Surprises can come from Disappointments

Today was our “church day camp.” The road was closed to our usual camp so it ended up having to be canceled and instead we had a day event at McDowel Creek where I have so many memories. I had my 5^th grade campout there, my senior campout, and my principle used to own it so 1^st -6^th grade we would have a field day at the end of the year. It was fun to be there and it brought a lot of memories but to be honest I wasn’t to thrilled about going because I knew camp wouldn’t be the same. Being a counselor last year was such a high. I had an AMAZING group of 8^th grade girls who I was able to laugh with but also be serious with devotions before they could go to sleep and taking them on a hike at night to the bridge. They were such a blessing and it was a fun experience to be on the other side of a camper and being able to be with people who love and care about me and be able to connect to new people. But guess what. . . Today was GREAT! It was better than I expected and if it had been the normal week of camp, I probably wouldn’t have been able to go anyway due to working 6 day weeks until this week! Only 20 kids showed up, even split (G vs B) and here there were more helpers than campers J 5 of my girls showed up and one totally surprised me out of the blue! She accepted Christ last year at camp and I was able to pray with her and listen to her prayer to the Lord. Man, it was an amazing experience to be able to share that with her. I was so glad to see her there and as soon as they got off the bus I was embraced in hugs. Here is a picture of my girls and camp last year. . . good reminder of what it was like.

<-------------------- my girls

Naomi Miller and I. . .her husband was the Bible Speaker

Brother/sport team rivals enough said :)

I went to camp all my years with these girls and we were able to be their together as councilors and sport assistant. So fun!

oh I just love Leroy and Naomi. Aren't they just the cutest!

Oh Leroy. I miss him. We had such a great time filled with much laughter!

Craig and I do try to love each other, occasionally :) We are too competitive

I didn’t do too much but it was fun to be there. I was able to be with friends and family and Oh the hearts of some people just bless me so much. My family has this dear friend Cindy who just has such a neat heart and love for the Lord. She is such an inspiring wife, mother, and woman of the Lord that I hope she rubs off on me and I know she will be one I go to when I am in that stage of life. It was fun to be able to put our feet in the water and talk about God moments. It is amazing how personal our God is, the Creator of the universe, and it is so amazing to actually talk about it and get the words out, confirming it in a sense. She was saying how she was talking to her mom on the phone telling her about something she needed and here the doorbell rings and her sister-in-law brought exactly what she needed without knowing! Her sister-in-law debated whether or not she was going to but she did and Cindy couldn’t even speak because she was in so much awe of God! The kids were able to see it all happen which was so neat. Oh it is so cute to hear here little twins say “Jesus.” What a precious name. I enjoyed being with her so much. We went on a wet hike through the creek (FREEZING) and her and her husband (good family friends) went and that was so fun and a bonding experience!!! That leads me to the next person who blessed me which is LaRee.

Everyone loves her and I hear a lot about her but I have never really gotten to know her. Oh she is amazing! She was in the back with us during the wet hike and we just talked and had a blast! We came to a deep spot. . . Ok, I need to pause in case any of my California folk are reading this ;) You do not understand the coldness of water until you have came to Oregon, just ask Austin and Joelle who came to visit me and would barely touch it J. . .anyway I wasn’t too thrilled about being chest deep in this deep in freezing water at this spot we came to. All of a sudden LaRee says, “If I’m gunna get wet I might as well get wet” and she takes off swimming in the water! It was hilarious and shocked me at the moment but it was so fun to watch her and see her try to coax my sister and I into it. She has such a drive for life! She was the one who got danae and I in the water and we even dunked in it. It was SUPER COLD but I’m so glad we did it! Good memories. One thing I have struggled a lot with is my personality. Sometimes I feel like it can be too overpowering. I try to make people feel comfortable so I’m goofy and entertaining where people aren’t able to get to my heart and understand the true/deep me who is more gentle and a thinker. I feel like I’m the one always coaxing others to come, trying to get them to let their goofiness show, trying to let them relax and enjoy life, but it has been something I have grown to hate because I feel like as a woman I need to be more reserved, shut my mouth and listen only to speak at certain moments with wisdom, no mistakes. She gave me some encouragement seeing that you can have a balance and it was so fun to watch!!!

Well, I am exhausted and need to go to bed so I will finish another time. Kind of an abrupt end but it is probably long enough where some people might look at it and decide not to read it J Anyways, sweet dreams world!