What I am Googling

Greek hairstyles.
Why?
Because this week is Olympic Week and tomorrow we are have the Olympics.
Of course I am dressing up! :]]

My Fire Hydrant

I love to read. To the point where it becomes an obsession, and I get lost in the world that the author has created instead of functioning properly in the world that I am actually in. When I was young and had to go to the store with my mom and all my siblings, I would walk behind her with a book in hand. What. a. nerd....I know. This summer I have reread some books that I have read before. When I read them the first time, I was done in about three days. This time it took me about three months. Not that the books where less interesting, but that my life has changed a good bit over six years. Not as much time to dedicate to a favorite pass time. But when asked what my hobbies are, I still answer, "Reading."

So this is a really random, almost pointless post, but hey, its my fire hydrant.

"I finally recognized the hand that was holding mine. "

Glorious.

If you look closely you can tell that is Camp Hope in the background. I got to spend a total of seven days there over the past couple of weeks, and let me tell you, it was absolutely wonderful. Singing, staying up way too late, waking up teenagers to play games in the middle of the night, setting tables, campfires, mopping, cleaning bathrooms, going to meeting, hauling trash, talking (a lot), mornings at the campfire ring when the dew was settling, family, pranks, praying....it was just, well, refreshing. And exhausting.


[notes: remember this post from earlier in the summer? God delights in giving us the desires of our hearts, but His way, at His time. And I stole the picture from Sarah.]

No Longer Lost

"How think ye? if a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? ¹And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray."

More than ever this summer, I have learned the truth of these verses. At the day camp, we have 50+ kids in a week and we run the camp mostly at the water park where hundreds of members come every day. The counselors are great, and always keep up with their kids, but sometimes, they turn their back for. just. a. split. second. And when they turn back around, the child who was just standing there is gone. When this happens, we. drop. everything. It does not matter if I am working in the office, cleaning up a mess, taking care of a boo-boo, or talking to a parent. Everything normal stops for me and the counselor and we search without stopping for the lost child. Most of the time we find them in just a couple of minutes, you know, sitting in a chair, talking to a new friend, or they had just gone to the bathroom. But what a relief, what a joy, it is when we find that kid!
And it just makes me more grateful for my Savior.

Oh Happy Day

Tonight I was talking with my dear Christina on the phone--she in Nyack, NY and myself in Georgia. We laughed, chatted about old times, shared concerns for life, enjoyed excitement about what is going on the in the life of the other, and discussed eternity. It was lovely. One of those exciting things was the marriages that are coming up. The first one will be for my dear friend, Catherine, who will be getting married at the end of next month. I will actually be standing in her wedding, so I have been buying shoes and things here lately. Another great aspect of the day will be seeing Christina. Christina will be there because she is marrying Catherine's brother in December. And it just so happens, that when she does, she too will be moving to Georgia. Oh happy day!

(Note: The picture is from last August at another brother of Catherine's wedding. Cat is on the left, I am in the middle, and Christina is on the right.)

Spilt Paint

Ecclesiastes 7:9

"Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit,
for anger resides in the lap of fools."

There is a loong story behind this verse and how it has blessed me the past couple of days. But just let me tell you, it has been amazing.

Days Gone By

I know it has been a while since I have posted....
And what a busy while it has been.
I would love to share, but just do not know where to start, so I will share some verses that I have been mulling over the past few days.
The are from the second chapter of Jonah:

"Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet will I look again toward they holy temple. The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God. When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thine holy temple."

Jonah had put himself in that watery situation, yet his God has still there to bring him out.
And that his God happens to be my God too.

Letters- Unedited

"Thank you so much for serving your country and for protecting our freedom. We love you!"

"Thank you for saveing our country ps: I mest up on the front"

"Thank u soiders very much If it warn't for you I would be dead you probaly know the experimence with all the soildiers dieing I hope you don't die because you're doing so good."

"Thanks! You da Bomb"

"Dear, Trops thank for you fighting for us"

"Thank you for fighting for our country so we don't have to worry about people hurting us. be safe, and pray."

"Thank u beary much! Teddy, B;ankey, and I tahnk u for fighting for us!"

"Dear soldiers thank you for risking your life to save us. ps good job Thank-
s"

"I just wanted to say...Thank You For Everything that you do! We love you!"

"Thank you so much. I man never march in the inventry, ride in teh calory, shoot the artilary. I man never fly over the enemy, But I'm in the lord's army, Yes Sir! I'm in lord's army, yes sir!"


Last week at camp, the theme was "4th of July". One of the activities the kids did was write letters to soldiers. The above are unedited randishions of what they wrote.

A new little friend

The Story

I knew we were not sharing the gospel like we could and should at the Day Camps. But I was just not sure how to fix that. But the Lord, oh the Lord, knew. After much beseeching, He gave the answer.

The paintboard.

Of course.

Why didn't I think of that?

Well, because I am me and God is God.

So now, every morning there is a story with hawk-eye and a prize and everything.

The kids love it. And God is blessing. So please keep praying.