New "Common Ground" Translation

We played Kijabe Can Can and broom hockey at youth group Sunday night. The guys had taped down huge sheets of plastic in the sanctuary so that we'd slip and slide in our socks. Emily showed up sockless in her kicks, but wanted to play, so I gave her mine. This prompted a great quote from Mariah: "Greater love has no one than this, that a leader lay down her socks for a kid." It cracked me up- way to go Mariah!

March Retreat

We hosted the AC teen retreat last weekend and found ourselves at a mini summer staff reunion. We tried to figure out how many summers of service were represented by these twenty past staffers, but soon realized that we weren't quite sure what qualified as an official summer. A week? A month? Enough time to receive mail in box CC? What we do know is how much the experience has changed who we are and that God who is faithful has used this place and these people in mighty ways.

Sarah sent Bowden down for some milk. He found this stick very useful in its transport.

My Hands Smell Awesome.

Forest Home

Last week we attended a "super sectional" conference at Forest Home in Forest Falls. Camp staff from both the Pacific- Southwest and the Sierra Pacific regions were in attendance for seminars, good fellowship, way too much food, and Albert Tate (of the unrelated Mississippi Tates) our fantastic speaker. It is really fun to be camper and never think about what is in the oven when, or who will do bathroom checks.

There is zero cell reception at Forest Home. It had been so long since I had used a payphone, that I felt the need to take a picture after I made my call. The guy in the booth next to me was distracted from his conversation as he could not help but laugh at the subject of my photography.


At every conference that I attend, I end up wishing that I had brought a backpack, so I finally remembered to take mine this year. What I didn't realize until the second day of toting around my infrequently used pack was that it held a disgusting piece of moldy cheese in one of its pockets from when I loaned it to Teen Campers for their day hike last summer. Ugh.


On Wednesday Sarah purchased "The Blob"- a giant doughnut filled with ice cream billed as "perfect for four, terrifying for one".



We gave it our best shot, but were one man short and could not finish it.



The tunnel under the highway

I Hate Food Shows

I know that I should love them like everyone else, but they're crowded and I always feel like each booth is trying to sell me a used car or something. As we amble through the aisles, we patrons seem to develop a mob mentality when it comes to acquiring free goods, be it food, pens, utensils- whatever- we just cram it all in our bags until we can't hold anymore. Then we get home to find that we are the proud owners of a bunch of junk that we have no use for. I was able to get out of this last show with just the four items pictured above.

Just Because

Miranda Ruth