It is 1:30 in the morning....

...and I'm headed to camp again tomorrow. A different camp this time. A camp for kids who have been shoved aside, stepped on, and basically have gotten the short end of the stick in life already.
And I feel totally inadequate. Completely. How do I related to these kids when I've been wholeheartedly loved by my parents all of my life? How do I know what they need? I don't even know where to begin.
I re-read just this week that it is through our weakness that God is glorified the most. (What a smart concept, God!) That is my prayer this week - that He would be absolutely glorified and these kids would be absolutely changed.
Will you pray for us this week?
Thanks.

Tuesday Top 10 - Camp Rocks! Highlights

I got back from camp a week or so ago. These are some of the highlights...top 10 style, of course!

10- TWENTY kids from our apartment ministry got to go! Whew! It was tough getting them there, but I'm so glad that all of them went. You could see the love of Jesus and His people radiating off of them by mid week!

9- As always, I had a blast hanging out with all of my bird friends! (We are all called by bird names at camp...I know, weird huh?) But I loved spending time with my peeps! (Get it? My bird peeps?)

8- I won a pie eating contest! Ok, it wasn't really a pie. (More of a small tin of whipped cream.) And I was "racing" against children. But still! It was fun! (Don't I look like I'm doing a push up? I wish toning those triceps was as easy as eating pie!)

7- Have I mentioned the ministry value that camp has in the lives of my kids???? Just look at this kid!

And this kid!And this kid!6- The older girls had a photo scavenger hunt that I designed to take them all over camp. Their pics turned out pretty cool. These were of the cabins squished together in a bathroom stall or shower stall. (I'm not quite sure how they fit the entire group in there!)

5- We sang my very favorite song, and I almost started to cry thinking about the powerful words:

This is my Bible.

I am what it says I am.

I have what it says I have.

I'll do what it says to do.

It has given me new life.

IT IS...THE WORD OF GOD.

Something about that song gets me. It sums up how I feel about God's Word, and I especially love to hear kids shouting it out. Oh I love it!

4- Did I mention that we had a (not your typical) shoe fashion show?

3- These two kids needed camp. They needed someone cheering for them, and they got it. All week long. Jacob was in a cabin with the best father figure he could have for a week (Rooster rocks!), and Karina was loved on by two kind ladies 24/7. We won't know the mileage this will mean in their lives. I'm praying Jacob will stay out of a gang for another year. I'm also praying that Karina will remember the love of Jesus through the adults and kids at camp at a moment when she is feeling so very unloved (all too often in her usual home life, unfortunately).

2- Did I mention my lifesaver at camp? Yes, it is the salad bar. I couldn't have survived without it. Chicken fingers don't do much for this vegetarian!

1- I had the most fun roommate ever! Chickenhawk is so fun!

What I'm Reading Now...

I don't think I've mentioned this, but I'm thinking of going back to school. Like college. With a bunch of 19 year olds. Yikes!
Why? Well, I need a better job to support the ministry that is my heart. Nursing, the field I'm looking into, pays well and you can work just 3 or 4 long days a week. That leaves time for ministry.
Because I hate making hard decisions I decided to read a book called, "Nurse". Today I got to this part....

"...Nursing is not just technical. Anyone can do physical care. You can teach a robot to give a bed bath. To me a good nurse is someone who puts some caring behind the physical care.

Being a nurse is not like working on an assembly line. People are sick. You can't rush a post-op getting out of bed for the first time even when you are one nurse short that day. There are 36 different personalities. People are afraid. They're depressed. They may be angry. They may be alone. They may have no place to go. They may be dying. They have questions. They need reassurance. They may need to learn how to adjust their lives to changes in their bodies. They may need to cry. They may need to laugh."

It has all got me thinking! I would love to help people through those emotions. Please pray that I'll make the right decision!

Did I mention CAMP ROCKS?

I returned home from camp today.
I am exhausted.
I drove 2 1/2 hours out of my way because I didn't give anybody my car key.
I found out my house had been broken into this morning.
I came home to all the doors to my closets open and all my lights on because a police man had checked the house for bad guys.
I don't like the feeling that leaves me.
I found a dead frog on my bathroom floor.
I have not had a working cell phone in 12 hours now.
I had a lot of calls to make today.
I broke down crying on a Walmart bench tonight.
I had tried to call my best friend and my mom from their pay phone.
I don't think I've used a pay phone since 1999.
I wasn't able to reach Valorie.
I got connected to my mom, but she couldn't hear me.
I screamed, "mom! Don't hang up!"
I apparently didn't scream loud enough for her to hear me 3 miles down the road from a broken phone.
I think sleep will be sweet tonight.

Head Banging

I just spent 2 1/2 hours (that I didn't have) filling out a job application, and I think my computer just lost it.
It is taking everything I have to not beat my head repeatedly on the table in this Starbucks.
I am going to die.

My new favorite verse!

Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me because God annointed me. He sent me to preach good news to the poor, heal the heartbroken, Announce freedom to all the captives, pardon all prisoners.....

Why I really need to start twittering....

All of this stuff is probably not that interesting to anybody but me, but it would be fun to get it out occasionally....

8:15 am: Waiting for the cute Chiropractic student to come into the coffee shop again. Surely he doesn't just drink coffee on holidays...

10:45 am: Apparently he does just drink coffee on holidays. Or he sleeps really, really late.

12:05 pm: Leave work early. Yah-hoo!

1:35 pm: Decide to attack the weed bed in my front yard.

1:55 pm: It starts pouring down rain while I'm weeding.

1:56 pm: I decide to keep weeding in the rain.

2:34 pm: I'm not only completely soaked, but I'm really dirty, too. And all of the hair products I used this morning are dripping painfully in my stinging eyes. I am positive I look like a crazy person. Picture the guy from Braveheart.

2:45 pm: I am going to get this stump out of the ground if it kills me.

2:55 pm: I have attacked it's root system, but it is still as stable as can be! I'm coming back tomorrow with reinforcements!

3 pm: Decide against taking a pic of myself for the blog. Only neighbors are privileged to see the craziness. Take a shower instead.

4:15 pm: In a Starbucks...cute guy behind me is coughing/sneezing really loud. Is he trying to get my attention? (I should have at least said, "bless you!")

4:38 pm: Woman comes to join cute guy and talks loudly. I guess he wasn't checking me out after all....

5:12 pm: Get up to leave and realize the loud talker was sitting with another guy. Original guy is still looking. Too bad I'm leaving.

5:35 pm: Almost get run down by another cute guy and his shopping cart. Can't think of a think to say. What do people say in the movies when they meet in the grocery store? Would, "Hey, what should I bring as a snack to a small group of hungry women tonight?" work? I doubt it. Might get a weird look though.

5:47 pm: Two minutes late for body pump class. I have to put my step right next to the teacher! Stink! I miss the back row!

6:45 pm: Run out the door to small group. Kinda sad it is our last meeting for the summer. Hope someone brought some good snacks...

11:29 pm: Must sleep. Big day tomorrow.

Because it is just plain fun...

1. Where was the very last place you went besides your house?
The grocery store, on foot. (I had to make sure not to buy too much, because I had to carry it home!)
2. What are you doing tonight?
Went running with some friends, then I went running by myself because I still had energy! 5 miles, total.
3. Who last texted you?
My roommate Adecia, about running.
4. Do you have a secret that you’ve never told anyone?
Of course!
5. Do you get mad easily?
I try to be slow to anger, but.....
6. Do you talk about your feelings or hide them?
Talk, talk, talk! (Only to precious few, though, if they are important.)
7. Do you prefer warm or cold weather?
Spring! I hate, hate, hate being cold.
8. Who was the last person you were in a car with?
Roomie Adecia, once again.
9. What color are your eyes?
They are blue or green. I'm not sure about right now.
10. Have you ever given up on someone but then went back to them later?
Nope. Stood my ground. Tough, tough, tough!
11. Have you ever thrown your cell phone in anger?
Never. That sounds very counter-productive, doesn't it?
12. Has anyone told you a secret lately that you aren’t allowed to tell anyone?
I can't tell you. I'd have to kill you.
13. Honestly, if you could go back six months and change something, would you?
Possibly.
14. Are you wearing any clothes that don’t belong to you?
Nope. Own them all.
15. Do you have a lot on your mind at the moment?
I feel like I should!
16. What side of the bed do you sleep on?
Right.
17. What is your favorite thing to shop for?
Gifts!
18. Who knows you better than you know yourself?
Valorie, at times.
19. What are you doing this summer?
Two camps, trip to the beach, and work, work, work.
20. Do you miss your past?
Parts of it.
21. Did you ever have tea parties when you were younger?
Only the barbies did.
22. What is your favorite line from a movie?
"Nobody puts Baby in the corner.'
23. Would you rather be the opposite sex?
Are you kidding me? I would die!
24. What would you never name one of your children?
It.
25. What is the coolest restaurant you’ve ever been to?
The one in downtown ATL that spins?
26. Where do you go when you want to get a really good sub sandwich?
Publix!
27. What style of house would you like to live in?
I'd love one in a historic district with a wrap-around porch.
28. Do you flip the channel when commercials come on?
Can't. I don't have remotes for my old tvs. I don't have enough channels to flip, anyway!
29. Have you seen any of the Saw movies?
Yuck! No! I was scared by the Wizard of Oz and I saw it when I was 16!
30. What was your favorite book as a child?
It was a Bible story book about Dorcus. I had that thing memorized!