The first week of camp has essentially gone the same way as most weeks at camp - halfway feeling like monday was months ago, the other half wondering how the days roll by so fast.
I think it's true that nobody can truly understand a summer at Snowbird without actually experiencing it, and it's true that the volume of shared experiences here have the ability to bring a seemingly random group of people together in ways that normal, day to day interactions don't have the potential to do. I love it here, and I love the way I have seen the staff come together to form a community that I never anticipated could be attained this quickly among a group of people that, at this time last week, were almost complete strangers.
This summer, I am working skeet shooting again, which is a blast as always. I am also guiding rafting trips on the Nantahala River this summer, which is a little intimidating but SO FUN. Today we did a river guide tradition called the "long swim" - essentially a way to teach us compassion for those who fall in the balmy, 48 degree water and to heighten our confidence in being in refreshing swift water. But I loooooooooove the river already, despite sore muscles and some pretty sweet bruises :) But in general, camp is great, and the process of adaptation to being here has come quickly... and for that, I am thankful. I am blessed with an incredible small group, and I can't wait to spend the summer with them and with both old and new friends that I get to live and serve with this summer.
One thing that has really served as an encouragement to me this week is Isaiah 55:8-9.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
There are certain things about camp that have not quite gone the way I have expected. Certain things about life, actually, are not really in that exact neat, orderly position I would have chosen. I am not sure how this verse popped into my mind, or who pointed it out to me, but I know how much of both an encouragement and reminder it has provided since being here. The plans that I have for myself, for my friends, for my campers are absolutely nothing in comparison to the thoughts and the plans and the ways of my God. The more I grow, the more I have found those two lines merging, but I still am learning that I am not exactly the one who gets to call the shots as much as I still fight for that control. There are a couple situations that I honestly have no idea how they are going to look in a few months and am faithfully curious to see where the trail is at the end of these eleven weeks. It would be easy to panic right now, to constantly try to figure out the mind of God, but I am at the point where i KNOW i need to patient, because God's plans are so much better than what I could imagine. This summer is going to be a wild ride. But in the same way that I have learned to jam my Chacos against the sides of the raft and brace myself so I don't go flying in the rapids, I'm ready and excited to sit tight, hold on, and enjoy the ride.
Megan Bentley says I have to mention her in my blog. I think she's pretty cool. Actually, i think she's the coolest person ever and i definitely want to be like her when i'm older ;)
(for the record, Megan typed that last sentence. I just corrected the grammar)
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