today was aaiiiight

Today was my first day off since I got here. Let me tell you, I really needed it. I have worked my butt off day in and day out ever since I got here on the 13th. Today, it was time to chill. Chill is what I did. It started off with Maggie (fellow intern) and I leaving for Flagstaff around 11 AM. It was good to get away from camp. I love this camp, but day in and day out. . . . well it get's kind of old. It's all good though. I went into Flagstaff and Maggie introduced me to her roommate. Ya see, Maggie goes to school at Northern Arizona University (NAU). So, she lives right in Flagstaff. It was good. We did a coffee shop after we did a little restaurant called The Black Bean. It was real good.Maggie has her back facing me in the above picture. And Becky (her roommate) is in the white and purple. Then there is Kayley and Christine Kopicky (my bosses wife). It was fun I suppose. Fun enough anyways. Again, it just felt good to get away.

Then, as a group of interns. We went out to eat.There is a good shot of Maggie (sarcasm). She is the one in the NAU hoodie making the funny face.

Anyways, we ate and then everyone went to see the movie UP. It was soo good! Everyone needs to see it.

**MOM** If you are reading this BLOG, you and dad seriously need to go see that movie. It was extremely sweet.

God is doing a lot in me internally. At times I am extremely frustrated, because no matter how much I did not want to have pre-conceived notions about what God was going to do in me over the summer, I still made small assumptions. Those assumptions are biting me in the butt now. The cool thing is God is using them to do a work in me and reveal things to me that I may not want to see, but have no choice. If I am to follow Christ, and want what he wants in my life, then I can't ignore what he is saying to me. He is saying, "BE GENTLE, LET GO OF YOUR PRIDE, BE A SERVANT, LOVE WILDLY, BE A LEADER, BE EMOTIONAL, GAIN WISDOM." It is a lot to take in, but I know I am supposed to do it, so I am going to just have to bite my lip on this one and allow Christ to do a work in me, and to be challenged in new ways. Possibly ways I have not felt before.

hash it out

There was a whole lot of work that needed to be done today. It was interesting to see how I mustered up enough outright will power to get it done. The picture you see for this post was of the bucket end of a front loader. Ryan was in the driver seat, and I was directing him to hit one end of a long steel pipe that needed to run under a wide sidewalk. It worked out after a lot of slow pushing and renegotiating where the bucket should be placed.

The environment I am in is very strange to me. I find myself being prideful at times, but quickly shut it down. At times, I even get sarcastically short with people. I don't even really know why. I'm not like that with people back at home. I need to do a heart check & spend some time in prayer hashing this one out.

I think it has been, or is close to week 2. I love this place, even though it's not perfect.
-Grace&Peace

love God love people

Today was a real good day. This picture shows how the morning started off. . . We picked ROCKS! It is so weird/awesome to have people under me. I am so blessed to have the people on my crew that I have. They are real unique & God is doing great things in their life as well. God is so good.

For the campers, well tonight they heard the cross talk & the reality of what Christ did for us could, for some; sink in for the first time. There was so much prayer going out for them as they searched their hearts. Every Monday & Thursday the interns/staff get together. Tonight was a whole lot of prayer time. LOVE GOD, LOVE PEOPLE-> DON'T MESS WITH THE REST.

-Grace&Peace

breaking free

Today left quite an impression on me. It did this for many reasons. Firstly because God is doing so much in me. He is constantly revealing new truth's about myself and life in general. He is guiding me, and changing me. Slowly but surely it's happening. Tonight, all the interns and camp staff met together like we have been to share life stories/testimonies. I love this, because it gives people an open floor format to be honest and real. If you asked me, "Hey mikey, what trait do you most adore in an individual?" I would reply, "genuineness." That is what we got tonight. Not only did it come from two interns tonight, but also from our intern coordinator. It was a very powerful and moving evening. A definite bonding moment, and a very special occasion. I am constantly realizing truth about my own personal testimony, and really taking a hold of what God has allowed me to go through without holding anything back. There are areas of my "life experience" that I have kind of glazed over, maybe as an automatic pain protection reaction, or maybe because I still hold some shame in my heart for things I have done or been through. Whatever the reason may be, God is breaking down those walls and allowing me to shine through, without guilt or feelings of burden silently plaguing my conscious.

Even though I said I would come to this summer internship as an open blank book, ready for God to do whatever he needs. I still had certain expectations for what may happen. Still a very open and willing heart, but I am just set up to try to figure things out. Maybe to just see if I can figure out what God is really doing. All the preconceived notions I held about what God "might do" have been completely torn down. God does what God needs to do. I am so thankful for that; for the fact that I can't understand how He works. It just goes to show that the Master plan is only seen by the Master himself. Amen to that.

There sure is a lot of heart and love in this camp in Arizona. God has really honored me by allowing me to be a part of it.

The kids have arrived

I am so glad that they are here too. It is almost a breath of fresh air. Ya see, we (landscape) have been hurrying and busting our butts to get these 300 tree's that have been donated to Lost Canyon. There is a lot of work involved, digging the holes, putting them in and giving them irrigation so they continue to grow in crappy soil. Yesterday evening I was up till 8:30PM shoveling and working the ground. Today, I was up at 6AM working and working. It is cool though, a lot of the time when we have work crew (high school kids who volunteer for a month @ the camp to serve other kids and God) kids I get to drive big machinery and feel important. I still work hard though.

ANYWAYS. . .Ya see, that building is called the bus depot. It is where the campers are dropped off, and welcomed by about 40 yelling and cheering smiling faces. Everyone stops and welcomes the kids to camp. It is such an awesome time. The kids can't help but feel special. I love it, a lot.

The kids are also greeted by a short performance from the program people. It is loud, funny, and very interesting. It's like a sneak preview. Then, they are told everything in camp is open. The Zip Line, game room, BLOB, coffee house, ice cream shop, and that there is free ice cream for everyone!This is the BLOB, and yes it is intense. There is just something really entertaining about seeing high school kids get plastered on their belly after flying 20 feet in the air. . sadistic? Only slightly.This is the Zip Line. It starts way up in the mountain, and is either almost or a little over 1/4 of a mile long. It is so amazingly fun. Lost Canyon is a dream for anyone. A homestead, a safe place where you can just be yourself, and meet Jesus on your own terms. If you're ready, sweet there are so many people to come along side you, if you aren't ready, there are still so many people who just want to love you and support you in everything you do. Young Life = LOVE

Arizona RUSH!

Wow, today was pretty insane. It was a total landscape rush & we have less than 24 hours to get the camp ready for campers. The kids come tomorrow @ 3PM and it is going to be so amazing! We have gotten 300 tree's and a lot of them still need planted & arranged. Tomorrow = have to be @ work @ 6AM to bang out a whole lot of work, but it's all gonna work out. God is doing so much in me and through me, I am supposed to be here and it is soo good.

-Grace&Peace

learning & the mustache

Things in Arizona are going really going super awesome. There are small times where I almost feel out of place, but that only is about 3% of the time. I love it here, I love the people, and I love my position. I am so blessed to be at this camp, actually getting paid. Anyways, something really awesome happened today. I had been praying for a long time running preparing to come here that God would do a work in me that needs to be done. Whatever it is, whatever He see's fit. Well, today one of the male staff (year round workers) pulled me aside and told me about some things that he saw in me that should not continue. They were not anything HUGE or nasty, but things that would build me up, and do good for the main goal here, which is allowing kids to see and experience Christ in all things camp. It was so cool how it happened too. I really respect him for doing it, he approached me and spoke to me firmly but out of love with good motives. It was all true too, and I was so glad it went down the way it did.

P.S. I have a mustache now, and will probably keep it through the summer.