Saturday, June 23, 2012

How?

How is it that on Monday we start week 5 of the internship? That by Thursday we will be halfway through this? How is it that I feel like we just started yet the end is nearing? How is it that I have already lived in Bend for almost a month? How is it that I am still wearing jeans in the middle of summer???

The fact that Monday starts week 5 blows my mind! I cannot believe that we are already halfway through this internship. This internship that has given way more than I was expecting and I am loving every moment of it and still learning new things! I think the realization of how fast my time is flying this summer has made me think about what I do with me time. The only problem that I face is not having a car. I feel like the only parts of Bend I know is the Old Mill District, where the office and the Kilns are, Drake Park, and the loop my house is on. Thats it. I want to go explore Bend. To find the cute little shops that are unique to Bend. To walk around downtown and just explore or sit and talk at the tea house. But without a car its hard to get places that take 15 minutes to drive to. So that is why it is my new goal to take every chance that comes my way to go explore, and get to know the interns even more. 

During Solitude God told me to love the people of Bend and the people of Antioch, including the interns this summer while I was here. And to love them well I had to see the example set by the greatest lover of all. So I have been reading every story that God shows love in, which is a lot, but I am loving it. I also took advantage of hanging out with some interns who I havent spent much time with last night, and I had a blast!! Some of us went and saw Brave, which was so good! We even got to have our show upgraded to 3D for free!! Then we went to dinner and just talked about our parts in the internship and life back at school which was so good! After dinner we met up with a few more people and played Ticket to Ride Europe and talked Grey's Anatomy! ha I loved last night, maybe one of my highlights for the summer. Today we are going to go to this thing called Bite of Bend, where there is local music and food, and then tonight we are having an intern worship night! I love worship so I am pumped for tonight! 

I recommend this movie!

This week was pretty chill, nothing really exciting going on. Just working on the usual curriculum, updating the check in sheets, figuring out my next Mission Kids close up, etc. One thing I have really noticed is how much I have been given responsibility over. Which I love, and am really learning from, but it is more than I expected. I mean, the Mission Kids Close Up that I wrote was put on the website the weekend of the Mission Kids launch at Antioch. So any parent who went to read that to their kids this week, read the story I wrote! How awesome is that!?! I am so grateful for this experience and I love that this summer just keeps on engraving children's ministry into my heart!

The other children's intern finally got to Bend this week after graduating from UCLA! Her name is Kim and she is awesome! I am so excited to have another intern to work with down in the children's area and she has been rocking it all week! 

Probably the coolest thing that happened this week was when I got the email containing my jobs for the week. Mission Kids has these things called supplementary curriculum which can be used as a VBS or broken apart into Sunday morning lessons. There is already one on compassion, but Linda wants one on love and justice as well. So one of my assignments for the week was to start working on the supplementary curriculum for love! God is really working on me getting love right this summer, and I am super excited to get to study it and break it down into simple terms that kids, or myself, will truly understand it. Yes I know that God loves me and is love is never ending, but what does that really look like for me and I can I share/show that locally and all over the world? I am so excited to dig deep into the Bible and learn all about the love of the creator!



Have a great week ya'll!!!!

Monday, June 18, 2012

Trust.

This week my emotions got a little crazy, partially leading to my Zephyr Love. post. But also I was just missing getting to see my family during the summer. I know that when Im at Zephyr I don't see my family all the time, but at least I get to see them on most weekends. Plus this summer my brother is learning how to drive!! He is driving my car, well I guess his car now- my mom got a new car (well used...) so I get her car when I get back, meaning Drew gets my Altima. Not sure how I feel about any of this, but I wish I was home to help him. I think we are finally getting to the stage where we will start to be best friends, at least I hope so! But this is why it's making being so far away harder.

How is this kid old enough to drive!?

I am missing my bro.

Don't get me wrong and think that because I am missing my family, home and Zephyr that I am not loving Bend and this internship. Because as much as I am missing home, I am loving being in Bend. I think its all about growing up. I have been going to Zephyr since I was in 3rd grade, and then I have been on staff for the last 3 years. Zephyr is comfortable and has been a huge part of shaping me into who I am. I am so thankful for the staff of Zephyr and all the campers who came through the gates, but God called me to Bend this summer, so I followed. This week, while it has been tough, it has also been awesome in the desires/thoughts/etc. that God has placed in my heart. So lets get started!

Monday: I worked on Summer Swamp games and some Mission Kids stuff, including my first Kid Close-Up that actually got posted on the website on Friday! I am so excited for Summer Swamp and I cannot wait for it to get here!

Tuesday: I worked on curriculum, my Kid Close-Up and we had Pulse groups. I am loving getting to spend that time with a small group of girls and really just open up. Pulse group is a time for me to talk through all the things God has put in my mind, while listening to others who are going through the same thing, or just be able to encourage one another. 

Wednesday: I worked my first shift at the Kilns Bookstore and learned how to make a latte! Then after work we had a time of Solitude. It was really nice to get away, and just spend time with God. I went down to Drake Park and sat by the river. God told me to love his people in Bend this summer and to really be able to do that I have to really know what he means by love. So I am doing a word study on love this summer! I think I might have said something about this is my post last week, but I am really starting to see and understand that above all God is a God of love. 

Thursday: This day was kinda a crazy day because we started our internship fundraiser. We are working with C3 which is an event planning/organizing/something group in Bend. We are helping them out with 5 events this summer, and I believe this one was the biggest. So half the interns went to help in the morning and the other half helped in the afternoon. (Then you helped a second time on Friday or Saturday.) So I came to the office Thursday morning, and finished curriculum prep and my Kid Close-Up, then I went to Drake Park to finish setting up thousands of chairs for the OSU Bend campus' graduation. Basically my work day was from 9am- 8pm. It was almost like I was back at camp, almost. ha

Friday: Friday was a relaxing day, slept in some, did some laundry, and went to the store. RELAXING :)

Saturday: Two other interns and I had a baking/cooking day! They made oreo truffles and this awesome lunch, a spicy chicken wrap thing, and I made chocolate chip cookies! Delish! We then took a nap before having our second shift with C3. We cleaned up after the graduation. Then after we were done, we got dinner and headed up to the Butte to watch the sunset. The sun doesn't set till like 9:30 here, which I am still getting used to!

These may not be the greatest...

but it's just something you have to experience.

I will be watching many more from here!

Sunday: Richard Twist was the guest speaker, and I heard he was awesome! (I was working with precious 3-year-olds) So I, and I suggest you, will be watching his sermon and :Redux questions here when it gets loaded this week! Sunday evening he came and spoke at 20 Somethings so I got to hear him and he really challenged some thoughts I had. It was awesome and that is where I got, what God has taught me this week!

So here it is: Richard Twist showed this video of natives worshiping God, but doing it their way, dressed in their native attire. It was really powerful to watch. After he asked what we thought and this was my reflection: I want to bring all the cultures of America to the forefront. We don't have to leave America to experience others cultures. We, as Americans, have made it to where natives or even people from other countries, who live here cannot practice their culture. God says let every tribe, tongue and nation worship me. I want to see that come to be! Can it start with Mission Kids? Will it grow? Who will get on board?
This was my first thoughts. After talking to Linda it can start with Mission Kids! That is my goal for now! Who knows if that will be it or if it will go further. Only God knows!

This week God has told me to trust him. Trust him that I am here for a reason. Trust him that I will get time with my family. Trust him that my desires will be met. Trust is hard, but I will trust my God. Even the kids at Antioch are learning to trust God this summer. I will trust in the Lord with all my heart, because I know he loves me and has my best in mind!

Have a great week ya'll!! 


Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Zephyr love.

I am loving this internship and living in Bend Oregon!! But I am missing Zephyr.

Zephyr has been at least a part of my summer since 3rd grade, and then for the last 3 years I have been on staff and LOVED it! So for me to not even be at Zephyr for a week is hard. I am loving making these new friends, but I am missing my Zephyr family like crazy!!! Ugh! They are already on youth camp 2 and they had roasted corn at the first! If I was at Zephyr I would already be tan, but here I have no tan except what I came with :/ 

Anyways this is just me ranting about a place I love and miss! I wish there was some way I could be in Bend and Zephyr at the same time! If only...

The place I love.

We are family!

I love these people!

Zephyr love in Waco!

I miss these people!

I miss this.

This girl and I became best friends here.

This guy.

This ridiculousness...

Oh how I want to go swimming!

This is my supervisor... 

This guy....

This girl...

and my little sis...

If only on this sign was on my drive tomorrow.

Please don't hear that I am not liking this internship, because I am loving it! LOVING IT! I am just really missing Zephyr. The place and the people there have a special place in my heart because we form a special bond during the summers. I know God has me in Bend this summer, but I cant help my love for Zephyr. 

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Is This Real Life?

So, I have finished my second week in Bend, and I cannot believe I will be here for another 8 weeks!! I know those weeks are going to fly by, but I also know they will be awesome, and I will have made so many memories. This week we did a lot, so lets get down to business!

Monday: We really started working in our ministry focus areas this week, and my first project was editing the curriculum for kinder through third grade. Let's just say it was a fun challenge, that I even got to see today in church when I worked in the 2nd grade class! After work we had a break and then had a dessert night at Brandon's house.

Here was my dessert! Yum!

After we had all gotten our dessert we sat around and told lots of hilarious stories; most of them revolved around poop. Anyways we had tons of laughs and just got to know one another a little bit better...

Tuesday: Today in the office I did an assortment of things, got the supplies needed for Sunday, updated the class rosters, worked on my first kids close up, and a couple other things Linda needed help with. That afternoon we started our pulse groups, which is a small group to "help up check our pulse" throughout the internship. It was nice to sit down with just a couple other people and talk through everything we have done so far. That evening was our first Meaningful Movie Night and we watched Hook. I had thought I had seen the movie, until we started watching when I realized I hadn't. It was a good movie and a point we were supposed to take away was, while yes we will grow up, we need to be a child at heart, having imagination, but not being immature. 

Wednesday: It was our first full off day so we all made each other promise we would sleep in; which of course was fine with me! I woke up around noon, made some food, then watched some tv, messed around on my computer, took a nap, went to Target and went on a run. It was probably one of the greatest days. It was nice to be lazy and not have an alarm set for once.

Thursday: We were back in the office, and I finished up my kids close up, and helped Linda with some Mission Kids stuff. After work some of us went and got food and then went to the Kilns Bookstore for an orientation so we can start volunteering there this week! I am working on Wednesdays and I am a little nervous. 

Friday: WE WENT WHITE WATER RAFTING!!!!!! We drove about an hour to get to Maupin, where YD Adventures is and went rafting with them. IT WAS AWESOME! I was nervous at first, but it was SO fun! I swam a rapid, and even rode on the front of our boat through a couple of rapids. The weather has been cold, rainy, cloudy, (Texas winter weather) all week but Friday when we put in the sun was out! Granted the air was still cold, and the water was freezing, so we wore wet suits. Sorry I don't have any pictures from Friday of us, but I found some of the area we were in so here you go:

This is what we rafted!

Surf City

Oak Springs: we did the far side

part of the float

This was probably one of the coolest things I've done! I'm also really glad I swam the rapid because when else will I get to swim a rapid in Oregon? 

Saturday: When I woke up Saturday I was pretty sore from rafting, but it was so worth it. Some of the interns were planning on going to a rodeo that night, so we had to figure out how everyone was getting there, when we were leaving, etc. So we figure it out and head out to the rodeo.

The Biggest Little Show

Outdoors + Windy = FREEZING

Love watching the sun set!

So the rodeo was at night, and it was super windy so we were freezing! Once it got dark, you could see our breath, but we were waiting for the bull riders! Even though it was freezing, we had a ton of fun going to the rodeo!

Sunday: This morning I decided I wanted to try Dutch Bros Coffee, which everyone up here seems to like. When I pulled up there were 2 guys working, and one asked how I was. So of course I said, "I'm good how are ya'll?" Which he responded with, "Did you bring any sweet tea?" Oh my gosh, best moment of someone catching my accent! Then to add to it he lived in Corpus for a year! How crazy! Needless to say, that has been one of my favorite accent catches, and the coffee was pretty dang good!


Well that pretty much covers this week! Brandon had us read through Genesis 1 and 3 and think about the character of God, and the one that really stuck out to me was that God is a loving God. He loved us from the beginning of time, he loves us today, and he will always love us. This really struck me after reading through Genesis 3 where after God punishes Satan, Adam and Eve, he makes them clothes, showing that he still loves and cares for them.

Have a great week ya'll!!





Saturday, June 2, 2012

The Oregon Trail.

Well, I've been in Bend for a week and I already have a Saturday afternoon normal: Starbucks and froyo. ha This week has been an incredible week of meeting awesome people, being in a new place and learning all about it, and climbing a rock! 

Let's start with the basic's: Im living with a really sweet family who has twin boys who are almost 6 and a 3-year-old girl. The kids are FULL of energy all day, which can be fun, on somedays. But they are all really sweet and helpful. My favorite moment so far has been when Lucy, the 3-year-old, asked me to read to her before bed the other night. Besides the family being awesome, I get to live in the basement, which can be chilly, but I get this awesome room to myself for the summer!

Pretty great, huh?

Next, Antioch Church. Well the church meets at Bend High, but the office is in the Old Mill District, which is a really neat place.

Bend High...

One view from the office...

How awesome is this??

Now for the internship. This week has really just been about getting to know each other, the staff and the church. We got to hear all of the staff's stories, which was really neat, spent plenty of time just hanging out and asking questions, or just exploring Bend together. I have loved getting to know these people, because we will be sharing life together this summer. Everyone here is awesome and even though we come from different places we have similarities. Im excited for what is going to happen this summer among the interns. So this week, besides just being at the office we have gone to Pilot Butte, had a barbecue at the head pastors house, slacked at Drake Park, and climbed Misery Ridge at Smith Rock!! 

This is Smith Rock.

So Misery Ridge is a trail up Smith Rock, that is only a mile long...basically straight up the rock! It was SO steep! Coming down was almost as hard as going up, well maybe not, but it took some time as well. My asthma wasn't a fan of me climbing, but we made it to the top and I'm so glad I didn't call it quits. Here are some shots from the hike, they aren't quite as awesome as in person, but they are close.

The start of the hike...

On the way up...

the path.

about halfway up!

Chaco pic!

View from the top!

Glory!

Made it!!

Well climbing Smith Rock was an awesome way to end the first week, and begin the adventure this summer is going to be! It was awesome and I can't wait to go on our next intern outing...white water rafting next week!!

Something I want to end each blog this summer with is a main point God taught me that week. I feel like with the struggle that was hiking up Smith Rock he proved that he is my strength. He is what who has gotten me to this place, and Im going to enjoy it and go on adventures. Whenever it got tough during the hike I would take a break and enjoy the view and realize how awesome this area is and that to fully enjoy God's creation, I needed to get to the top. I can't believe I am in this beautiful area of the US, but while I am here I am going to enjoy every moment, climb whatever is before me and experience all that God created!

Have a great week ya'll!!