Happy Thursday!

OK, ok! Two nights ago at our Long Beach Vision Dinner I received at least 10 different requests to keep the email updates coming. Often statements are, "I think I must have gotten bumped off the list because I haven't received one in awhile."

No, you didn't get bumped off, I just haven't written in awhile.

"Don't stop! We really look forward to your emails!" (And, yes, they really say it with exclamation points--but so do those who ask to get their name off the list!)

The challenge is that many of you have been receiving these from the beginning, when I explained why I send them; while others have since joined because they saw the link on the website, and have no idea of the ground rules. So, I will restate them so we all remember what the rules are.

1. We all get too many emails, many of which we don't really want to read. My purpose is not to create one more that is something you don't want to read.
2. I will always write them myself. I have a great staff that suggests "Jeff, do you want us to just crank one out?" No. I don't. I get many letters from people I know, that when I read their letters, I can tell they didn't write it. (George Bush, James Dobson, and Arnold are among them.)
3. Sometimes I am busy, or don't have anything to say (and I'll never tell you which is which). But I promise I won't just write fluff. Sometimes I won’t write. Assume I am busy, the board will be more impressed by that.
4. I reserve the right to write about what is happening in my personal life from time to time. Many of you prayed for my son while he was in the U.S. Army Rangers. Thank you! (Now, my son-in-law, Nathan, will be deployed soon. He is in the Navy.)
5. I absolutely love it when you choose to write me. If you hit reply to this email, I get it. Not some automated computer in India. That has to be worth something!
6. I will also include links and pictures that might be fun, or informative. For example, if you click on this link you will find a picture of Nathan's ship. Or, a place to play Sudoku (don't blame me if you get addicted). Or, a cool 360 degree view of Hume. Also, if you click on the pictures to the right side, you will see a larger version of the photo, and if you right click on them, you can save them and show them to your friends!
7. The last rule (Which I have violated with this email) is to keep them short! I hate long emails, unless they are...Never mind, I'm going to keep this one short.

Kept,

Jeff Lilley
Executive Director
Hume Lake Christian Camps
jlilley@humelake.org