Southland 2011

This past week I had the opportunity and pleasure of serving as the camp nurse for 460 middle school students at Southland Student Conference. I grew up going to this camp as a student from 7th grade to 12th, one year as security, and this is my second year as the nurse. I have also been able to go as the nurse for the weekend conference held in February. I really love this camp, it holds a special place in my heart. The weeks I spent were very enriching through music, the speakers, seminars, one on ones with my counselors, sports, blobbing, tubing, swimming, horseback riding, and getting to spend in depth time with old and new friends. There are so many memories that come back from various years. The themes, t-shirts, bands, speakers, fierce competition in sports. The year Pinewood became Piehood. The passion with which we disliked the big churches who dominated in sports and competitions. The inordinate amount of candy we would consume on a daily basis.

I enjoy seeing the kids go through the same experiences. My sister was the nurse with me this week. We served in a different capacity for these kids. And we were able to serve the counselors, pastors, and Southland staff. Some times I felt like I was there to put bandaids on scrapes, hand out ibuprofen for headaches, pepto bismol for upset stomachs. It was tiring, exhausting. We had a couple of kids who needed a place to sleep for a few hours when they didn't feel well. Two who spent the night with us with the stomach bug, which is no fun way to spend camp. But we tried to make it fun and memorable for them in a different way. I really enjoyed talking and getting to know a little bit about the girls who were with us. Sometimes we had cabin fever and were a little stressed at being in closed quarters for too long. We didn't have the freedom of getting out with the kids as much.

I see so much of me at that age in these kids. The insecurities, the similar passions, the friends, the awkwardness (but not realizing it at all), the intense desire to be loved and accepted by your counselors, youth leaders, and those you went to camp with. Especially with the girls, how much I relate to all of that. A lot of the struggles that come at that time, that are enhanced as you get older. My struggles, hurts, addictions, desires that have gone unmet have indeed shaped who I am as a person. Would I change them? I wish I hadn't gone through a lot of them, wish I still didn't struggle the way I do now. But I know I wouldn't be the person I am today if I hadn't gone through them. Would it be different for better or worse, I can't answer that one. I wouldn't wish some of my issues on my worst enemies. But maybe one day, maybe not even until heaven, I will be able to see the why behind it all, the end of it. But hopefully I can see something in myself that maybe I can help someone else, be it that little insecure jr high girl or that seemingly confident young woman who appears to have it all together (you could just look up the two in the dictionary and you'd see me)

Calm before the storm....

Just about to head into work, but not before I can sit for a few minutes and enjoy a hot cup of black coffee. And soft boiled eggs on toast. That is the best dinner/breakfast, should I call it brenner, I can imagine.

If I was a foodie blog I'd take a pic and post it, but I'm not. You will just have to imagine.