Something that I have been looking into recently are the trials in life. Whether it be with struggling with temptations, or just sin in general. Be it some traumatic situation came up, the thing that I have been noticing recently isn't what happened, or why it's happening, I've been noticing the way people respond to them.
How you respond to a bad situation says a lot about you in your character, but it also shows where your love really is. Where your heart is. Because, normally, when you start to have a trial, the first thing you go to, normally is where your heart truly lies. For me, I used to just run to my friends. Luckily enough, when I was just starting my walk with Christ, these were also the friends that would point me to Christ, because they knew that I needed to have a good foundation in Him before I could do anything. No matter how many times they did this, it would always happen that I would go back to them for help. I seemed to have a problem with remembering to look to the Lord first. This would not go away for over 2 years. In fact, the first time I actually ran to the Lord first for something that was on my heart, was at Work Crew. Something about knowing that the friends that I normally told everything not being there for me, and not really knowing yet, who I trusted enough on Work Crew just gave me the sense of, well, it's just me and the Lord. Recently, I have not had any trouble with continuing this. Granted my only trial so far, since I have been home has been like, not having a truck, so I can't go to my own house all the time. That's the biggest one. The thing is, I still went to the Lord before anyone else.
There is something else that has been resting on my heart, but it's more of a blessing than anything else. The fact that He has blessed me with this amazing person, that always helps me remember that I need to look to Him before anything, and my life will change completely. She has completely changed my mindset, and it's all because of the way I feel about her. The Lord put her in my life at this very moment for that very reason. I'm almost certain of it. To help me be reminded that I need to look to Him before anything or anyone else. In the good times, and the bad times. There is nothing better in the world, and there is nothing I would rather have. It's one of the best blessings that I could have asked for! Just knowing that I am wanted to study the Word, and knowing that I need to, and having someone indirectly reminding me that I need Him in each and every day just makes me so joyful.
Now on to the real topic.
The biggest reason I say I have noticed how people respond to trials is because they always look for ways out, or around something. The mindset that if they don't have to deal with it, or if they leave it alone, it will go away, has infected the entire world. The problem that I have found with this is that people who do this, always tend to go to other things in life to deal with the problems. They never really get around to dealing with the problem, and then they create a whole new set of problems for themselves to have to deal with. Something that I have been wrestling with is this mindset in my head. I have had a hard time dealing with some situations in my life, and I don't know how to deal with it. The biggest reason that I need to deal with it, is it could really help my life, both now, and in the future. If you know me, you know that I always want a job. I want to make my own money, so that way I don't have to ask for it. The problem with this is, I never really looked. This was me leaving a hard situation alone, and hoping a magical answer would come down. "Silly TJ, it doesn't work that way!" is what I have heard God telling me recently. He has really shown me that the only way to get through my trials, is to go barging through them. I just read a chapter in the book, "Love Does" by Bob Goff, that talked about how Bob got into law school. I thought it was awesome. The chapter starts with "I used to think God guided us by opening and closing doors. I now know that sometimes God wants us to kick some doors down" Basically, going through our problems, or making our own opportunities. This isn't the easy way to do things, and the other book that I just got done reading which is "Do Hard Things" by Alex and Brett Harris talked about stepping out of our comfort zones and making things happen. Basically, it's time to man up, and kick down that door! Bob sat outside the dean's office for like 10 days or something like that before the dean finally let him go to that school. Bob wasn't taking no for an answer. I pray that this would become something that I get infected with. Something I am so passionate about doing, that nothing, and that means NOTHING will stop me from getting it. I guess that's what I'm doing now haha. Different situation though.
I wanna just use this as an encouragement to those who are struggling with hard times, or trying to get somewhere, but have come to a roadblock. If you are struggling, go at it with full force. Nothing can stop you if you go at it. Especially if you're going at it with the Lord, because He is greater than any problem you could encounter. Don't let whatever bad situation you're in stop you from living your life. Find a solution, and go through with it. It won't be easy, but trust me, it's worth it. You will grow a lot through doing so, and it will help better equip you for when it happens again. For those who are like me, and have a road block in something. Take it one step at a time if you need to, but you also need to go at it with everything you have. If you're like me, and something is just out of your reach, keep jumping for it. Look to the Lord, and He will help you, even if by helping you, you realize that you didn't really want what you thought you wanted. I promise you, He will show you what to do. Sometimes, you just gotta take a leap of faith, and just do it. I'm planning on doing something with it soon.
I promise you, that if you leave a situation alone, like trying to find a job, or trying to do some other thing that you want to do, but you have a roadblock, that it will only get worse. You won't solve the problem you have now, and other ones will just come up in the future. I tell you, you need to act as soon as you can, because if not, it's never gonna happen. You need to swallow your fear, pride, or whatever else, and just go at things. It takes 1 step, and next thing you know, you're taking off.
I also tell you, that if you do go at a hard situation, don't be discouraged. I tell you, you have to MAKE something happen. If
you need to, use whatever means necessary to get what you're after (as
long as it's legal). Sometimes you need to just grab it. Take it by
storm.I promise you you won't be as let down as you think. If you're going at it with the Lord, He will either help you get it, or will help you away from it, giving you something better.
I promise, it's worth it.
Have a good night
I love you
TJ
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Monday, July 9, 2012
Work Crew/ Best Month Ever
Okay so this is the story of all the experiences that I had while I was on Work Crew. There were many things, and I'm glad I was able to be a part of it!
Day -1: Fetzer drove me up to Rockbridge, and I was getting more and more excited as he would tell me about the things that he knew I was going to get to do. We arrive at Rockbridge, and stop at the office so I could check in, get my t-shirt, and all that good stuff. Did all of my logistical stuff and after that, we drove over to House Mountain, in order to get me unpacked for the month. Fetz and I chose a bed, though I ended up switching to the top bunk haha, and I was off to help make beds for the camper's cabins. I met this guy named Max, who made beds with me the entire time that we were doing that. People started showing up, and I met a few other people, and it was good. I thought it was a productive start to a great month.
Day 0: We spent all of the day learning our jobs, and performing them to what we could. Learning where everything went after it came out of the Hobart was the hardest challenge here. It came quicker than expected though. Meeting who all was on Pits with me was a great thing too. Joel, the boss was a great guy. He was fun loving, and he had a great attitude, and it seemed he was excited to be there. All of the other people, Johnger, Josh, James, Kara, and Emily seemed excited to get under way. Little did we know that Johnger would soon be moved to server status. The best part about the June 2012 Pitcrew is that 4 of the 5 kids, 4 of 6 if you include Joel, are left handed. It was the first time I had seen a lefty dominance anywhere! All in all, it was a rough day. That night, we had a friend who wanted to tell us a story. So we had our first of 3 "Story Time With Justin" nights. It was an awesome story
Day 1, Week 1: Our first round of campers showed up today. It was a new feeling of excitement for many of us, and I know that all 40ish kids on the work crew was looking forward to it. Some of the pits went outside to help Thomas, the cook at Rockbridge with hot dogs, while the rest of us helped Joel unpack girls luggage. This was not a hard day, even though it did seem to last forever. Still learning where all the things went, and even seeing new dishes confused me. It was the start of a new adventure indeed. We had our second story tonight, though I don't remember much of it.
Day 2 week 1: I don't really recall much of this day, other than new dishes and getting to see some great stuff. We also had our first Family Time where the entire pitcrew got to sit together and talk about how we were doing. We stopped washing dishes halfway through to watch fireworks and give the campers freezie pops. After that, we went into our first cabin. The work crew gets to go into cabins to give the campers juice and meet them. It was a sweet experience, going into Muskrat Hollow for the first time ever. The kids in there were all great, and the leader was a cool dude.
Day 3 week 1: I don't really know much about this day either. Some new dishes, and our first sabbath night. I think this was also the day I got to hear my friend, Kara's story. Along with James. They had some great stories, and I loved getting to hear them. We went out to Wal-Mart and McDonald's or something, and just hung out for a while. Then we worshiped a little bit, and had a Bible Study. It was great fun, and we got some good time to rest.
Day 4 week 1: The biggest memory I got from this day was when we served our fifties night stuff, just because it is the easiest to do. We finished pretty quickly, and got to have a few milkshakes or "malkshakes" as Joel called them. It was awesome. The kids also got to hear the sin talk, which is what really makes the talks harder to listen to, and that's why we also start the prayer vigil, where we pick out a time slot to go and pray for the campers. The pits got 1 AM to 2 AM if you count the boys and girls time. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be haha
Day 5 week 1: When I woke up and realized it was already day 5, I couldn't believe it. I thought that the week was going very slowly, but I felt like it flew by. this day wasn't too memorable except for not having to go to work til like 11 because we had breakfast in bed instead of the dining hall. Naturally, a great start to the day. This was also one of the days where it became crunch time, because we had to wash everything for the buffet and it was a challenge. The night was great, because it was our first Work Crew/Summer Staff night because it was the same as the night of the 20 minutes, where the kids get to taste the experience of the time that we spend praying to God. I know I am put at peace by this time, and it's great. Getting to stand side by side with my new friends, Dan, and Jenna would be the greatest thing ever, and it was awesome getting to here my friends' stories for the first time. This was also the night that I met my Summer Staff buddy, Joe. Joe is an awesome guy, and would really be a great help to me throughout the entire month. The best part about this night was it was our first night sharing our testimonies with the cabins we had gone to earlier in the week. I went back into Muskrat Hollow and shared my story with the cabin. The kids kind of sat there awkwardly before I started and then they gave me a lacrosse stick, because that was what they used as their talking stick. Humorous, yes. I shared, and then they sat awkwardly again, so I just got up and left after the leader told me to haha. Awesome night.
Day 6 week 1: The last day of week 1. It was a great time. Brunch in the morning was kind of challenging and I can say it really taught me how to rely on the Lord's power. We went through the day, and I can say that it was a quick day. We went from washing dishes and cleaning Hobart to going to club and having a blast. We also got the joy of watching the Say-So, where kids openly announce that they had begun a relationship with the Lord. It was probably the best part of the week for most, if not all of us. It was such a great blessing to see that kids were literally going from death to life in front of our eyes. We then got to say goodbye to the campers and start cleaning. I didn't get the memo about pits, so I just stayed in House Mountain though haha. Whoops!
Day 1 week 2: New campers today. I got the pleasure of running the hot dog shack with Thomas, and I thought it was awesome. We got to welcome in a few campers, and then I got one of the biggest shocks of my life. A leader from Ohio, who did program while my area went to Saranac last year walks off the bus. It was awesome. Getting to see someone who I knew, knowing that I was serving them was awesome! I couldn't believe it, because I didn't expect to see anyone that I knew there. It was a great feeling. The day went exactly like the last week, with the only exception of a new Pits member has been added. Jonathan showed up day 6, late, and he was from Florida... Dang! I thought it was exciting. Little did I know we wouldn't have a great relationship.
Day 2 week 2: Today was a pretty fun day from what I can remember, no surprises, just a straight day of good fellowship and fun in the Pits. Played a bit of soccer, and basketball with some guys, and it was awesome.
Day 3 week 2: Today went by rather quickly, things were running smoothly, and all. Like the day before, no real surprises up until we got off for our sabbath. Little did I know, that on our sabbath, we would be taking a trip out of Rockbridge to the town right next to it. We went out to McDonald's and had dinner there, though I didn't eat because I had eaten a huge lunch, and wasn't hungry. We just chilled there for a while, then Kevin told us we'd be going to Wal-Mart. I don't know about you, but 40 teenagers let loose in Wal-Mart sounds like someone is asking for trouble, but nothing bad happened. Just hung out, put masks on, ran around our bosses, and looked at a few random things. All in all it was a great time. We went back and worshiped together and had a Bible Study. One of the best nights.
Most of the next days kind of just ran together, and they were all just normal days, with no surprises, and were basically a lot like the week before.
Day 2: Week 3: This day was awkward for me, cause I had started to have a sort of lonely feeling, cause for whatever reason I wasn't connected with my Work Crew friends yet. I was struggling with this feeling of loneliness and I didn't know what to do. I wasn't really close with anyone, and I thought I was going to tell someone, but didn't know who, so I talked to a few Summer Staffers about it.
Day 3 week 3: This day was a lot like the day before, except I started to connect with people a bit more, especially those who were in the Pits with me. This is when I felt like we were really starting to become like family.
Day 4 week 3: Today was sooo weird. The Pits guys had realized that Kara wasn't with us, and we were wondering what was going on, Emily said she hadn't seen her, and we were worried. Next thing we know, Joel pulls us out and tells us that Kara will be leaving.. This was not a fun time afterwards. We get pulled out right before dinner to say goodbye, and from then things were very mellow for me. It was very saddening, and definitely not something. we wanted to see happen.
Day 5: week 3 Today was rather nice. Even though things were still mellow, having Work Crew/Summer Staff night was rather refreshing, and it really helped me to see that we were still there for a purpose. I didn't get to share my testimony tonight, and that kind of sucked, but I grew to be content. Prayed about it a lot, and got to read a little bit.
Day 6 week 3: Today was a sick blessing. I learned a little bit from this book I had been sent, and it really helped me a lot. I also started to grow close with my new great friend, Jordan, and that was really helping my sadness. The Say-so tonight was amazing, because I got to watch about 112 kids stand up and tell us they had begun the best relationship ever. It was great! Worshiping afterwards was amazing as well, just got to see the Lord working in me!
Day 0: We got this day off, and today was really the day I started to really trust my buddy, Jordan. We literally spent like all day together, and we went from working out, to the pool, to frolfing. It was amazing. I got to know him decently well, and I thought that the Lord was really answering a prayer. Got to chill with a lot of people. and really relax. After we had a surprise, which was a bonfire and time on the lake, which the Work Crew guys won a round on the revolution, we were going to watch Sherlock Holmes, but I stayed and read a little cause I don't like Sherlock Holmes. It was a great day though!
Day 1 week 4: Today was awesome, got to spend a lot of time in prayer, and just really thinking about how the month was going. Never really thought that we'd get to see so much happen, and couldn't really believe we only had 2 more weeks left. I was on the hot dog shack today, and to my surprise, my friends Dan and Danger show up! I saw them, and then I was immediately excited to serve this week, cause I was serving 2 of my best friends. It was amazing!
Day 2 week 4: I kept growing today, not really understanding what was going on, but the Lord was definitely changing my heart, and helping me to get through. The book that I was reading definitely helped a lot, and seeing so many kids around camp was amazing. This day was good, cause work stopped seeming like work, and it was enjoyable! Great times right there.
Day 3 week 4: Our day today was fun filled, and I started really growing with everyone, because the Lord was really helping me to connect with people. It was an easy day, and things were going smoothly. Our Sabbath night was nice and chill. got to hang, and see a lot of great stuff. Learned a lot, and all that jazz. The Lord was at work
Day 4 week 4: Today would be a day that would, little to my knowledge, affect the rest of my month, and my current days. I had met a friend, that my friend, Brandie had told me to meet a month beforehand haha. Well, better late than never, right? Kayla and I talked a bit, and I hadn't really thought much of it, and then we just chilled a bit. It was sweet, but other than that, I grew a little bit more with the people I was directly with all of the time, and it was all in all a sweet day.
Day 5 week 4: Today went by rather quickly, and next thing I know it's Work Crew/Summer Staff night all over again. We went through, and I noticed my friend, Dan was crying. I prayed over him, though he didn't know it, and I thought that it was because he had really given his all that week. He had been working so hard, and it really showed. We went through the whole night, and I didn't think much about it. Then we went into Cabins again, and I had been selected for this cabin for a specific reason, and I thought it was great. I had met the 2 leaders who were both familiar with people from Roanoke, so it was sweet! I shared my testimony with that cabin, and it seemed that they listened pretty well. The questions were a bit off main topic, but it was still cool to get to share.
Day 6 week 4: Man, 4 weeks over with, and it didn't seem like we'd been there that long. We had all grown so close with each other, and we were all going nuts cause we hadn't heard everyone's testimony yet! We were distressed. The whole day went by quickly, and at the Say-So, about 5 to 8 dudes from my cabin had stood up, so I was very happy. I hope they're doing well, and I know that the Lord is still working in their hearts. It was a great day!
This week coming up would be one of the hardest weeks of our month. We didn't expect it to happen, but
Day 1 week 5: The last day 1, ever. We were not ready for that fact, but little did we know that we were also going to get hit by a huge storm right after dinner, and then next thing we know, the lights are out. Well, this wouldn't kill our great mood for whatever reason, so we coined the term, "No Power, No Problem!" We went on our way washing everything by hand, which would be one of the greatest challenges ever! We had an early lights out tonight, cause we all stayed out so late on night 5 week 4, so we stayed up and shared testimonies with each other. It was sweet!
Day 2 week 5: Power's still out, didn't know that we'd eventually get taken in by monotony and get rather bored doing dishes. Using paper cups and plates, and plastic cutlery made things easier, but still washing things was awful! We had our 50s night dinner on this night cause it made things easier, and we still brought Juice.... well, Coca Cola to the cabins. I went to a cabin with kids from Norway! Which was one of the best experiences ever. We introduced the Gypsy Pits today, and we washed dishes outside with the juice trash cans and it made things a little better. We got to have a little fun, and it was great!
Day 3 week 5: Well today's breakfast was fun, cause nothing really was going on, and we were still using our regular Pits to wash dishes. It got to be a little weird, but it was alright! The next thing that happened would change the course of the week. I was walking something back to where it belonged, and then the next thing I knew, I hear the kitchen intern run in yelling "It's about to come on!" Then about 3 seconds later, God said, "Let there be light!". The lights came on, and we all started screaming at the top of our lungs! We got so excited and we were going insane! We then had like a kitchen party when we finally got Hobart to turn on, and we could start washing dishes regularly again. Never before had I seen so many people go nuts over power. #21stcenturyprobz.
Day 4 week 5: Today would end up being the day the changed my outlook on a few things. I had been learning so much, and trying my best to work as hard as I could, and get everything done so that we could, as an old football friend would say, "Do it right, do it light". We were gaining our rhythm back, and it was great. Then I was also given a little revelation about myself... As we got ready for 50s night, I had the hair slicked back, the white T with the rolled up sleeves on, and the sharpie tattoo in place, I had thought long and hard about life, and what was going on. I had a friend's name in the sharpie heart tattoo, and I was getting asked about who she was. All I answered with was "A friend back home". I talked to the kitchen intern, who is going to be a great leader at FCHS next year, about it, and about 30 seconds later, I realized that something was not right about it. I realized that I had kind of had an emotional change recently, and I realized my heart had changed. I no longer had the feelings for my "friend back home" but I had grown some feelings for a friend on WC with me. I prayed about it and the results were quick.
Day 5 week 5: Today was a great day, and I was happy because I had been growing a lot and thinking about everything that had gone on. I had the intent to talk to my friend about what I had realized about myself, and so right after we got done washing the lunch dishes, I went and started to talk to him about it, and then in the middle of it all, she walked in. Of all the awkward moments, right? So I told my friend we'd finish talking later, and chilled with her for a bit, just talking about stuff. When I found him later, I said "That was awkward", and he got what I meant. For some reason, unless this actually happened the day before, the rest of the day dragged on, and then it's Work Crew/Summer Staff night! We had all worked so hard, and we were all ready for tonight! I had also just loved it. We were all already crying by this point, cause we knew it would be our last. We got done, and we couldn't keep it in, we just hugged and cried for a while, then went to the cabins. I went into the Norway Cabin with Joe, and got to share my testimony with them, and they asked some great questions, and it was great! Also, they were in the cabin I had gone to Weeks 1,2,4, and 5! So I had been there a lot. I stayed at the Dining Hall to wait for the girl who I had feelings for, who had gone to the Norway girls cabin and asked her how it went, and we talked, and then we decided that we wanted to hear each others' stories. So we decided we'd do it day 6. We went to sleep and then it began. P.S. Today was the day my prayers from the night before started being answered, but I won't say when
Day 6 week 5: Today was awesome, but sad, glorious, but heart wrenching, and we were all still working our hardest. It went by slowly, thankfully, and right after I had finished with the brunch dishes, I went back to House Mountain to wait, cause I had a story to hear. I just read a little, and looked at the SuDoKu book, which confused me, cause I could never do those things. Then my friend who I had feelings for showed up, and we went over to the store, and she got a few things, and then we went under a tree, and shared our testimonies with each other. She has a sweet story, no matter what she says, and then we just hung out til Dinner, so yeah. I had talked to my friend, Jordan, who was the only one who knew about my feelings for her, and he was always listening, even though I would have been annoyed by now, so thanks to him for putting up with me! haha. We had all decided to stay up late, and I told Jordan that I had planned on telling this girl that I had feelings for that I had said feelings. Well he encouraged me, and all I needed, was opportunity. Well, it came, but because I have been very bad with "heat of the moment" situations, I just enjoyed her presence, and hung out with her til about 3:30 AM. She went to bed, and I was just beating myself up, cause I hadn't told her, and it was just dumb. I had told my friend Mike who was on Summer Staff about it, and he encouraged me as well, but I still didn't.
Final day: I woke up, still kicking myself out of frustration, but I got all my crap together, told Mike and Jordan that I hadn't done it yet, and they both told me to do it if I could, so after Jordan had left, which put me in tears immediately, and I put my stuff in Ruthiey's car, I had made my mind up... It was going to happen, then, there, and nothing was stopping me! Luckily, another opportunity arose, and I was walking with her to the Veranda, and on the way, I told her the entire story. Probably bad timing on my part, but it had to be said. We were both already crying, and that wasn't changing. We said goodbye to people as they left, and then I had to go. I hugged everyone who was there one final time, and left. The ride home was good, until the last 3 hours.... Funny, if you recall from earlier, it is a 50ish minute car ride to Rockbridge.... We got in a wreck on the way, and that slowed things down. So sad, and bruised, we eventually all made it home, and all was well.
This is what I can remember of the greatest month of my life. I encourage any of you who are thinking about doing Work Crew, or Summer Staff to jump in! Your life will be changed! It was weird coming home, and not waking up with 11 other guys, in Rockbridge, but my life is forever changed! I met some great kids, and nothing will be the same! I pray that you'd partake in the great experience of serving for a month!
I also recommend the book "Do Hard Things" by Alex and Brett Harris. It helped me a lot during this month, and is the book I was referencing.
I love you guys
TJ
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself, it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit, unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches, if a man remains in me, and I in him, he will bear much fruit. Apart from me, you can do nothing. If a man does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete. My command to you is this: Love each other, as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:1-13
Day -1: Fetzer drove me up to Rockbridge, and I was getting more and more excited as he would tell me about the things that he knew I was going to get to do. We arrive at Rockbridge, and stop at the office so I could check in, get my t-shirt, and all that good stuff. Did all of my logistical stuff and after that, we drove over to House Mountain, in order to get me unpacked for the month. Fetz and I chose a bed, though I ended up switching to the top bunk haha, and I was off to help make beds for the camper's cabins. I met this guy named Max, who made beds with me the entire time that we were doing that. People started showing up, and I met a few other people, and it was good. I thought it was a productive start to a great month.
Day 0: We spent all of the day learning our jobs, and performing them to what we could. Learning where everything went after it came out of the Hobart was the hardest challenge here. It came quicker than expected though. Meeting who all was on Pits with me was a great thing too. Joel, the boss was a great guy. He was fun loving, and he had a great attitude, and it seemed he was excited to be there. All of the other people, Johnger, Josh, James, Kara, and Emily seemed excited to get under way. Little did we know that Johnger would soon be moved to server status. The best part about the June 2012 Pitcrew is that 4 of the 5 kids, 4 of 6 if you include Joel, are left handed. It was the first time I had seen a lefty dominance anywhere! All in all, it was a rough day. That night, we had a friend who wanted to tell us a story. So we had our first of 3 "Story Time With Justin" nights. It was an awesome story
Day 1, Week 1: Our first round of campers showed up today. It was a new feeling of excitement for many of us, and I know that all 40ish kids on the work crew was looking forward to it. Some of the pits went outside to help Thomas, the cook at Rockbridge with hot dogs, while the rest of us helped Joel unpack girls luggage. This was not a hard day, even though it did seem to last forever. Still learning where all the things went, and even seeing new dishes confused me. It was the start of a new adventure indeed. We had our second story tonight, though I don't remember much of it.
Day 2 week 1: I don't really recall much of this day, other than new dishes and getting to see some great stuff. We also had our first Family Time where the entire pitcrew got to sit together and talk about how we were doing. We stopped washing dishes halfway through to watch fireworks and give the campers freezie pops. After that, we went into our first cabin. The work crew gets to go into cabins to give the campers juice and meet them. It was a sweet experience, going into Muskrat Hollow for the first time ever. The kids in there were all great, and the leader was a cool dude.
Day 3 week 1: I don't really know much about this day either. Some new dishes, and our first sabbath night. I think this was also the day I got to hear my friend, Kara's story. Along with James. They had some great stories, and I loved getting to hear them. We went out to Wal-Mart and McDonald's or something, and just hung out for a while. Then we worshiped a little bit, and had a Bible Study. It was great fun, and we got some good time to rest.
Day 4 week 1: The biggest memory I got from this day was when we served our fifties night stuff, just because it is the easiest to do. We finished pretty quickly, and got to have a few milkshakes or "malkshakes" as Joel called them. It was awesome. The kids also got to hear the sin talk, which is what really makes the talks harder to listen to, and that's why we also start the prayer vigil, where we pick out a time slot to go and pray for the campers. The pits got 1 AM to 2 AM if you count the boys and girls time. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be haha
Day 5 week 1: When I woke up and realized it was already day 5, I couldn't believe it. I thought that the week was going very slowly, but I felt like it flew by. this day wasn't too memorable except for not having to go to work til like 11 because we had breakfast in bed instead of the dining hall. Naturally, a great start to the day. This was also one of the days where it became crunch time, because we had to wash everything for the buffet and it was a challenge. The night was great, because it was our first Work Crew/Summer Staff night because it was the same as the night of the 20 minutes, where the kids get to taste the experience of the time that we spend praying to God. I know I am put at peace by this time, and it's great. Getting to stand side by side with my new friends, Dan, and Jenna would be the greatest thing ever, and it was awesome getting to here my friends' stories for the first time. This was also the night that I met my Summer Staff buddy, Joe. Joe is an awesome guy, and would really be a great help to me throughout the entire month. The best part about this night was it was our first night sharing our testimonies with the cabins we had gone to earlier in the week. I went back into Muskrat Hollow and shared my story with the cabin. The kids kind of sat there awkwardly before I started and then they gave me a lacrosse stick, because that was what they used as their talking stick. Humorous, yes. I shared, and then they sat awkwardly again, so I just got up and left after the leader told me to haha. Awesome night.
Day 6 week 1: The last day of week 1. It was a great time. Brunch in the morning was kind of challenging and I can say it really taught me how to rely on the Lord's power. We went through the day, and I can say that it was a quick day. We went from washing dishes and cleaning Hobart to going to club and having a blast. We also got the joy of watching the Say-So, where kids openly announce that they had begun a relationship with the Lord. It was probably the best part of the week for most, if not all of us. It was such a great blessing to see that kids were literally going from death to life in front of our eyes. We then got to say goodbye to the campers and start cleaning. I didn't get the memo about pits, so I just stayed in House Mountain though haha. Whoops!
Day 1 week 2: New campers today. I got the pleasure of running the hot dog shack with Thomas, and I thought it was awesome. We got to welcome in a few campers, and then I got one of the biggest shocks of my life. A leader from Ohio, who did program while my area went to Saranac last year walks off the bus. It was awesome. Getting to see someone who I knew, knowing that I was serving them was awesome! I couldn't believe it, because I didn't expect to see anyone that I knew there. It was a great feeling. The day went exactly like the last week, with the only exception of a new Pits member has been added. Jonathan showed up day 6, late, and he was from Florida... Dang! I thought it was exciting. Little did I know we wouldn't have a great relationship.
Day 2 week 2: Today was a pretty fun day from what I can remember, no surprises, just a straight day of good fellowship and fun in the Pits. Played a bit of soccer, and basketball with some guys, and it was awesome.
Day 3 week 2: Today went by rather quickly, things were running smoothly, and all. Like the day before, no real surprises up until we got off for our sabbath. Little did I know, that on our sabbath, we would be taking a trip out of Rockbridge to the town right next to it. We went out to McDonald's and had dinner there, though I didn't eat because I had eaten a huge lunch, and wasn't hungry. We just chilled there for a while, then Kevin told us we'd be going to Wal-Mart. I don't know about you, but 40 teenagers let loose in Wal-Mart sounds like someone is asking for trouble, but nothing bad happened. Just hung out, put masks on, ran around our bosses, and looked at a few random things. All in all it was a great time. We went back and worshiped together and had a Bible Study. One of the best nights.
Most of the next days kind of just ran together, and they were all just normal days, with no surprises, and were basically a lot like the week before.
Day 2: Week 3: This day was awkward for me, cause I had started to have a sort of lonely feeling, cause for whatever reason I wasn't connected with my Work Crew friends yet. I was struggling with this feeling of loneliness and I didn't know what to do. I wasn't really close with anyone, and I thought I was going to tell someone, but didn't know who, so I talked to a few Summer Staffers about it.
Day 3 week 3: This day was a lot like the day before, except I started to connect with people a bit more, especially those who were in the Pits with me. This is when I felt like we were really starting to become like family.
Day 4 week 3: Today was sooo weird. The Pits guys had realized that Kara wasn't with us, and we were wondering what was going on, Emily said she hadn't seen her, and we were worried. Next thing we know, Joel pulls us out and tells us that Kara will be leaving.. This was not a fun time afterwards. We get pulled out right before dinner to say goodbye, and from then things were very mellow for me. It was very saddening, and definitely not something. we wanted to see happen.
Day 5: week 3 Today was rather nice. Even though things were still mellow, having Work Crew/Summer Staff night was rather refreshing, and it really helped me to see that we were still there for a purpose. I didn't get to share my testimony tonight, and that kind of sucked, but I grew to be content. Prayed about it a lot, and got to read a little bit.
Day 6 week 3: Today was a sick blessing. I learned a little bit from this book I had been sent, and it really helped me a lot. I also started to grow close with my new great friend, Jordan, and that was really helping my sadness. The Say-so tonight was amazing, because I got to watch about 112 kids stand up and tell us they had begun the best relationship ever. It was great! Worshiping afterwards was amazing as well, just got to see the Lord working in me!
Day 0: We got this day off, and today was really the day I started to really trust my buddy, Jordan. We literally spent like all day together, and we went from working out, to the pool, to frolfing. It was amazing. I got to know him decently well, and I thought that the Lord was really answering a prayer. Got to chill with a lot of people. and really relax. After we had a surprise, which was a bonfire and time on the lake, which the Work Crew guys won a round on the revolution, we were going to watch Sherlock Holmes, but I stayed and read a little cause I don't like Sherlock Holmes. It was a great day though!
Day 1 week 4: Today was awesome, got to spend a lot of time in prayer, and just really thinking about how the month was going. Never really thought that we'd get to see so much happen, and couldn't really believe we only had 2 more weeks left. I was on the hot dog shack today, and to my surprise, my friends Dan and Danger show up! I saw them, and then I was immediately excited to serve this week, cause I was serving 2 of my best friends. It was amazing!
Day 2 week 4: I kept growing today, not really understanding what was going on, but the Lord was definitely changing my heart, and helping me to get through. The book that I was reading definitely helped a lot, and seeing so many kids around camp was amazing. This day was good, cause work stopped seeming like work, and it was enjoyable! Great times right there.
Day 3 week 4: Our day today was fun filled, and I started really growing with everyone, because the Lord was really helping me to connect with people. It was an easy day, and things were going smoothly. Our Sabbath night was nice and chill. got to hang, and see a lot of great stuff. Learned a lot, and all that jazz. The Lord was at work
Day 4 week 4: Today would be a day that would, little to my knowledge, affect the rest of my month, and my current days. I had met a friend, that my friend, Brandie had told me to meet a month beforehand haha. Well, better late than never, right? Kayla and I talked a bit, and I hadn't really thought much of it, and then we just chilled a bit. It was sweet, but other than that, I grew a little bit more with the people I was directly with all of the time, and it was all in all a sweet day.
Day 5 week 4: Today went by rather quickly, and next thing I know it's Work Crew/Summer Staff night all over again. We went through, and I noticed my friend, Dan was crying. I prayed over him, though he didn't know it, and I thought that it was because he had really given his all that week. He had been working so hard, and it really showed. We went through the whole night, and I didn't think much about it. Then we went into Cabins again, and I had been selected for this cabin for a specific reason, and I thought it was great. I had met the 2 leaders who were both familiar with people from Roanoke, so it was sweet! I shared my testimony with that cabin, and it seemed that they listened pretty well. The questions were a bit off main topic, but it was still cool to get to share.
Day 6 week 4: Man, 4 weeks over with, and it didn't seem like we'd been there that long. We had all grown so close with each other, and we were all going nuts cause we hadn't heard everyone's testimony yet! We were distressed. The whole day went by quickly, and at the Say-So, about 5 to 8 dudes from my cabin had stood up, so I was very happy. I hope they're doing well, and I know that the Lord is still working in their hearts. It was a great day!
This week coming up would be one of the hardest weeks of our month. We didn't expect it to happen, but
Day 1 week 5: The last day 1, ever. We were not ready for that fact, but little did we know that we were also going to get hit by a huge storm right after dinner, and then next thing we know, the lights are out. Well, this wouldn't kill our great mood for whatever reason, so we coined the term, "No Power, No Problem!" We went on our way washing everything by hand, which would be one of the greatest challenges ever! We had an early lights out tonight, cause we all stayed out so late on night 5 week 4, so we stayed up and shared testimonies with each other. It was sweet!
Day 2 week 5: Power's still out, didn't know that we'd eventually get taken in by monotony and get rather bored doing dishes. Using paper cups and plates, and plastic cutlery made things easier, but still washing things was awful! We had our 50s night dinner on this night cause it made things easier, and we still brought Juice.... well, Coca Cola to the cabins. I went to a cabin with kids from Norway! Which was one of the best experiences ever. We introduced the Gypsy Pits today, and we washed dishes outside with the juice trash cans and it made things a little better. We got to have a little fun, and it was great!
Day 3 week 5: Well today's breakfast was fun, cause nothing really was going on, and we were still using our regular Pits to wash dishes. It got to be a little weird, but it was alright! The next thing that happened would change the course of the week. I was walking something back to where it belonged, and then the next thing I knew, I hear the kitchen intern run in yelling "It's about to come on!" Then about 3 seconds later, God said, "Let there be light!". The lights came on, and we all started screaming at the top of our lungs! We got so excited and we were going insane! We then had like a kitchen party when we finally got Hobart to turn on, and we could start washing dishes regularly again. Never before had I seen so many people go nuts over power. #21stcenturyprobz.
Day 4 week 5: Today would end up being the day the changed my outlook on a few things. I had been learning so much, and trying my best to work as hard as I could, and get everything done so that we could, as an old football friend would say, "Do it right, do it light". We were gaining our rhythm back, and it was great. Then I was also given a little revelation about myself... As we got ready for 50s night, I had the hair slicked back, the white T with the rolled up sleeves on, and the sharpie tattoo in place, I had thought long and hard about life, and what was going on. I had a friend's name in the sharpie heart tattoo, and I was getting asked about who she was. All I answered with was "A friend back home". I talked to the kitchen intern, who is going to be a great leader at FCHS next year, about it, and about 30 seconds later, I realized that something was not right about it. I realized that I had kind of had an emotional change recently, and I realized my heart had changed. I no longer had the feelings for my "friend back home" but I had grown some feelings for a friend on WC with me. I prayed about it and the results were quick.
Day 5 week 5: Today was a great day, and I was happy because I had been growing a lot and thinking about everything that had gone on. I had the intent to talk to my friend about what I had realized about myself, and so right after we got done washing the lunch dishes, I went and started to talk to him about it, and then in the middle of it all, she walked in. Of all the awkward moments, right? So I told my friend we'd finish talking later, and chilled with her for a bit, just talking about stuff. When I found him later, I said "That was awkward", and he got what I meant. For some reason, unless this actually happened the day before, the rest of the day dragged on, and then it's Work Crew/Summer Staff night! We had all worked so hard, and we were all ready for tonight! I had also just loved it. We were all already crying by this point, cause we knew it would be our last. We got done, and we couldn't keep it in, we just hugged and cried for a while, then went to the cabins. I went into the Norway Cabin with Joe, and got to share my testimony with them, and they asked some great questions, and it was great! Also, they were in the cabin I had gone to Weeks 1,2,4, and 5! So I had been there a lot. I stayed at the Dining Hall to wait for the girl who I had feelings for, who had gone to the Norway girls cabin and asked her how it went, and we talked, and then we decided that we wanted to hear each others' stories. So we decided we'd do it day 6. We went to sleep and then it began. P.S. Today was the day my prayers from the night before started being answered, but I won't say when
Day 6 week 5: Today was awesome, but sad, glorious, but heart wrenching, and we were all still working our hardest. It went by slowly, thankfully, and right after I had finished with the brunch dishes, I went back to House Mountain to wait, cause I had a story to hear. I just read a little, and looked at the SuDoKu book, which confused me, cause I could never do those things. Then my friend who I had feelings for showed up, and we went over to the store, and she got a few things, and then we went under a tree, and shared our testimonies with each other. She has a sweet story, no matter what she says, and then we just hung out til Dinner, so yeah. I had talked to my friend, Jordan, who was the only one who knew about my feelings for her, and he was always listening, even though I would have been annoyed by now, so thanks to him for putting up with me! haha. We had all decided to stay up late, and I told Jordan that I had planned on telling this girl that I had feelings for that I had said feelings. Well he encouraged me, and all I needed, was opportunity. Well, it came, but because I have been very bad with "heat of the moment" situations, I just enjoyed her presence, and hung out with her til about 3:30 AM. She went to bed, and I was just beating myself up, cause I hadn't told her, and it was just dumb. I had told my friend Mike who was on Summer Staff about it, and he encouraged me as well, but I still didn't.
Final day: I woke up, still kicking myself out of frustration, but I got all my crap together, told Mike and Jordan that I hadn't done it yet, and they both told me to do it if I could, so after Jordan had left, which put me in tears immediately, and I put my stuff in Ruthiey's car, I had made my mind up... It was going to happen, then, there, and nothing was stopping me! Luckily, another opportunity arose, and I was walking with her to the Veranda, and on the way, I told her the entire story. Probably bad timing on my part, but it had to be said. We were both already crying, and that wasn't changing. We said goodbye to people as they left, and then I had to go. I hugged everyone who was there one final time, and left. The ride home was good, until the last 3 hours.... Funny, if you recall from earlier, it is a 50ish minute car ride to Rockbridge.... We got in a wreck on the way, and that slowed things down. So sad, and bruised, we eventually all made it home, and all was well.
This is what I can remember of the greatest month of my life. I encourage any of you who are thinking about doing Work Crew, or Summer Staff to jump in! Your life will be changed! It was weird coming home, and not waking up with 11 other guys, in Rockbridge, but my life is forever changed! I met some great kids, and nothing will be the same! I pray that you'd partake in the great experience of serving for a month!
I also recommend the book "Do Hard Things" by Alex and Brett Harris. It helped me a lot during this month, and is the book I was referencing.
I love you guys
TJ
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself, it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit, unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches, if a man remains in me, and I in him, he will bear much fruit. Apart from me, you can do nothing. If a man does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete. My command to you is this: Love each other, as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:1-13
Friday, July 6, 2012
Work Crew/ Best Month Ever Foreword
This past month was one of the hardest, yet one of the most fulfilling months of my life. From laughter to tears, to great ups, and harsh downs. Things were hectic. Hearing the stories that my new friends have, and getting to know many of them on deep levels was so great. From our late night talks, to our midnight debates. Though some people were hard to connect with, and others couldn't have been easier, it just became greater and greater. I know it happens at times, but somehow things just clicked.
Rihanna may have found love in a hopeless place, but this kind of love came in a very hopeful place.
I'll be back soon to tell all this in detail.
I missed you guys
I love you!
TJ
Rihanna may have found love in a hopeless place, but this kind of love came in a very hopeful place.
I'll be back soon to tell all this in detail.
I missed you guys
I love you!
TJ
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