Camp Mode

Two weeks from today I’ll be in the Quad, introducing the first night game. This Thursday we have our final leader training. All of this means that I am in full camp mode. I love this time of year. This is when my “green” gets a chance to shine. At work we describe our abilities based on four different colors as described as the people at Personalysis. While I’ve never gotten to take the test to find out what colors I actually am, I know enough about the process and myself to think I have a pretty good idea of what I would be- green. Green means I’m detail oriented- a planner who makes lists, works best in organized situations and thinks things all the way through beforehand. I love being behind the scenes and making things happen. While other people are the dreamers, the ones who come up with the ideas, I do my best to make them happen smoothly and efficiently. People don’t tend to realize just how much organizing and planning goes into each aspect of camp, and that’s fine with me. I hope that I can make it look effortless- that means I’m doing my job well.

But, that means that the next two weeks are a little chaotic and very busy. Luckily I work with a lot of great people- both paid and volunteer- and after ten years, I feel like we’ve got this camp thing down pretty well. Even though we aren’t taking as many students this year as we have in the past, I have complete faith that God is going to bring the kids and leaders that He wants to be there, and He’s still going to move through camp that week.

I finish my teaching series next Sunday and it’s been a really great experience for me. Not only has it helped me grow in my own faith, but I hope that our students get something out of it as well. I love that it has given the students the chance to get to know me, and I feel like I’m getting to know them as well- both of which will make camp even better.

It’s going to be a great week- and the only way I want to end my summer

Time, It Marches On

Less than six weeks before I get to move into my new apartment in Valpo. I can’t tell you how excited I am to be living off campus this year. Luckily, it’s close enough that getting to and from shouldn’t be hard, and my classes are in pretty good blocks, especially when I add the hours I plan to work. I’ve started purchasing things for my room- changing up the decorations this year, and have consequently forbidden myself from going to Target for the next few weeks. It is way too easy to spend money there. I ventured into IKEA for the first time, and all that did was get me really excited to someday have an entire house that I can decorate. Emphasis on someday.

Work is going really well. I’m teaching in our Sunday service for the next three weeks and am pretty excited about that. Hopefully the students will be able to get something good out of it. We’re also getting ready for camp- and the closer it gets, the busier I get, but the more excited I get too. There is nothing in the world like the Peak, and it’s something that I look forward to all year.

It’s hard to think that in a year I’ll be out there in the real world- somewhere. I don’t know where that will be, and am trying my hardest to leave that in God’s hands, especially because I get incredibly overwhelmed when I start to think about big decisions like that. I look back to this time last year- how much has happened since then, the things that have changed- and can’t believe that so much can be different. I guess this just reminds me that a year is a LOT of time, so trying to plan for that right now doesn’t make any sense anyway. Plus, it’s kind of exciting to think of the wide range of possibilities waiting at my door.

I’ve realized in the last few days how much I enjoy having something pretty to look at. Turning the corner and seeing Mount Hood in all it’s glory is something that I can’t do in the Midwest- all I ever see is corn fields and smokestacks. For so long I’ve taken the beauty of the northwest for granted, and looking back I wish I’d done things like hiking, camping, exploring more often. I guess that saying is true- you never know what you got til it’s gone.

Love and miss-