The title comes from Phillipians 1:3, one of my favorite verses. A couple years ago I thought I had spent my last years at Merom Conference Center as a camper, and I sat down to write a poem about the place where I found God and some of the closest friends I have today. After only a short time, this is what I came up with.
Merom
There are no words to describe a place
In between heaven and God’s sweet grace
A place where you’re free to live and to love
A place where no one snickers, but always laughs at your jokes
A place where all colors run white together
And starts those little moments that last forever
A place where nothing ever seems to end
And a place where the end of the road begins
A place where the people don’t seem like people anymore
But rather someone you’ve always known before
Before you were born, and before you ever knew
That God was always there, and He had plan for you
In that plan he wrote a note for me
To look at you and see Him smiling back at me
In between heaven and God’s sweet grace
A place where you’re free to live and to love
A place where no one snickers, but always laughs at your jokes
A place where all colors run white together
And starts those little moments that last forever
A place where nothing ever seems to end
And a place where the end of the road begins
A place where the people don’t seem like people anymore
But rather someone you’ve always known before
Before you were born, and before you ever knew
That God was always there, and He had plan for you
In that plan he wrote a note for me
To look at you and see Him smiling back at me
You can go to Merom’s website at www.merom.org . Merom Conference Center is located in the small town of Merom, Indiana. Last summer we had our first young adult camp called ‘Common Ground.’ It runs from August 9th-August 13th, just send an email their way for a brochure. It is a chance for young adults to get together and just have a good time while really focusing on their faith. I have attended since I was in the fourth grade, and wouldn’t miss a year for the world. There isn’t a better place to come right before school to just relax and have a great time. People always ask me, “So that is one of those camps where you run around a sing hymns all day and do churchy stuff right?” Wrong...in fact, pranks happen to be one of our favorite pastimes. One year I tied all of Derek’s clothes to the balcony overhanging the second floor, and I’ve also received a dead squirrel that was neatly wrapped in a box and I was told it was a present. Yeah, so I opened it…call me naïve. The truth of it is I’ve learned more, laughed more, cried more, and had more fun at this place every year in one week than I can probably account for in the entire rest of my life.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward loveand good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are inthe habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all themore as you see the Day approaching.-- Hebrews 10:24,25
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6 comments:
Chase, did you purposefully name your site after a Johnny Cash lyric? I would be very impressed if you did. In Hurt he sings 'I wear this crown of thorns upon my liar's chair, full of broken thoughts I cannot repair.' I don't know if this is what you were thinking or not. It needs said that you do not have broken thoughts, you are honestly trying to become the best version of yourself you can be and that is commedable. Best of luck in the pursuit and I will be looking forward to hanging out with the most recent version of you, pranks and wisdom overflowing, this summer at Common ground!
Chase,
J.D. Shared this with me and I found it again when tracing links that point to Meorm's website. I've put a link on our page so others can read your words. See you in August!!
Dale
As a past camper of Merom, I think that you captured what Merom truly is to so many people. All year I would look forward to the one week out of the summer that I got to spend at Merom. It not only was a place that built my faith, but the memories, experiances, and friends will last a life time. Thank you for writting such a perfect poem of a place that has changed so many lives, mine included. I hope everyone has the oppertunity to experiance Merom as we did.
Hey Chase,
This is Devon Parker's little sister, who you probably barely remember. Wow, so I am having this horrible week and somehow randomly I stumble upon your blog. Well let's just say you really brightened my day! I haven't been back to Merom in a couple years and so much has seemed to change, but the theme of one All Ages 1 camp from way back in the day comes to mind. "No Matter What"~and no matter what I can't forget the lessons and experiences I had at Merom.
Thanks for reminding me,
Lauren
Chase
You are so right in saying how you feel about Merom. I could not wait till July to go. But since graduation I have not be able to go back to the place that i have grown to know and to love. I have gone to Merom since i was in third grade. But hopefully this summer i can get the place that i love and be around the people that mean so much to me.
Chase,
I am so proud of you for summing up all the feelings we all share from our experiences together at Merom.Everyone needs a safe and loving place sometimes and Merom is exactly that special piece of heaven on earth. I hope you are doing well and know that I will along with all the other Tri-Level group will miss you this year.Have a great time at Commom Ground.
counselor: Pam
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