Into the Woods with Curio: Memory Games

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11)

The other day I found a piece of bread tucked into a corner of our outdoor porch. It looked like it came from a bun I had broken up and put out for the birds the day before. But how did a piece end up in the porch? I asked Silvia if she knew anything, (she’s been known to play the occasional trick) but she knew nothing. It couldn’t have been a chipmunk, as they have gone underground for their winter hibernation. And I have never known the red squirrels to do this, though they do store as many peanuts and sunflowers as they can find. What about a blue jay? They also grab as many peanuts and sunflower seeds as possible, and find some interesting places to cache them, such as a downspout! That’s a lot of sunflower seeds, literally going down the drain!

Jays and their relatives are famous for caching food. The Canada jays, (formerly gray jays) in nearby Algonquin Park have been studied for decades for their unique method of caching perishable food, such as insects and berries, in the summer, then using these caches to survive the winter. These caches are also vital to their having an early start on nesting – as early as February!

Another relative, the Clark’s nutcracker, has also been studied for its amazing ability to not only create thousands of food caches, but find all the seeds it hoards. A resident of the western mountains, it’s a little larger than our blue jay and Canada jay, and dressed in gray, white and black, with, as its name suggests, a long, strong beak.

In a study by a graduate student of Northern Arizona University in the 1970s two captive nutcrackers were provided with a supply of seeds, and then monitored as to where they hid them in a controlled environment. Over the course of the experiment it was proven that they could find their food caches again, even when the cache sites were changed. The carefully conducted experiment proved the caches weren’t found randomly, nor by smell, but by the birds’ use of spatial memory, which allowed them to create a mental ‘map’ of each location where they had cached their food. This was with over 100 caches, though in the wild the caches of an individual bird can number in the thousands throughout its territory. When a fellow grad student went head-to-head against the nutcrackers to see who could remember the most caches, the birds won by a large margin! Of course, they had more practise. It is also a matter of life or death for the birds, as they depend on their caches to see them through the harsh winters.

Back to our local blue jays and Canada jays. It has also been proven that they are able to find a high percentage of the food they cache, even as far away as four kilometres in the case of a blue jay.

If birds have such amazing memory skills, what about us? Let’s learn a lesson from these jays and nutrcrackers, and “cache” spiritual food for later use by learning from and memorizing Scripture. As Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”

Monk's Musings: Follow the Lord Through the Mists!

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength” … Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Isaiah 30:15,21.

The days are growing shorter and colder, and we’re into the season of mists, frost, snow and ice. Beacon Bible Camp is often shrouded in fog, which transforms the scenery, hiding the well known landmarks. Summer seems so far away, almost like another life, quickly fading into the past. This reminds me of seasons of life that we all go through. There are the busy chapters with lots of voices and colour and activity. And then there are the foggy episodes where we easily loose our bearings, where anxiety nags at the back of our thoughts, where loneliness or confusion or depression and a niggling sense of regret erode the edges of our soul. Times when we wonder about the future and feel restless and insecure. Times when lengthening shadows seek to overwhelm the light on our path.

28 centuries ago, the prophet Isaiah experienced all these things also. And God entrusted him with a message for His people, that is still valid for us today: To open our heart and life before God so that He might correct and forgive where needed, and help us to rest upon Himself, to find our strength in trusting Him, to listen to His persistent whisper just behind us telling us the way in which we should walk. To remember we are not alone. That He is present, whether we feel Him or not. Like the sun above the grey clouds, He is always there, whatever the weather in our soul.

Unfortunately, Israel did not listen to the prophet’s message and tried to plow ahead following their own stubborn hearts. The rest of the chapter warns them of impending destruction and disgrace. And years later God let them reap the sad consequences of their misguided paths. So may we all take warning and take encouragement, and wherever we are at in life, faithfully listen to God’s voice, and follow Him, in whatever season or chapter we may find ourselves.

With a warm greeting from us both and from the rest of the Beacon Team,

Andrew “Monk” & Marianne “Tia” Nunn

Into the Woods with Curio: What do Animals Wear in the Winter?

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12

Have you put on your winter clothes yet? Dug out the winter ‘woolies’ and scarves, hats, mitts, coats and boots? It takes a lot of layers to stay warm during the cold months of winter in Canada. The animals found at Beacon have been getting their winter ‘clothing’ ready for some time.

Snowshoe hares grow thicker, white coats in winter not just to stay warm. It’s so they can’t be seen by foxes and other predators. If you have ever tried to find a snowshoe hare in the winter you’ll know it works! Come spring their fur changes back to a mid-brown colour.

The foxes at Beacon have grown more fur, making them look very different from the slim-looking animals seen at camp during the summer. Their new winter coats are wonderfully thick and insulating, designed to see them through the winter storms and snow. The same is true of many of the furbearers that make Beacon their home, such as mink, otter, weasel and fisher. All of these animals can stay active throughout the winter because of their thick winter coats.

The birds that don’t migrate add more feathers – 35 to 70% more – during their fall moult, to help them endure winter’s cold. Research on goldfinches reveals that these small seed-eaters, (they only weigh about 13 grams, or ½ an ounce!) have almost 1,000 more feathers in the winter. This allows them to endure temperatures as low as -70C for six or more hours, experiments have shown. While the temperatures never get that low even at camp, it demonstrates how incredibly insulating their feathers are.

But what about a bird’s bare legs and feet? How do they keep them warm?

Chickadees have a way of keeping their feet functional, despite the cold. Even though a chickadee’s feet stay at just above freezing to conserve heat and energy consumption, scientists have found these low temperatures don’t cause any damage to the tissues in their feet. This is possible because their feet have “a continuous blood flow”. The warm blood flowing into the feet through the arteries is cooled by the returning blood in the veins from the feet. This same ‘system’ is what helps ducks keep their feet from freezing when swimming in frigid cold water, and while on the winter ice.

Barred owls have feathers on their feet, right down to their toes, to keep them warm. Ruffed grouse also have feathered legs, and do something else to help them deal with winter -- they grow snowshoes! Called pectinations by scientists, these small, comb-like scales grow along the outside of their toes in the fall. This allows the grouse to walk on top of the snow during the winter. In spring these small scales just drop off. Ruffed grouse also burrow into snow banks to make use of the snow’s insulating properties, and to avoid being eaten, it has been determined. Unlike their cousins, the ptarmigan, which live in the arctic and higher elevations in the mountains and turn white in winter, ruffed grouse stay the same dark brownish-gray colour. This dark colouring makes them stand out in the snow, so they use the snow itself as camouflage.

God has provided these amazing adaptations to help these animals make it through a northern winter. We are encouraged to clothe ourselves in another way, to help us show the warmth of Jesus’ love in this world.

Monk's Musings: Praise God With All Our Heart!

“Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his Holy Name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits… As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him… But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him.”
(Psalm 103:1-2,13,17)

As we come to the end of this Camp Season we are filled with thankfulness towards the many session directors, cabin leaders, cooks, summer staff, teachers, nurses, lifeguards, and so many others, who helped Beacon through the Summer and Fall seasons. We are especially grateful to the Lord, who with His Fatherly compassion, guided us and blessed us all, as we served Him and loved and served many others at Beacon Bible Camp.

3000 years ago, king David challenged himself, and also us, to praise the Lord with his soul and all his inmost being. To realise that we are not the centre of the cosmic story - but He is! So He deserves our worship and adoration. We too, are prone to forget His many benefits, and to move on like selfish children, feeling we are entitled to all we wish for, and deserve to be protected from suffering and pain. But the apostle Paul commands us to “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

May we trust our Heavenly Father, and rely on His compassion. May we rejoice in His love always, and seek to love Him in return. May we praise God and thank Him, whatever the circumstances of life He allows us to go through. And may our lives as well as our lips praise the Holy Name of the Lord every day of the rest of our lives!

With a warm greeting from us both and from the rest of the Beacon Team,

Andrew “Monk” & Marianne “Tia” Nunn

Into the Woods with Curio: Winter Homes

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1

All of the animals at Beacon are looking for a winter home right now. Dark-coloured mourning cloak butterflies gently flap about the outside the buildings, searching for any small opening in the siding where they can tuck themselves in and hibernate. Ladybugs are more intrusive, coming into the buildings and settling in any tiny crack around the windows and doors.

The groundhogs go deep underground, where they sleep until spring, safe and warm. Jumping mice also hibernate all winter in a burrow somewhere underground. There they curl themselves into a tight ball, their super-long tails wound around them and their extra-long hind feet tucked up.

Green and bull and leopard frogs spend their winter at the bottom of Beacon’s lake, surviving in the oxygen-rich water throughout the long, cold months. Toads stay on land, but dig deep into the sandy soil to avoid freezing. Some frogs, such as the spring peepers and tree frogs, can actually tolerate a frozen state. Hidden under tree bark or leaf litter, as much as 40% of their body’s water content may freeze, scientists have discovered. They don’t breathe, there is no blood flow and their heart stops, yet they thaw out again in the spring!

Snakes slide into their hibernaculum, a secret space known only to them. These caverns run deep underground, and are often shared with other snakes, all of them remaining dormant through the winter.

Other animals choose not to stay here for the winter. They are on their way south to warmer climates. Muted chirps and whispers from the underbrush reveal that white-crowned sparrows, robins and hermit thrushes are moving through. For them it may be a short trip to the ravines in Toronto, or the vineyards in Niagara, or the ‘banana belt’ in Windsor. Other birds have much further to go, so they left camp about the same time the summer season ended. Hummingbirds and swallows are on their way to Colombia and other tropical destinations in Central and South America, where they’ll enjoy the insects and flowers they need to survive until their return here next spring.

What about those that stay, but don’t sleep through the winter? Where do they make their winter home? The chickadees and other birds that stay around Beacon find a location protected from the wind and snow - such as a coniferous stand - to use as a home base (the nests they make in the summer are just for raising a family, and not a permanent home, though they may roost overnight in a bird box if there is one). The squirrels that live around camp, especially the flying squirrels, will also use a bird box if one is available, though usually they use tree cavities for the winter. Even mice will live in a bird box, though they prefer the inside of one of the camp buildings, where they stay warm and fed, and safe from predators.

Predators such as foxes and weasels have their dens, and a thick winter coat to help keep them warm. All of these homes and adaptations make it possible for these animals to survive the rigours of a Muskoka winter.

Where is your ‘winter’ home? Do you have a safe shelter to go to when conditions become tough? May we all, like the psalmist, find our shelter in the Lord Jesus Christ, who loves us with unfailing love and gave his life to save us and make us his own.

Monk's Musings: Be a good King or Queen

“Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the LORD than any of those before him…”

1 Kings 16:30

“[Azariah] did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done.”

2 Kings 15:3

During this Fall Season, as the leaves change color, and one by one, quietly fall from the trees, we have been reading our way through First and Second Kings. Hearing of Queen Elizabeth’s passing and King Charles III ascending the throne made these stories more real to us. As each king is mentioned in Scripture, the length of their reign is recorded, and also whether they did “what was right or evil in the eyes of the LORD”. Some reigns were short (7 days for Zimri), some were long (55 years for Manasseh); David and his son Solomon each reigned 40 years. But none made the record 70 years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign over Great Britain! However, one fact is true for all sovereigns, past and present: Their reigns eventually come to an end, and all of them die.

Actually, the same is true for you and me: Our lives are fleeting, and this Fall Season reminds us that as happens to the leaves, we too will fall and return to dust. If a short paragraph were to be written of our lives, would it include the words “did right in the eyes of the LORD…”? Some good kings had good fathers, others had very bad ones. Some bad kings had bad fathers, others had good ones. Each had to choose their own way in life, and regardless of our own upbringing, we too are free to “choose whom we will serve”, the LORD or any of the “pagan gods” around us (success, riches, pleasure, popularity, academia, career…) or even setting up ourselves as the “supreme god” in our lives. Some kings of Israel and Judah tried syncretism: wanting to serve the True God AND other popular gods of their day – and it didn’t work for them, just as it won’t work for us.

So may God find us faithful, and whether we are a King or a Queen, may we “do what is right in the eyes of the LORD”, loving and joyfully serving Him alone. He deserves our loyalty. More than that, He deserves our love, because He first loved us, and paid on the cross what He thought we are worth. How much is He worth to us? That is the real question!

With a hug from us both and from all the Beacon Team,

Andrew “Monk” & Marianne “Tia” Nunn

Into the Woods with Curio: Things that go BUMP in the night!

“HOW MANY ARE YOUR WORKS, LORD! IN WISDOM YOU MADETHEM ALL; THE EARTH IS FULL OF YOUR CREATURES.”

PSALM 104:24

A few weeks ago, I was awakened by a scrambling noise on our roof, near our bedroom. Then it moved over to the porch roof above the front door. I knew it was too early for Santa Claus, so thought it might be a raccoon. But when I turned on the porch light and opened the door to have a look there was a flying squirrel, clinging half-way up on one of the balusters. We looked at each for about a minute before it moved down to the deck and then onto the ground to disappear into the night.

Flying squirrels are more common than we sometimes realize. Being almost completely nocturnal, they are not often seen. There are flying squirrels at camp. Beacon’s mature woods provide a great habitat. They need lots of trees to move about, flying, (actually gliding) from one tree to another. They do this by first climbing up a tree trunk to a certain height, then leaping into the air and stretching out the folds of furred skin between their front wrists and back ankles. Using these large membranes as sails and their flat tail as a rudder and brake, they maneuver themselves over to another tree, or to a building, or sometimes to the ground. They can cover up to 50 meters in one glide.

When they land on another tree they immediately scoot around to the other side of the trunk, in case an owl has followed them. Barred owls are their number one predator in Muskoka. If you are out hiking and come across just the tail of a flying squirrel laying on the path, it may have been the victim of a barred owl. Or the owl could have ended up with just the tail, as they do break off. If that happens the squirrel survives, but can’t grow another.

Flying squirrels are slightly smaller than the more familiar red squirrels, and weigh only half as much, for obvious reasons. There are actually two species of flying squirrel in Muskoka – the northern and the southern. Both are a soft brown or gray in color. The northern is the more common of the two, but the southern species sometimes irrupts north into the region, as Muskoka is part of the ‘Land Between’, where the northern boreal forest and southern deciduous woodlands meet. The last irruption was in 2003, but the southern species is moving further north, which means there are more chances of seeing either species now.

Both species live in tree cavities, and will sometimes move into larger birdhouses. In the winter they roost communally to stay warm, and safe. Their diet includes seeds such as maple keys, beech nuts and acorns, fungi, berries, and insects. Either species also visit bird feeders at night, which is often the best chance of seeing them.

These are just one of the many seldom seen and little-known animals living in and around Beacon. Isn’t our God so amazing - amazing as our Creator, and amazing as the Sustainer of all life! Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Praise him, all creatures here below!

Monk's Musings: Dare to be a Gideon!

“The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” JUDGES 6:14

Many centuries ago, in the dark ages of the Judges of Israel, God called Gideon and a very small army to carry out a daring campaign against a vast enemy. He was a fearful and reluctant leader, the youngest of his father’s house, which was the smallest of their clan. But God dealt patiently with Gideon, by turns challenging him and encouraging him, ultimately leading them to an amazing victory against all odds – to prove that it was God’s Power, and not man’s which got them the victory.

As we come to the end of this Summer Season of ten full camps, this story reminds me of our lives here at Beacon! Again and again we were “down to the wire”, with a small group of four summer staff, often feeling outnumbered, adjusting to the steep learning curve as we went along, dealing with the tail end of Covid, trusting God to bring sufficient staff for each camp, being by turns challenged and encouraged. But God has been faithful and kept each camp open and provided enough staff for each one – sometimes just enough! – so that God alone would get the glory. “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit – says the Lord Almighty” (Zechariah 4:6).

As Fall approaches, what task or challenge is God is calling you to? Remember, He delights to call the weak, lowly and despised to carry out His great plans! (1 Corinthians 1:26-29). So take courage, and trust in the Lord’s strength day by day. Take the next step of obedience in that which God is calling you to do, and have faith that He will strengthen you and show you the next step, one day at a time.

Perhaps God is calling you to do something in your family context, perhaps to become more active in your local church, perhaps to develop one of your gifts, or show generous hospitality to someone God has placed on your heart. Perhaps He is calling you to volunteer and serve at one of Beacon’s Fall Camps? Whatever it may be, be like Gideon, and in faith take up the challenge!

With our very warm greetings,

Andrew “Monk” & Marianne “Tia” Nunn

Into the Woods with Curio: Summer Sun

“Truly the light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun”

(Ecclesiastes 11:7)

One early morning this August we witnessed a family of turkeys sunning themselves on an embankment near our house. They settled themselves into an open area, fluffed out their feathers and then went into some strange contortions to expose their skin to the warming rays of the summer sun. It was funny to watch, though the turkeys had a good reason for their unusual behaviour. They were doing this to rid themselves of unwanted mites and other parasites on their skin. But they also seemed to be just relaxing in the warmth of the summer sun.

All year long Canadians eagerly await the summer season, looking forward to the warm weather, and ‘catching some rays’. Part of each camp day includes a scheduled time at the waterfront, including sunning on the dock. The animals at camp also look forward to the summer season, and soaking up some sun. Water snakes sun themselves on the dock at the waterfront, though hopefully leave once campers arrive. They do this to help them with their digestion, because they are ‘cold-blooded’, so need the warmth of the sun on their scaly skin to help their body function properly. The same is true of turtles. They warm their shells by climbing onto exposed logs in the shallows along the lakeshore on a sunny day, though fall off into the water at your approach.

Look around in these same shallows and you’ll see small fish ‘fry’ – young fish – also enjoying the sun’s warmth, even under the water. They do this for the same reason as the turtles and snakes. Because they are so small it is especially important for them, and also to be safe from larger, predatory fish.

Other animals at camp also enjoy basking in the summer sun. Just like the turkeys we saw, you can see sparrows taking dust baths and sun bathing. Some birds sit on an exposed perch to dry themselves and preen after taking a dip in a puddle or bathing along the lakeshore. Squirrels stretch out on a branch or even on a deck railing to get some sun, foxes lie out on a rocky outcrop to sunbathe, and even the butterflies in the Dining room’s garden bask in the sun’s warming rays while nectaring at the flowers.

Be sure take time to enjoy the warm summer sun at camp, while it is here, (though we do need to be careful to avoid a sunburn).

And be sure to absorb God’s word while at camp, soaking up the life-giving rays of the Son Himself. It is very healthy for us, spiritually, and can even help us get rid of some unwanted ‘pests’, figuratively speaking. And we can do it all year long.

Monk's Musings: Love God and your Neighbor!

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength”; and “Love your neighbor as yourself”. There is no commandment greater than these. MARK 12:30-31

A while ago I was challenged with what God considers the most important thing we can do with our life. The quote above gives us Jesus’ clear answer to someone who asked him precisely that: We should love God (vertical relationship) and love our neighbours as ourselves (horizontal relationships). And the way I should love is extreme: with all our being! This is a very tall order… Actually, it is so impossible, that the only way we can do this is with the help of His Holy Spirit living within us!

Well, here at Beacon we also seek to live out this command. Loving God provides the motivation for why we are here. Loving campers is what we seek to do each week, as each of the summer camps come and go. But we also see this love being evident in how the volunteers of each camp interact with one another and with the rest of us who live and serve at camp. Cabin Leaders, Session Directors, Kitchen Staff, Summer Staff, we are all called on to grow in love. Jesus said: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35). What a challenge for all of us! May God help us carry this out, at camp, in our homes, with our church fellowship, at school and at work; especially with those we disagree with, or we find difficult to get along with.

May we all be encouraged, as disciples of Jesus Christ, to obey this “greatest commandment” and to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength! To our modern ears it may sound strange to be ordered to love. We think love is something that happens, but cannot be commanded at will. However, the biblical view on love is that our will decides who and what we love, and the rest of our life accommodates itself to that first love. So, for example, Jesus warns us we cannot love and serve two masters, God and money: “Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24). But perhaps there is something else competing for the position of “first love” in your life. A career, a valued possession, a non-Christian boyfriend, or the selfish pursuit of your individualistic goals in life. What we love we will serve. So Jesus warns us to avoid those rabbit trails that ultimately end in disappointment and emptiness, and to love God at the center of our life; for as we do so everything else in our lives will fall into its proper orbit and become a blessing and not a curse. As we love God, we will learn to truly love our neighbor. Shall we trust Him? Shall we love Him? – It is our free choice, for all true love is freely given.

With all our best wishes for each one of you,

Andrew “Monk” & Marianne “Tia” Nunn