My Little Sunday Blessing

When I packed to come to camp I brought only the essentials, and when it came time to pick out shoes I was smart. I chose only the most sensible shoes and the ones that I wouldn’t care tossing at the end of summer since they would probably get dirty and ruined. Because of these reasons I chose only the necessary pairs of shoes (no need ruining more than need be!) ;) I had a couple pairs of shoes that were practically on the verge of entering the garbage can, but I decided to pull them back from the edge until the end of summer so I could bring them to camp. One of these pairs were white slip-on tennis shoes. Well this past week, those shoes ripped all across the stitching on the top. It was very unfortunate because I only needed them to last a couple more weeks, but I told myself  that’s my fault for going and bringing my oldest pairs of shoes to camp where I’m on my feet all day.

So today is Sunday, and almost every week while we’re in town for church in the morning we stop (either before or after) for a trip to Walmart to pick up essentials. Before we went in I sent up a small prayer asking God to give me a pair of shoes. Although I knew I wanted a new pair of shoes I also knew it wasn’t essential, and I could survive the rest of the summer without them so I wasn’t counting on anything, but nevertheless, as I walked into Walmart I mentally added "shoes" to my list. I would at least look. When I finished grabbing my necessary items I made my way to the shoes, and it wasn’t looking too promising as I walked the aisles seeing multiple pairs for normal prices (which is over my budget). But then! I saw the glorious yellow signs, “CLEARANCE!” Yes! I power walked over their and furiously scored the rack with my big brown eyes. That’s when I spotted them, practically hanging on a string from heaven. :) A size 10 (ya ya, I have big feet) pair of white tennis shoes, the only ones left, and they were on sale for $3! What? That’s crazy! But sure enough when I went to check out they were $3!

I know it wouldn’t be the end of the world if I didn’t find a pair of white shoes at Walmart, and I know that God didn’t need to do that for me, but He did, and it made my Sunday extra special. He listens to our prayers and our whining and our complaining, and He loves us regardless. Thank you, Lord!

-GreenGirl

No Need to Worry

Well I officially survived my first week of actual camp with campers arriving on Monday and leaving this morning. It was (to sum it up in one word) exhausting. I got off of work at 2 p.m. today and was asked by friends what I was going to do to which I replied, “I have a to-do list and at the top is taking a nap.” I’m not a counselor, I’m not a director, and I don’t work with the kids 24/7, but the camp life is always on your feet, always working on something and always thinking two steps ahead to the next task. But despite the energy it zaps from me; I’m loving what I’m doing, and God is teaching me so much!

This past week, I had a night where due to technology choosing to be obstinate I was up later than usual because camp is so tiring I was worried I was going to be extra out of it the next morning (especially since I chose to drink an espresso drink at 9:30!) But it was that night that God decided to speak to me. I was riding back up the hill to my cabin in the back of a friend’s pick up truck. I decided to lay down for the short ride. It was around 11 p.m., and the sky was black and blue, and the stars were twinkling. The breeze chilled my sunburnt shoulders, and the crickets and other bugs sang a melody of summer. It was then, staring into the sky that looks so threatening yet so comforting that I realized, God is in control. The Creator did not just create me in his image, but He is in control of my life and knows exactly what’s going to happen. I do not need to worry.

I don’t need to stress about forgetting my duties at camp. I don’t need to fret about where money will come from for school. I don’t need to worry about my family and friends and my future and the unknown — because God’s got it. The God that made the stars, the trees, the crickets, the breeze -- that God made me and loves me and cares for me. To worry is to take the easy rode, to be lazy and not pray and not trust God. Trusting God takes guts, but God knew that and that’s why He gave me guts to use for Him. (I know; that’s cheesy, but I’ll just blame it on my lack of sleep.) (:

So next time you think to worry your life away realize that there really is no point, because God is in charge so you might as well just talk to him instead of talking to others.

The rope course at camp - so cool! Just as the person climbing has to have faith in the person at the bottom to see the best view and hold their rope and catch them from falling so we have to do the same with God. Trust Him. We're climbing the ladder of life, and the rope is in His hands.

-GreenGirl