RUF Retreat, etc.

Leigh and me at Botanical Gardens!
phenomenal women at the Retreat :)

I love camp. This weekend I went to Camp Greystone for an RUF retreat. It was amazing! Our speaker talked about how the Word and Christ are inseparable, and other rich truths. Indelible Grace music is so encouraging, too. And the goodtheology.com book vendor? Oh, yeah. I hung out with a lot of underclassmen girls, who were awesome! I can’t believe these people weren’t in my life till this weekend! The retreat last year is where I met Hannah and Biz, by the way. One short year ago!

Free time! Those two words—music to my ears. Leigh and I studied, then took naps in the sun by the lake. I knew I wouldn’t regret it, so I did the blob and went down this huge waterslide three times! Such fun—such invigorating freezing cold water (but nothing compared to Yellowstone)!

By the way: I’ve found myself making quite a few of my decisions based on this question: Would I regret (not) doing this? Ignoring it has hurt me, but asking it has saved me a few times.

Before I left for South Africa, everyone at my going away party wrote advice/notes to me in these tiny books Rebekah bought. I’ll never forget Sid’s message: “If you feel indifferent between socializing and being alone, always be with people,” or something to that effect. I’ve tried to remember his advice. I’ve hardly ever regretted introducing myself to a stranger, or getting to know someone better, but I have regretted not encouraging someone when I felt the Spirit’s leading.

New leaves: change. Fall’s about change. Can people change? I remember times of change—my parents taking me seriously when I talked about a new chapter in life. But I remember thinking I had changed when, maybe, I really hadn’t. Five percent of people change socioeconomic classes in a lifetime. But, in the past year, I’ve changed, especially through wondrous new friends. I can’t believe it’s been less than a year. So much more to say on this, but I have an 8:00 tomorrow morning!