Fat Camp

So I'm back from youth camp. I went with my old church's youth as a counselor. I couldn't escape the feeling that i was cheating on Mag by hanging out with another youth group all week. At the same time, it was good for me to get a way for a week and not have a bunch of responsibilities. I think that is what I look for in a vacation - as little responsibility as possible (is that normal?).

Ok, I wasn't at fat camp ... I just wanted to write that.

Here are some of the things I learned while away:

1. Barabbas was the very first person who experienced the freedom Christ offers.

Jesus died for us to have it. Barabbas was a sinner (a murderer) and was imprisoned, and so I am a sinner (minus murder) and was imprisoned by my sin. Jesus took Barabbas' place at the cross and was freed from prison. Jesus took my place on the cross and I am freed from my slavery to sin - I have freedom through Jesus.

I had never thought about how I am just like Barabbas. I've always thought of him as worse than I, afterall, I've never been in prison. But I am wrong to think that. I am just like Barabbas; sentenced to death because of sin, then freed by Jesus. I was given a 'hello my name is' name tag on which I wrote the name Barabbas. It is on the inside cover of my Bible, reminding me who I am and what I have.

I learned that I need to take advantage of my Christ-given freedom. Just like Barabbas probably raced home to his kids to hug them, kiss them, play board games with them, built forts out of bedsheets and pillows with them, throw a baseball with Barabbas jr., and just enjoy his family, so I need to fully embrace my freedom through Christ. I am currently figuring out how I can do that.

2. God wants me to go deeper.

Deeper with Him, deeper in my relationship with people I work with, deeper with the students I minister to at Mag, and deeper with some guy friends at CBU that I will start studying the Bible with (when school starts). I realized that I don't love the students at Mag enough ... that thought led to the others mentioned above. I need to invest in people and love them. My tendency is to be selfish with my love and not share; mostly because it is easier that way.

I need to invest in God. I realize that the time in invest in Him is investing in things eternal, so why do I not invest?

Yesterday I was listening to Lucado's 'Cure for the Common Life' (audio books are great for long drives) in which he retells the parable of the master giving out tallents to his servants. A tallent was a year's wage (i believe), which is a huge amount of money to entrust a commoner with. Bear in mind that we are all these 'commoners' who God gives abundantly. My failure comes when it's time to do with those blessings what God wishes us to - invest in something that will multiply it. Since I'm pouring it out right now I'll admit that I don't invest my blessings both physically and spiritually. I fail physically by being stingy with what God gives me - it's hard for me to tithe, to share, to be generous. I fail spiritually by not giving God the time, energy, everything back to Him. I am officially convicted.

3. I miss Whitney a lot when one of us leaves for more than a day.

What else is there to say? I miss her.





thanks for the good times