Its a Small World After All

So today was our first day to drive to our work site and Jim was trying to make small talk with the kids on our crew. Since it was so early in the morning none of the wanted to participate, but I did

"Have any of you ever been to OBA Kids Camp?"

"I have the last two years," I exclaimed proudly.

"Then you know my sister," Jim slyly says back, "Her name is Terry!"

"Terry's your sister? Then I guess you already know about the Water Balloon incident."

"Yeah, she told me about it on the fourth of July when I was down there."

"I was there too. I had the kids in the Back playing games."

Jim and his family had gone to the fourth of July picnic that Kious Jenny and I had gone to and were there together without even knowing. I had his two youngest sons back with me and I even have a picture of them. Jim was also the crew chief of the work site right next door to mine last year in Bremerton and we ate lunch together everyday for a week. What a small world.

Jim and His Wife at the Fourth Picnic (at laest their backs)

AJ and Ray at the Fourth Picnic (Jim's two youngest)

The result of the Woter Balloon on Terry's Neck (It looked much worse about an hour later)

The Paint Chips are Born

Top row (left to right): Dianna, Kendall, Amy, Jim, Joe, Mark Bottom Row (left to right): Jake, Sarah, Nona, Amanda, DJ, Nichole

So, World changers got started off with a bang. My crew (yeah I was a crew chief) was so amazing. God knew what he was doing when he put the twelve of us together and I am so thankful.

Dianna has a great heart to serve and she always wanted to make you work harder than you were

Kendall was our comedy relief. You never felt down when he was around (and I think that he could win Last Comic Standing)

Amy was the shy one, but man was she a hard worker. She was never not doing anything and I really appreciated that about her.

Jim was the only forty something on the crew. He was such a great encouragement to have on the crew. He has a heart for evangelism.

Joseph has a willing spirit. When asked to do most anything he jumped on it with no complaining at all.

Mark worked his but off. He was always willing to stay late to get the job done and was never found with out a tool in his hand pulling something apart.

Jake was the automatic cement mixer for our team. He always did as was asked and worked very hard. His mellowness help me get through so rough patches.

Sarah has a gentle spirit. She always had a smile in her face and never got down. You can be nothing but happy when she is present.

Nona was quiet as well, but her willingness to get in the small hard to reach places was beyond amazing.

DJ has a great heart and he loves God more than anything and that shines through him without question.

Nichole has a humbled spirit. She was never working for attention and always served others, even others on the crew.

So you have now officially met the Paint Chips. Our week together was awesome.

Leaving

World changers is finally here. That means no new posts for a week. Catch ya on the flip side.

Jericho Memory 1.0

I guess the best memory (which is why its first) was the boys that we had at our afternoon backyard bible club. Michael (Top), Damien and Michael (bottom) were the greatestt. They were very competitive and just enjoied themselves. All three of them were soaking up everything that we talked about and they were just so great to hang out with.

Summer Memory 1.4

So one of my favorite days this summer was the day that Samantha took Kious Jenny and I to the Space Needle in Seattle. I was a picture perfect day. No clouds in the sky and the sun just a shining.
Even MtRanier made its precence known to the world that day.

However some of us couldn't keep pace with the rest and just had to sleep the entire way back to Olympia.
Isn't Lee just as cute as can be?

When Your Joke of the Day is Really Funny

Through my email I recieve a joke of the day every day. And everyday I am very disapointed, because they are never funny. I never smile, chuckle, or give the slightest hint of amusement until today. I got the funniest joke ever in my in box:

A Morman and a Baptist were discusing their views on polygamy. After a heated debate, the Morman tells the Baptist "you give me one vers in the bible that renownses polygamy and I will change my ways forever"

"That's easy," exclaimed the Baptist, "Man can not serve two masters!"

Summer Memory 1.3

So, we summer missionaries are amused by the most random things.

The day that we went to the rain forest (yes there is a rain forest in the state of Washington) we drove past this barn, and just to show how random we actually are, Kious decided to pull over and get her picture taken in front of this barn and the out house above. It is so funny that we get amused by this.

Just A Lounge Day

So for me today was just one of those lazydays. Just sat around all day and slept some and just did nothing. Every one needs days like that.

Summer Memory 1.2

Washington (The Band)

Kious, Jenny and I formed a band at camp, the great on wonderful Washington. We made two performances at camp and only have one hit, here it is:

Sweet Home Camp Kursa

Mr. Bowder makes the coffee,to help our mornings start off right. He gets up at the crack of dawn, before the sun gives off its light.

Then we have Ms.Nikki, the most important on the crew. She makes all the menus, from the chicken down to the stew.

Next we have the Moses', they're a really pretty cool team. Every time that you see them, their smiles always gleam.

Who can forget Ms. Debbie, she is really, really smart. If you can't find her on the grounds, check the nearest Wal-Mart.

Next to last we have Mr.Jack, he does a little of it all. When you ask him to do anything, he is always on the ball.

And who can forget Fern, she does things of all sorts. But most of all she does the Laundry, to help get stains out of your shorts.

Sweet home Camp Kursa, Where the skies are barely blue. Sweet home Camp Kursa, I'll come back next year to you.

Hope you enjoied our great camp hit. Stay tuned for Summer Memory 1.3.

No Longer Worried

So after very intence decorating yesterday with my teaching partner (Kacy) I am no longer worried about that part of VBS. Even though we are not the greatest room (that would have to go to the craft room), I finally realized that the kids aren't going to really care about what we do, as long as they have a room to go to. I feel better about it today (I still hate VBS decorating).

Just One of Those Days

So today is the official day of decorating for VBS and it couldn't be better (actually it could if I could just get some ideas that would actualy work). My teaching partner for the week has yet to make an apperance and I just wish she would get there so we could bounce ideas off each other. Kacy, come save my sanity.

Summer Memory 1.1

Mr. Ron, Leighton, and TJ

Pastor Kerry and Everett

The Scaling of Mt.Panter

The best week (so far anyway) was kids camp. As you have probably guessed already, I was the lifeguard. That is how the kids remember me anyway, the Lifeguard. That tended to be my name all week.

Camp was great. There are so many things that I could talk about that happened. There was SMNews, the sickness, Mr.Gorvsky and the teddy bear. To many things to just talk about one.

But I can write about the kid that touched my heart the most. And that was Alex. Alex is a great girl, but she wants to be a boy. She started the session as not wanting to participate and warmed up by the end. She almost won the ping-pong tourny and the belly flop contest. But the thing that I will always remember is that the day I was sick she gave me a get wel lsoon card and actually wrote to Amanda. That touched me. Keep her in your prayers.

Summer Memory 1.0

Me and Kious (my summer missions Partner)

So I guess that the most logical place to start is the beggining. Orientation was in Portland, OR. I was the first summer missionary to arrive in the northwest (and oddly enough I will be the last one to leave this beautiful place).

Orientation always has these traditions (I should know this is my third summer to serve up here). One is that on Thursday we go to the convention Center in Vancouver (that WA not Canada) and then we have a free day to go site seeing or do what ever. It was time for my third annual trip to Multnomah Falls. It was just like I remembered it. Even though it was my third trip, each time you go is different because you are with different people and they always point out things that you didn't notice the last time.

That has been Summer Memory 1.0. Be in the look out for Summer Memory 1.1 coming soon.

VBS Woes

By the title stated above, you might conclude that I am not rather fond of VBS. That assumtion would be incorrect. I LOVE VBS, i just hate decorating for the thing.

First, you have all these great ideas, but they tend to be too ambitious for the time frame alotted.

Second, there is this under-lying competition between all of the rooms. (It might not be in the open, but subconciously we are all competing for the best room)

Third, it is only going to be up for a week...why go over board?

I do have to say that I am guilty of all three reasons I hate decorating, but you can never help yourself.

My First Blog

Okay, so my partner in Ministry has introduced me to the art of blogging and I think that I will enjoy this a lot more than writing in a real journal (which I have been doing for like the last three years. so let me start with this.

WARNING: The writings that you are about to embark on are in a way, ramblings. Sometimes I might not complete one thought before going on to the next one.

So consider yourself warned. Welcome to my mind!