road trip part 1
Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah...
I would like to say I am well traveled. I have covered most of western Europe in some way or another. I have beeen to or at least thru every southern state. I have touched on a few cities in the midwest and the north eastern corner of the US. My comfort level on the eastern side of the Mississippi River is high!! In the past I spent a little bit of time in Texas mostly Dallas and Austin. That being said, I have always thought the US was pretty. Seeing the trees and the green always makes me feel like I am at home.
However over the last five days I have seen a whole new part of America and AWE is the only word to describe what I have seen so far...I am sure more words will appear later:)
Zion National Park in Utah
Grand Canyon (in case you didn't know:)
Tents Monument in New Mexico - even in the rain still cool:) This was at the bottom of an easy mile hike in the rain!
Out of the Bed
For the past week I have been privileged to be part of the M-Fuge staff in Charleston, S.C. I spent the week living in a college dorm room working as a camp counselor at a youth camp. Over the past week I traversed the pavement of CSU at least 100 times. I taught bible studies on the story of Moses' life for teenagers between the ages of 12-18 from all over the south. I took my campers a lower income housing complex to have a children's camp in the hot Carolina sun. My day started at about 6:45am and didn't stop until after 11pm (sometimes 1am).
This past week I wasn't in my bed. I am so tired that it actually hurts to think. My feet hurt so much that walking at night was and still is torture. I have sweat off at least 10 pounds (okay that is a slight exaggeration!). I have barely had time to sit down to eat, and the coffee here is undrinkable. I have only been averaging about 5 hours of sleep a night. My nose, arms, cheek, forehead and ears are a nice rosy color. My voice is gravely and slightly mannish:) I am probably a little dehydrated and worst of all my single bed is tiny and uncomfortable. The humidity is so high that my sheets always seem to be damp...AND I ONLY HAVE TWO PILLOWS.
But this week I saw God at work. I watched two middle schoolers lead a 7 year old in the sinner's prayer. I watched my campers and adults on my site love on children who rarely hear encouraging words. I saw teenagers become broken over the word of God. I saw them give their own money to send overseas. I watched 26 solid Christian staff members serve with a passion that humbled me. They were living out the call God has placed on their lives. They were broken over the lostness of their campers and their ministry sites. They were living out there faith.
I firmly believe God wants us to not spend all of our time just teaching and learning for our own personal gain. He knows how important my 'bed' time has been for me. He knows I needed His healing and His love over the past few months. However this week He reminded me that what I do out of my 'bed' time is just as important. The balance is important. I need both. I am called to have both...
On the Bed
I love my bed...It is a queen sized mattress with a 1 1/4 inch memory foam mattress topper. My sheets are at least a 400 thread count sateen. A down comforter covered in a chocolate brown sateen duvet cover lays over the sheets. I never have less than four pillows on it. When I am away from home I miss it, and it is the one thing I enjoy the most when I return home. Not only do I sleep there but it is also my quiet time safe haven. Since losing my job in April it has become the only place I want to be in the morning.
My morning routine...awake when the mood strikes, go downstairs, fix a cup of coffee and sometimes breakfast, go back up stairs with my breakfast, select at least 3 different bible study/books I want to read for the morning, sit crossed legged on the bed with the tv playing music in the background. For the next hour or sometimes two I have my 'Jesus time'. My bed is my Christian bubble.
While on my bed I am 100% focused on God and my relationship with Him. His word is alive; I sin less; I learn; I don't worry as much. However I don't get to stay in that bed. It is amazing how within ten minutes of getting off the bed to start my day my normal self rears its not so attractive head. Selfishness, worry, doubt and lack of self confidence tend to overwhelm me. Excuses pop into my head as to why I can't do something. My plans not God's tend to formulate. My explanations always seem to make more since than His...
I wish I could stay on my bed...it is safe. It is amazing. I feel spiritual growth. I am at peace. but I don't think that is God's plan...(to be continued)
Tents Monument in New Mexico - even in the rain still cool:) This was at the bottom of an easy mile hike in the rain!
