Hi. It's Ben. Haven't been on here in a long time. But Danielle's getting ready to go away for 8 weeks, so we decided to start blogging again. Everything has been going well. If Danielle wasn't getting ready to leave I would be excited for fall, because I love fall. This is Scout's first fall, and hopefully he will love it too.
I'm sorry if you're reading this. But I have no life. Danielle is making me write this.
We watched the Kentucky game the other day, which was fun, except Kentucky lost. But Florida lost too, so that almost made up for it. Glad Ohio State won and is now ranked #1. I'm a little scared about the national championship though. I'm not sure anyone except TCU and Boise can go undefeated and nobody is going to vote for that game.
Danielle and I are currently getting in shape. Well, it's a little early in the process, but I'm excited to get my old, lazy butt up off the couch. We do some program where you switch running and walking, with more running as the program gets more advanced. Thanks to the treadmill from mom and dad we can do it all right here in the basement.
My youth group small group is going well. We are doing a study of 2nd Timothy written by John Stott. Reading anything written by Paul is alway good.
Tomorrow I only have to work at UPS so Scout is getting declawed and I am working on a honey-do list. But I am still excited to not work my full schedule. That's all for now... see ya soon.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Saturday, October 4, 2008
The last month and half have been crazy, but full of a lot of fun new things. I (Danielle) have now started school again (I am in Physical Therapy graduate school getting my DPT). I really enjoy the people in my class and have been blessed to make some great friends already. The school aspect has been going really well and I have at least started with really good grades. My current classes are Human Physiology, Histology, Intro to PT, Statistics & Research Design, and Behavioral Factors in Health and Disease.
We have started leading 7th grade Bible Studies at our church- Ben leads the boys group, and I lead the girls. There are a lot more girls than boys, but they are a lot of fun and we are truly blessed by this opportunity. Last weekend the youth group had a "Mall Mafia" event, sort of a hide and seek event where the leaders and seniors dressed up and walked around the mall for an hour. The kids were divided into groups and tried to find everyone. Ben and I dressed up "emo" by wearing ACDC tshirts, converse shoes, and Ben spiked his hair up. We have also started going to a young couples Bible Study through church, and have gotten to meet some great couples close to our age through that.
A few weeks ago we celebrated 3 years of being together (we started dating September 11, 2005) and went to Cincinnati. We went to the zoo and ate at one of our favorite restaurants, Karlos, which is in Florence, KY. The next weekend we went out to a local orchard where we picked apples and took a hay ride. We had a blast and look forward to returning there soon to get some pumpkins.
I have pretty much just been in bed the last couple of days due to the adverse effects of getting shots. For my school program I have to get several vaccinations in order to work with patients during clinicals, so I had the first of the Hepatitis B series and the Tdap for tetanus, diptheria, and pertussis. I am just beginning to regain range of motion from the Tdap. So we've had a pretty uneventful weekend, but have enjoyed relaxing at home, watching movies, and college football. Ben's parents are coming down to visit next weekend so we look forward to seeing them soon, since we haven't seen them since our wedding.
We have started leading 7th grade Bible Studies at our church- Ben leads the boys group, and I lead the girls. There are a lot more girls than boys, but they are a lot of fun and we are truly blessed by this opportunity. Last weekend the youth group had a "Mall Mafia" event, sort of a hide and seek event where the leaders and seniors dressed up and walked around the mall for an hour. The kids were divided into groups and tried to find everyone. Ben and I dressed up "emo" by wearing ACDC tshirts, converse shoes, and Ben spiked his hair up. We have also started going to a young couples Bible Study through church, and have gotten to meet some great couples close to our age through that.
A few weeks ago we celebrated 3 years of being together (we started dating September 11, 2005) and went to Cincinnati. We went to the zoo and ate at one of our favorite restaurants, Karlos, which is in Florence, KY. The next weekend we went out to a local orchard where we picked apples and took a hay ride. We had a blast and look forward to returning there soon to get some pumpkins.
I have pretty much just been in bed the last couple of days due to the adverse effects of getting shots. For my school program I have to get several vaccinations in order to work with patients during clinicals, so I had the first of the Hepatitis B series and the Tdap for tetanus, diptheria, and pertussis. I am just beginning to regain range of motion from the Tdap. So we've had a pretty uneventful weekend, but have enjoyed relaxing at home, watching movies, and college football. Ben's parents are coming down to visit next weekend so we look forward to seeing them soon, since we haven't seen them since our wedding.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Super Busy!
So I guess we need an entire month's worth of updates. The last month of TeamEffort was great, we had basically smooth sailing with our groups. We were definitely so blessed by getting some amazing kids and leaders at our camp. But there were definitely a lot of challenges in other areas of camp, so it was never quite easy. Coming out of the summer I would have to say it was not what I expected, but I have to love it for what it was. And I am thankful for the opportunities we had and the growth this summer. Ben and I came out sane, stronger, more mature, and even more in love with God and each other.
We had a 3 day retreat in Cleveland, Ga. It was great to see some old friends and hear lots of great stories about what happened at their camps. We had a chance to go tubing in Helen, GA, which was way fun! The day we got back to Lexington the moving madness began. We somehow got everything out of my house in one day, but 11 days later we are still working on organizing, cleaning, decorating, etc. We can't wait to be done so we can just relax! The work is very rewarding though, because it helps change our apartment into a home. Just adding art, mirrors, lamps, and rugs makes the room fill up with warmth, and we are learning the value of having a home that looks nice. Since we have been back I have immensely enjoyed cooking. We make breakfast together on the weekends, usually some combination of waffles, turkey bacon, hashbrowns, and scrambled eggs. And since I don't have school right now I enjoy cooking dinner for Ben as well. He started back at UPS last Wednesday. My program orientation begins next Monday and classes start Wednesday. So, we are back in town and getting settled in. We love living together. It really is a dream come true to wake up together, eat dinner together every night, and for now, hang out all the time.
We had a 3 day retreat in Cleveland, Ga. It was great to see some old friends and hear lots of great stories about what happened at their camps. We had a chance to go tubing in Helen, GA, which was way fun! The day we got back to Lexington the moving madness began. We somehow got everything out of my house in one day, but 11 days later we are still working on organizing, cleaning, decorating, etc. We can't wait to be done so we can just relax! The work is very rewarding though, because it helps change our apartment into a home. Just adding art, mirrors, lamps, and rugs makes the room fill up with warmth, and we are learning the value of having a home that looks nice. Since we have been back I have immensely enjoyed cooking. We make breakfast together on the weekends, usually some combination of waffles, turkey bacon, hashbrowns, and scrambled eggs. And since I don't have school right now I enjoy cooking dinner for Ben as well. He started back at UPS last Wednesday. My program orientation begins next Monday and classes start Wednesday. So, we are back in town and getting settled in. We love living together. It really is a dream come true to wake up together, eat dinner together every night, and for now, hang out all the time.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
One month until our return
Well we have just under one month until we can finally move out of a hotel and into our new apartment. We are certainly excited about that part of our return. There are many things that we will miss though that is for sure. The friendships we have made, the crazy kids we meet each week, and the work that we usually have no idea what we're doing. That has been a fun part of this last week for me, Ben. I have been making decisions on how to build a 36 by 48 building and hauling all kinds of lumber all week. It makes me feel like I'm a handyman or a contractor but I most certainly am not. But it has certainly been a lot of fun learning so many new things at the worksite. The building is going to cover a mini-golf course that we are repairing and spicing up a little bit so the kids will hopefully use it more frequently.
Danielle and I continue to love going to a local Christian store, Go Fish, and buying new items for our new home. We have bought a prayer box and a cross so far and we always see something else we want but we are trying to pace ourselves with the budget since we have already made some major purchases this summer.. ie this laptop. Go Fish is a great place. The owner travels to less fortunate areas all around the world and buys items from families to help develop small town economies. They take mission trips for spiritual growth as well. I don't remember where the cross was made, but we suspect the same as the prayer box because they are similar. The prayer box was made in Thailand so we are moving up as a cultured family.
Danielle and I continue to enjoy married life. It has not been easy at times but I really believe that if you can lead a TEAMeffort camp together you can do anything together. Although I don't think we're ready for some things, like raising a child, lets give that several more years:) But we can beat guitar hero on expert together after this, I believe in us, and we will beat it within the first week of our arrival back in Lexington. To sum everything up we are having a great time and are continually growing closer together. We definitely believe that life is better together.
Danielle and I continue to love going to a local Christian store, Go Fish, and buying new items for our new home. We have bought a prayer box and a cross so far and we always see something else we want but we are trying to pace ourselves with the budget since we have already made some major purchases this summer.. ie this laptop. Go Fish is a great place. The owner travels to less fortunate areas all around the world and buys items from families to help develop small town economies. They take mission trips for spiritual growth as well. I don't remember where the cross was made, but we suspect the same as the prayer box because they are similar. The prayer box was made in Thailand so we are moving up as a cultured family.
Danielle and I continue to enjoy married life. It has not been easy at times but I really believe that if you can lead a TEAMeffort camp together you can do anything together. Although I don't think we're ready for some things, like raising a child, lets give that several more years:) But we can beat guitar hero on expert together after this, I believe in us, and we will beat it within the first week of our arrival back in Lexington. To sum everything up we are having a great time and are continually growing closer together. We definitely believe that life is better together.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Time Flies...
Picture 1 is our Golden Isles Staff at the Hibachi grill: Ryan, Yesica, Me, Ben, Erin, and Scott is in the back. The 2nd picture is me on the nature trail in our golf cart. We use big sticks to fight off the giant spiders whose webs get caught on the cart as we drive through. The third picture is of me helping lead worship, which I have had to do a lot this summer. And the last picture is of the Golden Isles staff with the Tampa Staff on the beach at Jekyll Island this week.
Well our summer is now more than half over. We had an amazing week, and one of our easiest weeks of all summer. We had 6 wonderful youth groups that really refreshed our spirits and were tons of fun. We had the Tampa Staff, who were a great help to us. Basically this week we ate a lot of Brusters (delicious ice cream) and had some fun suprise visits: our boss's family came on Tuesday, and on Thursday one of the office staff came down and visited. This week we continued working at the Boys and Girls Club: interacting with the kids, helping with their programs and worked on a fence for them. At MorningStar we started building our 2nd playground and worked more on cutting down the 3 mile nature trail. Also we screened in porches on cabins that were built in 2006 that eventually TeamEffort campers will be able to sleep in. This next week we have 120 campers coming- which is almost twice as many as we are used to. Worksites will be crazy but I think we have it covered. Yesterday was the 4th of July and it did not feel like it at all. We worked all day getting things ready for our worksites next week and then ate at a Japanese Hibachi grill (which was amazing). We didn't see fireworks, spend it with family, or do anything traditional. In one month and one day we will be heading back to Lexington. It's crazy to think about. But we are kind of looking forward to getting back and having an apartment together and experiencing some degree of normalcy. And I'm looking forward to playing guitar hero again. Sad, but true. I am putting a link to a YouTube video on here that has become a joke among our staff. We pretty much think it is hilarious.
Hope you all had a Happy 4th of July!
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Another week down
Last night we had our closing service for week 4 and things went amazing! I've had some hard times with housing next week but it has definitely been worked out for the best and I'm really learning a lot about how to be flexible. Some things I am learning from experience and working with so many youth leaders here
1. Never complain. I once heard that life is 10% what you're given and 90% what you make of it. So take what you are given and make the most of it. Also always be a willing servant. Be willing to go and do whatever God asks of you and serve in any way you can. Even if you can't see what God is doing, He can. So you must always trust in that, and not in your own comfort or worldly circumstances: persevere for the Lord. Be the one who is willing to do the nasty jobs and do it with a smile.
2. Your attitude influences everyone around you. Even if you are pulling blades of grass one by one, if you make it fun, those you are leading will have fun as well. If you complain, those you lead will complain.
3. You can't be everyones friend. I struggle with this especially- I want everyone to be happy. But the truth is, a lot of times that is impossible. Specifically with leading this camp, you never know what expectations people come in with, and it's impossible to meet every expectation everyone has.
4. At the end of a challenge or hardships comes growth. So welcome the trials the Lord gives you.
5. God's timing is perfect. I knew this, but have seen it so much this summer and stand in awe.
6. Patience will help you get through some of life's most difficult circumstances, and gracefully.
7. Encouraging someone else, even if it's about the smallest thing, can change someone's day. It is one of the greatest things we can do for each other. Also challenging others is not always fun, but as I read in a devotion this week "the wounds of a friend are faithful" and as we challenge each other it can lead to a great source of growth.
8. Despite where you sleep you can be serving God. Sometimes it's ok to rough it and to step out of your comfort for God. And even if you feel like you aren't suffering enough for God, you are still doing His work, and working for His glory if you choose.
So those are just a few themes that are coming up, but I thought I would share with you all some things we, as a staff, are growing in. Happy Saturday- we are off to enjoy a little down time at the pool.
1. Never complain. I once heard that life is 10% what you're given and 90% what you make of it. So take what you are given and make the most of it. Also always be a willing servant. Be willing to go and do whatever God asks of you and serve in any way you can. Even if you can't see what God is doing, He can. So you must always trust in that, and not in your own comfort or worldly circumstances: persevere for the Lord. Be the one who is willing to do the nasty jobs and do it with a smile.
2. Your attitude influences everyone around you. Even if you are pulling blades of grass one by one, if you make it fun, those you are leading will have fun as well. If you complain, those you lead will complain.
3. You can't be everyones friend. I struggle with this especially- I want everyone to be happy. But the truth is, a lot of times that is impossible. Specifically with leading this camp, you never know what expectations people come in with, and it's impossible to meet every expectation everyone has.
4. At the end of a challenge or hardships comes growth. So welcome the trials the Lord gives you.
5. God's timing is perfect. I knew this, but have seen it so much this summer and stand in awe.
6. Patience will help you get through some of life's most difficult circumstances, and gracefully.
7. Encouraging someone else, even if it's about the smallest thing, can change someone's day. It is one of the greatest things we can do for each other. Also challenging others is not always fun, but as I read in a devotion this week "the wounds of a friend are faithful" and as we challenge each other it can lead to a great source of growth.
8. Despite where you sleep you can be serving God. Sometimes it's ok to rough it and to step out of your comfort for God. And even if you feel like you aren't suffering enough for God, you are still doing His work, and working for His glory if you choose.
So those are just a few themes that are coming up, but I thought I would share with you all some things we, as a staff, are growing in. Happy Saturday- we are off to enjoy a little down time at the pool.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Our First Blog
Hi! We've been married for 40 days now and God has taken us on such an amazing adventure so far. Our honeymoon in Mexico was such an amazing week and the resort was so luxurious. We enjoyed many delicious meals, a lot of fun in the sun, and mostly enjoyed spending a lot of time together after the craziness of the wedding. After our honeymoon we went immediately to TEAMeffort staff training in Gainesville, Ga and attempted to get prepared for the craziest summer of our lives. Together we are directing a mission camp through TEAMeffort this summer in Golden Isles, Ga. We spend most of our time in Brunswick and visit Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island each week. We currently lead 3 amazing staff: Yesica, Erin, and Ryan, which we affectionately refer to as our children... and they call us mom and dad. So far we have had 4 weeks of camp, and it has been crazy! The first week was insane just because we really had no idea what we were doing. Overall things went pretty well, but by the second week we were in our groove and had a much smoother week. The third week really spoiled us because we had some really amazing and encouraging groups. They really helped us to get fired up for the Lord and to live passionately. This past week has definitely been the hardest in many ways, both for the staff and for the groups. But we are seeing a lot of growth. As a staff we have welcomed the challenges with a lot of prayer and are so excited that God is growing us through the hard times.
As for being married, it is wonderful and we are extremely happy. Certainly our path is not typical, we don't have a home together, we are leading a camp: a total of 700 kids this summer, we haven't seen our wedding gifts, I haven't even changed my name. But it is great because our busyness helps us not to be so self-centered. We are so excited to begin our marriage with ministry and serving the Lord full time. It is definitely an exciting adventure and we are experiencing abundant life as promised in John 10:10. Life is full and abundant here. Not easy. But definitely full.
As for being married, it is wonderful and we are extremely happy. Certainly our path is not typical, we don't have a home together, we are leading a camp: a total of 700 kids this summer, we haven't seen our wedding gifts, I haven't even changed my name. But it is great because our busyness helps us not to be so self-centered. We are so excited to begin our marriage with ministry and serving the Lord full time. It is definitely an exciting adventure and we are experiencing abundant life as promised in John 10:10. Life is full and abundant here. Not easy. But definitely full.
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