To Blog... Or Not to Blog

THAT is the question...

When I have so very much to blog about, I usually don't. I realize that time and space cannot possibly provide ample opportunity to cover everything sufficiently, so I refrain entirely. Sad, isn't it, that after all this time I've never learned to demonstrate simple temperance in blogging. ~sigh~

I'm in a weird, sort of wacked out mood tonight. Hoping to feel normal again tomorrow. In spite of feeling kind of nerdy and quirky, I feel TERRIFIC and really should testify about it. :-) I was sick for nearly a month (?!) with what must have been some sort of an infection, I suppose. It presented itself in a very painful sore throat, ear aches, swollen glands and such like. One day at Camp I kept getting these strange surges of severe PRESSURE through my throat, ears, upper jawline and across my face--sort of headache style, only in new and strange places. A few days before Camp I really thought I was over the worst of it and on the mend (and I KNOW that the Lord touched me and gave me those couple of easy days--I so needed them at that very time!), but everything hit hard again the night before we left for Camp. It has now been about three days since I have had total and complete relief from all pain and discomfort. Minus the lingering cough, I'm perfect. (That's debatable, I know.) As I've thought about it, I am so very, very thankful not just for finally being well, but for the sickness itself. I feel like God was working so many things in ME while my body was suffering. I was anointed and prayed for several times (6 or 8, at least) and I can honestly say that I felt the presence and power of the Lord each and every time--and each and every time I experienced definite relief. How loving of God! How much more I long to trust Him after feeling His love and power and compassion over such a little thing as my little ole' sore throat. I felt so very near to the Lord throughout my sickness, minor as it may have been, and such a freedom in my spirit to worship Him. I noticed it during the very first worship service at Camp when, though I was feeling really crummy, my heart just melted into praise during the first notes of our first song--I could feel the Lord so very near and felt so very blessed for the chance to just worship Him. I love Him so much! I'm also thankful that God was merciful to me throughout Camp and the only time I was actually in bad enough shape to have to go to bed was during free time. I never missed a class or service or even rec time. Often times I felt perfectly fine (except for when I swallowed, but that doesn't exactly incapacitate you, you know?) and I was able to fully participate in every part of Family Camp. How horrible it would have been to have missed out on any of it--and how good of God to not allow that to happen. I could go on, but you get the point. I'm SO, SO, SO blessed. Both for the sickness and God's goodness to me throughout it, and now that I'm finally perfectly well. :-)

And you thought I was going to blog about Camp. ;-)

I can't really. I mean, I CAN... but you won't be happy about it. I can't add any pictures just yet for several reasons. First of all, I stole several people's camera cards at the end of Camp and ended up with hundreds and hundreds of pictures. It always seems like such a good idea until you try to actually sort through them. It's just way too overwhelming. Secondly, I just don't have the energy. No, that's not really it. Motivation, that's it. I don't feel like committing myself to the kind of time it would take to post a bunch of Camp pictures. I don't have the discipline to pick out just a few; once I get started I just can't stop. But I can TELL you about Camp...

It was great! There, now you know. ;-) It had a whole different flavor this year for several reasons. We were at a new campground this year which, in most ways, was FANTASTIC. Our numbers were down a lot this year for various reasons, but the 60 who were there thoroughly enjoyed it. And God just seemed to work in a different sort of way this time. The classes and services were so good and I'm anxious to go through the adult lessons again and really take my time with them. Our theme was The Joy Project and I'm so glad. Joy usually seems like such a basic subject, but after last week I'm convinced that there are so many layers to it and so much more to be learned and applied to my life. Sister Galaviz, Jon, and James taught the adults, the Kaufmans taught the teens, the Lewises taught the big kids, and the Clarksons taught the little kids. Of course, Brother Oscar was our evangelist and was such a blessing. He has such a sweet and sincere spirit and so many good things to share. We enjoyed his ministry and his fellowship. But he's not allowed back unless he brings his family with him. ;-) God blessed us financially at this Camp--which was most surprising and exciting because we really didn't expect it to be possible. And it seems that no matter how long I'm here and how many times I see it happen, I am always AMAZED at the generosity of our people here. The offerings (from 60 people, half or more of whom are kids) for Brother Oscar totalled $800. From families who I know were working like crazy to earn the money to pay their own tuition to Camp. ~sigh~ God is so good to bless and multiply when we're willing to be faithful and make sacrifices!

Let's see... Seems like there should be so much more to share about Camp, but I'm blank! Probably because I'm holding off on the pictures.

When Camp ended on Monday we drove back to town and dropped of Sister Galaviz before heading up the mountain to the house. Brother Oscar didn't fly out until the next morning, so it was great to have some more time to fellowship with him. The Hays were here and helped us to keep him up way, way later than he would have liked, I'm sure. :-) We grilled burgers (though the terrible hostess didn't have any lettuce, tomato, or onion) and let the kids toast marshmallows over a fire in the backyard. Then we stayed up and played games, of course. ;-)

James and Brother Dustin left at 4:00am to take Brother Oscar to the airport. This after only about three hours of sleep. They dropped him off, then headed to Krispy Kreme on the north end of town. They arrived at 5:00 only to discover that they didn't open until 5:30, so the two of them napped in the van until then. Ha! When I woke up between seven and eight o'clock there were two dozen donuts waiting for us and a very weary electrician sitting at my table. That's right, we kept the Hays an extra day at our house because we had some more electrical work to be done around here. Surely we're at the end now...

It actually turned out to be a long and weary day the whole way around. All of the kids were shot after Camp--just tired and crabby and whiny. Things actually took a definite turn for the better once we got the kids put to bed. Ha! How sad. ;-) We played our usually round of games: I Buy, Pictionary, and then Balderdash. Can't remember much about I Buy (conveniently, perhaps), but Pictionary was anything but the norm this time. James and I usually blow Brother Dustin & Sister Jamey out of the water simply because James is very accomplished at drawing--and doing it quickly. This time the Hays actually led the way for quite a while! It would have been an interesting and challenging turn of events if only I had a partner who really cared whether he was winning or losing. There were a few moments of frustration and marital tension, shall we say, that Brother Dustin was so kind as to capture on film. Or disc. However, since I just received a little nudge (a few moments ago) about how pathetic I am for having taken so long to post, I'll forgo even those pictures this time. So there. Ha!

Brother Dustin discovered extra electrical problems that we didn't know we had, so the next morning he and James went to buy whatever was needed. He got us all fixed up, then we went out for Chinese before they headed home to Colorado... because the terrible hostess around here had nothing in the house to feed them. Poor planning. Badly done, Becki. Badly done. ;-)

That was Wednesday, I believe. Since then I've been attempting the post-Camp recovery efforts, though they're still not complete. I finally got the Western Skies all put together and ready to print, thanks to Brother Sam getting the corrections back to us this afternoon. I've done some minor schooling with the kids a few days, and I did manage to get the care package put together and mailed off to our BTI crew. I'll post pictures of that sometime next week after I know that they've received it.

I need to finish up on my Sunday School class for tomorrow. I'm really wishing I was at BTI, enjoying the weekend services there instead of teaching here tomorrow. But I'll do my best to put my heart into it. :-) More later. Maybe. ;-)