camp, compressor, Kennedy & Christ

So I went with the "C" sound but just couldn't replace her name with another c word. :)

That was our week.

Camp.

Compressor.

Kennedy.

Christ.

I won't lie. It was not an easy week. But sufficed to say, one I wouldn't trade. As you know, Jase is a youth pastor and we take our students to camp most every summer. For many years, we have chosen Student Life and love them. They have a deep commitment to God's Word and they hold Jesus high in their theology. SL just excels at providing a quality camp. LOVE it. And I've been especially looking forward to this year's camp since Kennedy {as an upcoming 7th grader} could participate for the first time. Double LOVE it.

Sooo....

Camp.

We were set to leave Tuesday morning at 9:30. I was going to be dropping Sydney Baby and the Thai Tornado off at Jason's parents, not far from the university campus where camp was held. So I was going to leave a tad earlier than the group. I woke up to something that was unexpected and it really put me in a tailspin while I was trying to get all five of us out the door. But God was good and in His sovereignty, He allowed Jase to speak wisdom to me and help me to focus my attention on the week and on Jesus who was calling me away to hear from Him.

The first night at camp, the Lord spoke so clearly to me about that morning's events and reassured me of His goodness and unfailing love. It shouldn't surprise me, but it always does how He orchestrates the reading and preaching of His Word to align with our circumstances. Some things about me had been called into question and the message that night spoke volumes to me. It was so timely. Jase and I just looked at each other and smiled in gratitude for what the Lord had led this man to say.

Our camp pastor was Tony Merida {find him here}. I was stoked when Jase told me who was speaking during our week at SL. Tony co-wrote "Orphanology"...an excellent book steeped in the Scriptures about the church's response to caring for the orphan. LOVE that book. And now, having sat under Tony this week...I love Jesus in him. What a blessing men of faith like him are. Jase and I just kept agreeing with the message he was delivering to our students. We love pastors who preach the whole counsel of God. Who are committed to laying it all out there. No pretense. No watering down of the Bible. There are plenty of men out there if that's what you're into. Go somewhere and hear a sermon about how to feel better about yourself...not us. Give us meat. Give us the Word. Give us Jesus.

So camp was great. The students worked their perpetual hineys off. We do mission camp...where we serve someone or someplace in the community around the university for three days during youth camp. Our sites were about 45 minutes away this year. We painted gyms, bathrooms and community centers. Our guys spread mulch in two playgrounds. In the extreme southern heat. The kids and the adults worked hard. It was good. We left an impression to those around us and were a blessing in Jesus Name.  I know that because they told us so. :) To God be the glory.

On day three, we were down in the big city. Had painted another gym with no air conditioning and had mulched another playground.

And we stunk.

The highest heaven.

Whew. We were some kinda bad, y'all.

3pm rolled around and that means quitting time so we can get back to camp, shower, have dinner and enjoy family group and worship times. I started the van and while air was blowing well through the vents...

that air was hotter than hades.

Enter compressor.

Yeah, the AC compressor in the van was gone. Toast. Kerplunk. Epic AC fail.

I kept hoping and praying it just needed coolant. A little freon. Oh, no. It was way more than that.

$803 more.

Ouch.

We are still working to shore up the remaining travel funds for China and for tuition for school this year. So that compressor was not what I wanted to spend it on. But the Lord spoke gently to me and reminded me of this fact.

He is enough. 

No matter what comes ahead or what I struggle with in the here and now, He is enough. He gives enough. He supplies enough. My need cannot outweigh His resource. I may not have extra just sitting in the bank all the time. But He is enough.

We took the van to the same out of town mechanic who happened to replace our broken starter in the van last year.

At SL camp.

What are the odds?

I think maybe I need to leave the Honda at home next year during camp.

Just sayin.

My great friend and roomie for the week, Chelsea, mentioned how ironic it was that my first With Thanksgiving item in my last post {that I wrote days before camp} was, in fact, "Air Conditioning."

Hmmm. May be more prophetic than ironic.

So I think my next With Thanksgiving post will begin with "a fully funded adoption" or "paid in full school tuition"...or something like that! lol.

Like I said, this year's camp was special because the Pook could come.

Kennedy. 

Our funny 12 year old stick of a girl wielded a paint roller like no other this week. Or maybe it wielded her. All 60 lbs of her. It was hysterical. She tried hard. She's just got no muscle to speak of and not a ton of strength to boot. But she worked hard. And she made me smile when I'd look over at her trying her best. And as if it matters, she looked adorable doing it all. I just adore her.

I didn't mother her too much this week. Gave her needed space. Just to be a regular kid. It's enough that her daddy is the youth pastor. I wanted her to be like the others. And so she was.

I didn't eat with her. Or ride with her. Or sit with her. Or room with her.

But the cool thing was, she kept coming to me. Kept coming to my room to tell me something hilarious that had happened. Or just to hug me.

Swoon. 

I snapped a few pics with my iPhone. Just for posterity. I couldn't bring myself to take my Canon. Too risky! I have three sessions in the 10 days and I just couldn't handle the thought of something happening to it. But here is our Pookie at camp. :)

Love that. It was precious. I so remember being close to her age and experiencing camp for the first time. I'm so glad I got to be there with her. It was a blessing that Jase and I have looked forward to for a long time.

Christ.

I am still processing so much from the week. Still soaking in all I heard. Sitting in the Truth of the Scriptures. Replaying the words of worship in my head and my heart over and over.

Adopted, healed and lifted. 

Forgiven, found and rescued.

I am not the same, I'm a new creation

I am not the same anymore.

I am not ashamed, I will not be shaken

I am not the same anymore.