Bunker Down.

This could be a long one.  Trying to catch up and remember things is way harder than just posting every week, as if I've ever done that. But I will at least attempt to cover it all.

Australia
My wonderful small group, full of some of the most amazing women I will ever meet, held a yard sale solely for my benefit.  They donated items and spent time on a Saturday morning serving me, because they love the Lord.  I am still humbled by the idea that these women who I've only known for a few short months, would offer to try and fill a need in my life in such a way.  Seriously amazing.
Sort of reminds me of the Good Samaritan story (Luke 10:25).  In a loose way I was the man on the side of the road, financial worry the thief who beat me.  I was beyond self help and just waiting for someone willing to stop and notice.  That's exactly what these ladies did.  Plenty of people, good God-fearing people, offered to pray for me, which I covet those prayers.  But this group went beyond themselves and decided that action was necessary.  Their servant spirits really are inspiring.  But the story gets even cooler...
Immediately I began to pray over the yard sale and its success.  The Lord gave me a number so I kept praying for that.  The Tuesday night after the yard sale the group FaceTimed me (I was at VBS so I couldn't make it) and told me what the yard sale brought in: $300.  The number the Lord gave me was 300.  On the dot.  That is so like Him to do that.
His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9).  Praise Him! I wouldn't have thought to pray for such a lofty number, but because He told me to, I did.

If you girls ever read this, please know that my gratitude towards you is immeasurable.  Beyond just the yard sale, the way you have displayed the kindness of the Lord has spoken vehemently to my spirit.  I am truly humbled and thankful for the time I have been able to spend and fellowship with you.

The packing process has started.  Needless to say I'm somewhere between level 3 and 4 of purgatory.  My dad was really proud that I already started due to the fact that I'm normally a night-before or morning-of packer. But even I, in my desired state of ignorance, understood that packing pretty much everything would require more than a thoughtless throwing of clothes.

It's weird, though.  Very weird.  
I've developed a (slightly stolen) motto: "If it doesn't fit, it doesn't ship".  So the process has been as follows: take out of closet/dresser, try on, put in "stay" or "go" pile, roll (since it has proven more efficient than folding), place on bed, return hanger to closet.  I haven't busted out the suitcase yet, but if I want to sleep in my bed tonight and not on it, I will be doing that when I get home.

The rolling vs folding debacle seems to never end.  With most things I know the rolling method works, but it's been proved difficult rolling my dresses, of which I have a multitude.  Trying on my dresses and seeing what fits and what doesn't has been amusing. I lost a little bit of weight thanks to some wonky stomach stuff that started about a month and a half ago, so it's encouraging to try stuff on and see the difference. But I digress...

I leave a week from today (at least when I started typing it was a week), which is very surreal to say.  And who knew traveler's cheques were obsolete?! An unsuspected hiccup, but I'm not stressing out about it.  This week is packed with seeing people and spending time with family (blood relatives and my family-in-Christ).  A little part of me is overwhelmed by all of it.  Like, didn't you know I was leaving 4 months ago and you want to hang out this week?! Seriously?! 
But mostly I'm excited to see everyone and get my "last" moments of fellowship in for a while.

One Direction Concert

Great.

Point. Blank. Period.

Tons of fun.  Screaming girls in the thousands was definitely a unique sound, but I get it.  If I had gone to an 'NSYNC concert in my teenage years, I probably would have acted the same way.  Twenty-four and I held it together: no tears or fainting.

Lindsay's pictures are wayyyyyyyy better than mine, but it's just too much effort to take them from Fb, save them, and then post them.  Lesbi-honest.

Summer Camp

It was great! Having Scott's organization was really great.  There was a definite difference between this year and years past.  Not that years past weren't great and fun in their own way, this year was just great and fun in a different way.
At one point during worship in the middle of the week, the Holy Spirit renewed the peace I have about Australia being in the Lord's will.  The feeling was wholly whelming and I am grateful to be reminded that all of this craziness is part of His plan for my life.  

{{Slight tangent...
And how cool that this is my life?! I've lived in Europe. Traveled up and down Italy. Visited and fell in love with England.  And now I'm moving to Australia. 

This is so crazy! He is so crazy!  I'm so blessed to have done so many things people only dream about!
In small group, Hannah brought up the verse about God's yoke being easy and His burden being light (Matthew 11:30).  The reality and truth behind the verse powerfully resonated with me in a new way.  People say when you're in love it doesn't feel like work, so I assume the same applies with Christ; because I love Him, what He asks of me doesn't feel like a burden.  Now, I understand that moving to Australia doesn't sound like too much of a "burden", but leaving family and friends, especially new friends pulls on the heart strings.  But I stand solid on His Word that tells me His plans are only good for me, so no matter what the struggle or stretching of myself, it is good.  I'm reminded of Crowder lyrics from "After All":

I can't comprehend Your infinitely beautiful and perfect love.

Oh, I've dreamed dreams of majesty as brilliant as a billion stars, 

but they're never bright enough...}}

Happenings at summer camp: 

• I didn't cry on the swing down from the high ropes.  Progress.
• Corn maze race...ummmm yeah.
• Lake Battleship - sounds cool and could be really enjoyable.  All the kids seemed to have a great time.  However, something about getting in a canoe for the sole purpose of being tipped over really trips me out. But I tried it. One and done.
• No cabin theme competition! It was stressful trying to think of an original theme and then remembering to pack all of that stuff.  Instead, we had an 80's night dance party.  That was a ton of fun!  My girl Arin won the costume contest (REPRESENT!!!).  I wore a onsie and my hair in what my mom deemed "the fountain" (hair in a pony tail on the very top of my head), since that's probably what I wore in the 80's...all 2 years I had in it. I know what you're thinking, "that's clever." I know :)

                    

I always have a fun cabin and this year was no exception.  I really appreciate and cherish the girls' willingness to share.  This year was the first year I had the girls in my Sunday group in my cabin and I really enjoyed it.  It made such a difference since I already knew them and we had a history with one another.  Overall, camp goes in the books as another successful summer trip. And still tick free :)

Things are progressing well, which is better than the alternative.  Today, in honor of America, I will eat hot dogs, play frisbee, and end the night with my favorite black pug, Moe.

It would feel almost delinquent if I didn't end with a quote from one of the most patriotic men I know: