Summer Recap

.

 This summer has felt like an eternity.  It has dragged by so slowly. I am so ready to be busy again.  

 In the beginning of summer  at a cake action fundraiser at my church my cake sold the highest at $125!

 I was on the music team at VBS and got the privilege of teaching young children how to worship God through song and dance. 

  I was also excited by the awesome privilege of joining my church’s praise team as a vocalist. 

  And for me, Summer wouldn’t be Summer without singing on the youth praise band, an incredible group of young people who I have been so blessed by the past four summers.

  

With my youth group, I went on my third mission trip, and got to visit New Orleans for the second time.  I was given three opportunities to have meaningful conversations about God.  My favorite was a little boy named Glendrick.  We were in inner city New Orleans putting on a Back Yard Bible club in a park.  Our youth pastor asked if any of the kids had ever heard of the bible before and Glendrick said, “No, BOOO.”  My first inclination was to smile.  But as I thought about the weight of what that little boy had just said I felt a heavy burden for him.    At the end of the sports camp I was giving out stickers and Glendrick came over and demanded one.  I showed him the options and he was immediately attracted to a sticker which said, “He treasures me.”  Since he had never heard of the bible before I thought I should explain.  I said, “That means, God loves you.”  Glendricks face lit up and he threw his arms around me and said, “Awe thank you.”  A little while later I heard Glendrick tell another youth that, “God loves me.”  He got it.   Praise God for this amazing opportunity!  This was by far the highlight of my Summer. 

I got a real taste for New Orleans as I tried their famous Snow Balls for the second time. One word only can describe them. DELICIOUS. After tasting a Snow Ball, all other snow cones will seem lame.   You have to taste them to believe them. 

             Also on the mission trip I thought I was going to DIE.  I was in a fifteen passenger van with 12 others (chaperones and youth) and were riding along, and then we come upon some traffic. No biggy, right?  Our youth pastor says were getting of the interstate for “traffic” (that was only a small part of the reason.)  In reality, our engine was giving out.  We were driving along a busy street, and we saw smoke surrounding our vehicle.  The motor completely gave out.  We pulled of the side of the road. We were told to remain calm and stay seated in the vehicle.  My youth pastor and his father jumped out of the vehicle and began to battle the broken motor.  Very briefly after we were told to, “remain calm” my youth pastor’s father popped his head in the van and yelled in the most panicked voice I’ve ever      heard, “Get out of the car!!!!”  We didn’t know what was wrong.  Smoke was filling the car I thought we were about to explode.  Terrified. Panicked. The 11 of us in the back were falling all over ourselves trying to open the door.  One problem.  The door was locked and we were all so panicked no one thought to unlock it.  I was yelling a prayer.  My mind was paralyzed by fear.  Praying was the only thing I could do.  Finally, a senior guy pushed past us and unlocked the door.  Everyone piled out.  Well, everyone but me.  My seat belt was still clasped.  I was not used to the van we were riding in and I was panicked.  Trying to wiggle out of the seat belt, I screamed for help.  A chaperone ran over and unbuckled me.  Half weeping half laughing, I stumble out of the car, supported by her.  Then I saw a fire under the car.  We learned later that the fire was nowhere near the gas and we were never in immediate danger.  The fire was small and brief.  Praise God for keeping us safe!  But I was shook up for the rest of the night and I was very weepy.  I went back into my room and half cried half laughed with the girls in my room, as I told the story. 

The mission trip was unforgettable.

After I got home, it took me a few weeks to process the missions trip, when I finally did that I dove into preparation for an audition I had on August 20^th, and trying to finish Algebra 1.  Then my Summer started feeling long. 

As sort of an end of the Summer activity, my youth group had Vacation Bible College.  Based off the idea of VBS, but bigger and better.  Real dinners instead of just snacks.  Worship led by the youth group.  And serious sermons by our pastors. And insane games which include green slime, raw eggs, eating a donut filled with hot-sauce and unforgettable moments.  This year was very bittersweet as most of the youth in the youth praise team were graduating out of youth and going to college.  But we had a blast and I got to sing a solo along with two other girls, who both have beautiful voices, last minute.

                At the end of summer, my family took a weekend vacation to a small Island.

                                                                 That was my summer.