pennsylvania roadtripping #1.

last sunday morning, i rolled out of bed and hit the road.  the clock in my little kia rio read 4:12 am.  but, i was already on I-85.  no turning back.  lots of blacktop and miles ahead.  although i was thinking in my head:  seriously?  is this really worth it?  what am i doing?  am i even going to make it all the way to pennsylvania?   yep, pennsylvania folks.  t-minus 12 hour drive.  all for a few days at a little ole place we affectionately call "citi kidz."

let me rewind though first.  that friday before, we finished camp all-american 2012.  my last summer.  and, sadly, it wasn't quite what i wanted it to be for a number of reasons: worry over what was next, a broken foot, and a new role as director, to name a few.  but, a big one was my relationship with the lord.  it wasn't right.  i wasn't chasing after him.  i was doing the work of the lord, but not knowing the lord.  i started realizing that our last week, but it hit me the saturday after camp.

the day before, timotheus, the camp director up at citi kidz, sent me a link to their blog.  naturally, i was piddling around on saturday morning (as i often do) and decided to watch one video he posted.

Deuteronomy 1 Devotional Moment with T. Pope from Timotheus Pope on Vimeo.

wowzers.  man.  if only i had lived that way this summer.  timotheus' words to follow as caleb "wholly followed the lord" landed not as encouragement but more as conviction.  those words of "wholly" did not characterize sara samchok.  dog.  nor did really "follow the lord."  i was "serving" in "ministry" these ten weeks, but my heart was far from him.  for instance, i was reading the word, but so often out of duty more than love and devotion.  i think the more frustrating part was realizing the lost time.  how i was working in my own strength, worrying about stuff that was gonna get taken care of, and missing so many opportunities for conversations about jesus with campers and counselors along the way...happy saturday morning to me...frustrating also because i had moments here and there where i was walking with him.  more so towards the end of the summer, as i "got my legs back," as i like to say.  but, i had little tastes of what i wish this summer could have been about.  just wasn't happening all ten weeks as i had hoped.  needless to say, i will take it.  i am thankful for what i will continue to learn because of this summer.  and, even for what i learned up in PA.

so, yes, back to the roadtrip up to rector, pennsylvania.  that is what i am actually writing about.  but, i will write more on that in part dos.  this is it for tonight...