I know it’s been about a month since training camp, but I just wanted to share some special moments and some special captures. I got my disposables back from the camera I took with me to training camp & ooh it filled my little love bucket. It’s hard to share about training camp in just a broad spectrum. One misses the best little moments that way or the most entertaining stories. These pictures reminded me of that and I wanted to share the stories that went along with these wonderful captures or my thoughts when I was taking the shot.
This was a few days into camp. I had yet to take a picture on my disposable, afraid I would waste them all. And I realized that there is no moment wasted. These girls filled our free time before dinner with much laughter and joy. Each bringing in a new story, a new joke, or a silly yet fulfilling comment. I could spend hours talking to any one of them. And this was the moment of realizing that, making me look forward to when I can do just that.
BACKSTORY: This was after our 2.2 mile hike with our giant backpacks dragging us down as we went up the hill of death, not once but TWICE. The sweet, sweet story is that we all made it within the 38 minute goal!! As sweat dripped down our temples we booked it to the showers… and by the showers i mean a stall to take a nice ol’ cold bucket shower. But only to find the line is about a mile long. We decided to wait for the boys to finish and my squad all pop over to the boys’ showers. As the line started it filled up quickly. That is when this moment comes into play. To make the line go faster Abby, Sam and Brooke decided that we should wash our hair outside so we only have to wash our bodies when we get on the inside. (We were running out of time because we had to be on time for lunch.) Long story short, wonderful idea… but we aren’t quite sure if it helped speed things up.
If I am remembering correctly, I think I took this picture laying down. Anna and Gracie, both very tall compared to me, in this quiet sense of grace. Sitting, waiting, thinking. The beauty about braiding is there doesn’t need to be words to fill the empty space, the sitting is full and slow movement of hair through the fingertips is full. In this moment I hear no words, only the sound of wind and the birds chirp.
This moment was in our Sabbath morning. After some time filling our minds with words from verses and filling our journals with thoughts, Lauren and I decided that we would enjoy the rest of our time filling pages with paint. Lauren is the type of person to recognize the beauty in everything her five senses recognize. Inspired by that way of thinking, I found beauty in the way she was truly engulfed in her artwork. Completely comfortable, completely at peace, completely at rest. These many minutes of artwork turned into many minutes of resting our eyes. It was a time to remember the basics the nonchalant hobbies we have that leave us feeling joyful.
Before Sabbath was over though, we decided to go on a little walk. We took the route we hiked without going up the hill of death. Only to find… there’s a couch in the middle of this grassland. (Give a holla if you see it). We didn’t end up finding out how to get to it, but ooh Lauren was excited about it… therefore a picture was needed.
I snuck a picture of Mags sleeping her little heart away. Not only did I just want a picture of her sleeping, but I just really liked seeing her in so much peace. She has a passion to share, but her soul was resting here.
This is Kate. She is the most joyous person I have ever met. One can feel her overflowing cup just being in her presence. She was the only one who would take on the hurricane rain with me. Kate and I ran through what seemed like the ocean and became completely DRENCHED about a minute into running. We were determined to make it on time to dinner… we didn’t make it. After running through what seemed like twenty different ponds, we made it to shelter. Eventually after about a half hour we decided to just full send it and finish what we started.
The last moments we were all together before leaving for the airport. None of us wanted to face the reality of going home, but we knew it was coming. Our hope was in the fact that in seven weeks, we would be seeing each other again. God really has blessed me with the fact that I will be living with all of these wonderful people so very soon.
A group of us just lounged about in the airport for 6 hours. It felt more like two though, because time really flies when you’re with these hilarious people. We now know where everything is located in the Atlanta airport no matter which concourse one is in, how to stay sturdy without holding a pole on the plane train, and how to both plank and row a boat on a slow-moving conveyor mechanism.
This was us basically in Africa, just before we had to say “good-bye”.
All these moments and so many more made up training camp. As the count down quickens to the day to see these people again, my smile widens. The Lord knitted this group together so intricately and I cannot wait to see the Lord bring people to Him through our hands and feet. Lord praises to you, thank you, thank you!!!!
Thank you for reading,
Signing out
LILS 🙂
