Camp Training Day 3

Day 3 can be summed up in one word- Learning. I don’t think I stopped learning from morning until bedtime. Here are just some things I learned:
How to chop wood,how to tie knots, how to build an A frame fire, how to lash( secure two things together with just rope), how to make friendship bracelets, how to prep and cook an entire meal outside, and camp songs.
My favorite part might have been supper. We had chicken poppyseed, rice, 7 layer bean dip, strawberry salad, and veggie pouches. For dessert we had apple crisp and homemade ice cream. Everything was cooked so well and so delicious! After supper we went and made another camp fire and had s’mores and sang camp songs. I loved hearing all the voices harmonize and just fill the night sky. Can’t wait to hear all the young voices join in with the singing in a few weeks.

Camp Training Day 2

Words can’t describe what sleep felt like last night as I watched lighting flash across the sky, illuminating the trees below that we’re a sanctuary for our tents; as I heard thunder from the distance that would give you chills, and as the rain progressed from heavy sheets to light dribbles, which almost sounded like people running through camp.
Yesterday the biggest lesson I learned was simply this- We do things- TOGETHER. Everyone helps. When we do kappers, we do them together. Everyone looks out for everyone else.
I’ve already learned the magic of this place. I skipped my nap to go play in the lake during rest hour- it was worth it. I learned about different girls life’s over kappers. I was the boss at carrying cast iron and pushing the daisy cart. I learned what a latrine is. I found ginormous crickets and wolf spiders of all sizes ( even killed a giant one in the shower so we could all bath in peace). Each day camp gets more exciting. I learned what a CJL special is at lunch. So here I sit, still earlier than the wake up bell, listening to the chirping of birds, a random rain drop falling through the trees, and watching the sun burst through the leaves- beckoning us to join it today.

Camp Training Day 1

Camp training has began. I made it up in a little over an hour yesterday. When I arrived I simply said ” I am Kaela Bostic” and had four people shout “KatieO’s friend!” I have met girls who are looking at going to WGU and a girl who also taught a family I taught at the preschool. I learned how to tie flaps, learned how to navigate camp, and now am on Central time. I have picked ticks off me, I’ve had tons of bugs on me, and I’ve cleaned like crazy. I woke this morning at 5:30, and camp doesnt really start til 7. I’m very thankful I am out in the woods because crazy me left her keys in her car door over night! That was a great place to find them this morning. Overall everyone is super friendly, I’m loving the nature, and I’m anticipating the rest of summer!

A Lesson on Ms.Kaela

If you’ve spent any time around me you know that I go by Ms. Kaela 99.9% of the day. In this, I’ve learned something:

Almost half of the time it’s used, I’m the one saying it- although when I say it, it’s in Third Person.

“Ms. Kaela wants you to bring that to her”

“What does Ms. Kaela say?”

It’s as if I’ve created  an alternate being that I put authority in. Why couldn’t I just say ” I want that” or ” what did I say?”

Was what I saying valued? Am I valuable?

Truth be told, after being confronted with this, I uncovered the secret. The key to Ms. Kaela. Ms. Kaela was created, because I never felt the love, value, or care. What I said was taken advantage of, wasn’t believed, or trusted in. I felt unloved because no one believed me or treated my words with value.

I began to place value in this being- Ms. Kaela.. but my true identity-my value is found elsewhere.

It’s found in Christ.

See, when Christ redeemed me from the live I was living, He showed I had value. He showed I was loved. He showed that I was cared for. Regardless of what the world may show, He showed my worth. At the end of the day, no one on this earth may love me, care for me, or think I’m worthy of anything- but Christ does. He does day after day after day. And it never ends. Never.

When God created me, He knew I would be His- that alone makes me worthy, I am the daughter of the King of Kings/
When God created me, He knew He would send His Son for me- that alone shows I’m loved, He was willing to watch His Son die the death I deserved.
When God created me, He knew my needs and He daily provides them- that alone shows I’m cared for, He even cares for the flowers of the field.

At the end of the day, where do you see your worth? If you seek it in the world, you’ll never find it.

Let’s stop creating Ms. Kaela’s and start living as the being’s God created us to be, it is there we find our worth.

Freedom

All of us have something. Something that inhibited our relationship with God. With our Father.

Deceit. Impurity. Grief. Worry. Lust. Gossip. Vanity. Despair. Sickness.

No matter what it is, we all feel trapped. Tangled up in this sin, burdened by the load we bare.

God offers freedom- but not without a fight.

He sends angels to fight demons on our behalf. Angels who offer hope.

In that moment, we realize our need. Our need for a savior who can rid us of these chains and free us.

Sometimes we feel alone

But Jesus offers healing. He offers to come fix us.

He gives us grace and love- even we feel that we don’t deserve it. We are made clean through His love.

Christ does all of this- for one reason: so that we may worship Him freely.

 

Praise God for the healing and freedom He extends to us. May we seek Him so that He can restore us. It is only once we’re truly restored that we can worship Him in truth and glorify Him with our life.

 

*all photos taken by me, the dance featured came from Steps of Faith Dance company at their Spring Concert. Please do not reproduce without permission*

The Women Who Did it All

Way back when God thought me up in His heart, I’m sure He knew this girl would need a lot of support. He knew I’d need more than my mom to bring me to Him, to raise me to be a woman of God, to teach me His ways. So before He put me on this earth, He placed these women there first. He molded them, He grew them, and He divinely placed them in my life at key points so that I would turn to Him, returning to my Fathers heart. It is those women whom I am forever grateful for and, who I write this blog to tonight.

23 years ago, my mom began her second trimester with me around Mother’s day. She had already had a miscarriage once so I’m sure making it to the second term was a relief, but she knew it wasn’t over. She would soon discover that I was a piece of work. Nothing could have prepared her for the emotional person I was. Nothing prepped her for the ER visits, the yearly cries on the last day of school, the drama, heartaches, or nightmares. But she embraced it. She did the best she could, by herself. With no mother to support her. She had no one to look to, so she did what she thought was best. I learned a lot from my mom, and as we grow, I continue to learn from her. I am forever grateful for the multiple jobs she held, the long hours she worked, the amazing meals she cooked, and the life lessons she instilled in me.

I met Michelle through church. I taught her children and we soon served together. Over time our friendship grew. We got closer. Then my mom and I experienced some hardships and Michelle took me in. While Michelle never replaced my mom, she did become someone I looked up to. Michelle mentored me, encouraged me, pushed me towards God, and also helped me restore things with my mom. I will never forget the nights with Michelle and her family, the tears we shed together, the laughs we had, the trip to Florida shared, or the memories made.

Julie stepped in and out through the course of several years. Then, it was like BAM! and our relationship grew overnight. Julie was someone who listened, who offered advice, loved me even when I felt unloveable, and just showed me Jesus in everything. Julie believed in me in things I never saw myself fit to do. She pushed me to doing photography for her studio- and that’s all I want to do now. While we may not see each other often, I know that she is a short text and Starbucks away.

 

Heather and I grew in our friendship through her children- I adore them. I helped teach them and babysat them. Then Jody asked me to intern at their church, so I started staying at their house. I’m sure that in these past months, our relationship has grown tremendously. We chat, laugh ( apparently I do lots of funny things), and I get to help her with her children. She is my direct role model for a Christian mother and wife. The biggest lesson so far- no day is perfect, every day is for trying, and everyone is in need of love.

There are countless others- Lynn, Dana, Suzy, Stephanie,Kelly- all of these women who in one way or another pushed me to Jesus. They were there in the hard times, the times when I wanted to give up. They were the voice I heard saying “You’re doing great, we’re so proud.” They offered support, encouragement, and homes to stay at. God knew I needed them all. I needed them, so that I would come to know Him young, and learn how to glorify Him as a mother and wife.

Thank you ladies. For the late nights, the meals, the beds to sleep on, the children to love, the lessons taught, and the love given. I speak for my mom when I say I know she is grateful as well. Happy Mother’s Day to you all.

It’s all relational

We are relational beings. We desire marital relationships, family relationships, friendships, and eternal relationships. But more often, we reach to our earthly relationships before we reach to our heavenly one. We reach for the shoulder of our friend before we reach for the hand of God, and so often we get left in the dirt.

We attempt to build these friendships and believe that they are the “best” and that they will last, and yet one wrong move can send them tumbling. We build all relationships up, and often create idols out of them. We put them before God. We break a commandment and yet don’t realize we do this.

We do this, when we pick up the phone to call our friend before we dial God in our heart. When we fill our life with family plans, leaving little to no room for our Father. When we would rather sit and text with our friends over engaging in time of prayer with God.

I’m not saying relationships are bad- God created them for us. But when we misuse them, they do become sin. Relationships centered on Christ, that work together to glorify Him, and that come after Him, are ones that were created by Him. He never intended your husband to be over Him. Our relationship with Him should be the most important relationship in the world.

Are you placing others before God or are you allowing God to direct your relationships?

Social Networking Overload

We use Facebook to get history on our friends. We use Twitter to know the 411 of the celebrities who we talk about as if they are our best friends. We use Instragram to give artsy insight to our daily lives. We use Pinterest to dream up the things we want, wish we looked like, and the vacations that will never be. We are a culture of social networking, and we seem to be on overload.

Gone are the days we find about a person from actually engaging in real face to face conversations. Gone are the newpapers we read, the cards we sent, and the secrets that were shared with those whom they were meant to be shared with ( not the whole world.)Gone are these days.

Now conversations last 30 seconds, not 30 minutes. They include words like “status”, “timeline”,”tweet”,and “feed” Now I’m not saying that these things are all bad, because I use them myself and they can be handy in circumstances but I believe we have created a problem- we run to social networks first  to meet our needs instead of actual human beings or even God.

We sit on Facebook for hours, then complain we never have time to read God’s word. How about we put our face in HIS book before we scroll the walls of others.

We spend hours on Pinterest dreaming of a life we’ll never have and asking God for things we think will make us happier, more successful, or more productive. How about we start counting the blessing we already have and start asking HOW we can use those things. If He wanted you to have the things which you think are better, they would have been yours. Use what He gave you, before you lose it.

Social Networking is a great tool, when used wisely. But to often, they cause distractions, cause sin, and pull us from the life that God created us to live. So live the life God gave you, use these tools wisely, and stop tweeting about how you were going to stop tweeting and just stop.

 

I wonder

I often wonder..

… if my first pre-k class I taught remembers me?
… if my highschool class even knows who I am?
… if my residents from Berea even remember the RA they tried to set up with a freshman?
…if Oak Leaf kids recalls the crazy leader who did  a little of everything?
…if RSBC remembers a students who felt disowned?
…if Berry remembers it’s grounds member?

I often wonder if I’m easily forgotten. Not for a selfish matter, but to know if the life I’ve lived has truly impacted the world around me for the glory of God. Am I living in such a way that the light of the world shines through? Or is my fleshing creating a cloud that blocks the light?

What about you? Can people see Christ in your life or have you blocked His rays?

Camp

I got my first taste of summer camp in 2003. It was SuperWow, it was fun, it was the beginning. From there I went to Impact, FCA, and MFuge. I loved camp. I loved the friendships, the memories, and the bonds I made with counselors. I remember thinking then about becoming a counselor. Fast forward to college. I’m eligible, but something always kept me from being able to work camp. I had almost given up hope on working at a summer camp.

Until I met my friend Kaitlin. When Kait talks camp, she lights up. She introduced me to Camp Juliette Low through her memories, photos, and songs. I loved what I heard. I spent days on the CJL website learning more and more about camp. Then Kait called saying they need counselors. My application was in within days and my interview followed shortly.

I’m excited to announce that for 5 weeks this summer I will be a camp counselor at CJL. I will sleep in a platform tent, I will breath in fresh mountain air, I will camp, hike, teach, swim, do crafts, and sing until my heart is content. And then I’ll do it again.

If you know me, you know I love the outdoors. Which is what first drew me to CJL. But add in the rich traditions, the all girls camp experience, the shorts and tshirts, and beautiful mountains- and it’s a no brainer. I”m excited to be able to work at a camp with such great history, a great mission, and simplicity of wanting girls to experience nature and everything it teaches.

So here’s to being a camp counselor. I guess I need to sharpen up on my friendship bracelet skills, learn the campfire songs, and prepare myself for a wonderful summer.

“Way up on Lookout Mountain…”