training
I'm sorry for missing my Sunday post yesterday. I think you'll excuse me after hearing about the events of that day!
Yesterday, I returned from two weeks with TeenPact, beginning the 2013 season with Intern Training and Staff Training. There were far too many lessons and laughs to record here, so this is just an attempt at giving you a taste of what went on through a few "firsts."
First Time Together.
On Tuesday, the 8th, our whole 2013 Intern Team was together for the first time. Reagan, Ryan, Blake, Brady, Danny, Stevie, Adam, Grayson, Michael, Brenn, Katelyn, Carolyne, Lauren, Julia, SharaLee, and myself. I love how each of these names means so much to me right now, and there are still months to come in which I will get to know each of them so much more.
First Whirly-Ball.
Whirly-ball. It's a mix of bumper cars and lacrosse. And it's fantastic. And the intern girls rocked it.
First Oklahoma Visit.
One more state to cross off the list! Our first stop was Chick-fil-a, and then the state capitol. The rest of the week of training TeenPact staffers was held in Oklahoma as well.
First Sickness of 2013.
I learned exactly what to do and what not to do when you're sick with a fever while trying to run a TeenPact event. Because TeenPact is all about being hands-on?
First Time Painting with Hands.
Not just finger-painting! This is what happens when we head off to a service project to help paint a Christian camp, but don't have enough brushes...
First CLO.
I was so proud to help present the very first, inaugural TeenPact Constitutional Law & Order. Goodbye CPG, hello CLO.
First Time Singing "Baby."
Someone by the name of Ryan Funkhouser told the TeenPact staffers that if we sold 20 hoodies, the intern team would sing Justin Bieber's "Baby." Well, we sold 20 hoodies. And so we sang. Or, I tried to. It was quite literally my first time ever singing it. You just sing the words, "Baby, baby," over and over again, right?
First TeenPact Roadtrip.
From Oklahoma to Texas to New Mexico to Arizona (glimpsing Mexico too!), it was a wonderful time. In a van full of introverts (except Katelyn, who was only awake for about 10 minutes every hour), we spent hours listening to music, talking about deep things, sleeping, sitting in silence, and enjoying each others' company.
First Missed Flight.
And thus the reason that my Sunday post was delayed until Monday. Ben, Adam, Lauren, and I were all barely too late to check our bags for our flight, and we learned that you cannot fly without your bags. Put on standby for a later flight, we hoped and prayed that enough people would cancel or miss the flight that we could all fly home that night. Whatever happened, we decided to stick together. When the time finally came, we rejoiced to find out that there were enough seats for all of us - or so they said. As we rushed to find seats, Lauren and I came up seat-less. Like the gentlemen they are, Ben and Adam immediately rushed to the front of the plane and stepped out, just as the doors closed. Though Lauren and I felt like traitors who had left their soldiers behind, we were so grateful. And now, the idea of gentlemen "giving up their seats" will have a whole new meaning. Chivalry! (They're home now.) Thanks, guys.
Many, many firsts. But what was not first was God's faithfulness. As always, He was there for me. So many times when I felt unqualified, unprepared, empty, and distracted, He worked through me and inside me. I felt so undeserving, which caused to be impacted again by His grace. I never deserved His grace to begin with, and the weaker I become, the more eager He seems to pour His power out. His strength is made perfect in weakness. Yes, indeed.
Yesterday, I returned from two weeks with TeenPact, beginning the 2013 season with Intern Training and Staff Training. There were far too many lessons and laughs to record here, so this is just an attempt at giving you a taste of what went on through a few "firsts."
First Time Together.
On Tuesday, the 8th, our whole 2013 Intern Team was together for the first time. Reagan, Ryan, Blake, Brady, Danny, Stevie, Adam, Grayson, Michael, Brenn, Katelyn, Carolyne, Lauren, Julia, SharaLee, and myself. I love how each of these names means so much to me right now, and there are still months to come in which I will get to know each of them so much more.
First Whirly-Ball.
Whirly-ball. It's a mix of bumper cars and lacrosse. And it's fantastic. And the intern girls rocked it.
First Oklahoma Visit.
One more state to cross off the list! Our first stop was Chick-fil-a, and then the state capitol. The rest of the week of training TeenPact staffers was held in Oklahoma as well.
First Sickness of 2013.
I learned exactly what to do and what not to do when you're sick with a fever while trying to run a TeenPact event. Because TeenPact is all about being hands-on?
First Time Painting with Hands.
Not just finger-painting! This is what happens when we head off to a service project to help paint a Christian camp, but don't have enough brushes...
First CLO.
I was so proud to help present the very first, inaugural TeenPact Constitutional Law & Order. Goodbye CPG, hello CLO.
First Time Singing "Baby."
Someone by the name of Ryan Funkhouser told the TeenPact staffers that if we sold 20 hoodies, the intern team would sing Justin Bieber's "Baby." Well, we sold 20 hoodies. And so we sang. Or, I tried to. It was quite literally my first time ever singing it. You just sing the words, "Baby, baby," over and over again, right?
First TeenPact Roadtrip.
From Oklahoma to Texas to New Mexico to Arizona (glimpsing Mexico too!), it was a wonderful time. In a van full of introverts (except Katelyn, who was only awake for about 10 minutes every hour), we spent hours listening to music, talking about deep things, sleeping, sitting in silence, and enjoying each others' company.
First Missed Flight.
And thus the reason that my Sunday post was delayed until Monday. Ben, Adam, Lauren, and I were all barely too late to check our bags for our flight, and we learned that you cannot fly without your bags. Put on standby for a later flight, we hoped and prayed that enough people would cancel or miss the flight that we could all fly home that night. Whatever happened, we decided to stick together. When the time finally came, we rejoiced to find out that there were enough seats for all of us - or so they said. As we rushed to find seats, Lauren and I came up seat-less. Like the gentlemen they are, Ben and Adam immediately rushed to the front of the plane and stepped out, just as the doors closed. Though Lauren and I felt like traitors who had left their soldiers behind, we were so grateful. And now, the idea of gentlemen "giving up their seats" will have a whole new meaning. Chivalry! (They're home now.) Thanks, guys.
Many, many firsts. But what was not first was God's faithfulness. As always, He was there for me. So many times when I felt unqualified, unprepared, empty, and distracted, He worked through me and inside me. I felt so undeserving, which caused to be impacted again by His grace. I never deserved His grace to begin with, and the weaker I become, the more eager He seems to pour His power out. His strength is made perfect in weakness. Yes, indeed.
Comments
Post a Comment
thoughts so far