Happy campers, the signs of summer, and the high seas!

So, it has been over a week since my last posting, and I must admit, I am a little stressed about that. I don't know why. Maybe I am living with the fear that my readers (how many or few there are) will abandon the habit of checking the blog if they believe I have given up posting. Or maybe I am uncomfortable with silence. Or maybe I am still adjusting to having six kids home from school for summer vacation, and all the work that goes into patiently tending to them while driving a van to every town in a 60 mile radius for baseball games and planning a VBS for 100 children. All at the same time. Maybe that is it.

Nah, I am just uncomfortable with silence.

Anyway, at the risk of sounding like a whiner, I have, admittedly, been a tad busy these past three weeks, and so, unfortunately, posting on a regular basis has fallen by the wayside. Tonight, however, I am dusting off the blog for a little show and tell to share some photos with you, until I can fully catch my breath after VBS and finally formulate a cohesive thought. So, while my brain recharges, enjoy a slice of my life...

The faces of five happy campers (and one tag-a-long little sister/cousin) as I was dropping off two of my kiddos for their first time at Bible camp. From the left, my daughter Emma age 5, my daughter Kendall age 2 (jealous), my nephew Eli age 5, my nephew Thomas age 7, my son Cole age 6, and my nephew Nathan age 6. Lord help those counselors, they had Cole, Nathan, and Eli all in the same place.

God lovingly reminding us of His promise in my front yard earlier this month. Lord, please help all the flood victims around the nation this past week!

Now for a itty-bitty taste of Wausa's recent "High Seas Expedition" Vacation Bible School of which I happened to be the Director...
See that dork up on stage, er, I mean, on board the ship, dancing and twirling like she is somebody special?? Yea, that would be me. Remember me?? I am that dork. And as she, I am one of the few people in Wausa who is dorky enough to stand up in front of 100 children, a few dozen teens, and a couple dozen adults, to lead all the music for VBS. I may have said it before, but I wear my dorky-ness with pride. (And, no, I am not pregnant. It is a poofy shirt.)




This is my son Jonah age 8, waiting with eager anticipation for the permission to DIVE IN to his pony bead whale key chain craft. Sweet-ness.

All kidding around aside, our VBS this week was stunning, and I was reminded yet again what an absolute privilege it is to lead another person, no matter their age, in their faith walk. And yet, I know for certain that in the months and weeks leading up to VBS this year I did more than my fair share of complaining about the work load that comes with Directing. It was tedious. It was stressful. It was dominating the lion's share of my thoughts and time, all while my hubby, my children, my home, my sons' baseball games, my garden, my yard, my...you name it...all of those were clamoring for attention as well. And so how did I handle it?? Like any die-hard whiner, I whined. As ashamed as I am to admit it, the Lord heard a decent dose of complaints and whines from me, especially on the day I was doing computer prep-work and my daughter decided that was the day to have a potty accident, tromp through the mud, and dump a box of cereal on the kitchen floor. "Seriously, Lord?! You can't bind the enemy for even two hours while I work on your Bible School?!"

Yes, I actually said that to Him. It was a proud moment for me.

The great and glorious news is that, in spite of this World-Class Whiner and Captain of the Dork Squad, our Lord once again proved faithful and worked out every detail with nothing but His splendor and grace. The kids came smiling. No one bled, not even once. The committee and fellow teachers pitched in and helped not only me but each other. The music rocked. The decorations rocked. The teachers rocked. The whole week rocked.

GOD'S WORD IS TRUE!

GOD'S WORD IS COMFORTING!

GOD'S WORD IS SURPRISING!

GOD'S WORD IS LIFE-CHANGING!

GOD'S WORD IS FOR EVERYONE!

And as I sit back, still catching my breath and attempting to catch up on housework, the only solid feeling I can really put my finger on is privileged. I am privileged to be in service to the Lord's children, young or old. I am privileged to be just dorky enough to be willing to stand on a stage every day and lead music, and by the end of the week listen to 100 exuberant children, 3 dozen teens, and more than 2 dozen adults praising the Lord with their hands in the air. Its' a thing of beauty, and I am truly privileged. (And I am ashamed of all the whining. When will I ever learn??)

Thanks to everyone who trusted me with this job yet again, and who helped me along the way. I apologize to anyone who heard me whine.

Ahoy, Matey!!