Summer 2001
WOOD you like your own chunk of cedar?
NOTES ON CEDARS METAGIFT
The lasting SCENT of cedar is being sent as CEDARS 40th Anniversary metagift to each of you heaven-sent campers, donors and staff members.* The strong, natural aroma of your piece of cedar is intended to regularly remind you of all the higher joys that flow so naturally at CEDARS. Because this true joy comes from the kingdom of heaven within you, it is ever-present, not just at CEDARS or with certain friends, and never needing to be imported as an outside thing or substance.
King Solomon did import highly valued cedar trees from Lebanon (Israel’s northern neighbor) to Jerusalem to construct the Temple. Just as this cedar Temple symbolized God’s presence, so your CEDARS friendships and spiritual growth may help you feel God’s loving presence.
Here are other fun facts for you Cedarites to think about and apply to your lives. “Cedar was considered ‘incorruptible,’ capable of taking a fine polish, fragrant, and long-lasting. Its very name means ‘strength’ or ‘worth.'” (Harper’s Bible Dictionary, 6th Edition)
“The righteous . . . shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.” (Psalm 92:12) These were the first words Ruth Huff saw when she opened her Bible to see if it was God’s plan to start (or plant) a camp for Christian Scientists on her family’s property near Lebanon, Missouri. After a little delay the idea kept coming, so she opened the Bible again to see if it was still God’s plan. This time the first words she saw were “The trees of the Lord are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted.” (Psalm 104:16) These verses have been the God-centered basis for CEDARS remarkable growth ever since.
Enjoy the incorruptible growth, strength and worth of living in God’s presence!
* Anyone wanting his or her own piece of cedar should just let us know.
