Monday's Memorable Moments

Yes everyone, I KNOW it’s Saturday. But hear me out. I knew I wanted to start a consistent post because with the schedule I have and the little time I spend on my computer, I don’t have that much time to really plan out my posts. I apologize for my negligence of updating this blog frequently. That being said, I thought I would give you snippets of my weeks every Monday (Because the aliteration of “memorable moments” is baller with “Monday”). Don’t worry, The rest of these Monday posts will be published on the correct day of the week. So here are just three things I will tell you about this past week. Some are memorable for good reasons. Others…not so much.

1) Zumba with the girls of Zeitfuss II every Tuesday and Thursday with the awesome instruction of our very own Puerto Rican/New Yorker, Leonexy. This is our chance to shake what our mommas gave us in the privacy of our building. It’s a great de-stresser and a whole mess of fun with the ladies. Although, I think I just released some information that the opposite sex should’ve plugged their ears to. Oh well, at least they can’t participate in our weekly assembly. By the way, new favorite song to shake the booty to: Danza Kuduro by Don Omar. Look it up.

2) Watching Lance Nitahara fillet a fish. Not gonna lie, I think Lance is a celebrity and I’m so grateful to be in his presence this summer, even if I am washing his pots. He’d hate me for saying I think he’s a celebrity because he is one of the humblest men I know. He glorifies God in everything he does. Tonight I witnessed him in action in the kitchen. Me, being the nerd that I am, pulled out my phone to record him removing the bones from the salmon while I casted him questions about when he knew he wanted to be a chef and his favorite type of fish. His technique was like a dance. Graceful, methodical, and beautiful.

3) Dropping my camera in the lake. Yes, this is the memory I wish I could forget. But alas, it is forever engraved in my mind, hence, making it menacingly memorable. Some of my friends and I decided to take a kayak trip around the lake last week. I felt like there would be some great photo ops, so I cautiously put the camera in a zip lock bag and guarded it with my dear life. I placed it in the waterproof canister attached to my kayak. The longer we were in the boats, the more I became comfortable with pulling my camera out for a few quick photos. My stomach is turning as I type because I hate thinking back to this moment. My friend asked if we could take a picture together. Hesitant, I entrusted my other friend to take a quick snapshot. All was well until she was passing it back to me. It was no one's fault, I blame no one. The world felt like it was in slow motion as I saw it slip into the water. It felt like a nightmare. I wished it were unreal. Thoughts raced through my head as I practically dove into the water, screaming. I don’t want to think about the idiot I must have looked like. Thankfully, where we were, the water wasn’t that deep. I felt the strap in the sludge and quickly pulled it out, immediately turning it off. I didn’t want to talk to anyone. All I could do was pray for my poor camera and paddle back to shore to put it in some rice. My friend Brandon was so nice to walk with me to find some rice, trying to consol me by talking about other things. It helped.
I was shaken up for about a day, not knowing if my camera was dead or not. But honestly, it was a great lesson for me. I had treated this inanimate object like a person. I was invested in this worldly possession. A comforting verse for me during this time of frustration, anger, and doubt was Colossians 3:2-4, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” I don’t know if my camera is okay, but I know these things happen, and I am forgiven. My family still loves me and my Father still loves me. This camera means nothing compared to the gift I have in Him. Even if it was the worst incident at camp so far, I still really enjoyed the kayaking trip, and God taught me a lesson through my mistake.

I wouldn’t exactly call those snippets, which is why I’ll leave it at three. More Monday’s Memorable Moments to come in the future. The guests arrive tomorrow, meaning the children will arrive! I’m guessing a majority of the Memorable Moments will be coming from the classroom with the things the kids say. Kids say the funniest things. That’s one of the main reasons I love being around them. I can’t wait to meet them and learn about Christ’s awesomeness together!