They say you never know what you've got 'til it's gone...

Sorry this post is so long-delayed...

I went camping this weekend! With my J-Hi group, for the very last time. This camping trip is an annual tradition; my year won't feel the same without it.

I'm going to miss staying up 'til four o'clock, talking about everything from shoes to guys to the Rapture to insecurities. I'm going to miss playing Mafia everywhere-midnight on the rocks, aroudn the campfire, during youth group, cramped inside those big white vans. Some of the best j-hi memories center around this violent card game. Occasionally, I wonder what people think when they see a group of teenagers with Bibles on their laps screaming "HANG ____! He's the mafia! Hang him!".

I'll miss Stef a lot. She's 100% the best. I've learned so much from her, and had so much fun, too.

(see Annaleah's eyes in the background?)

Of course, I'm not going to stop pestering her, even though I won't be in J-Hi anymore ;)

I'm going to miss Mr. Troyer's drawings of the end times, and singing solos because I forget that Mr. Robinson likes to add new pauses to old worship songs. I'll miss my prayer group and harmonizing with Megan and laughing at Cat and rapping Lecrae with Annaleah and learning Spanish from Juan.

There's a lot I'll miss.

Junior High has been truly amazing. But I can't help but feel that I wasted so much of my eighth grade year. See, seventh grade was absolutely phenomenal. Kalvin was [is] on fire for God and got the rest of us inspired. We were constantly evangelizing, having amazing discussions, praying, and encouraging eachother. And Flo was with me! That makes everything awesome.



Then the eighth graders moved to high school. Suddenly, I was one of the oldest. I felt so deserted. And I moped. I moped all summer and all year long. Not in front of anyone (excpet Flo and my parents and Stef), but inside I was wallowing in a sticky pool of self-pity.

I waited for high school, and it felt like it would never come. I cried when my closest friends and Ryan went to a week-long summer camp, leaving me at home. I pouted because the high schoolers had more fellowships and activities.

I didn't build the relationships I could have. I didn't take the opportunities to encourage the struggling, or to be encouraged. I didn't enjoy what I had because I didn't realize I had it. Until now.

Nothing is perfect. Youth group wasn't, and neither was the camping trip. But they came pretty darn close.

Thankfully, those people aren't going away just because I made a mistake. God is so good! I still have high school, and my eighth grade class. The 6th and 7th graders will be moving up soon. I'm pumped for summer camp! And, we'll all be together at winter camp every year.

We look kinda like this: