(no subject)
As I was writing this I realized it made no sense. There is no common experience to help any reader understand what I’m writing about. This entry is only for me, but feel like if anyone wants to attempt to know what I did this summer, here’s for trying:
Well I wanted to sit down and write about tour. Mainly because I want to write about something that was so amazing, so much so that I know that I really can’t put it into words. First, I don’t have to admit, but I know that it was the best one I’ve ever been on. It was my fourth, and something about it surpassed everyone that I had done in the past. I would have to say most of that just comes from the people involved. Inevitably, when you get 25 people together, you’re probably going to have one odd ball; one person who is just totally out there. We had 22 kids and five leaders, and each person was just as cool and fun and important and interesting as the next. And with that many people it’s hard to get to know everyone, but I think I did a better job than I had in the past.
So about the trip. I stayed in eight states, and the trip started with rehearsal camp. It was hard, every year it is. There’s just so much to do, and I felt like our group was falling behind in the schedule. But by the end of the eight days we had a program, even though it still needed work. The next couple of days were really hard. It’s hard to through together five people and expect them to work together and just do stuff. We had an amazing leadership team, and we all got really close by the end, and the other leaders each blessed me in an amazing way. One day in Colorado we got some time and went to a lake. It was our first time off, and it was so nice outside and the water felt great. The next Sunday was one of the hardest days. We had three concerts that day, there were arguments, everyone was frustrated, and almost everyone cried at some point in the day. That was in Salt Lake City. The hard and frustrating day was followed by an amazing time of worship before the concert, something that was much needed and was the first step of turning our group of random kids into a family. The next day our concert was cancelled. We went to storm mountain, and had a great time just enjoying nature and playing stupid games that were really fun at the same time.
I didn’t take many pictures, but I really enjoyed a lot of the states I visited. Utah is beautiful in a desert sort of way. And Colorado is awesome, how there’s just mountains everywhere. It’s something I’m not used to. We had a day off in Colorado, and we went to Black Rock Canyon, which I’ve been describing as Grand Canyon mini-me. I took more pictures there than on the rest of the trip combined. It was really amazing. I feel like as I get older I appreciate things like that more. Maybe it’s because I care more now, or maybe it’s because I’m more able to see beauty in more areas. I don’t know. After we visited a nice spot on the canyon (and I pulled a cactus out of Shelbi’s hand) we went on a short hike. It was hot, but by the time that we got to the end, it was just breathtaking. I have a few pictures, but it’s more than the scenery. It was the people I was with and the environment that that created. We prayed and sang some songs and then headed back.
I have to write about our day off in Santa Barbra, because it was easily the most important and life-changing day of the whole tour. We had a day off, and were going to enjoy some time on the beach. As Justin ran back to the bus, he was hit by a car. I didn’t see it, but I knew the car was going fast, and I heard it slam on it’s breaks and I heard the gasps of many of the kids. Immediately, every leader knew what to do. I think that’s what impressed me most about that day. I pulled all the kids aside and everyone started to pray. Lots of the kids were in tears, and I honestly had no idea what to expect of Justin’s condition at all. We soon found out that he was fine. He was going to go to the hospital to have an X-ray, but he could have gotten up and walked away. It sounds like it wasn’t that serious since he didn’t get hurt, but it’s not that at all. He should have been seriously hurt, and every single person would tell you that he was only okay because God was protecting him. That was just one of the times that I saw God working and was affirmed in my belief that he is real and is working in my life and this world. One of the girls in our group, Kelsey, who hadn’t accepted Christ up until this point, saw this situation as a wake up call to how fragile life was and that God is real. She prayed to accept Christ and it was encouraging to everyone in our group. Mel and I were the only ones left with all the kids, who were understandably shaken up. We went to the beach and had some quiet time and then played some games. Justin came back, on crutches (which he would abandon the next day and dance during the entire show) and our group was united again, but not the same. Almost every moment of that day sticks out in my mind.
After that day, tour seemed to go so fast. I was gone for six and a half weeks, and it almost seemed too short. A few days before tour ended, I did my second director for a day in Flagler, CO. We had some free time, and did some collaborative drawling, everyone was staying together in a conference center, we played murder in the dark, had an awesome worship and hug time before the concert, and I was so glad that I was able to be in charge that day. A few days earlier Mel was the director, and it was the day our bus broke down for four hours. We didn’t get to the location until 45 minutes after we were supposed to set up. We changed, did make up, and had worship on the bus, and as soon as we got to the church we set up in about 15 minutes, and did about half of the show. It was awesome. One thing I really admired about these kids is that they would do anything you asked. If you pushed them, they did it.
Our last night was awesome. Usually it’s sappy and sad, but I feel like everyone was just happy for the common experience that we had, and not focusing on the fact that we will miss each other. Last year, while I did miss the kids when it was over, I was so happy to be free of the responsibility. This year I was only sad to see people go. Even thinking about it now makes me nostalgic. I hope that there is a reunion in the close future for this group, although I know that it will never be the same.
Fit-teen. That’s my lunch. TLC.
Well I wanted to sit down and write about tour. Mainly because I want to write about something that was so amazing, so much so that I know that I really can’t put it into words. First, I don’t have to admit, but I know that it was the best one I’ve ever been on. It was my fourth, and something about it surpassed everyone that I had done in the past. I would have to say most of that just comes from the people involved. Inevitably, when you get 25 people together, you’re probably going to have one odd ball; one person who is just totally out there. We had 22 kids and five leaders, and each person was just as cool and fun and important and interesting as the next. And with that many people it’s hard to get to know everyone, but I think I did a better job than I had in the past.
So about the trip. I stayed in eight states, and the trip started with rehearsal camp. It was hard, every year it is. There’s just so much to do, and I felt like our group was falling behind in the schedule. But by the end of the eight days we had a program, even though it still needed work. The next couple of days were really hard. It’s hard to through together five people and expect them to work together and just do stuff. We had an amazing leadership team, and we all got really close by the end, and the other leaders each blessed me in an amazing way. One day in Colorado we got some time and went to a lake. It was our first time off, and it was so nice outside and the water felt great. The next Sunday was one of the hardest days. We had three concerts that day, there were arguments, everyone was frustrated, and almost everyone cried at some point in the day. That was in Salt Lake City. The hard and frustrating day was followed by an amazing time of worship before the concert, something that was much needed and was the first step of turning our group of random kids into a family. The next day our concert was cancelled. We went to storm mountain, and had a great time just enjoying nature and playing stupid games that were really fun at the same time.
I didn’t take many pictures, but I really enjoyed a lot of the states I visited. Utah is beautiful in a desert sort of way. And Colorado is awesome, how there’s just mountains everywhere. It’s something I’m not used to. We had a day off in Colorado, and we went to Black Rock Canyon, which I’ve been describing as Grand Canyon mini-me. I took more pictures there than on the rest of the trip combined. It was really amazing. I feel like as I get older I appreciate things like that more. Maybe it’s because I care more now, or maybe it’s because I’m more able to see beauty in more areas. I don’t know. After we visited a nice spot on the canyon (and I pulled a cactus out of Shelbi’s hand) we went on a short hike. It was hot, but by the time that we got to the end, it was just breathtaking. I have a few pictures, but it’s more than the scenery. It was the people I was with and the environment that that created. We prayed and sang some songs and then headed back.
I have to write about our day off in Santa Barbra, because it was easily the most important and life-changing day of the whole tour. We had a day off, and were going to enjoy some time on the beach. As Justin ran back to the bus, he was hit by a car. I didn’t see it, but I knew the car was going fast, and I heard it slam on it’s breaks and I heard the gasps of many of the kids. Immediately, every leader knew what to do. I think that’s what impressed me most about that day. I pulled all the kids aside and everyone started to pray. Lots of the kids were in tears, and I honestly had no idea what to expect of Justin’s condition at all. We soon found out that he was fine. He was going to go to the hospital to have an X-ray, but he could have gotten up and walked away. It sounds like it wasn’t that serious since he didn’t get hurt, but it’s not that at all. He should have been seriously hurt, and every single person would tell you that he was only okay because God was protecting him. That was just one of the times that I saw God working and was affirmed in my belief that he is real and is working in my life and this world. One of the girls in our group, Kelsey, who hadn’t accepted Christ up until this point, saw this situation as a wake up call to how fragile life was and that God is real. She prayed to accept Christ and it was encouraging to everyone in our group. Mel and I were the only ones left with all the kids, who were understandably shaken up. We went to the beach and had some quiet time and then played some games. Justin came back, on crutches (which he would abandon the next day and dance during the entire show) and our group was united again, but not the same. Almost every moment of that day sticks out in my mind.
After that day, tour seemed to go so fast. I was gone for six and a half weeks, and it almost seemed too short. A few days before tour ended, I did my second director for a day in Flagler, CO. We had some free time, and did some collaborative drawling, everyone was staying together in a conference center, we played murder in the dark, had an awesome worship and hug time before the concert, and I was so glad that I was able to be in charge that day. A few days earlier Mel was the director, and it was the day our bus broke down for four hours. We didn’t get to the location until 45 minutes after we were supposed to set up. We changed, did make up, and had worship on the bus, and as soon as we got to the church we set up in about 15 minutes, and did about half of the show. It was awesome. One thing I really admired about these kids is that they would do anything you asked. If you pushed them, they did it.
Our last night was awesome. Usually it’s sappy and sad, but I feel like everyone was just happy for the common experience that we had, and not focusing on the fact that we will miss each other. Last year, while I did miss the kids when it was over, I was so happy to be free of the responsibility. This year I was only sad to see people go. Even thinking about it now makes me nostalgic. I hope that there is a reunion in the close future for this group, although I know that it will never be the same.
Fit-teen. That’s my lunch. TLC.