A day at the Lake

A day at the lake...

So I was flipping through some pictures from the last year or two remembering different events that have shaped who I am today, and I came to this one.

This picture was taken at the pastor's retreat during my first internship two summer's ago. This moment was a defining moment for me.

We had finished dinner and were going out for our final boat ride and as the only college student I was trying to figure out where I fit and ended up sitting with all of the kids at the front of the boat. I had gained a new friend, Jaren, a three year old with quick wits, a cuddly personality, and adorable in all ways.

So, we are all sitting there excited about the boat ride, energized because it is just about past our bedtimes, and goofy because of the excitement. The excitement was overwhelming some of us and the volume was rising...naturally.

As an attempt to channel some of this energy I busted out some camp songs. At first all that I got was some awkward stares, but soon we were all singing about frogs, Jesus, and hippos. As the songs continued some of the little guys got a little over zealous and started screaming. Though this is fun for the screamers, it is not quite as fun for those observing.

As you can see in the picture we all appear to be screaming. This is the loudest most painful scream one can ever endure... it is the silent scream! Do not let it's name fool you, as you scream this "silent" scream the ears of those within proximity must suddenly be covered or else the pain will overwhelm them!

So, I am sitting with these beautiful six children silently screaming, singing camp songs, and wrapping towels and blankets around them to keep them warm...and they are looking at me. They are all looking at me with huge smiles on their faces and anticipation in their eyes ...excited to see what we will do next. It was then and there that I remembered. It was as if God was giving me this moment to remind me of my love for children. As I looked around and realized the influence that I had on these little ones, I realized that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. This is what it is all about.