It's days like yesterday...

When I’m reminded how great my God is and how much He cares about me, down to the smallest details. Took a personal self care day and it ended up being filled with so many little blessings that it was impossible not to see His hand at work and His impeccable timing. To top it all off? Ran into the one person I needed to see most…one of my best friends and roommate from last semester, Taylor…the absolute last person I should’ve randomly seen. To what started as a hard day…ended with so much joy. PTL.


I may have seemed to drop off the face of the planet...but...alas! I am not! I am still alive and well! Well...kind of. Despite my left arm now in a lovely new...arm sling! gross. 


Today is our first day of program camp...aka we run our own camp instead of hosting guest groups for the rest of summer! I'm so stoked to actually be involved with the campers and to be able to attend chapel! It's hard to believe I only have 2 weeks left here and then head down to APU for RA training...where the freak did this summer go?!?!?


All in all...I have been growing A LOT. This has been such a hard and challenging summer...not one of my favorites for sure. However...It has been filled with a lot of soul searching, lessons, and personal growth as well. I know I went through this summer for a reason...maybe simply to be able to relate to someone in the future...(perhaps one of the girls on my hall!) to share my story and struggles. I am so stoked for this fall it is UNBELIEVABLE. But...I am a firm believer in being where I'm at...so I'm going to try to continue to focus on the camp life by being poured into and pouring out into the lives of junior highers for the next 2 weeks. (Lord help me) 


As always...letters are so so so appreciated. I have received so many from my High Sierra family...it's so wonderful and so encouraging. 


Until next time...muah. 

Life of an Event Staffer June 28, 2012

Some of you may be wondering...what exactly am I doing this summer? Well...let me just tell you.

My official position is "Events Staff." Each day I meet with my team out at the High Ropes course (there are 9 of us...plus our boss, Jason) at 8 am and we all do a devotional together. It's nice that not only is this a summer job for us...but a place where we are being ministered to as well. After, we all split up and usually perform different jobs...sometimes cleaning boats, sometimes planning games for our program camp coming up soon, before now we trained at high ropes (but now we're all official!), sometimes organizing certain areas, painting our equipment room, etc. Then it is lunch time and after lunch time we run our "events." We rotate throughout the week so somedays I am renting out bikes and signing people up for adventure recreation out of the equipment room, other days I am helping kids in and out of canoes and paddle boats on our pond, other days I set up and run paintball (I hate being referee...always the chance of getting shot and it HURTS), other days I run our 20 foot high rock wall we call Rocky (clever...I know), and finally other days I am running High Ropes (my absolute favorite!) After work (we usually get off around 5) it's dinner time...I usually go on a run and then either hang out or run into town (the only place where I get cell service and good internet) to run errands or to just steal Starbucks wifi...well it's not really stealing when I get iced tea every time! hehe. Many of these trips into town are by myself...it's nice to get away...but usually once or twice a week I come in with coworkers and we all go out to dinner or get ice cream (any chance we get to escape camp food...we jump on it!) On Saturday mornings everyone who works here all help "turn around" the camp...aka deep clean it for our next group to come in. I get 24 hours off a week at least...from Saturday at noon till usually Sunday at 2. Hopefully at least one weekend we can get a little more time off!

Tomorrow I run High Ropes and I'm stoked! It's kind've sketchy because each kid, as well of myself, are responsible for clipping ourselves onto each element (attached to nothing on the ground) It took a while to get used to hanging out 40 feet in the air on wobbly elements and then zipping down the zip line...but I am confident in my ability to run it and while I sometimes still feel nervous...I am definitely not scared anymore! Especially when in my training I had to free climb up the trees clipping myself in the whole way instead of being belayed, had to hang upside down in my harness, and then to top it all off...had to hook myself into the zip line and send myself down...after double checking each carabiner 20 times...I was finally able to send myself down. You learn to be extra careful real quick when you put your own life in your hands. haha.

So yup...that's my life right now. Pictures soon to come!

Also...I write a lot of letters...if you would like one...send me your address! Or...write me a letter and I'll write back...promise!

McKenna Bennett-CSP
Sugar Pine Christian Camps
48478 Mill Canyon Road
Oakhurst, CA 93644

Summer at Sugar Pine June 27, 2012

Let's get real honest. The past few weeks here at Sugar Pine have been some of the hardest in my life for various reasons that I need not go into too much detail about. However...I feel very alone. Again for many reasons...some being that it's hard being here where no one really knows me. Now, don't get me wrong I have met some great people and we can laugh and have a good time together...but there is just no depth. Knowing that we are going to be together for only a few months and seeing as how almost everyone here goes home every weekend since they live pretty close ( I was literally the only one in our entire cabin on Saturday night) it's easy to say that it is going to be a pretty lonely summer. Thank the Lord I have some friends from High Sierra that live right down the road that I get to see every once in a while...but our schedules keep us pretty busy so we don't get to hang out too often.

All this to say that I know the Lord is going to use this summer for growth. A dear friend told me "I don't think you would be getting attacked if you weren't going to grow this summer." After thinking about that a lot...I realized it was spot on. The Lord knows I'm going to grow...but so does the Enemy...and I believe he has thrown everything he can at me to distract me from what the Lord wants to teach me on purpose. Doubts, fears, insecurities, and thoughts that I have not felt or thought in a long time seem to lurk around in my mind. I feel alone and lonely most of the time. I carry a heavy heart, while I so desperately do not want to. I question why I am here without anyone who really knows me. I long for someone I can actually tell what is really going on in my life. I am a mess. I am broken. I am hurt.

Now...I'm not saying all this to whine and complain. I'm just being real. I think the Lord has stripped me of comfort this summer...whether that be the absence of some friendships, being separated from people I love, a lack of familiar faces, or a lack of a sense of belonging...I know it is all for the purpose to learn what it really means to depend on the Lord. Now...I have always liked to think that I always have done this...but I don't think I ever really had to. I think that the Lord is trying to say, "Hey, McKenna...when you have nothing and no one...or feel like you don't...you always have Me. Come to Me, my weary child, and rest in Me. Find comfort in me. Find strength in me. Find hope in me. Trust in me for your future. Look to Me for self confidence. Talk to Me, tell Me everything that is on your heart. Run into My arms in the face of rejection. Let your tears fall in My hands and cry to Me. See My face in the creation all around you, that you are blessed to work in everyday. Learn to be dependent on Me.

The other day us event staff girls were painting a mural on our equipment room wall. Now...I am no artist...but I still helped nonetheless. As I was painting...I noticed that in order to make our mural look good...we had to intentionally create imperfections. A non-straight line here, a rough edge here, a smudge here...you get the idea. I couldn't help think of how, in life, beauty comes out of imperfections. How appropriate when looking at ourselves. We would not be who we are without our mistakes and imperfections and challenges. We would be boring...living lives of monotony. However...we, through imperfections and challenges, experience trial and error, adventure, character, depth, but most of all, beauty. I hope that out of this challenging summer...I can produce growth and beauty in my life...especially in preparation to be a freshmen RA this fall.

 Sorry for all the word vomit...this is what is going on...and this is what is on my heart. I know I am here for growth...and I do not think growth can happen without challenges.

 Next post will be much lighter I will tell you all about my job and the adventures I have been having!

Hi! I'm backkkkk. June 27, 2012

So my dear Uncle Bruce (aka my best friend, Rachel's dad) convinced me to blog about my experience here this summer at Sugar Pine. Unfortunately I have not had the resources nor the time to...however...I now have my laptop (thanks parentals!) and am very able to do so! I decided to keep going on this blog, from my semester at High Sierra, since I am still in this area and creating a whole new blog would be silly...and let's be real...I couldn't keep track of another blog...as you can see...I'm bad enough with this one...seeing how I never completed my blog on my High Sierra experience....However...I just found this on my laptop. I wrote it as soon as I was back in Arizona for the 3 short weeks before I came here: Hopefully this wraps up my experience in a nut shell...I want to add so much to it...but that will have to come at a later time.

High Sierra

            It’s hard to put into precise words…my four months…a semester…spent “abroad” at this place called High Sierra. I had no idea what to expect…just thought I was keeping the doors opened…never thought I would follow through on actually going. Even when I was accepted…it felt as if just a throw away plan. Something to apply to, and not go, no matter if I got in or not. Then I applied for the leadership team, why not? I was so encouraged to do so…that I jut did. And. Then…I got the position of community mentor…what.is.happening? I remember thinking. This position locks me into this semester. After debating over a few days, weighing the pros and cons, I decided to just do it. Time was running out…and a semester away would hopefully clear my head…and also escape from the many decisions I could put off until the fall. This is the first time I think I have actually took a leap of faith. To put all my trust in the Lord, because I literally did not know what to expect. Every other pretty major decision in my life I have played a large role in. Sure I “trusted in” the Lord, but I was never really required to really step that much out of my comfort zone…most of my decisions lined up with what I wanted or desired anyway. Not this time. I felt as if I literally took a step into complete darkness…not knowing what to expect, what to think, what the heck I was getting myself into. Me and the wilderness? Now there’s a joke if I had ever heard one. This nineteen year old girl, this pink loving, Disneyland loving, girly girl headed up into the mountains? Ha, God…funny one.

            Then the fateful morning came. I flew into Fresno on the tiniest plane imaginable, drove with my great friend Bianca, and arrived on campus. I do not know how to explain what came over me the minute I stepped out of the car other than the peace of God. This surreal peace that just came over me, the kind that can only come despite stress and chaos, and I knew in that exact moment, that this is where I was supposed to be. This was now home. It sounds cliché, dumb, weird to say this is what I immediately felt. But it’s the truth. Every doubt was literally wiped from my mind and I was ready to immerse myself in this adventure. I was ready for challenge, I was ready to face fears, I was ready to make friends that would turn into family that would last a lifetime. This was huge for me…this peace and realization that this is where I was supposed to be after doubting for so long…helped me to place all expectations aside, and simply let the Lord move and work over the next four months.

            These past four months…I have had many firsts: wakeboarding, backpacking, shooting, seeing Yosemite, seeing a bear, real rock climbing, facing my fear of heights, leading a hall of girls, swimming in a waterfall and so many more. People ask me to describe my semester and while it so so so hard I always tell the same two things that I believe impacted me the most: Self-confidence and learning what it really means to love.

            This semester taught me a whole new level of self-confidence that I have never felt before. Ever. I felt free to be myself, no matter how much I was made fun of (which was A LOT…all out of love of course), I felt free to speak my mind, free to be my crazy, goofy self, nothing held back. As a hall, our theme was (re)defined. I led it, but I guess what they say about learning more when you’re the teacher is spot on…even though I was “teaching” I think I ended up learning more than I ever expected anyone else to. I learned to be comfortable in my own skin…so much so…that I stopped wearing makeup. Now, this may seem a trivial little fact…but for me, it isn’t. Growing up in the dancing world, I have been taught how to wear make up since I was five years old. I hadn’t gone consecutive days without wearing at least cover up since seventh grade. Sure, it started out slow…certain days I would not wear any…and still feel so ugly…but bear with it through the day. But every week I would try and go longer and longer without it…until finally…the day where I just quit wearing it all together, every single day. Not only that, but I felt comfortable not doing so. High Sierra has taught me how to be real…in every aspect of life…and if I hold on to not even being real in my appearance…how can I expect to be real anywhere else? Not that I see makeup now as a Satan-created evil…it can still be fun and useful for fancy events! But it is no longer my crutch.  I do not need it to define me. Although not using makeup is just one factor in my new found confidence…I believe it is a good symbol of it. I no longer need things or people of this world to define who, I, McKenna Lynn Bennett, am. I am a beloved daughter of the most high King, on this Earth to serve Him by serving and loving others. I have been bought and paid for the price of my Savior dying, and through Him alone I live my life as a bondservant. I could go on and on about this confidence and finally finding my identity…but I think I’ve made it pretty clear. While of course I will still struggle some days, I know that this finding of myself will last forever, and will help me to continue to grow in my confidence in who I am in the Lord.

            This semester I also learned how to love. I have never in my entire life grown so close to people in such a short amount of time. Somehow forty plus strangers captured my heart and turned into family within four months. How this happened, I will never know, but can only attribute it to the Lord. He brought us together through His love, and as we learned about how He loves us through classes, chapel, and just experiencing Him in our everyday lives, we were able to learn that much more about how to love each other.

            I have returned from this “semester of wonder” as it was coined by one of our professors with new eyes. Eyes for the Lord’s beautiful creation: in nature, and especially in people. I have returned with a newfound excitement and joy for life and all the adventures it has waiting to be taken. I feel vibrant, truly alive, ready to live my life to the fullest in accordance with my Father’s will. I am ready to seek and find truth; all the while exploring this world we have been blessed to live on. I want to keep adventuring, keep exploring, and keep on this quest of learning how to love and to be loved in return.

Excuse me for my long absence...

Let me just tell you the last few weeks/days have been so flipping PACKED! So much to update on...spring break in Mexico, last week, Trek II, and this week! Eek! I promise I will try this weekend!

Mini update: The next few weeks are so incredibly pack full it's insane! finals finals finals, events, events, events. good grief! Let me just tell you this place is not going to be easy to leave. In fact...it's probably going to be one of the toughest things I have ever done.

More to come...stay tuned for an insane amount of pictures, thoughts, and happenings.

Mexicali Here I Come! March 29, 2012

     Woke up early. Life and Teachings. nap. lunch: dino nuggz for the win! pack pack pack...I seriously HATE packing...it is the absolute worst. Tons of people partying it up in our room. Learning guitar from Ian. Driving home to Azusa tonight, staying with Katie Allen, and heading off to Mexicali in the AM! I'm on Team Barnabas...the prayer and encouragement team! So basically we get to work with all the other teams! It should be quite the adventure...camping all week in the heat of Mexico with...no showers. Maybe I'm more prepared this year because of High Sierra and Trek? I can dream...right? Prayers would be very much appreciated this week! I'll hopefully have updates and pictures next Monday when I return to High Sierra! Yay for Spring Break!

Professor for the Day March 28, 2012

    Today was crazy! Student leadership team in the morning...Burns brought us Starbucks coffee and doughnuts...yum! The rest of the morning was spent preparing for the lesson I had to teach today in leadership for my independent study on making decisions (ha!) I put a ton of work into the presentation...and think it went very well! Curious that the people who never sit front and center decided to the day I present...my friends can be oh so cruel! haha Then....it was off to Kingdom Krew! Us college kids were totally in charge today, and Ian, Christy, and I were specifically in charge of the younger ones since the director was gone on vacation. I would say...the kids were insane and it was exhausting...but I think we pulled it off and did an excellent job! Hooray! Jamba run. Dinner. Classics. For some reason I was super dizzy tonight??? So weird. Classics got out early and I've been messing around attempting to get some homework done...but mostly just hanging out with people since tonight is our last night all together for a while...because tomorrow begins our spring break! I will be headed to Mexicali, Mexico on a mission's trip...the same as last year! I'm stoked! Peace out lovahs.

HACKED. March 27, 2012

    Busy busy day! Life and Teachings. Plenary. Lunch. Meet with Rob (I have to teach class tomorrow as part of my independent study...eek!). Homework. Run into town with Burns. Homework. Dinner. Watch Vampire Diaries (you have to have breaks cha know?!) Girl's hall meeting (we combined with the boys and wrote encouraging notes to each other) and then yes...more homework...all night in Burn's house. Ian decided to change my relationship status tonight on facebook while my lap top was sitting in Burn's house...so for those of you that panicked...I am so sorry to disappoint. No...I am NOT in a relationship...and if I was or am going to be....I don't even think I will change it on facebook...what's with this having to be "facebook official" nowadays? DUMB. But anyways....I came back to my phone with about 20 text messages and was so confused as to why people were talking to me (if you know me...I'm not a big texter)...and when I found out why...Ian was a dead man...no fear. Also...there's a beautiful new password locking my computer.

Thrifting Adventure! March 26, 2012

   Today we had no concepts class! So...we decided to go into Oakhurst and have a thrifting adventure! Me, Andrew, Ian, Alex, Danielle, and Michelle all went! So fun and some good finds! I got a sweater! We also went to Jamba Juice...immunity boost for the win! I need to get better! Ate dinner as a small group and Nols shared with us his dating advice! So fun! Then for concepts, we all got together in the meeting hall to watch "No Country For Old Men" because we are reading a book by the same author right now. Let me tell you...this is a super hard movie to watch...so much gore and weirdness. YUCK. NOTAFAN. Homework time and bed!

The Craziest Weekend Here Yet! March 22-25, 2012

This was such an insanely busy weekend...it was ridiculous! Yet so fun! Here's the low down!

Thursday, March 22nd:
     Life and Teachings. Plenary. Nap. Independent study. Exchange of life stories with Ian. Homework...and finally: MIDNIGHT PREMIER OF THE HUNGER GAMES! Let me just tell you this was such a good movie...they did an excellent job of adapting the book! Contrary to popular belief..there are benefits to living in a small mountain town...no huge crowds to get into the theater! (minus a group of high schoolers) We all loved it! A few people here decided to dress up as some of the characters (see picture)...hilarious! We got home at around 2 am and time for bed!

Midnight Premier of Hunger Games! With dressed up characters and all!

Friday, March 23rd:
     Chapel. Lunch. Hanging out. And at night...Trek team reunion! We went to a campsite down the road had a bonfire, s'mores, and IBC root beer (in the glass bottles and all!) It was so fun to be reunited with my team (even though we see each other every day!) I can't wait to go on 2nd Trek with these people...the rumor is that 2nd Trek= Twice as far, twice as hard, and twice as fun? We'll see!

Saturday, March 24th:
    A bunch of people went skiing today...I was supposed to go but woke up feeling oh so sick so I opted out. I spent most of the day in bed and then went outside and read for a good chunk of the day. Ian decided to steal my phone last night and take a bunch of obnoxious pictures and videos on it. So...conveniently he was gone skiing so I stole all the pillows off his bed...so great. However, he decided to get me back upon his return and stole all of my bedding...rude. Tonight we headed to Sky Walk: aka Fresno's indoor trampoline arena! It was so fun! We went from 10pm-midnight and they had laser lights and music playing while we were there. After we were all sweaty and gross...we made a late night run to In and Out...another night not getting home till 2 am...and this time I had to make my bed at 2 in the morning...not fun! [thanks Ian] Such a great night though!

A beautiful spring day here at good 'ole High Sierra!

View from Star Rock where I read today!

Sunday, March 25th:
     Church. After church several families adopted all of us students. We went in groups of 2 to 4 and got to go home with a family and they served us lunch! It was so great having a home cooked meal! I went with Amanda, Drew, and Arielle, and the nicest people had us over! We ate fried chicken, mashed potatoes, veggies, and drank from iced tea in mason jars while listening to their record player (ummm...my life?!) They even had 2 girls who decided to first dress Drew up and then dress us all up! (See pictures!) Upon return to campus I did homework, napped, and then we had a Q&A session with our professors. Here at good old High Sierra we read a lot of tough stuff...tough in the sense of it's sometimes hard to understand...but more tough in that challenging topics are brought up (some examples:  predestination, evolution, mythology in the Bible, etc.) so many of us were feeling discouraged and exhausted of reading all this material that truly challenges your faith. However this impromptu Q&A session was great and we were encouraged to "take up our yolk" and keeping working hard in this time of our lives as students and scholars. Next...we had a community meeting...we talked over some stuff and took communion together...greatness! Time for bed!

At our family's house that adopted house...and dressed up Drew!

Ope...and now we're all dressed up with the 2 girls!

Crazy weekend...AMIRIGHT?!?!

Recap after Recap March 19-21

AHHH LAST WEEK CATCH UP!

Mon. March 19th
Concepts. Small group.

Tues. March 20th
Class, running, me time, Vampire Diaries!

Wed. March 21st
Leadership, Kingdom Krew!, Classics

So brief...but I was sick all week...so nothing too exciting!

Romping around San Francisco! March 16-18, 2012

Sorry for such a long absence! This week has been INSANE and...I'm sick! Boo...So here's last weekend's San Fran trip Recap!

Friday, March 16, 2012
     Head out bright and early! Burns had me wake up all the girls at 5:20am by blasting music through the hall...we played "Tik Tok" by Kesha...let me just say...I'm pretty sure many girls were not too pleased...but everyone made it to the vans on time! Road trip to NASA...we had such a fun van! Exploring NASA and sitting through 2 lectures...then lunch in the parking lot. On the road again to San Francisco...first stop...the Legion of Honor Museum...So much interesting artwork...but definitely not my favorite stop. Then...finally off to our hotel! We stayed at The Mosser...right smack in the middle of Union Square...it was such a nice hotel...but the rooms were so tiny...no fear...I got one all to myself! It was such a strange hotel...it was like being in the dorms with community bathrooms and all...only in San Francisco! We were then set free to explore the city all night! Me, Taylor (roomie), Ian, Jess, and Drew all took off together. We ate at Chipotle and scrambled around in the pouring rain! Me and Taylor bought these great bubble umbrellas to keep us dry! We then went back to my room and a big group of us piled on my bed and we watched a movie! At about 10pm we went back out (it finally stopped raining!) to Coldstone for late night dessert. Back to the hotel and...bed time!

NASA

Legion of Honor Museum

Exploring the city with new bubble umbrellas!

Movie night in my room!

?

Legion of Honor Museum

Legion of Honor Museum

Legion of Honor Museum

Eating lunch outside of NASA

Saturday, March 17, 2012: ST. PATRICK'S DAY...NO REGRETZ
     This was our motto all day! We began the day by all heading to Grace Cathedral by cable car and spending a few hours roaming around there. We ate lunch together in the park across the street...and then were given the rest of the day to ourselves...and were even given free passes to get us on the public transportation all day! A group of us first went back to our hotel and watched the St. Patty's Parade that was happening right in Union Square! It was not that exciting...but we made it exciting...by screaming, being obnoxious, and even joining the parade at one point. Then we took the half underground metro to Haight and Ashbury...aka hippy street! We spent most of the day here thrifting, walking around, eating crepes, and yes...even getting piercings! I fell into peer pressure and got my forward helix pierced! Reed videoed it...but I made him hold my hand too! haha From here we took a bus back to the hotel, changed, and took the cable car to Fisherman's Wharf. We ate at Boudin (sourdough bread for the win!), went to Ghiradelli Square for dessert, and went to Pier 39 to see the sea lions! We took a retro bus back and finally made it back to the hotel a little after midnight. I was so exhausted...I don't remember much...except that I laid on my bed and did not awaken until the next morning!

In front of Grace Cathedral

Grace Cathedral

Grace Cathedral

Watching the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Union Square!

Dessert at Ghiradelli Square!

Ghiradelli Square...obvi

Piercings! Mine is the 2nd one! (the one that's bloody...ewww)

Today's main transportation: cable car!

Parade time!

Riding the retro bus back to the hotel from Fisherman's Wharf!

A random swing we found walking to Haight and Ashbury

Waiting for the cable car

Riding the metro to Haight and Ashbury!

Exploring grace Cathedral

Reed and I riding on the outside of the cable car...so fun!

Kristyn and I strutting our stuff...you gotta strut like you mean it, free your mind...cheetah girls, anyone?!

The whole crew outside of Grace Cathedral

Dinner at Boudin!

  
Sunday, March 18, 2012
     Awaken. Hope in the vans...to the De Young Museum...I enjoyed this one so much! They had a 360 Panorama view of the city on the 7th floor...so cool...and the artwork was just so much more interesting and intriguing. After, we ate lunch together in the courtyard...and began our journey back to APU. Upon arrival we were greeted with tons of SNOW! It was crazy how much there was...apparently what spring semester here is supposed to look like...haha. Homework time and bed...this weekend was SO MUCH FUN! Not only do I love San Francisco...but getting to explore it with people I love?! Even better.

Hanging outside the De Young  Museum...this is where we ate lunch!

De Young Museum Look Out

De Young Museum Look Out

De Young Museum artwork...O'neil and I admiring

De Young Museum Look Out

De Young Museum Look Out

De Young Museum Look Out....typical...me

De Young Museum Look Out

De Young Museum Look Out

Chilling outside the De Young Museum on a beautiful, sunny Sunday!

What we returned to...snow covered campus!

IPHONE and San Fran Prep March 15, 2012

     Early rise. Life and Teachings. Plenary...it was all about preparation for our SAN FRANCISCO TRIP THIS WEEKEND! So stoked...I absolutely love this city! It's going to be so weird returning since last time I was there for a whole different purpose...a little thing I like to call Bridges. It's going to be strange being an actual tourist! We're hitting up NASA, a few art museums, and we get transportation passes so we can roam the city wherever we want to go for the most of the weekend! We're even staying at a hotel right in the middle of Union Square...civilization once again! I then received a great package that contained...MY NEW IPHONE! I love it and was so in need of a phone! Thanks parentals! I was so distracted by it all day...I couldn't get any work done! Oops. Independent study, helped load the food for San Fran (the joys of being a student leader!), random Oakhurst run with Robert Hake to get pita and hummus, dinner, Psych, laundry, Vampire Diaries, pack (why do I always wait until the last minute? hehe), and now trying to get to sleep before I have to wake up at 4:45am and have to wake up the girls on the hall at 5:20am. Hello sleeping the entire van ride. I'll be absent until Sunday living it up in the city! Talk to you all then!

Hermit Day March 14, 2012

Wake up extra early for small group life stories and breakfast. nap time. hermit day= homework in my room allll day. boo. running with taylor. dinner. christian classics. up late doing more homework. bed time...finally

Tamales and Trust Walk March 13, 2012

     Life and Teachings. Plenary. Epic nap. Productivity. One on one with Burns...we made dinner for the rest of our staff tonight...she had homemade tamales (yum!) and I made cookies! Then for a staff meeting we ate dinner and went over our results from a survey everyone here had to take rating us on our status as leaders so far! Then we had individual sessions to get our personal ratings...I was very pleased with mine! Hard work pays off! Attempted to do some homework. Hall meeting...tonight we did a trust walk (leading someone who is blindfolded) around campus and talked about the importance of communication...and then played with the giant ball of questions. Back to homework. Roommate cuddle sesh. Bed time!

TRINITY RA WHAT?!!? March 12, 2012

    Today I woke up to discover my phone has officially died...and is not coming back to life...ever. So...if you're trying to get a hold of me...sorry 'bout it. Also...I immediately checked my email to discover...I was accepted as an RA IN TRINITY STAFF NEXT YEAR!!!!!!!!! I'm so blessed to have received this offer...I know it is going to be so great!!!!! yayayayayayayay! So stoked! I could barely focus on anything else today...not good...because my big Concepts midterm paper and presentation were due today. No fear...I finally got it done..and it's finally over! Praise the Lord! Received a package from home, went to small group, and just hung out with people all night. I'm going to go watch the new episode of Once Upon a Time now to celebrate today: getting RA and having my midterm be OVER! Hope you're all having lovely weeks

Lesson of the day: If you let it...the peace of the Lord cannot be crushed, even among chaos and anxiety. Dwell in hope and trust and you will be just fine.

Spider Attack March 11, 2012

    Church, lunch, working on concepts homework alllll day long, short small group trip into town, driving the back roads back to camp, concepts homework again, spontaneous dance/karaoke party in the meeting hall, back to concepts...and finally...harry potter with the roomie taylor! We had a spider attack us...a spider literally propelled from the bunk we were under, landed on my laptop, and scurried off. After searching for it for 30 minutes we decided to both sleep in my bed, and as soon as we laid down, were greeted by Ian scaring the crap out of us by pounding on our window. good stuff. dear lord, I am getting no sleep tonight.

Week Catch Up! March 5, 2012- March 10, 2012

    Wow! I am such a slacker! gah! This week has been so crazy...midterms, papers, life decisions...So here's my recap!
     Monday: Ski day! So flipping fun! It was hot out and I wore a tank top...definitely my favorite kind of skiing conditions. Since I have class usually on Mondays, our professor decided to come skiing with us and have class on the ride there and back, as well as at the lodge for about an hour! Best.class.ever. I came back exhausted and a little rosy...but so worth it! Mozzy taught me some ski skills...and I had an epic occurrence accident getting on the ski lift...not my fault...but it knocked the wind out of me and I got hit in the back of the head by the lift...such a funny story...ask me about it! Came home, went to small group, and peaced out for the night!
     Tuesday: Class, one on one, stressing out to the maxxxxxx....gotta pick my major, people. hung out with Jess, staff meeting, girl's hall meeting where we debriefed the panel and brainstormed for what we want to learn this month...we are doing a "What every girl should know" series...different kinds of braiding, baking, basic car maintenance, fishing, etc. have all made the list! I'll keep you updated (if I'm way better at blogging than I was this week) on what we decided on.
     Wednesday: Only one class today! Leadership! Spent the rest of the day slaving away on my independent study and a paper I have due Friday. Worked outside because it was so gorgeous out! Tonight was kind of hard... I think I had a mental breakdown.
     Thursday: Class, an extra long independent study, self care time, still slaving away on this beast of a paper...it is on Soren Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling...and let me tell you...it's a woozy...I barely understand the reading on whether there is a "teleological suspension of the ethical" much less can write about it...good grief charlie brown.
     Friday: Finally Friday. Praise sweet baby Jesus. Chapel, homework, and then...Emerald Cove Camp work day! We worked from 1-5pm and I was on the painting team! We took apart screens and framing, primed, and painted all the outside windows of the dorms...all while blasting country music...they even provided iced tea on our break...loved it! Dinner, Christian Classics (it was switched from Wednesday to today due to our professor being gone) and after just relaxing. I'm starting to watch Harry Potter with my roomie Taylor...and I kind of like it! (Yes...I just admitted to that...Elise) We made a bed out of the 2 couches in the lobby and watched it...well we fell asleep in the middle...but I plan on finishing it later this weekend!
     Saturday: Such a lazy Saturday! Slept in, basically did nothing, and am now slaving away at another midterm paper I have for my Concepts class on Monday...the worst part? We have to present it for 10 minutes too! Yuck! I was distracted for a good hour by Ian and Jess...but I read them a bedtime story so it was well worth it. haha. Did my rounds, Drew sang me his rap he made up about High Sierra to the tune of "Back and Yellow" (it is epic!), and now I am blogging! hehe Tonight starts daylight savings...after living a year and half in California...it still throws me off...Andrew is from Chandler so he's the only one who understands me here...native Arizonan problems for the win.

Waterfall Adventure March 4, 2012

     Sunday. Chapel instead of church by Dave. Brunch. Bye Previews. Tanning on the deck. It was so hot out today! Giant group trip to the waterfall...where we decided to go swimming? Nope. I got pushed in...the water was freezing! Thanks Andrew. But it was so fun! We had a natural slide right into the water. Dance party island. (I named it...where we stood after being submerged in water...and danced to warm ourselves up!) Adventuring with Arielle to stand behind the waterfall...so cool...but cold and slippery! Slipping into the cold water...this time...my fault. Hiking back to the dorms...to discover a beautiful sunny spot...where me and Arielle decided to stop, lay out, and read! Yay for getting some color! Finally return. An epic hot shower. Dinner in O-town, aka Oakhurst, Chinese takeout for the win. Fall asleep (extra long nap on accident...being in the sun always makes me overly exhausted), paying for the nap doing homework into the wee hours of the AM. But...I don't mind...because...tomorrow we are going SKIING! Wait! McKenna...you have class tomorrow...how are you going? (you might be asking) Well...our professor is going too, and we are having class on the way up the mountain and during lunch at the lodge. Freaking high sierra...I like you. a whole lot.
     Lesson of the day: Keep up your bucket list and actually do stuff on it. It makes life that much more interesting. Today I crossed out some of mine: swim in a creek/waterfall...aka I did both. woo!

Fun in the Sun March 3, 2012

     Such an absolutely gorgeous Saturday! Filled with so much sun and fun! This morning was the 5K, where I was in charge of recording everyone's times as they finished. The ending location was a picnic spot right near the lake...and after the race we ate lunch there. So beautiful. Return to campus. Attempt to homework on Star Rock...but...let's be real...it was much too gorgeous out! I just wanted to play! Especially since the ropes courses were open due to the preview students being here. Therefore...I went and played! You only live once you know! I went on the King Swing (see posted video soon!) which is basically a giant free fall between the trees...so scary! Did the crossing, of which I fell multiple times...so so so scary!, and basically hung out all day. Did some homework after, dinner, and then we played this crazy goldfish game that Rob invented. Then...it was dance party time! I got my krump on...hehe. Got to hang out with the one and only K. Allen and played a game of liar's dice....time for bed!

     Today's lesson: Always make time to play and be with people. Enjoy the gift of the Lord's beautiful creation...especially on days with beautiful weather...they are not worth wasting. The work will get done. Life is too boring going at it alone and only focused on task after task.

Panel and Previews March 3, 2012

     Friday! Today we had our relationship/beauty/marriage/singleness panel! It went pretty well...everyone had great questions (kept anonymous) and the panel had great advice to offer! Off to clean the dorms for the preview students...a 4 hour ordeal...dun dun dun. We then proceeded to get dressed in our greatest tribal face paint and crazy outfits...to welcome the preview students of course! We all lined up along the driveway and jumped and pounded on the vans as they drove out, scaring the students...so fun! I get to hang out with Katie Allen for the weekend! Wooo!

March Madness! March 1, 2012

    Today was stressful, in a nut shell. Have a lot to think about over the next few weeks concerning the future. On a brighter note...I took a great nap and pretty much rested outside of classes and cleaning. Preview weekend starts tomorrow...it's going to be an insane weekend!

Leapy Leap Day! February 29, 2012

    Alert! Today only happens every 4 years! Get excited! Happy Leap Year! Hooray!
    Today was spectacular...despite the fact I am so exhausted! Class, worked at Kingdom Krew today and helped out with the preschool and kindergartners! They brought in a puppy today! So fun to play with and the kids loved it! Then...me and Ian were put with them for 45 minutes of arts and crafts...it was rainy today...so let's just say these kids were on CRACK. They were all over the place! So crazy but so fun! There was a point when Ian left the room and so I had all the kids hide from him...kept them occupied and they loved Ian pretending he couldn't find them! We played with play-doh, water colored, made bracelets, played with chalk, built towers...you name it...we did it. If I wasn't tired already...this made sure I was!
     Dinner, Classics (where I nearly fell asleep), great prayer time, great conversations, homework, and I went all hyper-maid...I did a mega clean up of my room and it felt so good! Can't wait for tomorrow to be the start of my weekend after classes! I need the rest!
    Lesson learned today? The importance of not worrying and putting emphasis on relationships, not work or plans for the future. God is in control. Always has been, always will be...and the work will get done.

Filled Up February 28, 2012

     Pretty solid day. Lots of learning and then dedicated the rest of the day to self care...I needed it after this weekend and after yesterday's insane homework overload. I went for a run, took a great shower, painted my nails, called my mom, and pretty much just chilled by myself. So needed and it was a great re-booster! Dinner, hall meeting (we just gave each other back massages tonight! So great!), and homeyyyy work.

     I want to start posting lessons I learn by the day. Today I was reminded of the vital need for self care. Sometimes I just get so energized by people and by my leadership position that I do not make self care a priority. Here is to change! Because...in order to pour out into others, I must be poured into and filled up...a great reminder of this came to me in a great conversation with my dear friend Aaron this past weekend!

Main Campus Mayhem February 27, 2012

     I'm baaaaaaaaaack!!!!! Sorry it has been so long! Crazy weekend down on main campus in Azusa! Seriously...I did not think that it was going to be that stressful/overwhelming...but oh so great at the same time! So many people to see...so little time!

Weekend recap: crazy 5 hour van drive down where yours truly was the entertainment, barely any sleep, Disneyland trip with Bianca and Jackie (it was way too crowded!), lunch at Newport Beach with Bianca and Taylor, Hannah's basketball game, hanging out with Hannah and her roommates and Kate who happened to be visiting, watching Psych, seeing/reuniting with so many lovely faces, coffee dates, caf meals, hanging out with Aaron and Brooks, hanging out in the infamous I5, Target run, forwarding my mail, getting locked out of the mod we were staying in, so much laughter, wandering around campus with Taylor, alphie reunions, girls night out in Old Town Pasadena, staying with the lovely ladies of H3, so many great hugs and great talks, catching up. And of course...no homework done....

so...can you guess what I did today? Yup...nonstop homework day. Baking with the small group for a small break...and back to the books. Lord Almighty...I need coffee.

Sunshine and Sand Volleyball February 22, 2012

    Today was such a fun-filled day! Slept in, went to lunch, went to leadership (where me and my roommates presented our project...relating leadership to the process of photography!), had a team building activity in class where we had to attempt to build the tallest tower built out of marshmallows and uncooked spaghetti...needless to say...my team won! Me, Amanda, Kristyn, and Reed did work! We talked about the importance of having a Christian community as our "foundation" and always supporting us...good stuff! Then...it was so sunny and warm out...(finally!) so we decided to play some sand volleyball! It was a perfect day for this and 4 of us ended up playing for almost 3 hours! Near the end it was just 2 on 2 and it was so much fun! Minus me getting hit in the face super hard by Kristyn's amazing kill! I love playing volleyball...and even though I haven't played in a while...it's like I never stopped! It's so fun playing with other people and girls that played in high school...makes the game that much more competitive! I then watched some Once Upon A Time, went to dinner, went to Classics where we watched the movie "Amazing Grace," (and during it I did my homework that is due tomorrow...I just had to watch this movie last semester for leadership...so half watching it wasn't an issue! :])
    Tomorrow we are heading down to Azusa for a main campus visit until Sunday! I am super pumped to catch up with friends down there! There's also quite possibly a trip to Disneyland and the beach in the works! Wooo! back to civilization and SoCal for the weekend! However...I will miss everyone up here dearly! Even though we will all be on main campus...it's going to be weird not being with them 24/7! I'll probably be swamped with trying to hang out with as many people as I can...so I'll try to update el blog on Sunday night! peace out Bass Lake for the next 4 days!

Divine Romance February 21, 2012

     Bright and early morning learning about Jesus and then having lovely Amy teach us in Plenary! I then got to have a lovely phone chat with Ms. Rachel Joy, had my phone interview for working at Hume Lake this summer, and then went running with Amy and Sara! We got back and we watched...Vampire Diaries! (of course). I then had a fantastic one on one with Burns and then dinner. At staff meeting tonight us student leaders were given a very cryptic message to go layer up, grab a head lamp, and jump into a van and start driving until we saw Burn's car. Once we saw it, we got out to find another note telling us to start hiking the trail singing Justin Bieber. so great...I just love being on student leadership team! We finally met up with Burns and Hake as they waited for us looking out over Bass Lake! so pretty! They brought us hot chocolate and we had our meeting on top of the hill! We got to split up and pray with each other too...me and O'neil were partners and it was just so great catching up. We returned to campus and then we had our girl's hall meeting. Tonight we talked about what it means to be "romanced by the Lord." It spurred some great discussion and then we had a girls worship night led by Kim, Bethany, and Amanda. They are so talented and we ended the evening singing "Divine Romance..." how perfect! Then...it was finally homework time! Got a few things done but I'm calling it a night! :)

President's Day Festivities. February 20, 2012

Slept in. Lunch. Concepts homework. lovely phone chat with ms. morgan, cleaning, Concepts, America themed dinner (we dressed up in American pride and listened to America themed music all of dinner in honor of President's Day hehe), small group...we talked about being woman of Christ and crafted reminders for ourself, Lord of the Rings, sleepy time.

Feet Washing February 19, 2012

     Woke up in the meeting hall. Woke up to find out that the boys had stolen a lot of the girls jeans and tied them all together and they stretched from the dining hall all the way to the slack line (quite a distance) up in the air...funniest thing ever...especially since they didn't take mine! haha Church. lunch. Writing Valentine's for everyone's bags while Ian, Jess, my roomie Taylor, Sara, and Aron all hung out in my room. Dinner. Nap. Community meeting! Tonight we re visited our community charter and were reminded of our commitment to serving each other in love. We then did feet washing...a lot of great things happened tonight! Reconciliation and prayer...and a reminder why we are here and a reminder of how much we all love each other. So beautiful. We then opened up our Valentine's Day bags! So fun and filled with so much encouragement! love love love mine! Homework into the early am, and an episode of Once Upon a Time to top off the evening.

Operation Sleepover: Seven Year Old Style February 18, 2012

    Today was a pretty lazy day! Slept in (due to staying up so late to watch Once Upon a Time!) Spent the rest of the day prepping for our girl's sleepover tonight...aka...Oakhurst run and had a one on one with Burns! Earlier this week I printed out these cute sleeping bag shaped invitations and put them in all the girls mailboxes! We basically had a sleepover blast from the past...7 year old girl style! We colored, painted nails, ate junk food, played games, and watched movies! The funniest/scariest part of the night were when the boys (who were having their own sleepover in direct opposition to us) turned off the power, and came in screaming to scare us! They even put on scary music and were hanging from the rafters...and Ian wore his joker mask...scariest.thing.ever. Then they came in later singing us "My Girl." My goodness...they cannot even go one night without us!

Friday Funday! February 17, 2012

    Such a fun filled day! A bunch of people went skiing today, but a few of us stayed behind and had a blast! Trip to Oakhurst thrifting and such, enjoying the SUNSHINE!, and watching tons of movies! It was so fun and relaxing! Then we had chapel at night and then a few of us girls went over to Rob Simpson's house for game night! So great being in a real house! Came back and we watched Breaking Dawn (why did I like this movie in theaters? haha), and then stayed up really late watching my new show obsession: Once Upon a Time...seriously...this is a show MADE for me! Go look it up and watch it!

24 hours of Silence. February 16, 2012

     Day of silence! It's so funny walking around and eating meals together with no talking! Today was a personal health day for me. We debated in plenary (we're allowed to talk in class) and then I loaded up my crafts and took a trip to the waterfall! I absolutely love this place! There I worked on making Valentine's, working on gifts for my secret sister, journaling, and just enjoying nature! It was so great! I returned, went to dinner (so crazy not being able to talk!), watch Vampire Diaries with Sara, and at 10:30 pm we had a "closing of the 24 hours of silence" worship sesh singing the doxology. We sang the last words we
"spoke/sang" to open up talking again! Hooray! It was a pretty chill night from there!

Work Overload February 15, 2012

    Today was filled with work overload! Had so much to get done...it was exhausting! Other than that...it was a pretty solid day? Confession: I wrote this 3 days light and don't really remember what went down.
    Tonight we started out 24 hour of silence with a night of worship! These next 24 hours could get quite interesting! hehe

February 14, 2012 Happy Valentine's Day!

     Happy love day! Today was pretty chill. We had a picnic style lunch in the dining hall...so fun! I spent most of the day doing werrrrk. Got a lot done! We have Valentine's day bags for each of us set up in the dining hall and all week long we are supposed to fill each other's up...I need to get on writing all of mine! Dinner was grand, and we had lovely Valentine inspired strawberry cake for dessert. More homework. Staff meeting: Burns took us out to coffee and we got to have our meeting at Starbuck's! Such a lovely treat! Hall meeting...we are doing secret sister this week with theme days! Tonight's theme was to write out a prayer for your sister...we are going to have a revealing of our sisters on Saturday at a sleepover! yay! Back to doing homework...and what do ya know...it's 4am...I guess it's time to sleep? coooooollll. so.much.to.do.its.ridiculous.

Packages and Craftiness February 13, 2012

    Happy Monday! Slept in, lunch, epic phone call with Bianca, and devotionals filled the afternoon. Classics time...and on our break...saw I had received a package from 2 of my best friends Rachel and Morgan! I was greeted by lots of socks, PJs, mittens, unmentionables ;), candy bars, and chapstick! They know me too well! Then it was dinner time and since Meagan, our small group leader was sick, the girls in my small group met in my room and we all did crafts! Fun fact: I cannot do crafts if a.) I am not in the right mood and/or b.) do not have a vision of what I want to do. Therefore I got extremely frustrated and it somewhat affected my mood for the rest of the night. Plenty of great conversation, but internally, I was freaking out. Type A personality...heyo. I snuck off to Burn's house, had a quality conversation with Jess, and then attempted to get homework done there...but let's be real between her, Jess, and Ian, I had enough distractions to never get homework done for the rest of the semester.

Productivity For the Win February 12, 2012

     Sunday. Cloudy day. Church!!!!! Today I actually felt inspired to do homework...first time since last semester! So...I got down to business and got a ton accomplished! Such a productive day sitting by the fire place in the dining hall getting in some quality homework time. Hung out with people. laughed and laughed and laughed. more homework. bed. And another weekend here concludes here at good ole High Sierra.