Happy Thanksgiving America!!!

In no particular order.....

Megan

Where to start with this one....ugh....so many amazing wonderful things about this girl!!! Megan, you are one of those people that believes in all the things i never believe about myself and somehow, that makes me actually WANT to believe in who i am. You are so inspirational, fun to be around, caring, kind, super compassionate and just all round amazing. You have a heart the size of the ocean and a pair of arms just as wide to surround and sniff me with. Megan, you are so amazing and i am thankful beyond words to God for bringing you into my life!!!! Love love LOVE YOU!!!!! If only we had more time together!

Justin

Again, where do i start with this one?!?!?! You are one of my best friends in the entire world!!! You let me be me, i'm not anyone else when i'm around you just ME. You don't judge anyone and you're super friendly. I know i can talk to you about anything and everything, you're just another one of my girlfriends but you're a guy! lol....that wasn't an insult j-Town!!! You give great hugs and always have my back, you don't let anyone mess with me! Justin Smith what would i do without you?! I'm pretty sure God knew i needed a friend like you!!! I am sooo thankful to him that we're besties!!! You're a shoulder to laugh and cry on and i thank you for your friendship, it means the world to me!!!! Love you to piecessss!!!!! One world, one hope!

Latisa

Best friend everrrrr!!!!! When i think about you and your whole family in fact, i think how blessed i am by God to have you all in my life (Denise, i LOVE her)!!!! When i talk to God about you and when i thank him every time for your friendship to me, i feel like doing a little jig, it makes me so happy that we're friends. i love you so so much and i love everything about you EVERYTHING and for the record, i love you more than Antwon!!!! I love all your tantrums, i love your laugh, i love your personality, i love the cereal you buy when things get.....hard, i love your period pain, i love that you're so beautiful (reminds me how talented God is), i love that you're my friend, i love your passion about all things in life but i just. love. you. When i met you, God really knew what he was doing putting you in my life. I miss you so much all the time even when i'm with you and i wish we could make a hundred million memories together but for now i will have to do with what i've got!!! I really wanna grow old knowing that you'll always be my friend. I give God all the praise for you!!!

Antwon

To have met or not to have met, that is the question!!!! You are totally one of my best friends in the world and i know that you and i will always be there for each other, we will ALWAYS have each others back regardless of where we live and for that i am thankful. I am thankful to God for who you are to me and to others. You don't judge people and you're a warm and friendly, open person. Your laugh and your smile is infectious and warms my heart. You're super, unfairly talented (best voice and dancer EVERRRRR) and you're very caring and supportive of those around you. You go out of your way to help people. I am super thankful for all your hugs - they are THE bomb, makes me feel safe and loved, i miss them so much!!!! Because God knows what he is doing, i am thankful that you are my friend. You mean the world to me and you always will!!! Super dooper thankful!!!

John

My filo-american friend!!! The reason i am so thankful for you is because you befriended me without even knowing absolutely ANYTHING about me, better luck next time haha. Your nature is so open and so warm. You don't judge people and you're so inviting!!! I love making you laugh because your laugh is so jovial and hilarious. You always pray for me and my circumstances and i thank God for someone who does that for me. You are marrying THE most gorgeous girl everrrrr!!!! I really thank God for our friendship because it is totally out of this world!!! Couldn't ask for anything more!!!

Crystal

(Send me photos!!!!!)

Something inside of me told me that we'd be sweet friends that day that we shared our testimonies with each other - i loved that day and i thank God for your openness and your care and concern. You're such a good listener. I also thank God for your heart, it's so big, so compassionate, so PASSIONATE!!! You are super talented and have an amazing voice and guitar-playing skills! I love that you love me - that's so cool, i am so undeserving of a friend like you and yet God has blessed me with your friendship!!!! I love that we got to meet this summer because i think you're a wonderful person!!! I always remember sitting on the stairs after Music Camp chatting on the most beautiful day eating our pack lunches like little kids, i wish we could do that again but am thankful for that day, i am also thankful for the day we spent sitting on the dock, having our own church service haha....i love you and John so much!!!!!! Can't wait til the next time we get to go Purity ring shopping again!!!

Jeff

You, Jeff, are amazing!!!!! i thank God for you all the way back when i met you three years ago!!!! I may not say this or express this enough or often, but i have so much respect for you and i thank you for being my director three years ago and teaching me the ropes of what summer camp and the hearts of people is all about! I thank God for you a lot. I thank God for sparing your life because i have learnt so much from you and every time i see you, I learn more! You are an inspiration and you are joy made complete. I know this because when i see you, my heart is warmed and you always bring a smile/joy to my face! You are talented and your words are wise! You're a cheeky man that can pretty much get away with anything! God is sovereign, i know you don't like big words, so lemme break it down for you. God is bigger than anything we ever dreamt he would be!!! SOOOOOO thankful for that!!!!

Monica (& Dave)

You are the kindest, most warm and great person i know!!!! You always make me smile and you have the ability to turn a bad day into a good one. You always know what to say to make everything better. You have the answer to all life's problems hahaha....ok maybe not ALLLL but almost!!! I love your love for all things nature, even all things dead, it's fascinating!!! You are one of my most favourite American blessings!!!! You're so generous and caring. I love that you seem to get more out of people's reaction than the actual giving process, i wanna be like you!!! Most of all, i love your heart and I am thankful for who you and how you have impacted my American experience, you do God and your country proud!!! So faithful and encouraging - praise Jesus!!!

Bob

You know what i am thankful for, don't you Bob?! You are the one i give thanks to for my WHOLE entire American experience. Without you, i never would've met so many amazing, great, talented people. So for that, i thank YOU. I also thank you for all my camp experiences, both good and bad and i give God the complete praise for Del Oro, for the work that is carried out there, for the people, both campers and staff and for yourself, who you are, keeping it all going!!! You are so blessed to live there and i am so blessed to be given the opportunity to work under you at that place of gold!!! Thank you Jesus!!!!

Jessica

We have shared great times together!!!! I'm am so grateful that you are my friend. You're easy to make laugh and when you laugh it makes me laugh. You are engrossed in your laptop and with sleep. But I am thankful for the times when we have been able to share deep conversations. You are all things sorority and I am also thankful that you gave me much insight into these so-called sororities of which i never want to be a part haha!!! But seriously, i'm so excited about our friendship and so glad God brought you into my life, he has used you to heal my heart, you have a fresh, vibrant personality and are such a joy to be around, thank you!!!!

Mackenzie

I think i might cry writing this!!! Macko, your friendship is priceless, deadset! I just wish it was one we could share 24/7. Your insight and advice is also priceless. You are a true woman of God - when i think of what a Godly woman looks like, i think of you, i honestly do. You have such compassion and care for humankind and i LOVE LOVE LOVE all the different mack expressions, you're such a character. You know how to make people feel of worth and how to make people feel loved and included. You're a generous person and an amazing host!!!!! You are much younger than me and yet i feel as if you are my age or older, you have so much life experience and so much wisdom to offer people. i love you to infinity and beyond always!!!! God is so good to me and when i look at who you are and the role you have played in my life, it reminds me of his huge blessings in my life, humbles me and makes me so thankful!!!

Justin

You are married to a ROCK!!!! But as your own entity, you are just as grand!!! I am so thankful to the Lord that i was able to spend quality time with you this past summer. Man, i see so much of Jesus in you (and Mack) it's like you guys have spent time in person, face to face with Jesus himself!!!! If that's the case, where is he???? I wanna go visit!!!! But you have such a huge heart and you are so obliging, you are willing to do absolutely anything for anybody, you believe in people when others don't believe in them. You stick like glue to the philosophy of 'innocent until proven guilty'! I'm thankful that you trust me and that you believe in me. I'm also thankful that you treat me with so much respect - you treat everyone like that!!! I love having you and Mack in my life - i really do!!! So thankful to God!!!

Rikki-Jo

(Where are all my rikki-jo photos? Probably on FB)

i love you with an undying passion!!! Your smile and your laugh makes me feel loved, and sometimes like a comedian. i love that i can talk to you about anything. You are my all time favourite American loverrrrr!!!! I was sad i couldn't hang out with you this summer particularly because of how warmly and excitedly you greeted me at the airport - omg i love you!!!!!! Our song will always be Kelly Clarkson - I do not hook up!!! I miss you so so so so much!!!!!! And i love you just as equally much, you are such a blessing from God which i am so extremely thankful for!!!

Kellie

You and me have so many great memories. So many funny times!!! I think one of the reasons God brought us together was for sheer entertainment and good times!!! You keep me grounded so much!!! Rmember when we stayed in the nurses station at the start of the summer and we laughed ourselves to sleep over NOTHING!!!! Ahhh those are the times! All our macbook fun - we love macbooks yea baby yea!!! And like Rikki-Jo, you and me also share a song together full moon by the black ghosts - great driving music!!! Kellie, with the different spelling, my best memory of you is 4th July - that was so good and our craft making day - ahhhhh love. You're so much fun to have around and i am SO thankful that God has allowed us to build such a solid friendship!!!!

Blake

You are an absolute nut case but i love love love you!!!! You are my heart and soul and i am so blessed to have such an amazing friend like you. You are what makes my trips to America so special and so blessed. I love being able to catch up with you. You are so polite and so respectful. Don't change for anyone. Don't let anyone convince you to be someone you're not because you're pretty amazing just the way you are! When i pray for you, my heart sings praises to God. You are one of my many blessings and i thank God for who you are - so tops!!!

Sarah

You're a funny lady!!! Well you make me laugh anyway. I love your smiley eyes and when you laugh, your whole face lights up! A major reason i'm so thankful for your friendship is because you're my age and it is rare to find people like you to befriend. You're a pretty amazing person and i mean amazing in every way possible. You're an amazing leader, you're amazing with kids, you're amazing at being independent, you're an amazing animal and nature person but you're so down to earth and fun and brilliant! I'm so thankful that i have the privilege to call you my friend and over the last three years it has been an absolute blessing and honour to get to know you better - you're so amazing!!! Looking forward to sharing in your babies life with you!!!! Can't wait!!! LOVE!!!!

There are sooooooo many other people that i can think of that i love and that i am super dooper thankful for so if your name isn't mentioned here, it's not because i love you any less, it's just because i could definitely go on for days about every single American friend I have and i give thanks to God every time i think of each and every one of you!!!!!!

He has blessed me hugely with all things American! Thank you Jesus!!!!

Friendship Is Not Forever

It's always really hard coming back from a positive and encouraging environment such as camp to the 'real world' where things aren't as black and white. But for some reason i have found it particularly harder than usual this time 'round.

Mostly these feelings have emanated from friends too, which is really sad and really draws attention to the absence of my American friends who seem to always be there for you 24/7 no matter what, even when the miles between us are so great.

I think i've lost two relatively close friends this year.

It has somewhat hurt me I have to say and definitely made me question whether my friendship with them ever meant anything to either of them at all. I know that i haven't done anything to warrant being cut off from them. I never expect anything from any of my friendships but when i'm cut off like this, it makes me wonder what i did that was so unworthy of their friendship.

It's also hard to realise how much wasted time and effort was put into something that was only ever one-sided and it's a bit of a shock not to have seen it coming too, not to have realised i was a burden that they were just carrying.

But i guess we leave these things to fade and eventually we recover and heal from these things that tear us open, left to bleed. It's probably a comfort to know that it happens to probably all of us but i'll always remember good times and wonder how it ever ended like this and that's probably a very hard thing to have to come to terms and deal with, it would just be easier if i could erase thinking about those times.

I understand that people move on with their lives but didn't realise cutting ties with people you once called a 'friend' was part of moving on. Maybe i'm under the disillusion that friends are friends forever. I just always thought it was true and i guess it's more of a fairytale than a truth - that's difficult to accept.

I love that Jesus WANTS to spend time with me. I love that his friendship is not exclusive. He associates with me because he loves me, because he WANTS to not because it's any kind of obligation and because of that, i am definitely unworthy of such a love and friendship. If anyone has any kind of reason to turn their back on me, it would be him and yet he, of all people, doesn't. I don't always live a life worthy of his grace and his love and yet he still seeks to be in relationship with me. I am so lucky that he loves me and is my friend and he's not gonna cut me off because i don't act or look a certain way or meet his requirements. I was just always under the impression that we're supposed to strive to be like him.

USA Summer Camps

www.ccusa.com.au

That is all.

Facebook Comparable to the Telephone

Facebook now 'ingrained' in

relationships

Danny Rose, AAP Medical Writer, AAPNovember 15, 2010, 3:06 pm

AAP ©Enlarge photo

An Australian study shows how Facebook and other forms of online social networking are now "ingrained" and how, for many, their friendships have come to depend on it.

Those who opt out completely were now a rare breed, the poll revealed, with just three per cent of respondents aged 18 to 30 not having a Facebook profile or equivalent.

Related: Seven things to consider before unfriending

While among respondents aged up to 80 years, the percentage of those who shunned all forms on online social networking was still less than 15 per cent.

"It is really ingrained in our society now," said Dr Rebecca Mathews, a researcher at the Australian Psychological Society (APS), told AAP on Monday.

"It is a major change in the way we communicate; I guess the telephone being invented was another major one that is comparable."

Dr Mathews polled more than 1800 people and found, overall, that 86 per cent were using online social networking - the vast majority using Facebook but also sites like Twitter and RSVP - and for many it was now part of their everyday routine.

A majority (53 per cent) of respondents said the websites gave them more regular contact with friends and family, while 79 per cent said it fostered closer ties with those living far away.

About a quarter (26 per cent) said they went out more and had more face-to-face contact as a result online social networking.

Half (52 per cent) of users aged 18 to 30 said they would "lose contact with many of their friends if they stopped", which raises the hypothetical question of what if Facebook was ever switched off?

"I don't think we'd fall in a heap, but it would be a major adjustment," Dr Mathews said.

"Once we introduce technology we really struggle to go backwards and, overall, we do think it is a positive."

More than a quarter (28 per cent) reported a "negative experience", such as harassment or unwanted contact, from online social networking but Dr Mathews said this matched rates of bullying in schools and workplaces.

"It may not be be that online social networking sites are a vehicle for negative experiences and bullying but just another forum in which they occur," she said.

Other key findings include:

• Among those who shun online social networking, the most common reasons were loss of interest, having "better things to do" and preferring to speak to people face-to-face.

• The majority (77 per cent) of users checked their profile daily, while 51 per cent did so "several times" daily.

• It's not a youth-dominated activity, with 81 per cent of those aged 31 to 50, and 64 per cent of those over 50, using online social networking.

• One in five (21 per cent) of those aged 31 to 50 admitted to forming an "intimate relationship" with someone they met online.

Facebook users aged under 30 had an average 263 friends, while those aged 31 to 50 had 206 friends and those aged over 50 had 92 friends.

People are reporting they have more social connections, and feeling part of a group is really important ... so we see this as really positive for their mental health," Dr Mathews said.

" ... As long as people set up the sites to meet their personal needs and to protect themselves (in terms of privacy)."

The APS has a guide to positive online social networking posted on its website at www.psychology.org.au/community/topics/socialnetworking/tips.

The research was released to mark National Psychology Week (November 14 - 20).

Summer Time

Annnnnnd here we go again.....

So for me, this will be my 7th summer in a row. Not that that's a record by any means (some ex-CCUSA'ers have seen a HEAP more that that!) But it's still crazy nonetheless!

I never used to like summer at all. It gets hot, i sweat, it just makes me feel like i'm inside this ginormous oven and no. I preferred the winter, where my face didn't look like a red, puffy, sweaty bloatation.

Then i went to summer camp. Still, i hated the heat.

Then i'd go back again and again and before i knew it, i was becoming accustomed to hot weather and not minding it so much.

So as a result, next year will be my first winter in three years and i am NOT looking forward to it, it is just going to be intense, i just know it!

I think i've blogged this before, but the summer at camp is a lot different to our summer here, at least in Nevada City anyways! At about 6 or 7pm, the sun starts going down and hence so does the weather! The nights are cooler, so cool in fact that you must wear sweat pants and sweaters to bed plus about 2 blankets!!! This is the middle of summer remember! Also, the mornings are cooler too and the heat doesn't start setting in til about 10am. It's the way summer SHOULD be!!!!

For those of you reading this who AREN'T Australian, the summer here, well at least in Sydney anyway, is just hot all season round! Summer hasn't even started here yet and already, it's 9am and 81 degrees fahrenheit (27c)!!!! Same goes for the evenings, in the middle of summer, it can be 3am and a blistering 83 degrees fahrenheit (30c) - AT 3AM!!!!!

I guess i'm just sold on the idea of cooler mornings and evenings, hot during the day!

Pumpkin Carving

Ok so i know Halloween has been and gone by a couple of weeks now but i ordered a pumpkin carving kit before Halloween and it has just arrived now because i ordered it too late.

So being the way i am, i wanted to wait til i got the kit until i carved my ginormous mother of a pumpkin!

So here i am, about 2 weeks after Halloween, carving my pumpkin.

Just wanted to post some pics. I'm pretty chuffed with my first pumpkin carving and i had a blast doing it - can't wait til next year!!!! Enjoy the pics!!!

Eat Pray Love and Rain

This may very well be short and sweet or long and drab, i can't decide which it will be.

I have just been out to see 'Eat.Pray.Love'.

Although this may seem like a review, it's more just my recollections of what just happened.

I liked the movie, not enough to buy it on DVD but enough to understand it (?). There were definitely some dodgey parts and a lot of things that i didn't agree with. Or maybe not a lot but just a handful of things (?).

But at random times throughout the film, i had tears the size of oceans in my eyes, at one point both my eyes leaked tears. SO glad i keep a tissue in my handbag at all times, although as i was not the only one in the cinema and the furtherest to the front, it was a little awkward sitting there dabbing at my eyes.

That movie has a lot of different elements going on for it like where you're at spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically. For me i have questions about how old i am, what i'm doing with my life, who i should spend my life with, will it even happen etc and those things aren't going to relate to someone who has all those answers already. So depending on where you're at in life will determine how much you get out of that movie i suppose.

I have lots going on in my life right now and am super emotionally turbo-charged so i think i just cry at the drop of a hat anyway. But that movie kinda left me feeling emotionally confused in a sweet kind of way haha...

On a completely different note, it's raining here. I love the rain SO MUCH!!! I don't know what it is about rain but i feel so refreshed when i see it rain, like something in me changes. I love it particularly at night when everything looks all wet and glossy! The night light catching everything in different lights. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!

Tonight as i drove home, i loved having my windscreen wipers cranking. I loved sitting in the car after i'd turned my ignition off, just listening to the drops of rain patter on the roof, reminded me of the sound it makes when you're snugged up camping in a tent. And as i got out of the car i loved feeling it lightly fall on my head. Call me crazy but i was loving the moment of it so much that i just kinda stood there for a couple of minutes taking in the night rain, the sounds, the smell, the visuals. Plain and simple, I just love rain.

And that's about all i wanted to write.

Revisiting Old Blogs - Peace

Every now and then I'll go back through all my blogs and read the old ones. They're so good, so refreshing which is why i like to blog about anything and everything, because i never which ones will inspire or encourage me further down the track.

I was reading through my blogs looking for something in particular when i came across something that re-challenged me.

One Sunday, while i was at camp, i visited The Salvation Army in Grass Valley and a lot of the time most of what the minister there said would go right over my head. But this one time i remember i was dealing with a lot of emotional things, trying to put everything in my head in order and he talked about something that caught me off-guard. So often a minister will say something that i never see coming that speaks into my current circumstance.

He talked about giving God the reigns, handing it all over to him - everything we worry about, everything we wish we could fix ourselves but can't, the whole kit and caboodle.

Previously a friend of mine had emailed me telling me to leave it with God because he would figure it out.

So during that sermon i did, i handed most of it over to God and at the time, thought i'd handed ALL of it to him to deal with.

Now reading through my old blog, i read that once we do that, he will fill us with a peace that transcends all understanding.

But since then, i haven't really felt a peace about my situation and part of that is because when i thought i'd handed over the reigns, i think i only gave him one and not two. I'm still holding on to some of it, i still want the results and the answers that i need to have but deep in my heart i know that his will is best for my life.

So i'm still praying for that peace and for open hands and something i should let go of and leave with God as painful as it feels.

Just a random thought i wanted to share.