Retreats. Jobs. Adventures. Life.

Whew. It's just been so full of bustle!  I don't want to bombard you with the details of everything, but I do want to uncover some stories and thoughts about my last couple of weeks.  My next several posts may be to that end.

Just one story tonight and then a preview of the next few to come...

Bowling with frozen poultry.  It was a sight to behold!  The winter retreat at Riverside was in full swing.  I had two "talks" under my belt.  I was half-way through the four I had prepared.  It was going well.  I was surprised that the urgency of what I was sharing came out between the shakes and nerves.  Being a first time speaker, I thought that I would come out dry and unfeeling.  Anyway, the bowling.  It was magnificent.  There is nothing quite like holding a smallish frozen turkey and looking across the ice rink at 10 2-liter bottles set up like pins.  The strategies you come up with to knock down the most pins (on the knees, granny-style, side arm) are just hilarious to watch fail or succeed in their turn.  As I heaved the turkey forward in the first frame for my team, I had visions of getting a strike on my first time and impressing everyone.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  I missed completely. Not. A. Pin. Down. 

Thankfully, everyone else was having similar luck.  Half-filled  with water and frozen, those bottles were difficult to totter over.  Getting two or more down brought huge hoots and hollers from your team.  Toward the end of the game, Jake gets a brilliant idea.  He begins running from outside of the rink, on the snow, to gain momentum.  He plans to launch himself on the ice and propel the turkey forward from the line.  Anyone else would have biffed it and broken a bone (as someone did that day).   But Jake's middle names are "gracefully athletic" so, of course, he nails the landing and the release.  He knocked down 6 pins.  This guy is my hero.

And then somehow, potentially by a mathematical error, our team (TEAM STRIKE!) went from last to first in the second half of the game.  We don't ask questions at that point.  We just go crazy bananas on the ice, screaming and slapping backs.  This is what I love about camp.  It's a place where you can tell a person about Jesus and then be utterly silly with that person in the very next moment.  What a lovely mix!

Stay tuned for...

A bit of pregnancy in the library at Northwestern (A social experiment)

Fluent in Flatulence (A look inside a fish-house full of Sherfs)

The New Job (on the effects of growing up with only brothers and then working with only women.)

Infuse. Ignited for Christ

I've been working like a mad woman on a set of talks that I will be presenting this weekend at Riverside's winter retreat for youth.  The theme for the week is Infuse: Ignited for Christ.  After getting over the hump of completely blank thoughts, I have hammered out some thoughts on our lives, God's plan for things, darkness and light and various other topics.  

I've learned so much in my preparation.  By far, the biggest thing is that if this goes off without hitch, it will be because of the Lord.  If this goes off with a hitch or two, the Lord will use it in His way.

Pray that God's purposes might stand.  Pray that all hearts would be open to understand.  Pray that God would let us see Him and ignite our hearts!

Riverside Review

I've been reflecting a lot on my experience at Riverside this summer and I am not able to put it into words. It was more than just another summer at camp, but in a lot of ways, it was old hat. I thought I'd share some of the highlights for me, in no particular order:

1. Mischievous campers... this kid sat on the Rock of Ages and used his swimming goggles to reflect the sun into my eyes as I was talking to another staff member. And he did it for like 5 minutes before I realized it was him. His grin just melted my heart.
2. Energetic staff... I was amazed that after a full week of campers, my staff would keep going on the weekends! Out to the fair, a Timber Rattlers game, trips to town, and bowling... not to mention the movie nights and "shaloming!" I really was thankful for their dedication and energy. I definitely did NOT have that all of the time.
3. Fun activities... OK, this might be too much patting myself on the back, but I think the program was a lot of fun for campers! I enjoyed being ridiculous and crazy for three weeks and having people listen to me! When I had on my princess crown, I commanded attention. We played in the mud, did game shows and Bible trivia, ran around with ice, played ultimate frisbee and of course, played Womp 'Em.

4. Good God... man, I was, by some estimation, thrown into this programming gig at the last second, but God was not surprised by it. I was taught a lot in this month about the Lord's care and provision for each of us. There were hard moments, moments that I felt completely alone although I never was. Other times, it was just sweet. I remember the night that some staff throw me an "unbirthday party" (it's a long story, really) and I got to sit in the midst of these dear ones, eating homemade turtle cheesecake and worshiping the Lord. You can't buy these times! The Lord is good.

Thanks for reading and praying for me (us). I hope to be more thoughtful/profound later.

Infuse, the End of an Era

I stepped into the chapel after most had left and turned on all the lights. As I stood in the back, I recounted all that God had infused into me at this camp. I was trained in life and ministry here, more than in any classroom. It is so home to me.

[click] I turn one light out. I think about how terrified I was at the prospect of cabin-leadering as a junior in high school. What if my campers don't like me? or listen to me? What? - I have to plan a devotion? now, 6? God took over and I learned.

[click.] There was a strange feeling in me as I left my first week of being activities director. Could God have more for me here? Somehow, the answer came YES, but it was very subtle and quiet.

[click.] Two summers of programming taught me more about myself, about what my body can do and about what happens when my body shuts down from exhaustion. I learned even more as I gave up control to the Master of the Universe. I learned to nap on a musty chapel pew surrounded by rowdy campers, manage many staff members and lead large group games. As I play the snapshots in my mind, I see campers loving one another, meeting Christ, and struggling through life together. I see lots of smiles and laughs.

[click.] It is nearly dark now. I moved to Austria, left with a hole the size of Riverside in my heart. I ached for a place to use these gifts that I had developed and been so affirmed in. It's super hard to lead in a different language. :o) I wipe the tears from my face as I think about the hours I spent on the bridge over the river during my re-entry into the States. Those were sweet times in the arms of Jesus, weeping for the hole in my heart now shaped like Austria. I was soothed again by the gentle rushing water flowing between the large rocks.

[click.] One last programming gig before the full time program director takes her post. I have spent so much energy for this camp... wanting so much that Christ would be seen and magnified in it. I was infused with God's love and grace this weekend. My weakness only made His strength more evident.

I turn, back again and I wave sliding slowly backwards as the last click clicks off...

The end of an era, and it's so hard to say goodbye.