Just Listen!

I was sitting in church today, and I was dealing with two struggles. I later realized these two struggles were really one in the same. First off, the music this week, wasn't the smoothest. It didn't flow well, and the tempo was all over the place. I mean, you could just tell the team was struggling. I was standing there, singing the words thinking, 

If she did this on the piano, it would be so much better!

Why doesn't he say something to her about that tempo?

They are not doing this song justice. 

Then I thought. You know what? Just sing, Carey. Stop worrying about how they sound, and all the things they could do differently. Get over yourself. 

So I did.

I decided to just sing the songs, and spend my time with Jesus. It was still hard though. I found myself distracted from worship because I was critiquing the Praise Team.

I'm not the perfect Worship Leader. I know that. I'm not even the most talented or knowledgeable on the subject. What makes me thing my way is better than another? Why am I so picky? You know I tell my teams every week.

I don't care if we get every tempo right, or hit all the right notes. Just worship. If you sing a wrong note, or rhythm, or we have phasing issues, just worship.” Why can't I apply that to myself when I am not leading? “It doesn't matter if the team is doing every thing right, or everything wrong. Just worship. If they get a rhythm wrong or sing off key, or have tempo issues – just worship!

So I tried to get over it. And I did to some extent, but I wasn't really there – where I should be in my heart.

Then came the sermon.

And the transition from the worship to the sermon was choppy and it made me cringe just a bit. Like, “AGH! The whole mood was ruined just then by how they did that one thing!” Seriously?! Obviously my heart attitude wasn't anywhere near where it needed to be.

Now, I love this preacher. He is more of teacher than a preacher, and usually I glean things from his sermons. But today I was really struggling with his style. He was preaching on the Grace of God, and I thought, 

You need to be more dynamic, appeal to emotion more to really hammer this point! 

So I stopped really listening and started thinking about how to tell him that he needed t o make this change. After a moment or two I heard this,

“Carey, does your deeper understanding of me hinge on your emotional connection?”

Yes

“Should it? Is my Word, my being, dependent on your emotion?”

No

“Emotion is important, but let my words, my Truth, affect your heart and mind, not the style of preaching.”

This kinda hit me hard. Who am I to tell this Pastor he isn't using enough emotion in his sermons? I mean, this man has spent all week studying and praying and studying and praying. And I know for a fact that it is his desire that God would speak through him, and only God's message would be taught. I don't know why I was so concerned about emotion. Sure, emotions have power and are useful, but are they everything? Of course not! I cannot make the foundation of my growth a set of emotions. God didn't write the Bible thinking, Hmm, I wonder if this is tailored enough to Carey's emotional roller coaster? God wrote the Bible thinking, What truth do I want (insert name here) to understand here?

You know what? 

 By the end of the sermon I was almost in tears. 

Why? Because I decided to get over myself. I decided to just listen for what God wanted to tell me through this man. It didn't matter that this guy wasn't super emotional, or that his language was informal. He was communicating God's Truth to me. It was my job to shut up, and listen.

I'm still processing all that was said, once I started listening. There were some challenging points, a few knocks upside the head for me.

But the most important thing I think I am learning through all this, is that my current emotion and opinion on how things “ought to be done” doesn't really matter. 

Just Worship. 

And it definitely shouldn't keep me from actively listening for God's voice, whether it be through song or word.

Catching up

Well, my stint watching children is now officially over.  I can't remember if I told you about this yet, so let me sum up.  There was a single mom working out at camp this summer so I was watching her kids while she worked.  I had two young ones and we had so much fun together!

We picked wildflowers and flowers from our garden.  We played with play-doh, ate snacks, played in the pool, in the lake, played mini-golf, went on walks, played board games, and other fun stuff.  I have to admit, it was a tiring job.  Kids take a lot of energy from you!!!!!

Also, my sister-in-law leaves for China in 3 min according to my computer (time: 2:57).  My husband and I just got back from saying good-bye.  We took some time off from the crazy busyness of camp so we could be there to say goodbye.  I know she will grow a ton while she is over there, but it will be hard having her so far away for so long.  We will get to see her at Christmas this year (only 5 months away) but then it will be an entire year before she is back again.

To celebrate her birthday and going away, we all went down to the Old Market in Omaha.  It is a really neat place if you didn't know.  The buildings are really old, and super fantastic!!!!!  I was able to get some really neat photos.  I'll post a few here but if you want to see more, check out my other blog experimentography.blogspot.com.

the 1880's style sibling photo

The 2011 Style Sibling Photo

Our Not-Christmas Photo of the year.

Inside one of the book stores we visited.  Awesome!!!

Mom thought they would be Harry Potter look-a-likes if they wore the glasses.

This is Jen, making a classic Harder photo face.

We bought a new car yesterday!  Exciting!!!!!!  Also we were able to pay cash which is good and bad.  Good because we don't have to add any more to our debt, but bad because we had to total our other car in order to get the money to pay for the new car.  But our mistakes are God's blessings.  We bought a 2000 Oldsmobile Bravada.

Ours looks pretty much exactly like the one in the picture.  And no, this in not a picture of our car.  I was lucky and found one just like it online.  The guy who owned it prior to us, was an older man and he took really good care of it.  The inside looks and feels new even though the car is 11 years old.  It has a pretty smooth ride and heated seats!  We found this out when we were riding in it and my legs started getting really hot even though the air conditioning was on full blast!!! It took us a while to figure out how to turn it off, but we finally found the buttons on the side of the seat.  That was a mini adventure!!!

We love the car and we hope it will last us quite a while.  Thanks to our brother-in-law Jerry for finding the car for us!!!!!

It's Over

So my week of Cabin Leading is almost over.  I am sitting in the Center watching a movie with the campers who are waiting for their parents to come pick them up.  Two of my campers are still here.  Their mom should be here soon, but I thought I would update you on the week while I wait.

I had nine girls this week.  Five of them new each other so that was nice.  Two others came together and I had two who came by themselves.  Amazingly they all got along very well.  I was kinda worried at the beginning of the week but by the end of the second day we were doing very well.  The first few days were kinda dreary, rainy and cold, but Wednesday was finally warm and sunny again.  We went to the waterfront, the pool, went down the slide, I even got to blob a few of my girls.  Now THAT was fun!! My girls went so high!!!!  we had a blast together.

What was even more cool is that the girls all really payed attention during chapel and participated in group discussions and quiet time.  It was really neat to see things click with some of the girls as the week went on.  The speaker was amazing!  He did a great job of talking on their level, using words and concepts Jr. Highers understand.  Some of the girls realized for the first time how important it is to read the Bible on a regular basis.   I tried to give them some tools/ways to read the Bible after they went back home.  Some of the girls go to my church so I will be able to check up on them quite often.

My prayer is that these girls would not forget what they have learned this week.  I know that God is the only one who can change these girls and make sure that the changes stick.  All I can do now is leave it in God's hands.  I can pray though.  I will continue to pray for them that they stay connected to God.  

I am very tired, but it is a good tired.  However, I will be very happy to get some sleep in my own bed tonight.  Very excited!  I am so grateful that God gave me this opportunity to Cabin Lead.  I know I learned a lot!  I will tell you some other time in another post.  But right now, we are getting to a good part of the movie so I will let you go!

A Real Camp Wife Experience

So here is a story about something that completely fits the title of my blog.  Today I was working in the Office at Camp on the summer staff work schedule, and my husband comes into my office and asks me if I want to be a Cabin Leader for the next week of camp.  Apparently they are short female cabin leaders and I have the week off from watching the kids, so I am actually able to do this!  I thought my cabin leading days were over and now they aren't!!!!!  I am super excited!  If I hadn't gotten married and moved to Camp, I probably wouldn't be able to cabin lead at all, so I am extremely excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!  So Life As A Camp Wife gets me the opportunity to Cabin Lead!!!!!

My husband is directing this camp so I know it will be stressful for him, but I am excited because I can let him know how things went from an insider perspective.  As Camp employees it is easy to look at a camp and say "that went well" without knowing how the week actually went.  But Campers and Cabin Leaders give a different view of the week.  They are the ones who will tell you if the week was effective, if they enjoyed it, if the understood the lessons and things.  It is their stories that give you the true success of a camp.
I am pretty sure I will be wiped at the end of the week, but it will be worth it.  Cabin Leading is always worth it.

Hot, Hot, Hot

I went for a walk this morning and I have to say it felt like the middle of July - this morning.  Apparently it is supposed to get up to 90 degrees today.  Ridiculous for the middle of May, I say.  And it was humid.  Not too bad, but enough to make me feel sticky when I started sweating.  And my calves were burning!  I guess that's what happens when you walk up and down hills.  It was a good walk though.  Later today we are oging canoeing on the Harpeth River.  That should be fun!

Oohhh...

I realized today that at some point I am going to have to change the description of my blog.  At what point am I no longer a "young wife"?  Now I am sure I can leave this up for a while, but at some point I will have to change that.

Wow, someday, I will be the experienced one, hopefully helping out the younger wife.  Ooo, scary. 

I have to admit, sometimes, it seems like we will never get this marriage thing figured out.  I tell you, we think we are doing well, going along, communicating well, and then bang, we aren't anymore.  I have probably already written about this, but it hit me again just now. 

I was visiting with some friends who moved to Nashville last year today and I was realizing how grown up their kids are and commented that the kids were old.  The father said to me "you know what that says about you - you're old-er."  One of their daughters is graduating from high school this month, and I recalled that I have been out of high school for five years.  That seems like an eternity!  And at the same time feels like yesterday.  Now I am the adult encouraging kids about college and life decisions.  When did I become the experienced one?  It is so strange sometimes, remembering that I am an adult now.  Where did the time go?

Oh well, there isn't much I can do about it now.  It's not like I can go back in time and do it all over again.  Not that I would want to.  But seriously...those years of my life flew by.  But I am graduated from college and married now.  I love my life.  Sure it isn't always easy and there are days when I miss college life, but I wouldn't trade my current life for anything - except an eternity with Jesus.

Downtown Nashville!!!

Well, the trip downtown was so much fun!  We visited the capital and did the walking tour.  Well the abbreviated version cause the little ones were slightly restless.  It was a really cool building.  I would have taken pictures to share with you but I forgot my camera.  Very sad day.  The architecture was amazing.  It was old and most of the building has original woodwork in the offices and meeting rooms.  It was a neat piece of history. 

We walked around downtown and visited a Veterans Memorial Park thing.  It had neat fountains, and some monuments dedicated to fallen soldiers.  And of course beautiful green trees.

We also walked down (and up) Broadway.  This street is what they call a "live music venue."  Almost every store had some sort of live music.  Unfortunately most of these restaurants were bars, so we didn't go in.  We visited an old fashioned ice cream parlor - that was fun.  They had the old fashioned glasses, and even had a candy section.  I wanted to get something so badly, but I didn't because I knew the little kids would want some and they were not able to get any by wishes of Mom. 

I wanted to take a backstage tour of this really cool theatre downtown, but we didn't have time, and it was kinda expensive.  Maybe I will start saving up for a road trip down here with my husband and we can do some of these other things!!

For lunch we ate at Panera Bread.  I was super excited when we saw this place.  I have heard stories about these places, and wanted to experience it for myself.  One word review: delicious!  The sandwich was delicious, the bread was delicious, and the smoothie was delicious.  About the Smoothie:  Low fat and delicious.  Creamy and smooth and cold, and perfect flavor.  Did I mention Delicious??

All in all it was a great day.  We were all very tired at the end of it all but we had fun.  And did I mention the Delicious smoothie???

Road Trip!

I am currently in Nashville, Tennessee!!!!  I have only ever been here once in my life and that was over 10 years ago.  We only stayed the night in a hotel and left the next morning so it wasn't much of an experience.  Anyway, I am super excited to be here.  Today we are going to the capital building and the downtown area.  I expect it will be much fun, and I will write about it as soon as I get the chance. 

Why am I in Nashville two weeks before the start of summer camping season?  Well, I came with a fellow Camp Wife who has family here.  We left our husbands at camp to do all the work.  (we don't work anyway so this isn't a big deal!)  It was a 15 hour drive!!!!  We drove straight through, a few stops for gasoline, but other than that...

The trip was fun.  We had good discussions and saw some cool stuff.  We drove through St. Louis so we got to "see the Arch", and by "see the Arch" I mean just see it, we didn't visit, just drove by it.  Rather close by actually.  I have to say that the buildings in St. Louis are amazing.  The architecture is really old and rather creative.  It would have been fun to be able to visit them.  Oh how I wish I had my camera!!!

On the way we passed some strange places.  Oregon, Lebanon, Amazonia, and I don't know how many "villes"  It seems like every town down here is named "something"-ville.  Crazy!!!!!

There are trees everywhere here!  Surrounding everything.  Most of the time, you can't see the other side of the interstate because there are so many trees in the median.  But it was beautiful.  So much green, leaves on trees even!! :)  I understand why people from other parts of the country think there is nothing in Nebraska.  Compared to this part of the country there isn't.  I still think Nebraska is beautiful though.  I love being able to see for miles and miles.  And the Sunsets.  Nebraska has the best sunsets!

I will try to update you about what else we do on the trip.  Hopefully I will be better at posting on this thing than I have been the last month!!!

Oops...

So I realized today as I was reading my sister-in-law's blog that I ahven't posted for over a month.  Sorry everyone (all four of you)!!!!! 

Change of Scenery

One of the things I love the most about living at a camp is the scenery.  We live in a farming community, so the primary view from anywhere is flat.  But, at camp we have lots of trees.  Pine trees mainly, but a few deciduous trees are scattered around. I have always thought that Camp is extremely beautiful.  Green everywhere, flowers, plants, trees, the lake.  


But lately, in this winter/spring thing we are doing right now, I have been feeling a little discouraged.  I look around and I see dead grass, dead flowers, lifeless trees, bare branches, muddy roads, and patches of melting snow.  And to top it all off it started to snow again the last few days.  Gray skies, cold temperatures, and snow/rain.  Not very fun.  


But God allowed me to see something beautiful yesterday.  I was driving home from somewhere the other day, (not sure if it was the office, or from town) and I drove by our archery range.  Sometimes I take a different route home, just to shake things up.  And there was a light covering of snow on the archery house, the field, and the trees that boarder the range.  I almost stopped the car.  It was beautiful.  And then yesterday when I was driving into town, I took the interstate (another shake up as I have been taking the highway lately).  The trees alongside the interstate had a heavy dusting of snow as well, and the way the snow lined the trees caught my eye.  Again, another beauty sighting from God.  


I wish I had my camera with me, I would have taken a picture to share with you.  it wasn't much, but in the midst of a weather front I wasn't enjoying, God gave me a glimpse of beauty.  Now I am noticing the beauty everywhere in this dismal season.  God has changed my view and my attitude about nature this week.  God is always providing us with beautiful things to look at. I just needed a change in my habit to notice.


CHALLENGE!!!
    This challenge has 2 parts.
              Part 1: I challenge you to change a habit today.  Make a different decision and see what beautiful scene God has in store for you!
              Part 2: Tell me about it!  Leave a comment on this post!

A Little Bit of Irriation

Ok, I know I just posted something, but I just have to write about this.  Here is my question: how do the words of one man in a letter to another man become so misconstrued?  It's this whole issue of "separation of church and state."  It was the reason Prayer in schools was banned, why teachers can't discuss their beliefs with their students, why churches can't do anything in a school.  Anytime prayer happens, or a Bible study is mentioned, or a group of students prays at a school event some one inevitably says, 'They can't do that!  Separation of church and state!"  


What it seems people fail to realize is that this phrase and what it entails were written to protect the church from being controlled by the state, not the church "infiltrating" the state.  This phrase, this concept has nothing to do with religious activities happening in a school, or government building.


Anyway, that is all I have to say on this matter.

Take a Number...

I have to say, friends are from the Lord!!  One of the hardest things about living at Camp is that my close friends all live elsewhere.  I don't mean in the town a few miles away, but a few hours to a day's trip away.  I realize this happens to many people when they graduate from college.  I don't make good friends easily, and I am not one to have a lot of "friends."  I am much more likely to have two or three really close friends.  And it was hard to leave them all in my college town.  

I have to admit I had been complaining to my husband and a few people that I didn't have any friends to spend time with.  Probably not the best decision or action to take.  I really shouldn't have been feeling lonely or friendless.  There are plenty of younger women at camp whom I can have a close relationship with.  And I do.  But it's just different.

But God is good!  A few weeks ago I learned that one of my close friends from High School is moving back home.  We have been friends since elementary school and she is an amazing Godly woman.  Recently she and her husband felt God pulling them elsewhere, and after considering various options decided to come back home.    My friend came to town this week to look at a few houses and we were able to spend an afternoon together.  It was one of the most refreshing afternoons!

Don't get me wrong, I love to spend time with my husband, but catching up with an old friend and finding out that you still have things in common is amazing!!  I was a little nervous driving over to her grandparents house.  

What if we can't relate?  

                  What if we have changed too much?  

                                             What if she doesn't like me anymore?

Yet again, my questions and fears were of little use.  Remember that verse: Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own."  I spent mental energy worrying about something that didn't need to be worried about.  We still related, we hadn't changed too much, and she still likes me!!  God is good!  All the time!!!  I cannot tell you the joy it brings to my soul that I serve a God who listens to my complaining.  

Domestic Missionaries

Not a lot to say this time but I wanted to let you all know...


My husband and I gave our first "missionary presentation" today.  We spoke at a Sunday School class and then at a potluck dinner after church.  It was a good experience but kinda weird at the same time.  It is good that we are getting practice presenting what we do and our heart for ministry.  What was strange was that we were presenting at our home church.  We attend this church every Sunday and I grew up in this church.  I have never been on e for speaking my heart in front of people who have known me, because I am always so scared that they are going to judge me or think that I don't show my heart enough.  


Granted I probably don't show my heart enough.  I love to talk about things I'm passionate about, but it has to be the right situation: a small group or one-on-one.  But I am more likely just to do my thing, participate in the activities I'm involved in.  I am glad to say things went very well.  People enjoyed our presentation and we spoke what was in our hearts. 

Springter Weather

Yes, I just made up a word.  I have come to the conclusion that we do not have Spring in the state where I live.  We have Springter.  This is a combination of Spring and Winter (if you hadn't figured that out already).  Springter includes strange weather phenomenons such as cool/hot/cold (CHC) days and melt/freeze (MFW) weeks.  

CHC days start out around 30 degrees, and then warm up to about 65 or 70 by 10 o'clock am.  It continues to be this warm until about 6:15 pm at which time the temperature automatically drops to around 20 degrees.  

MFWs are only slightly more annoying.  MFWs are those weeks when you have around three warm days in a row immediately preceding two or three days of below freezing temperatures.  These weeks are the worst because they trick one into thinking that the weather has turned human again and one can finally begin to look outside, see the sun, and assume it will be nice.  But instead, one looks out the window on day four, sees the sun, and walks outside in shorts, a t-shirt, with a good book, only to find that although the sun is shinning proclaiming a wonderful day, the air has decided to rebel and fall below human temperatures.  

You can probably imagine what our roads look like at Camp during Springter.  Snow falls, accumulates, freezes (which is fine), then begins to melt (also fine).  However, the snow never really gets the chance to completely melt because of CHCs and MFWs.  These wonderful events come along and all that melted snow becomes ice.  Ice.  Ice.  Lots and lots of ice.  Our driveway could have served as an ice skating rink for quite a while.  Those warm days would come, melt the ice.  Then freeze again.  Ice.  Lots.  Of. Ice.  

Driving on these roads is almost as much fun as the weather is annoying!  I have a Buick.  Let's just say - not the best ice-slash-snow-slash-mush-slash-mud car.  I have more mud on my car than I have ever seen on a vehicle in my life.  Well...I did until I dished out the bucks to get it cleaned during one of those MFWs.  

I would like to say something.  This is what I wanted to tell you from the beginning.  I love Summer.  

What if?

I just spent four hours talking with a girl I barely know.  I will tell you, there is no "get to know you" period with her.  Which was nice.  We just jumped right into conversation.  I have to admit, I was rather surprised about what we talked about.  Everything.  We talked about everything.  Relationships, our pasts, school, activities vs sports, education, theatre.  


I will tell you the thing that struck me the most wasn't that we hardly knew each other or that we come from very different backgrounds, but that it was so easy for me to mention the God part of my life when I was talking to her.  Now this girl is not a believer.  She made that very clear.  But when she asked me questions about my life, I just decided to be completely honest.  And if God had a part in a certain aspect of my life or a decision I made, I just said so.  


Just because one is the wife of a man in full time ministry, doesn't mean it is easy for one to talk about her faith with other people.  Especially a non-believer.  Sure, it's easy to acknowledge God's role in one's life when one is speaking with someone who understands and has the same beliefs as one.  


But when that person doesn't believe, personally it is easier for me to leave out the God part.  I feel ashamed to be admitting this to you, but it is the truth.  I struggle to share my faith with those around me.  I have never felt comfortable "presenting the gospel"  I have done it, but it is so unnatural for me.  And I always get so nervous about how a person is going to react when I mention that God had a huge part in a decision or lifestyle choice.  
       What if they look at me funny?
                         
                    What if they get angry?  
                                      
                              What if they think I'm a wierdo?  

     What if they think I am trying to push my 'religion' on them?  
All these questions buzz around in my head and keep me from even mentioning the word 'God.'


Tonight, these questions still buzzed around in my head, but I decided to ignore them.  I said to myself, "Self, just tell the truth.  Be honest.  God is a huge part of your life - just say it."  So when she asked a question, I answered it.  

AND GUESS WHAT????

She didn't get angry.  


               She didn't look at me funny.  


                                She didn't get offended.  

She just listened.

And you know, it wasn't so hard.  I listened to her life stories, just as she listened to mine.  She knows that I believe in God, and that I pray to him, and consult him, and that he has control over my life.  I know that she doesn't do those things.  We talked for four hours.  Anyone who knows me would tell you - that is strange for me.  Maybe not with someone I am close to, but with a person I hardly know?  Never.

I did not share the 'gospel presentation' with her tonight.  I did not bring my Bible.  I did not tell her she needed to 'repent and turn from her evil ways.'  I just talked with her.  And answered her honestly.  

And you know what?  She asked me to come back tomorrow night!  Knowing that we believe entirely differently.  We don't have plans to talk about the Bible, or doctrine, or theology.  And I believe that is okay.  

When a lawyer asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was, Jesus answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." (Matt 22:37-40 ESV)  

In short - Love God and Love People.  I believe I brought honor and glory to God by keeping him a part of my story.  And I believe that my conversation with this girl is the beginning of showing her God's love.  Who knows if she will become a believer or not?  I don't.  Only God does.  I don't know if I am just the seed planter, or the one who waters the seed, or helps it grow.  But I will do my best with God's help to love her as God would love her.  

The Bubble

So this is my first post...

                Welcome to my blog!...

                                  I don't know how you found this so...

                                                                This is a blog about...

I have been sitting here for the past ten minutes trying to figure out how to start this blog.  It probably doesn't help that I am sitting in a friend's living room watching her television at the same time.  It is very hard to think straight while an interesting television show also demands my attention.  Now I know what you are saying, just turn off the television.  This would be the sane decision to make.  Okay, you convinced me..there it's off.

Life as a Camp Wife.  What's that like?  What do I do all day?  A thousand questions are probably flowing through your head right now...okay maybe not. (but maybe?)  

One of the gorgeous views of our lake.

Let me start somewhere else.  My husband is the Executive Director of a Bible Camp.  We operate year round.  In the summer we do summer camps, family reunions and retreats.  In the fall, winter and spring, we do conferences and retreats.  We are located slightly in the middle of nowhere US.  Don't worry, we aren't completely cut off from the world, but it is a half hour drive to the nearest Wal-mart. 

That is one thing about being a Camp Wife.  Our lives are lived in somewhat of a bubble.  My husband and I are trying to get away from the "Christian Bubble" phrase. But...when everyone in your 'neighborhood' is a believer, and you live 30 minutes from the nearest city, it is easy to get caught inside this Bubble.  We don't have cable at home, nor do we have internet so it is also easy to be disconnected from what is going on in the world.  

My husband listens to talk radio a lot, so he is pretty well informed, but I, dislike talk radio so I find myself very ill informed on the state of the world. I am trying to remedy this.  I attempt to pay attention when my husband has the radio on and occasionally I find myself changing the station to talk radio.  

I currently do not have a job.  I spend quite a bit of time at home.  However, I am involved with the Theatre and Speech department at the local high school, and I have been helping with the Musical there as well.  I graduated with a degree in Theatre so I have made an effort to be involved with it as much as I can.  I help out sometimes at our community playhouse and am currently in a play there.  Involving myself in the surrounding community has helped me escape the bubble.

Both my husband and I want to make sure that we don't isolate ourselves.  As I've mentioned it would be easy to do so.  However, our ministry is not just about serving the people who come to out to Camp.  God has called us to "shine as lights in the world" (Php 2:15).  That means that as believers we need to be seen.  If I isolate myself out at Camp - where everyone I know is a believer, and I won't be made fun of or rejected because of what I believe - I am not fulfilling God's calling on my life. Plain and simple.

So this blog is about me, trying to fulfill God's calling for my life.  

My Life as a Camp Wife.