Final Days

Well I will keep this post on the short side. As I clocked out I was really excited. It meant my summer was coming to a close and I would see my older sister in just a few short days. As I walked out to the back dock I was rewarded with a pie to the face. It was kind of shocking. I know what your thinking, picture? Well a picture should show up on facebook one of these days.
I had a few days before Tori was to pick me up, so it was off camping with my boss and a couple of others. We shot a few guns, went snipe hunting, enjoyed a warm fire, and got fried at Hume Lake. Hume is a dame made lake that was constructed for logging way back in the day. Now a large Christian camp owns the land and is open to the public to come and enjoy its beaches. Even though I got a bad sun burn it was a blast because it has a large Sequoia cut that was left from the logging days. It hasn't rotted away because Sequoia's have anti-rotting chemicals. Anyways, it was a lot of fun. It was so large we couldn't even get it turned around.

Few of the guns we shot

After a couple of days of camping it was finally time for Tori to show up. We hung out, went hiking, and enjoyed the Sierra Nevada mountains. I had a blast and it was good to catch up with Tori.

Sunset on Moro Rock

After a couple days of exploring we headed back to Cal city. Just like that my summer adventure was over. I had a great time and I hope to visit those beautiful mountains again in the future. This will be my last post. Thank you all for you support and prayers.      

Almost out of here

Well my summer here in Sequoia National Park is just about to come to a close and what an adventure it has been. Thank you all so much for your prayers and support. The Lord has taught me much this summer and I look forward to seeing where I'll be serving Him next summer. Maybe back at CLBC? That would be nice.
It seems this summer has just flown by in the past few months, but as I look back at all the adventures I have been on  I realize just how long I have been here. I think it is about time to head back to Michigan and SAU.
I've said this before and I'll say it again. It is amazing the adventures the Lord will take you on when you just listen and obey. I remember the day I first read the little flyer for ACMNP and thought, "yeah, that would be cool, but something I wouldn't actually ever do." Ha, I am warning you now, don't ever think for a moment that God wont call you somewhere you think He wouldn't...like a National Park for an entire summer. Keep your mind open and remember to be obedient. Who knows where or what I'll be doing next summer, but what I do know is that God's hand will be in it.
Living here has given me the chance to see what being a disciple really means. Sometimes it will seem lonely and useless. Sometimes it wont even seem worth it. Sometimes it will seem as though you wont make it through. It is worth it, it is possible to make it through to the end, and it isn't as lonely as one might think. I believe much of the ministry that I have done here I can not see. How am I to know how God has touched the lives that I have come encounter with?
What a great summer and what a great God we serve. Again thank you for the prayers, support, and keeping up with my blog. I believe I will do one last entree before I call it quits. I'm going camping tomorrow and it may just be interesting enough to share with you all.     

Adventure or Epic Fail?

So I entered some photos into the National Parks photo competition and three of my photos won second place. Here are the three that placed...

Not sure why it went all fuzzy when I uploaded, but this photo won second in Sequoia Trees division

 

Won second in the Flower division

Won second in the seasons division

I thought that was pretty cool that three of my photos placed. Now onward to my adventure or epic fail?
It all started a couple hours after our usual service. It went smoothly and like any other, but I had the rest of the day off and it was only noon. Libby and I wanted to do something with the rest of the day. It was soon decided that Crystal Cave would be perfect, except for the fact that we didn't have a car. But hey, we were in shape and we could just walk there. So we looked at a map and made out our route. We would take the bus to the museum and from there walk a little less than 4 miles to the road that would lead us to the dirt road leading to the cave. Our map cut off shortly there after, but we guessed it would only be another mile at most. We would make it just in time for our 3:30 tour. Ha...right.
After hiking the 3 mile used trail (used trails are not maintained) we popped right were we expected to and right on time. Now we just had to hike the last bit, which we had only guessed the distance. I'll spare you the details thereafter, but it turned out it be an additional 4 miles, much more than we had anticipated. Needless to say, we missed our tour.
That wasn't the worst of it though. While hiking the unknown distance we soon realized that even if we were to turn back at that time we were going to miss the last shuttle from the museum. That would mean an additional 7 miles to our trip that we already had 4 miles added onto. We had gotten ourselves into a pickle. We decided our best bet was to continue onward to the cave and try to find a ride back with the employees there. We weren't sure how long we would have to wait for them, nor did we know if they would have room, not did we know how much longer we would have to hike to get there.
The parking lot was a glorious sight to be seen. We had hiked a little more than 7 miles with no break and had gone a steady 3 miles per hour, and to add to it all, it was in the lower 90's. We were kind of tired. It was time for the next challenge. Getting a ride. Luckily it all worked out and after talking to the manager we were able to book a ride with them back to lodgepole. We had to wait an hour, but we were just happy to have a ride back. After figuring it all out, if we were to have had to walk all the way back to lodgepole we would have had to hike 22 miles. We had both done that before, but this time we had not packed accordingly, plus we started this adventure about one in the afternoon, so we would not have made it back to Lodgepole until about 9 or 10 at night.
Adventure or epic fail? I'd say both.       

Title!

Hey everyone! Just under three weeks until this amazing adventure comes to an end. As the end draws near, the anticipation becomes greater and greater. Sorry to the rest of you, but I must say I am looking forward to seeing my sister, Tori, the most. It has been over a year now and then she is leaving for another year! Makes my few months look like child's play. lol
So anyways, let me tell you a little more about my repetitive life here in SNP. Living conditions could be better. Living dorm style with incredibly dirty and messy people can be, well annoying. No matter how often I clean, it seems like dirt, trash, and other various stuff is everywhere. It can be very frustrating. Have you ever cleaned something repetitively that is still never clean? If you every have the choice, don't. I never get the satisfaction of looking at my work and being able to say, "that looks nice, I accomplished my task." I have this same problem with the store. The showers must be cleaned each and every day. The trash is always full, and the wood always needs more to the pile.  
Along with the never ending tasks, the visitors here are mind boggling. To give you an idea I'll just explain what happened today. A customer came into the store complaining that his shower would not turn on. We get this complaint several times a day and almost every time it is simply because they did not turn the nobs or they did not put enough quarters in the machine. So, I asked the man, "did you try turning the knobs?" He gave me a dirty look as to say, "what, do you think I am that stupid?" After returning to his shower, it just so happened that that was the problem. He had not turned the knobs. By this time the scheduled ten minutes had almost gone by, so he got a very short shower. He promptly came back into the store demanding a refund. Oh, these people. I'm not quite sure what to say about them. Are they annoying or are the just humorous? I guess it just depends on the day.
These are just a couple of situations I go through daily. Just wanted to give you a better idea. God's simple command to love everyone can sometimes be the hardest thing to do, but on the same side of the coin, it is incredible to see first hand what love can really do to an individual. I can not put it into words. My greatest mission here. To love no matter what.         

Full weekend

Living only a few miles away from the Giant Forest defiantly holds its benefits. It makes for a pretty relaxing day when I am able to hop onto a 15 minute shuttle ride and explore the stunning giants. With camera in hand and snacks on my back I was ready to just get away from the chaos. While not recommended, I often don't stick to the paths. Far to many people on the paths. Off trailing I am able to see the Sequoia's in their full glory. Get up close and personal. Ironically the General Sherman is my lest favorite place to be in the park. Endless hoards of people make the tree almost claustrophobic.

Speaking of claustrophobic, the Crystal Caves were incredible. While it is a focal point for many tourists, it was still worth the trip. Being my first time on a cave tour I was pretty excited. Crystal Cave is about three miles long and located at 4,600 feet. It was first discovered by a couple of fisherman, but now receives thousands of visitors each year. The tours last about 45 minutes with each group containing no more than 50 people. While the structures inside are incredible, unfortunately I discovered that caves are one of the most difficult places to capture. But I did my best.

After exploring the caves Sunday afternoon I chose to venture into the Giant Forest the next day. It was nice to be alone among the massive Sequoia's, but it didn't stay that way the entire day. I met my first marmot living under a Sequoia. It was a cute little guy. He let me get really close too. After about a 20 minute photo shoot that consisted of the marmot backing in and out of his little hole I made my way back to the main area of the Giant Forest.

The Marmot

Just yards away from the bus stop a mother bear and her two cubs were making their way through the crowded area. As the bear was sited, almost everyone on the bus scrambled off and quickly dug out their cameras. It was a big event. It was as if the bears were celebrates. Some thirty people where all following the bears snapping as many photos as their camera would allow and it didn't cease until the mother and two cubs made their way out of the main area.

Mama Bear next to a Sequoia

All in all, it was a good day filled with many excitements. I'm fully charged and ready for another week. It seems this summer is flying by. Only six more weeks to go and I'll be hanging with Tori and Karen. It still amazes me daily that the Lord has brought me to such a beautiful and stunning place. It isn't all fun, games, and bear sightings here though. God is always pushing me further out of my comfort zone and the challenges seem to always arise. Keep praying for me. :)      
        

Bear Paw

We woke up early Monday morning and where on the trail by 6:30. Joe, Libby and I all had the day off and we wanted to check out Bear Paw. Bear Paw is a small little camping resort where quest pay way to much to live in tents, but the view is unforgettable. Most make the hike in two days, but we only had one, so we decided to just go for it. While sources differ on the distance, we were going off of the fact that it was a 11.5 miles there and after coming back it was to be about 23 total miles. No small feat. I can understand why people make it a two day event.
The day started like any other hiking day. Chill was in the air and we were making good time. While many of the hikes often climb up a mountain and then back down. This particular hike curves around several peaks, making the hike an up and down event. No steep slopes but it was equivalent to hiking hill country, except to our left was the side of the mountain and to the right was often a steep slope.
There isn't much to tell about the actual hike. We walked, rested, ate a little, and walked some more. On occasion we would get a great view of our destination.

We were headed to a small spot right before that mountain range

We didn't have the path to ourselves at times

After hiking for about four hours we finally made it to Bear Paw. Having one building and several small tents the total guest capacity is just under 20. Deck style flooring and a heaving canvas is all the guests get to live in, but Bear Paw is still a little heaven in the middle of nowhere. Great view and how they are able to have flush toilets way out there, I'm not really sure. And to think, this camp is taken down every year.

Picture really doesn't give it justice (view from Bear Paw)

After enjoying some brownies, talking to the locals, and sun bathing on a large rock we made our way a mile back on the trial to wade in a nice looking river.

View from our large rock

Main building where we enjoyed a great view and brownies

Enjoyed lunch under a small bridge where we played in the water

 After playing in the cold water and enjoying our lunch we started our long trek back. Just like the hike up to Bear Paw there isn't much to say about our hike back except, we walked, ate a little, got bitten by flies, often rested and often got a great view of the mountain range.
After the hike needles to say we were all extremely tired. We were out of water, very dirty, and our legs and feet killed. Man was it worth it. :) 

      

The fourth

Fourth of July started out just like any other day. Woke up at 6:30 and was at work by 7. I was thankful I was on a morning shift because that meant I had my entire afternoon off to enjoy....well, sitting around. The fun didn't start until about 7 at night. That's about the time Wuksachi showed up and the food went on the grill. After a fun time with the Frisbee and the football the food was ready and so was I.

Ali 

It was great to get some decent food into my system. We had grilled corn, beans (didn't partake), grilled garlic bread, bacon, and tri tip (beef). All in all, we had a good old time.

Stacking cups for fun

Vince (boss) on the grill 

Good right?

As the sun went down on the party, the drinking (yes lots of people drink here), food, and all the other festivities continued. Being the fourth, some of wanted to see fireworks and the only chance of achieving our goal was to make our way to Moro rock. It wasn't certain that we would be able to see the fireworks from at least 40 miles away (strait shot) and on top of a mountain, but were determined to try it out. Turned out that after a little practice we were able to pick out the fire works from the millions of lights below. It was far from exciting, but we were pleased regardless. To give you a perspective, the millions of lights from the city were only the size of a little dots. The fireworks were about five times bigger than the average little dot. From where we sat that meant extremely small. Little puffs of light were all we got.

Flash was a bit intense

After enjoying our little puffs of light we headed back for what was left of the cake. Sure, it was probably cheep walmart cake, but it was still good to have something sweet. After each year it seems that family get togethers are becoming scarce and long in-between, but at the same time my experiences becoming greater and more extravagant. The future will no doubt be an interesting one.     

Just checking in.

Is it really already two days to the fourth of July!? It seems this summer is flying by, but at the same time crawling by. I've been living, working, and hiking with the same people for more than a month now and while many of them are great people, I must be honest. I miss all of you back home a lot. I think of all the fun that will be had in Pentwater in the next few days. One of the few times in the year that most of the family can come together and enjoy each others company. Someone have a piece of jello cake for me. That's another thing. I miss home made cooking.
While I dearly miss all of you, the Lord has been doing some incredible things. At camp, I learned about a carrying God that showed me encouragement, a God that showed me what it meant to be part of the body Christ. Here I have learned about a God with an unbelievable creativity. A God that demonstrates His beauty in massive vegetation, stunning flowers, glowing mountain ranges, and the millions of people made in his own image. A God that I must totally depend on while I stand in front of a small group of people and give a message that the Holy Spirit uses to do His will. A God I must lean on for support because my physical support is thousand of miles away on the other side of the country.
God is good. Oh Lord where are you going to take me next? As crazy as I may think your calling may be, may I be obedient in all things. May I show your love to the people I come into contact with so that they may see you in me. May I become lesser in order for you to become greater in my life.      

Incredible

I'm not even sure how to start this particular blog post. How do I begin writing about an event that happened so quickly and out of no where...
Five minutes past ten not a single person had shown up for our service. We had decided to postpone in the hopes that someone would show up. Little did we expect a black bear to be the first to show his face. While a black bear running past the amphitheater was nothing less than cool what was to happen next left the few of us completely speechless. Before I go on I must say this, mom, part of me thought not to post about this event because I am sure to get some concerning comment from you, but rest assure that what I have told you about black bears still stands. They are actually much safer than you believe.
A high pitch squeal was enough to turn all of our heads and what we witnessed was absolutely incredible. Running right toward us was a tiny little dear and on its heels was the majestic black bear we had just seen earlier. Some 15 yards away the dear saw us and made a quick turn, but in the process lost its footing and fell to the ground. Just the opportunity the bear was awaiting for. The mid sized black bear quickly clamped its massive jaws around the fawns neck and proceeded to calmly walk up the hill with the fawn squealing the entire time. In this whole chase the bear actually ran through several camp sites and if this was not enough an even larger bear was watching the entire thing. The second bear was a brown color and was truly massive.
An event that I shall never forget for the rest of my life. The best way I can describe the even is simply, incredible. A truly incredible event. Oh, and by the way, right after this whole event we got a group of like eight people that all work at Wuksachi, so the service went well too.        

Don't walk on the far side of the fire

Our adventure began late, disorganized, and not completely planned out, but in the end all went according to plan; we had fun. Each weekend we (generally Joe, Libby, Katie, and I) attempt to plan out an unforgettable hike to somewhere fun and exciting. This past weekend someone came up with the crazy idea of making camp on top of Moro Rock. Having been up the 400 steps before I must admit I was a skeptic. First off, how on earth were we going to find a spot on top of a huge rock that would be comfortable enough to sleep and secondly it was technically illegal.
All jumping into the car we decided to scope the rock out as we climbed the grueling steps. We would make our decision once we got there. It quickly became apparent that our crazy idea was just that: crazy. No where on the step rock was there a place that we could even attempt to make camp. So we decided to make our way down the rock to our backup plan: hanging rock. Hanging rock is generally the location that individuals go to get a good view of Moro Rock. It is just as high, but more of a cliff than just a large rock jutting out of the mountain like Moro. After scouting hanging rock for only a few minutes we had found our camping site. It wasn't the easiest place to get to, nor the best place to lay our heads, but defiantly one with the best view.

You can just see Moro Rock on the right

After setting up camp we headed back up Moro Rock to see an incredible sun set. While it wasn't the best I'd ever seen, it was nice to get a little reminder of life in Pentwater. I am a big fan of the age old tradition of  making our way down to the beach in order to watch the sun fall into Lake Michigan, throw the fling sock and merely enjoy the company of family and friends. While there was no coarse sand under my feet, and if a fling sock was thrown it would be lost to the thousand foot drop (estimate), it was still nice to get a little reminder of the good old days.

The smog from the city below actually makes for a great sun set

Panoramic view

As we watched the sun disappear under the horizon we sat ourselves down anticipating the arrival of the millions of stars that would sparkle above us. As we merely sat and enjoyed each others company little sparkling lights began to appear not only in the sky but in the valley below. In the day light the large city on the edge of the mountain range is invisible to the naked eye, but as the sun goes down and the street lights come on, the enormous city slowly comes into plan view.
We decided to make our way back to our camp site to enjoy a small illegal fire on the side of our cliff in order to cook s'mores. After satisfying our taste buds with the sugary treat we just sat back and enjoyed the view at which time we all witnessed the best falling star that I have ever seen in my life. It must have lasted five or six seconds, and the fire trailing behind was plainly visible. It was no little streak of light in the sky like any normal shooting star, but very large, long lasting, and beautiful. It was a great way to end our night.
As we lay in our sleeping bags we fell asleep under the stars (rain cover was off). The next morning we awoke to a new day in which we would find even more adventure. We visited Grant Grove, Crescent Meadow, Eagle view, and Panoramic View.

Panoramic View

                         

National Park Service

Once a week meetings with the entire team sets the stage for each Sunday service. As a team we hold two services a week. One, a  mere five minute walk away located at Lodgepole and the other about a hour drive to a camping spot close to Grant Grove. There are a total of six of us, so we split it half and half, which so far is working great. Joe (Fellow ACMNPer and room mate) and Libby (also ACMNPer and also lives and works at lodgepole) have even made a colorful spreadsheet showing who is where and doing what each week. Nice and organized.
Three of us are able to play guitar and Libby plays the banjo, so all positions are pretty well passed around. By our second service, it was time for me to preach. At that point we did not have a neat schedule, so I volunteered. As the week progressed the Holy Spirit lead me to a topic, so as far as having something to say I was all set, although it was still to be determined how gifted I was at public speaking. I didn't really fell nervous even though I have done very little public peaking at this point in my life. Even so, I would say I did pretty well (with the help of the Holy Spirit of course). Sure, I made some beginner mistakes, but who doesn't their first time? I'll be honest, It was kind of strange being the one speaking. I realize it isn't about me, but about the Holy Spirit using whomever He pleases, but I couldn't help but felling really young while standing in front of the few people that had taken the time to come to our service. I've grown up with preachers with many years behind them, and have experienced much, and there I was only being 19 and God had chosen me to preach to individuals that where old enough to be my parents or even grandparents. What had the Holy Spirit given me to say that they needed to hear? Maybe I was asking the wrong questions or maybe I shouldn't have been questioning it at all. After all, as a disciple, it is just my job to obey. So who knows, maybe next time it will all fell more natural. Maybe it was just because it was my first time. God only knows...literally. The following week I experienced another first, I helped lead worship with Joe and next week I'm on my own regarding leading worship. Should be interesting. 
Each week we receive about two families. So nothing too big yet. Word is hard to get around, because we aren't allowed to go around to each campsite speaking to individuals. Flyers are about the only way word is spread and frankly that doesn't spread very quickly. The Lord is in control, so who needs to come will be there. It isn't about the amount of people.
I continue to ask for your prayers. I am convinced it is the best thing you, thousands of miles away, can do for this ministry God has thrown me into. Your prayers are being heard, and the Lord is carrying me through this summer. While the Lord has placed me in the front lines at this specific location, you, my brothers and sisters in Christ are also part of this ministry. I thank the Lord I am not alone. I have you supporting me and I have the Holy Spirit with me. Thank you... Also, if you want to send me letters that would great too. :)
   

The Job

I guess it is about time to tell you all about what I am doing here as a job. First off, I did not end up with the job I was hired for. Not too surprising, but I still kind of wish I ended up being a bell hop. Oh'well, life goes on. I work utilities at Lodgepole Market. We sell groceries, and lots of stuff that say Sequoia. We also have a deli that sells pre made sandwiches that have gotten boring to eat real fast, and a snack bar that sells the typical grease covered cheeseburger, fries, and if you're felling lucky, the pizza.
Thankfully my schedule is set each week so it is easy to plan around. Unfortunately I can't do much around it. I start each day at 12:30 and work till 8:30. Not enough time to do a major hike in the morning and too dark by the time I get out. I receive Sunday's and Monday's off, in which I will take my big hiking trips on. For example, I am taking a 14 mile round trip tomorrow to twin lakes. Should be an epic adventure.
Typical day consists of taking out the trash, cleaning bathrooms, cleaning the laundry rooms, stocking wood and beer, breaking down boxes, I occasionally help out on cash register, but other than that it is up in the air. My bosses say I do a good job and that I am on top of things, so I would say they like me well enough.
Living conditions...well, are interesting. I currently have one room mate, but I am about to receive another. The room is a little bigger than what my dorm was at SAU, but not by too much. Coming into the room two others were already settled down, but for some reason my boss decided to move them and keep me and my current room mate in the room even though we had just got there. Anyways, my point is to say, the room had not been cleaned when I got there. Dirty blankets shoved in a corner, trash on the floor, and definitely needed to be vacuumed. Bad as that sounds, at this point I am just glad they decided against putting a total of four of us in the room. I am a very tolerable individual, but I have no idea how four of us would have lived in that room. It is much like dorm living. One bathroom down the hall and all of our rooms on the same length of hall. We also have a small hang out room with a TV. This all being located above the market. We have no internet or phone service, but we do have a fire bit! In order to write these posts or get on facebook, I must make it two miles up the mountain to the Wuksachi Lodge. Thankfully there is a free shuttle.
So there you have it. Where I live and what I do!                    

Moro Rock

Swoosh! Reminded me of the summers in Pentwater playing with a two handed acrobatic kite. You know the type of kite an Airfun employee would show off with? Well obviously there was no Airfun employee on top of Moro Rock playing with a kite, so I curiously looked around for the source of the familiar sound. It didn't take long to find that the familiar noise was coming from birds speeding past at high speeds.

It was very difficult to capture the speedy bird

Some 400 steps to the top, but man was it worth it. The view was absolutely breath taking. It was one of those places that words nor pictures can fully capture the magnitude of the beauty. Plus it was difficult to capture a 360 view with a camera that can go less than 180. On a clear day one can see literally for miles, and if not for the mountains my guess would be that the curvature of the earth would be noticeable.

View of Moro Rock

As amazing as the view was I would not recommend the trip for one that is deathly afraid of heights. While there were "railings" the entire climb up, at many points it was only a two foot rock separating me from a deathly plummet. Not exactly a place to trip.

Rocks were often the "railings," and they weren't exactly that tall

Other times it was a bit narrow

 After Moro Rock I continued my day off by exploring around Lodgepole and happened to see my first bear while living here at Sequoia National Park.

Two cubs

   

Community

Living high up in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, among the largest trees in the world, I have come to discover the people here are what amazes me the most. As I see it, there are two types of people here. The individuals living and working here just like me, and the many hundreds of individuals coming and going each day in order to visit the stunning sights that this wonderful forest has to offer.
One of the first things I pictured living in a National Forest is the crisp, clean, and beautiful air that would inhabit such a place. Apparently I am one of the few that enjoy this aspect of living in a National Forest. My personal guess would be that 80% of the individuals that work here smoke. While this does not make them bad people or anything like that, it does surprise me. I am fully aware that many thousands of people smoke in the U.S., but to be honest I did not think they would care to dwell in a National Forest where the air is clean to breathe. I guess the Forest has other aspects to offer them (side story: Living high up in the mountains the air is cleaner, but it is also thinner. Meaning it has less oxygen. This often affects people, but I was happy to find it did not me. That is, until I attempted to go for a run. It was like a slap in the face. While I am not a huge runner that can go for miles, I can defiantly keep a steady pace for a few miles. Not here. Thirty seconds into my run my body finally discovered what it meant to have thinner air. I only got a measly mile until I was beet). To expound on the type of people I work with, I will also say that many of them excessively drink and cuss. Not to put them down in any way, but to merely give you an idea of the people I work with. Many of them are actually really net individuals (many of them are also old enough to be my parents). Luckily my rooming situation is the best I could really ask for, because I room with a fellow ACMNPer about the same age as me. While I am able, for the most part, run away from the smoke of the cigarettes, I am not sure sure how I would have handled living in the same room as an individual that smoked. In a whole I get along with my employees and often even go on hiking adventures with them. Fun people to be around.
The visitors are another story. Not to say I do not like them, but to be honest they are not what I expected. Again, my personal guess would be that about 80%, if not more, of the visitors that come through our doors are speaking a language that I cannot understand. Maybe that was something I was just completely oblivious to that some of you would have expected, but I sure did not. Our National Park is a bigger draw to people living outside our country than to the individuals living right next door. I just find that very interesting.
So there you have it. The community I am currently settled in. Much different than SAU, but it is the "real" world and that is where much of the ministry is. While I love SAU and CLBC, I cannot stay boxed into a christian world where the majority of the people are dedicated disciples. It is great to live and work in a green house such as SAU or CLBC, but the point of a greenhouse is to build an individual up enough so they may not only survive out in the world, but thrive. Thrive in such a way as to be able to let go and allow Christ to shine through. That is what I hope to do. Let go of my life, so Christ may have His way with me. No matter what that may entail. Keep those prayers coming!             

The Falls

Living in a National Forest definitely comes with its perks. For example, there are beautiful woods all around me and I have quickly found some friends that love exploring them just as much as me. Our first hike was up to Tokopah falls (may be misspelled).  

It was a four mile hike all the way to the falls, but it was well worth it. The hike up was absolutely beautiful. Lush green foliage the entire way up, accented with huge boulders. Not to mention the ragging river to our right. As one might expect, we did see our share of wildlife, with a total of two deer. The deer here are practically tame so we where able to get a close up look. The girl in the blue was actually running this same trial a few days after and actually tripped over a deer, and I was also able to get about five yards away from a buck.  

Anyways, back to our trip. After hiking for a little over an hour we finally made it to the top. The view was absolutely incredible. While I could attempt to explain the beauty, I believe a picture will give it more justice.

As you might be able to see it was starting to get dark, so we took our group picture and headed back down.

As we began our decent we pulled out flashlights out as it quickly became to dark to see much. The hike down took a bit longer than getting up, but we made it back all the same. As we walked out into the parking lot we noticed the beauty above us. We proceeded to lay down on the warm parking lot and we enjoyed the sparklingly stars above.
Since Hiking up to the falls we have gone on many hikes and have just about explored all the woods surrounding our new home. I look forward to the opportunity to make it down the mountain a bit in order to explore more. Thank you for all your prayers and I'll be sure to keep you posted on all that it going down here in Sequoia National Forest.

Welcome...to my backyard

Have you ever been left behind on accident while on a family trip? Personally, I can't say I have, but that's what I was thinking of as my dad and Rosanne drove off leaving me in a National Park. As weird as I initially felt those feelings quickly faded.
First let me share with you just a few photos of the drive up the mountain.

The view up the mountain

 Road under construction

As should anyone in a National Forrest, the first thing I did was explored my new home. Trying to describe the wonders surrounding me would be almost impossible, so here are just a few pictures of my new home...  

  Home/work

The river right behind Lodgepole 

So there you are, just a few pictures of my new home. I couldn't load all the pictures here on my blog, but more will be located on my facebook. 

So as pretty as my new home is, unfortunately it comes with no internet and no cell service. In order to get on the internet I must make it two miles up the mountain to Wuksachi lodge. In short, don't expect me to pick up if you call, because my cell phone is now just an expensive watch and don't expect me to be on the internet much because I will probably be limited to once a week, but I will do my best to keep you all updated.   

Cool Breezes to Blazin' sun!

In less than a full days time I have successfully made it from Pentwater, Michigan all the way West to California City, California. What a day. I don't believe I will ever be fond of traveling via jet plane, even if the only reason I possess is the outlandish price it costs one to fly across the country. As you might imagine, it also completely messes up one's sleep schedule. I woke up around 6:30 this morning and the first thing that crossed my mind was, "What am I doing up so early!" It didn't take long to recall the three hour time change from here to Michigan.
It's odd that as I departed early yesterday morning I was content with the temperature. It was a bit nippy, but it was evident that it was going to be a beautiful day. As I strolled out into the LA sun I realized, here too was great weather. It was a bit warmer than Michigan, but surprisingly not much. Riding into the valley is another story. Here in the Mojave Desert it is already getting up to 100 degrees. Some say they don't enjoy a hot humid day, well I doubt they have ever experienced a hot dry day. It draws any water right out of a person. Luckily, I will only have to endure this blazing sun for a couple more days, for I am headed to the Mountains!   
Oh also, one last thing. I had In-N-Out, booya!      

Training!

Piling into the SUV, the six of us were soon off to Calvin College in Grand Rapids. After a long week of school it wasn't the greatest thing to look forward to, but we had high spirits all the same. While I only knew the diver personally, I was able to get to know the others at least on a small basis. While our GPS guide decided to led us down every back road possible, we still got there in just a little under two hours. Promptly after arriving we were introduced the common food of the masses; pizza. By no means am I complaining because after eating DC food for the majority of the year Papa John's is almost heavenly. After filling our stomachs and greeting the others, then we proceeded outside to the plaza for worship. After about a 40 minute service we dove right into flipping through the 70 some page booklet, explaining all the do's and don't of working in a National Park, while at the same time representing ACMNP. We went till about nine and called it a night. Out of the large group, two other guys and I were taken home by a nice older woman. It was a cozy home that sat upon the hill, surrounded by small lush Forrest. While the house was back in the woods, it was only a short fifteen minutes away from Calvin College.
By the time we got settled in it was about ten, and we were just about ready to turn in. After singing a few worship songs with the guys (one of them brought his guitar) we headed to bed. We were lucky enough to have comfy beds.
Saturday morning we woke bright and early at eight. After climbing into cloths we headed out shortly there after. Once again we were welcomed to some great food. Panera bagels, with assorted cream cheeses, plus various fruits. Shortly after breakfast we got back to turning page by page in the booklet. After a grueling three hours, we took a short break. After coming back we powered through another hour and then took our lunch break. Lunch consisted of delicious subs and crunchy cookies from a what must have been a local place because I hadn't ever head of the store before. Before lunch began we were put into several groups to plan a typical service in the park. Whiling stuffing ourselves full, our group quickly assigned parts and completed planning. After coming back from lunch we had about another hour of page turning, but after finishing the booklet we grouped up to run through the four fulling planned services. Having four services planned back to back we did cut them quite a bit, but it was just to get us use to planning and executing after all. We ended about three in the afternoon, gaped a cookie for the road and headed back to SAU.
All in all it wasn't too bad. While it was kind of boring to sit through several hours of boring rules I was able to befriend two of the individuals that I will be working with this summer. The food was even great. Lastly, after coming away from the training conference, I am even more pumped for an exciting summer to be. So once again, thank you so much for all your support and prayers.         
     

A full summer schedule...

I booked my flights last night and the reality of just how crammed my schedule is going to be has settled in. The cost of flying was also a cold reminder. I'm not exactly sure how I plan to continue to pay for college expenses after already spending 1/3 of my pay on getting out to California, but I have faith in God that it will all work out. Anyways, let me lay out this crazy schedule for you.

• May 12th, I will preform in the concert band for the graduating Seniors that wish to be gone just as much the rest of us after a long and grueling school year. Once my duty is served in the band, I will out of SAU as fast as humanly possible. Having to stay an extra day on campus is not ideal by any means. 
• Arriving in Pentwater, I have four days until my flight for California departs, May 16th. In that short period of time I must go shopping for summer work cloths and hopefully finish packing up my room.
• Once I arrive in California at 3:32PM on May 16th, as my itinerary claims, I will then slump into a car for a two hour drive to California City. 
• The desert rays will be enjoyed with family and friends not seen for far to long. On May 20th I get back into the car for a four hour drive to Sequoia National Forrest and will be promptly dropped off with people I don't know and a job that will start the next day.
• Work at Sequoia will continue until August 27th.
• After enjoying several months working, making new friends, and exploring a National Forrest, I will then be picked up once again by my father, step mother, and little sister on August 28th or the 27th depending on the circumstances.
• After spending a few more precious days in California City, I will be dropped back off at LAX on September 1st in order to fly back to Grand Rapids Michigan. 
• On September 5th I will move into Village D for another year at SAU and will start classes the next day.  

So there it is, my summer schedule. Crazy, crammed, and exciting summer. Also, summer training begins tonight at 6, so be expecting another post soon! Thank you for being interested in this exciting adventure God is taking me on. One other note, once I am settled in Sequoia I hope to write at least every week and will hopefully have pictures to share with you all.      

Paper Work

I have officially been accepted as a Lodgepole Clerk in Sequoia National Park!
As exciting as that really doesn't sound, I find myself excited for the job. My job entitles just what you would expect. I must be able to use a cash register, must be able to stand for hours on end, and other various things that come with a typical clerk job. As of right now I am filling out paper work and will soon have to take a drug test. The next big thing will come April 13, (so look for a new post a little after April 13th) when I head off to Grand Rapids for ACMNP training. (Remember that is different than the clerk job)
It seems the weeks are flying by and I'm sure it will seem like tomorrow when I'm out in California working my new job. As fast as time goes by, I am thankful for having what little time I have to prepare myself mentally for what lies ahead. As much as I thought I grew with Christ over the past few years, it seems like it has all but doubled in the time I have been here on campus. I don't know exactly what it is about living on my own, but it has given me the opportunity to learn so much more about myself and my relationship with Jesus Christ. It seems as my knowledge expands, my questions become only greater in length and complexity where there never seems to be a strait and simple answer. If there is one thing I'm sure of it is that I'm not even close to fully understanding our Heavenly Father (nor will I ever) and it will definitely be in my weakness that He will be able to work through me, not only this coming summer, but for the rest of my life.
Just this week I learned a greater deal about the way God works. Reading Hosea 6:1-2 and after talking with our Chaplin, I came to a greater understanding that God is one that will often be the one that takes us down, in order that He may then bring us back up. He doesn't just allow bad things to happen to us, but He is the one that directly causes "bad" things to happen in our lives. I quote bad because it is us as humans that have tagged what it means for something to be bad, but anything God chooses to do is good. He can do no bad. So while He may bring us down, He always does good and right. While I'm sure a large paper could be written regarding this subject I hope you can understand what I mean within this small paragraph because I would hate to be the one to mislead you, so I highly encourage that you don't take my word for it, but pick up the living Word of God and find the answer for yourself!         

Mission Statement

Not thirty minutes ago I finally received my first call from DNCParks & Resorts at Sequoia. It is a good feeling to know my application is finally being processed. If you don't recall from my last post, I have been accepted to A Christian Ministry in the National Parks, but I am still currently waiting for a yes or no from DNCParks & Resorts at Sequoia.
Once I am am in the park I will be working a low end job, such as a bellperson or server. I will be making minimum wage (about $8) and paying for housing and food. Housing, if I remember correctly, will be $25 a week and food will be an average of $3 per meal, really pretty good all things considered. I will be working full time, 40 hours a week, plus the additional work I do through ACMNP, which is all technically volunteer work. On the weekends I will be helping run and set up small "church services" in the park for visitors with my fellow ACMNP members.
While my mission will be greatly focused on the small church services we will be holding, the other large portion of my mission is to simply be a positive influence to my fellow workers at the resort and others around me. To put it simply my mission statement is, to be a positive, uplifting, and a good example to my fellow workers. To be a disciple to the visitors that are visiting the park, and to show the individuals I encounter faith through actions.
To give you a better idea of my work I have attached two links. (just click on the words) One that gives additional information about ACMNP and the other about the Resort I'll be working at.

The Start of Something Big

I never before believed I would be the blogger type, but here I am jumping on the bag wagon, and for one main reason, informing you of what is really going on in my life.
Having so many friends and family interested in the happenings of my life, I have come to realize a blog is the most efficient way to keep all of you informed on the new adventures that are weaving themselves into my life. Yes, Tori you are the inspiration. I, along with many others, anticipate each new post as you experience life in China first hand. As I read your blog, it is almost as if I were there experiencing each new adventure right there with you. It is my desire to re-create that with my own blog as I prepare myself for God's calling to the Sequoia National Park located in California. So here it is, the start of something big...
As I strolled past the DC (dinning commons) one afternoon a large booth caught my eye. Behind the table a large poster displayed an epic and breath taking picture of mother nature with the name: A Christian Ministry in the National Parks. I promptly grabbed a flyer with the indention of merely skimming through the pamphlet and maybe day dream a little about working in one of the most beautiful places on earth.  As I sat myself down on our blankets sprawled out in the warm summer sun, I began to flip through the contents of the flyer.
It so happened that Casey Butler, a good friend and coworker at CLBC, was sitting next to me at the time and he knew just about everything there was to know about ACMNP (A Christian Ministry in the National Parks). He began to tell me how it has been his dream to work through ACMNP in a National Park for the past few years, but each year he had been held back by this or that. With no real intent of applying for the job and not really expecting to be snatched away with the idea of leaving my amazing job at Center Lake Bible Camp, I was taken back by the thoughts starting to stir in my mind.
By the time we sat up to head to dinner I was just about sold to the idea. I was actually thinking about applying for a job in the National Parks. Wow. Throughout the next few days the subject was continually on my mind and I often prayed about it.
I can't remember the exact moment I truly decided to apply, but one thing was for sure. I knew God was calling me to do this. I would often disregarded the idea to be outlandish and crazy, but then again, so was the idea of working at CLBC all those years back. But I had grown to love CLBC and now God was calling me away. I loved the idea of working in a National Park, but I hated the idea of leaving CLBC.
After finally giving in to the the nagging of God calling me, I submitted an application to ACMNP. Although I was told I may not even be accepted, I knew otherwise. How I knew is hard to explain, but I knew He was going to make me go through with this. And so began the long wait to see a reply back.
It seemed to be a good two months before I even heard back, but like I had suspected, I had been accepted. Joy and grief overcame my heart. Joy because I was fallowing God's calling and I was going to be working in Sequoia (my third choice), but grief because that meant no Center Lake. Which brings us to current events.
ACMNP isn't the job its self, but they hook individuals up with actual jobs in the National Park. Working for ACMNP is actually a volunteer position where we hold "church services" during the weekends for the park visitors, but ACMNP also recommends their people to the local business in the park giving them a recommendation for a low end job, such as cleaning, or serving food. Although I must apply to the job, it is an almost guaranteed acceptance, seeing as it is a low end job and I have a highly regarded recommendation.
So as of now, I wait to hear back to see if I have been accepted to the local business as either a bellperson or server. Why those positions?
My main reason of going out to California is to serve the LORD and to do so I plan on reaching out to the visitors and what better job than a bellperson? As I envision it, as I'm taking their bags up to their room (people seem to have fallen away from camping) I will be able to tell them about the small church serves we hold in the park and God knows what else (no literally I'm mostly relying on God here). To be totally honest I haven't got it all planned out, I don't even know where I will receive the money to purchase a plane ticket to get out there, but when did the Bible ever say that God was going to reveal His whole plan? So I ask you this, please pray for me as I prepare myself for the unknown. Thank you.