wow. what a month.
summer.... you know it's always coming, every year....... yet it's so inconsistent and spontaneous as far as personal schedules are concerned! ( and that my friends is what I loooove about it!)
Except for one thing. Harmony Highlands Singing School.
oooh gawsh, how do i describe it?
.awesome.
.hot.
.blessed.
.humid.
.amazing.
.yummy.
.mind blowing.
.wonderful.
.sweaty.
.challenging.
.GREAT.
.THE BEST.
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( this photo courtesy of Laura,^^ I had to share her awesome photo skills!!)
Every year I look forward to going, people who have never been before think it strange that I want to drive 12 hours to stay at a secluded campground where I will be sleeping on a bunk bed in a dorm with 30+ girls ( in fact there were about 88 girls this year...so we had 2 dorms while the boys had 1..goodness) and I'm waking up at 6am every morning and the temperature most of the day is close to 100 degrees. May sound strange, but it's worth every mile and is literally the best week out of the year!!!! We are talking about making lifelong friendships, reconnecting with old ones, hearing the most beautiful sound God created all day everyday- A Capella singing, the feeling of belonging, of teamwork, the closeness you can only feel with your brothers and sisters in Christ, kids of all ages playing together, the best food around 3 times a day,
.... HH is something you must truly experience in person to truly appreciate. I can hardly believe that this was my 7th+ year attending! and every single year it just gets better and better. and even though i sang every single day...I somehow managed to salvage a little of my voice for the final performance.
This year I realized I needed that special week more than ever. ( is it not amazing how God brings about something, someone, or some event in your life at just the right time, when you need it most?) I was so caught up in things at home...with my work and intern. It is scary how easy it is to get caught up in the things of the world, my routine schedule... I was running myself down and didn't realize it. I had tunnel vision, focusing on only a few choice things....and putting the rest on the back burner. Satan was drawing me closer and closer....it was becoming more about what I wanted than what others needed( and what I should really be doing). I felt lost, confused, and out of place. I didn't feel %100 me if you know what I'm sayin'. Something was off. Harmony Highlands turned the switch back on for me. During that week of isolation, as in there were no distractions from work, home, the world. I realized I was stumbling in the dark...trying to find what mattered... when in reality only ONE thing matters.
Serving Jesus. Oh what a blessing last week was! I felt as if someone had splashed ice cold water at my face. I realized that all that matters is following God, praising Him, trusting in GOD, that I was BLESSED beyond what I deserved...
God is the reason I am here, the reason I am alive and breathing at this very moment. This world is not my home. During that week I felt such a peace, a closeness to God. Contentment.
God is in control...and he has done so much for me.. why should I not be content with my life and strive to serve Him better in every aspect of it!?
Blessed Assurance! Jesus is Mine!!I know this was long, but I wanted to share this experience with you... =]
right now I am just starting to recover from the post HH singing school sickness... some annoying sniffly coughing virus EVERYONE seemed to have caught this year. ( it's worth being able to go though ha ha) GET WELL SOON YA'LL!!
