Rock Climbing and more...

So. Today we drove maybe forty-five minutes (a short trip compared to the past couple days) to a campground/type/thing on a river in this way cool valley. There were these awesome rock formations, and we ate lunch at a picnic table that was under a evergreen (ponderosa pine maybe, the bark smelled like vanilla extract).
The river was nice and cold, but just a couple feet deep. There was a nice big rock in the middle of it, and we waded out there to hang out. Bandit, Aunt Jean's utterly devoted dog, hates water. But, when she went out the rock, he was brave enough to hop in and swim out (I'll be getting these pictures on picasa online after we get home).
My sister and I ate lunch on this nice little ledge a couple feet off the ground. There were these two little chipmunk things (possibly something else) that joined us for lunch. We threw little chunks of bread to them so we could get pictures. I know. Typical tourist.
So I went for a little rock climbing... I loved it. It wasn't too steep, and there was a bunch of little crevices for handholds. I feel at home on big rocks that are relatively cut off from civilization, especially if I can climb up there sides. When I'm older (aka who knows when), I want to take it up as a hobby. I wish I could go on the YLI/Renew Ministry TEAM 3 trip to the sawtooths... but it's another $250 and two days after we get home from this trip. Maybe next year.

The choices we make every day can cause one out of two things. (I'm having trouble making this legible, so please bear with me) We can live in our new nature, as found in Christ, or we can cling to our old sin nature. (why did that me take so long to type???) We can bring one of two kingdoms here, the kingdom of Heaven or the kingdom of Hell (Kingdom of light or of darkness). I know this seems rather simple and elementary, but hey.

Verse of the day: Psalm 63:1-3 (NIV)
O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.

Levi

Three photos of our trip so far...

Awesome Landscape:

Independence Pass, on the Continental Divide (gotta love the bikers walking up):

Clouds in Utah:

Woodland Park, Colorado

Well, we made it. After a long and tortuous journey, we are finally here.
I enjoyed today better than yesterday, mainly because Colorado's scenery is so much better than Utah's. Sorry. We got some awesome shots with my dad's new camera... of clouds, trees, lakes, streams, and much more...
We're at Aunt Jean's and Uncle Rodger's house, and it's way cool. It's set back in some trees (a grove of aspen, one of which is coming up through the porch), and the layout is cool. And they have internet. (hah, really?)
So... I'm going to write an email or two. Hey, if you're reading this and you know me, want to leave a comment? I'm not sure if you have to have a blog yourself to do so, but hey. I tried.

Quote of the day: "zZzZzZzZzZzZzZz..."

Oh, yah. We drove through Aspen, Colorado, on our way here. For some reason, it reminded me of Summit (I think) in Frank Peretti's book Piercing the Darkness (or This Present Darkness, I confuse the two). Nice, ritzy town, but the feeling that it gave off was that of trying to obtain "Spirituality" or "Utopia" or something... I may be way off, but that's what it reminded me of.
And between Aspen and here there was this REALLY narrow road that, in some parts, looked like one lane when it was a two-way road. Scary.

Levi

Green River, Utah

Yah. So, Rocky Mountain camp ended yesterday, and my family left for Colorado today. We set out at 9 am and got here at 7 pm. Long day. However, I did buy $40 worth of music on iTunes yesterday, so I'm happy. (for my b-day, my parents got me a TEAK ipod dock and stereo system. It's awesome) We're at the half way point, headed to Colorado springs/woodland park to visit family. I slept on and off during the drive, and I ate too much too quickly at subway this evening. My eyelids are trying to form a rebellion to secede from my body and shut down, but I'm fighting back. My mind is going to join the fight against the empire any time now... = P.
Right now the hot desert wind is blowing at who knows how many miles an hour, and lightning is flashing and rain is flying horizontally.
Quote of the day: "Are we there yet?"

Levi

To Colorado and Beyond

So. We got back from McCall, where Awana camp was (er, rocky mountain camp), and I'm super tired. And we're leaving for Colorado tomorrow morning. Egad. I need sleep, and I have a headache.
Rocky Mountain camp was cool. I saw/made some of my best friends, and had an awesome week and got something of a tan. = P
If you people from YLI emailed me back, it may be a few days before I reply. Sorry. I hope that our family in Colorado has a compy with Internet... (and for those of you who don't know what I mean by "compy," it's short for a computer).
Well... Adios.

Quote of the day:
"Stand Firm!" or "You wish you were on green team! Oooh! Aaah!"

To Awana camp and beyond!

Hey. I'm only writing this because my ride to McCall, Id (where the camp is) is five minutes late. So I may be dashing off at any time. Because of YLI, I am totally comfortable with myself and will be in the front row in chapel (as in Upper Turner), and able to initiate conversations with people I don't know at all or too well. Yah. So... I'm also going to try to catch up on sleep on the way there and there... and not stay up till three again. Yah. You know who you are.
Totally awesome verse that just hit me today: Proverbs 16:3. Which is: "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." That can apply to something I'm sifting through/dealing with right now... email me if you want to know what it is. Hah.
You know if you're on vacation if you have California syndrome... you can feel your sunglasses on your head when they're not there.

Still at YLI

So. I'm back. Here's the backstory: I'm in California for a christian conference called the Youth Leadership Institute. I'm going to fly back tomorrow, and the day after, I'll be in McCall, Idaho for Awana camp (my sixth year). At this conference, I'm learning tons. We have awesome speakers, awesome speakers, and a spectacular community growing here. The fact that I'm isolating myself to type on this computer is... inconsequential.
Last night I had the coolest worship experience of my life. The speaker, Mike DeVries, was incredible. He went over the Genesis creation and pointed out a couple of things. First, humanity was the only creation that God ever touched. Second, the bible never says that the serpent in the garden was Satan. Interesting, huh? Actually, that part about the serpent he said today, but hey.
He also went over the idea of God's image reflected in us. Even though we are cracked and broken, there are still small patches where you can see the reflection of the original. I'm not going to go farther because I'm not as good as a speaker as him. His blog is found at http://awakening.typepad.com. I haven't read much yet, but if it's anything like his class (which we lovingly call heresy 101), it's awesome.
After the awesome message that totally hit home, we had the coolest worship time. The songs were ... well, AWESOME. We even got a little "mosh" pit up front were a third of us got up there and jumped around. For me, it was like the first time that I had actually truly worshiped.
Well... Oh, yah. Trace Bundy is here. http://www.tracebundy.com. The coolest guitar player ever. Totally. I have two of his shirts, and I'm going to get his signature tonight.
So. Chris Yambar is also here. So many cool people... www.yambar.com
I'm totally pumped to be here, then to go to Awana camp right after. So cool. God is so good. Goodbye for now... muhahahahahahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Verse of the day: "To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, 'If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'" John 8:31-32, NIV. (Notice that it's "If you hold to my teaching," not "If you pray xyz prayer." Heresy 101, baby.)

Levi

YLI

I'm sitting here typing on a computer in Azuza Pacific, and It's awesome. More later.