Lights, Ladders and Zip lines … Oh MY!

It was another day of hanging lights! We are getting GOOD at it! We’ve learned to make giant lollipops out of duct tape, swim noodles and pvc pipe. If their runner was able to get more spools of lights we just might get that tunnel finished! It’s our goal for sure!

The zip line and climbing was an adventure for many to say the least! The anticipation and screaming made for a fun and at times funny 2 hours! Tejas blessed us with a free time of an open gift shop, zip line, climbing wall, gaga pit and just hanging around taking a break.

Our work schedule ends at 5:30 but we are a determined group and after dinner we found extension cords and got back out there in the dark (with lights) and kept stringing lights until there were no more to string. Our goal to finish tomorrow is attainable if those other lights show up!

Our evening debrief we talked about the scriptures from last night. The jars of clay with the light of Christ in them can be us. We can be light to others. We can be the salt to others. How does that look? Well, for each of us it will look differently. God will use who he created each of us to be. We may have to step out of our comfort zone, but someone might be waiting on us. We might be the answer to someone else’s prayer. Showing kindness. Praying for others. Being a friend. Sharing Jesus.

We broke up into small groups and talked about the ways we can do that, individually. I can’t speak for the others, but in my group we talked about the different ways each of them can be a light… it was a sweet and encouraging time.

Warning…no one wants to come home. They all want me to see if I can just bring them back on Friday. I love that… however, I am bringing them back tomorrow afternoon, just to clarify! : )

As we go into this Thanksgiving and Christmas season. I want to encourage you to read those passages as well. How can you let the light of Christ shine through your life bringing hope and peace to others.   How has God gifted you so that you can use that ability, talent, characteristic and be the ‘salt’ that someone else needs to bring value to their life!

God is good and he wants to do good things in and through you!

Love your kids!

Mrs. g

Happy heart – Cheerful Face – Describes today’s workday!

We started off the morning recapping the night before. We read 2 Corinthians 4:7…  We discussed the many different types of vessels that you could find in a kitchen. They all are useful and have a different purpose. At one time they were brand new, but many are dinged up, not as shiny etc.  They are perfect but they are perfectly useable.  We discussed how God can use our imperfections and places that have been broken to bring glory to him!  It is a lie of the enemy (Satan) for us to think that our flaws, or mistakes, etc. discount us to be bearers of his light… in fact, when we allow the Holy Spirit to come in and heal and transform, the light of Jesus shines bright through our imperfections.  We then can help others, encourage others in their brokenness and weaknesses to allow God to strengthen, heal and transform them.  We broke into our small groups and shared the things that hinder us!  We prayed for each other and then set out to hang lights! Lots of lights!

What a great group of kids to work with!  It was a cold morning! Tejas built a new tunnel walkway that and we started off clipping these little do dads on each eye hook.  I think they are called carabeaners (?)  for real that is what the name sounds like!  We clipped on 100’s of them.

After a great lunch of chicken strips/gravy/green beans/salad/brownies/cookies (we are starving here… not) we began hanging lights…. on the large walkway, I believe we estimated 16,800 lights  and on the smaller tunnel  about 2,000 lights.

AND, we picked up rocks, lots of rocks in the pathway!  We only got about 1/4 of the way strung on the large covered walkway.

After dinner (yummy pasta, garlic bread, mixed vegetables, salad and pie) (Dean really loved the pasta – that’s all I’m going to say)  (in the morning is bacon – we are looking forward to it!)

We went on a hayride and ended up at the tree grove camp fire!  You’ll have to ask your student about it!  You walk into this grove of trees and it looks like something Hollywood created!  It’s so amazing!  a huge campfire!   We stood around the campfire and then proceeded to go around the circle, blessing one another.  We talked about how each of us is truly uniquely made and sometimes we don’t realize that others see that ‘good’ in us.  It’s amazing to see the students compliment and encourage one another.  We start with one student and then just go around the circle… everyone has the opportunity to bless them and believe me… it is a blessing!  So encouraging and uplifting!

We’re having some free time right now… then we’ll regroup back in our cabins, play a little apples to apples in the girls cabin … then right before lights out, I’ve asked everyone to read Matthew 5:9-19 as they are going to bed.

Salt and Light

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds  and praise your Father in heaven.

Thinking about how God created me… How can I live out this scripture in my life?  with my classmates, my family, friends, people God puts in my path!

We have had a busy, happy, cheerful face day!  (Proverbs 15:13)

All the workers stop us and thank us for being here.  A retired gentleman who comes here every year in October and November to help Tejas get ready for their Christmas outreach could not believe these kids were only 8th graders!

Summit students bring it to the table! We leaders are so proud of them.  They have honored and glorified God with their hard work, cheerful attitudes and happy faces!  We have worked and laughed all day!

Pray for continued clear weather, safety and great attitudes! Pray for them  and their relationships as they become closer as a class. Pray for us all to treasure the treasure within us and to have the desire to share that treasure!

Thank you for letting your wonderful students come on this trip! What an honor it is to serve a long side of them

Arianna, we miss you and can’t wait to tell you about all we’ve done!

Oh… and … it’s true…. The stars at night… really are big and bright, (clap, clap, clap, clap) here in the heart of Texas.

It’s begining to feel a lot like Christmas! Brrrr

We arrived at Camp Tejas this afternoon and picked our bunks then headed to the chapel for orientation!  The Camp manager met us and shared about Camp Tejas and what we would be doing the next 2.5 days.  About 40% of the ‘Lights of Tejas’ has been revamped so we will be ‘wrapping’ completely different things this year.  They are going to try to get the new light show where they tell the gospel ready to do a run through for us before we leave on Wednesday!  We would be the first people to see it so we are praying they get enough of it set up for us to give a trial run!

After dinner we had some free time in the new game room (double the size) then we gathered in the chapel to hear Mr. Dare share for our first devotional!

He divided the groups into 3 groups and asked them to think of as many different types of social media that they could in about 5+ minutes!  team one came up with 32, team two had 29 and team three had 27!  He handed out bags of candy …  somehow the topic got on Mary Poppins – spoonful of sugar – he is now called Darey Poppins!

Mr. Dare challenged us  with the question “What has your heart?”  What we set our affections on will influence our lives. Media is supposed to help us connect when in reality more people are lonely and we are disconnected from one another because we don’t have to personally interact!

Proverbs 4:18  18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. 19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble. 20 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. 21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; 22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body. 23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.   

Mr. Dare brought out a glass vase – representing our personal life –  fragile – we fill it with many things; friends, family, sports, job, hobbies, relationship with Christ.

Then he took wrapping foam sleeves (used to pack plates) and put the vase in it –

1st wrap – represents God’s love for us -bring a layer of protection around our heart

2nd wrap – represents our time we spent with God reading his word

3rd wrap – represents being strengthened in our faith by our interaction with other believers

4th wrap – represents Prayer

Mr. Dare then took a hammer and hit the side of the wrapped vase – it didn’t break – representing the guarding of our heart because of our love for and our relationship with Christ and his love for us.

Then he took the vase out of the wrap – and put it in a paper bag representing the things of this world, worldly relationships, and selfish desires –  and one tap with the hammer – it breaks – and really – you can’t put it back together

Mr. Dare had a 2nd vase and he filled it with insulation – Christ in us – greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world  1 John 4:4  –  we are letting it set and in the morning we will tap the glass and see what happens!

We broke into groups and shared about our own obstacles that keep us from setting our affections on Christ. Then spent time in prayer asking God to use this time to redirect us  to have hearts that pursue God … wholeheartedly!

Please pray for your students this week!  You have GREAT kids.  We have great leaders here!  God is good and I believe he is going to do great things!

Pray for us as we work tomorrow!  pray we can stay warm.  Tejas has been waiting on us.  Summit always brings a great group of hard working students!  This time is no exception!

Till tomorrow!

mrs. g