Mega Relay and the Rainstorm

There's something funny that happens when we realize that we don't have much time left. Our attention gets more focused. It happens at camp on Thursday when you realize there's just one more day left. I decided to write in the morning because I just ran out of gas last night. I suppose missing some sleep the night before with Sara had a lot to do with it.

We have kids doing vacation Bible school for a country church. We had kids working at homeless shelters and food banks and in rec centers. We have kids mowing lawns, weeding and picking up trash. We have kids in housing projects playing with the neighborhood kids. We have kids playing bingo and checkers and doing puzzles in nursing homes. You can be proud of your kids. All the reports I have received tell me that our kids are participating and serving with enthusiasm. The truth is they are looking for that big, emotional experience, that big story that just may not come. I pray for a year that God will accomplish what He needs to (which He is going to do anyway) but also that I will see it so that I can point it out to them along the way.

As I shared earlier, this is the year God is teaching us the progression of life in Christ. We have a starting point. This is a journey. We are adding endurance to our faith one sermon at a time, one quiet time at a time, one act of service at a time and one mission trip at a time. This is the process of becoming like Christ. This is how it works.

This morning a student wants to have breakfast and I was told to put on my big boy pants because they have some questions. I'm not sure what that means but I will find out. Sounds eerily like Job 38:3. Another leader had a brief conversation with one of our kids about salvation. They (the student) are just not sure. They don't quite understand and are just not ready yet. I believe their words were "I am a little scared". I can appreciate their honesty.

In any case the day is before us.

Sara is doing better. She doesn't look 100% yet but is so much better than yesterday. Thanks to Missy who spent the day with her and took care of her. Leaders like Missy are indispensable.

Things I learned today:

1.Gravity still works-all the time. We experienced a very heavy rain shower yesterday afternoon. Samford is built on the side of a hill and I knew that the rain had to rush down from the top. After all God had been teaching me about gravity all week. Sure enough on the slope near the cafeteria the water was cascading down the stairway. Some of our boys were also sliding down the wet grass, getting muddy and having a great time. Enter the first responders. It seems campus security frowns upon such exuberant behavior. The boys were told to stop but not before they had had plenty of fun. Not to be outdone, Patty lost her footing and had her own slip and slide adventure. She's all right and assured me she takes harder falls at school. Footnote about the hilly terrain. Yesterday Dan said there were boys "throwing" Bryant down the hill. Bryant was participating voluntarily. When I asked why, he said: There was a hill, there was Bryant..

2. This old man can still roll home-Yes last night was mega relay, a gigantic, one after the other, usually messy relay race. We participate with our mission track groups. My group was desperate for some veteran leadership. OK they were just desperate, so I got to participate for the first time and I have the floor burns to prove it. The field was too wet from the rain so we were in the gym. Running, diving and crawling, I did the best I could. And I will have you know this included doing one push up. That's right ONE. Good thing I have been working out.

3. Austin makes a fine wheelbarrow. I didn't see it myself because I was PARTICIPATING but Austin was the wheelbarrow for his team in the classic wheelbarrow race. Let's just say the the "pusher" got moving faster than Austin could and well you can guess how that worked. Austin, taking one for the team, plowed on-literally.

4. One scraped up knee looks pretty much like the next. I made it to my bus yesterday to see our track leader swabbing the leg of a student who had fallen. Sure enough, it was our own Aly Hill. Undaunted she continued and participated vigorously for our team in mega relay eating chocolate pudding out of a diaper. It's a mega relay thing.

5. It still feels great when a student says thank you. I shared with our group last night that each trip is different and cautioned them about comparing how "good" a trip is. God works in each one differently because we all come to these things at a different place. She told me thanks because that was what she needed to hear. That's exactly what I need to hear.

The final footnote on the day. Yesterday was Sam Freiburger's birthday. I heard happy birthday sung three times to Sam. In the cafeteria on my track at lunch and in our church group devotions. Her mom sent a gift and requested that I get Sam a chance to call home. I told her I would and at this moment I am not sure if it happened. If she didn't...Dear Mrs' Freiburger: Sam was having so much fun that she forgot to call. Yeah, that's not going to fly. I'll just have to apologize in person.

Keep praying. One day left on site.