Words, and No Worries.

In less than 24 hours I will be (more or less) settling into my home at Strong Rock Camp.

This is the place that I have given every summer to since my 17th birthday. I could not be more excited.

One thing that I have learned though, is that the summers do not get easier as you go. Well, I suppose in some sense they do, I no longer worry much about keeping up with schedules or knowing what is going on. After four years in two different positions I have a basic grasp in almost every area of keeping a summer day going. (I say almost because I can not even touch the business side or the maintenance side...step by step assistance is the best I can offer there). Still, I know where most things are, and how to operate the camp vehicles, I can change the paper towels, operate the deep frier and have the schedule of a summer day imprinted in the back of my head. But having all that down gives opportunity to focus out.

This summer I am switching to my third role in my Strong Rock history, head counselor. Or rather Women's Head Counselor...I will happily leave leading the men to Mr. T-Wade.

My focus in now not on the schedule but has increasingly become a focus on God alone. Which is completely in line with camp philosophy, but is also hard to achieve while simultaneously trying to learn the job and keep 10 or more campers alive and happy.

This began last year, my journey to abandon work priority (read some posts from last summer here, here and here) and God did a great work in me. I'm excited to see what He has for me this year. Especially since He seems to be giving me a sneak peak.

As I have prepped, studied, reflected and prayed this week there are two words that keep popping up: Intentional and Grace (grace filled, grace-hearted etc).

You can read here, from last week about my struggle with apathy. The word "intentional" kept popping up in sentences like, "intentionally pursue God daily" and "intentionally pursue relationships with each woman I am charged with leading" and "intentionally pour out compassion and consideration on the staff". I was sharing this with Mom and she pointed out that "intentional" is the opposite of "apathy". This is something I hope to see grow and foster within me.

The second is "grace". I recently looked to my bookshelf for a good read and saw my Mom's book, "One Thousand Gifts" that she had loaned me, very excited for me to read it, over a year ago. I picked it up and am an immediate fan. The whole concept is living large right where you are, where God has placed you and not constantly looking and dreaming for something more. Being surround and saturated in gratefulness and the knowledge of the grace of God. Worship and gratitude are too often lost on me.

I will end this post with a piece of wisdom that my little sister just shared (in another example of these topics popping up). It is Psalm 86:11.

"Teach me your way, O Lord,    that I may walk in your truth;     unite my heart to fear your name."

Sarah told me that she thought this was cool so she looked down in her notes and read that "unite my heart" means to unify it, or make it after one thing, glorifying the name of God. This is my prayer above all else, for the summer and the rest of my wide-open and oh-so-uncertain life.

Speaking of gratitude, let me just drop one out and say, "Thank you so much Lord for planning my life! I have to capability to do it myself!"

Next time I write....I will be chilling in the SRC.


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