Green is cheer.

Double heart. 

Necklace from my boyfriend. 

Gave blood today. 

Thank you, God, for evenings like these. 

Almost forgot the cheer.

Dressed up for church. Don't have too much churchy Christmas gear. 

Borrowed moms earrings. 

Barely Christmas, Mostly Winter Cheer

Big, cozy sweater ftw. 

Cheer, Day 4

The Today was what I call Lowkey Christmas Dress. It's like casual Friday for Christmas attire. 

Also I wore Christmas socks today. 

Also was the first day for Follow the Star. 

How do Christmas lights automatically make any event more magical?

Also, seeing people talk and laugh over cookies and hot chocolate is wonderful. 

Cheer, Day 3

Another busy day at work. Getting ready for Follow the Star. 

Come to the live nativity at Center Lake Bible Camp this Friday, Saturday, or Sunday between 6 and 8:30! Lots of cookies!

Hopefully snow comes. Right now it's just muddy, hence my face...

So I'm at work today and suddenly I see a familiar car go past the window. It's my boyfriend!! He surprised me on the way to work and brought me a drink.

It's the little things. 

Cheer, Day 2

One of those days where I put a lot of miles on my car. Always on the go. 

Felt good to be busy. 

Also, I helped my dad change the brake pads and rotors on my van (read: I held the light while he changed my pads and rotors).

I did do some work though. 

Saw my hard-working bf for the first time all week. 

All in all, good day. 

Spreading Christmas Cheer

Welcome, December!

Although there is no snow, I decided to welcome in this Christmas spirit!

Also, I was so excited to wear this new shirt that I couldn't possibly wait until snow decided to stick around. 

Today I was at camp making cookies and listening to Christmas music. 

That's why my face looks like that. 

Also just got off the phone with my boyfriend so naturally feeling pretty happy. 

I disagree #1

I saw this on my Twitter feed. 

If I am at a bar or restaurant I have never been, nor will I ever be, concerned with having bad breath.

If I am at a bar or restaurant I am actually doing the exact opposite of that. I am stuffing my face with food. Probably food with onions in it because I like onions. 

So to everyone who retweeted this- I think you should do the same. Just eat. And then afterwards enjoy a nice mint. 

Zipping

I chose to be on the catching end of the zipline because there would be more down time. While belaying was constant activity of checking harnesses and hoisting kids up a ladder, the catching end was a quick transition, so I would be able to read my bible and text my boyfriend between zippers.

I could have been belaying. No risk. No guess work. 

It was only the second person. This camper probably weighs 12 pounds. Always a risk. But a risk we always take here at Center Lake Bible Camp. Fun forever. 

She didn't even make it to the tree line. That means she is in the bog. For those of you not familiar with bogs, I will give you this information: When it comes to usefulness, they are like a giant green sponge floating on a lake. 

So I'm on the deck unhooking people from the line and Fenn is on the ground catching. Catching means that a kid drops a rope and Fenn pulls him or her the rest of the way to the deck where I grab them and take them off the line.

So, to recap, there is a camper who didn't make it far enough. To the bog with Fenn. He misses with his first jump (First attempt at a rescue). There is no hope. That sponge-like surface won't get any firmer. I come to the rescue with a stick (second attempt), hoping to hook the rope and pull until we can grab it. No luck. 

Third Attempt- As much as I disliked the idea, I knew it was the best option. Fenn is a strong guy. He just had to grab me round the legs and hoist me up a little bit, then I would be able to reach the rope. The sponge foiled us again. The footing was poor. Down I go. Luckily I catch myself on my hands while he still has my feet. Thanks Fenn. -_- 

Fourth Attempt - Similar to the first but a tad more secure. I jump on his back. Fenn is like a noodle, bending under my weight. "Fenn, boost me up higher," I say. He responds, "okay," but nothing happens. I reach as far as I can, but Fenn just starts to go down, similar to how I had the first time. 

Keep in mind that poor camper is just hanging from a line watching all this. Poor girl, but at least she has a show. 

Time is ticking. There are still a lot of zippers left. Then suddenly, a little camper appears to save the day. "Hey, wanna do something fun. Come here." I lure him into the bog with candy. Just kidding. This idea is brilliant. Fenn and I boost the little guy up. He grabs the rope. We just pull his legs and body through the trees until we can reach the rope. Little guy took a beating from some branches, but I would say it was an overall successful mission. 

I just wish you all could have been there.

Sometimes only tears can express.

It was a stressful week a camp. There were some crazy campers. There were some crazy staff. Someone came up to me and told me it looked like I had to weight of the world on my shoulders. Honestly, that is how I felt. I was stressed and stretched too thin. I was physically, spiritually, emotionally exhausted. 

On Thursday night a counselor in training runs up to me with a camper that was bawling his eyes out. In my head I start to think that the camper is hurt and I begin to look for blood or a wound. The CIT says, “Tell Andi what you told me,” with an atypical anxiety in his voice. This ten- or eleven-year old camper, through the gasps of his cries asks me, “How do I accept Christ?” 

Humbled. 

So. Humbled. 

I told the CIT to get the head counselor. I wanted someone with a longer relationship with the camper to lead him in this.

And then I cried. I cried into the armpit of a man I hardly knew. But we were united in a common feeling. 

God is so big and we are so small.

That one kid made it all worth it. It was a reminder as to why I do what I do.

God is victorious.

I Am Like Judas

"Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at his table. And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor." But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her." Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?""*

Then I had to stop.

I read the Bible differently than I used to. Completely different things stick out than when I was a child, or even a younger adult. Before, this passage was about the woman and how good she was so give so much for Jesus, to truly honor his worth.

Today, as I read this passage, I saw something completely new.

What made Judas Iscariot make this decision? There he was, an apostle, eating with Jesus. Then, after this conversation where the apostles are sort of scolded, Judas decides to betray Jesus.

How dare he? Right?

But honestly, if you look at it, it might make sense.

And then I see how limited and small my understanding of Jesus is,

I see where the disciples are coming from. That woman poured oil on Jesus' head. Very expensive oil that could have been sold and the money used to feed the poor. Wouldn't Jesus want that? I thought I was making Jesus proud by thinking about other people and how we could help them with this money. Instead, Jesus reprimands me. Well, Jesus, I think you made a bad call here. That is some expensive oil. We could have fed so many poor people with that. And you love the poor! With your death getting closer are you suddenly not thinking straight?

I am right and you are wrong. Not usually. But this time you made the wrong call.

And with that thinking, Judas decided to take things into his own hands. Suddenly Judas knew what was best. Judas was calling the shots. He would show Jesus who had power over decisions. So he sells himself out to the chief priests.


I am like this.

I think a lot of us are.

We know what is best.

Can't trust someone else.

I am capable of taking my whole future into my hands.


Stop trying to play God.


Just trust him. He knows what he is doing. And he has your best in mind.

Furthermore, do you not even realize the magnitude of who Jesus is? The poor people would never eat that food if they knew that it could be exchanged for oil to pour on Jesus' body. They saw Jesus and they knew who he was.

We are too insensitive these days. Jesus is God.

Don't forget it. Don't belittle it.

Praise Him.

Trust him with reckless abandon. He has a plan that is so much bigger and better than your imagination.

Just give in.

It is not giving up.

It is surrender.

*Matthew 26:6-15a, ESV