i did it once and i got almost half way done and then someone decided to restart the computer...so i'll try really hard to make this one better...
so, i guess i'll start with track...because thats about as far back as i can remember.
Track started at the end of february and it was definitely a new experience. but i did a lot better than i thought i would. this is going to sound super corny, but when i finally started to get down how to throw a stupid rubber disc through the air, it like, gave me an adrenaline rush. like, "wow, i just threw that." especially since it took me over half the season to "start" to get it...but i REALLY enjoyed it. it was so fun. and i really liked that my brother was interested in what i was doing. thats one of the VERY few things that we have in common and next year, we actually get to do it together...which could be a good or bad thing...we'll see. but i think it will be mostly good.
besides throwing discus, i also threw javelin and shotput. and i also did a little running. at first i ran the 200m dash which was mostly just for helping with my throwing. and then i started doing the 800...thats right, two laps. i didn't do too bad. i made it to districts, but right before districts, i started doing the 4x4 relay and in order to save my energy for that, i purposely (sp?) bombed the 800. and i am totally ok with that because i wouldn't have made it anyways. a girl on my team, Sarah Buswell, who is a way better runner than i am tried her hardest at the 800 and not even she made it, so i wouldn't have done very good. but anyways, i went to state with the 4x4 relay team and got to spend time with Cassie, Hilary (or hillary? i don't remember) and Ellen,Jessica, Ricardo (don't ask) and John Steidel...along with a lot of other people that are really cool. we got like...eleventh or something, but thats ok, it was a really good experience and i think our whole team will do a lot better this year. and hopefully, some guys will make it too...well, of course John will because hes dumb like that...but yeah, only girls made it to state this year which was fun but some guys need to make it this time!
hmmm...well after track, spring soccer stuff started....the day after track state to be exact! but for me, it started a week after track because i needed a break...and that went on throughout the whole summer and it was, in my opinion, more fun than the actual season because it was way more laid back and interesting. and we got to have Hugo for our coach most of the time because Mr. Malunat was in Germany for like a month watching the World Cup...lucky duck...but yeah, that was fun, Hugo is really cool.
VBS.
Well, VBS was really cool for me this year. but its one of those things that i look back on and wish i would have relied on God more for my strength. but i don't really want to regret it, and i dont. so, i am really greatful for the things that happened that were so completely "God". like, i got to get a little closer to Case and Chase Rice. they're twins and they're SOO much alike its scary. Usually, after you spend a little time with twins you can tell them apart pretty good...no. thats not how it worked, they look EXACTLY alike. i even talked to their aunt and she agrees with me...its scary. but anyways, one of them--i feel HORRIBLE to say this, but i can't remember which one because even their names are ridiculously similar!--gave their heart to the Lord on the day that we really devote to salvation at VBS. i was talking to her in the hall and she said she wanted to and she seemed kind of uncomfortable so i asked if she would rather talk to her grandma (Connie R.) and she said yes. which turned out amazing because Connie was SO happy for her. i mean, i would have loved to be a part of it but i'm happy with the small part i did play and i don't think it could have turned out better. and after that, i really had a good time getting to know them.
i also got to see some of the girls just be friends and that was really cool. little girls can be snotty sometimes, but they can definitely be understanding and friendly and accepting too.
and i got to work with Jenn Ball and Maxine Pratt, which was really cool and definitely a good learning experience.
the week in between VBS and Jericho was NOT wasted. most of that week i spent getting decorations laid aside from our VBS to take to the VBS in Jericho. and the best part of it was the time i got to spend with Kaeli Joyce. Kaeli is an amazing person. before we talked about the lesson plans, we always spent time just praying. and man, those times were awesome. i don't know what was so different about them but they really tought me how we take prayer for granted and how you don't need "special words" to talk to God. He just wants you. Raw and unedited, just speaking your mind and loving Him. and from then on, the whole summer was just marinated in prayer.
And i got to work with Kaeli a lot last summer and i could have never picked a better person to work with and to share all the memories with. of course, shes not the only one who i got closer to, it was just really cool to be able to because i had never really had a chance to get to know her before that and it was incredible to be able to spend as much time with her as i did! She really helped me grow and we got to work out some problems together that were holding both of us back. it was just an awesome experience working with her the whole summer!
We left for Willamette Valley on Saturday to do a VBS in Independence, OR. There was so much
that happened at Jericho last summer that i'm sure i won't cover it all, but i'll do my best without totally boring you.we stayed at Monmouth Christian Church which was about ten minutes or less from the church where the VBS was held. these churches were combined for the VBS and had it at the Independence First Baptist. the first day we got there we drove straight to the Independence church and had fellowship...aka we had pizza and got to know some new, really cool people!. after that, we all got straight to decorating our rooms, it was a lot easier the second time since all the decorations were already made for the themes and everything. after we were done decorating and talking and just getting ready for the week ahead of us, we got back into our steaming hot cars and went to Monmouth to get settled in. of course, decorating and settling in took a little longer than we thought and we didn't leave quite on schedule for springfield (which was stinkin far away!) and--regretfully--we didn't quite make it for the door-to-door training they had at the church...we were all very disappointed.........
BUT, we did make it for dinner! which was some kind of spaghetti...i think......and after that, we had a worship time/welcome to Jericho thing...that was pretty cool, it was the first time we got to hear Mike T. speak that summer and hes amazing.
the next day was just kind of laid back and relaxing. we split up between the two churches for services and after that we went swimming at marys house. and GOT TO WATCH THE LAST OF THE WORLD CUP!!! i was kinda excited...not as excited as Jordon who was too excited to remember to take off his shirt before he jumped into the pool...but it was entertaining. and after that, we went to someone elses house (i don't remember who but they had a REALLY cute golden retriever puppy) and we had a barbacue (sp?) and just hung out some more there and met some more really cool people.
Monday was the First day of Vbs and we got to meet all the kids we would be working with all week and meet some MORE really cool new people. ...and then there was monday night...the dreaded door-to-door survey. which, in my opinion, got blown WAY out of proportion! i mean, i definitely was one of those that blew it way out of proportion, but i think we could have handled it a little bit better than it was. i don't know, i just was really disappointed in the attitudes that day--mine DEFINITELY included! and as i look back on it, it was NOT as big of a deal as we made it out to be and God totally had it under control. and i know this because as i think about it, i realize that every single person on our team that DID believe that God had it all under control had AMAZING results and stories...and some--tacos...so, it really taught me something about myself and my faith in God even though it is way after-the-fact now.
the next two days were just VBS and BLOCK PARTIES! we had WAY underestimated the block parties because last year we did SO many of them that we wanted to burn our blasted orange
shirts! but this time, they were really cool! AND we got to meet MORE really cool people! me and Kaeli had a goal to meet and talk to at least five people at the block parties. i remember this because i wrote down the names of the people on the back of a pink post-it note that was in my wallet...but i think i only met three people at one of them...but they were a blast. even though they were tiring. and i got a free bracelet out of the deal. we had a block party at the IFBC and at a City Park in Monmouth. i remember the one in Monmouth a lot better than the other one for some reason.the next two days we just had VBS in the morning as usual. but on the day we talk especially about salvation was again, amazing and unforgettable for me. a little girl, who seemed as though she was very emotionless but knew all the answers...i don't know...anyways, her name is Ashara. and i got to talk to her about becoming a Christian. now, this was really segnificant for me because it was my first time ever actually leading someone to Christ like that. and even more significant was the fact that me and Kaeli had just talked to Joe C. about this book called Sharing Jesus Without Fear. its sort of a guideline with verses and stuff for leading someone to Christ. and he let me borrow a like, little wallet size thing from the book...anyways, when i was talking to her she was really interested and i asked her if she wanted to read all the verses from my bible...i was SO nervous and i'm not sure if i made sense some of the time but she prayed and i prayed for her and i have never had such an amazing feeling in my entire life! it was like, i was serving God and i knew that he was there because He saved that little girl and he let ME be a part of it! so, another little side note thing about this amazing experience: when i went to get her a bible, i noticed that it had like a bookmark thing in it. i took it out and found out that it was a Sharing Jesus Without Fear wallet size thing just like the one that Joe let me borrow except a little newer. how amazing is that!? so, i still have that thing and i keep it in my wallet all the time.
so yeah, as amazing as that was, i'll move on now. we also got to see NDS and hear Mike T. speak at a Youth Rally that night which was really fun and we also got to spend time with our friends/roomates from Redmond for the last time. and we played an awesome game of ultimate frisbee...that was pretty sweet too. And after the Last day of VBS we went back to Monmouth and packed up our things and headed back to Washington (of course, stopping at a lavendar farm, a seven eleven, and...umm...somewhere we don't talk about and of course Nordstrom Rack) and the week came to an end that seemed very very much too soon.
well, that was kinda long but believe it or not, there was way more that i could have written but didn't.
so now...
Youth Camp. well, youth camp was fun...it was really relaxing and just sort of a time to hang out with a bunch of people that i love and meet some MORE new people and just be surrounded by people who love me and love God. ...and get tackled to the ground by Sitton. good times...? i also really realized how important it is to have a real one-on-one relationship with God EVERY DAY! that doesn't mean i'm perfect by any means but i really discovered that again at Youth Camp and i'm sure that i'll learn it a thousand times over again.
well, there really isn't too too much to say about youth camp other than what has already been said. all i have left to say is "goin to the chapel and we're gonna get married......"
after Youth Camp, i came home, washed my clothes (well most of them...) and i got ready for Kids camp. well, as ready as you can get in one weekend.
Kids Camp. well, kids camp is always fun for me. not to mention an incredible learning experience that i could never forget. this time, i was working with kids that i have never really worked with before. i've always pretty much had the same group of girls that i work with at VBS, kids camp and everything else...every year. its been really fun watching them all grow up and grow in Christ. but this year, instead of working with third graders, they put me with fourth graders. two of the girls in my cabin have never been to camp before and didn't go to our church on a regular basis. one actually lived by seattle. and the other two came to our church whenever they could and came with family that were members but weren't themselves. the two girls that don't often go to church, gave their hearts to the Lord in our cabin one night after worship service. but it was kind of weird for me because they both did it "in their heads" and so i just prayed for them and asked them a ton of questions. and i really believe that they got it. i apologize for my lack of faith but i just wanted to know for sure...you know? and overall, i had a REALLY great time with my girls and another AMAZING time working with Kaeli Joyce...and i also did Bible Study with Britton Holman which was a HUGE learning experience...Britton is an amazing person who is makes it so obvious through his life that he is in love with God. The last day at Clearlake was also an amazing time to just hang out with people that love me and love the Lord and to just fellowship with one another...that may sound cliche but fellowship is not just about food but its...just spending time with people in the presence of God...if that makes sense to you. i just wanted to let you know that i don't take it for granted and i really love all the people in my life and love spending time with them.
This year at the fair was a little different for me than it usually is. After the incredible summer i had up to this point, i decided not to get caught up in the "fair drama". i talked to Linnea before the fair and said that we needed to watch out and make sure that we don't get that way again...by "that way" i mean that usually by the third or fourth day of the fair, we don't even want to talk to each other and we pretty much hate each other. so every once in a while we would just sit down and pray. we only did it two or three times but it seriously helped. sometimes we still had a pretty sore attitude but we got over it and the fair actually ended on a fairly good note which is totally unusual. we definitely didn't totally escape the drama that was going on around us but we had our own heads on fairly straight and just kinda tried to stay out of as much of other peoples' business as was possibly avoidable.
i had been praying about taking a few classes at THS this year because i kinda felt like i should...i'm not sure exactly why i just did. and mom and me were talking about it a little and we were talking about what classes we might take and all that. and we never really came to a decision. Learning Center was going to be expensive and i had to get braces and all that stuff and it just didn't look like it was going to work. so we started thinking about Jim Macdonald and doing stuff with Mary Ellen and all them and we were just really confused and we were all contemplating a ton of things. but in the end i understood that we were probably just going to go back to Learning Center.
at the fair though, me and my dad were talking about a bunch of stuff. i believe we were the only people by the trailers at all and we were just kinda sittin around in ours...anyways, we were talking and all the sudden my dad says "what would you think about going to Toledo full time?"
i didn't know what to think or say...or anything! i just said "i wouldn't." He said that LCLC was going to be way too expensive to send us both to and that it probably wouldn't happen. I told him to send John to lclc and me to THS...but he just kinda laughed at me.
Full time? God, i know its you but what are you thinking?
i know that God wants me there and he has a purpose for me, but i'm just not sure EXACTLY what that is. i know God is working and i want to join Him but i'm not sure how he wants me to do that yet. Please pray for me guys! and for my school and for Jordon and Heidi and Ben and Ronnie and Carrie. Something God-sized is going to happen in Toledo if we're faithful and willing to serve Him.
kids camp is always sort of a closure to my summer...besides the fair. but i mean like its the last time i am just SURROUNDED by only people that love me and encourage me to grow closer to God 24/7. its easy to stand firm in your beliefs and to stand up to temptation and everything else because you're just surrounded by encouragement and there isn't the same kind of situations and temptations to stand up to.
The last day we had a youth devotional at Kids Camp while the kids were still there, we talked about how a REAL friend would be willing to tell you you're not doing so good. I have a lot of amazing friends, but i don't feel like i've been a very good encouragement to them.
Just because its not summer anymore gives me no excuse to not live for God. i'm willing to say that i have been struggling lately and i need prayer and i really need God. i NEED God! God has a purpose for me! I am SO excited for Him to reveal it to me. even if it is just little bits at a time.
well, even though i really only wrote about the summer, i hope you enjoyed it and i really hope you know how much i love an appreciate you even though i really don't act like it sometimes.
"You were shown these things so that you would know that the Lord is God; there is no other besides Him." Deuteronomy 4:35
