Homeward Bound

     Seeing as how this is my 20th Blog post, I felt that I should do something a little different. Instead of recounting an interesting tale of my life, I am going to give you glimpse of what I can't wait to do when I get home. However, I am going to show you through pictures! Enjoy!

I am going to jump with excitement!! 

Get a hug from my Uncle Chad

Going "BankLining" is a MUST!

I'm going to drink a lot of coffee as I sport my Camp Gilead shirt.

I'm going to go look at cows with Anna

Fishing with Grandpa

Pose for some photos with Garrett

Climb the hill in Grenola

Hang out with Hunter

Give Caleb lots of hugs. Since we all know how much Caleb loves hugs.

I'm going to drive the Jeep!

Laugh with my Brothers

Give Garrett "The Look"

Sit under my favorite tree

Aly and Me

A little over a year ago I was laying on my bunk in Cabin 5A here at Camp Gilead. The Cabin was full of strangers who would become a tight knit family in a matter of days. Two bunks down, Heather Simmons was talking about monkeys for some odd reason. I really wasn't in the conversation but since I heard the words monkey I rolled over onto my side and in a casual sleepy like voice I simply said,  "You know in Kansas monkeys fly." Heather laughed at the comment. Five minutes later the lights had gone out and everyone was settling int their bunks when from the other side of the room a burst of laughter erupted! "I GET IT!" she shouted. That is the moment I met Alyssa Sera.
     There was just something about the youngest member of our little group. Maybe it was her quiet smile, her infectious laughter, or her genuine enthusiasm. Perhaps it was her apparent lack of fear for any creature under the sun, or her capable life-gaurding skills. It could have been the way her cabin was always well behaved and squeaky clean. More than likely it was her constant encouraging words and the ability to be excited for you, rather than jealous, when things were good. Whatever it was, the girl grew on me. But, it wasn't until Elementary week that we bonded.
     It was the biggest week of the summer. All the Cabins were used and full. I was a counselor in 8A and Aly was in 8B. We had some good times being neighbors. The thing about the 8 cabins is they are old and rarely used. They also don't have indoor bathrooms so we have to share the G.O.B (Girls Outdoor Bathroom) with 2 other cabins. Every day it was something new. A leak, a clogged toilet, a roaming lizard. But, Aly and I took care of it like a boss. Then there was shower time. We took turns being in the G.O.B. We would usher girls in and out and keep the showers moving. I mean 4 showers for 56 girls in 1 hour!!! Talk about crazy! It was so steamy and humid in that bathroom during shower time. We had to prop both doors open so the air would get in. And that's when it happened. One afternoon we forgot to close the doors. After dinner the campers went in to get ready for bed and as Aly and I stood in front of our cabins we heard screams come from the bathroom. As we went to investigate, we found the entire bathroom completely covered in flying ants!!! I'm not talking about just a lot of bugs. I'm talking covering ever surface! That night after our campers were in bed and asleep, Aly and I spent an hour moping out all the bugs and cleaning every surface of the G.O.B.

"I wish I could keep you but that might be considered kidnapping and God probably wouldn't like that."- Alyssa Serna

     As summer came to a close, I was excited to go home, yet sad to leave such good friends behind. Yet, Aly seemed to know something I didn't. "I am pretty positive I will see you again. I'm not worried at all." She told me.  A couple months later I stepped out of my loaded down car after driving for 24 hours and was greeted by a familiar face and a gigantic hug. Yep, she was right we would see each-other again. We would spend some holidays together, lots of retreats and crazy conversations. I am pretty sure she didn't know what she was getting into! As I would force her to sit and listen to my random writings, my romantic novels and crazy dreams. How would I describe the two of us together? Mmmmmm........welllll, think of a little girl with curls bouncing up and down and a crooked tiara on her head, a tutu on and a pair of wings. She dances around the room with her wand, apparently in a fairy tale of some sort, with rainbows and unicorns. That's me. Now picture in the same room a little girl covered from head to toe in camo, hunched behind a couch with her weapon, ready to strike at anything that looks unfamiliar. That's Aly. And together, its indescribable. I mean I tried to explain that a romantic notion is something completely crazy and out of the ordinary, yet mystical and mysterious, like walking through thick vines that lay on the forest floor to reach a place were a log has falling half way into the creek and jumping in for a swim. Her conclusion: "Sounds like a romantic notion is the same as finding the perfect spot to hunt." Ummmmmm.........I don't think you got what I meant.
     But no matter how different we are, I am super blessed to have her as my friend. To be able to hop in a car  with her and drive all the way to one side of Florida to watch the sunrise, then pack up and drive all the way to the other side and watch the sunset. To meet her at the movie theater at midnight for the opening showing of The Hobbit, or dance in the middle of the camp parking lot to Hunter Hays songs. And that is Aly and Me in a nutshell.

"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them."-Ralph Waldo Emerson 

   

no Inglés?

     For the past couple of years people have been telling high school students that they should learn Spanish, because there is becoming a large portion of Spanish speaking people in America. As a high schooler, I didn't care. I wasn't about to try and learn Spanish. I mean I could barley speak English correct. I speak more "Americanuese" (American-ease). Kansas has a pretty standard American dialect. Although every once in a while an Oklahoman "Ol" (oil) or an "Y'all" from my mom's side will slip out. Then there is the Arkansas Hillbilly words like "aintcha" or "ain't"that slip our from my dad's side. (My mom always said "ain't" wasn't a word, but I don't believe her. That word is awesome and frequently used in our house.) And then there are those few Kansas pronunciated words of State landmarks, such as the "OUR-Kansas" river. Even though we might use strange words we DO NOT have accents! Kansans do not have accents. Just so you know. (I mean when I go down south or I'm on the phone I tend to get a little twangy but I mean who can blame me. That Southern accent is catchy! And besides, "When in Rome do as the Romans." No matter what I always go back to the good old non-accent Kansas speech. But that is all beside the point.)
     It was a typical Monday morning. I walked into my office and through my purse in a draw, turned on the heater and sat down my coffee mug. I turned on my computer and then turned to my phone to see the flashing red light, letting me know I had a message. Grabbing my notepad and a pen, I pushed the button and listened as a gentleman gave me his number very very fast. It took my like three times of listening to it before I could get the number right. As soon as Jamie came into the office I asked for the information the man needed and she handed me a flyer. Flyer in hand, I picked up the phone and dialed the number.
   I have gotten used to calling people, well for the most part. As soon as a man came on the line I opened as I always do with, "Hello? This is Jacque from Camp Gilead returning a call?" The problem was that the man began to speak and I couldn't understand. Suddenly I froze! HE SPEAKS SPANISH!!! I CAN"T SPEAK SPANISH!!! WHAT DO I DO!

"Drawing on my fine command of the English language, I said nothing." – Robert Benchley

 I put my hand over the phone and turned my office chair to Jamie behind me. With my eyes as big as bowling balls I said, "He speaks Spanish." A moment of awkward silence as passed as my insides did an acrobatic act making me nauseous. Suddenly I heard a humming sound come from the phone and knew he had hung up. I hung up my receiver and a slight relief that it was over came over me, until I realized I hadn't been able to return the message of whoever called me and that meant I would have to call again!
     I put it off for as long as I could but eventually I could put it off no longer. I had to get a hold of the right person. They wanted to come to our dodgeball tournament, and we want them to come. So, I mustered all the courage I could, picked up the phone and dialed the number one more time. The same man answered the phone. Calm down J. Think. 

"¿Habla usted español" the man asked. 

"No."

"Oh, no Inglés." 

A slight pause as if both of us were trying to decided what to do next. I turn to Jamie. "Just say 'habla usted Inglés?" I looked at her with confusing. "What does that mean?" She looked at me and said, "It means do you speak english?" Well that isn't going to help since he already told me he doesn't speak English. Not to mention I don't know the guys name that I am looking for! I couldn't understand it on the message! So I did the next best thing.

"Someone called about Kickball/Dosgeball tournament?" I thought maybe he would recognize a word. 

"uhh..sorry. Not speak English well." 

"Is there anyone there who speaks English?"

"No." 

"I must have the wrong number. Sorry." 

"Oh, Ok."

I hung up the phone and turned to Jamie. "I don't think that was the right phone number." Maybe I should have taken some spanish classes in high school...........

 

 

 

   

Beyond Yesterday and Before Tommorrow

       Its that time of year again. The time of a closing chapter and a new beginning. One of those times in life where you want to pause and savor every bit of the moment that just passed. Yes, there will be better ones in the future but this moment will never be again. If only time could stand still. If only you could hold your breathe and the moment would freeze. But alas, that isn't possible. So, we do what only humans can do; become speechless.
     We can't stop altogether. Dinner still has to be made, our job still has to be attended to, our phones still rings. And although we still walk through ever moment flawlessly, as if we were a mechanical robot, our minds are still ten steps behind. If you anything like me, you don't talk a lot. It doesn't mean your not thinking. No my mind is still going constantly. Thinking on the past phase of life, replaying my favorite moments. Savoring the present, taking in everything and everyone around me. Life seems very slow and yet frantically fast at the same time. Your mind slowly moves from those precious moments in the past to the foreboding future. Your heart, desires and dreams begin to migrate to the new phase of life and what it has to offer. It takes everything in you to hold your pants to your office chair and actually work. If you didn't you would be miles high in the air, chasing after every star.
     The thing about being in that place in life is that it is easy to fall into two conditions: a Past Visitor, or a Future Dreamer. Although for a brief moment neither condition is really wrong, if in it for an extended amount of time, it can become a serious problem. What the world is a past visitor and a future dreamer? Let me try to explain.

     PAST VISITOR: This condition is best described as the weeping mother at a wedding. The ones who say they're so happy but every 5 minutes they burst into tears and proclaim that their "baby" is leaving them. What does that have to do with anything? Well the mother is clearly suffering from past visitation syndrome! She is slumbering through the present while waltzing through the past. I'm pretty sure you have done it once or twice yourself. Think about it! The symptoms hide themselves well but if you look close you can tell. Somewhat quiet, not excited about the future. Everything that happens has some past story latched to it. Homesickness is prevalent. If you are suffering from these symptoms you could have past visitation syndrome.

"While I take inspiration from the past, like most Americans, I live for the future."-Ronald Reagan 

I prefer to say "past visitor" rather than living in the past, because we all know you can't truly live in the past. But you can sure back your mental bags and visit your past for an extended amount of time. But, just like when you go off for a long vacation, the mail piles up, the dust settles and life goes on. When you finally return from the past you realize that the present has been neglected. Then it takes you extra time trying to clean up the mess and get resettled back into life. Visiting the past for an extended amount of time never did anyone any good.

FUTURE DREAMER: The condition of a future dreamer can be just as devastating to a human. The symptoms include constant day-dreaming, no passion for a present job, irritated or aggravated if stationed in one position for a long amount of time, and often bored out of their wits. You find this phenomenon prevalent in teenagers and college students. I often encounter this condition when God begins to redirect my life. It's never wrong to look towards the future, the same as it isn't wrong to ponder the past. However, just like visiting the past for extended amount of time brings repercussions, so does constantly planning for tomorrow. Just think about it for a second. If your so enraptured by planning tomorrows meals, who will cook today's? There will always be another step to take, another train to be boarded, another moment to contemplate. But as C.S. Lewis so accurately said,

"The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of 60 minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is."-C. S. Lewis 

    Sometimes I have to remind myself to slow down. The Bible often uses the phrase "Walk in the Spirit." It does not say to Sprint with the Spirit, to Run with the Spirit or even to Sit with the Spirit. No, it says WALK: a constant moving in a forward direction.  God has amazing, big plans for my future, I am positive. But he also has an important will for my life today. Today he has asked me to wake up and surrender to his will for my life. He has asked me to cheerful sit in an office. He has asked me to answer the phones with kindness, and compassion, and a willingness to help the person on the other side of the line to the best of my ability. He as asked me to use every moment of my time to glorify him. So, in the moment beyond yesterday and before tomorrow, I choose to be a part of something greater. A calling that goes to many but is heard by few.

TODAY I WILL SERVE THE LORD