I'm now 5 days into my "job" here at Covenant Heights. I say '"job'" because this won't fit a typical job description. These first two weeks are going to be a mix of training, doing whatever odd projects need to be done, and some free time to climb! On Thursday, we started off our climbing adventures at Jurassic Park--did a couple fun climbs, including Edge of Time. It's a classic of the area, featured on the cover of the Estes Park guidebook, and now that the 1st bolt is back on, not as death-defying. Jon and I both flashed it before a storm was coming in. I'm thinking I will be able to enter the Chicago marathon by summer's end after all the hiking and biking, climbing, and running around I'll be doing. Yesterday we did some bouldering with some friends at Nicki's Boulders and made it to RMNP just in time for some rain and hail. Jon sent "Whale's Eye", V3, and I was pretty much shut down but at least my tips are on their way to thickening up. We came back to camp to teach our first low ropes groups, and it all went really smoothly. I'm pretty psyched that my job this summer is pretty much to let kids have fun (via high ropes, zip line, etc.). Besides scoring Jon and I super cool jobs for the summer, He also answered another prayer: to find a solid church. Jon and I visited Rocky Mountain Community Church this morning, and it was really refreshing. It reminds me in some ways of my church back in Indiana, The Mercy House. I'm excited that we won't have to be church hopping all summer and that we found a church that will encourage us to grow in Christ.
Unfortunately, it's raining now, deterring us from heading to the Ironclads for some sport climbing. Hopefully it will let up, as most rain does in Colorado.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
No longer on the road
Well, I am finally done driving...driving for over 7 hours at once that is. I am spending my summer in Estes Park, Colorado working at Covenant Heights, a Christian outdoor/adventure camp. (totally perfect for me, right?) How did I land such an awesome job you may ask? Well, here's the tale...
Since I returned from studying abroad in Ireland my freshman year of college, I was determined to go back. And this summer seemed like a perfect time. I could work at the hostel we stayed at, make good money, and have lots of time off to do whatever I pleased. Pretty perfect sounding. After I had run away with this idea in my head, God started poking me pretty hard. I was being selfish. I was planning to do what I wanted to do because it would make me happy. I'd be serving myself. I will return to Ireland, hopefully soon, but this summer was not the time. So I started asking God what He did want me to do with my summer. I started getting a lot of signs that pointed to summer camp. I had a bunch of connections to Kanakuk Colorado, and I was determined that that was the camp. Jon and I were applying together, and K. Colorado looked really promising. However, just to be safe, we both applied to Covenant Heights as well. Oddly enough, Kanukuk never sent us our applications and never called or emailed. Fast forward a little bit, Jon and I had great phone interviews with Covenant Heights and within a couple weeks, I was hired as rope staff/outdoor activities, and Jon was hired as a traditional camp counselor! God was so faithful. Here's one of my philosophies: God gave us talents and passions for a reason. Yes, of course sometimes we're going to be placed out of our comfort zone, but ultimately, I think God wants to take what we love and are passionate about and use it for His glory and to show the love of Jesus. And that's exactly what this job for me is all about. Not only am I here to serve and encourage and love the campers and staff, but I also get to be in one of the most beautiful states EVER where I will be able to climb and hike and romp and play as much as I want! God knows us. He knows our hearts. And chances are, He wants to take the things you love and let you do them. That's what I get to do all summer. So I am here, after 16 hours in the car (luckily made in 2 days) and I have the entire summer to look forward to what I get to do and what God is going to do. Haven't done any climbing yet, but I'll keep this thing updated. It was raining today which would have been our first climbing day, but Jon and I spent the day in boulder just having fun. Works out well, I needed a few days for my three flappers from climbing at Upper Limits on Saturday to heal.
Anyway, I hope everyone is having a fantastic summer wherever you and whatever you're doing!
Since I returned from studying abroad in Ireland my freshman year of college, I was determined to go back. And this summer seemed like a perfect time. I could work at the hostel we stayed at, make good money, and have lots of time off to do whatever I pleased. Pretty perfect sounding. After I had run away with this idea in my head, God started poking me pretty hard. I was being selfish. I was planning to do what I wanted to do because it would make me happy. I'd be serving myself. I will return to Ireland, hopefully soon, but this summer was not the time. So I started asking God what He did want me to do with my summer. I started getting a lot of signs that pointed to summer camp. I had a bunch of connections to Kanakuk Colorado, and I was determined that that was the camp. Jon and I were applying together, and K. Colorado looked really promising. However, just to be safe, we both applied to Covenant Heights as well. Oddly enough, Kanukuk never sent us our applications and never called or emailed. Fast forward a little bit, Jon and I had great phone interviews with Covenant Heights and within a couple weeks, I was hired as rope staff/outdoor activities, and Jon was hired as a traditional camp counselor! God was so faithful. Here's one of my philosophies: God gave us talents and passions for a reason. Yes, of course sometimes we're going to be placed out of our comfort zone, but ultimately, I think God wants to take what we love and are passionate about and use it for His glory and to show the love of Jesus. And that's exactly what this job for me is all about. Not only am I here to serve and encourage and love the campers and staff, but I also get to be in one of the most beautiful states EVER where I will be able to climb and hike and romp and play as much as I want! God knows us. He knows our hearts. And chances are, He wants to take the things you love and let you do them. That's what I get to do all summer. So I am here, after 16 hours in the car (luckily made in 2 days) and I have the entire summer to look forward to what I get to do and what God is going to do. Haven't done any climbing yet, but I'll keep this thing updated. It was raining today which would have been our first climbing day, but Jon and I spent the day in boulder just having fun. Works out well, I needed a few days for my three flappers from climbing at Upper Limits on Saturday to heal.
Anyway, I hope everyone is having a fantastic summer wherever you and whatever you're doing!
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Meaning behind the name
So, blog entry numero uno. I decided to start a blob out of the fear of the existence of dementia and that might mean I forget everything cool that happens to me in life. Therefore, if I write down my most memorable experiences, my brain won't degenerate into an unthinking vegetable. I was pondering over what to name the blog, searching for something that encompassed my love of my relationship with the Lord and one of my love of climbing. I arrived upon "No Higher Calling" which is the name of a worship song I really like. The chorus goes like this,
"There is no higher calling
No greater honor
Than to bow and kneel
Before Your throne
I'm amazed at Your glory
Embraced by Your mercy
Oh Lord I live to worship You"
The title I chose for my blog really sums up a huge portion of who I am/what I love. In terms of climbing, I have some sort of calling to be in high places...and I've found that in climbing. Whether that's on a route, on a boulder, on fun looking rocks, or trees even, I have found a passion for that. And in climbing, there are a lot of parallels to my spiritual journey. It is ironic that the best place to be is at the feet of the Lord. One thing that already exists that shares my philosophy is Solid Rock Climbers for Christ (SRCFC). It's not like they are trying to share the gospel with people "on route", they just have a community that does things like pancake breakfasts at Red River Gorge, KY and they sponsor climbing comps, and ultimately, try to show Jesus' love to fellow climbers. Anyway, I feel the name I chose is perfect for what I'm going to be writing about. I want to remember my best climbing trips and all the memorable climbs I do. I wish I had started this last summer, when I first got into climbing. I had some super fun first trips to places like Jackson Falls, Miguel's at The Red, Colorado, and my first boulder comps. But now I'm going to try to dock these things so when I'm old and decrepit I will remember that I did some sweet stuff when I was young and agile. Really, I'm still holding out for being like my grandpa, who is in his 80s, and still swims a few miles every day at 5am and when we were kids, would toboggan (sledding) with us and take us hiking and fishing. So I'm going to work my best to stay as able-bodied as I can till I no longer have the strength to do it. And then I guess I will just have to content myself with reading these old blogs and reminiscing about it. In conclusion/summation/ending :) this blog is for whoever reads it, to hopefully get psyched about climbing or just being out in nature doing sweet stuff and to read about what God teaches me along the way, and it is for me, so that I can go back and remember where I've been and what I've learned, and how I've changed (hopefully for the better). :)
"There is no higher calling
No greater honor
Than to bow and kneel
Before Your throne
I'm amazed at Your glory
Embraced by Your mercy
Oh Lord I live to worship You"
The title I chose for my blog really sums up a huge portion of who I am/what I love. In terms of climbing, I have some sort of calling to be in high places...and I've found that in climbing. Whether that's on a route, on a boulder, on fun looking rocks, or trees even, I have found a passion for that. And in climbing, there are a lot of parallels to my spiritual journey. It is ironic that the best place to be is at the feet of the Lord. One thing that already exists that shares my philosophy is Solid Rock Climbers for Christ (SRCFC). It's not like they are trying to share the gospel with people "on route", they just have a community that does things like pancake breakfasts at Red River Gorge, KY and they sponsor climbing comps, and ultimately, try to show Jesus' love to fellow climbers. Anyway, I feel the name I chose is perfect for what I'm going to be writing about. I want to remember my best climbing trips and all the memorable climbs I do. I wish I had started this last summer, when I first got into climbing. I had some super fun first trips to places like Jackson Falls, Miguel's at The Red, Colorado, and my first boulder comps. But now I'm going to try to dock these things so when I'm old and decrepit I will remember that I did some sweet stuff when I was young and agile. Really, I'm still holding out for being like my grandpa, who is in his 80s, and still swims a few miles every day at 5am and when we were kids, would toboggan (sledding) with us and take us hiking and fishing. So I'm going to work my best to stay as able-bodied as I can till I no longer have the strength to do it. And then I guess I will just have to content myself with reading these old blogs and reminiscing about it. In conclusion/summation/ending :) this blog is for whoever reads it, to hopefully get psyched about climbing or just being out in nature doing sweet stuff and to read about what God teaches me along the way, and it is for me, so that I can go back and remember where I've been and what I've learned, and how I've changed (hopefully for the better). :)
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