Sketchism

In case you didn’t have the opportunity to check out Lake Swan’s website and see what kind of cool activities they have, here’s what we encountered on our trip there this past weekend: fun and more fun. We arrived on Thursday night, tired after the seven-hour drive to Melrose, Florida. If you ask me where Melrose, Florida is on a map I’ll probably just look at you funny and ask you what the heck you’re talking about. I just know it takes seven hours to get there. Anyways, we got there and it was pitch black, so we were seperated into our bunks and we had a good night’s rest. Well, some of us did. The bed was tough on my back, and I woke up with frost on my face and my sinuses filled with mucus, it was so cold.

Each morning a group of people gathered in front of the tetherball pole, where we would start off the day with a bit of trash-talkin’ challenges. “I bet I can beat ya again. I bet you won’t even get the ball around twice. I bet you think you’re going to win. muahahaha”. After a while everyone got sick of me challenging them so I quit playing. Cry babies.

Breakfast was at 8 in the morn’ and was proceeded by our half-hour quiet times with our Bibles and notebooks. Some chose to do their reading indoors but I took the opportunity to seek God’s Word in the natural world he created. Surrounded by trees and song of birds, I found the most peaceful spots of shade this world has to offer and dove into chapters of James.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” (James 1:5-6 NIV)

What a gift we have simply by request. That Friday morning I prayed for wisdom in being a leader to my team and peers, asking for a discerning heart and a cautious eye so that I could be just and responsible in God’s eyes.

After our quiet times we had morning lessons which were hosted by Mrs. Estelle Meyers. They were always enlightening and brought out good discussion among the troops. Oh yeah, the theme was Boot Camp this year, so don’t mind any military euphamisms I might throw here and there.

By the time our sessions were over, it was lunch time where we all gathered in the mess hall again and ate our food. It wasn’t the best cooking in the world, but we were thankful nonetheless. It beats eating beatles and grass anyday. It was in the mess hall that I got to know the soldiers best. We chatted and laughed and enjoyed each other’s company as we ate in excitement for the rest of the day.

After dinner it was basically physical madness in the fields. There was a huge lake with tons of activities waiting for us. This included wake boarding (I tried and couldn’t do it), knee boarding (couldn’t do that all the way either), and tubing (no strength required in that one, except holding onto dear life once the boat drags the the tubes out into the lake at 30 mph). The water was freezing but we enjoyed it so much you didn’t really notice the frostbite after a while.

After a few hours of all that we showered, prepared for dinner, and then went back to the chapel for our nightly services, hosted by our very own Rey De Armas. Mind you this guy is only two years older than me and he preaches like a man who’s done it all his life. God is going to use this man in big ways, and we’re majorly blessed to have him in our family. But before Rey ever spoke a word, it was video time. Where my acting debut film Good Intentioned Joe (G.I. Joe… get it? nobody else did) was shown on screen for some serious laughs. If I can get Robbie to make me a compressed version I’ll try to put it on my site for all to see. It’s good stuff.

Then each night was concluded by a gathering at the campfire, where we made s’mores and sang songs. Corny, you say? Maybe. Is it something I would have done without? Absolutely not. It was the experience everyone expects at camp, and it made our friendships seem a little more concrete with every gathering. It was awesome.

So that pretty much describes our Spring Retreat for this year. Just imagine doing that for 3 days straight. I bet you’re exhausted already. If not, then drop and give me 20.

Pictures will be posted soon. I have to organize them and all that. Dismissed!