Reflections, Rewards, and Reasons

Back to work from two days of rest and trying to get over my lovely cold or whatever it is that is trying to keep me down. I started the day off torn between wanting the hours and hoping to get no work at all to go back to resting.  As I hung out with kids in the morning as they trickled in slowly all through the morning until around 9:45 I had a supervisor come up to me and said their was a parent downstairs that wanted to thank me. I found this quite puzzling since I hadn't taught a lesson since Monday. I made my way downstairs and recognized the parents waiting below, their daughter was a girl named Ally whom I got to teach on Monday. A brief conversation was simply the parents thanked me for the skills training I taught their daughter and how impressed they were by seeing the improvements in her. They then gave me a nice tip and went on their way.

Sure tips are few and far between and are nice to receive, but the reward was so much more than a tip. To get a genuine recognition from parents at the work you put into a child's life is priceless. I'm not writing this to brag but simply because I was so humbled in remembering how putting forth the effort to achieve a goal, (in this case get a kid skiing better), the reward can be so satisfying. Sure at the end of the day parents will thank you for giving their child a lesson for the day, but those parents still hunted me down three days later to make it a point that they were truly grateful. Personally I find that a rarity in people and it was such a breath of fresh air.

Reminds me of how it felt to be counselor. Some of the words that parents can say really can knock your socks off (mythbusters proved human strength alone can't knock your socks off). Being in the position I am now at camp further emphasizes how important it is for me to provide a fun environment for kids and maybe even more importantly an easier job for counselors in the areas I directly affect for them. If I fail a counselor I may fail a kid's experience at camp. That's a bit of a scary thought and puts a weight on my shoulders that I must let God bear as I cannot do it on my own. Hard to let go...but I must.

Around 10:00 I was placed in a class tag teaming it with another instructor. For a change of pace these kids were in the 10-15 age range, being my first class with this age group. I thought well this might not be so bad, I won't have to deal with crying and picking up kids every 30 seconds. (I know that is a bit negative, but at the end of the day for 6 hours it can be a bit tiring. Also I'm feeling under the weather so I only ask for a little sympathy here.) We started out on the "magic carpet" and then went in for lunch. We then split the class in half and I got five of the older kids, 10-13 age range and we got to hit the lifts immediately. I have to mention it is night and day working with this age range on skis. These were first timers and they were doing great. I will be honest I actually enjoyed myself out in the snow, it was the first time in a while. Today was really the first day that didn't feel like work. All I can say is I hope to get older kids in the future from time to time...

I realize that many of my blogs are negative and I apologize for that and if they bring you down I am sorry. My advice is to stop reading them if they aren't for you, but for those of you that know me pretty well already know that most of the time I write it comes out a little dark, (by "little" that sometimes is really "a lot").

Another note realizing I am a "half glass empty" kind of person is this thought - I enjoy watching sports, but deep down much of me always feels like my team is going to lose despite odds or favor. For example Saturday's with the Falcons and Packers, I'm fairly certain the Falcons are the better team but deep down I'm worried they may lose...as a fan shouldn't I think they will win,  especially since that is the result I hope for? Anyway...that was a random tangent.

Negativity and my walk with God.
I often wondered that because of my feeling of loneliness and lack of purpose out here disappoints God. Initially much of my hope was that having a roommate would be the perfect door for introducing someone to Christ, because who will you get to know better than someone you live with. (In a 10' by 10' room) Surprisingly after only two weeks out here he quits and moves back home. So I have been without a roommate ever since left to my thoughts by myself. I don't want to make excuses as to why and how God can use me and at the same time grow closer to Him. Is it a possibility I came out unprepared for this environment? Was I ill-equipped perhaps? There is a very good chance that may very well be the case. Now I know that doesn't mean I just lay down and quit on the great commission which I am commanded to do. I am socially awkward, I realize that. Could my calling really be to kids? They are the only people that make me not feel so out of place for the most part.  Who knows? As a friend of mine would say to me right now, "Have you prayed about it?" The stubborn me would respond, "No, but...(excuses, excueses, etc..)". They are right as in I should constantly seek Him for support and direction. No lie, it's hard to seek Him all the time, even when we think we've got it figured out.

Really Something by Aaron Sprinkle