It sure has been a long time since I wrote on this thing. But I'm pretty sure no one reads it anyway.
Now that we've cleared that up....
We're just past the mid-summer mark here at Camp Juliette Low: four and a half weeks down and three and a half to go until closing day. Wow!
The first half of the summer was absolute craziness: CITs piercing each other's ears, lying, hiding cell phones, and numerous other camper shenanigans. Our current group of CITs has been here since Monday, and they are just fantastic! We really could not be more pleased with their work so far. They're really on top of things, and I just love them! Tonight, the first-years did their unsupervised cookout, and it was great. They made chicken alfredo, seven layer bean dip, Caesar salad, and chocolate chimichangas....all on a fire! Yes, we CJL girls are hard-core. It's especially gratifying and fun to watch the second-years, whom I had last year, blossom in to such solid leaders. I look forward to all they will do in the next two weeks!
More than once this summer, I have stopped to think about how awesome it is to have grown up here at CJL and to now be in a leadership position. (I probably would not have believed anyone who told me I would one day be the CIT Program Director.) This place truly is a gift from the Lord, and I often glimpse the Kingdom of Heaven when I am here, as I foster friendships, delight in His creation, and simply enjoy the life He has given me.
As this camping season winds down, I have begun to look forward to the next season in my life: preparing for and beginning my work with IJM in Guatemala. Last weekend I booked my flight to and accommodations for training week in D.C.! I am very grateful to be in a season of life that I truly enjoy and to have something so exciting on the horizon- Praise the Lord!
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Surrounded by Struggle
The past few days have proven to be emotionally exhausting. Yesterday, I found out that a friend's brother died, and today I heard that my best friend's grandmother passed away. Also, last night a few of my fellow CMH students shared some very difficult client stories and their personal reactions and struggles in dealing with them.
I absolutely know that heartache is a part of life, but this is a strange place to be- surrounded by so much heartache while feeling that things in my life are going quite well. (I recently accepted an offer from IJM to participate in their Fellowship Program! And graduation is fast approaching!) I hate to see people whom I love having to face such difficulty. As a counselor, I am used to diving in to others' hurt; however, I cannot play the counselor role with my friends and family. It is not an easy task to just sit with people in their hurt and struggles.
I think that in asking Peter, James, and John to accompany Him to the garden, Jesus was really asking a lot of them. The text does not explicitly say so, but in my current position, I feel that I can intuit that with confidence. I do not have any answers right now, except to say that it is tough to look all around and feel that there is not much besides heartache and evidence of the fallen world in which we live. It is times like this that I know without a doubt that Christ is our only hope.
I absolutely know that heartache is a part of life, but this is a strange place to be- surrounded by so much heartache while feeling that things in my life are going quite well. (I recently accepted an offer from IJM to participate in their Fellowship Program! And graduation is fast approaching!) I hate to see people whom I love having to face such difficulty. As a counselor, I am used to diving in to others' hurt; however, I cannot play the counselor role with my friends and family. It is not an easy task to just sit with people in their hurt and struggles.
I think that in asking Peter, James, and John to accompany Him to the garden, Jesus was really asking a lot of them. The text does not explicitly say so, but in my current position, I feel that I can intuit that with confidence. I do not have any answers right now, except to say that it is tough to look all around and feel that there is not much besides heartache and evidence of the fallen world in which we live. It is times like this that I know without a doubt that Christ is our only hope.
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Bringing the Kingdom in Long Island
I spent last week in Long Island, NY with a group from the Clemson Wesley Foundation, doing relief work in communities affected by Hurricane Sandy. Our home base was Hicksville United Methodist Church, and each day we would split in to two groups. My group worked out of Massapequa UMC. We were at a different house each day, and it was a privilege to meet so many people and to see so much of the area. Unlike Katrina, Sandy did not wipe out vast swaths of houses and land; but rather, the damage is spotty, but nonetheless devastating.
There were, of course, so many memorable moments throughout the week- moments in which I felt anger, frustration, joy, and sadness- but the most poignant occurred Thursday afternoon as my friend, Jessica, and I stood in the kitchen of Ms. Gennie, whose house was by far the worst I saw all week. As we picked up the remnants of her artwork, which had been flung from the back of the house and into the kitchen, I was filled with a mix of emotions- joy in being able to meet Ms. Gennie and stand with her in the midst of this tragic loss; anger at her crappy situation; and sorrow as I saw the sadness in her face. She did tell us that our help allowed her to begin to feel some hope and to begin facing the task of moving forward, and for that I am grateful.
I saw the Lord's face in those of the people we met and served. And I saw His kingdom come to earth as we talked and prayed with them and even as we ripped up floorboards and bagged trash. Like most mission trips I have been a part of, our presence was more important than any of the physical labor we did. Most of the homeowners we met were surprised to learn that we had come all the way from SC to help out. That's not to say that we are so great for doing what we did, but I do think that in giving up part of our Christmas break to drive 800 miles to muck and gut houses is a shining example of answering Jesus' call to help people in need and to bring His kingdom to earth.
There were, of course, so many memorable moments throughout the week- moments in which I felt anger, frustration, joy, and sadness- but the most poignant occurred Thursday afternoon as my friend, Jessica, and I stood in the kitchen of Ms. Gennie, whose house was by far the worst I saw all week. As we picked up the remnants of her artwork, which had been flung from the back of the house and into the kitchen, I was filled with a mix of emotions- joy in being able to meet Ms. Gennie and stand with her in the midst of this tragic loss; anger at her crappy situation; and sorrow as I saw the sadness in her face. She did tell us that our help allowed her to begin to feel some hope and to begin facing the task of moving forward, and for that I am grateful.
I saw the Lord's face in those of the people we met and served. And I saw His kingdom come to earth as we talked and prayed with them and even as we ripped up floorboards and bagged trash. Like most mission trips I have been a part of, our presence was more important than any of the physical labor we did. Most of the homeowners we met were surprised to learn that we had come all the way from SC to help out. That's not to say that we are so great for doing what we did, but I do think that in giving up part of our Christmas break to drive 800 miles to muck and gut houses is a shining example of answering Jesus' call to help people in need and to bring His kingdom to earth.
Friday, December 14, 2012
In Response to CT
Like most everyone, I am saddened by this morning's tragedy in Connecticut. The loss of any life is appalling, but the death of young children seems particularly so.
Folks are already shouting about the need for stricter gun control and tighter security around schools. (It should be noted that a lot, if not most, people who commit murder obtain their weapons legally.) Short of destroying every existing weapon on the planet and ensuring that no more guns/bombs are manufactured, I'm not sure what can be done to keep weapons away from anyone with the potential for violence. And don't we all have within us the potential to kill and be violent? I certainly do not seek to claim that I am above such behavior. We, God's people, are not essentially good, and I think there is ample evidence to support that belief.
Beneath concerns about gun control, security, and background checks lies a deeper issue. Donald Miller, in his book Through Painted Deserts, says that "Why" questions are more potent than "How" questions; and I think this idea is particularly applicable to the situation at hand. Instead of asking "How can we keep people from getting guns?" or "How can we prevent killings in schools and public places?" we should ask "Why do these things keep happening?" "Why do people kill?" and "Why do seemingly 'normal' people commit such atrocities?"
There is most certainly a need for greater attention paid towards mental illness, for no one in their "right mind" kills others with disregard. But even this is an insufficient resolution. We live in a society that cultivates violence and disregard for the worth of all people. We sit by idly while men, women and children die of preventable diseases. We drop bombs paid for with money that reads "In God We Trust." We are told that those who are different or those who "hate America" deserve to die, that they are less than human. We train young men and women to kill. And many professing Christians are at the helm of such rhetoric, leading the charge to the beat of the military drum. Soon, others become faceless bodies rather than fellow men whose lives are precious to our Lord.
If I seek to follow Jesus, I cannot advocate for or rejoice in the death of anyone. The lives of the children in Newtown, CT are no less precious than the lives of Iraqis, Venezuelans, Russians, Canadians, Mexicans, or even the leaders of Al Qaeda. As Jesus' disciple, I seek to value all human life as He does. And until we do so, how can we expect things to be different?
Folks are already shouting about the need for stricter gun control and tighter security around schools. (It should be noted that a lot, if not most, people who commit murder obtain their weapons legally.) Short of destroying every existing weapon on the planet and ensuring that no more guns/bombs are manufactured, I'm not sure what can be done to keep weapons away from anyone with the potential for violence. And don't we all have within us the potential to kill and be violent? I certainly do not seek to claim that I am above such behavior. We, God's people, are not essentially good, and I think there is ample evidence to support that belief.
Beneath concerns about gun control, security, and background checks lies a deeper issue. Donald Miller, in his book Through Painted Deserts, says that "Why" questions are more potent than "How" questions; and I think this idea is particularly applicable to the situation at hand. Instead of asking "How can we keep people from getting guns?" or "How can we prevent killings in schools and public places?" we should ask "Why do these things keep happening?" "Why do people kill?" and "Why do seemingly 'normal' people commit such atrocities?"
There is most certainly a need for greater attention paid towards mental illness, for no one in their "right mind" kills others with disregard. But even this is an insufficient resolution. We live in a society that cultivates violence and disregard for the worth of all people. We sit by idly while men, women and children die of preventable diseases. We drop bombs paid for with money that reads "In God We Trust." We are told that those who are different or those who "hate America" deserve to die, that they are less than human. We train young men and women to kill. And many professing Christians are at the helm of such rhetoric, leading the charge to the beat of the military drum. Soon, others become faceless bodies rather than fellow men whose lives are precious to our Lord.
If I seek to follow Jesus, I cannot advocate for or rejoice in the death of anyone. The lives of the children in Newtown, CT are no less precious than the lives of Iraqis, Venezuelans, Russians, Canadians, Mexicans, or even the leaders of Al Qaeda. As Jesus' disciple, I seek to value all human life as He does. And until we do so, how can we expect things to be different?
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
A Little PR
My brother, Vance, has started his own tennis company- Vance Exley Tennis. And due to some PR challenges, he has asked me to plug it here on my blog. My blog that no one reads. (My lack of readers did not seem to bother him, so here I am.)
I can personally attest to his excellent coaching/teaching skills because I participated in a class he is currently teaching. He is upbeat, fun, and patient- all wonderful qualities for an instructor. So if you or anyone you know in the Atlanta area is interested in getting into tennis or improving your existing skills, check him out. His twitter account is @coachvtennis.
I can personally attest to his excellent coaching/teaching skills because I participated in a class he is currently teaching. He is upbeat, fun, and patient- all wonderful qualities for an instructor. So if you or anyone you know in the Atlanta area is interested in getting into tennis or improving your existing skills, check him out. His twitter account is @coachvtennis.
A Call to Justice
IJM is a wonderfully faithful organization, and Jim Martin, their Director of Church Mobilization has written a book entitled The Just Church. I have had the privilege of being part of a launch group for the book, and the following is my review:
Jim Martin lays out an invitation to engage in securing justice with both courage and humility. He illustrates how doing so is an integral part of our faith in Jesus Christ--not simply because of the magnitude of suffering and sin in our world but because God has invited us to join Him in this fight.
The fight for justice and righteousness is not an easy one, but Martin reminds us that "love proves itself most profoundly in adversity" (56). It is in these difficult times that fellowship, rest, and the nourishment of scripture become indispensable.
In the latter half of the book, Martin lays out a framework by which churches can effectively participate in bringing God's kingdom to Earth. It is not a formulaic, step-by-step instructional manual but rather a blueprint by which fellowships of believers may recognize how doing justice is essential to their faith
The discussion questions at the end of each chapter are thought-provoking and challenging and make "The Just Church" a wonderful tool for anyone who desires to effectively join in the fight for justice.
Jim Martin lays out an invitation to engage in securing justice with both courage and humility. He illustrates how doing so is an integral part of our faith in Jesus Christ--not simply because of the magnitude of suffering and sin in our world but because God has invited us to join Him in this fight.
The fight for justice and righteousness is not an easy one, but Martin reminds us that "love proves itself most profoundly in adversity" (56). It is in these difficult times that fellowship, rest, and the nourishment of scripture become indispensable.
In the latter half of the book, Martin lays out a framework by which churches can effectively participate in bringing God's kingdom to Earth. It is not a formulaic, step-by-step instructional manual but rather a blueprint by which fellowships of believers may recognize how doing justice is essential to their faith
The discussion questions at the end of each chapter are thought-provoking and challenging and make "The Just Church" a wonderful tool for anyone who desires to effectively join in the fight for justice.
Monday, October 8, 2012
A Full Plate without Grumbling
This season of life continues to be so very busy, but I have honestly not found many reasons to complain. I really enjoy everything I'm involved in: internship, community group and Radius (my church home), and classes. While I do wish that I didn't feel as though I was constantly sprinting just to keep up, busyness is a gift... even though the sloth in me wishes I had more time to bum around and waste time.
With all of the complaining I constantly hear (and often have participated in), it's nice to feel that I don't have much reason to gripe. Of course, everything's not perfect, but I am grateful to have a new appreciation for the charmed life I lead and to be grateful for my cramped, crazy schedule.
That is all.
With all of the complaining I constantly hear (and often have participated in), it's nice to feel that I don't have much reason to gripe. Of course, everything's not perfect, but I am grateful to have a new appreciation for the charmed life I lead and to be grateful for my cramped, crazy schedule.
That is all.
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