A Fun Read on the Joshua Blog

In addition to your following of my blog, I would encourage you to pick up on the Joshua Wilderness blog. It is an anticipated "chore" twice a week, written by fellow Joshua students (and occasionally, myself.). Their blog will give a more expansive view of what is going on here in the program, as well as some neat photos.

All this to say, I encourage you to read the post on the Joshua blog today (10/23).
It is titled "Lainie's Mom".
(http://joshuawilderness.org/stay-current/news/)

(PS. I learned to use the "screen shot" tool on the library computers. I like it!)

A Milestone (as it relates to this blog)

As of this very moment, as I type this post, "A girl. A blog. A grand adventure." has reached exactly 1,000 pages views.

Thank you for faithfully following me.

-Lainie

Monday, Monday

Do you know what Monday means?

Wilderness Adventure Day!

This was established last week by a certain group of Joshua students. 

(Each week needs some nature exploration, right?)

I joined the troop today.

Amidst the cold and wet (and snow?), we picked a direction and marched into the wilderness. We hiked until we reached a big stump. Then we came back. 

It was quiet a wilderness adventure.

(What did I think? It was a challenge. And I made it.)

PS. Dear Dad, I began this venture fully prepared. I wore my snow clothes and carried the red backpack full of supplies. I was ready for a variety of wilderness scenarios. You equipped me well.

Sunny with a Chance of Snowfall

It is the middle of October.

And it is snowing.

We are excited.

Theme Dinner: 80's Rollerskating

A new event has been added to the calendar of Joshua life. It's theme nights! Every other Thursday we will be dressing up and participating in some form of evening activity. First theme night = success!

Me and Mallory

Me and Alli

Shelby and Me

(Photos taken by fellow Joshua ladies)

New Things with Lainie

Using a shotgun and driving a golf cart.
Just two new things I have learned in my time working at the Hume camp.

An Afternoon Activity

Chocolate-Peanutbutter-Rice Krispie Treats. Hypoallergenic and yummy. 

Made by me, Alli, Heidi, Ellie and Jaron.

(Are we sharing? Maybe...)

A Fun Moment with Shiloh

Exemplified Learning with Chad

Elements of Bible Study.

Today's class was focused on the Hebrew Bible (being the books of Old Testament, which were written in Hebrew).

Prior to entering the classroom, he asked us to leave our shoes.

Exodus 3:5 NIV, "'Do not come any closer,' God said. 'Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.'"

A Weary Week

"Lainie, how are you?" was the question.

"My spirit is good. My body is not," was the answer.

Not much time to rest at Hartland. Not much time to rest over the work-weekend. Not much time to rest at all. My body was tired. I was struggling.

"Lord, strengthen my spirit and carry me on."
And He provided for me.

The Room

A Reminder of Home

It rained for the first time. Overcast, drizzly, brisk.

It smelled different; it wasn’t the same rain we’d had in Oregon.

But it felt the same. It felt so good.            

I'm a SWEEPer

SWEEP: Student Worker Excellence in Education Program. These are weekly apprenticeships with full-time employees of Hume. Over the year we will rotate positions until we have learned about nearly every work area at Main Camp. My first SWEEP was last week! I worked in a kitchen (cleaning and organizing.) It was a most favorite time of work. Things just went very well. I am looking forward to the many opportunities of learning and serving on the job. It’s going to be neat.

Photos: Hartland

The Lumberjacks (minus Tim)

We are "The Lumberjacks"

Last week we ventured to our first “class field trip” of sorts. (It was technically our second. Wildwood would be considered the first. However, Wildwood was a surprise.) It was our first service-based trip. Hartland was the destination. (It is a smaller camp on the other side of the mountain.) We went with the purpose of serving; mainly in the form of campus maintenance.

I was with the team assigned to the Wood Pit. This is where the lumber from the forest became the firewood for the winter. Our tasks included chain-sawing, wood-splitting, and firewood stacking. Due to our job-description, as well as the fact most of our team wore flannel shirts (and one of our guys had a beard), we titled ourselves “The Lumberjacks”. 

(My job was on the wood-splitter. It is the largest piece of machinery I’ve used! Exciting, dangerous, repetitive.)                                           

Our time in the Wood Pit was successful. We could see our progress and the direct impact of our work. The staff there was so thankful for our volunteering. Overall, Hartland was a fantastic time to practice both teamwork and servant leadership.                        

A Past Thought

Sam Meier (professor from Ohio State University) was our speaker for the first two weeks. Our discussions with him make me wish I could read Hebrew.