In which I rave about camp and bitch about boys
This was quite possibly the most fantastic week in the history of all time ever. Lab is such an amazing experience, and I feel so close to God right now, it's incredible.
This was my fourth year there. And it's great because for each year you're there, you move up one level, with all the same people you've known since your first year. Sort of like a high school class only you love everyone. XD By this year we've become a very tight knit group, like everyone gets at Lab. A lot of my closest friends didn't make it back this year, but my very best Lab friend Amanda was there (she is also one of my best friends all around. But absolutely at Lab she's the best).
We're always divided into small family groups within our year who we spend most of our time with. My group was small, small, small this year - only nine people counting our two leaders. One of the girls in the group was someone who I've been in a group with since our second year. We're both beginning to think this was no coincidence. ;-) God puts us together for a reason.
Our fourth day there they took us to a monastary and we had an hour to spend completely alone, with just our Bibles and journals. I sat down under a tree and just wrote a letter to God in my journal. The hour absolutely flew by. That night we also had a very powerful prayer service. I think almost no one made it out of there without crying.
This morning we did a laying on of hands within my family group - each of us took turns standing in the center, and everyone stood around you and put thei hands on your shoulders or back, and whoever wanted to say a prayer for you would, usually three or four people. I cried at that as well.
Now, aside from all the powerful stuff, it's also a complete blast. We have two worship services every day where we rock out to this great band - the lead singer is from New Zealand and I'm pretty sure he comes out just for us. My friend Amanda has a crazy crush on him, it's rather hilarious. One night we also had some family group time where we ordered Chinese food and played Apples to Apples - which resulted in a hilarious inside joke involving a turkey baster. =D It's so much fun to just loosen up around everyone and laugh and have a great time meeting new people and developing new relationships.
Friday night we have a dance. Somehow I never have as much fun at Lab dances as I do at school dances - they just didn't play very good music for most of the night (and I got to watch the guy I've had a crush on for three years dance with like a zillion other girls. By which I mean, two). But then they played Livin' On a Prayer, and that was great to jump around singing at the top of our lungs. They also did Single Ladies, which couldn't have been a better time for me (thanks, God!) since it was about the time I was being all bummed about that certain guy.
Story behind this certain guy is that I met him in our second year there....and ultimately he's just a great person. He's incredibly talented - really good singer and actor. The problem is he can be a little obnoxious at times. =/ Annnnd somehow he always has to find a girl to flirt with every year. And it's been a different girl every year I've known him. Huh. (Yeah, I'm completely irrational and I know he's not doing it specifically to be a jerk. I just find it annoying. There are a few things about him that do bug me. But no one's perfect. Besides Jesus, of course.)
So that part made me mad. Only he's still totally adorable. This morning I ambushed him and his friend (who was in my group, so I got pretty close to her) for hugs and pictures. Can I just say I LOVE hugs, don't care who they're from....but you know, when they're from that certain person it's all even better. He told me to keep in touch and stay sweet. =) He is a total sweetheart and I love him to pieces (even just as a friend, though there's definitely more than that....from my end, anyway).
Gah. It's just such a wonderful place. I never want to leave there on the last day. My friend actually proposed this morning that all us Labbers go live together. XD But....that obviously would be a tad difficult to coordinate....so in the meantime, I shall look at my pictures over and over, read my care cards over and over, and wait for next year, hoping I make it back.
This was my fourth year there. And it's great because for each year you're there, you move up one level, with all the same people you've known since your first year. Sort of like a high school class only you love everyone. XD By this year we've become a very tight knit group, like everyone gets at Lab. A lot of my closest friends didn't make it back this year, but my very best Lab friend Amanda was there (she is also one of my best friends all around. But absolutely at Lab she's the best).
We're always divided into small family groups within our year who we spend most of our time with. My group was small, small, small this year - only nine people counting our two leaders. One of the girls in the group was someone who I've been in a group with since our second year. We're both beginning to think this was no coincidence. ;-) God puts us together for a reason.
Our fourth day there they took us to a monastary and we had an hour to spend completely alone, with just our Bibles and journals. I sat down under a tree and just wrote a letter to God in my journal. The hour absolutely flew by. That night we also had a very powerful prayer service. I think almost no one made it out of there without crying.
This morning we did a laying on of hands within my family group - each of us took turns standing in the center, and everyone stood around you and put thei hands on your shoulders or back, and whoever wanted to say a prayer for you would, usually three or four people. I cried at that as well.
Now, aside from all the powerful stuff, it's also a complete blast. We have two worship services every day where we rock out to this great band - the lead singer is from New Zealand and I'm pretty sure he comes out just for us. My friend Amanda has a crazy crush on him, it's rather hilarious. One night we also had some family group time where we ordered Chinese food and played Apples to Apples - which resulted in a hilarious inside joke involving a turkey baster. =D It's so much fun to just loosen up around everyone and laugh and have a great time meeting new people and developing new relationships.
Friday night we have a dance. Somehow I never have as much fun at Lab dances as I do at school dances - they just didn't play very good music for most of the night (and I got to watch the guy I've had a crush on for three years dance with like a zillion other girls. By which I mean, two). But then they played Livin' On a Prayer, and that was great to jump around singing at the top of our lungs. They also did Single Ladies, which couldn't have been a better time for me (thanks, God!) since it was about the time I was being all bummed about that certain guy.
Story behind this certain guy is that I met him in our second year there....and ultimately he's just a great person. He's incredibly talented - really good singer and actor. The problem is he can be a little obnoxious at times. =/ Annnnd somehow he always has to find a girl to flirt with every year. And it's been a different girl every year I've known him. Huh. (Yeah, I'm completely irrational and I know he's not doing it specifically to be a jerk. I just find it annoying. There are a few things about him that do bug me. But no one's perfect. Besides Jesus, of course.)
So that part made me mad. Only he's still totally adorable. This morning I ambushed him and his friend (who was in my group, so I got pretty close to her) for hugs and pictures. Can I just say I LOVE hugs, don't care who they're from....but you know, when they're from that certain person it's all even better. He told me to keep in touch and stay sweet. =) He is a total sweetheart and I love him to pieces (even just as a friend, though there's definitely more than that....from my end, anyway).
Gah. It's just such a wonderful place. I never want to leave there on the last day. My friend actually proposed this morning that all us Labbers go live together. XD But....that obviously would be a tad difficult to coordinate....so in the meantime, I shall look at my pictures over and over, read my care cards over and over, and wait for next year, hoping I make it back.