Clocking Out

Ok, so I've been working at a kid's camp all week at The Warehouse (where I'm interning) and I can honestly say this is the most tired I have ever been. Let me paint a picture for you:

I'm teaching sports camp to about 45 five and six year olds in 95 degree, blazing hot weather from 8-4. When we're not in our classes, we're inside with the rest of the kids. All in all, there's about 85 campers.

It's hot. It's tiring. It's awesome. The kids are so amazing. I've always liked little kids but never really thought I had a huge heart for them...until this week. I'm having a blast running around with them, playing games with them, holding them. Something really dawned on me though today. At one point I had about four kids tugging on me to take them to the bathroom, another couple crying cause someone stole a toy from them, and then another one jumping on me for a piggyback ride. And no one was helping me. Ahhhhh. Craziness. I was ready to just shake all of them off and lock myself in the office. But I couldn't. I had to do my job. I had to get the four doing the potty dance to the bathroom and get the other ones to stop crying all while carrying the one who wanted a piggyback ride. It all worked out. No pee pee accidents. But I started thinking, God has all of these people tugging at him all the time. Someone praying for this or asking for that. All the time. And He never runs to the office, locks the door, and hides the key. He doesn't get to send all his kids home when 4 pm roles around. He's there 24/7, 365. And the crazier thing is that He wants a real relationship with every person tugging on him and and even the ones who aren't. He wants to be everyone's best friend. I know one thing for sure, God was not the inventor of time cards. I am completely and utterly amazed by Him.

Number 25 and 26

Recap:

#25- Play 18 holes of frisbee golf. It wasn't pretty but T Mart and I played a full round of frolf at Will's park today. It's a sport I would love to get better at. Currently, however, my disks have an affinity for water.

#26-Go to the farmer's market. Went to the farmer's market last weekend in Athens with friends. I felt granola and it was awesome. Walked around and examined vegetables, as if I knew what I was looking for, picked out some pretty flowers with the roomie, and sipped on a mango limeade. Delicious. Capped it all off by throwing the frisbee around. I feel like that's a typical day in Athens for the true granola cruncher.

Identity

This is a question I've wrestled with for a while and a question I know many of my friends have been confronted with as well. It won't be answered in this post or any time in the near future. Who is God in my life?

Think about the father figure in your life. Under the umbrella of "Dad" there is the provider, the care-giver, the encourager, the comforter, the protector, and the disciplinary. We call God Father but for me, I've never actually identified him as all of these things. Under the canopy of God the Father there is the protector, the redeemer, the jealous lover, the healer, the defender, the comforter, the savior, and the disciplinary. God is all of those and more. He's everything. But unlike my earthly father, I haven't been able to truly grasp all that he is. I can't yet call him "Dad" in the full confidence that I understand every role that that title entails. God to me has always been the redeemer. He has redeemed from who I once was and is teaching me about who he wants me to be. I haven't yet come to know him as my lover or as my healer or the many other things he is. I definitely want to know him as all of those things but I just haven't been able to wrap my head around it. I pray that during different stages in my life I will come to know all of God's roles. I don't know. It's just something that's on my mind alot. Because it's like the person who knows me best is in a way still a mystery to me.

More to come on this...

SHOTGUN!

Today I learned why the passenger seat is called shotgun. Apparently, in the days of the horse and buggy, there was a driver and next to him there was a person who held a shotgun. Whoever was riding shotgun was the defense against outlaws trying to steal the mulah or kidnap Daisy Mae.

Today shotgun is obviously the most coveted spot in the car (unless your dumb like some of my friends who call "backsies" and force the driver to chauffeur). So just to clarify, here are the rules of calling shotgun: http://www.shotgunrules.com/. Intense.

Standing On Home Plate

So the other night I was feeling slightly discouraged. Things just weren't going the way I had planned they would. Home wasn't all I was expecting it to be. Internship stuff wasn't taking off the way I had assumed it would. I needed some J-man time (term coined by Amelia Morgan). So I drove out to the softball field at my high school. A place that was very familiar, very comfortable, and very reliable. A place were I had always been sure of myself.

So I hopped the fence. I walked around the bases. I prayed. Praying and walking. This is actually a challenge that had been presented to me. So I did it. I circled the bases asking God why I was here. Why I was home. Why he lead me to The Warehouse to intern. Obviously things weren't moving very fast. Bump after bump kept coming up, preventing me from really getting started. So was I really even supposed to be there? "I need a sign" I said. Stop. So I stopped walking. Then I looked down. I was standing on home plate. I had been so busy planning, expecting, and assuming that I had forgotten to look down. I was right where I needed to be. The place where runs are scored, big plays are made, and games are won. The place the coach puts you when he trusts you can get the job done. So once again, I hopped the fence, got in my car, and drove home, recklessly trusting that He was right.

I got an email that night from the director of the ministry. In more words, confirming that I am supposed to be there. Today was my first full day. He was right. Im right where Im supposed to be. Trust that He puts us where He wants us. Just look down and you'll see.

Keep It Simple

Recently I have been reminded of how much joy I get from simple things. Maybe it's because recently I've been feeling a little light in the wallet and have had to find alternative means of entertainment, but no matter. I'm glad. Driving, getting a letter from my best friend, writing a letter, listening to the rain, eating homemade ice cream while sitting in rocking chairs, picking wild blackberries, my bed at home, opening the fridge and having more than two options of things to eat, my "house smell," laying on the couch with my dog, spending hours at the lake fishing (sometimes in complete silence), throwing a Frisbee, writing with a good pen, a picnic. All of these things are so simple. They don't require skill. They don't require any real effort. They don't require money. And they give me so much joy. I think it's because they are mindless things. Have you ever thought about how the things that are supposed to make us happy (having money, having a good job, having nice things) are often the things most capable of stealing our joy. They cause stress. And stress=worry=joy slipping away. Simple, mindless things allow me to just enjoy the moment. Forget about everything else. It's the best time for me to meet with God. Simple, mindless things clear my head of all the stresses of life and allow Him to completely invade my thoughts. When He invades my thoughts I can't help being joyful. Because all i can think about is how wonderfully amazing His love is.

Home is here. I said bye bye to Athens and hello to Cumming. And you know what, it feels good. I'm gonna have so much time to enjoy the simple things. Enjoy His presence. He longs for me and I for Him.

I'm christening my new journal tonight. It's the one I made. Yes. Another simple pleasure: starting a new journal. It's gonna be a great night.

P.S-I made a list of 101 things to do in 1001 days. I'm gonna blog about them as I complete them.

#32-Went to Jackson Street Bookstore about a week ago. Very very cool place. Didn't buy anything. To be honest I was a little overwhelmed. But I felt smarter walking around in there. It smelled smart.

#42-New watch. Done. Purchased a watch from Helix downtown, a very trendy store.

#54-Picking berries and making a pie. This came much sooner than expected. It actually ended up being a cobbler which is still honorable in my book. We picked wild blackberries at my friends house and then made a delicious cobbler which was enjoyed along side vanilla ice cream :)

Shout Out

This is a shout out to AMELIA MORGAN. Over the course of the past month she has infiltrated and destroyed my blockade against the social technology scene. I am now the proud owner of a blog and a twitter. And to be honest...I have been missing out. I've also made a bucket list of my very own in the wake of her influence. So here's to you friend, you and your persuasive aura.