Ben Folds Radio on Pandora is Awesome.

I was trying to think of a clever title for this post and was having trouble, so, because I'm listening to Ben Folds on Pandora, and because it is awesome, I decided to entitle this post "Ben Folds Radio on Pandora is Awesome." It truly has nothing to do with what I'm about to post. but oh well....

so anyway, I've been at camp for a week! WOO HOO! i had reservations coming here because I didn't know anyone, most all of my close friends are not anywhere in florida this summer, and I wasn't sure I was in a place in my life where I could be away from my closest friends. Well, I love all of my closest friends, but my fears have vanished. I don't know if any of you have experienced this, but the moment I started working in this role as Team Pastor, and the moment the camp atmosphere "happened", The Justin that I want to be emerged. The Justin that emerges at summer camp is probably someone most of you have not seen. There is just something about christian camping, and being a spiritual leader to these team members who are to be spiritual leaders to the campers this summer, that gets me all pumped up inside. I don't want to glorify camp at all because I really think that alot of camps have only become something for middle class white students (both counselors/team members and campers) but with every institution, there are flaws that we as Christians are called to change. Camp is no exception and there is something mysterious that happens at camp. With camp you have intentional community, you have discipleship, you have faith formation, and you have kids and team members realizing that they are beloved children of the Triune God. Isn't that awesome??!!! This summer God has provided me the opportunity to be in relationship with new people, to minister to college students, so that they can live into their baptismal identities as children of God and as ministers of the Loving Gospel of Jesus Christ... 

Probably one of my favorite moments from my time here thus far happened last night. Many of the team members got here early to do lifeguard and ropes course training and last night many of them had the first break in their trainings. So instead of resting, we started a basketball game, which my team won... (of course...) and then after that we had a huge volleyball game, 7 vs. 8, in the rain. It was amazing. I get competitive, like really competitive, but It was just amazing to hang out and get know some of the team members better in the rain and in the mud.... They are an amazing group of college students, from what I can tell thus far. The basketball game and volleyball game was then capped off with 20 of the team members coming over to my cottage to watch the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers game. Orlando won so most of the team was happy about that. I do not like NBA at all, but again, it was fun time to hang out and get to know the team better. 

So today I'm working on two of my talks for orientation week worships. The first one is "Preparing for something that is bigger than you." It is the night we look at camp history and learn the story of Warren Willis camp (a story I don't even know...) And I'm going to try to give the talk as a talk and not a sermon, meaning I won't have a document in front of me.. Because if i was at camp, I wouldn't want someone reading to me. So, that will be a challenge. 

So.. for now, I'm done blogging. Need to start working on my talk and my covenant with my supervisor and an article for the weekly camp newsletter... 

Peace! 

J.

Tired, Tired, Tired!

So. The support staff and team leaders are here. The lifeguards are here. The ropes course people are here. Therefore, probably 1/4 of the team members for the summer are here. The past 30 hours or so have gone by and we are in preparation for orientation for the full team which starts wednesday.

I am really excited. The support staff (which are those who basically program and run the camp - 10 college students) are an amazing group of people. I am truly excited for what God has in store for this summer, because these group of support staffers are passionate about camp and they seem to be passionate about God. I have not spent much time with those who are lifeguarding, so I need to me more proactive about hanging out with them. But all in all, it's been good.

I am tired because I haven't slept well. but not sleeping well is because of the new environment. I'm sure the stress will hit soon as orientation week approaches, but I am less scared than I once was...

So.. I do have prayer requests though..

1. That orientaion week would be an amazing week for the team members as this is the week the foundation is set and the team members worship, learn, etc... (crazy busy, overwhelming week)...
2. That I would rest and find sabbath.
3. That God would show up this summer and allow the campers and staff to realize their identities are as children of God!!!!

It's Rainy! It's Cold! But I'm HERE!!!

So, it's May 20th, 11:23 AM, in Central Florida, and the temperature is not even in the 70s. Crazy I know.

As I write this I am sitting in a rocking chair, in a big building, on the back porch, looking at the lake. It's very serene. Today is a day of rest. It is a day for me to explore, get my bearing, go grocery shopping, and watch some of the SEC Baseball tourney (Go anyone who is playing Ole Miss, today that happens to be Georgia! so Go Georgia!) but anyway, I drove all day yesterday, and let me tell you... I 10 is a boring drive from Pensacola to Lake City... I wanted to pull my hair out... nothing but pine trees... but the drive only took about 10 hours or so.. I pulled in at 7:45, just in time to catch American Idol, which for the record, Kara wrote the worst song ever for the finalists to sing.. They both bombed it... it was awful... but i digress, I'm here. I'm excited. It's a beautiful, beautiful camp. There is a lot of Spanish Moss and big Oak Trees by the big lake. So... that's my update for today. Tomorrow I have a meeting to officially find out my responsibilities and such, and then lifeguard training starts tomorrow night (i hope it warms up!). so for know, I'm signing of...
Grace and Peace
Justin....

Getting Ready and Nervous!!!

So.... I leave for camp tomorrow!! I am getting really excited, but I'm also getting very nervous.
For those of you who don't know, this summer I will be the Team Pastor at Warren W. Willis, United Methodist Camp in Fruitland Park, Florida. This means that I am the pastor/counselor to the 100+ counselors who are giving up their summers to share the love of Christ with the kids in Florida. I will get to lead small groups, prepare worship services for the counselors once a week, do one on one counseling, hang out, look at different aspects of camping ministry (mainly administration), look at curriculum for the Florida Annual Conference Camping ministries, tour different camp settings in Florida (from Tampa, to Orlando, to Miami), and many other things. But mainly, my job is to be there for the counselors so that they can share the love of Christ with the campers.

Why am I nervous? Because there are 100 counselors or so... I am used to working with 12-16 counselors. I love camping ministry and I have done it for 5 summers, but this is a new experience, in a new state, with a new camp, and people I don't know...

With this year being one of the craziest years of my life, I was nervous leaving North Carolina and all my friends that I love and cherish, but I realize that this opportunity will allow me to be away from durham, I will be out of my comfort zone, and it is usually in these situations where I grow most.

So my prayer is that God will use in me in such a way, that the counselors will know I am there for them. That they will know they can come to me for anything and share anything with me and I will not cast judgment. I also hope that I can be Christ to these counselors so they can be Christ to the campers, because camp, is for the campers! I also pray that the peace of God and the Love of Christ, through the power of the Spirit would transcend all the distractions, all the nervousness, all the extra crap in my life so that I can be God's vessel. So, I cherish your prayers, your comments, and your love...

Peace, Justin...

PS. the name of this blog is a bit ridiculous, but thank you Ashley Lloyd for giving it to me... we all know why you love Tator Gator. (For those of you who do not know why Ashley calls me this, don't ask because I won't tell!) ;)