I've Reached a New Level...

I have reached a new level of ‘nerd’… I googled myself.

Have you ever tried "googling" yourself?  What was initially a simple and innocent curiosity for what I could possibly find when I typed in ‘Beth Cavender’, turned into a deep fascination in the world wide web’s ability to track me down.  Kind of creepy, really… 

I did find a few interesting things: I found my facebook (of course), the twitter address (I am never on), me on my sorority website, a blog comment to one of my Dad's posts, and a little article form the Creightonian (the Creighton Newspaper) about the Wing Fling event I planned in March 2008 for Gamma Phi (I am even quoted… with a picture! OOH!). 

Things like this make me incredibly happy that I am NOT famous.  I mean, do you ever wonder if celebrities google themselves? I probably would at first, but then I would probably later become extremely self-conscious.  I almost feel bad for celebrities in this way.  Details about their lives, their relationships, and pictures of them infest the internet.  No privacy.  I mean, I am a normal girl, average at core, and I am even able to be googled.  Weird. 

Well, if you are interested, just try it.  Maybe you will find something you never even knew was available for the world to see!

(If you wanna see my "AMAZING" appearance in the Creightonian, here you go... for all your viewing pleasure ;) --> Wing Fling Review in the Creightonian)

"I'm Beth and I'm a senior double majoring in studio art and secondary education."

Yesterday was my first day of 16th grade... Senior year of college. WHAT?! Yeah, I know. I can't believe it-- I'm at the top of the educational food chain! [Too bad I look like a freshman...]

There are always a couple things that I love about starting a new school year:

1. Introductions in classes (Read the title to this post).  I love introducing myself to my classes.  Not that I want everyone to know who I am or what I do, but, occasionally, I will add in a couple of random details that are completely irrelevant... just for fun.  Like in EDU 583 (Class Management) yesterday, after giving my little introduction, I said, "...and I prefer to work in acrylic and charcoal."  Or this morning in life drawing, I said, "... and I could probably draw Keefer and Michelle (the male and female models) by memory."  Even tonight in my computer illustration class I mentioned "... and my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving."  I am not expecting a specific reaction out of people, but I often get confused looks from people I have never met.  They are probably thinking, "Wow, that was COMPLETELY irrelevant."  I know it is, but so is making an entire class go around the room to introduce one another like we are in high school... so, why not simply embellish the irrelevance?  That's my theory. And honestly, I am not going to remember half their names anyways...

2. NEW FRESHMAN! Everyone remembers being a freshman in college.  You remember picking out new clothes, new shoes, and a new backpack before the BIG DAY.  You remember keeping your student ID handy at all times.  You remember those delicious (gag me) dining halls and having to occasionally sit with complete strangers (or by yourself).  You remember those welcome week activities that you dreaded going to (or skipped in most instances).  I am a REALLY great freshman spotter.  Today, I was on the mall, the long walkway across campus, talking with friends (see #3), and I could just spot the freshman right off the bat.  Clue #1: They ALWAYS have their keys/ID/Creighton lanyard.  Whether around their neck, in their pocket, or attached to their keys, this distinctly freshman trend is always in sight.  One of my friends in Pi Kappa Alpha even told me that a couple girls came over to the house wearing theirs lanyards around their neck.  THEY WORE THEM TO A PARTY?! I am so glad he confronted them and told them doing that was a no-no.  Clue #2: They never walk alone.  They typically walk in groups of 2 or 3.  People who have been on campus more than a year know where they are going and they don't fear walking to class alone.  But freshman? They need a pack.  They need SOMEONE there... even if it's their annoying roommate.  Clue #3: The girls dress up for class.  It's college. Class is early. NO ONE CARES WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE.  Girls feel the need to impress people in their classes, but really, it is unnecessary.  Isn't it uncomfortable sitting in those boring cores in nice clothes? And, to be honest, who do have to impress?  Have you SEEN the majority of Creighton boys? Yeah... Clue #4: They take FOREVER in the student center.  They aren't used to using ID cards and being efficient in the world of Java Jay and Skutt.  They take their sweet time.  Well little freshman, while you are taking 20 minutes deciding on the kind of latte you want to order, all I want to do is punch you in the back of the head (sorry I am so violent...)  Even though freshman are easy to sopt and ridiculously predictable, I love spotting them and reminiscing the days of my lanyard carrying, group walking, nice clothes wearing, slowness on Creighton's campus.

3. Seeing people on the mall.  I love congregating outside Skutt and talking with friends and acquaintances about the summer.  Even if I don't know a person well, everyone has an interesting story to tell about their days in the sun.  Not to mention, I got to see a buttload of my sorority sisters on campus today and it was AMAZING.  

I am not a big school person, but I love being on campus and starting off a fresh, new year.  I love not having hours of studying to do (YET) and seeing people I haven't in a long time... or ever, in that fact!  I love being the oldest on campus.  It makes me appreciate college more and reminds me just how much I have loved my time at school.  All I can say is that this is going to be a GREAT year. Watch out, Creighton.

You are WRONG, Richard Sanderson! WRONG!

Has anyone seen the movie, La Boum? It's a really old (and really awful) French movie that I was forced to watch during my high school years in French class with Mr. Neumark.  Well, the theme song of the movie is called "Dreams Are My Reality" by this Richard Sanderson guy.  Are dreams really my reality, Rich? Are they? Well, if they are, then my reality and my life is so beyond twisted...

I normally don't remember my dreams. I have the occasional reoccurring dream, but I seldom recall dreams vividly once I wake up.  Well, the past four nights have been exceptions to this past trend of not remembering my "realities."  Here are the past four dreams I have had over the past four nights... Let me know your thoughts... because honestly, especially based on these dreams, my thoughts are not really reliable at the current moment...

Dream One:  I am sitting in my loft, on my couch, and my doorbell rings (I don't even HAVE a doorbell at my apartment...).  I open the door, and standing right in front of me is Leonardo DiCaprio (Ooh, baby), Johnny Depp, and Quentin Tarantino.  We greet each other as if we had been friends for years.  We sit down at the dining room table and make small talk about my home decorating abilities.  I distinctly remember Johnny saying, "Wow, your color schemes are so vibrant!" Well, after this, I serve them dinner.  While eating dinner, we talk about art, their new movies coming out, wine, literature, and then they ask me to write down the dinner recipe.  We just chill out for awhile, say goodbye, and they leave.  So, I had a nonchalant dinner with three amazingly talented celebrities... no big deal.  But this is definitely not a reality, because honestly, if Leo really showed up at my door, I wouldn't have just given him a friendly greeting. I would have proposed and he would have needed a restraining order against me. Just kidding... no, but really.

Dream Two: I was at some mega church, standing in the atrium, crying. No, more like wailing.  I was crying because I was the only person out of all my friends who wasn't married or in a serious relationship.  Well, after the tears stopped streaming down my face, I walked into the church sanctuary, where, of course, a friend was getting married.  I sat down next to one of my guy friends (I am not going to reveal who this is for the sake of saving great embarrassment on both of our parts) at the wedding and I pulled out a gigantic cosmetic case and starting to reapply my makeup in the middle of the wedding.  Like, this cosmetic case was the size of a dufflebag and I even brought a huge light up mirror I could use.  But anyways, I was putting on purple false eyelashes to match my dress (EW), and my guy friend - We'll call him Brad- looked over and told me that my eyes were ridiculously puffy.  I started bawling again and my eylashes fell off.  Thanks, Brad.  He felt bad and asked what was wrong. I spilled my heart out to him... mind you that the wedding is STILL going on.  He felt really bad for me and told me that he was planning on proposing to his girlfriend at the reception, but how this whole thing with me was more important.  He proposed to me, right then and there. HUGE ROCK... but I basically got a pity proposal. So the next day, him and I got married.  But because we were friends, I refused to kiss him... so when the pastor said "You may kiss the bride", we pounded each other's fists... exploding knucks included. After this, we went on our honey moon... and naturally slept in separate rooms.  The next night, we went on a walk up and down these enormous sand dunes.  Brad reached the top of the biggest sand dune, but I was only half way up.  He pulled a rope out of his pant pocket and threw it to me so that he could pull me up.  When I almost reached the top, I felt a pull from behind me and started falling down the sand dune.  I looked at the bottom and there were five people dressed up in animal costumes (One as a dinosaur, one as a frog, one as a monkey, one as a tapir, and one as a sloth) pulling me down the sand dune with ropes.  I fell all the way to the bottom and they surrounded me.  End of dream.  Thanks for leaving me to fend for myself against the creepy animal people, Brad.

Dream Three:  I was in the middle of the woods at some random campsite with a bunch of friends from high school.  I am pacing around the woods, freaking out.  I am sweating profusely and every limb in my body was shaking.  I look down at my stomach and realize that I am pregnant... VERY pregnant (this is obviously NOT a reality... don't freak out, parents!). I started thinking of ways I was going to tell my parents.  I just kept telling myself, "I don't know, it just happened!" over and over and over again.  I was annoying myself.  My friends kept telling me, "Beth, it's really not a big deal... so what? You're pregnant. Get over it." I got super mad, punched a tree, and broke it in half (OBVIOUSLY this is not reality either... because everyone knows my lack of upper body strength).  The funny thing was, after I did this, I kept thinking of all the things I might get kicked out of BECAUSE I was pregnant.  I kept worrying about how my parents and sisters were going to kick me out of the family.  I also worried about how I would have to stay in school even longer because the baby was due during my student teaching time and, as a student teacher, I wouldn't receive maternity leave, therefore postponing the expected student teaching date.  I also remember spazing about being kicked out of youth group.  I had a vision of Alex Hall (the youth pastor at Stonebridge) coming up to me shaking his finger, telling me I was the worst example of a Christian woman because I was pregnant out of wedlock, and banning me from both D-group and youth group.  After my nervous breakdown, my belly grew bigger.  I went inside our cabin and my friend Katie Rose helped me look up "Baby Transplants" on the internet.  Apparently, I wanted to see if someone else would want my baby and I could just surgically remove him/her from my uterus and give it to the desperate woman... and that... doesn't work... End of dream.

Dream Four:  I am walking around Creighton's campus, and of course, there is construction.  I look down the street and see construction workers starting to build a new building.  I walk toward them, watching them lay bricks by hand.  I look at them, and very judgmentally tell them that they suck at building.  They all looked at me, all 20 of them, and started swearing at me.  I was by no means offended.  I told them that I could build the new building better than them.  They all laughed at me and kept on building.  I asked them if they wanted to bet on it, and they all said yes.  So, here was the bet:  Whoever could build a better building in 24 hours would win $1,000,000 dollars AND a trophy.  It was me versus 20 trained construction workers.  Well, we tell the school newspaper about this little competition and the entire school comes to watch.  So, both sides have all the necessary materials and Billy the BlueJay, our school mascot, blows an air horn and tells us to start.  We start building like mad people.  I, naturally, finish the entire building, inside and out, in 17 hours.  The construction workers didn't even finish the outside in that amount of time.  And not to brag or anything, but my building was gorgeous and theirs was u-g-l-y.  I won the million dollars AND got a gigantic trophy.  I put it on display in my apartment above my kitchen cabinets.  They even dedicated the building to me... BUT they didn't name it after me, so I was a little upset about that.  But, I was promised that the next building the University was planning on putting up WOULD be named after me.  I was ecstatic until I later found out that the next building they were planning on building was a new dining hall... how fitting... is that a fat joke!? The strange thing is, I don't know what happened to the building that the construction workers built.  After the dedication service for the one I built, theirs just wasn't there... MAGIC.

... So, those were my dreams... I don't know what is going on in my head before I fall asleep each night, but I can say that I certainly hope that dreams are NOT my reality.  You better be wrong, Richard Sanderson.  

Creighton Greek System: Prepare to get ROCKED.

Background Info: I am a part of a Missional Community (MC) at Coram Deo, an Acts 29 church here in Omaha.  The church developed MC's for the purpose of church attendants joining and as a result, growing to understand more about the Gospel, strengthening (or developing) their relationship with God, and preparing us to live and share the Gospel with our city.  MC's are not Bible studies or support groups, but families of people that deeply desire to live for the Kingdom.  The goal is to challenge and encourage one another in our understanding of prayer, scripture, spiritual iniquity, and in sharing the Gospel while keeping HIM at the center of it all.  

Yesterday was my first day with our complete MC and it was so great.  God spoke to a lot of us in that room.  There is too much to share on here (so ask me in person if you would like to know), but there is one thing that still stands out to me.  I can't do anything but PRAISE HIM for this. Here it goes:

So, Lindsey and Tyler Zach, the leaders of our MC, work at UNO (University of Nebraska, Omaha) for Campus Crusade.  Their primary outreach on campus is toward those in the Greek system.  Well, on Creighton's campus, we don't have Cru.  And besides one sorority's faith-sharing group, we have no type of Bible study or Christ-centered group for Greeks.  Tyler stopped us at the beginning of MC to give thanks and praise to God.  For what, you may ask? For bringing three Creighton Greeks to MC. Carolyn Wanberg, Kristine Howard, and myself (all in Gamma Phi Beta).  He told us that he had been praying for years that God would move on Creighton's campus, especially within the Greek system.  I stopped and thought about it, right then and there, and I was deeply moved by our Heavenly Father.  Almost to a point of tears. I know that is cheesy, but seriously, it was way cool.  I wasn't just happy because I was a part of this, but I was moved because HE answers prayers and moves in beautifully spectacular ways. 

SLIGHT TANGENT: For those of you that don't know, I have spent the past 3 years of my college experience wondering why I am in Omaha, Nebraska.  Don't get me wrong, I love it here and I love Creighton.  If I had to go back and do it again, I would make the same choice.  But, I have been questioning why exactly God wanted me here.  What plans did he have for me? Well, after 3 years and realizing I was asking the wrong question, I think I finally know.  Instead of asking, "why am I here?", I should have been asking, "where do you want me to serve?" God has not only given me amazing opportunities for Ministry at Stonebridge Christian Church working with the junior high and high school students, but now, He has opened up Ministry opportunities at Creighton.  Before college, I never would have thought I would join a sorority.  After spontaneously deciding to go through Rush/Recruitment, I fell in love.  I loved the women.  I loved their fun and goofy nature.  I loved how strong and involved they all were.  I loved their concern for the well-being of all their sisters.  I wanted to be involved in a strong community and I found a family [away from home] in Gamma Phi Beta.  God moved me during recruitment; I knew that I wasn't just doing this to be in the "in" crowd, but I truly felt that God was softening my heart for the Greek system: groups of men and women I had judged and stereotyped for as long as I could remember.  

After MC, Tyler briefly talked to Carolyn and I about the "next step" on Creighton's campus and with the Greeks.  He asked us what we wanted to do.  A Bible study? If so, with just Gamma Phi or with all the sororities? Or, should we pair up with a fraternity or do something that reaches to all the Greek houses? I seriously couldn't think straight.  I almost cried. Again (yeah, I have been super emotional lately).  I just kept saying, "Yes", "Yeah", "Let's do it", "Anything".  We didn't set up any specific plans, but it was so cool to get a few ideas out in the air.

After three years of prayer and countless thoughts of, "What am I doing?", "God, where do you want me to serve?", "What do you have in store for me?", He is revealing to me the vitality of not only serving and using my gifts at church and doing ministry there, but also serving to the culture.  Serving, loving, and proclaiming to those who do not believe and to those who may not have ever heard of Jesus Christ and His love for us.  I told you a couple posts ago about how hesitant I can be when it comes to sharing my faith to those who may judge me.  But after hearing Tyler talk about his prayers for Creighton Greeks, after discussing ideas with him and Carolyn, after thinking about this INCREDIBLE ministry opportunity that God has clearly put in front of us, I am excited.  I cannot wait to go back to school and help get this started.  I can't wait to tell my sorority sisters about this Bible study/group. With Carolyn and I being seniors, Carolyn being the Gamma Phi Beta representative on the Panhellenic Council (This is the sorority governing body), and me not currently having a very prominent position in the sorority at the moment, it opens up a lot of doors for this to really work.  I know that nothing is set in stone and that God doesn't guarantee for this to be a hit with the Greeks, but it is completely worth the try.  I truly see God working in this.  He is behind it all.  Carolyn, Kristine, Tyler, and I are minor details in HIS Divine plan. 

Pray for open minds and open doors into this ministry.  Pray that we all keep GOD at the center and at the focus.  This is not something that should point to our glory or goodness, because we are undeserving of any praise.  Pray that God would use us as effective leaders and that we would remain positive and persistent in the development of Creighton Greek unity and this Christ-centered group.

State Fair Galore

Here's a little game for you: What is the best place to people watch, eat fried ANYTHING without feeling self-conscious, see people and things completely made out of butter, and watch farm animals and farm equipment be showed? 

Answer: The Iowa State Fair.

I not only went to this epic summer event one day last summer, but I was able to go AGAIN the other day.  It's so fun. And hilarious.  Just walking around, watching people, eating, looking at the world's largest cattle, and spending some quality time with friends makes my heart skip a little.  It is such a different culture than I am used to. I mean, c'mon, I am from suburban Chicagoland.  The closest I really ever come to farm animals is when I eat them (mmm. Tasty.).  

I think because I am so rural-illiterate, that is why I like state fairs so much.  I am used to calorie-counting, image-conscious, germaphobic, multitasking people and environments, not such laid back, "let's look at 50 different types of garden hoes" types of communities.  It's quite refreshing.  Especially with school starting next week, it was fun debating what I wanted on my corn dog rather than discussing my school schedule.

Yes, some may say state fairs are the breeding grounds for white trash and diabetes (and maybe even swine flu...), but I like physically and mentally escaping into this world every so often. 

It also fills my quota of 'People Watching' for an entire year. Thanks Iowa!

I'm Messy. REALLY Messy.

This summer has been a time away from school and class, but has definitely not been a time away from learning.  God has been stretching me a lot this summer.  He has been teaching me more than I imagined; teaching me about myself, my faith, other people, and most of all, he has been teaching me more about His character and His Word.  

My perspective of the Gospel was, to say the least, shallow.  I understood that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, down to Earth to die for our sins so that we could one day live in Heaven with Him for Eternity.  I learned this as soon as I started attending Sunday School when I was 6.  Beyond the basic answer to What is The Gospel?, what more have I truly learned and experienced?  

The Gospel, as addressed in Colossians 1, is the Word of Truth.  It is vital to experience and express the Gospel through the way we live and serve, but I forget all too often that the Gospel, as THE WORD OF TRUTH, needs to be proclaimed.  Even though I am a decently outgoing individual, I get nervous sharing my faith.  I get too self-conscious and become afraid of what others will think of me or say behind my back.  People already think I am crazy enough, let's just add "Religious Freak" to the list.  I don't hesitate sharing to those at youth group or Bible study, but it is when I am with my close friends who are unbelievers or my sorority sisters that I often leave Christ in the back seat to my selfishness, my pride, and my reputation.  Dumb, and I know it. This is one of my MAJOR goals for the year: To not only live the Gospel and live in ways that exemplify the Kingdom and glorify the One who saved us, but to also proclaim my faith and be shameless in doing so.  

Something else I have learned, also from Colossians 1, is that the Gospel awakens us to the hope that then awakens us to faith and love.  Hope in a future life and in the Lord, not in the reality of other things that consume our little, personal worlds.  Hope that God:

1. Is good by nature 

2. Created a good world in his likeness that was later corrupted and tarnished by Sin

3. Sent His Son, a restorer, to reconcile us with Him by dying on the cross for our sins

4. Is the deliverer that can and WILL dramatically change our world and culture when Jesus Christ comes again

It's easy to blame the declining economy, failed relationships, corrupt governments, and genocide for the world's decline.  It's sometimes easy to think of what we can do to help make the world a better place.  It's easy to say, "If only...".  IF ONLY people would adopt.  IF ONLY that President was out of Office.  IF ONLY I got along with my parents.  IF ONLY I got this speaker to come to my school. We are human. WE cannot fix anything by ourselves.  Yes, we can do a lot to serve others and offer the gifts God gave us to the world.  We can be Kingdom workers.  But when we only depend upon these social and moral solutions for fixing the problems of the world, that is where we are confused as believers.  Our world is profoundly evil and profoundly in need of a Deliverer.  We need to truly believe that Jesus Christ is our HOPE and that he can redeem what we as humans cannot. We can promote change and proclaim, but in the end, it is GOD that WILL prevail.  God's power trumps.  Everything. Every time. 

How I think and view God has also been something I have learned a lot about.  I understood and firmly believed in the fact that God is a personal, loving, gentle, and just God and that He will always be this way and always has been this way.  This thinking debilitates the essence of God.  I was categorizing Him into personal understanding of love and intimacy rather than confiding in the fact that God IS love.  He IS justice.  He IS gentleness.  The human usage of these adjectives are only small slivers and representatives of the Creator who embodies all of these things in complete perfection.  It is impossible for me, as a broken being, to fully comprehend His character. However, since the moment I dedicated my life to serving Him and living to enhance the Kingdom when I was a freshman in high school, God has been revealing Himself to me.  I have seen unaccountable examples of His power before my eyes-- moments that I could never put into words that would give Him the glory.  I love the fact that God can make very blind and broken people, like me, see those fragments of His Essence.  It not only reassures me of His beauty and perfection, but most of all, His desire for a relationship with each and every one of us.  The Creator of the Universe, perfect beyond explanation, wants a relationship with me? Score. Why wouldn't I want that?

I underestimate God.  I don't always truthfully confide in the fact that He is mighty and perfect.  So, "logically" (insert sarcasm) I depend on myself more than I do in Him.  I don't always proclaim the Gospel the way I should.  I don't always embrace His essence in the ways He deserves.  But I am learning.  I am trying to honestly open my heart and mind to His Word and His voice so that I will continually be challenged.  I know I am messy and I am trying to address this every single day.  I want to confront and deal with the Sin in my life, because I want to move forward.  I'm messy and that's okay... the moment I no longer recognize my brokenness is the moment I deny God's innate Goodness... THAT'S when I'll be in real trouble...

Keep on learning and opening yourself to the Word of God. To the Truth and to the Hope.

My Life According to Anberlin

So, I know these things are kind of dorky and lame... but you know what? I'm kind of dorky and lame and I find a strange enjoyment out of doing them. So there.

Using only the song names of one artist, I answered the questions below.  I didn't repeat a song title, and it was definitely harder than I thought it would be... Enjoy: My Life According to Anberlin.

Artist: Anberlin

Are you a male or a female?: Audrey, Start the Revolution!

Describe yourself: The Undeveloped Story

How do you feel?: The Feel Good Drag

Describe where you currently live: Hello Alone

If you could go anywhere, where would you go?: Adelaide

Your favorite form of transportation: Autobahn

Your best friend is: Cadence

You and your best friends are: The Runaways

What's the weather like?: The Symphony of Blase

If your life was a TV show, what would it be called?: A Heavy Hearted Work Of Staggering Genius

What is life to you?: A Whisper and A Clamor

Your relationship: Fin

 

Your fear: Time & Confusion

What is the best advice you have to give?: Change the World (Lost Ones)

Thought for the day: There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

How would you like to die?: Godspeed

My soul's present condition: Dismantle Repair

My motto: Uncanny

Yikes.

To those that still check up on my blog: I apologize for my lack of updating! Going into senior year, one of my goals is to regularly update this, no matter how substantial or random the material... just hang with me :)

I have spent this entire summer in Omaha.  At first, it was really strange not being home.  In May, I took two 3-week summer school classes.  The first was a philosophy class called God and Persons.  This is a required class for the Arts and Sciences department, and to be honest, I was dreading it. Class was from 9-12 everyday during the week, but it went by a lot faster (and a lot better) than I anticipated.  We read two books every week- I suggest Augustine's Confessions and John Kavanaugh's Follwing Christ in a Consumer Society if you are interested in a couple good reads.  It was challenging, with two papers and a test every week as well, but it definitely made me think a lot more about God's presence in my life and how my faith plays a role in my daily habits.  The other class was a Native American History class from 6-9 pm every week day.  This was a really interesting class.  It pushed us to think less about the straight historical facts, but pushed us to think about causes and effects and how certain situations and movements impacted the American Indians.  This class made me realize how little I truly knew about our own nation's history.  We had writing assignments due every day and a huge paper due every week, but despite the demanding nature, I learned a lot.  It was hard being in class for 6 hours a day (and being on campus for 12 hours a day) but I loved getting 6 credits out of the way in 3-weeks. AWESOME.

Besides taking classes, I have spent my summer looking for a job, working with the junior high and high school youth group at church, and... well... hanging out I guess. 

It took me a long time to find a job... I turned in a TON of applications to a bunch of different places like art galleries, restaurants, and stores.  I eventually got hired to work at a women's boutique called Nouvelle Eve and have so far liked it.  It's a job and it pays the bills, that's the important thing. 

Helping out with the junior high and high school youth groups have definitely been the highlights of my summer.  I love those kids more than I can put into words.  They are goofy, hyper, and out of their minds... and it's great.  I love bouncing around with them and getting to know them.  Not only are they fun, but they have amazing hearts.  I am guilty of underestimating them because they are young and crazy, but the more time I have spent with them, the more I have seen their hearts open up and the more I have seen God work in them.  I went on two different camp trips with the kids.  We went to Camp Como in Colorado with our junior high kids and CIY:Move, a church conference in Boliver, Missouri with the high schoolers.  Both trips were INCREDIBLE.  I would not have traded those trips in for anything.  I truly believe that this is the reason God wanted me to be in Omaha this summer.  I saw the LORD work in miraculous ways.  31 out of the 32 junior high kids either rededicated their lives to Christ, accepted Him for the first time, or decided to get baptized. I was honored when one of the girls on the trip asked me and a fellow girl leader to baptize her.  Some of the high schoolers decided to go into ministry, attend Bible colleges, and some also rededicated their lives for the Kingdom.  God has not only revealed Himself in amazing way to those kids, but He has continued to show Himself to me in ways I didn't expect.  I am forever changed, and forever thankful.

As for just being in Omaha for the summer, it has been AWESOME. It went by so fast and I can't believe I am going to be a senior in college.  I have loved going to random free concerts around the city, trying all sorts of new restaurants, laying out in the beautiful weather, and just being with people I love and care about.  If only my family and a few of my friends from home had been here this summer, it would have been a perfect summer.