If its not one thing its another...

WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS COMPLAINING

   At the beginning of the week I caught myself asking my boss, "Can anything else go wrong this week?"  She responded with a dropped jaw "yes it can and it probably will because satan just heard you say that."  I have never been the type of person who ever gives satan more credit then he deserves so I kinda balked at her response, however its Friday and I now regret saying asking that question.

  We are leaving tomorrow night to take 55 high school student to YFCamp in North Carolina.  So that means this week has been consumed by collecting forms, meeting parents, and fielding questions about what to pack.  I have worked really hard to sign students up and to raise money to make it possible for many of them to go.  I have been SO excited for YFCamp, as I am every year, but something happened this week and my excitement and joy was kinda taken away- and when those were gone my perspective and focus became negative.
  This is somewhat uncharacteristic of me because I LOVE camp! I love it so much that I spend two weeks of my summer going.  First week to take students and the 2nd I serve so other leaders can be with their students.  This week just seemed like everyday had a new surprise of something I didn't want to deal with.  First was the discouragement of a couple students dropping out despite having scholarships for them to go, leaving me with money and space for more students to go but no one who seemed to want to go.  Second was missing an important deadline to enroll in college to finish my degree which I have been looking forward to for months now.  Then my roommate tells me she wants to move out, and my car starts acting up. (Goes without mentioning how necessary my car is in order to finish picking up paperwork in preparation for camp.)  Then I receive a phone call from my bank telling me my card number has been compromised and they want to close my account and re-issue everything...Go ahead and scream or crawl into the fetal position for me as I was unable to do either of those things with so much still to get done for camp.  Even as I write this I am procrastinating on finishing that "to-do" list.
   I have a tendency to feel picked on when things like this happen, you know when one thing after another just seems to come at you whether your ready or not.  When this happens I have a hard time telling the difference between God's tests and satan's distractions.  This week I have a feeling that my boss was right, and I shouldn't have asked a question that would imply things could get worse...because they did.  I suspect that satan did want to find a way to steal my joy and excitement for what will happen at YFCamp, and it worked.  However I also suspect God is trying to teach me something about my character, as I do have a tendency to throw my hands up in the air and give up when life throws too much at me all at once.  All that said I am expecting God to show up and do some amazing things at YFCamp this week- Please pray that I would focus on what God wants me to see, and understand that whether its my car, my living situation or which students get on the bus and which ones don't, He is in control.

The Way Way Back

    Anyone who knows me well knows, that I love watching movies.  For the past few years I have been blessed with the ability to preview many movies before they are released.  The Way Way Back is one such movie that I have gotten to see, despite the fact that its not playing within a 50 radius of WPB.  It's actual release date was July 5, so other parts of the country have it already and are better off for it.  I watch a lot of movies and I would be honest about how much I watch except that I dont' want you all to assume I don't have an actual life.  That being said I have seen A LOT of movies in the last couple of years and I can honestly say "The Way Way Back" is the best movie I've seen in at least 2 years.
    This movie came from the same producers and such that made the movies Little Miss Sunshine, and Juno.  So one of the reasons I like this movie so much is the same reasons many enjoyed those films...the characters are real!  You can say you know someone just like them or you see yourself in them and the acting is so honest that if you do see yourself in there you don't feel bad about it.  Even the scenario is real, as painful as it is at times you get the feeling that these people really exist somewhere and they are really doing those things.  Not to mention with real characters there is real humor, not made up dialogue with unnecessary cursing or inappropriate banter- what cursing and banter there is feels real and appropriate for the situations.  This movie is exactly what it suggests, funny, endearing, and honest.  I laughed so much!

 I have to admit however that I do have a bias to this film for the very story that it is.  This is a story about a teenage boy living through the breakup of his family and implications of the aftermath.  (ie. he is stuck spending the summer with his mom, her boyfriend, and his daughter in a beach town where he doesn't know anyone.)  He is an awkward, quiet, and shy kid. Working for Youth for Christ I am used to seeing such a teen, and it always breaks my heart.  I want so badly for teens to come out of their shells and see that they are more than the circumstances they are going through in their life.  This movie takes the audience on just such a journey when he (after a handful of awkward meetings) meets and opens up to a water park manager who sees potential in him.

    Because of this story and the realness of the characters coupled with my heart and what I do for a living I saw myself throughout this entire movie.  Maybe its all of the awkward attempts I've experienced trying to connect with a teenager, maybe its seeing potential that not even a parent seem to recognize at times, or maybe its just that the movie is that good and anyone can see themselves in this story.  Either way I highly recommend that if you have a chance that you would go see it.  And if you read this and you are in youth ministry or volunteer in a youth ministry you need to go see it.  I speak with so many adults who don't understand how to "connect" to teenagers and if you struggle with that this movie may help you understand its not as hard as you think it is.

CrossFit Chronicles take 2

   So here I am, in the sixth and final week of my beginners Crossfit class.  A couple of weeks ago I was in pain and constantly sleepy.  I had a friend tell me that once I got to week three that the workouts would no longer make me tired but would give me energy, and that I would love it.  There is no way that I would have thought my friend would be right but he was...in the middle of week three I finally felt stronger and was enjoying the workouts more.  I was no longer huffing and puffing through the warm-up and actually getting through it ready to start each morning.  Also despite NOT being a morning person getting up at 6am became easy and even preferred, (not that I don't look forward to off days and sleeping in a little.)
   As for the people of Crossfit, I still hold a somewhat similar opinion of them however in my six weeks I have felt them open up and be more friendly to those of us in the beginners class.  Maybe this is because they want the money and so they need us to sign up and keep coming, but I like to feel it has to do a little bit with credibility.  They have seen us start and struggle, but push through and finish the six weeks where many who began with us are gone.  They (Crossfit people) still come off as cocky, somewhat unfriendly, and way too interested in working out, but why would I fault them for finding something they are passionate about and pursuing it??  I have things that I am passionate about, though its not fitness and exercise, I'm sure when people interact with me regarding those things they might find me a bit cocky and way too consumed by it.
     Now the big questions come...did I lose weight, do I want to continue with Crossfit?  As for my body I decided to do this 6 week class because I needed something to get me moving again.  After the lose of my mother just over a year ago I have put on a lot of weight and the grieving process barely gives you the energy to get out of bed in the morning, never mind working out or running.  I had no weight goal in mind, I just wanted to be in shape again so that I could get back to life.  Which includes keeping up with teenagers weekly, not to mention two weeks of camp that can literally kill you no matter how "in shape" you are.  I have lost inches, though it would be difficult for most people to notice, I do and that is all that really matters.  And YES I think I would like to continue with Crossfit!  I am no where near able to keep up with the "Hardcore" crowd, but they are opening up a bootcamp class and many of the folks in my beginners class are going to do that so I will join them!
   When was the last time you challenged yourself, and found that you liked it?  Have you ever needed a healthy change and been motivated to do it, no matter how impossible it seemed?