A Romanticized Visit to the DoL

As the sky did what my eyes could not, my feet clapped against the wet ground in what seemed like sheer disappointment. My hoodie hid the shame in my face as my phone pressed against my ear. A dial tone was the only sad song I wanted at the moment. Ms. Carpenter could wait on this rainy day. As I walked beside the road, each car sent a mocking rumble my way, and, passing the bus stop, I was reminded of my present predicament of Immobility, Dependency, and Inadequacy. Although, the word which rang in my ear, and eventually out my mouth, was an overused, yet sadly appropriate term for this occasion.
Failure.
Epic fail, as my contemporaries would articulate. A defeat or fiasco, as others would express. I prefer my choice of vocabulary.
Failure, standing on it's own feet, drives the thought of failure home, just as I could not.
Hello... How'd it go? Bad. I failed.
There it was again, echoing through my tunnel of thoughts, breaking out the archway of my mouth. I hated admitting my shortcoming. My bubble had been burst, or more appropriately, my tires had been sliced. They had been sliced by the knife known as the Department of Licensing, and the wheels were mine to replace.
I could use the excuse of quiet headphones, of difficult language, of someone else's mistake. I could say all the world was against me. I'm an American, right? I have the rights and privileges handed down from my countries' founding fathers to blame my problems on anyone else that I so choose!
Well, It was my fault.
I gotta go. Oh, Love you too. No, I'll be fine... Bye.
Now. Now was when I needed to take advantage of the roundabout in front of me, and flip my failure around! I bought a cookie. I drank coffee. I ate chocolate. I decided that the road to victory could still be close at hand, and I would give it a good, fighting chance!
I did.


Now, I hold my driving permit, ready and fit for freedom.


-"Failure is a detour, not a dead-end street." - Zig Ziglar

The Start!

"I am a lone reed
Standing tall
Waving boldy
In the corrupt sands of commerce..."

Tomorrow isn't mine
This year isn't for me
My life is in another's hands.
I realized this year working at Lakeside that the days I have are not mine, they are the Lords, and I am his to use. Nothing I do should be for me, and as I step out into this new journey, I want the Lord to use me for his work. Of course, I'll be working hard, earning good grades (hopefully), and focusing on the tasks ahead, but I will be going out knowing there are lost people where I am. I want to be an influencer for the people. I will not be going to this school for my benefit, but to truly stand out in the academic sands and wave boldy the fact that I care for the other students, the teachers, and the workers, more than for furthering myself, because the Lord cares more for their hearts.
Pray for this year.
Pray for their hearts.

-abigail

Here is a small poem...

For there is too much to be said if I said it all:

"Oh,The feeling of New."

My life is like spring and shoes without scuffs.
It's like a blank canvas. It's a blossoming love.
My life is a flower, barely clearing the earth.
And I grow in the Lord, knowing life's worth.

TCL! Woo!

Leaving for TCL in the morning. It's 12am and I haven't packed anything. Lisa is coming to help me, so I should be alright.
I feel like last week has finally caught up to me, and I am tired. I'll be lucky if I get to bed by 2.
Should be a great three weeks!
My advice for you all.
Be good. Be careful. Be Brave
-abigail

Ah... the thrift store

I'm getting ready for tcl and I found some must-haves at our trusty goodwill. So exciting. I got some pants to work in, a sun glasses case from the disney animal kingdom, Sarah Harmer's (my forever fave artist) cd I have been looking for, the coolest celtic pouch ever, and a very special pair of shoes.......
When I was about 8 years old, I loved spiderman more than anything, but I hated buying shoes. They never fit right. They either slipped around or were too tight or were just REALLY ugly. But one day I found the perfect shoe...
It was Tough.
Sleak.
Fast.
And it had webbing.
These were the coolest shoes ever.


I had them in all black with white webs!
3.99$ and they are mine again
I fell in love again.
Same shoes. My size. Same Peter Parker attitude.

I think the Lord knew I was not doing well in the heat (100 million degrees. I swear.) and I was stressing too much, because he brought me good things today. Along with my thrifty purchases, a free vivanno and an upgrade to a venti ice tea came from my second home- Starbucks.

Oh, thank goodness the Lord loves me.

My Oh My.

Here I am. Tan, bruised, scraped, battered, and all together exhausted.
I think back on the last week and I'm "quite speechless, yes, quite speechless, and I have not yet stopped talking about it since."- Ms. Bates

This week at Lakeside Bible Camp was exactly what it had to be. Every part was so put together (by the Lord, I'm sure.) and sogood for me, but If not for certain people being there, including all my siblings, I may not have held up well.
Sometimes things hurt.
On the inside. it hurt.
On the outside. It hurt.
Camp is a training ground for dealing with people. For almost a week, one is completely enveloped in nine other peoples lives, all girls in my case. Every emotion, every scrape against the grain, every discomfort is felt so intensly. But I am so thankful for all of it! As from every year at camp, I learned to be more patient, caring, and respectful than I had been before. What a glorious place to learn and grow!

Ten High notes of Camp:

• My cabin leader and lovely friend, Erica. I needed her this week. It's like we strangely knew one another quite well right away. I love her to death.
  

• Talks on the dock with Emily while she "worked." ;)
  

• Good earth tea, brought to me by Cassidy. What a sweetie.

• The Clown Costume Burning. What's going on?

• "Let me."

• Bible teaching from John Glock. So many verses, so many delicious words of the Lord!
  

• Prom night. Ah-ha. Tyrell, what a lovely date you were.

• Lisa's face when I needed encouragement.

• Sunshine all week!!!

• At least 6 people I know of getting saved for the first time, Learning through difficulty, And the Lord knowing what he is doing!!! (3 in 1. I know)

What a week!

Six days now until I leave for tcl. I don't quite know why I'm leaving or what I'm doing. I think I'm crazy to ask for more. Start praying for me now.

Peace be with you.
-abigail

I'm going through the wardrobe...

to Lakeside Bible Camp,
a dear place in my heart.