Wisconsin

So I never knew where Wisconsin was except maybe in 3rd grade. I guess the only thing I thought about with the state was that people ate a lot of cheese. And that's about it. It was kind of one of those places when you're playing games picking where your friend lives in the future. You try to pick the most random place like Iowa or Arkansas...or Wisconsin.

But I'm so glad I'm here! It really is a great place. The people are so nice...real Wisconsinny. Slower, more laid back, unpretentious. People wear more flannel here because it's functional, not simply going with the latest fashion trends. And, of course, they just have the best accents. When Mom and Meghan and I first got here, we went on a few errands. Every time we got to the checkout line, I almost laughed in the checkout person's face because they sounded so funny. One of the first nights here I was talking with one of my roommates, Brenda, who is from Minnesota. She kept saying something about a "bage." (short g, not long g) I had to ask her to keep repeating herself until finally I said, "I'm really sorry. I just don't understand what you're saying." She pointed to my bag and said "bage, bage" Ohhhhhh. Her e's were long a's. Funny. It was like I was talking to an international student.

Anyways, I think northern people are so cute. Hmm. Other random things I've encountered: a log in the town pool area to practice log-rolling...amazing. The discovery of West-Mex...seriously? Poor, uneducated Mexican food eaters. People here say "fantastic" more than I've ever heard it in my life in genuine praise of things. And there's pretty farm land pretty much wherever you go...cool.

Oh yeah. Um. A quarter of the trees have already dropped a lot of their leaves, and it's September 24. Looking forward to that winter ahead...

There's a snippet of what you always wished you knew about that state somewhere up north.


My home.

What I'm teaching...

I thought I'd take some time to explain a little more about what I'm doing here.

So, if you don't know already, this internship includes learning all about camp ministry, which I'm really excited about. We'll have class once a week on various topics (really funny: an hour of this week's class includes learning how to dress for winter weather...think that just might be helpful), a conference with the Christian Camping and Conference Association, and a couple other of trips learning about other camps in the area and putting our knowledge to practice. Most of the learning we'll be doing is simply by doing, which I like. We (the 13 interns) will also be spending a lot of the fall preparing and planning for a huge weekend event that happens in January called Winter Xtreme. Still waiting to hear more on that...I just know it's huge and we do most of the work!

Our main responsibility though is teaching outdoor education to various schools who come to stay for a few days at a time. Outdoor ed is required in Wisconsin and Illinois, which is how we get so many people to come. It's so cool! So basically, us interns were split into two departments: the Science Center- has a really cool building with snakes and animals and all sorts of exhibits including what we call the Creation Walk, which takes participants through the 6 days of creation. These folks teach all sorts of cool classes like orienteering, map making, aquatic studies, astronomy, wilderness survival, etc. My department is called Timber Challenge. We run the high ropes course, rock climbing tower, GPS class, team building classes, archery, canoeing, and cross-country skiing. Everything we do is outside, and we run rain or snow or shine...hence, my excitement to learn how to dress for success. Nights have already been in the upper 40's at times. I've been wearing flannel and fleeces during the day to keep warm! It's so wonderful.

I heard this week alone in my department alone, we're teaching 131 separate classes. Craazzzy. It will be pretty busy. I think tomorrow, for example, I'll work from 8 in the morning to 9 or 10 at night because I'll be teaching two "night hike" classes. Obviously, I can't complain. :) Who wouldn't want to lead kids on a nature hike under the stars??

Anyways, that's a quick snippet of what I'm up to. Next up, the random quirks of Wisconsin...

Camp and Cinnamon Rolls

Okidokie. Well, I've been meaning to start this blog or something like for the last few weeks. Several people have asked for me to have some form of updates, including stories, pictures, and random things and quirks of northern life. So here we go!

I've been here at Timber-lee about a month now...and I'm sad. Because that means I'll have to leave in 8 months. I love it here. So much. The camp is beautiful. I have corn fields in my front yard (complete with a corn maze). I'm outside all the time. I love the other interns, the leadership, and the kids. Basically, I'm so so thankful.

The first couple weeks I had so many moments where I would get so overwhelmed to tears at how good God has been to bring me here...like when I was driving at sunset looking at the sunlight over the fields or other random moments. The past couple of years have been blessed in so many ways...in the time I've gotten with family, all of the things I learned at seminary, and the growth that comes from facing difficult circumstances. I'm thankful for that time and wouldn't trade it at all. But as I was walking through it, I would remember a verse in Matthew that talks about how God is a good father...when we ask Him for bread, He won't give us a stone. Meaning, when we ask Him for things in prayer, whether they be for refreshment or some other provision, He won't treat us maliciously or withhold good things we need. The first week here I was reminded about my prayers for bread, for God's provision. I came to the conclusion that the Lord had not only given me bread but a glorious, fresh, ooey, gooey cinnamon roll straight out of the oven. It is so much better, so much more than I could have imagined asking for.

He's given me my dream job. The dream job I never dreamt up! I get to play with kids. I get to live with lots of other girls that I already love. I get to talk about how wonderful God's creation is. That's my favorite way to talk about God I realized. It's the way I most see Him and rejoice in Him.

Don't get me wrong. I realize that not everything here will be perfect or easy. But I know God has me here for great purpose. And that makes me excited. So there you go. First update at Timber-lee. More to come.