when God makes these?

I want to blog so bad right now it hurts. So much to say, and as many of y’all understand [blogmie shout out!], it feels real good to blog about something.

And Scotland is something. Whew.

But it’s really late at night here (almost 1am) and I have GOT to go to bed.

I did a blog that was quite nice over at the Scotland Prayer Partner Blog, so you are welcome to go check that out. I know “quite nice” is a Scottish term, but I just can’t help it. I’m sorry to say that the words in my mind already have gotten a Scottish accent. Bizarro.

I hope a lot of you got to watch the service tonight- it will be on again tomorrow at 3pm your time (8pm here) if you’d like to catch it. Should be amazing after what God did tonight.

I’m seriously going to bed. But now that we have jimmy rigged the internet like a good group of Southerners should do, I should be able to for real blog tomorrow.

Pray that my five hours of sleep feel like ten.

You can watch our service in Scotland live right now. It’s 8:35pm here. The worship team just finished and some other team members just did a skit. Tom Fraley is speaking.

If you are getting here late, you can still watch the service on demand.

But if anyone gives me a hard time about my hairdo or makeup, I will remind you that I am quite busy here. Thank you very much.

They just are. Here’s our team, minus the last two who are coming tomorrow. (Booyah!)

This is also minus our pastor, Tom. He sadly had to go back to the States this morning. His son was injured in an accident and he has a fractured skull and is in intensive care in the hospital in his college town. Please take a minute to pray for Tom as he is arriving in Atlanta at 7:30pm and going immediately to the hospital. Also pray for Mason, his son, and pray for a quick recovery. He’s talking and stuff, so we are hoping he will be out of ICU quickly. Pray for the rest of the family as well as they wait on Tom to arrive.

Continue to pray for our team- we plan for camp all day tomorrow. May the Lord help us remember all the things we need to get done. Cause we all know I won’t remember. Sheesh.

We’re here!

And y’all. ALL OF OUR LUGGAGE IS HERE. So that means that 21 checked bags and 21 tubs of supplies have arrived. Amazing, huh? It was really sweet of the Lord to handle that for us.

It has been awesome so far. I don’t even know if I’ve told you, but we are putting on a Youth Camp, much like the one that we just returned from in Marietta.

I got to go to the camp site today and just being there again got me SO EXCITED.

I haven’t slept in about eleventy-eight hours, so I’m sorry these sentences are short and somewhat on the level of a struggling sixth grader.

Here are a few pictures from our trip so far:

Here we are playing Bananagrams in the Jersey airport. Thank you, Mrs. Veronica, for hooking us up. We are loving it and we are a lot smarter. Which by the way, is “fleeted” a word?

This is from the airplane. I could seriously have church just by looking out an airplane window and listening to my iPod. There are few sights as beautiful to me as the view out a plane window above the clouds.

Here are our sweet high school girls. I figure their parents will appreciate seeing that they are smiling and not crying. (Carly, Laura, and Amy) And they are with an adult. Me. I’m not sure that makes you feel better. Forget that part.

Here are some of our dudes walking in downtown Paisley. (My cousin Jake, Hunter, and Josh)

And this is the only pic you are getting of me so far. With my first and only souvenir. I love me some Scottish jewelry. Don’t be jealous. I’ll let you wear it. As long as you don’t go out of my line of vision. Because I’m so in love with this ring that I can’t even take it off. Uh, nice face, Katie B.

Please continue to pray for us. The house we are staying at- the water shut off today. Can you say “our battle is not against flesh and blood”? But we are praying and believing that God is always for us and He is our provider, so we won’t worry. Just keep praying.

You can check our blog (scotlandteam08.blogspot.com) to read updates daily. Mama will be doing that one and she has more access to internet, especially once camp starts on Sunday.

Also, we are lucky enough to be able to do a live feed of our services and some interviews here (riverstonesummercamp.tv). So check back after Sunday and you should see some awesomeness.

Oh, and by the way Sarah, this is a nerd rope. You need one. Or twenty-two. Hope and Naomi will dig them big time.

Know that joke? “It’s my lot in life. It’s not a lot. But it’s my life.” I think it’s from a cartoon movie of some sort. Jokes always lose that special spark when they have to be explained. Too bad.

I’m having a serious blog-guilt complex. Like the clown who draws everyone to the circus with his ridiculous behavior and then leaves. I’m sorry. I want to paint my face and get shoved in a car with 23 of my best blog-clown buddies, but I just don’t have it in me. So I throw up this blog post and beg your forgiveness. After Scotland, I will return to being the blog-machine that you have come to know and love.

I tried to write a hilarious blog about getting my nails done today, but I honestly think I may have fallen asleep while typing. All I know is one minute I was typing “hierarchy” and the next minute it was hierrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I leave for Scotland in the morning. Packing for one person for 14 days in a different climate is challenging.

Packing for that one person AND packing for an 80 person camp where all the supplies come from America because they are too expensive in Scotland and oh by the way did you get that check cashed and grab a new pair of jeans because it’s cold there and renew your driver’s license because it expired on the big 2-8 yesterday and “there’s a mouse living in our Nashville house how should we deal with THAT” and run by Kinko’s to pick up the quiet time journals and did you remember to pack the extra nerd ropes and has anyone packed a football and you left your Bible at church genius and “do you know exactly which seat I am in” and “can I bring my cell phone” and be sure to call your friends back who wished you a happy birthday and where are the camp tshirts and have I even washed my shirt and how did it get to be 11:55pm and I still haven’t packed.

Yep. That just happened.

Sorry- I may have splashed a little losing my mind on your screen. Just use a hand towel, it will come right off.

But even in all of this insanity, I’ve had two solid words of encouragement come in.

One was to REST. And I will receive it. Because this one time [at band camp- ok, not really, but I love saying that] I tried to lead a mission trip. I decided that by making NO mistakes and being totally perfect I would be a “good leader”. Not only did I almost drive my team members to heavy drinking, I literally killed a friendship that has never resurrected and I was miserable. So I know when the Lord is reminding me to REST, He’s also saying, “Rest in this- My strength is made perfect in your weakness”. So I will REST. And let the Holy Spirit lead this trip.

The other word was from a dear broseph in Christ. He left this scripture on my voicemail, and though he fits in that category of people I totally need to call back but haven’t, I give him big props for hearing God today on my behalf.

Psalms 73: 23-26
Yet I am always with You; You hold me by my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Um. Booyah. That’s my life scripture and my friend didn’t even know that. Talk about God taking a minute out of His day to remind this sister that I am always on His mind. Much appreciated, Sir. Much appreciated.

So though my mind can’t stop making lists (passport, converter, scholarship money, purse, shampoo, book, you know), I’m not worried. God has called us, He will equip us, He goes before us, He is our front AND rear guard, He is our reason. He won’t let us down- He doesn’t know how to do that.

Pray for safe travel tomorrow, pray that all our bins, suitcases, instruments, etc. all arrive with us- fifty checked bags total. [I think I just threw up a little bit in my mouth.] And pray for me, as the leader. I want to be wise and loving and encouraging and completely out of the way so that the Holy Spirit can do His thing.

I gotta quit typing before another list emerges……

Talk to y’all soon- from the other side of the Atlantic.

(What a lame ending. I feel real bad about that, too.)

I’m 28 today. As of this moment, I’m officially the oldest I’ve ever been. 28 feels weird. I’m not a huge fan of even numbers, they have never been my favorite. 26 was somewhat awful (the first half at least) and 27 was somewhat stellar.

But 28. It’s gonna be different than all the rest.

I’m a real big fan of my birthday, as you can see here and here. I’m not going to lie about that. On my birthday eve, I lay awake, trying so hard to fall asleep. But I can’t. I wonder who I will see, who will call, and what it will feel like. It’s not about gifts- I’m weird about gifts. They kinda freak me out. I love giving them but am quasi-incapable of receiving them. So there’s that.

So I’ve been thinking about what you can give me that won’t make me feel awkward or uncomfortable. Wait for it….

Every year I ask God to tell me how much He likes me on my birthday. It’s a prayer that He loves to answer, if you’re looking for one. And without fail, I feel a deep love on this day. A genuine “I’m so glad you were born”. And today, I said, “God, 28 is going to be so different, huh?”

His response? “You were MADE for 28.”

Whoa. That’s a good gift.

Now I sit in a coffee house in Marietta, trying to finish the last of the Scotland Bible studies. And I can’t figure out how to explain what’s going on- without you being at camp last week, I can’t fully explain what I’m feeling. If you were there, you understand. I can’t recover from it. From Him.

Because even just listening to praise music (“Awakening” by Daniel Bashta) has me drowning in the presence of the Lord. There aren’t words. It’s like He so poured out on us last week that I can’t shake His presence. Something new is happening. An awakening. A deepening.

Dare I say a revival? Yeah, I dare. REVIVAL. It may be here.

So for my birthday this year, I want one thing. And you can pray for it. That’s what you can give me.

All I want is this- I want the King of Glory to enter in. (Psalm 24)

Sorry for the sudden departure and complete lack of warning. Honestly, I thought I’d be able to toss up a few posts while at Summer Camp, but it never happened. Sorry bout that. It’s just a little practice for Scotland next week, cause who even knows how much I’ll be able to blog there. I have a great plan, but we see how well THAT worked out at this camp…. so…..

And just for your personal information, I wrote blog posts in my mind multiple times. Which either means I’m dedicated or addicted. Or both. Apparently I’m not the only one- as this video with Justin, Randel, and Brad displays. Yes, we climbed the bleachers to the top and sat and blog-talked. Ain’t no shame in my game. There were a few other great bloggers at camp, but they were engaged in student ministry or something like that. You know.

What an amazing week. As you know from last year, this is one of the highlight, if not THE highlight, week of my year. With so much going on right now, it was hard to get as excited as I usually do about camp. But I loved being there.

If you want to see me totally actin a fool, GO HERE to our video website and watch “Morning Thing”videos on demand- I’m the one giving the rules and laughing too loudly at my own jokes.

Also, you can watch the Homecoming Service tonight at 6pm EST if you so desire.

I’m not going to recap everything, that’s boring to everyone except me. And honestly, if I want to recap that bad, I’ll just look in the mirror and tell myself stories. I’m not above such behavior.

For me, this year had an added bonus of “I totally adore these adults and students and I am moving away from them in 30 days”. So that was a pleasure. Because more than once, I would have a conversation with someone and as they walked away, I would have to blink back tears just at the mere idea of not seeing them regularly. It’s a true delight to live in a constant state of almost cry.

I stood in the shower yesterday evening, exhausted and brokenhearted. Running about thirty minutes late to name tag check for dinner, I couldn’t move any faster or shake the haze over my heart. Faces kept flashing through my mind and I’d stand there, as the water poured over my face and think, “Oh God. I’m leaving him too. And her. And her. And him.” The combination of complete exhaustion and deep love for these people was almost too much.

This morning, as we met together for our last service, I was one of the communion servers. I got to hold the bread and say, “This is the body of Christ. Broken for you.” I almost always tear up when I get the privilege of serving communion- there is just something about being in that moment between Jesus and one of His people that is so personal and private and beautiful. [I also tear up because I'm Annie. Sue me.]

But this time, tears dropped from my eyes as many of those same faces that were in my mind just last night were pulling bread from my hands. These students that I love. I’d look right at them, say their name, and tell them the truth- that Jesus’ body was broken for them. The sacrifice He made is never more real to me than when I repeat those words to each kid that passes. And watch their hearts respond.

Then it was the adults’ turns. I looked in each face, many of whom are the same counselors I knew when I was a student. Many of whom are my very best friends. I thought, “If ever a moment that I want to share with you to say thank you for how you have loved me, it is this.”

[Let me insert- obviously communion is totally NOT about me. Duh. And I'm not saying that. I'm just saying it was an honor to serve these that have served me in SO MANY WAYS for my entire life. Continue on....]

I could hardly get the words out. As each passed, we all knew what this moment was saying. Thank you. Goodbye. I love you. All of it over a ripped piece of tear-stained bread that represented Christ, who had brought us together in the first place. They cried as they took the bread, knowing what I know- that this really was the best way to say goodbye. To honor Jesus in the brokenness.

And therein lies my deepest sadness about the move to Nashville. The people I leave behind.

Yet therein lies the perfect chance for God to do something miraculous for me in Nashville-

Give me a community.

I’m OVER HERE this week.

And having a blast.