This summer...

We have had a bit of a busy summer.  After we arrived back from Falls Creek, we were spending most days helping with VBS preparations.  We were gearing up for some Pandamania.  I loved seeing the stage set come together.  The ladies that organized it worked so hard.  I was in charge of a break room for the workers.  I remember having a space to get away for just a bit to grab a bite to eat, a quick coke, and a little peace before heading back to showing God's love to little people.  I was so glad to host this area for our workers.  This year they worked so hard and I loved seeing the things that some of them wrote on our prayer, praise and puns wall.  Kids say the funniest things!  There were many decisions made for Christ that week.

Preacher Man left for his South Africa on the 27th.  I decided to leave to see my parents for a while on the following Friday.  We were able to spend some very blessed time with family.  My mom-in-law was doing some amazing things to her apartment that has made it so homey.  Our visit was one of the best ones I can look back on.  My brother and sister-in-law came to visit with my niece and nephew.  She and Sweet Pea had the best time playing together.  Cutie Pie felt a little left out, but she is just a little bit older and it makes a difference.  My girls loved going to the zoo a couple times even though it was so hot and humid.  Honey Bear has definitely started calling me Ma.  My mom was called Ma by my brother for a short time and said how much it loved it because it was so cute.  I now know what my mom was talking about.  Sweet Pea has also started calling me Mom Mom.  My niece calls her mom that, so with them being around each other so much it has rubbed off.  When I make my way down there, I am able to shop and sometimes find really good deals.  So I was able to truly feel like it was a vacation while Preacher Man is gone.  Thankfully, I was able to keep up with him through social media.  When he got back in the states, he had to stay with our pastor because we forgot his house key in the house.  One HUGE detail that slipped our minds.  They graciously let him crash there till we got home the next day.  It was so exciting to have us all together and home!  We have had a good week together, but I find myself over and over feeling like I need to organize my house from top to bottom.  Some of this urge comes from both Preacher Man and myself bring stuff home and accumulating too much.  We have closets that have wood shelves but they are odd sized and not real sturdy.  I really want to get a shelving system to better help with organizing.  Ok, enough of this cleaning stuff, I will work very hard to get things paired down.  For now, I am going to look forward to each day and our up coming Student Evangelism Conference.  We have a pretty good size group going.  Thanks for sticking with me through my update...I have taken a while doing this because we were traveling.  I hope you all are doing well and enjoying the warmth before fall comes and the fridged cold of winter.

Long overdue

Consumed 2011

Praise the LORD, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Psalm 103:1

I can't not sleep tonight.  It probably has a lot to do with the thoughts rolling around in my mind tonight.  Anyway, I am going to do my long overdue post about Falls Creek.  It was such an ordained time.  The Thursday night before youth camp, a friend and myself took some youth girls to the Cadillac Ranch, and the Groom Cross.  I wasn't sure what God was going to do that night.  I chose a section of scripture about unity in Christ.  I have mentioned before that we (Preacher Man and I) have wanted our group to be unified.  I have been praying they could start to see each other as someone they could go to with problems or requests and they would be there for each other.  That evening before camp was a glimpse of that dream coming true.

When we arrived at camp, we had 28 youth, 4 sponsors, and 1 outstanding cook.  There was a an anticipation from the youth that had attended before...and eagerness from the 'newbies'.  That first night the speaker dude (a title that he gave himself) told us that he would be speaking out of 1 John.  Each night he would take time in each of the chapters of 1 John and show us how vital it is to be completely consumed with Christ.  He then started to share the gospel.  We had two jr. high girls step forward and make decisions.  There was rejoicing that night.

Tuesday was hot and sunny.  It was the day for the beginning of rec and our day to do the high ropes course.  I have not observed or participated in this activity.  I am not a huge fan of height, this doesn't mean that I don't enjoy an occasional roller coaster or even attempt ropes courses.  It was interesting to observe the dynamics between two people who don't know anything about the other person.  If there wasn't complete trust, there was hesitation and fear.  (completely understandable)  After just a bit, you could see this mutual understanding that they were in this together.  I loved being there to see the silly encouragement of our high school guys quoting Nacho Libre....'you have eagle powers.'  Each night we had students making bold decisions for Christ.  There was one young man who told Preacher Man as soon as we got back he needed to be baptized, and he felt a possible call to missions.

More and more I saw our group becoming more acquainted with each other.  I know that becoming a group that relies on each other takes years, sometimes a decade.  I have seen this happening..little steps to helping them rely on each other and being thankful for each other.

As with any time you leave and go on a vacation or get away from everything and go to camp, you have to come back to reality.  This is when you have to cling to God the most.  Many of our students go into homes with no christian influence.  There parents are very dedicated to them and will do anything for them.  They just simply haven't heard or unsure of what to do.  There are still many people who haven't been talked to about Christ.  The hard work begins when our students get into old habits and we don't expect them to be perfect.  Preacher Man and I want to be there for them when they need encouragement, when they need prayer, when they need guidance, etc.  For most of my life, I have been a black and white, right and wrong, idealistic kind of person.  I have had a reset button that allows each day to be new with no mistakes.  As I grow older, I feel that this changes as with all things in life.  Change isn't easy and it can sometimes be very difficult to understand.  If I didn't have Christ in my life, I wouldn't have made it through some very tough things in the last 10 years.  I pray that for many of our students say they can look at the uncertainties ahead and know that the one constant for them is Christ. 

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6