Camp update from Lost Canyon, AZ

Fellow blogees! Not sure if that is a word...anyway...here is the prayer email I sent out to about 100 people. You may find it interesting - you may find it boring. You may not even care! But most of it pertains to what is going on at camp, our familes, etc. But as I'm gone (until June 21), I'll probably post what's happening at camp on the blog. So enjoy!
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Wow, what a week it has been so far! I will do my best to not only update you on some highlights from the week, but also ask for specific prayer requests. So off we go!

- There are 383 campers and leaders here this week - all from New Mexico or Arizona. It is an interesting mix of kids. There are some tough kids who put on a huge front, and some kids who are just going through some brutal stuff at home. I feel like we have communicated well as an assigned team with a lot of campers, so that is great.
- Eric has been giving great club talks, and been laying a very clear picture of who Christ is. Last night was the "15 minutes of quiet", and I feel like it was extremely powerful. It feels like the Holy Spirit is really moving here at Lost Canyon!
- No major injuries - praise the Lord and cross keep crossing your fingers!
- Our assigned team has really been coming together this week. Week 1's are always tough - fine tuning the schedule, adjusting to living together, the program walk-ons, the Opera, every little detail! But our meetings have been VERY productive and we can't wait to keep improving ourselves so we can better relay Christ to these campers. Please pray for the little details of running a camp!

Random highlights from this week:
- Blob contest was amazing - the winning blob consisted of a 1 1/2 back flips, landing perfectly!
- Listening to Malcolm Hess say "Horton Hears a Who"- he is a 2 year old kid from one of our families
- Catching 2 boys cabins streaking through the night to the girls cabins...always fun!
- Chasing a skunk off the property
- Chasing down a cabin who broke into the kitchen on night 6...trying to steal liters of Pepsi, bananas, etc. A very fun chase!
- John Byard wearing a caveman outfit multiple times throughout the week. Absolutely hilarious.
- Mattress races at club - always a great game
- Neal Eckerlin attempting to open a coke bottle for 4 minutes during a skit on entertainment night...the end result being a girl opening it for him. Sorry Neal!
- Chicken nuggets almost every night at the AT house. SO good!
- A work crew girl walked in on me going to the bathroom...yes, she saw everything. Ouch.

Here are some prayers requests around the property, and specifically with our AT:
** 2 families are arriving today and tomorrow - the Byards and the Scofields. Pray for safe travel and a smooth transition into "camp life".
** Continue to pray for Eric - that he portrays a very clear picture of who God is, who Jesus is, how He can change campers lives!
** Please pray for sustained energy. Week 1 is always tough - we all want to GO GO GO! But there are some really tired bodies here - and we need some spiritual food and energy!
** One camper (Kyle) has been sober for 5 days - since Day 1 of this week. This is the longest he has been sober in 2 years. He accepted Christ last night during cabin time. Please pray for Kyle as he goes back to a horrible situation in his hometown, and that he can start fighting the good fight!
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If you have any thoughts or questions or anything fellow blogs, let me know! Enjoy you week! We get new kids today...around 270 or so. Should be another great week at YL camp!

Let me introduce to you...

Good morning friends. I would like for you to meet someone at my work. For privacy's sake, I will not give you her real name. But it starts with a D, and rhymes with Fonna. She was born in Alabama and went to school in Mississippi (where she "was the only white kid in that school". She has a big country accent and is hilarious. Laugh out loud hilarious. So let me lay out the scenario for you. I work in a cubicle - 3 sides of boredom, and one side open to get in and out. Next door to me is my friend "Cloe". Wink wink. Same set up for her. So clearly we cannot see each other...just hear each other talking on the phone and typing and whatnot. Here is our correspondence from yesterday. (you have to read this in a Southern/Country accent)

- sssiiiiigggghhhhhh.........."I need me some JeeesUs" I hear from next door.
- Did you just say you need you some Jesus Cloe?
- Yeah. I've been out of church for like 2 months now and I can feel it.
- What do you mean you can feel it? What does that mean? (type type type type)
- Well, its like i'm a deer out in the wilderness runnin around. like lyin in a ditch or sumthin. Plus my kids are gettin sick. (pause) I just need me some JeeesUS man.
- Why haven't you been going to church? What caused the stop?
- Well the church made a dress code, and my girls refuse to wear dresses. They say they ain't goin to church dressed like that.
- What kind of church is this? Who set the dress code??
- It's a baptist church...the elders set it. or should i say the "menfolk".
- Hmm. Well have you looked for another church?
- Yeah, a little bit. i just need me some jesus, tho. even my kids say so. they bin sayin, 'Momma, whats wrong? You need to gitchasome JeeesUs?' and i say yeah.
- (type type type)What are you going to do about it?
- I guess I'm gonna find me a good church and get back into. I just need some JeesUS.
- Me too, Cloe. Me too.

Don't we all just to gitchasome Jesus?

Here are some more Cloe comments from cube-land.
- My husband got kicked out of his county's schools for life when he was a keeeiid.....want to know why? (sure). he hit the principal in the head. (ooooo, that'll do it). with a chair.

- I ain't givin up food. I don't drink, smoke, do drugs, nuthin like that. At least let me keep my food. I don't care if I have a heart attack I ain't goin on no diet.
Amen Sister!

- I embarassed my daughter today at the bus stop. (really, how?) She was runnin her mouth and I told her in front of the bus that she'd look awful funny with a busted lip from her momma.

You get the point. She talks, I laugh. All day. It is awesome. Sometimes the office ladies just ask her to tells stories and we all sit around and howl. Everyone needs someone like this to brighten up their day!

What about you? Got any funny stories as of late?

Other news of interest:
- Ashley and I leave for YL camp on Friday for a month - can't wait!
- New Mat Kearney CD is out today...go buy it, it is amazing.
- Wedding details are materializing...........but you'll have to find those out later! It will be awesome!
- Because I know you are all dying for more Taffy pictures, I'll put some up tonight or tomorrow. Keep checking back!

Have a great Tuesday. And go gitchyasome Jesus!

You know you're a redneck if....

NEED I SAY MORE?

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

I have always wanted to say that my website is "Under Construction".........but it really isn't. I am just crafting my next blog!!!

Oh by the way...I was THAT GUY again today!! TWICE!! I worked out...on the way home, wanted some wine for the night...stopped by "Sip" on the way home, only to find out that they were having this ultra-hoity-toity wine tasting (I was in workout clothes). I walked in....and you know, once you get so far, you can't really turn around...so there I was, USD shorts and USD shirt (sweaty), and flip flops, standing amongst the crowd of swanks...it was ugly, to say the least.

Not once, but TWICE did my iPhone fly off the treadmill today. I am dead serious friends. 2 TIMES. Woooooosh!!! Off the back of the treadmill. People laughing behind me. THAT GUY AGAIN.

I will update soon......for all of you readers who are dying to get the next blog (all 4 of you)...its on the way!!!!

Hey GUY

If I say the term, "That guy", I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. You know, that guy. You never want to be that guy, and generally make fun of that guy. Well, I was that guy. Most of this happened over the last week, and I thought I'd give you some insight to my worst series of accidents of being "that guy".

- I fell asleep on the plane this weekend with my tray down in front of me. Had a full glass of water. Jolted myself awake, hitting the tray upwards and spilling the water all over myself and the 70 year old next to me. THAT GUY.

- Proceeded to choke on what was left of the water and cough for 10 minutes uncontrollably. CHOKING GUY.

- Got out of my car last week and dropped everything I had in my hands - coffee, what I was about to ship at the UPS store, some change, sunglasses, and a book. Everyone driving by just stared......PARKING LOT GUY.

- Plane delayed, short connection, zero time. Running thru the Denver Airport with 2 bags and sweating, only to miss my plane by 5 minutes. Breathing hard, yelling at the person at the check stand. AIRPORT GUY.

- At the Yardhouse in Palm Springs, Matt pretends to slap the waitress in the you-know-what, causing her to tell management, causing a scene. THOSE GUYS.

- While working out, accidentally pulled the "STOP" ripcord on the tredmill, causing me to trip and then yank my iPhone out of the holder thingy. It then landed on the tredmill and shot about 10 feet backwards, leaving me standing there looking around in amazement. THAT GUY.

Have you ever been that guy? Got any stories of that guy? Please, share! And stop making fun of me!