Who knew Yelm could be so INTENSE?

Refuel was COMPLETELY different from last year.
In a good way.
It was great. Seriously the highlight of my year. GREAT WEEKEND.
They mixed up the cabins this year instead of having cabins for each grade.
A little disappointing, because I'd sort of been looking forward to rooming with some of my friends.
But I did get some people I knew in my cabin, and some I didn't, and the ones I didn't know were pretty cool.
Aaaaaaah, freshmen.
As much as I hate junior high boys, Buck Buck was amazing to watch. There was some talk of playing it on the bus ride home, but we opted for the safe choice, Zoo.
Those junior high boys, though, are SO ANNOYING! There was one in particular that needs to be whipped. It shouldn't be too difficult, he's roughly the size of a terrier.
The whole thing was just fun and crazy and super positive. It was nice actually feeling like I belonged. Last year I made a huge big deal about not knowing anybody and yet not making an effort to know anyone, but this year wasn't like that at all. It felt like the body of Christ SHOULD feel like.
Pastor Paul might just be my new best friend, even though he SERIOUSLY considers Hulk to be a better superhero than Batman.
BATMAN.
His point had to do with his lesson, though, which pointed out that GOD is the one who gives us power (SUPER powers! It was superhero themed, ha), and Batman didn't have powers; he just had money, charisma, and Morgan Freeman.
And Batman doesn't care who he is; he is purely focused on his actions.
With REAL power, there is rest and peace, and he has none of that.
It was a great sermon and it made a lot of sense to a lot of people.
Everyone went up afterwards to thank him for successfully explaining a seldom taught Bible topic.
BUT THE HULK IS NOT A SUPERHERO.
He's a loser with anger issues that just happens to be mightily powerful...and oh so green.
While, you know, Batman's out DOING EVERYTHING HE CAN TO PROTECT THE CITY OF GOTHAM, RISKING HIS LIFE IN THE PROCESS.
Hulk just crushes stuff. And sometimes sleeps with Liv Tyler. Mmmmm...
It was just great. Paul kept emphasizing that we can't CHANGE on our own, the exact OPPOSITE I'd been hearing at OEFC, where it was always, "YOU NEED TO CHANGE."
GOD is the ONLY ONE that can change us. We just have to let him.
And my favorite verse, Philippians 4:13, was sort of this weekend's motto.
But the emphasis was on the latter part.
"I can do all things THROUGH CHRIST who gives me strength."
Then we had an hour long worship session, with some people singing while others wrote letters, postcards, and junk they'd been through.
Then they put the junk in a giant trash can and Ben set it on fire.
But it was less than satisfying.
It didn't explode into a wild conflagration.
It just sizzled a little bit.
Oh well.
Even after Stateside, I didn't feel this good.
God is real, the true power source, and I'm going to live for him.