Summer Camp, Autumn Post...

Well, here it is.
 Instead of apoligizing for my epic procrastination skills, I'm going to tell you that waiting 1.5 months after camp to finish and post this has given me great perspective. v_v So there you have it. Getting perspective.
Yup.

Ah, the summer Bible camp experience.... It's like a lot of things, in the sense that you never know what it's really like until you experience it yourself. For some, it's an oasis in a desert. Last year I remember being a really hard and desperate time in my relationship with God when camp came around, and he healed every wound there. x) It was during and after that week that I really got serious with my faith. Been striving ever since. So this year, I was especially excited. One of the best feelings is being dry and knowing that a fountain is coming around. xD Ready to dance, just waiting for the music to begin.

The first day of camp is kind of the most awkward. Hundreds of unknown teens....everywhere.... still in their own little cliques. A bit intimidating at first. Luckily most of the people I worked with as junior staff the week before were there, so it was good to see them all again and I didn't feel so out-of-the-loop. ;D

Every night at camp there's a talent show thingy, only with no judges or anything... Apparently it would be ungodly to judge and rate one another's talents, that's my guess anyway. So it's more of a just-for-fun thing. The first night I played a song I wrote (mainly cause a friend heard it and was like, "@_@ You have to play that!!!") and.... wow. It was awesome. I guess they really liked it, cause all week long I'd meet someone new they'd say something like, "Hey, you're the girl that played that one song! =D" or, "You're the guitar girl!" xD

Also, the weekend before I happened to find some welding goggles from a garage sale. >8) So we borrowed a long white coat and a laundry basket from the kitchen, and I acted out some Dr. Horrible with my friend Virginia, of the Highborne Kinsmen (see video in last post v_v). 'Twas superb... Even the people that never saw the movie loved it... Had a lot of fun. xD

Anyway, yeah, besides that there was rafting and hiking with some awesome friends and epic memories with room mates and food fights and highjacking golf carts....
*cough*
Oh wait. That last one was at kids camp. <_< Just forget about that part... >_>

Now, chapel! My favorite part of every camp day. ^_^ Our speaker this year was fantastic. Compelling, outspoken, challenging. Every night ends with worship, really. The front 5 rows kind of turn into a mosh pit, but God meets with you there anyway. xD There's a lot of energy you can put into it when you're actually jumping, dancing, singing or whatever... when you do it for a reason. It's worship, it's giving glory to the One who gave you life. But the music eventually settles down, and God does a lot of healing. I remember so many years, down on my hands and knees in front of that stage with countless others... You'd be surprised what a lot of kids go through. A lot more junk than I ever had to experience, more than anyone should have to, really...
     But anyway, on the first two nights I got to help with that healing process for two others, praying for one girl and speaking encouragement that the Holy Spirit gave me, and listening to another's story, just lending an ear and trying to be understanding and accepting - something not too many people have given her in her life.
So yeah, those first two nights I almost found myself wishing that I had a big hurt for Jesus to heal, just so I could start balling or something....just to feel Him more intensely. But I settled that God was using me for His purposes to help others that needed it more, not just all about me and those "happy, fuzzy feelings".

Did I mention the promise?
A week or two beforehand I woke up to the biggest thunderclap and the hardest rain I think I've ever heard... Then God said, "I'm going to rain down harder than this at camp."
So I kept holding on to that as I worshiped, trying to trust and reminding Him of His promise to me.
As if He could forget.

So yeah. Anyway. On Wednesday night, the third night, I went to the back of the building where there were.... well still a lot of people, but spread out and less taking notice of you. But I danced. Not something I've ever taken claim of doing or liking to do. But it's a form of worship, and sometimes it's the only thing you really feel like doing to express your love. x)
And it just so happened that on this night, God said "BAM! Now it's your turn."
Yes, God says "bam". V_V ;)
I danced for my Father, and I could feel Him laugh. It was awesome. There were a lot of awesome things that happened that night. My youth pastor gave me a word from the Lord, and basically hit everything on the head of what I had been struggling with the past few days. In some ways I didn't even realize I was struggling with it until then. And yeah..... lots lots lots of awesome things. Tons and tons of affirmment and and blessing and just general things that actually fit under the term of awesomeness..

The next night...well, guess ya'll don't need a play-by-play reenactment. But it was beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. You know, God can be extremely conversational when you give Him a chance to talk.

Oh yeah, the dancing.
The night after I started, I saw probably at least 3 people, on 3 separate occasions throughout the night, dancing off by themselves. I had to grin...
Then on our last night, soooo many people all around me were just jumping and dancing everywhere! It was like being surrounded by close friends, best friends, all full of the same joy. It went on, and on, and on.... Just dancing. And singing. And laughing.
Because God laughs, you know. ;)
It was the equivalent of a Zumba party.
No, it was harder than Zumba. I cannot tell you how completely exhausted I was. But it was a happy exhaustion. x)

So yeah, essentially that was my week. For me, it was more of a time of spiritual renewal and a time of preparation and affirmation. Getting a refill, so the speak. I'm still dancing, if not physically... I'm still in love. And I plan to keep it that way.

Oh, and did I mention the flash mob? There was a flash mob.

That is all. V_V