- Went to Hu-Hot with the staff. Have you ever been to that place? It's a little insane. It's like choose your own stir fry buffet they cook it in front of you on a circle grill wait in line but not that long and go up as many times as you want and chow down. I'm not explaining it well. It was good eatin and that's all you need to know.
- Said goodbye to three of the four service team members from the first week. They worked so hard and came to be a cool addition to staff. It will be great to have Kristina back next week but it was tough to say goodbye for sure.
- Walked around the University of Eau Claire campus with Dallas and Tanner. It's so different than IWU but it was a cool experience to walk around a pretty much silent campus. Also, Tanner threw his frisbee from upper campus down a huge set of outdoor steps to lower campus while yelling "YOLO" which pretty much made my night. We recovered the frisbee without an issue.
- Walked around Walgreens for close to an hour before another staffer's prescription was ready. That was a bummer. It was fun for a while but I was done about 10 minutes before we left. We got to see some great stars when we got back to camp!
- Slept in and took the worst shower to date at camp. I willed myself into the freezing water, trying to tell myself it would get better. It didn't. I've been pretty darn lucky with showers before today. I guess it was my time to have a bad one.
- Did a quick swing dancing lesson in the chapel. I fell and hit my head and messed with my foot. Seriously? Oh well. It's nearly healed now. I learned the basic step, a lean, a dip, and a pretzel which when combined make a tasty snack and a fun time.
- Got all dolled up in my new dress that my grandma bought me and the whole staff went to the Springer's barn and danced the night away. A former staffer had a wedding, reception, and then a dance to which all staff was invited. One of the (many) benefits about declaring to myself that I was not going to date anyone this summer is that there was no pressure or awkwardness. I just put out a different vibe when I'm not trying to get people to date me. I danced with a few different people on staff and had a lot more fun. Seriously. Try it. It's great.
- Went to the early service at Bloomer Baptist. There is a girl on staff, Samantha, who has lots of siblings, had two brothers tag team preaching which was an interesting experience and things went well!
- Ate lunch at the Rayburn's house. The Rayburn family does some amazing ministry at camp. Michelle made lunch for the staff which included homemade jam and homemade bread. What a treat!
- Prepped for registration! Sunday is crazy in my world but a lot of fun. This may not be the job I want forever but I do know this is the kind of work I like to do.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
June 22-24
This weekend after campers left and we all cleaned the camp, I:
Friday, June 22, 2012
The Life of a Camp Secretary
Let me tell you, it's pretty exciting. There are things I love about this job and things that annoy me, but mostly I'm glad to be working with people who also love the Lord and are here to serve Him. I had a chat with my mom Wednesday about some things that went down in her secular work place and it made me WAY grateful that I don't have to deal with stuff like that here. When I'm down, I know someone will listen and pray for me.
Because I'm not a counselor, I'm not in charge of any kids. That's great because I don't always have the energy to deal with kiddos. Often times in staff meetings (7:00 AM) people will say that they know they have to rely on the Lord for their energy and their patience. I get the patience thing, counting to 10 if you're mad and 100 if you're really mad and all that (thanks Thomas Jefferson) but what does that mean to rely on God for your energy? You just shoot up a prayer when you're tired? I don't know what that means in application. What I do know is God makes every little thing go in perfect harmony. His hand is over the little sparrows and the motion of the galaxy and your life. He must have infinite and unmatched energy to do that kind of work without being tired.
Also because I'm not a counselor, I'm somewhat behind the scenes. To the campers, anyway. I like that a lot. Support staff rocks. I like being the only one who knows how to do this job but in some ways it's prideful. It's something like this "I'm the only one who knows how to do this job on staff right now, so therefore I am the best at it and I know how to do it and you don't." Some of that is true, but it's not all mature or loving. There have been and will be other secretaries. There are still things I don't know how to do and sometimes my desire to be perfectly correct tells me that's not okay, but it is. I hope.
I do my best to get ahead of things. Friday is busy and Sunday is insanely busy. Sunday is registration/check in and I sit with the staff biography sheet and tell kids who their counselor is. I loved that part when I was a kid. On the way to camp I would wonder which cabin I was in, and if I would know my counselor or not. I direct them to their cabin and down the line to give the nurse their medical form. It's pretty sweet. Before all that, I have to print the schedule and housing list for everyone, print and staple the devotional books for all the campers, ready all the money bags for counselors (we collect the kid's money and then dish out the amount they want at breakfast so there's not $$ sitting around in the cabins) and a bunch of other prep stuff.
Every morning at breakfast (8:30) I bring the counselors their money bags that I've made change in the night before so kids who brought a $20 can get out $3 for candy and offering. All day I answer phones, take messages, deal with any registration forms, receipting, and do other office-y things. Usually a counselor or two will need me to print something or cut something or do something for them which I like because I like our counselors. Sometime in the week I order the camp photo, put in the computer who is going to pick up the kid from camp, put together the end of the week packet with tons of important stuff in it, and other things like that.
Some days are easier than other, but I am so glad I'm here this summer. It sort of felt like a no brainer to apply at Arrowhead and I was only a little nervous that I might not get the job. That's totally a God thing because I tend to get insanely nervous and freak about stuff like that. 100% is how much I believe that God put this staff together on this summer to serve His Kingdom. He works in mysterious ways but His plan is always perfect. For example, earlier this week I was so upset and needed to vent. I had to leave the office but wasn't sure who to talk to. As I was walking out the door, another staffer caught my eye and went outside with me. I cried and she prayed and it was just what I needed. See, that's not so mysterious- it's just the perfection of God knowing exactly what I need and providing for me. Isn't it great that the God of everything, the whole Earth and all of the Universe and things humans can never know cares about me, a big fat sinner, enough to arrange that collision? He is mighty.
Song lyrics are big with me. What can I say, I'm a vocalist. I have always loved music and it makes the words stick with me a lot longer than just reciting them. The song that's in my head right now goes like this:
"You are holy, great and mighty / The moon and the stars declare who you are. / I'm so unworthy / but still you love me." That's a pretty awesome message. Happy Saturday.
Because I'm not a counselor, I'm not in charge of any kids. That's great because I don't always have the energy to deal with kiddos. Often times in staff meetings (7:00 AM) people will say that they know they have to rely on the Lord for their energy and their patience. I get the patience thing, counting to 10 if you're mad and 100 if you're really mad and all that (thanks Thomas Jefferson) but what does that mean to rely on God for your energy? You just shoot up a prayer when you're tired? I don't know what that means in application. What I do know is God makes every little thing go in perfect harmony. His hand is over the little sparrows and the motion of the galaxy and your life. He must have infinite and unmatched energy to do that kind of work without being tired.
Also because I'm not a counselor, I'm somewhat behind the scenes. To the campers, anyway. I like that a lot. Support staff rocks. I like being the only one who knows how to do this job but in some ways it's prideful. It's something like this "I'm the only one who knows how to do this job on staff right now, so therefore I am the best at it and I know how to do it and you don't." Some of that is true, but it's not all mature or loving. There have been and will be other secretaries. There are still things I don't know how to do and sometimes my desire to be perfectly correct tells me that's not okay, but it is. I hope.
I do my best to get ahead of things. Friday is busy and Sunday is insanely busy. Sunday is registration/check in and I sit with the staff biography sheet and tell kids who their counselor is. I loved that part when I was a kid. On the way to camp I would wonder which cabin I was in, and if I would know my counselor or not. I direct them to their cabin and down the line to give the nurse their medical form. It's pretty sweet. Before all that, I have to print the schedule and housing list for everyone, print and staple the devotional books for all the campers, ready all the money bags for counselors (we collect the kid's money and then dish out the amount they want at breakfast so there's not $$ sitting around in the cabins) and a bunch of other prep stuff.
Every morning at breakfast (8:30) I bring the counselors their money bags that I've made change in the night before so kids who brought a $20 can get out $3 for candy and offering. All day I answer phones, take messages, deal with any registration forms, receipting, and do other office-y things. Usually a counselor or two will need me to print something or cut something or do something for them which I like because I like our counselors. Sometime in the week I order the camp photo, put in the computer who is going to pick up the kid from camp, put together the end of the week packet with tons of important stuff in it, and other things like that.
Some days are easier than other, but I am so glad I'm here this summer. It sort of felt like a no brainer to apply at Arrowhead and I was only a little nervous that I might not get the job. That's totally a God thing because I tend to get insanely nervous and freak about stuff like that. 100% is how much I believe that God put this staff together on this summer to serve His Kingdom. He works in mysterious ways but His plan is always perfect. For example, earlier this week I was so upset and needed to vent. I had to leave the office but wasn't sure who to talk to. As I was walking out the door, another staffer caught my eye and went outside with me. I cried and she prayed and it was just what I needed. See, that's not so mysterious- it's just the perfection of God knowing exactly what I need and providing for me. Isn't it great that the God of everything, the whole Earth and all of the Universe and things humans can never know cares about me, a big fat sinner, enough to arrange that collision? He is mighty.
Song lyrics are big with me. What can I say, I'm a vocalist. I have always loved music and it makes the words stick with me a lot longer than just reciting them. The song that's in my head right now goes like this:
"You are holy, great and mighty / The moon and the stars declare who you are. / I'm so unworthy / but still you love me." That's a pretty awesome message. Happy Saturday.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Pep!
Sometimes when you don't feel peppy and energetic, the best thing to do is to be peppy and energetic. Of course, it's good to be honest but there's a time and a place to let all your feelings out. When you pass someone in the hallway and they say "how's it going?" it's not really the time to pour out your troubles on them.
Yesterday I read something upsetting but kept it to myself and it kind of effected me all day. This morning I wrote an email to my parents (isn't technology wonderful?) and it was great to get it off my chest. Plus, they are adults and they handle things better than I do. Aren't parents wonderful?
What I'm saying about the energy and pep is sometimes you gotta fake it till you make it and tell yourself that's how it's going to be.
Happy Wednesday!
Yesterday I read something upsetting but kept it to myself and it kind of effected me all day. This morning I wrote an email to my parents (isn't technology wonderful?) and it was great to get it off my chest. Plus, they are adults and they handle things better than I do. Aren't parents wonderful?
What I'm saying about the energy and pep is sometimes you gotta fake it till you make it and tell yourself that's how it's going to be.
Happy Wednesday!
Sunday, June 10, 2012
New Job
Hey everyone!
It's strange not to be reading your blogs/seeing you/hearing from you on Facebook every day. Camp will do that. The technology break is nice, but not whole. I work on a computer all the time in the office but I'm trying to do the bare minimum on Facebook and email.
The job is going well so far. The previous secretary, Angela, came to camp last Sunday and Monday to help me learn the ropes. I was overwhelmed by all the information but incredibly grateful she was there. The camp director kept saying "Angela will show you how this works" and she did! Yay! Now I mostly know how to do things I need to do for registration, but it's all the special cases that I don't know what to do with.
Summer camp is definitely its own beast. Things like rendering and burning DVDs, which I have never done before, can't really be practiced because it's pricey. I have to do it for the first time at the end of next week when campers want to go home with their slideshow and video of the week. I'm nervous about the timing on that. But what am I saying? That's more than a week away! There's a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3!)
Sometimes it feels like there's way too much to do and sometimes I feel like I should be doing something but I don't know what yet. I guess that's how it is with any new job, right? Thanks for all your prayers and checking in on me.
Today was the first day of registration, where moms and dads come into the dining hall with their camper and say "Hey, Billy is here!" and then I tell them who their counselor is, where their cabin is, and other stuff like that.
It was less scary than I thought and I'm glad that part of today is over.
I went to a wedding with my parents this weekend (perhaps when I have laptop access I can upload photos to something?) and when I expressed my nervousness about today, my mom reminded me that "when you lay your head on the pillow tonight, you will have done registration for the first time." And she's right! I feel more confident in myself now but definitely tired. Being peppy in the heat is hard work, but I liked seeing everyone come in, excited for the week ahead.
That's all to report for now. I'm missing you all!
It's strange not to be reading your blogs/seeing you/hearing from you on Facebook every day. Camp will do that. The technology break is nice, but not whole. I work on a computer all the time in the office but I'm trying to do the bare minimum on Facebook and email.
The job is going well so far. The previous secretary, Angela, came to camp last Sunday and Monday to help me learn the ropes. I was overwhelmed by all the information but incredibly grateful she was there. The camp director kept saying "Angela will show you how this works" and she did! Yay! Now I mostly know how to do things I need to do for registration, but it's all the special cases that I don't know what to do with.
Summer camp is definitely its own beast. Things like rendering and burning DVDs, which I have never done before, can't really be practiced because it's pricey. I have to do it for the first time at the end of next week when campers want to go home with their slideshow and video of the week. I'm nervous about the timing on that. But what am I saying? That's more than a week away! There's a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3!)
Sometimes it feels like there's way too much to do and sometimes I feel like I should be doing something but I don't know what yet. I guess that's how it is with any new job, right? Thanks for all your prayers and checking in on me.
Today was the first day of registration, where moms and dads come into the dining hall with their camper and say "Hey, Billy is here!" and then I tell them who their counselor is, where their cabin is, and other stuff like that.
It was less scary than I thought and I'm glad that part of today is over.
I went to a wedding with my parents this weekend (perhaps when I have laptop access I can upload photos to something?) and when I expressed my nervousness about today, my mom reminded me that "when you lay your head on the pillow tonight, you will have done registration for the first time." And she's right! I feel more confident in myself now but definitely tired. Being peppy in the heat is hard work, but I liked seeing everyone come in, excited for the week ahead.
That's all to report for now. I'm missing you all!
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