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

ghmc 2013

since the summer before my junior year of high school i felt called to missions. this came about by working for two summers at echo ranch bible camp in juneau, alaska and different interacts with speaker and missionaries. this past weekend, i had the opportunity to attend the largest medical missions conference in the world. the follow are random pictures i took to document my time at the conference in louisville, kentucky. 

as a college student you are REQUIRED to bring your backpack/homework on every trip. 

(however, i don't think any homework actually got done...#sorrynotsorry)

this is my friend kara. she attended the conference with me. 

it was only by her telling about the conference that i ended up going. 

God worked it all out.

kara is a babe.

everyone else either stayed in the car or went to the bathroom.

kara and i couldn't resist the trees and leaves.

i found this gem while i was registering.

we didn't even know we were attending the conference together.

God works again.

i have never been in a church this large in my life.

they had their own bookstore.

and coffee shop.

and recreation center.

they could be their own town.

they had a large magnetic map that you could put a marker on for your mission field.

alaska.

these were our entries in a tattoo placement contest. 

i may or may not have won an ipad mini because of the above picture.

if you know anyone who would like to buy a brand new ipad mini...let me know.

one of the breakout sessions i went to on human trafficking.

very eye opening.

worship.

overall, the weekend was very eye opening. it confirmed my call to full time missions. what that looks like i have no idea. but i have a large desire to serve unreached people. so unreached people. be. prepared. i am praying for you already. 

it is crazy to now have a renewed perspective on your current place being your missions field.

now, i feel as if everything i am learning or coming in contact with on a daily basis is somehow involved with missions, poverty, or the hurting.

give me Your eyes.

already being stretched.

college. it's a time to be stretched. 

oh i am. 

(this can be told by the amount of blogging i have done the past couple of weeks. ha what a joke.) 

we are about to start the fourth week of school.

i feel as if i have been here for a year. 

don't get me wrong. 

i love it. 

i am an ra (or what i like to call, a mom) to 20 something beautiful college freshman.

they are the best women i have ever met. 

we are family! 

here are a few random pictures since i have been here. =) enjoy:

this is my roommate, kelsey, and i on freshman move-in day. (we know we look good) 

zach, emily, and i on our first day of school. 

(yes college student's still take first day of school pics!)

walking to our FIRST unit dinner. they were excited.

we are so cool we couldn't all fit at one table.

unit picture before our first bro/sis dinner.

yes. we look like gangsters. 

this is our lodge ball (it is just like dodge ball) team.

they are all super intimidating.

us with our bro unit on our last night of lodge ball.

beckett east three west placed third.

we were the highest ranking freshman unit.

i was one proud mamma.

pretty sure i killed my vocal chords screaming.

that is all for now. (i know it wasn't very much)

i will try and make more time for you all.

love, b

p.s. we beat carmin (that is all i cared about during ResLife week)