Life is nonstop.

That's how it's been for the past 3 years, anyhow. There's always something coming down the pipe. Being at Hume Lake for a third summer has been a ride, and in 10 days Joel and I will be back to civilization and getting ready for the wedding in October. The only thing that makes the upcoming 2-month period different is that I'll actually have time to stop and just process... getting wedding details done, spending my days at home with the Millers and being alone with Joel for the first time in ages. I can't even wait. Most people think the months leading up to your own wedding are crazy... and that may be somewhat true, but if you think about it, we have the location(s), the cake, the dress(es), and the photographers all set and ready to go. We know everything else that we want and its just a matter of ordering or making it. Crazy weddings? I laugh in the face of it.

(You can even quote me on that later, because honestly I don't care if the flowers don't look just right or the programs are the wrong color. I'm not a bridezilla. I think all bridezillas should take 2 Nyquil and sleep it off. It's just a wedding... one day out of your life. Shouldn't the focus be on the marriage? Maybe?)

I'm sitting in the Hume Lake media office listening to Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" at 12:50am as Joel puts the final touches on the gauntlet video. This summer has been one of the toughest I've ever been through, but one of the best when it comes to being sensitive to the Holy Spirit and recognizing when Jesus is being followed closely or forgotten altogether. And I say that with myself in mind, not just those around me. I'm ridiculously sensitive to that, and it's caused many tears this summer... not because I want to snap others out of it in an "you're wrong and not following Jesus, dummy" sort of way (goodness knows I've had my fair share of sin and stupidity), but because I love Hume and want so badly for Jesus to be the sole purpose for every single word and action that we say and do. We ought to be encouraging each other to be like Jesus, that is our sole purpose here and in life in general, but we lose Him so easily in the pursuit of other things, and it kills me. I hope that we never forget that the only thing that really matters here is showing these kids Jesus and praying that He will be reflected in us despite ourselves.

(I just thought about how I have to be careful what I write here. I have a particular friend who wrote a blog entry about Hume and was the talk of a camp or two because of it. I love it when people don't get sarcasm. Just for the record.... I hate attractive people too.)

(and a shoutout to all the full-timers who are reading this because of a google alert.)

On that note, I had the chance to pray for an hour tonight. I haven't done that all summer... only 15-20 minutes here and there. It was amazing. I'm so thankful that we have a God who pursues our hearts and will stop at nothing until we are in His arms. This time tonight is proof alone that we are built to commune with a personal God. We long for it... misguidedly, at times... but it's ingrained in us. It blows me away.

Done. Time for bed and a great-race Friday. Goodnight!