I have.

I have enough music on my iTunes to last two and a half days.

I have enough junk food in my room to last a week or two.

I have enough shirts in my closet to last at least six weeks.

The Lakota children of South Dakota are thrilled to get a small box or bag of cheap toys, gloves, and hotel shampoo for Christmas.

Yay America.

I'm not very good at this Christian thing...

...I'm also not very good at blogging. However, I only know one person who updates her blog on a regular basis, so I'm not overly concerned.

Anyways, being back on the Baptist campus has reminded me of something: I'm not the greatest at this whole Christian thing. Why, do you ask?

1. I hate journaling. And by hate, I do mean hate. Which makes blogging seem ironic. I dunno. Something about writing about my feelings and such just does not appeal to me. I used to by journals and notebooks a lot, because they're super cute, but it has turned out to be futile.

2. I own neither Toms nor Chacos. I would love to buy some Toms, I just have no money. No offense to the 945 students here who wear them, but Chacos are not attractive. I know it makes you look like Super-outdoor-missiounary-adventure-Christian, but I just can't take them seriously. I think I wore sandels similar to those in...fourth grade.

3. I cannot play the djembe. If Jesus was musically inclined, this is what He played. I'm pretty sure at least one of the twelve probably did as well. I'm not sure how the djembe ended up with the honor of being one of the top holy instruments, but it's definitely not in my area of expertise.

4. I have never played guitar whilst sitting around a campfire. However, I'm taking a guitar class this semester, so this one is attainable!

5. I don't get up early for quiet time. I also didn't get up in time for class the other day...but I think God understands some people's extreme need for sleep. Besides, He's around all day.

6. I fail at intense mission experiences. This one needs explaning. On my mission trip this summer we went to a memorial site that happened to be a graveyard. I, in my skewed perspective of reality, happened to reallyyy like graveyards. I was super excited to be going to one, whist my team was all serious and prayerful. I was literaly trying to disguise my happiness, since I figured it would probably be frowned upon.

I'm sure there's more, but this is my current list. I don't really know how the people around me perceive my spiritual life, but hopefully they aren't judging me by my lack of "spiritual" footwear. I guess it's a good thing God doesn't actually require any of this stuff, huh?

Church Camp High

This last week we went to church camp. I wasn't just not posting like usual :P. It was a good but extremely hot week, and I got to see many old friends and make a few new ones, but it felt like something was weird. It seemed kind of...blah.

I did not get the "church camp high." You know, where you go to camp and come home all "yay Jesus" and stuff for a few weeks. I didn't have any revelations of life changing decisions.

Why? It's definitely not because I'm just so absolutely perfect that I don't need to change a thing. Maybe it was just the fact that I was sick 76% of the time due to the extreme temperatures. Maybe it was the fact that compared to last month's trip to South Dakota, this week was rather tame and predictable. Maybe it was all those times my campus pastor talked about falling in love with the "everyday life Jesus" instead of "Super Summer Jesus." Maybe they just didn't touch on anything I really struggle with. Maybe it's because I was concerned with trying to fix a few other people instead of myself. Maybe it was the fact that I learned so much more in one year of college than I've learned in ten years of church camp.

I don't know why. I really don't. All I know is that I thought I was going to die all week and for the first time was really glad when Friday finally made an appearance. I definitely had, in the words of Ethan, the "camp hangover."

I had fun, and I miss everyone, I really do. I just didn't feel it this year.

A brief summary of aforementioned mission trip

Sunday and Monday, due to heavy rain, we
stayed inside and worked in the Dream Center. We sorted donations, painted
walls, put office furniture together, and stained the floor. It was a great
time of coming together as a team and just working for the Lord.

Tuesday we went to the town of Wounded
Knee, where we prayer walked, fed children lunch, played with, and loved them
all afternoon. Thursday we did the same in the town of Evergreen. These
children have incredibly difficult lives. On average, they begin drinking at
the age of five, and join gangs by age nine. One six year-old girl told us that
her fifteen year-old brother had been killed in a gang fight just a few days
previous. I got a chance to talk with some of the mothers, and one of them told
me that many of the kids around us did not have fathers, and several lived with
aunts or grandparents.

On Wednesday we
went to White Clay, Nebraska. It is located right across the border and just
off the reservation. It is basically a large collection of bars and liquor
stores. Its purpose is to provide the Natives from the “dry” reservation with
alcohol. Many people choose to stay in this town, and sleep in ditches and on
sidewalks. Business owners in White Clay make an average of $7 billion a year.
We served lunch at a small ministry on the main street and talked with some of
the “residents.” Their stories were unbelievable and heartbreaking. We were
going to actually go out onto the streets after lunch, but a fight broke out in
front of the building, and we ended up sneaking out the back door. It was not
an experience I’d like to repeat.

Overall, the week was
eye-opening and awesome. Our team became very close, and caught a small glimpse
of the Body of Christ laughing, crying, working, sweating, and wondering as
one. The Lord showed us how to worship Him in everything-from feeding a hungry
child to scrubbing concrete. We truly serve an amazing God.

A week without cell service.

We're alive! We didn't get shot, bit by snakes, or hit by a cow. Which were all concerns, trust me.

I learned several things last week:

1. There is nothing in Iowa. Except random roadside art. Is it roadside or road side?

2. Two vans are better than one.

3. It is possible to stain concrete.

4. There all ALWAYS more white spots, even after you paint the wall 4 times.

5. God places other people in your life to do what you cannot, as well as to let you know when you're being dumb.

6. I am never the only person who knows songs from Veggie Tales and/or The Music Man

7. Those of us with should always give to those without.

8. God sends people that believe in us because sometimes we just can't believe in ourselves

9. When you get down to it, everyone just wants to be loved.

10. Some people see the world differently in order to enlighten the rest of us.

11. Nothing brings people together like blasting "Don't Stop Believin'"

12. Open skies win. Every time.

13. Even when you're freaked out, God still uses the simple things to remind you of His presence.

14. Money can't buy everything, but it can buy some really pretty handmade pottery and paintings.

15. None of us can do it alone.

16. Effort counts when performance lacks.

17. Life is beautiful when viewed through a camera lens.

18. Starting is always the hardest part.

19. The New Testament is a lot cooler than I originally thought.

20. It's ok to be real with people.

21. How to duel properly.

22. You can put almost any words to "Home on the Range."

I just realized that I fail as a blogger.

Why?

A) I have no theme.

B) I failed to mentioned the Royal Wedding.

Let me just state that neither of the aforementioned facts are really a concern, because to my knowledge no one really cares.

Did I mention I hate packing? I'm getting ready to go on my mission trip fiiiinally, but I ran out of room. If we didn't need rain boots, it wouldn't be quite as problematic, but problematic nonetheless.

Aaanyways I'm super excited. And super sore. Mom and I are doing Jillian Michaels 30 day shred. Except it'll probally take more that 30 days. 'Cause I'm going to be gone for a week.

Also, I really enjoy chocolate chip muffins :D

Is the image of God good enough for us?

I'm taking a mission trip to the Pineridge Indian Reservation with my school this summer. Today in our meeting we were discussing the packing list. We (specifically girls) are supposed to wear loose pants, oversized t-shirts, and no makeup. In the words of Mission Leader's Son, "If they can tell you're a woman, it's not allowed." The reasoning behind this is the Lakota have respect for modesty, and it's also a matter of procaution/protection. I think we're going to have to do some thrift store shopping. Not because we all dress like skanks, but, let's be real, even whilst wearing t-shirts and men's shorts you know we're women. Even our grungy/comfy clothes probably don't fit these standards.

As girls, our first reaction was something along the lines of...'No makeup? That's sounds gross, and horrid, and...' Why? Because from age 5 on, all society has told us is that you can't possibly be beautiful, presentable, or acceptable if you don't wear makeup all the time and dress exactly like they tell you to. It simply isn't possible.

Or is it?

If you think about it, the world is a pretty messed up place. The people in it are wrong about a lot of things, so could they be wrong about this as well?

Genesis 1:27 says that God created us in His image.

It doesn't get any better than that. Plain and simple. We can ignore it, cover it with lies and fluff, and hide from it, but that doesn't change the fact.

You are created in God's image. He sent His only Son to die for YOU.

Why?

He thinks you're worth it.

Even when your friends, family, classmates, and random strangers look down on you or your abilities, you're still worth it. God created you for something bigger than the fickle approval of men. There is so much more to life that we Americans think. It's not about clothing, makeup or hairdye. It's about the free and fantasticness that Jesus offers. Because He thinks we're worth it. And He wants the best and most awesome for these value people that bear His image.

How much fuller and more effective would our lives be if we ignored society's call and accepted God's image as all we need?

Co-Mission Trip Leader made an awesome point when she said, "How can I sit there and tell a little Lakota girl that she is valued and beautiful the way she is when I don't honestly believe that about myself?"

Going against the flow would make so much more of an impact than looking like Barbies all. the. time.

I don't have a problem with makeup, dressing up, or looking cute. Far from it. I have a problem with those things having first priority in our lives. I have a problem when we can't run out the door to talk with or help someone with out first adding two more layers of makeup.

When did our appearance become more important than our God?

You don't need the stuff and fluff.

You are valued.

You are beautiful.

You are loved.

Habakkuk? Really?

In my mission team meetings we've been talking a lot about who we are, who we should be to the Lakota, and who we should be in Christ. Team Leader said that after the last trip he had a girl decide she wants to do teen suicide prevention. This girl is an English major. In the words of Team Leader, "English majors aren't supposed to do things like that! Redford majors are supposed to do things like that!" (Redford is the ministry majors here, FYI). Later he was talking about some things he was dealing with in his personal life and he said that God sent him a verse. In Habakkuk. Of all places. I think his mind was kind of blown, because he sounded incredulous. He said that he was headed for Romans, but God just cut him off and gave him something totally different. Which I think is totally cool.

The other day in small groups we were talking about how we tend to think that we don't need to give of our time and money NOW. We plan on it, just as soon as life slows down a little, or once (in our college student cases) we get jobs and steady paychecks.

I think both of these situations lead to an interesting place. So many times we think that someone need to do something, to change the world. Someone other than us. We can't do anything. We are ministry majors. We don't have high paying jobs and steady salaries. Someone else is going to have to do it for us. We'll stand on the side lines and cheer, we'll make a Facebook group/event to show our mediocre support, we may even casually mention it to a few friends. Just as long as we ourselves don't have to get in, get involved, and get messy.

Guess what? There are more non-ministry majors than there are ministry majors. Guess what else? The disciples were fishermen. Some of the prophets were farmers. Matthew worked for the IRS. Rahab was a prostitute. Every person God has ever used has been nothing but a human and a screw-up. Some of them were "ministry majors," and many of them weren't. Some of them were bigger than others.

Our majors, jobs, salaries (or lack thereof), familes, etc. should not determine our usefullness to God. It doesn't matter what stage of life you're in. You still have something to offer. You have something to give.

We expect great things out of people like Abraham and Paul.

Maybe it's time we started expecting great things out of people like Zephaniah and Habakkuk as well.

Maybe we should begin to expect it of ourselves.