I'm from South Africa and these are real pants!

Peter got a new car. Maybe someday he'll come visit me.

I miss these kids...

It's been a while

It's been a rough 2 weeks, obviously I haven't had much time to write. We did a leadership retreat last weekend and it went alright but the first one was better. I hung out with awesome friends and made some new ones. We had our "Main event" with Wildlife and after days of building this dumb maze I saw it all being torn down and put away for another year in 20 minutes.

This last weekend was one of the first weekends I had alone time. I enjoy my alone time but this was too much for me. I guess I just miss having close friends around. The only people who really know what is going on with me and my family around here are the guys I work with but, well boys, you just aren't that great at listening or comforting. Things with my family are hard and sometimes things seem so hopeless. I know that God is good though and I have to press on toward the goal.

Just so you all know, I miss camp.

Annoying is no more

I killed him. I set the trap, put some peanut butter on it because that's what everyone told me they liked and sure enough he took the bait. At least he isn't roaming my house while I'm sleeping. I think he had a motorcyle and that's how he got around. Do you remember that mouse that had the motorcycle? I think his name was Ralph. I'm sure he died too.

I'm doing my second leadership retreat this weekend...We'll see how it goes. It's been a frustrating week with all this prep. I didn't think I would get our follow up material done but here I am, 2 hours before our staff meeting and I'm ready to go. Check me out. I've come to the conclusion that communication in our office and to our volunteers SUCKS! People around here wait until the last minute to do everything and in this particular instance it's made me look like an idiot. I'm about to start speaking up a whole lot more. I don't know if they'll like that though.

Writer's Block Will Kill Me

So I'm sitting at my desk where I've been for the last oh, 3 hours and I have yet to write one word on the oh so important curriculum that is due tomorrow. Take me now Jesus! I just can't seem to get going. There's no motivation, insight or encouragement coming. I've got nothing. I read different scriptures, what others have written on discipleship and I'm even contemplating plagiarism but still it all seems so ugh! Maybe I'll pack up the computer and go home where there's nothing else to do but read and write. Nah, I'm sure I'll find distractions there too.

I saw Gavin on Thursday. We're on a first name basis now. He's simply uh-maze-ing! The guy seriously is breath taking. It was Josh's first concert experience ever and I'm glad the drunk girl decided to do her sexy dance next to him. He started laughing so hard he had to walk away for a song. It was quite hilarious, I wish I had moves and tattoos like her.

JT spent the weekend in my bling-bling trailer and we had good times. I even invited boys in. I'm still not sure if that was okay but I did it anyway! I had a great time with Nate, Daniel and Tim too. Saw "Hitch," it was enjoyable and almost killed the mouse this weekend. He's just too fast! Becky came out to visit and we reminisced about fun camping/beach stories. It was even better because Nate didn't understand any of it and resorted to reading Real Simple. Watched "Garden State" and enjoyed that. Overall it was a good weekend, even if certain friends say they want to hang out with you and that they'll call and never do. I'm constantly reminded that those aren't friends. Oh yeah, I saw Curtis too and man he has a sweet beard. That guy cracks me up!

Rejected, Slain, Risen

I was reading "True Spirituality" by Francis Schaeffer this morning and something he pointed out that I tend to forget is that there is no death like Jesus' death. His call to die to self and pick up our cross is a huge call...The cross has splinters, it's painful! We're people who love to put ourselves at the center of everything, we don't like to say no unless it makes us abundant in other areas of life. I'm such a selfish person! I can't truly enjoy the risen aspect until I recognize and accept that before the risen part comes the rejection and death. To die to self...Whew, that's big. So Jasen proposed participating in Lent this season and I think it's a great idea. I remember growing up in the Catholic church where it was don't eat meat on Fridays and give up candy or something like that. It means so much more now and I see the value in the practice. So what will I sacrifice? I told Jasen I would give up an hour of every day to be still before God. That's going to be a challenge but I'd appreciate the accountability from you my friends.

I have a new roommate

His name is annoying and he moved in over the weekend while I was at Hume Lake. He's small and gray and a field mouse. Last night he knocked over some pills on the counter and it gave me the idea. What if I left a pill out for him to nibble on? Would that kill him? I mean, it's only a very strong pain killer from when I had surgery. I heard him in a cupboard as I sat at my table last night and when I opened the cupboard door holding a hammer he jammed into the tiniest crack ever. He's going to die very soon. I don't want roommates!

Tomorrow is a big day. I'll be joining Jen and Josh for Gavin Degraw, it should be glorious.

Turn it on, Turn it up, Necessito la la la

Hume Lake is a refuge. Unless you take 110 middle school students! I've never been to camp with that many students to care for and it was an experience. I love Hume though and it was great to see friends and spend time with some of our students. The speaker was, ehhh, I was disappointed but the band was great! I can't wait to red coat in March. I had dinner with Darin and that was fun, he cracks me up.

Last night was my 3rd night in the trailer and well, there's this cupboard that hangs over my bed and I've been thinking, one night I'm gonna nail my head on it. Sure enough, last night was the night. I woke up around 3am because it was stinking freezing in my place (colder than Hume I kid not) and sat up, smack. I grabbed my sweatshirt and laid down and smack. I was out of tears already (story to come tomorrow) so I just laid down and went to bed. Good times in the new place.

Read This

My friend Darin McWatters is one funny, whitty and very smart guy. Lately I've been thinking a lot about marriage. Not that I want to get married now, someday maybe, but mostly I've been saddened by the hurt I see in so many families (mine included). I think Darin makes a great argument. Check it out at http://www.humelake.org/content/re_humenews.php?nidd=58&dyr=04&dqtr=4#article