Early Bird

My last few weeks at SharpTop were great. I cannot describe the joy that I get from living in community and from playing with a bunch of little ones every day. I sincerely miss waking up and walking downstairs in Eagle Branch into the living room greeted by precious children eating cereal or playing with blocks. I miss a lot about being there... I am only slightly embarrassed to say I cried when I said bye to everyone. This was primarily because all of the parents kept thanking me for being there, even though I wasn't their nanny, they told me they really appreciated me loving on their kids anyways. I don't know how to take compliments, maybe I don't feel like I deserve them or maybe I am just flattered... but I cry every time.
Side note: On the last night there we saw a momma Black Bear and her four adorable cubs right in our backyard! I didn't even consider the imminent danger, all I wanted to do was go play with the cubs.

Photo Credit

Oh if you’re a bird, be an early bird
And catch the worm for your breakfast plate.
If you’re a bird, be an early early bird
But if you’re a worm, sleep late. Shel Silverstein, Where the Sidewalk Ends

Upon returning home from SharpTop I knew I had a few tough weeks ahead of me. The main reason being because I would have to wake up each week day at four am to be at work at four thirty. (Yes there are people waiting in the parking lot when I pull in each morning to work out. And yes there are people that get in and swim at 5:01) All this after spending 4 weeks of being spoiled and "sleeping in" until at least nine almost every day. I just finished week two of this and I survived. I did feel kind of lame being in bed by 9 each night. I have actually come to enjoy my time in the morning to sit in silence and watch the lap swimmers or read when the pool is empty. I love the air in the early morning, even though I am not a morning person, I wish I was soo bad.

After this week I will go back to a "normal" schedule of shifts after eight am. I have been a little indifferent about school starting back and actually starting to sub. I met with my boss the other day to give her some paper work. All I have left to do is choose the schools I want to sub at and I am all set. This made me actually pretty excited to start. I will also be glad to (hopefully) have a set schedule Monday-Friday. I am also pretty excited for a change of scenery. I have been working at my two jobs now since my Junior year in high school and the summer after Freshman year at CNU. Needless to say it is time to start something new and a little more grown up. I am excited to learn more about teaching and especially to get more exposure because all of my experience in schools has been kindergarten and a semester in fifth grade. I undoubtedly will also have some memorable experiences as a substitute teacher to share, so get excited!

It's a small world after all

Young Life really is the smallest world. I have so many mutual friends with people I have met here at Sharp Top. Also, I have known at least one person who was leading campers each week I have been here. Week 1, a guy I've known since 6th grade was leading kids from Charlottesville, that was a really awesome coincidence. Week 2, the Area Director from Fredericksburg, Va and his wife were here. I've known Cliff since high school, he did his intern years of YL staff in Roanoke. He got married a few years back and I met his wife back in 2009 when I was on Summer Staff at Windy Gap, she is such a sweetheart. Halfway through the week I realized another friend of mine I worked with at home was leading some guys from Fredericksburg as well. This week I am really happy to see some old Summer Staff friends of mine. My friends Will, Ben, Mary Cameron and Matt are here leading kids, I did Summer Staff in 2008 with them here at Sharp Top. It is so crazy to see what 3 years has done in their lives. Will and Mary Cameron started dating, Ben got engaged and Matt got married! Even cooler, Will, Ben and Matt are on Young Life staff now. My friend Doogie that I did Summer Staff with in 2009 at Windy Gap is here as well leading some kids. I just think it is really cool that I am at Sharp Top Cove, in Jasper, Georgia - the middle of nowhere and I have known someone each week I have been here. I really hope I know someone next week just to keep my streak going.

Happy Fourth of July/Happy Birthday to my baby brother who is 17!

Tonight the kids' Mom leaves to go home for work so I am back to full Nanny mode after she leaves until she comes back on Friday. I really feel like this week has been good just kind of observing how Sarah is with the kids as far as where they can go alone and all that stuff. I think week 1 I was just over-strict because I didn't know what was okay and what wasn't. Now that I do I think it will be a lot easier to watch after the kids. I really can't believe that there are only two weeks left, the first two really flew by.

God has been doing great things here and has been using everyone here to speak a lot of truth into my life. My favorite part of the day is at night. There are a million stars out and just a sound track of crickets and frogs and all of the awesome sounds of nature. That is definitely how I see God's beauty each day.

Relaxation

This past Friday the Mom of the kids I am nannying came to camp for ten days because she is off work. This means that I am off nannying duty and am pretty much free to do whatever I want. I have enjoyed spending time in fellowship with some of the wives on the Assigned Team and just building community with them. This is something I need. I need human interaction. I think that is part of why I was (am) so sad to be done with school. What a perfect world would it be to walk out of your apartment and have all of your friends there all of the time. Unfortunately, back in Roanoke, that is not the case. I am really looking forward to going home and re-establishing a community there. Hopefully, I will begin volunteer leading Young Life in Roanoke and I will be getting more involved in my church so both of those will offer great community and fellowship. It has been a blessing learning from these women of all ages older than me.

It has been funny because even though I am off, I find myself still playing with all of the little ones just as much, if not more, than when I am on duty. All I know is that God has put a deep love for children in my heart. I think there is so much to be learned from children and they really are just fascinating little people. There is a reason the Lord favors children. They are so precious and innocent. They know what they want and they have no hesitation to ask for it. It always amazes me when they go up to someone and just say "can I have that?" I couldn't imagine doing that but really adults are like that. We want things, we find ways to get what we want but we just aren't as honest and upfront about it. Kids laugh at everything, they get joy from the simplest things. At what point in our lives do we stop laughing at the little things like chasing fireflies or someone blowing raspberries on their stomachs. I wish I could just say what I'm feeling, not care about embarrassing myself, laugh at silly things and have childlike faith. In worship on Sunday, Eric was giving the talk and told this story about his little boy (one of the boys I babysit, who is always laughing, smiling and running around). They were at a church event and afterward Eric was watching Nathan play from across the room. He was laughing and running around and he looks up and spots his Dad. He drops his toys and runs to his Dad and runs into his arms. Eric was choking up telling us this story and saying how he wished he had the childlike faith to run to God like that.

Today was a fun day. I woke up early and did a workout with some of the wives on Assigned Team. I realized quickly that I am sorely out of shape and need to get my act together. After a nap and shower I drove down to Kennesaw, Ga, about an hour away and visited with my friend Katie. Katie and I did Summer Staff together in 2009 and she was one of my closest friends there. She and I have kept in touch over the past two years and I was so excited to be close enough to go visit her. I love having friends that you can go two years without seeing and pick right back up where you started.

I still have two and a half weeks here and I am so excited for what the Lord is going to reveal to me in my remaining time here.

Oh He Loves Us.

This is an amazing song that was introduced to me this week. How He Loves Us by the David Crowder Band. I really enjoy listening to worship music, I enjoy more contemporary stuff. One of the guys on Assigned Team, Eric, leads the songs at Club for the campers and I noticed how he wasn't wearing shoes, so I jokingly said "Nice shoes Eric". He explained to me that when he plays music for kids or speaks he never wears shoes. He told me that it was because in the Bible it talks about taking off your shoes when you are on holy ground. He said when he plays or speaks to kids that is holy ground to him. I thought that was so awesome.

I am continually amazed by the members of the Assigned Team who are on Young Life staff. Their faithfulness and just the way they love the Lord and love kids is really amazing to me. I especially love watching the parents with their own kids and watch how they love their kids so well. I only hope that I can set such an example for my kids and raise them to be children of God. I am learning a lot how to be patient with kids and stopping myself before I get frustrated by telling myself "they are little, they are innocent and precious and they don't know any better."

The past few days I have spent most of my time with Delaney, the four year old because what I have learned about Nathan, the six year old, is that Dad is his hero and he is way cooler than me so spending time with Dad = cooler than time with Brynn. I have always been so fascinated by children and by the mind of kids, the things they say and understand just warm my heart. I put Delaney down every night and tell her to say her prayers and in the sweetest four year old voice she says "Now I lay me down to sleep,I pray the Lord my soul to keep, bless Mommy, Daddy, Riley, Landon and Nathan and help me be a good girl." I just love it. Nathan, Delaney and I were walking yesterday and the campers were having Cabin Time. Nathan asked what Cabin Time was for and I explained that it was when campers could ask questions about Jesus and that some of them didn't know who Jesus was. He looked at me baffled and said "They don't know who Jesus is!?". I loved that he was so shocked that anyone doesn't know about Jesus.

The most unusual thing to get used to is all of the confused looks people give me when they see me with the kids. I can tell they are thinking "Are you the Mom?". I got asked the other night during the Assigned Team Guac Party (we love guacamole) by one of the AT guys "So, are you a wife?". My response was "NOooooohohoho I am most certainly not, I'm just a nanny". It makes me happy at least that I look old enough to have children at all, let alone be a wife, better than being asked what grade I'm in.

Delaneyisms:
She puts deodorant on every morning.
She calls her bathing suit top her bra.
She told me she wanted one of the Moms to braid her hair instead of me so I pretended to be sad and stuck my bottom lip out and she said "You are a big girl, you drive a car, you aren't supposed to pout" and mocked the face I was making.
She saw me flossing my teeth and asked for some, I told her she didn't need it and she said "Yes I floss all the time! The monkey dentist always gives me floss." I have no idea what the monkey dentist is.
I told her I had to call a friend of mine back and she said "What's her name?" I said "It's a boy." and she raised her eyebrows and gave me this look like "Oh, a boy huh".

Basically the girl is hilarious and she does things to make me smile and laugh everyday. I love that even though I am taking care of the Faisons I find myself playing with all of the other kids and loving on them just as much. God has really blessed me with energy enough to play with the large amount of little ones on this assignment and blessed me with the ability to love on kids.

Some pictures:
Landon, Delaney and Nathan. Such hams.



I asked Nathan if I could take a picture and he sauntered over to the fence, climbed up there and struck a pose. Model potential?



Look at those boys and their serious model poses.



Delaney and Adelai, Partners in Crime.



Long post, I know. I'll leave you with a verse I read last night that I really loved.
In the story Jesus is talking to Martha, who is upset that he is showing her sister Mary favor when Mary was sitting at Jesus' feet and not helping Martha. Jesus tells Martha "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed." Luke 10:41-42 Jesus is telling Martha that Mary is focusing on him and listening to him rather than fussing over trivial things. I am a worrying and I get upset really easily but I the only thing I need to do is focus on God, that is all I need.

So Far So Good

After a super long 7 hour drive down to Georgia yesterday I made it safely to Jasper. There was horrible rain/thunder/lightning for a few hours while I was driving through Tennessee. I absolutely hate driving in the rain, especially torrential downpour, so I gladly put my hazards on and drove 40mph in a 70mph zone. I know I have mentioned before I am an anxious driver, well for those couple hours in the rain I was just praying for the end of the storms to be near. When I got into town I met up with the Faison's and went to dinner at camp with the rest of the Work Crew/Summer Staff/Assigned Team. We stayed in a hotel last night because last session's Assigned Team moved out this morning, so we couldn't move into camp until today. After dinner I went back to the hotel with the kids and their Mom and we all just hung out and watched t.v. until bed time.

I learned very quickly that these kids say the funniest/cutest things and as I am very easily entertained they will definitely keep me laughing. For example, Delaney (4yrs) walks into the room and says to her brother Nathan (6yrs) "Nathan Andrew! WHERE did you put the toothpaste?". I cracked up because she said it like she was his mom or something and she hit him with the double name which just really tickled me. It did not take long for the kids to warm up to me or anything and they already seem to trust me so that is great. I have a lot of respect for their Mom, because I can already see that while they are good kids, 4 kids is a handful. I really think the Lord is gonna help me with my patience and my nurturing a lot this month.

We moved into camp this morning and I went to Worship with the rest of the Work Crew/Summer Staff/Assigned Team because their Mom was watching the little ones while she was unpacking everybody. I really really enjoyed Worship this morning and the message that Doug (he's on the Assigned Team) shared with us. He talked about following the Lord, no matter where the Lord is leading us. We can say "Oh yeah, God I'll follow you wherever" but when it comes down to it, truly following the Lord wherever will cost us something. His message wasn't that following the Lord hurts us, but that sometimes you have to let go of those things that are dragging you down that you are holding on to in order to follow the Lord. Maybe the Lord is telling us to pursue something, but we are doubtful about taking that path. Doug spoke about not letting things that are going on at home distract us from the experience we are about to start this month, whether or not they are good things. I know my place here this month is a little different, because I am not serving campers, but I am serving these kids I am watching and I am pursuing the Lord. I felt convicted because I know I am distracted right now by things not having to do with my month here. I am really gonna try to make sure I spend time with the Lord every day and focus on him and following him wherever he wants to take me, particularly when I go home next month.

Something today that has me distracted is Father's Day. There are lots of Dads here on the Assigned Team and watching them interact with their kids just makes my heart ache for my Dad. My Dad passed away 7 years ago on July 1, so this couple week span is always kind of difficult for me. I miss my Dad everyday and so many things remind me of him. I watch Dads and their kids and it makes me glad that I had such a great Dad growing up, but also sad about not having him here now that I am old enough to really appreciate him. I know he is always looking after me, but I wish I could just give him a big hug today. Happy Father's Day everyone, give your Dad a big hug and tell him how much you love and appreciate him.

Georgia On My Mind

Tomorrow morning I will be packing up and heading to Jasper, Georgia for four weeks.

"What the heck is in Jasper, Georgia Brynn?"

There is a beautiful Young Life camp called Sharp Top Cove in the small town of Jasper and I will spending four weeks nannying four children(ages 10, 8, 6 & 4). I met this family two summers ago when I was serving on Summer Staff at another Young Life camp in North Carolina. I pretty much fell in love with the kids then so when this opportunity came about I was so excited. I will be spending my time just hanging out with the kids, mainly the younger two. I am really excited because I will get to really observe all that goes into Young Life camp. Instead of serving campers, which is what I have done in the past, I am going to have the chance to witness hundreds of high school students hear the gospel each week. I also get to see an amazing team of Work Crew, Summer Staff and Assigned Team members serve Christ and serve these campers.

My pursuit right now is Christ and deepening my relationship with him. I am also really trying to focus on becoming a stronger witness, woman, daughter, sister, and friend. In my favorite book Blue Like Jazz (I know I mention it all of the time), Donald Miller talks about loving yourself and loving others. He says that in order to fully "Love your neighbor as yourself" you have to first and foremost love yourself. This is my biggest struggle. I am my own worst critic. Miller says that when you are able to really love yourself you can then love others and others can love you. I know how to love others and this is actually something I pride myself on, I love loving on other people. Now I am just charged with growing stronger as an individual and as a follower of Christ.

I am going to take a break from Facebook while I am there, but I will be trying to update my blog pretty frequently just with what God is teaching me and probably really great miracles I will witness each week.

Peace

It has been almost two weeks since graduation and I have moved back to Roanoke. I haven't been doing much other than working and hanging out at home. Really though, I haven't even started unpacking everything. That could just be denial that I'm not moving back to school, or out of Roanoke anytime soon. I have been struggling a lot since I have been home just trying to figure out where my life is going. I know there is no sense trying to figure it out because God's timing is much different than mine and I know all of that will be revealed to me in due time. Not to mention, there are so many people I miss from school that I wish weren't hours away! Luckily for me, I am going back to Newport News next weekend because I still have a lot of stuff to get from my apartment and bring back. I am counting down the days to see some of my good friends that are still there.

I know I mention a lot how I struggle with anxiety and I overthink everything. I mean everything. One thing the Lord has really been showing me since I have been home is that I need to learn patience. This past week my devotional was focusing on God's Voice. I read a lot of scripture about listening to the Lord and I think that could not be more perfect for me right now. I need to stop and listen for the Lord over all of my anxious and doubtful thoughts. Each week a part of my devotional is to focus on one of the Psalms. Last week it was Psalm 29. Verse 11 says "The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace." I have been feeling particularly weak lately but this verse really permeated my thoughts. The Lord told Paul "my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Paul writes about rejoicing over his weakness, because when he is weak the Lord makes him strong. I completely related to that, because right now I am feeling weak and I need to lean on the Lord and let him strengthen me. Today I had to work at 4:30... a.m. (Yes people come to the gym that early, crazy!) and I just felt such a sense of peace descending on me.

One way the Lord has definitely answered some prayers for me lately is by blessing me with an awesome opportunity. Two summers ago when I was serving on Summer Staff at Young Life's Windy Gap, one of the families on the Assigned Team was the Faison's. Sarah and Eric have four kids, all of which I absolutely fell in love with. This summer they are on assignment at Young Life's Sharp Top Cove and because Sarah is starting a new job, they need a nanny. I semi-jokingly offered up my services and Sarah asked me to be their nanny. It's official! I will be spending four weeks, June 17 - July 18, being their nanny. I am really excited for the opportunity to return to Sharp Top and be a witness to campers having the best week of their lives and for many of them, accepting Christ. My favorite part of each week is during the last club during the "Say So" when they ask the campers who have decided to begin a relationship with Christ to stand and "say so". It gets me every time and brings tears to my eyes. The month will be a much different experience than I have had before but I am so excited for what the month has in store.

P.S. If you are searching for a good book, I just read "Heaven is For Real". I couldn't put it down and it is a really easy read. It's a wonderful story and really uplifting.