Back Home For Christmas...

Hey everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends. I had a great time going home for just over a week to Michigan. I first stopped in Flint to spend time with my dad. One highlight was being able to enjoy a very nice Christmas dinner including turkey, stuffing (I helped grind the giblets!), sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and more. Very delicious and it was an exclamation point to an overall great weekend.

After visiting my father, uncle, and some family friends in Flint, my brother and I traveled back to Grand Rapids where we spent the rest of the week. It was good to sleep in my own bed again and spend time with my mom, stepdad, sister, and brother. I also got to spend a couple of nights hanging out with good friends from home. Whether it was continuing the tradition of playing Settlers of Catan or hearing stories of a friend’s semester in Spain, both evenings were full of fun. Even though I’m gaining great friendships with people here in Georgia, I am thankful I can continue the relationships I have already built back home.

Finally, after having a great Christmas Eve with family members on my step-dad’s side of the family, Christmas morning arrived Saturday. In the past it would not be uncommon for my little sister to wake me up at 7am anxiously anticipating the opening of presents. So, I was very thankful when I awoke and found out I was allowed to sleep in until 9 =). Then, before diving underneath the tree to go through our gifts, our family spent a good 30-40 minutes in the bible and then in prayer. I was so happy to dedicate the first part of our Christmas day to the real reason we celebrate: the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. The gifts that followed were certainly nice (running clothes, a new board game, i-tunes gift cards, etc.) but overall I just felt blessed to spend Christmas week with so many of the one I love back in Michigan.

Well, now I’m back in Georgia and gearing up for the next couple weeks of winter training. 2nd year field staff in Young Life from all over the country will be staying at SharpTop Cove for training in theology and technology, as well as general Young Life material. It will be exciting to have over 300 guests around my age at camp who share the same passion for introducing adolescents to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith. I’m exciting to prepare camp and serve these people well. I’ll try to update again afterwards and let you know how it goes. Have a blessed new year!

Snow in Georgia?!?

So I thought that heading down South would allow me to enjoy warmer winter weather. Well, this past week we have had our first snow that has stuck to the ground, four days in a row below freezing and right now our whole camp is covered in ice. People say I should be used to this stuff, because I'm from Michigan. The fact of the matter is that cold weather is cold weather and it still chills the bones the same. Nevertheless, things have been going well down here. Four of us have had some intense euchre games in the past couple weeks, and we all are excited about going back home soon to spend Christmas with family and friends. I hope you get to have a blessed Christmas with your family as well. I'll try to update later on when I get home, but until then stay warm wherever you are.