Transparent Abundance

In 1956, cattle and forestry land along Port Susan Bay was purchased to develop what is now lovingly known by hundreds of thousands of people as Warm Beach Camp. The property came with the original farmhouse, a smaller second house, and some barns for cattle operations.

The original farmhouse (now called Bayview Retreat House) became the home for Elmer and Eva McDowell (my grandparents). These two sold their business in Centralia, WA, to come and play an essential role in taking this raw land and turning it into a thriving Christian Camp. When they moved into the farmhouse, my grandma planted an “Early Transparent” Apple Tree in the backyard, overlooking acres and acres of pastureland. Fast-forward from the late 1950s to the summer of 2025. I was part of a group that gave a brother and sister a driving tour of the camp. We pulled up behind Bayview (the farmhouse), and the Early Transparent apple tree was filled with apples. Hundreds of apples had already fallen to the ground. It was an absolute abundance of apples from one tree. According to my wife, Bev, the best applesauce apples are the “Early Transparent.” This is a heritage apple that is not commonly found anymore.

Over the next couple of days, I spent a few hours gleaning the apples on the ground and harvesting those on the tree that were in reach from a ladder. One hundred fifty pounds in all were gleaned and harvested. There was time to reflect on the vision and stewardship of my grandma and grandpa. One apple tree produced transparent abundance. I had nothing to do with planting it, nor had I ever been involved in pruning it. I noticed the abundance and spent a few hours gathering it up.

At one point, I apologized to the Lord for all the wasted apples on the ground. What struck me was that in God’s abundance, not a single apple was wasted. Deer, birds, outdoor varmints, worms, and microbes all benefited from this tree and its fruit. The soil was replenished, ensuring the continued life and health of the tree. This is the transparent abundance of God’s kingdom.

Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa, for planting for future generations beyond what you could see or know.

This is what Warm Beach Camp Ministries seeks to continue to be a part of today: faithfully planting, renewing, and restoring for generational impacts we do not know or see today.

Living in the transparent abundance of God,
Ed McDowell, C.E.O.
Warm Beach Camp Ministries