Everything is an Interruption

   Greetings all. (if there are any of you still checking here, that is).

   Sorry about not posting in so long. I've been... busy. I won't make any promises about the frequency of my posts from now on, but I intend to write mostly short posts from now onward.

   Recently it feels like everything I have been doing, I do simply to get out of the way so that I can get on to whatever it is that I should be getting on to. I need a break.

   "Funny how, no matter how busy people are, they are never too busy to talk about how busy they are." -Anonymous

Camp Utibaca

First, I must apologize for not posting in so long, here I have been back from Utah for almost a week and I have not yet posted. However, as they say, better late than never. So, in that spirit, I now shall here record a smattering of the events that occurred over the course of this summer at camp Utibaca (Utah Independent Baptist Camp). Realizing that I cannot retell my entire summer camp experience now, I will only go over the first segment of my trip. I hope to continue this story in a later post; therefore I have entitled this post Camp Utibaca pt1.
I departed for Utah on the 20th of June. Dad took me to the airport early in the morning and stuck around to ensure that everything went smoothly. This was a good idea because as it turns out, for some reason or another, my name was on the terrorist watch list. This made getting through safety a bit more of a hassle but lead to quite a few laughs later on. My flight left (thankfully with me on it) and I arrived in Utah a little earlier than expected. My ride picked me up and we had a great time seeing the sights in Provo for most of the day. When we returned to his apartment with his wife and his sister, we had a wonderful and greatly appreciated meal of barbequed hamburgers. I slept well that night, but I woke up too early. Because of the time change I woke up at 6:00 because it felt like 8:00. I occupied myself around the apartment for an hour or so, and then took a lovely walk around the small town of Delta. However when I returned, I found that I was locked out. I simply went around back to the deck and rested there until my host returned from his job at one of the many boys’ homes in that state.
The drive up to camp was enjoyable; there was great scenery, great music, and great conversation. I will say here that Utah and the American west in general looks like a completely different world. The mountains rise up far on the horizon and in front of them stretches miles and miles of dry sand and shrubs. The sky is perfectly blue, with only one or two clouds to be seen. Everything is extremely dry causing the vast majority of the landscape to be brown. It is very beautiful country.
When we arrived at the camp, those who had been on staff before were busy reviving old relationships and those who hadn’t were busy starting new ones. I believe I was the only one there who didn’t know anyone, but not for long. I was quickly involved in conversation and making friends with many new people. After the rest of the staff arrived we had staff orientation and played a few “get to know me” games. Then we headed out to the game field. One other very noticeable aspect of the camp is that the air there is very thin (it is after all 8000 feet above sea level). This led to a measurable deal of panting, taking-of-breaks, and pain.
The next few days were a blur. We immediately started in moving rocks, cleaning cabins, painting towers, scrubbing showers, sawing logs, building stairs, washing troughs, picking up trash, arranging tables, spreading mulch, operating on engines, digging holes, pouring concrete, construction outhouses, organizing equipment, and the list goes on. We did a lot of work during staff training week, and we all grew closer to each other as a staff and closer to God as Christians. There were three chapel meetings every day, every one more challenging than the previous. There was also much time given for personal devotions in the morning and fellowship in the afternoon. It was wonderful to talk to other Christians about what we were learning in Chapel and our personal devotions. The fellowship up at camp was marvelously rich. Without the distractions of the world around, everyone was very focused on what was truly important.
Now, all this does not mean that we didn’t have fun too, not at ALL! There were many hours spent sitting around, telling jokes or playing games. I finally learned the “cup game” (man, that’s a blast!) and I definitely picked up a more “random” sense of humor. Overall, staff training week was a wonderful!
That’s all I have time for now. I will post later.

Howdy from UT

Hey everybody!

Greetings from the very large, dry, and hot state of Utah! I don't have time for a long post (that will have to wait until I get back), but I just decided to post real quick to let ya'll know that I'm still alive.

Camp's been going great. The teaching has been terrific. The food, fantastic. And the people unimaginabily hospitible.

God has been working up at camp. It's been amazing to watch.

I'll be posting later...

I Won’t Be Posting for a While

   Not like I'm posting on a regular basis as it is. Oh, well.

 
 

   Anyway, I won't be posting, cause on June 20th (Lord willing), I'm going out to Utah to be a staffer at a Bible camp out that way. I'll be waking up at approx. 5:00 am on the morning of the 20th, so that I can get a ride down to the airport by 6:00 am and be at the airport at 7:00am. This is also the same day that Dad's being told that he will be leaving for Afghanistan for 6 months. He was actually planning on retiring here in a few months, but now the Air Force is shipping overseas until December or so. He went to Qatar for about that long a year ago. That wasn't very fun and I thought it was supposed to be the last time, but evidently not. Oh, well. As Dad keeps saying, "How good of a Calvinist are you?"

 
 

   The whole deployment thing completely threw my family's vacation plan out of whack. They were going to come out to Utah, too, go to family camp and see the sites, but that's all off now. My plans, however, are virtually unchanged. As I said, I'm still going out to the camp. I want to be a consular and to I hope to take lots of pictures. That's not to say that I'll post them, I only promise that I hope to take them. I don't know if I'll have internet access out there (definitely not at the camp) (although I will volunteer for camp office tech support), so don't count on e-mail getting through. If I get a chance, there will be an "I've arrived" post later.

 

But for now, I have a little time, so I'll update chy'all on what's been going on. For those of you who check Isaac and Nathaniel's blogs, you know that our troop had a campout at Kiser Lake. It was fun and productive. Three of our guys are now very close to being 1^st class scouts (as in they should have it tomorrow (or later on today…). Anyway, after that, because my family was in Illinois for my sister's second graduation celebration, I went to Isaac and Nathaniel's house and spent the rest of Saturday, Sunday, and the majority of Monday there.

 

Since then, I've been working on planning the planning plan for a canoe trip that we are hoping to do in September (I think. It really depends on adult availability). I've also been packing for going to Utah. I know I'm over packing. The problem is knowing where I'm over packing. I'm well under the weight limit, but those suitcases are still very heavy. Today I helped out at my church's VBS. It was the last day and I would have liked to help more, but I had other things that I needed to do. Besides, even today, I didn't help out that much. Mostly I just hung out, made sure that the 4-year-olds didn't eat poison ivy or something, and ate free snow cones.

 

This evening, my family went to the airport to pick up my older sister, Emily, whom they had left behind when they went to Illinois. She wasn't going to come back until Friday, but now that it looks like Dad might be leaving for Afghanistan on Wednesday, he decided to bring her back early to spend a little more time together. She's going to be at college when he gets back, so that's important. After we picked her up, we went to an Amish restaurant to celebrate "half" of one of my younger sister's (Lydia's) birthday. It's really in July, but she wanted to celebrate it when Dad was still here.

 

When we got back, we watched some "Easter eggs" on the "Incredibles" DVD. I know it's supposed to be a kid's movie, but I still like it. One Easter egg was especially funny: mid-way through the production, Pixar wasn't sure if they could finish the movie in time, so one effects manager created a "back-up" just in case. The video is a shortened version of the movie done with sock puppets. It's hilarious!

 

Right now, I'm listening to some new music I got by a group called Casting Crowns. Their songs (unlike that of many other "Christian" artists is understandable, meaningful, and glorifying to God. Most of their songs call for action on the part of the Church. They have a lot of good stuff. One of their songs that I like more than the rest is "If We Are the Body."

 

It's crowded in worship today

As she slips in

Trying to fade into the faces

The girls' teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know

Farther than they know

 

CHORUS

But if we are the body

Why aren't His arms reaching?

Why aren't His hands healing?

Why aren't His words teaching?

And if we are the body

Why aren't His feet going?

Why is His love not showing them there is a way?

There is a way

 

A traveler is far away from home

He sheds his coat

And quietly sinks into the back row

The weight of their judgmental glances tell him that his chances

Are better out on the road

 

CHORUS

But if we are the body

Why aren't His arms reaching?

Why aren't His hands healing?

Why aren't His words teaching?

And if we are the body

Why aren't His feet going?

Why is His love not showing them there is a way?

 

Jesus paid much too high a price

For us to pick and choose who should come

And we are the body of Christ

 

Chorus (2x)

But if we are the body

Why aren't His arms reaching?

Why aren't His hands healing?

Why aren't His words teaching?

And if we are the body

Why aren't His feet going?

Why is His love not showing them there is a way?

 

Jesus is the way

 

 

I also like "What If His People Prayed?"

 

What if the armies of the Lord

Picked up and dusted off their swords

Vowed to set the captives free

And not let Satan have one more

 

What if the church, for heaven's sake

Finally stepped up to the plate

Took a stand upon God's promise

And stormed hell's rusty gates

 

Chorus:

What if His people prayed?

And THOSE who bear His name

Would humbly seek His face

And Turn from their own way

 

And what would happen if we prayed

For those raised up to lead the way

Then maybe kids in school could pray

And unborn children see light of day

 

What if the life that we pursue

Came from a hunger for the truth

What if the family turned to Jesus?

Stopped asking Oprah what to do

 

Chorus:

What if His people prayed?

And THOSE who bear His name

Would humbly seek His face

And Turn from their own way

 

He said that they would hear

His promise has been made

He'll answer loud and clear

If only we would pray

 

If My people called by My name

If they'll humble themselves and pray

If My people called by My name

If they'll humble themselves and pray

 

Chorus:

What if His people prayed?

And THOSE who bear His name

Would humbly seek His face

And Turn from their own way

He said that they would hear

His promise has been made

He'll answer loud and clear

If only we would pray

 

What if His people prayed?

 

If My people called by My name...

 

Other songs of theirs include: "Praise You in This Storm," "Does Anybody Hear Her," "American Dream," "Your Love Is Extravagant," and "Now My Lifesong Sings." All of these are very good and I would highly recommend them.

 

Anyway, I'll be posting (only not for a while). J

Ad-Hocrisy

Greetings:

I realize that it's been a REALLY long time since I last posted, but I figured that I finally have something big enough to write about. Tonight was one of the most unplanned nights of my life (that I can remember anyway).

This morning, we went to church, the messages are finally getting back around to the guys. Although I've been getting stuff out of the sermons, they've mostly been aimed at the women.

Anyway. With my sister's graduation coming up and all, Dad and Mom are really busy. There was talk of not going to church tonight (which greatly disappointed me). However, I simply remained calm and accepted the fact. After a patiently waiting (though not giving up hope), Dad finally suggested that he drop me off at church at the last minute. I heartily agreed.

Two of my younger sisters wanted to go to church, too, so I was in charge of them. Not a very hard task actually. Our pastor is starting a series on Acts. We got through who wrote it, the outline, and the fact that Luke gives progress reports throughout the thing, but that was it.

After church I was invited to a Bible study at our youth leader's house, when Dad got to church to pick me up, I asked if I could go. He agreed. So, we headed over there. The Bible study was good, too. It was about applying what the Bible tells us. There was a lot more than that, but I can't go into all of that here. We had a few side discussions, but there are some people who read this blog that might take offense. Check out Formerly Dead, because I might post on it there.

When the Bible study was over, I went outside and showed everyone how a magnesium striker works. I have a slight fascination with magnesium and all other things pyrotechnic. HeheheheJ.

Here's where the Ad-Hocrisy (I borrow that from my dad) really started. Apparently, a couple of girls in had wanted to have a "party" at their house, so they invited everyone to their house for a completely impromptu pizza party. I was also invited, so I called my dad to see if it would be alright, he didn't answer his cell phone. I called the house and but he had already left to pick me up. I got his blackberry number and called that. No answer. Almost despairing, I handed the phone back to the girl I'd borrowed it from. Just then I saw our van coming down the road. As soon as my dad pulled in the driveway, a friend and I… I hate to say "attacked him", but that's a good word for it. Anyway, we asked if I could go. The question was followed by a bit of persuasion, but he finally agreed. I rode with this friend and his sister (who, oh-by-the-way had just gotten her license a week ago.)

During the party, KenZ got a couple of phone calls from her parents. Apparently, they weren't ok with her driving other people around quite yet. I got in slight trouble over that one... but only slight.

To make a long-ish story short, my dad came and picked me up around 10:40, and I went home. As I said before, none of this was planned at all. We were going to stay home all night. I definitely think it was better this way though. It was a good experience. The one major thing I learned from it though is: I really need to start carrying my cell phone!

Anyway, I'll be posting. (hopefully more often, too.)

Just a little busy

Greetings:

Sorry about the long pauses between posts, but I’ve been, shall we say, rushed. I know ahead of time that this week would be a very busy, but I didn’t realize just how busy.

Monday was the slowest day all week. All I had to do was schoolwork. Backspace, which went OK.

On Tuesday, thing sped up a bit. I went down to speech club, which lasted the majority of the day. By the time that was over, we had to go to Springfield to try to get something to eat. We met dead at the restaurant eight and headed down to Cedarville for Emily’s piano recital. We did get home until 9:00 at which time, I had a good bed in order to wake up early the next morning.

I woke up at 645 on Wednesday. We loaded up the van and headed to the home of women in our home school group to two end of the year testing there were only a few of the people there includingBumpas and Bugsbee. The testing session was supposed to last from 830 to 330, but the three of us older kids decided to go a little later said that we would have to come back the next day, which worked out very well. Up, damaged the Wednesday was my birthday?

Throughout this whole week, I’ve been trying to fix some of the issues on my sister’s computer. It is a laptop with the docking station. It also had some speakers with a USB Power Supply (that’s just weird). The USB Power Supply messed up the whole talking stations set up and IE could not get any sound out of it.

Thursday I stayed at home. They! Mike Littman room and help and my mom and my sister with a scrapbook that they were making for my eagle scout court of one. The scrap that they’re working on, they made it one day, that’s quite a feat.

Friday was preparation for my eagle scout court of honor. The whole day was filled with driving to church and back. I think I got nearly an hour of driving time in. The COH went well, although I think it could have been smoother. But, they always can be. After we get the church cleaned up I came home and open cards and presents. I got some really cool stuff including a book on eagle scouts from my scout master, an engraved pocketknife from my parents, and a ” 5-in-1 measuring tape”, and a bunch of other stuff. Then I crashed.

Today, I woke up ealy-er. Worked outside cut down a tree, stacked the wood, listen to threats that I’d have to split it all, etc. Right now, I’m just waiting around for supper. After that, I get to have my birthday (ya, we were too busy on Wednesday, so we had to reschedule it). That’s all that I can think to say.

Just one more thing, I’m writing this one my sister’s new computer. It’s a Vista OS, so it has the special voice reconition system and all that. It hasn’t learned my voice perfectly yet, and I wasn’t watching, so please forgive any mistakes it might have made in the dictation.

Exciting and Creepy

For my speech club, one of the things I have to do is to gather news articles for the extemporaneous speaker's research. Today I ran across this one.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18358876/

This looks really cool, but for any of you who have ever seen the movie: "Six: The Mark Unleashed" (or read the book of Revelation for that matter), this is a rather creepy article.

I don't have much time, but check it out.