty nice course in Southwest Michigan, thanks to some spring rates. While we were there we got to see some deer less than 20 feet away from us.

Barn and a Bike Ride

2007-05-04T16:47:00.000-05:00

The other day I got the chance to get out on my bike for the first time of the year. It was a fairly early morning...well...it was early for a day off of work...and the weather was absolutely beautiful. I stopped to take a break by this farm and snapped a picture of the horses feeding by the barn. The variety of scenery is one of the best parts of living in Southwest Michigan.

Dandelions

2007-04-26T15:33:00.000-05:00

Here at Miracle Camp we have plenty of dandilions! They just seem to add to the natural beauty somehow. Emily and I are waiting for the arrival of our first child. She should be born here in the next couple of days hopefully!!! In the meanwhile we're enjoying the spring weather.

Perfect Evening

2007-04-20T10:53:00.000-05:00

Last night was an absolutely beautiful evening here at Miracle Camp. I spend some time walking through the woods and canoeing out on the lake. It was a perfect evening as you can tell from the photos. I'm always reminded what an awesome creation God made for us!

The Light Post

2007-04-17T10:33:00.000-05:00

The past couple of days here at Miracle Camp have been absolutely beautiful. It is nice to finally have no snow on the ground! Last night I got this shot as the son was setting. The outdoor light had come on, but there was still enough light to see the lake. The only thing that could have made it better would be some leaves on the trees.

This past weekend we had our program office for this summer up at camp for some vision training for this summer. We all participated in a spiritual gifts test and came to find out that every single spiritual gift listed in scripture was represented in our group of 9-10 people. It was awesome to see a "mini" representation of the body of Christ. We are looking forward to serving our staff this summer and making an impact for the Kingdom!

A Week Away

2007-04-04T15:18:00.000-05:00

This week Emily and I are at her grandparent's lake cottage this week just spending some time quality time away from every day life. We left with the purpose of taking some time to seek God's direction for this summer, to grow spiritually, and to have some time to think of ideas. It is amazing the amount of thinking that we have been able to do when we remove the every day distractions of life. As a result I think I am going to schedule several of these times each year. I have had a chance to finish a couple books and God has re-taught me just how important it is to put him first in everything. I would challenge you to take some time like this even if it's just for a day to remove distractions and focus on God and the things that are most important to you.

Road in Morning Fog

2007-03-30T15:35:00.000-05:00

Spring is Just Around the Corner!

2007-03-30T15:23:00.000-05:00

The other day shot this picture out of our bathroom window right after the sun came up. There was a really cool fog after a rainy morning that had settled around our house.

Holland Pictures

2007-03-07T13:43:00.000-05:00

Emily and I were in Holland, MI, this past week for a Michigan CCCA Convention. Basically this is a time when all the camps in Michigan get together for fellowship, exchanging ideas, and getting refreshed together. As usual we came away with some great ideas, but more importantly were reenergized spiritually to continue the work here at MC. It's always good to take a step back and look at our lives from a distance. I guess that's why I love Christian camping so much. Coming to a retreat enables a person to take a step back from their every day life and evaluate the decisions, choices, and activities that they do and make. I was particularly encouraged by Duffy Robbins challenge from Psalm 46 to "be still and know" that He is God. Too often I get caught up in the craziness of camp, and especially with a little kid on the way, and I just need to focus on my relationship with God.

While we were there we stopped by Holland State Park and got some sweet pictures of the lighthouse and the breakwater all covered over with ice.

Holland Pictures Cont...

2007-03-07T13:36:00.000-05:00

Adventures in Wayport

2007-02-28T10:02:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Emily and I were driving around after interviewing staff. Every once in a while I will get in an adventureous "let's go drive somewhere we've never been" mood. We ended up in some town called Wayport. We ended up passing a creek that looked really sweet in the snow. Fortunately I had my camera with me so I stopped and did a little hiking and took some pictures. A little ways back there was a railroad bridge going over the creek. I posted a couple of those pictures here.

One more picture...

2007-02-28T10:00:00.000-05:00

Reuniting with God

2007-02-23T20:25:00.000-05:00

The other day I was out to eat for breakfast with a friend of mine. It was an early morning and the fog was very thick as I was driving. On the way back home the fog was clearing and the sun was starting to shine through the trees. I stopped by a cherry orchard and took this picture as the fog was lifting out of the top of the trees. It made me think of how our lives can often be like the orchard surrounded in fog. Often we feel like we can't see God at work around us. There is just a little light showing through the haze, but it's hard to tell where it's coming from. It's good when God burns some off some of the fog of confusion and we are able to see His greatness. When you feel down and are struggling spiritually, spend some time in God's word. The longer you spend, the more the fog will lift. Soon you will be able to see God at work in your life.

Snow Makes Me Think of God

2007-02-10T20:40:00.000-05:00

We our in the middle of our last weekend of ice camps this year. I caught this photo in between a couple of the campers tobogganing one weekend. Whenever I'm in the woods that are covered in snow I for some reason seem to think of God. I think it's probably just because it's really peaceful in a snowy forest. I'm glad God has given us a great world to enjoy!

Like Father, Like Son

2006-12-05T08:41:00.000-05:00

Have you ever thought how much you are like your parents? Some of you might not like to admit it, but have you ever thought about how much you have the same personality traits that they do? Have you ever considered how you enjoy doing many of the same types of things that they do? I realized this week how much I am like my dad in personality, interests, and even some of the activities that I choose. Because of this, whenever I am in public, I represent my father. How I act reflects on how he raised me and the things he trained me to do. This morning I was reading in John 8 and Jesus says in verse 19 “if you knew me, you would know my father also.” Jesus was so much like his father that if people got to know him and believed in him, they would know God because they are so much alike. Here’s the real question…can people tell who your father is? When you are around them, can they know without a shadow of a doubt that you are God’s child because you are so much like him? I think this is a great challenge for all of us…let’s be imitators of God today!

Hospitality

2006-11-14T13:21:00.000-05:00

When was the last time that you opened your home to a friend? I’m not talking about the times when you invite them over to watch a movie or just hang out around the house. When was the last time you truly opened your home to someone and had them over for dinner AND desert and spent the evening talking and playing games. When was the last time you opened your home to someone you didn’t know? When was the last time you invited an unchurched person?

Sadly hospitality has become less and less important as our culture becomes more and more fast paced. As we put more on our plate we have put less of an emphasis on reaching out to others. I have noticed that other cultures do a much better job of hospitality than we Americans do. If you have ever been overseas you know what I mean. I traveled to Grenada, West Indies during my senior year of high school. One evening our missions group was invited to spend an evening with the pastor we were helping that week. He and his wife were so proud to have us in their home. They brought out tons of food and waited on us throughout the entire meal.

Think through some examples in the old Testament. When an angel came to visit Abraham what did he do? He immediately killed a calf and had his servants prepare dinner. When Abraham’s servant went to Laban’s house to find Isaac a wife, Laban immediately has the servant come inside for a meal and asked him to stay for a few days. There are many examples of people opening their homes to those who were traveling by for a few days.

How can we practice hospitality more as Christians? Romans 12:13 says, “Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” Hospitality is not something that is going to come easy for us. If it were simple and did not require effort we would not have a problem with it. Hospitality will take some effort; however, there is much joy available in serving others in this way. Hospitality is love in action. It is going above and beyond what is required and reaching out to make something extra special.

So think today about how you can start practicing hospitality. It will help you build relationships with those around you and can help you slow down your busy life. Remember that you will always have excuses so start making it a priority today. Practice hospitality.

Lou Gehrig's Farewell Speech

2006-11-01T10:09:00.000-05:00

Have you ever had one of those days where you just seem to get frustrated at everything? It seems that nearly all you do is going wrong. Remember during these times that even though there is a lot going wrong, you still have an aweful lot to live for.

The following is a speech from baseball's great Lou Gehrig. He was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) which basically paralyzes your body slowly. The day he retired from baseball due to this disease, he made the following speech. I hope that I can have this same attitude in the midst of tough times. It really helps put things in perspective.

"Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth. I have been in ballparks for seventeen years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans. "Look at these grand men. Which of you wouldn't consider it the highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day? Sure, I'm lucky. Who wouldn't consider it an honor to have known Jacob Ruppert? Also, the builder of baseball's greatest empire, Ed Barrow? To have spent six years with that wonderful little fellow, Miller Huggins? Then to have spent the next nine years with that outstanding leader, that smart student of psychology, the best manager in baseball today, Joe McCarthy? Sure, I'm lucky. "When the New York Giants, a team you would give your right arm to beat, and vice versa, sends you a gift - that's something. When everybody down to the groundskeepers and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies - that's something. When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles with her own daughter - that's something. When you have a father and a mother who work all their lives so you can have an education and build your body - it's a blessing. When you have a wife who has been a tower of strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed - that's the finest I know. "So I close in saying that I may have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for."

Simplicity

2006-10-26T09:31:00.000-05:00

I have been reading slowly through the book Celebration of Discipline now that the summer is over. It has been good to take things slowly and really try to practice some of the disciplines while I read about them. The discipline I read about most recently is that of simplicity. Simplicity is really a tough concept. I think it is mostly because of our culture and everything around us. The other day I got frustrated with working at camp and wishing I had more money. I was frustrated that I had to work so hard to make our budget balance. I just wanted more. But then I read the chapter on simplicity. It’s really easy to see something that looks sweet and think we need it. It is so hard to control our desires and not want more stuff all the time. In Ephesians Paul says that he has learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. I realized that once I took this attitude that the material things didn’t matter anymore. I didn’t need to have the coolest toys or clothes to be happy. I needed to love God and live simply.

God is Truly Amazing

2006-10-16T16:43:00.000-05:00

Emily and I had the opportunity to have our first ultrasound today. The whole process was truly amazing. We found out that the baby was only 1 1/2" long, yet we could still see it's arms, it's legs, and it's heart beating. The heart was beating almost 130 times per minute!

While we were watching through the vague black and white monitor we could see the baby kicking and moving it's legs and arms. Emily and I joked that the baby was working out to become the next great athlete! :)

I was absolutely in awe of God's creation and marvelled at how intricately the baby was designed even though it's only 10 weeks along. God has truly made everything in creation absolutely amazing.

Matthew 6:26 says "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" God has put so much more work and design into us than anything else in his creation. He cares about us personally.

I know this is something that we all know. But have we truly internalized this? Has this fact come out in how you act, how you treat people, the attitude you carry.

Take some time to think about how awesome God is today...and let it affect your life.

A New Life

2006-10-09T20:48:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to announce that Emily is going to have a baby! We are excited to be new parents. We don't know a lot of details yet, but we know that the baby will be due sometime around the end of April.

The whole concept of life is pretty sweet. David says in the Psalms, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” We truly serve an amazing God and each day is a privilege and a reward to be able to live for Him!

So here's to a new life!!!

Taking Time to Stop

2006-10-06T06:44:00.000-05:00

The other day as I was walking over to work I stopped to admire the sunrise. The sky was absolutely beautiful as the sun was starting to break through the clouds that sat on the horizon. The lake was totally calm except for a few ripples caused by a few geese.

As I stood there I realized how often I am in a rush and don't take time to enjoy my surroundings or circumstances. I have the awesome opportunity of living at a camp where nature is everywhere, but so often I don't take advantage of it.

Wherever you are at today, make sure that you are taking some time to stop and enjoy the surroundings. Whether you are at a place where you can enjoy God's creation or whether you just stop and think about him in your dorm room, make it a habit each day to stop and dwell on God's goodness.

Demolition Derby

2006-09-28T13:24:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to go to my first ever demolition derby! Pete Andres, one of our summer staff here at Miracle Camp, entered in the race and camp sponsored his car. View photos of the derby here...

There really isn't a lot of spiritual application that you can draw out of a demolition derby race, except maybe the whole concept of unity. It was amazing how beat up these cars got. Even the winning cars were barely running at the end of each heat. Pete's car didn't last very long unfortunately!!! :)

This is why it is so important for us to live in unity as believers. When we live in discord and aren't getting along it only leaves people beat up and really tired. The Bible says as far as it depends on you live at peace with everyone. So be a person that gets along with everyone as much as possible.

Then you won't end up like Pete's car!

Don't Forget the Keys

2006-09-25T09:10:00.000-05:00

It's pretty easy sometimes to get frustrated in life and lose perspective.

The other day I had to take a quick trip in town to pick up my bike that I was storing at my in-laws house. I was going to take a 30 mile bike trip the next day and needed to make the 20 min trip to their house. I grabbed the keys to their house and hopped in the truck.

I was enjoying the day and enjoying the time driving. I pulled up into their driveway, got out of the car and headed to the front door. I tried to find the key to their house and realized that I had grabbed the wrong set of keys.

Have you ever had a time like that in your life? A time where you were totally unprepared, had the wrong equipment, grabbed the wrong keys? Maybe you got frustrated; maybe you laughed it off. It is times like this that challenge our character.

I realized, as I was making the drive back to my house to get the right set of keys and head back to my in-laws house, how often I get upset at little things in life that go wrong. The smallest little thing (like grabbing the wrong set of keys) can totally change my day and make me frustrated.

So my encouragement to you is this...don't forget the "keys" to life. Make sure that you always keep in perspective the most important things. Then, when the little irritating things happen, they won't knock our day off course.

Philippians 4:6-8 says "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

Let's work on having the peace of God in our hearts. Let's keep track of the right set of keys.

Cashiers

2006-09-20T13:20:00.000-05:00

The other day I was at the grocery store. I was minding my own business and just wanted to get home to watch some football games. The cashier looked tired as she did her job. As I was standing in line something struck my mind. How often do I go through my day without saying hardly a word to those that I encounter? I was so busy and thinking about everything in my day that I wasn't focused on those around me. I asked the cashier how she was doing, and we started talking about the weather. Before I knew it we were talking about her family and how much she loved the Packers. When we left she had a smile on her face and even was laughing a little. All that happened in 3 minutes. Rather than standing in line, not saying a word, I was able to brighten her day. I hope I continue to look out for those around me as I meet them throughout the day.

Welcome to Jason Coon's blog!

2006-09-20T10:08:00.000-05:00

This is the blog for Jason Coon, program director at Miracle Camp and Retreat Center! This blog is the collection of my thoughts on life and some updates on things that are happening in my life.

I have been married to my beautiful wife Emily since Oct 1, 2005 and we have loved every minute of it. I have worked here at Miracle Camp since May, 2005. Feel free to e-mail me at jason@miraclecamp.com