So where to begin. Ever since school let out, I've been basically going non-stop until now. I was home for only a week before I left for North Carolina and for Windy Gap which I called "home" for a month. I can't even put into words everything that happened in that month. If you want a full run down of what happened, just ask. But it feels wrong to put it into writing because I don't feel like I can do it justice that way. I don't feel like I came home the same person that I started as, and that is okay because that is something that I asked God to do. I took the past month to grow in my faith and to really get away from the distractions and temptations of home and to just allow God to change me into the man that he wants me to be.
The first week we were there was so long and exhausting I was sure that the next 3 would just kill me. But after I got through the first week, I was so excited for the weeks to come. The first week, we had a Capernaum group come and they were so inspiring. Young Life Capernaum is for mentally and physically disabled kids and they go to camp at the same time as the able-bodied kids and do most of the same things, even the ropes course, zip-line, swing, slide, and Nascarts. Just seeing their leaders interact with them and watching the able-bodied campers just really start loving on them towards the end of the week, and really seeing past their disabilities was just awesome. One of our Summer Staff bosses, Coop, has cerebral palsy and throughout the month he just really opened our eyes and hearts and allowed us to see past the disability and see Gods creation that is underneath.
At the start of week 3, one of our lifeguards, Ben, cut his foot on a rock in the lake and had to get 4 stitches. That put us down to 2 lifeguards (we're supposed to have 4, but only had 3 plus Jen who acted as a "harbor master" and could only rotate to 2 of the 4 positions) and we had our biggest group of 400 campers and the rowdiest. Well during the time when Summer Staff ate lunch, the pool was the only thing open for the kids, and I was on the stand for that hour. It was one of the hardest and most frustrating hours of life guarding that I have had in my 3 years. After I got down from the chair, I had to eat lunch out back of the dining hall b/c there wasn't any room in the dining hall for me and as I was out back, I just reached my breaking point. I was so angry and frustrated and burnt out that I just cried a bit and then prayed a lot. And after that mini-meltdown I felt calm. I later talked to Andrew one of the Summer Staff coordinators and he told me that the only way that God can change us into what He wants us to be, is if we're broken. If we're not broken then we're not really ready to change, and that when I broke down that afternoon, it was so that God can finally change me. That was one of the really defining moments of the month. I really feel more secure in my faith now and realize that we cannot do anything by ourselves and that we should turn to prayer for everything.
The last thing that I'll mention was the night of camp. Andrew and Bethany are from Florida and have been dating for 2 years. Andrew goes to the Naval Academy in Annapolis and Bethany is still in Florida going to school. Well they both came to camp and I really got to see what a Christian couple is supposed to look like. Andrew is such a godly person and they just have the kind of relationship where you know that God is at the center of it and that they're meant to be together. I'll let Bethany tell the story from here:
"On our last night of Summer Staff at Windy Gap, a Young Life camp in North Carolina, Andrew proposed. I knew it was probably going to happen sometime this summer but knew that it would definitely not happen at camp, which was what I was secretly hoping for. I specifically remember telling a handful of people how amazing it would be if that happened at Windy Gap, but knew that he didn’t have a ring or had no way of getting one while we were there so I wasn’t expecting it. He started planning it during the first of four weeks we spent volunteering together there. He called his parents the end of week two and they shipped the ring to camp, he called my dad for permission the end of week three, and worked out all the details throughout the whole month.
Saturday night, June 21st, after all the campers left we had an all camp meeting. He showed up late for it in the nicest clothes he brought with him. I thought that was strange and when I asked he said it was the only clean outfit he had left, which made sense. During the meeting he said that we should go for a walk up the hill, the one where we would hang out and talk every day, so we could have some quality time together before the night got crazy. I thought that was a little strange as well, because we hadn’t been told the plans for the night yet so I wondered how he knew that it would be okay for us to go off on our own and that we weren’t doing something else. I started to get suspicious when he was so persistent that I find a place to put my backpack down. After the fourth time he asked me to put my bag down I gave in and walked towards the leader’s lounge, which was where all of our bags and blankets and pillows were being stored for the night. Once I got there, I saw Laura and Kelsey, two of my dear friends from this month, and told them I thought something was up and they played it off so well. I walked away feeling so silly, like, “what if it doesn’t happen and I see them again in ten minutes, this was no big deal we really did just go on the hill and talk and I got bent out of shape for nothing. I’m going to feel like such an idiot…”
So after my wonderful friends managed not to blow it, I came back outside and met Andrew at the bottom of the hill. I was expecting it to happen then, so when we got up the hill and really did just walk around and sit and talk for a few minutes I was a little disappointed. I told him that he got my hopes up because he was acting funny and I thought he was going to propose. He was so calm cool and collected and said he could see how I would think that, he was sorry that I was disappointed, but that he really did just want to talk for a few minutes by ourselves before we hung out with the group for the night. After we were on the hill for about ten minutes (looking back I remember he looked at his watch an awful lot) we walked back down to meet everyone. I kept thinking about how silly it was for me to think he would propose then, especially since I knew he didn’t have a ring or any way of getting one (He got me good).
So, In the center of camp there is a small lake with an island in the middle of it that extends from the snack shop porch. The plan for the night was to meet there at the snack shop and get free drinks and food and just enjoy each other and have a little party. So as we are walking through camp I was wondering where everyone was and why it was so quiet, and when we got closer to the island I saw a few of our friends holding tiki torches and candles around the lake close to the stairs we were using. Then I heard Ryan Long, the musical guest for the month, singing and thought he was doing some sort of special concert for us and we were late for it. Our friend Tyler was closest to us while we were walking by and I asked him what was going on and he had the hugest smile on his face and said absolutely nothing. Andrew immediately pulled me away from him so we could keep walking towards the island. A few seconds later I saw all of our summer staff friends with tiki torches and candles spread across the entire lake. It hit me when we actually started to walk on the island and I realized what song Ryan was playing, it’s a beautiful love song called Changing Me that he wrote for his wife. It was all so wonderful and so perfect! It all happened so fast from there. When we got on the island he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him and of course I said yes! He slipped the ring on my finger and then all of our great new friends rushed over to congratulate us. The fact that Ryan Long agreed to sing was incredible to me because he has been my favorite musician for six years, since the first time I heard him play at a Young Life camp. I just couldn't believe he agreed to do something so special for us...
We probably hugged 500 times in 10 minutes and after all that hugging we got the go ahead from the crowd that it was okay to “make purple” and kiss (boys are blue, girls are pink, and at Young Life camp it is stressed heavily that there’s no “purple” at camp). Ryan Long continued to play the love songs of his that Andrew requested, Changing Me, Faithful Man, and Mine (and yes, he is on i-tunes so you should download them). During Ryan’s song Mine, we went towards the edge of the island to listen and when the song was over, our good friend Ben hollered to Andrew, “who’s is she?” and he yelled right back, “Mine!” After we were done mingling on the island we actually did go into the snack shop for a party, but it was our engagement party. We were toasted with Welch’s sparkling grape juice by our friends and summer staff coordinators and had an amazing time! Then the empty glass bottle was used to store messages from everyone in (which we read tonight and they were incredibly sweet, so thank you guys!) It was such a fairytale and I couldn’t believe, and still can’t believe, that we are engaged!
It couldn’t have been more perfect and I’m so surprised how everything came together so flawlessly.The effort and thought that went into it was so special and seriously, it couldn’t have been any better. It was the best proposal ever imaginable and I am so incredibly happy to be engaged to such a wonderful man, the love of my life, and the person I couldn’t be happier to spend the rest of my life with. I love you more than yesterday but less than tomorrow forever and always, Andrew James Lee.
Thank you to everyone who played a part in such a special night in our lives. Earlier that day playing frisbee golf at camp, we were all sad to leave and someone said it was the worst day ever. I heard Andrew yell right away that it was the best day of his life, of course I rolled my eyes not knowing what was to come, but it really was the best day of my life up until now. We loved having everyone be such a big part of that for us. And thank you to all of our wonderful, supportive, and encouraging friends and family who have been with us all along. You guys are great! Be prepared for June of 2010. =)"
I just feel so blessed that I was able to be a part of such a beautiful proposal and cannot wait to June 2010 : ) Well thats it for now, I'm excited to see everyone again and hangout with ya'll!
Later.
