We Are Young...

So, I LOVE the song "We Are Young" by Fun. It's the beat and energy that get me. When I listen to it, it is very uplifting and motivational. I get that Braveheart feeling like I want to charge and go all out..... the only problem is what it is actually saying.

Tonight, We are young 
So let's set the world on fire 
We can burn brighter 
Than the sun

Awesome Lyrics right? But the whole song is singing about one night in a bar. Check these out:

Maybe we could find new ways to fall apart 
But our friends are back So let's raise the cup 
'Cause I found someone to carry me home

And that last line - it's like yelling it out. Like it's a big climax line in my opinion. And yet, it's about finding a ride home. A few more:

Give me a second, I 
I need to get my story straight 
My friends are in the bathroom 
Getting higher than the Empire State 
My lover she is waiting for me Just across the bar, 

It's so easy to see underlying ideas in the song. We are all made for adventure. We are all made for something larger than ourselves. Let's set the world on fire, we can burn brighter than the sun. All of us have that inside of us. And when it is lived out apart from Christ, we waste it on things as useless as a drunken night in a bar. Our efforts are on trying to do something epic and we misplace them on trying to have the greatest party. So great we remember nothing the next morning. We try to make the most money. Have the sweetest ride. Sleep with the most girls.

All that chasing after meaning, after something GREAT and bigger than ourselves. Chasing after something... all that effort; it's all meant to be directed towards Jesus. In taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. You will never find a story so big, so epic, so exciting and full of adventure as following Jesus Christ. And until you start chasing Christ and His glory, all other efforts will fall short of satisfying your soul and you'll find yourself back in the same place, day after day and night after night, trying to fill a void in your life that will never be satisfied.

So let's take these lines, apply them to taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. Let's live with reckless abandonment b/c in Christ we have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Let's combine them like this and go out singing:

let's set the world on fire 
We can burn brighter
Than the sun

The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes

Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name

"The Arkansas Travelers"

Hit play and enjoy this song titled "Arkansas Traveler" while you read this post. The setting and the music of the video fits well not only with where we were in the Ozark Mountains, but even more so with the towns we passed through as we drove the two-lane highways up the mountain to the camp.

Because we saved a significant amount of money, we flew into Memphis, TN instead of Little Rock Arkansas for our training conference this past weekend (April 12-15). Another couple that we met down in Orlando during new staff training flew in from Williamsburg, VA and made the 4 hour drive with us from Memphis to Shepherd of the Ozarks in Harriet, Arkansas. I love road trips, and I even think Tiffany enjoyed this one because we had great company!

Don and I at the only historical marker
we passed along the way

At the entrance to Ozark National Forest in Arkansas

Entering the camp at Shepherd of the Ozarks

It was a long, steep, gravel road from the highway to the camp. I was a little uneasy driving the Chevy Impala we had rented, but it did just fine. However, I would not attempt it in the rain!

The walk from the main hall to our cabins across the river

Bob Mac Leod teaching the financial stewardship training session.

Bob Mac Leod is on Cru's financial stewardship team. These leaders provide wisdom and guidance to thousands of staff members throughout the year. This is one of the teams I have been asked to join and I am really excited about working with them. To learn and grow in my own personal stewardship as a family and to take my passion and enthusiasm to encourage and assist other staff members towards good financial stewardship.

Having fun at the main center

 The views and weather were amazing. Here are a few pictures from around the camp.

There was plenty of wildlife just hanging around the camp...

We took a fun hike around the camp on  Sunday afternoon with a few friends.

Don and I made the swim across the river to the rock ledge.
The water was probably in the 50's... Don grew up in Michigan
so I think I had a slight disadvantage... 

The car ride back to the airport in Memphis on Monday

We passed this awesome trailer while in Arkansas on the way back to Memphis on Monday.
It was being pulled by a pick up truck. We weren't sure if it was a traveling exhibit or if
the fish were being transported.

Some of our room mates in our cabin for the weekend.

Overall the weekend was great! We had awesome fellowship the whole weekend with close friends (the same group was with us in Orlando for new staff training last September). We had top notch training and encouragement from Cru staff members (most of which this time were Family Life staff members). And it was an awesome spring board back into full time support raising after I worked part time this tax season.

Thank you all for your prayers and interest in our ministry with Cru. I hope you enjoyed the pictures. I will try to add some as I get the rest that were taken during the weekend from other people.