1/20/2012

I can't think straight.  I have to control myself to steady the whirlwind of nagging thoughts streaming through my head.  I wish I could let them go, but it takes all the concentration in the world to replace them with anything else.  These moments of hardships though, while incredibly distressing, have a sweetness to them that's hard to explain.  It's in moments like these that I cling most tightly to Jesus and so clearly feel Him holding me with a grip I'm convinced will never loosen.   

Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the LORD,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40: 28-32

Thank you Lord, for how You carry your children.  Thanks for how you love so deeply and assure us of your faithfulness in moments when we need nothing more.   Help me to dwell on You and not on the earthly fears of what could transpire.  I need You... I always need You.

Love, Your daughter

Wow...

I can't believe how time flies.  Or at how terrible I am at anything online.  Not having internet at home can be frustrating, yet a valuable thing because it hinders me from sitting hours on end in from of a computer screen!  Problem is, I rarely update anything. 

Needless to say, it's been some time since I've updated this blog.  And quite frankly, I just plain haven't had time!  December has been so busy here at camp.  And now, implementing the new registration software for the summer has me in the office more than normal for this time of year.  LOVE it though- it's super neat seeing how lives are changed and impacted through what God is doing here. 

It's 5:13pm and I'm in my cube at camp, waiting for Jason to finish up for the day.  Then we'll head home, get supper together, and head out to Spirit, WI to spend the evening with his uncle and cousins and his uncle's parents. 

Can you believe the weather?!  It's been outrageous!  Complete flip from last year!  I love the temps, but do wish we had more snow.  Having snow out at Camp in the winter plays a MAJOR part in our ministry here.  We do have snow, but it's scarce.  We are so thankful for the snow-making machines that were donated to camp a few years ago!  What would we have done this year without them!?

Well, I'll update more later.  When Jason's hungry, he's... well, hungry!  Gotta head home.  Blessings and here's a favorite passage...

"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness."

James 3: 13-18

Busy.

Busy days, busy days....  Good, but busy days.  Life this past week has been a whirlwind.  So many things to do.  It seems that days are never long enough to fit everything in.  Before I blink, the day is gone.  I've been contemplating getting a weekly planner lately.  I've never had one and never felt compelled to want one until recently.  Now it seems I need one! I want each day to be as productive as possible.  And I'm not so sure that "winging it" from day to day has been the best direction.  I don't feel like I forget to do things... though maybe I forget all that I could be doing that would be more meaningful. 

Life is short.  The older I get, the shorter it seems.  Why is that?  Any answers anyone?  It makes me remember how precious time is and how fleeting my little life is.  I'm reminded that there is so much more than this life, this place... 

How do I make the most of the time God gives me?  Lord, keep teaching me...

Life on 11/5/11

I suppose I could enjoy blogging more if I looked at it as journaling.  I love to journal.  I wish I made it a bigger priority though...  it never fails to be therpeutic and calming.  My tendancy is to journal only when I'm ecstatically excited about something or really mad.  Today, I'm neither really... simply feeling the urge to blog about life in my shoes today.

So... life.  Well, this morning (since it's Saturday) we slept in till 8am.    We had devotions, ate yogurt, granola and cottage cheese (awesome combo, you should try it), and ventured off to help our friends and fellow camp staff move into their new house.  Moving a whole house is quite different from just transferring apartment items.  It made me pretty pleased with how easy our moves seem in comparison.  Granted, we don't have 3 kids- come to think of it, we don't even have one. 

We helped and were served a "thank you" lunch, which we devoured.  At 2pm or so we had to head home to put a load of laundry in before the Marriage retreat banquet tonight.  Jason is serving tonight and both his white dress shirts were dirty.  While I waited for it to get done, I played guitar!  I wish I could truthfully make that statement more often.  Sadly, playing guitar isn't a habit I engage in often.  I can play, but I feel like I've sort of hit a wall until I get instruction from a "gifted guitarist."  Sadly, I'm not one of those "pick it up and learn it on your own" people.  I need tips and instruction!

At 4:20pm  we drove to Camp.  And here I sit as Jason serves for the Banquet.  Soon I will begin entering Wintertainment registrations.  Then at 8pm we are in the Marriage Retreat session, being "quized" on each other in front of the campers.  THEN at 9pm or so we head to the Mann's... to play Settler's of Catan and maybe watch a movie with them until it's time for bed.  And Whoo-hoo! Tonight we GAIN an hour of sleep!

I miss these little ones!

Oh how I miss my little neice and nephew!  The ones who live WAY out in AZ.  Of course I miss my bro and his wife like crazy too, but when the little ones are so tiny and sprouting like mad you want them to get to know you and you want to see them grow!  I know... they're not my kids... but I adore them... so I'm braggin' on them... and here are few pics...

Vibrant colors gone. Joy? Abundant still!

The Fall colors decided to leave.  Just this past week nearly all of them glided to the ground.  Now we are left with barren trees, soon to be met with freezing temps.  And here begins my least favorite season, blanketed with a lifeless looking forest.  But within months snow will be here, and will make up for the current lack with it's unique beauty. 

Still, God is the Creator of it all.  And despite the season, there is always beauty in His creation. 

Amazing is His handiwork in creation.  Each day I am awed at how I fail in ability to even make my heart beat; to understand how anything created within me functions.  And yet on I live.  Certain that each day is a gift from Him.  Yearning desparately to give back to the Savior who gave all.

Two weekends back, trekking thru Camp's trails...

A lake at Camp, beautifully colored.

Vibrant fallen leaves!

Enjoying a Fall walk two weekends ago!

"Lord, Change my Attitude!"

I'm beginning to go through a book with the wives at Camp, written by James MacDonald,  called "Lord, Change my Attitude."  I'll admit, when I first opened the pages, it was easy to think, "This book isn't for me!  I have my attitudes pretty under control and I'm an optimistic person!"  But after going through the introduction and reading through Numbers 13-14 about the Isrealites and all their griping and unbelief, I realized, "Hmm...  I do that way more than I want to admit!" 

I'm excited about what God will show me about myself through this study- what He will reveal.  I know I'm yucky in heart too often.  And there are many things that are culturally acceptable that can "become" too easily acceptable if I'm not careful.  

It seems lately that God's been speaking to me, "You're not of this world.  You're in it, but not of it.  Believe and live like you believe that's true." 

Yes, Lord, I want that.  Help me "change my attitude" in response to life.  Make me more like You.  I love You.