Today the staff was treated to a lunch cruise on Racquette Lake as a thank you for a hard-working summer. Figures this would be the day it rained and was cloudy all day, but still, the Adirondacks in September are gorgeous.
We were back in Speculator by about 3pm and were given the rest of the day off. This is where I headed. I'm a little ashamed to say it's taken me a month since coming here on full time staff to come here (look, it's getting bigger!)....
And here they are! In the Adirondack Room of the Lake Pleasant Public Library no less. Have I died and gone to heaven? Not really, but I certainly have found a new happy place. This should keep me busy all winter. For a few winters most likely.
We had a blast last weekend with my NSBC ladies here at
Camp of the Woods. It felt like we had invited them all to our place for
a few days. Waiting on them and serving them was an absolute pleasure.
It was so wonderful to hug, kiss and catch up with as many as I could
spend time with. Some of them even gave me gifts. They know me. I am thankful for longtime friends who give the gift of understanding.
My favorite thing was hearing over and over again, "It's good to see you and Scott so happy." And the way they hugged him and fussed over him was the best.
Friday night I was ready to turn in by 10:45pm (late for me). As I started walking back toward where we live Scott zoomed up, tossed me a set of golf cart keys and said, "Let's go! The 300 Spanish ladies just arrived." Yep, twice in one month.
For the next hour and a half or so Scott, our buddy Paul and I carted these women and their luggage all over camp. For these NYC ladies, it was not only disorienting to arrive in the dark but very cold too. They didn't bring warm enough clothes for our mountain nights and mornings. I especially enjoyed the way they packed like sardines into my cart and when I asked, "Where am I taking you ladies?", they just smiled. No Ingles (accent over e). Woohoo!
The rest of the weekend was a blur, a very happy blur.
However, I was able to sit in on the last two sessions with a special missionary speaker. A few of the things she taught are still rattling around in my head and heart.
In regard to the humility Paul teaches us to emulate in Philippians:
My favorite thing was hearing over and over again, "It's good to see you and Scott so happy." And the way they hugged him and fussed over him was the best.
Friday night I was ready to turn in by 10:45pm (late for me). As I started walking back toward where we live Scott zoomed up, tossed me a set of golf cart keys and said, "Let's go! The 300 Spanish ladies just arrived." Yep, twice in one month.
For the next hour and a half or so Scott, our buddy Paul and I carted these women and their luggage all over camp. For these NYC ladies, it was not only disorienting to arrive in the dark but very cold too. They didn't bring warm enough clothes for our mountain nights and mornings. I especially enjoyed the way they packed like sardines into my cart and when I asked, "Where am I taking you ladies?", they just smiled. No Ingles (accent over e). Woohoo!
The rest of the weekend was a blur, a very happy blur.
However, I was able to sit in on the last two sessions with a special missionary speaker. A few of the things she taught are still rattling around in my head and heart.
In regard to the humility Paul teaches us to emulate in Philippians:
Do nothing out of vain conceit, but in humility
consider others better than yourselves.
Each of you should look not only to
your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature
of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself
and became obedient to death - even death on a cross! 2:5-8*
Jesus became likes those beneath Him. To serve them. With no regard for His obvious high standing. We should do likewise. Do I ever do that?
She later asked this question, "Are you willing to follow Jesus anywhere? Into unpleasant circumstances? Into loneliness?"
Jesus walked a lonely road. He started out with multitudes, then tightened His circle to less and less until He had 12, then 3 and then it was just He and God, His Father.
He taught and led us by example. We don't need to be afraid of where He may invite or require us to go. Even unpleasant circumstances. Even loneliness.
Just like God was always with Jesus, they both along with the Holy Spirit, will be with us.
Don't be afraid. If you are in a relationship with God, you will never be alone. It's a promise you can count on.
*bold mine
1 comment:
Your comments are especially relevant and authentic since you have lived it dear friend. It's so funny that you mention the library. As I drove past it leaving town I wondered if you had been there yet and was sure you would be excited to see the expansion! Haha.
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