weekend retreat.

i have worked at the same youth group for around two years now. we go on a retreat each fall and winter. it involves a mini road trip and lots and lots of games [most of which i am no good at and that make my body ache for dayssss].

the trip started off well...i forgot my toothbrush. i may or may not have just stopped at meijer to buy a new one because i was too lazy to climb three flights of stairs to get to my room [judge all you want].

our driver, who just happens to be my boyfriend, wasn't too thrilled. i however, found the experience and my new toothbrush quite enjoyable.

the theme for the weekend was aroma [as in what kind of smell do you have?]. the thing that stuck with me the most was this analogy that they gave:

restaurants smell. each individual restaurant has an individual smell. when you go to restaurant you smell the smell. if you stay in the restaurant you become numb to the smell. when you leave the restaurant you take the smell with you. people smell your restaurant-ie [yes that is a word] smell.

sin. when we partake in sin. we feel bad. but when we bask and abide in that sin we become numb to it. we don't notice. we don't notice the stench we are letting off. but the people around us do. ouch. 

what a great realization i had. there are things i have been holding onto that don't necessarily mimic the actions of Christ. what kind of stench are you letting off? 

we always rent a 15-passenger van [party car].

beautiful facial expressions from Al, Dana, and Zach.

this would be dodge ball. notice the line of females not playing. 

i am one of those people.

since the olympics are happening, we were divided into teams with a team country.

ours was the best [also known as Jamaica].

each team made a banner. apparently people in Jamaica eat goats so obviously we drew a goat, a fork, and a knife. obviously.

one of the games was a couch relay thinger. each team had a couch...and we  had to CARRY it in the SNOW all around camp and do different challenges. every member of the team had to be touching part of the couch AT ALL TIMES [we unscrewed the pegs from the bottom and used that as part of the couch].

[also, i was obviously breaking the rules by taking this picture and not touching the couch. big deal.]

one of the challenges was to take pictures with our couch in the four corners of the gym.

there was a different type of picture in each corner.

this was duck faces and peace signs.

awkward family photo.

planking.

spelling "QHC" [Quaker Haven Camp].

Rusty and Tabitha Lumpkin were the speakers for the weekend.

They did a wonderful job and taught us lots of interesting facts about whale vomit.

[google it]

me and the boy. this is my camp/soccer mom look. ha

zach was upset because a snowplow was ahead of us.

we could barely see because of the snow it was stirring up.

i LOVED it.

even if we did have to go 1000000 times slower.

it took out a couple mailboxes too.

no trip to quaker haven is ever complete without a stop at dairy queen.

really.

i think the kids would cry if we didn't stop.

so we did.

i mean...i'm not complaining.

until next time,

B

2014: watch out. Jesus & i are ready.

it is never too late to blog about new years resolutions...right? 

2014: who knows what is going to happen? [okay...God does. but he knows EVERYTHING.]

some people come up with resolutions. some people have a word they focus on. i chose a word [mainly because if i made resolutions [like become an avid exerciser] i would feel obligated to do it. and we all know i don't want to do that. so. the word. the word of the year is abide. 

//i love my definition [and i just how the word looks in general. it's classy.] if you look up the definition you might get some answers i don't like. so i will give you my definition from the daily word usage dictionary of bethany cummins [yes this really does exist. and no it is not a new thing.] ::abide: to dwell, remain, stay, reside, endure, sustain, withstand. 

my word comes from:

john 15:4 

"dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [live in Me, and I will live in you.] just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me."

:this is my word and my focus for the year. where God is going to take it, i am unaware. but i wait. expectant of what he will do. through all of life's circumstances that will be thrown at me this year, i will choose [or at least have the plan to choose] to abide in Christ. do you have any resolutions or perhaps a word you are focusing on? 

family. family. family. birthdayyyy.

family birthday party at auke rec. 

colton jamers showing off his sea urchin. 

carson showing off his cool boots. 

colton with his boots, and pants, and socks...in the ocean. 

wet carson. retrieving 

cordell and casey teaching me how to eat watermelon like a wild beast. 

these two pups were trying to carry the same stick at the same time. stick may be an understatement. it was more like a log. 

the pet double-ugly that was caught by carson. they tried to keep it alive. 

the birthday peeps. 

the best part of the day: dessert

the proper way to eat your cupcake (as taught by the great and wonderful Grandma Natalie Cummins).

 

the sign of a good day:

fameelay

family. you can't live with them, and you can't live without them. while this statement may hold some truth, i believe that "you can't live without them" is the undying truth. blessed. i am blessed. undeservingly blessed. blessed by my Heavenly Father. blessed beyond measure. (i could go on) i have a multitude of aunts, uncles, and cousins. blessed. with both sets of wonderful, dearly loved grandparents. blessed. blessed beyond measure.

the family at auke rec celebrating february/march birthdays (yes, in may).

our lovely view. (okay, okay...i filtered the image so it would LOOK like it was good weather)

for your birthday (we celebrate by months because there are so many of us) you get to pick a dessert. i always get these. my grandma's rag muffins. heaven in your hand, as i like to call them. 

it was valerie's birthday and she was beyond excited i was taking a picture of her eating her delectable desserts. thrilled in fact.

also, what family do you know that would sing "happy birthday" a second time because they didn't get it recorded on their iphone's the first time? none? well now you do. =) love em'

blessed. truly blessed. that is what i like you call myself. how were you blessed today?