Spring Break Camp Out

SO... yesterday and today I took my youthies and went on a little thing called the spring break campout at Old Man's Cave in southern Ohio.

This has become a wonderful little tradition where we hike to see Old Man's Cave and the Lower Falls, I beg everyone to hike the 3 miles to Cedar Falls (they all say no because they are lazy bums) and then we return to our campsite and proceed to make AMAZING camp food. Kim says this is because I am fearless in my camp cooking and I basically shoot fire out of my finger tips making it nearly impossible for me NOT to light a roaring campfire. I think it is because I've spent the last 25 years of my life as a girl scout and you can't last that long and NOT make a kick butt fire! Plus, all those years working at Whip Poor Will convinced me that hot dogs and pie iron pizzas are Satan's food! SO this year it was BBQ chicken, corn bread casserole, and cheesy potatoes. YUM.

Then we sat around the campfire for hours, eating doughboys, telling stories, trying to stay warm. It was funny because the things that those kids say to me are so ridiculous! I would NEVER say that stuff to my youth pastor in high school! The stories... goodness the stories... I have never laughed so hard. I love my little youthies.

It was supposed to snow overnight but it didn't and didn't rain until about 11 in the morning. Sweet! IT was SUPER cold though... but a blessing to have my first night in a tent this spring!
Here's to many more to come!

Ahhh... now i need to get some work done, but to those lovely little youthies who graced my presence this adventure... thank you... I needed that!

Christ is risen!

Christ is risen, indeed.

Ahhh... today I am SO tired. Last night I slept for 13 hours. My body hates me now. I never moved, never rolled over, never got up... I basically passed out. If anyone had come into my room they may have thought I was dead.

13 hours. I have not slept that many hours straight ... EVER.

So, this past weekend I organized and led a 37 hour prayer vigil. We had prayer stations and tons of candles and soft music. From 9 pm on Friday night until 10 am on Easter morning we read aloud continuously from the Bible. We started with Matthew 1:1 and proceeded through the entire New Testament. After Revelation we went back to Isaiah 1:1 and read through all the prophets. When we got back to Matthew we backed up and started reading the Psalms.

I thought it was cool experience and really appropriate for the time between the crucifixion and ressurection. I was excited about it. We had decent youth participation and some wonderful adults. I spent time reading aloud alone in the sanctuary at about 6 am, which was creepy but enchanting... the amazing thing is that I selfishly did it for me... but people were telling me at church on Sunday how they had such powerful experiences during their time reading and praying and what a blessing it was to them. Now my selfishness has benefited them... so maybe it wasn't selfish after all!

Anyway... over the course of the weekend... from Friday morning to Sunday night, I slept for 2 hours TOTAL. TIRED!! But on Sunday morning Kels was reading and got to Micah at about 6 am. WHen I took over reading we were in Micah 6... which I LOVE!! So, in the dark sanctuary, Kim and Kelsey sat on the floor in front of me and we took turns reading Micah and Nahum about justice and mercy and God's faithfulness and goodness as the sun rose and lit up the windows... it was SUCH an amazing time... what a blessing. It made all those hours of no sleep and listening to the scriptures come together and it was amazing.

So... Christ is risen indeed... and it had nothing to do with my little vigil, but the vigil did make it wonderful and alive for me this year.

So... off to the Spring Break Campout in the morning at Old Man's Cave. Me, Kim, 10 kids... limitless laughter... and lots of food. Plus, huddling around the campfire in the snow flurries and freezing weather.

Man my life is random!