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read between the lines
post-morph i just came back from an annual camp i've been attending ever since i first found out i could qualify, which was back in 2003. and what a camp it's been, even though it is so different from camps past.for starters, i think they were low on funds because this was the first time it ended up being a day camp, which is bad for me 'cause i don't even live there. which is where the women's camp i just attended a few weeks ago came in handy -- my dear roommate from that camp became my answered prayer to my lodging needs for this camp as she let me bunk in with her at her campus dormitory. secondly, i had originally signed up for this camp with a friend and had specifically requested in my form to be placed in the same group, but i ended up being matched to a different group instead, one that had a few faces that i was pretty sure weren't pleased to see me as much as i wasn't pleased to see them. but that turned out to be a blessing in disguise because they had new people in the group and the leader turned out to be quite a doll. he was so understanding he let me switch groups if i wanted, but i ended up staying...and i'm glad i did, because he saw to all the pathetic needs i had as a scaredy cat, haha. he teman-ed (in this context teman means 'accompany' in malay) me every evening that i arrived after work when i was too embarrassed to walk to the front row when sessions had already begun, or to walk around looking for our group in the makeshift dining area during dinnertime. it also helped that he was mature beyond his years 'cause he was younger than me. and i still got to hang out with my friend and the group i originally signed up for when we went out for supper after each session. these pools of new people are part of the reason i return each year for camp, as i was explaining during group-sharing time. it's funny how we tend to take liberties (that come with school) like friends for granted until their moments actually pass us. the sessions themselves were...well i felt they were rather rushed. this was probably 'cos the speaker had come before for a previous camp, when it was held for a longer duration which allowed him the time to speak more thoroughly and orderly on his topics. this time it was more like a quick brush-through with some skimming over of the same topics. and it wasn't exactly accurate to the camp's theme for this year, unlike the year where he had the liberty of time to expound on what he wanted to say. speaking of which, i felt the organisers didn't really refer much to the theme during the camp, unlike previous years. and i found it ironic that when the camp coordinator made her opening speech to open this 'real christian, real world' themed camp, she wasn't being 'real' at all. people at the back probably wouldn't have noticed but because my group was seated near the front, i could definitely see flashes of frustration over her face being quickly covered by exaggerated plastic smiles when the crowd wasn't all ears at the beginning. but i guess that's just her style of doing things. two songs that were new to me that really struck a chord (or many, haha) within me were hosanna by hillsong united and this one below, which resonated so deeply within my heart that i actually remembered the lyrics long after camp ended. To Live Is Christ by YOUTH ALIVE I make a vow My life will always honour You Whether I live or die I belong to Him He bore my sin I owe this life to my saving King I make a vow My life will always honour You Whether I live or die I belong to Him He bore my sin I owe this life to my saving King Hallelujah, I am not my own You are in control Hallelujah For me to live is Christ And to die is gain No matter what price I pay I choose to give this life away I make a vow My life will always honour you Whether I live or die I belong to Him He bore my sin I owe this life to my saving King I make a vow My life will always honour You Whether I live or die I belong to Him He bore my sin I owe this life to my saving King Hallelujah, I am not my own You are in control Hallelujah For me to live is Christ And to die is gain No matter what price I pay I choose to give this life away Only by the cross I am saved Only by the cross I am saved Hallelujah, I am not my own You are in control Hallelujah For me to live is Christ And to die is gain No matter what price I pay I choose to give this life away For me to live is Christ And to die is gain No matter what price I pay I choose to give this life away Only by the cross I am saved Only by the cross I am saved -- p.s. my christmas wasn't a blue one after all, thank god. |
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