Falls Creek, Oklahoma
I had the opportunity to go to Falls Creek with the kids from our youth group for the first time since 1981. Yep. It’s been a while.
The first thing you notice when you drive onto the grounds at Falls Creek is how much its changed. The outdoor tabernacle is gone. The Olympic sized swimming pool is gone. In their places are a huge, beautiful air-conditioned tabernacle and a beautiful outdoor amphitheater. The old benches are gone, replaced with cushioned, theater seating. The HUGE, very loud fan that was behind the choir loft in the old tabernacle is gone and the new stage area is equipped with lights, strobes, and who knows what else.
As the week progressed I realized that the way kids enjoy Falls Creek has changed….volleyball is now played on sand and softball is co-ed. Never more will a home run be scored by bouncing on the roof of the B.B. McKinney Chapel roof. And the balcony that we hung out on at the El Reno First cabin has been enclosed to make room for more indoor cabin space.
All these changes made me sadder than I expected. I didn’t want to spend much time outside walking around because all this change somehow took away from my memories of the time I had spent at Falls Creek as a teen.
You see, Falls Creek is more than a place. It’s more than a camp. Falls Creek is nestled quietly in the Arbuckle Mountains. It is found by passing by the fried pie shop and winding around that mound of earth until you get to The Creek. The trees and grass have been watered by the tears of repentance and it is as close to holy ground as my feet have ever been.
I’ve said many times that God’s Spirit resides on that mountain…but the truth is that the Holy Spirit lives in me….and you….and many thousands of others. By the end of the week I began to see that Spirit flicker in the eyes of many of the teens that attended with us….I even saw it in the eyes of a couple of adults. And as I saw that spark, I realized that Falls Creek hasn’t changed that much after all.
You see, my experiences at Falls Creek really weren’t based on the volleyball games, the Icee hut, or whether or not we won our softball games. My Falls Creek experience didn’t happen on wooden benches or in the outdoor tabernacle. My Falls Creek experience is what it is because my Falls Creek happened on my knees. I met God there….really, truly, met God and experienced His saving power.
The date was July 3, 1980… that was a long time ago. But now that I think about it….Falls Creek hasn’t changed at all. But I have.
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