Sweets & Retreats (When your day is a swear word)

I know it may seem that I have the perfect job and live a wonderfully carefree life but keep in mind that I usually write about the best parts of my life. In an effort to do what the cool kids call “keepin’ it real” I will try to be brave enough to write about even the bad stuff.

Because we all have those days when nothing is going right or well and we skim past the otherwise good moments because we feel as if another terrible one is waiting for us.

Food doesn’t have taste and you eat it just because you have to and a smile means nothing and even those arms of a friend wrapped around you sustain you for a second and then all is lost in another problem.

Everyone seems on the edge, on the brink of punching you in the face, over the tiniest comment or was it the tone of that comment? Either way something small can set you or someone around you off and the nail gun trigger is stuck and no one escapes unscathed.

Sometimes you just want to get through the day, none of this cherishing bull, none of this count your blessings when you’re in the midst of a crisis here, people.

Your retreat group wants to change their schedule, you got switched to running your least favourite activity of all-time, AND your campfire just won't light.

Sometimes your day is a swear word. Or it’s all of ‘em. And it’s ok to just get through because it’s all you can do. But don’t let those days define you. Do your best even when you don’t feel like it. Accept the goodness with the bad.  Because we all know those days pass.

So , let it pass. Find something to help it pass, like we did. We use the phrase, “sweets and retreats” to mean that everything sucks right now. Because sometimes it just does and there’s nothing you can do about it but know that it will pass and what will matter is how you acted in the midst of a horrible situation.

Just ask the good Lord to help you to laugh it all off with an inside joke shared with people stuck in the same trash pit as you are.  

Please, campfire? (via http://convolutedstateofmind.tumblr.com/)

Stuff Campers Say: First Edition

I recently had the privilege of counseling the youngest campers at our Mid-Winter Madness weekend. We call them the “Gummies,” since they stay in the Sweet Gum cabins. These little gumdrops brought such joy and simplicity and laughter into my weekend.

The best thing, for me, in counseling these kids is that they just love you and trust you without much question. It’s so easy to love them back because all it takes is a hug. Since I’m so introverted I find it much easier to let myself become a jungle gym and singer of silly songs than to have awkward conversations.

And when you get a gummie talking…you’ll soon find yourself laughing.

Here’s just a little round-up of stuff campers say, the very first edition.

“You’re whispering- that means you don’t know what to do.”

“I need a piggy back ride.”

“Boys rule and girls drool.” “Yeah? Well you’re going to have a wife someday!”

“Girls you need to brush your hair today because we have a picture at the lake today.” “But why don’t you have to brush your hair? It’s MUCH wilder than mine!”

“I found this candy on the ground but I washed it off. Can I eat it?”

(from http://awelltraveledwoman.tumblr.com/)

Love & Beauty

I truly love the community I live in- a houseful of people & activity & conversations & food & movies & games & friendships & love. It's so different than how many of my friends live- but it's so beautiful & frustrating & bothersome & good & lively & close.


It's teaching me a lot about how to love & live & grow with these other souls full of otherness that I don't always understand & know & appreciate.


I can't explain this to people who live alone or with their spouse or with a roommate or two. There's just something so perfect & right about a home bustling with people who love camp & the Lord & each other.


And now, I'll stop gushing about how much I love this set-up and give you a slew of photos I find charming & romantic & lovely & beautiful.

(all images taken in England, 2008)

(all images taken in Paris & Scotland, 2008)

Making Old Things New

For the past week Nate and I have been going to town on remodeling our camp store, The Trading Post. We were all tired of it looking like a storage closet with warehouse shelves and wanted it to have that rustic-bringing-nature-indoors feel.

I am so blessed to have a co-worker and friend like Nate, who just gets things done. In just three days we (ok, mostly Nate) had built twelve shelves from old wood pallets, searched the antique store for baskets, re-hung our pegboard, rearranged the decorations, and made a hanging display shelf from an old log and retired ropes from our challenge course.

Although we aren’t entirely finished, everyone agrees that the store looks much better. One of our friends from last semester saw a picture and even commented, “You’re lying to me, that has to be a different camp store! That looks too good!”

And he’s right. Just a few little changes made all the difference. We really didn’t spend much money or take that much time or make anything too fancy or complicated. And all of this reminded me of how we can change our whole day, our whole perspective, our whole lives with little changes. It doesn’t have to be a complete do-over. It can be really simple and it can happen now.

The Lord makes the old parts of us new. He’s re-working us, building off of what is already there, little by little, until we are a better version of the people we were meant to be.

Answered Prayers

Just a short lil’ post to share how much I’ve realized that the Lord does provide.

It’s not just that He knows our needs, it’s that He fulfills them. I have had a succession of bad days during which I felt a hole where past friends had been and I came to the realization that I wasn’t as close to the people I work and live with as I had been with those who have moved on. And this made me angry and frustrated.

And just like that my Randy asks me what’s wrong and he lends me his raincoat and listens. Just the next morning Nathan asks me to go have breakfast with him in town and asks me for my honest opinions when we re-decorate our camp store. Just that night Jeffery offers to help my scrapbooking ladies haul all their books and boxes into their meeting space. Just the next morning Morgan hugs me with the warmth of a thousand suns. And just last night Brandy sits on my floor and offers advice and Liz tells me she loves me.

And just like that I have this makeshift family, a chaotic bunch of personalities, but each one making me feel like home.

When I stopped focusing on what I don’t have the Lord opened me up to realize there is so much more that I do have.

(in love with y'all)