I've done a terrible job of updating my blog this summer... so here is a quick picture recap of our summer this far.
Weddings were attended.
Last Saturday was my birthday.
29 years old.
My husband found it hilarious to tell everyone I was 30...
so then no one would believe me when I said I was 29.
He's so funny...
In honor of my birthday
(and not having anything exciting to say)
I will tell you 29 things about me.
1. I hate corn. (we went to a cook-out tonight and I was in charge of bringing corn. When I got to Crest, I realized that I had NO CLUE how to buy fresh corn...)
2. I don't hate the taste of corn... it's a texture thing.
3. I love peas.
4. Yes, I realize that corn and peas are very similar.
5. Sometimes I wonder if I still hate corn based solely on principle.
6. I love to read and usually have 2 or 3 half-read books laying around the house.
7. I typically only finish fiction books. I love to read non-fiction, I just have a problem finishing them.
8. My hair is STRAIGHT... my friends have always had fun, beachy-wavy hair... I have tried everything to make that happen. It never works.
9. Therefore, my hair is in a pony-tail 99% of the time.
10. I love to listen to songs on repeat.
11. I love how that causes my life to have a soundtrack. Songs I love can take me back to any place and time...
12. Currently, Faithfully from the Glee finale is on repeat.
13. Sometimes that's a good thing, sometimes... not so much.
14. I LOVE magazines... I get 4 different magazines every month...
15. I love blogs. Reading blogs is one of my favorite things to do.
16. Some of my very best friends are in high school.
17. I love routine.
18. For example, I have to start my computer and open things in the same order everyday. If the tabs at the bottom of the screen aren't in the right order, I have to close them all and start over...
19. I really love cooking.
20. I do NOT love baking- that requires too much precision and patience.
21. I love personalities and find them fascinating. In another life I would have loved to have been a people-analyzer...
22. I have a complex and think everyone hates me when they first meet me. (insecurity, much?)
23. I don't know if I want to have another child.
24. I really want a baby girl.
25. I'm really confused... :)
26. The song "revelation song" makes me cry and want to fall to my knees every time I hear it.
27. I love spider solitaire... and will play the same game over and over until I win.
28. I REALLY hate losing...
29. It drives me crazy this list doesn't end on an even multiple of 5... Oh well, I'm 29 not 30. :)
We made it home yesterday afternoon from a wonderful week of camp with 200-something middle school students. After some real food (read: vegetables and meat that isn't processed!) and a long nap, plus lots of snuggling with my boy, I've been able to process my thoughts from the week. Here they are...
1. The speaker this week was our good friend Chris. He shoots straight, isn't flowery and gave some amazing truth to these students. I was reminded that students will take what you give them- and they're capable of handling so much more than people give them credit for.
2. Sometimes people make mistakes... we are an imperfect people doing our best to serve a perfect God. I was encouraged by the improvements in things and the humble spirit and willingness to grow I saw. I think far too often I want to focus on the mistakes made by people. God reminded me that I'm far from perfect and I'd like a little grace from the people in my life, so I should probably give the same.
3. Winning isn't everything. :o) I'm a little on the competitive side... and to go from leading a team last year that not only won everything, but loved to talk and have discussions during group times to a team that came in a whole lot closer to last and weren't as willing to talk wasn't easy. But I loved each of them and was happy to see some of them seeking more of the Lord.
4. Hard questions require hard answers. One girl in my group had a TON of questions- difficult questions. I realized as I was talking to her that I don't have all the answers and I found myself praying the Lord would give me wisdom and words to say. Several times I found myself saying "I know that was God because I would NOT have ever thought of that on my own." It's refreshing to lean on Him and not myself.
5. God moves when His people pray. On Monday night, I was so heavily burdened for two girls I love so, so dearly. I stood at the back of the room, begging God to move in their lives. On Thursday night, the final night, I saw one of them get up and walk to her leader. I'm crying now just thinking about it... later that night, the other came and found me and we had a great conversation. I'm not saying my prayers alone made these things happen, because I'm sure I wasn't the only one praying... but man, God is good!!
6. I have an amazing husband who loves these students so, so much. I know his prayers for this week were to see God move, to have these students confronted with some hard stuff. His heart is so sincere and seeing him at a big event like this, knowing he gave it all he had but that ultimately, he has given it to the Lord makes me fall more in love with him. He's the best.
7. I love the church. Not just MY church, CHRIST'S church. One of the sermons was about being saved into community- that we are created to be a part of a body of believers. I am blessed to be a part of my church... but I want to always be certain that I'm not going to church for me. I want to exhaust myself and love the church the way Christ loves me. Whew... those were challenging words!
8. We have awesome high school students. Seeing 30ish of them come to camp for a week and pour their lives into these middle schoolers was incredible. I loved seeing them worship, hearing their hearts for the Lord. Plus they're just really cool.
I've tried to think of 2 more to make this an even 10, but nothing is coming to me... it was a great week and I'm glad I was a part of it. Yeah, I missed my bed and good food, I missed John Mark and friends that weren't there... but it was worth every second to see what God did. Because that's who deserves all the glory- not Micah or me or the sponsors, not camp WOW or the church or the students, not the speaker or the band- it was all the Lord. Without Him, we would have just been a bunch of tired and sweaty people running around for nothing. But isn't that all of life, really- apart from Him, we can do nothing of any lasting value.
