Back from Camp

OK, only if I am in heaven next year will I miss JH Camp at Wenatchee!

I read my previous post and it sounded "iffy," but God willing I will return next year....it was that awesome.

Small, short, hyper people worshipping and making breakthroughs in their walk with the Lord.

My favorite style of worship - the kind with warm wind whipping around you as a reminder of the Holy Spirit's presence.

Baptisms (34 this year!) in the Wenatchee River - kids psyched to leave their old life buried and to raise to walk a new life! Their excitement for that always revitalizes me and brings me back to basics - aaaaah thank you Lord for that new life!

Anyhow, I had my perfect job this year at camp - Baptism Coordinator and Floating Counselor. LOVED IT! Had significant conversations with at least a dozen people sprinkled throughout the weekend, which is my favorite style of ministry. Got to laugh at the antics, hang with the students, and still make emergency runs to Starbucks. :) Amazing week.

My heart is changing, which is so awesome. I remember months before our youth missions trip to Mexico I spoke with Betty (a saint in our congregation). She was saying that in her prayers she was asking God to say YES to her going - she wanted it that badly. I was more in the frame of mind of "Lord, if it be Your will, let this cup pass from my lips!" It was such a paradigm shift to think of someone begging God for permission to go...I figured He'd say yes to any such trip...plus, I couldn't really fathom that craving to go. But now I have that same feeling, not only for Wenatchee but also for Mexico! Seriously - who would've thunk it? That new creation that the baptizers celebrated is also the one I continuously celebrate in my walk with Him!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
the old has gone, the new has come!
2 Corinthians 5:17

Retraction and Reflection

I've already retracted an blog - my 3rd on parenting.

No, you can't see it anymore - I deleted it and will rewrite it. No sooner did I write about the payoffs of being a stay-at-home mom then I went to pick up Ben from basketball camp. Of all the hundreds of kids there, one was chosen to read his homage to his mom aloud to the camp - a beautifully written, humble and honoring piece....to his WORKING MOM. LOL! I found it very like God to say - "Alison, please check your holier-than-thou attitude about being a stay at home mom. I will bless those I will bless, and am sovereign over these matters." Sooo - I will rewrite the blog and strive for it to be peppered with grace (which I shot for in the beginning! promise! I just have to heed that red flag that I think I saw God waving over this mother and her boy).

Anyhow, what a week. Kids home from camp.....lots of laundry and listening! Then 2 mothers' funerals - their daughters being friends with my girls....one unexpected, one anticipated but dreaded. Now I am off to Junior High camp in the morning - most probably my last Wenatchee.

So - I've retracted so now let me reflect. The mothers dying has given new energy to me about my own purpose. It's help me not be so LAME about stupid issues (wearing a bathing suit in front of teenagers) and to yearn for the heart of what camp is all about - connecting students with Christ. Also - to enjoy the life that Christ has intended for us - that camp feeling of freedom and joy and closeness to Him - ahhhhh.........so good to get that shot in the arm! It definitely outweighs the tents and gross-out bathrooms by a mile. I am what I am - NOT A CAMPER! :) But I love students and I love Christ - putting the two together is the best in satisfaction.

A year from now? I might visit Wenatchee and still savor the baptisms, the worship in the wind, and the crazy laughter from smaller people. But for now I will not GUARANTEE that it will happen - look at Emily's mom and Kami's mom - aaaarrrgh - I will savor today and what the Lord has laid out for me.....it is well with my soul!

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
(Prov. 16:9)

New Year in SL

Last night was our first night of Student Leadership for 08/09.

Rory and I led the two groups in back-to-back mode, which is so cool. The JHers are so young and squirrely - but have these amazing insights that constantly surprise me. We have 10 (out of 17) new faces on board - I can't wait to see if a year mellows out the squirrels, and I can't wait to see these guys in all new situations - camps, Sundays, and hopefully Mexico!

The HSers of course were way more chill and sophisticated. :) They are such superstars too - as I looked around the room I could tell stories in my heart of the way they have served so much already - they are indeed the cream of the crop.

This could be my last year with SLeadership....in my heart I've purposed to finish with Abby's class which would make it a full 10 years in ministry with that group. Granted, the other classes tend to worm their way into my heart eventually too - so it might turn out that I can't leave until they're ALL gone! Anyhow, that will be interesting - this time next year will I be in SL? I wonder how clearly/strongly God will lead me on that one.

After Five Years - New Chapter

Last night might have been my last night as a small group leader in Student Ministries.

I've led a group for the past five years, and have loved spending my Wednesday nights with junior highers - mostly 9th grade girls. I love being a part of the leadership, the laughter, and having that midweek shot-in-the-arm of worship and refocus. I love being inspired by the spiritual growth in young people, which is quite humbling and incredibly real. I owe whatever is young and fresh about me to the youth in NW3 - without them I would be undoubtedly a cranky crone.

However, I had felt a sense of change even before Pastor Jake posed a new opportunity before me. I've "felt my years" in a sense - felt that my age was more of an asset to the leadership (perhaps) than to your typical 9th grade girl. Understandably they want someone young, fun and cool....and I definitely only fit one of those qualifications!

Next year I think I'll like being the Small Group Floater Chick for both Fuel and Deeper. I'll get to connect to ALL the Student Ministry leaders and stay connected to ALL the students, which truly is a dream come true....I absolutely hate when students leave and they become a memory instead of a reality in my world. (no, I am not good with change!) In my wildest dreams/prayers I wish I could go to Houseboats AND Wenatchee, both retreats and Mexico too! For sure I will keep on with Student Leadership as my best connection to actual students.

But with every new phase in life you look at the old phase and wonder what parts about it you will painfully miss. I'm wondering if I'll miss that sense of belonging with all the other small group leaders - will my presence seem natural or awkward in my new role?

Next week might cement my resolve to move on to that new role: our last activity as 9th graders is to dress up in beautiful "prom dresses" (good night nurse! mine is 25 years old and a size 3 - no way in heck is that fitting), and we will walk around the Kirkland waterfront with ice cream cones. The "cement part" is that most of the girls are planning to jump off the dock into Lake Washington, and I'm sure the young, fun and cool leaders will jump too. I'm pretty sure it will be at that point where I KNOW it's time to move on! I'll tell you next week if I jump as well.