getting there and breaking down

Well, we're here! We definitely had a crazy and fun trip out here to Estes Park, Colorado, but arrived safely. If you heard about any of the huge storm systems and tornadoes that hit southern Wyoming and Northern Colorado last week, we drove through some of that to get here. God definitely blessed us with traveling mercies there. To read more about that visit our group weblog "CO LT 08 Group Blog" listed under "Links" on the right-hand side of this site, or go to http://colt2008.blogspot.com.
When I got out here to get my schedule for my job, I found out that I was promoted to AM Supervisor of the Pondorosa Staff Dining Room (referred to as "the Pondo"). So far... it's been tough getting up at 5am to go to work, and a little crazy as I'm trying to remember the 58 billion things that need to be done before and after each meal (note: 58 billion may have been a slight exaggeration... but it feels that way sometimes!). It's been fun though, it's crazy how easily I remember where stuff is and what needs to be done. It's also awesome to work with old friends again, especially my friends from Colombia and Mexico (they're also determined to teach me Spanish this summer because they feel German is useless... we'll see how successful I am).
As far as LT goes... we met with our project groups once already and had dinner together. Ours is unusually larger than my group from last year, but from what I know (and from what I've heard from MANY other people)... we have the SWEETEST project group. One of my really good friends from LT last year is one of the project leaders and we have SEVEN BGSU people in it, one of which is Sarah, my roommate!!! I'm really excited to get to know these people and grow with them this summer.
If you remember from last summer, we read a book called "Chazown" by Craig Groeschel. This year's book that we are reading is "What's So Amazing About Grace?" by Philip Yancey. I haven't started it yet, but I already know this is going to be a super-sweet book and that it really goes along with some of the stuff that God has revealed to me that He wants to teach me this summer. Feel free to read the book with us this summer!!
We also had our first LT meeting last night. It was really sweet, and I'm excited for these this summer. But something hasn't felt right, almost since I got here, and it didn't exactly feel right last night. I know things don't have to feel right to actually be right... but something feels out of place for me. And it may just be a period of adjustment, I don't know. The worship was really sweet... even though there's a lot going on for me right now, I felt SO FREE to just worship God and praise Him. Then Drage got up and brought the message, which was about having a "Focused Life" especially while we're out here, and the different LT Goals of the summer. So, if you don't know, I usually take notes during a message, even if I already have an outline, and the notes consist usually of a few different things, like: key important phrases the speaker makes that really stand out to me that aren't in the outline, points reiterated or reworded differently than in the outline that really stand out to me, questions that I need to look deeper into. But also during messages I can hear God speaking a lot of times so I also write down: questions God has for me, things God wants to say to me, questions I have for God or for myself, and any thoughts or prayers I have to God. I told you all this to tell you: God and I have a lot of questions for myself, most of them are pretty tough, and they all need to be answered. It was really good though. And then of course the LT vows and the chain links were given out... mine is again around my neck, but on my necklace this year instead of on a piece of a bandanna like last year. After that my roommates (Liz and Sarah) and I sat down and talked for awhile. I know now more than ever before that God has us out here together for a reason. I feel we are going to grow SO MUCH through experiencing this together, and learn how to be more open, honest, trusting, and loving toward each other as sisters. It's going to be sweet.
Well, that's all I have so far. Because of my busy schedule as a supervisor, and wanting to spend a lot of time with God, as well as hiking every mountain visible from the YMCA... and then some, I'm still hoping I can update as often as I'd like to. I have some pictures from the past week, but haven't had time to post them on the Photo Website. For those of you eagerly waiting, I apologize, I'll have some time soon this week.