A Wonderful Adventure

One month ago, I left everything I call “home” and came to Summit Semester in a little town in Colorado. I was well prepared and ready to go. More than ready, actually. I was brimming with energy and excitement at what this new adventure would hold.

Upon arrival, I was put out on the sports field with gloves and a shovel and started digging up weeds. Yep. That was our ice breaker activity. That’s what we did to set the tone for the upcoming three months. As odd as it sounds, it was a great way to start. Conversations arose while we worked and friendships began to form. Emma and Bella and I were working together and they are two of the people I spend the most time with, even a month later. After pulling weeds for three hours (I promise it wasn’t as terrible as it sounds!) Nathan and Terry (the maintenance workers who live here at the lodge) had us all say what we learned from pulling weeds. Believe it or not, there was a lesson to be had, and one we are all still learning twice a week through work crews. They still last three hours, though what we do changes depending on weather and what needs done. Sometimes we are still out pulling weeds, sometimes we are sanding, sometimes babysitting, building stairs, staining decks, cleaning the kitchen and making dinner, vacuuming and mopping the floors, and sometimes we are cleaning vans. But the lesson to be learned is that all work is dignified. All work is a part of redemption. All work is to be done for God. We are all learning and we will all continue to learn every day we have work crews or dish pit or any other task assigned.

There are 32 students here and I have the privilege of getting to know a lot of them over the past month. They are all pretty amazing people and I am thankful for each and every one of them. This past week though the “honeymoon phase” ended (as Dustin puts it) and we are starting finding things that initially didn’t bother us rather annoying. Through this God has been teaching me patience and grace, as several people get on my nerves or I find myself judging them for the things they are doing. Even if it is not okay, it’s not my place to judge. It annoys me, but I do things that annoy them too.

In small groups this past week, we were talking about an article by C.S. Lewis called “The Trouble with ‘X.’” It was a really good article and Dustin knew what he was doing by assigning us to read it. We all have someone who annoys us more than others and that we tend to judge especially harshly. Our “X.” But we also have to keep in mind that we are someone else’s “X.” I annoy people sometimes and do things that they judge me for. I’m not perfect. I’m just as human as they are.

The trees here are all changing colours and it is amazing! Out my window is a clear view of mountains covered in trees and they are gorgeous shades of orange, yellow, brown, and red. I am in constant amazement and awe of this beautiful creation God has made. The stars here are the most spectacular thing I have ever seen. I love sitting out on the balcony off the dining hall after class and just looking up at the starts. Thousands upon thousands of glimmering lights up in the sky. Sometimes I don’t have words to explain my joy when looking up and seeing all of those stars.

Naturally I have been in a lot of classes, but not as much as I had initially anticipated. Only about 4-5 hours a day and usually only Thursday through Saturday. The other days are much needed for study and spending some time with our amazing community. I have loved the interaction of classes and the thought provoking questions we are bombarded with each and every class. Right now we are in the process of reading Joshua, Symphony of Scripture, Mere Humanity, Inklings of Reality, Cultivate, and Romeo and Juliet. Yes, we read all of that at once. It is brain-numbing sometimes. My head often feels like it is going to explode and never come back together, but that’s good. It stretches all capacities to infinity and beyond.

Overall, I am loving it here. Sometimes it feels like I’m living in a bubble and it is going to pop at any moment, but right now I am just enjoying every moment and experience that is coming my way.