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.