July 26, 2011

What I've Been Up To and What It's All About...

Loves of my life....

Look at that hair! That's what rampant humidity will do to freshly done hair.



Look at her accessories! I totally helped to bling her out :).


This past week I got to spend a week living with 14 high school girls.  It was hot, humid, damp, cluttered, messy, loud.  It was also amazing, awesome, hilarious, a privilege, refreshing, and reminded me what life is really, truly about.  It was the longest week of my life. It was the shortest week of my life.  It was truly one of the best weeks of my life.

For 51 weeks of the year, I work, watch TV, work on my blogs, hang out with friends and family - basically living a normal life.  But one week each year I get to be a leader at Young Life camp for my area, running through a mud-filled obstacle course, defying my fear of heights on a ropes course (the worst part of the week for me), rocking out with 500 high school kids during club, and getting to have real, authentic conversations about life and faith with high school girls.  And every year, no matter how hard it is physically, emotionally, or spiritually, God reminds me of Who He is.

Sometimes I get really caught up in how I look (um, *cough* my style blog = my vanity run rampant), or how I am acting in a group of people, or with what is going on in the Web 2.0 world.  But being unplugged from electronics and the realities of trying to just exist in one of the hottest weeks ever (=not looking too hot at all - it was too hot to look hot), allowed those things to be thrown out the window and to really have freedom from all the complications that I bring upon myself.  It is one of those things that I am reminded of each year - that when I let go and surrender to His will, I find the Life that I am craving to live.


6 comments:

Annie said...

 Sometimes I wish we could live that "uncomplicated" version of life a whole lot more... I just don't know how make that possible all the time! Anyway, I know what you mean, and I'm so glad you had such a great week! Those girls looks like they love you so much; you are truly making a difference. (And can totally sympathize with you on the hair... this Florida humidity turns me into one big puff ball!)

Lauren said...

Seriously - why does it take being ripped away from civilization to help us
let go? :)

Florida humidity I'm sure would do a number on me - what was nuts was that
we were in upstate New York! One big frizz ball all week :).

Lo said...

I love this!!! What a perfect way to sum up YL camp.  P.S. I should send you a picture of how my girls dressed me up for the obstacle course.  Holy teased hair to the max.  

Being a YL leader is truly the most special blessing God has ever given me.  I recently told my husband that it is the greatest reward I've ever received for my obedience.  It's so fun to know another blogger that I can share this with!

Megan Nielsen said...

How awesome that you do this hun!! I've never hear of Youth Life is it associate with a church? Which leads me to ask - which one do you go to?? (We're at Manassas AOG)

ps. don't feel too bad about the humidity, i am also suffering these days! 

Lauren said...

Thanks Megan! Young Life is a non-denominational Christian organization, not affiliated with any particular church. When I get myself to church, I usually go to St. John's Catholic church right in town (have grown up Catholic and usually still go there), but have also gone to Cornerstone Baptist or Warrenton United Methodist, where some of my friends go. But a lot of our kids who go to Liberty High School (where I lead) go to Manassas AOG!
Do you guys like it there?

And if you ever want to find out more about Young Life, let me know! You can see a little bit more about YL here at these two websites - http://www.younglife.org/us and this one - http://youweremadeforthis.org/.

Lauren said...

Right back at you Lo! It's so fun to have another leader to share the journey with in this format :). And YES, I totally want to see a picture of how your girls dressed you for the obstacle course!!! Oh the O-Course...so glad that I have a whole year to go before I have to face it again :).

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