No Greater Love

I've been thinking.

Why is love so important?

Of all the things in life, we mostly just want love.

Why?

What made us this way?

How about our Father?

The one who is Love itself.

The one who created us because he wanted something to love.

Not out of need,

but out of LOVE.

There is no love greater than doing for someone what you do not have to do, out of which you gain nothing. That is love. 

1.4

There were 43 teenagers entrusted to my general care and 12 that were specifically mine last week at SpringHill. I worked all last summer with middle schoolers so this was definitely different.

We always tell campers that we don't want camp to be a 1-week thing. We don't want to be known for creating a SpringHill high that eventually wears off.

No.

We want much more.

We want +1 experiences.

We motivate change.

As I was driving back to St. Louis last Sunday afternoon, I was talking on the phone with a friend and she asked how I was planning to use what I learned at camp. (What a strange question. Was I supposed to have learned something??? Uhhhh...) I told her I was still processing the week (and that was true, don't worry) so I wasn't exactly sure yet. 

I learned about community.

I know I've posted about this a few times but I say it once again, I learned that I need people. I'm a slow learner when it comes to these things, so God has to be super patient.

There was no one experience from the week that brought about this thought but rather the experience of the week. 

I came up to SpringHill without telling my friend Hayley who was working there this summer and feeling a really homesick (something I learned of after I agreed to come up, so the homesickness had nothing to do with my decision if you were wondering) and without telling Susie, a really good friend I worked with last summer who had returned for another summer of SpringHill Lovin'. I wanted to surprise them. I knew they'd have no idea and be caught totally off guard. 

I had campers who appreciated me for me and relaly respected me. I went to bed early on my night off and left a note taped to the cabin door that read "Dear Temple Dwellers: I'm sleeping. I love you but please be quiet. Love, Emily" Not only were these 12 teenage girls almost silent, they didn't even turn the lights on!

My small group wanted to know what I thought and how I came to think that and how they could share in the faith. My small group got really vulnerable early in the week and bonded in a way I hadn't expected. 

These were all experiences I had with people. Without others, none of these things could've happened. 

I'm learning I don't need to rely so much on being self-sufficient. It's okay to need help. It's okay to not be 114% totally on top of things all the time. 

God gave us people.

the girls of "The Temple" (I couldn't pronounce the name of our cabin, so we renamed it. It makes sense to us, I promise)

Who are you and why are you here?

That was the question.

1.4

Night one.

Campfire.

TST Community.

July 10, 2011.

WHO ARE YOU?

WHY ARE YOU HERE?

It's been awhile since I was at SpringHill but I've fallen into the step of things pretty quickly. I'll write all about the week next week when I get home (I'm with my kids 22 hours a day and don't feel that blogging is the best use of my break).

We had a great campfire that night and we have another one tonight. I'll be telling my testimony tonight...yeah...that's always a bit stressful but really freeing in the end. The first night about half my cabin shared at campfire--answering those questions: who are you? and why are you here? One girl spoke about being lost and not knowing why she was here at SpringHill or even in the world because she feels so lost. And another shared about being disappointed and frustrated and lonely. THE FIRST NIGHT! What a blessing. PTL. 

I had a really great talk with the girls in my small group this afternoon. They told me they'd like me to start asking more personal questions so they can work through some hard stuff together. So cool, right?!! 

Earlier today I was talking with my friend Susie about how I was getting discouraged and frustrated because I didn't feel that my presence was important at all but I know that's not true--it's just something Satan wants me to believe so I don't thrown my heart into this week. 

P.S. KELSEY'S HOME!!!!!!!! I haven't been able to talk to her yet and probably won't for awhile since she'll be processing her project experience but I'm so happy to know she's home. 

SMILE!

AMDG

Man made the clock

I don't know if you've ever thought about it but time is a human social construct. Time doesn't actually exist. We just say it does. Yes, the earth rotates on its axis which makes the sun appear to rise and set (the process which we refer to as a "day") but it was a man--some human person--who decided that this would serve as a way to count ourselves to our deaths.

Time stinks.

Whether you want to speed up time or slow it down, it's likely you're not content to leave time as it is. Well, that's precisely what I'm going to try to do this week. I was journaling for 40 minutes before mass tonight and realized that I want to just be this week.

JUST BE.

be happy where I am.

be content with what I'm doing.

be focused on what I'm doing.

Psalm 46:10--be still and know I am God...

It's not a meditation but a lifestyle choice. About six weeks ago my mom told me that I've always been trying to rush life and I need to "just let life happen" <--those may be some of the wisest words she's ever shared with me. 

I'll let you know how it goes.

AMDG

You ought to know

This video rolled across my facebook news feed a few months ago and it had to pop up a few times before I actually viewed the thing, but when I did, I was floored. Some things need to be said...and said like this...