A Reason to Dance {Pep Talk}

A sweet woman posted this on her blog today for a little extra encouragement.  Kara has been fighting cancer and she is sharing her journey on her blog and helping to share others' stories as well.  It made me smile and reminds us " you were made to be awesome" and that there is "a reason to dance."

 

Enjoy:

 

My Other Name

Olive is my other name.
 

{Part of my inspiration}

Source: media-cache1.pinterest.com via Haleigh on Pinterest

 The name that I named myself this Labor Day weekend.  It’s hard to get accustomed to a new name.  It’s almost a new identity.  It’s odd to think that I am the same person...with a different name. I have very few nicknames.  Some that Ii shy away from...or more like run from. Some that I allow, only because I know the intentions behind them.  And some that I adore.  My sweet friend calls me belle. And I adore it. Or Haleigh belle. Or Haleigh girl {yes, where this web address originates}.

 

This was different. Sometimes these fake names stick. You have to choose carefully. Sometimes they are just for a season...a few short days.

I think besides naming myself {odd concept}, the worst part was responding.

 

"Olive, olive, olive!" shouts the little girl. Oh, that's me...brain, respond. That's me; I have to say something back!

 

Source: o-logy.com via Haleigh on Pinterest

 

{I just love her!}

 

But now that I am no longer at camp and with children who only know me as Olive my name hasn't kicked back in. I don't know what to do.

Hi, I'm...oh, that's right. I'm Haleigh.

I got introduced to someone as Haleigh and it almost sounded foreign. Why is that?

It reminds me that I have many names. And some of those names are my identity. They are the ones that count. That matter.

Someday it would be wonderful to be called Olive again, but for now I am so happy about my name.

 

Hi, my name is Haleigh and my identity is not in that name. I am a child of God, saved by the grace of Christ, and the daughter of a king. It is so nice to meet you!

Dirt and Water Makes Mud

It was a dirty weekend.  But something about saying that just sounded wrong...

I was a camp counselor this weekend and it was wonderful but tiring.  I spent time with 1st through 6th graders in the Santa Cruz mountains.  I love the fresh pine smell and the clear air.  I personally could have done with a little less dust.  Whoever said 'a little dirt don't hurt' better be right, because I think I inhaled quite a bit over the course of this weekend!

There are so many fun activities that these kids get to do at what we call Day Camp.  Since it was just a weekend {even a long weekend} the programs were shortened and change a little bit.  I had a group of 3rd and 4th grade girls.  They were a blast!  I got to take them down to the creek {or as we joke 'the creech'}.  Down there they can build a dam, go crawdad hunting, or do rock painting.  There are sand rocks and clay rocks, so with a little water and some rubbing you get "paint."  I got the opportunity to be painted.  I ended up with a dripping necklace, a dotted crown, pictures on my back and some arm and leg art!  Love little imaginations!

I wish I could show you pieces of this weekend, but you will have to use your imaginations.  I decided that I was going to limit the camera use this weekend.  It worked so well that I forgot my camera at home...oops!  Imagine tall redwoods on sloping mountains, laughing children, and ridiculous costumes.  Imagine 130 kids in a pool full of splashes.  Imagine the sweetness of holding hands to cross {suspended} bridges.  Imagine power fish {goldfish} and sitting on stumps in a circle.  Imagine ice cream and late night donut runs {both these without children}.  Imagine making new friends and bonding over silliness.  Imagine {fake} camp names and yelling 'lawn chants' {voice is a little scratchy}.  Imagine late into the night chats with a missed friend and canoeing with new friends.  Those were some of the moments this weekend.

Thanks for using your imagination with me!  

Liberia {intro to a story}

There is a beautiful {in its own way} country on the west coast of the continent of Africa.  This country has captured my heart to the point where if I talk about it I can get a faraway look in my eyes and little pools make my eyes glass over.  I call it love.  

Liberia, like many countries it shares the continent with, has been devastated by civil war, unemployment, malnourishment, lack of resources and lack of attention.  Almost 4 years ago I got to spend a week there learning, growing, and serving. 

Last week a friend who serves children there and in other third world countries around the globe had a night of sharing about Liberia.  There were stations to inform and ignite excitement into people that maybe had never heard about what is going on there and might want to help.  There was a place to break rocks which many children do to survive, facts about Liberia, finding the country on the globe and creating its flag, playing a nation favorite soccer, and eating authentic Liberian food.  Rice and greens.  It wasn’t completely authentic but pretty close and it did taste the same.

the soccer players

Though it is not usually very far in my mind, Liberia has been particularly closer these last few weeks. What have you been thinking about and revisiting?

Child's Play

Last week was full with kids. 

 I was little on overload by Sunday afternoon.

 I love kids, but I had not been around that many, of that age, for that long in a while.  Our church put on sports camp which is a sport filled VBS.  Kids are put on teams according to the sport they chose; cheerleading, soccer, or basketball.  I will be honest and say I don’t play basketball.  So the last two years I’ve been a substitute coach for soccer or cheer.  It is so very fun to love on kids {and then you get to send them home to their parentsJ}

I got to hang out with sweet Maddie during the day and then lots of elementary kids at sports camp and then 4 toddlers on Monday.  Tuesday Maddie and I hung out some more.  Later it was off to coaching a cheer team of five girls all going into kindergarten and first grade.  They were the youngest cheer team and the five year old needed undivided attention.  Wednesday was the youngest soccer team of rowdy boys.  Oh how I love first graders and the things they say!  Thursday I was back with the littles {toddlers}, although there was only one for me to give my full and undivided attention to.  On Friday it was back to the cheer squad and the adorable five year old. Sunday morning I was with the preschoolers for Sunday school.  Such a fun age, but tiring. 

It has been so nice to love on kids.  I didn’t know how much I’d missed little hands,

eyes full of wonder,

smiles of discover,

and a warm body in my lap. 

What have you been missing that you’d like back in your life?