Day 6: Covenant

I’m going to stick to the literal meaning of this word…  On the first day of every camp at Birchwood we gather all the campers, counselors, and staff together and outline a covenant.  This agreement is a promise to each other of how we will act and live through the week we have together.  This covenant comes from the kids, and we all agree to these ‘rules’ so that every person can have a positive camp experience. 

I struggle sometimes on keeping my agreements.  I am one of those people who has difficulty saying “no.”  This makes my schedule rather jam packed, with each night of the week accounted for, sometimes multiple times.  And truthfully, I like to keep busy.  I like to feel productive, to be engaged in the community, and to explore different interests.  I volunteer a lot of my time, and am involved in many leadership positions on campus.  The sum effect of each of these commitments however is a week with few evenings to myself.

I love Birchwood because we are intentional, and the covenant that we make is a sign of that intentionality.  This is something I need to work on moving forward.  I shouldn’t participate in an activity because I feel like I have to or need to; I should approach each engagement with purpose, with intent, and for the people I am working with.  My mom calls this “being present,” and it is a good thing to keep in mind when interacting with each and every person I meet. 

The same intent needs to be endorsed in relationships, with friends and family.  Sometimes saying “no” to one thing may be the right way to say “yes” to spending time with a friend you haven’t seen in awhile, or letting someone special know that you love them, or just taking a break with yourself and Netflix to relax or going on a run to recompose your sanity. 

Our time is precious, it is the only time that we have, and it is up to us to delegate how we use that time.  There are some things that we need to do, and then there are some things that we need to do that really matter.  It is these that I need to focus my time on, to keep my promises to people that I love, and intentionally be available to them.

(Photo credit: Birchwood camp)

Day 5: Celebrate!

I got to go to church today!  This might seem a little obvious since it is Sunday, but it has actually been a little while since I have been to church.  This is due to a few unplanned and one planned event in the form of a) ski instructor training weekend, b) a missed bus and another bus that didn’t stop to pick me up, and c) two Sunday services cancelled because of ridiculous amounts of snow.  As a result, my last day of church was January 18^th.

So today I tromped through the snow at 7:30am and made it to Union UMC for the 8:00 service to join the voices of other early risers to praise God and give thanks for this day.  And this is cause for celebration.

In Luke 19:28-40, Jesus is riding into Jerusalem, in the moment we traditionally celebrate on Palm Sunday.  People are lining the path, laying their coats before Jesus, and celebrating God joyfully, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!  Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!”  Then Jesus is challenged to stop the celebration, and he responds with the most interesting phrase, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”

The stones.  Rocks?  Rocks praising God?  It sounds a little strange to me.  I remember talking with a friend once, and he told me that the ability to praise God is a gift.  The celebration of the life that God has given, complete with God’s ever-present and all abiding love, is a joy in and of itself.  Why would we hand-over such a treasure to the rocks?

With this mentality I come to join in worship.  Knowing that the ability to praise God, in whatever form that may look like for you, is a gift to fill your heart with joy, peace, and love.  How will you celebrate God today?

Day 4: Joy

Every Saturday morning I volunteer with Science Club for Girls.  We teach elementary school science classes at Northeastern to students from all around Boston.  I have taught classes in the past, but now I help on more of the organization side of things.

I love Science Club because so many different people are brought together to explore and learn about our world.  At Science Club, we focus on the “whole girl,” encouraging confidence and independence in women of all ages.  Most importantly, we have fun!

Science Club reminds me of the many ways in which people are called to minister.  So many people are doing good works all around the world, encouraging and supporting all of God’s people wherever their passion yearns.  From homelessness and poverty, to college preparation work and career counseling, we are building a world of support and love amidst the pain and suffering.

So today, let us focus on the beautiful people in this world and give thanks to God in JOY!

We are here today because science is fun!

We are here to show that science is for anyone.

Any age, any race, boy or GIRL,

Science answers questions we have about the world.

We use our brains, our hands, and make a big mess!

We investigate together through experiments.

We are the future, the future we will be,

Because Science Club for Girls is for girls like me!

~SCFG Pledge