Monday, February 11, 2002

 

Ok…. Here’s the story of my weekend at Statewide Wesley Retreat :-)

First, for those who don’t know what Wesley is… The Wesley Foundation is a Methodist student organization on campus. They have a nice building that is always (and I do mean always) open, and they let students come in and use the pool table, ping-pong table, TV, VCR, fireplace, prayer room, etc. They have different small groups that meet throughout the week, and everyone comes together for Insight bible study on Tuesday night. It’s a really cool place to hang out, and they really don’t care if you’re Methodist or whatever… almost everyone there is really awesome :-) So this weekend, all the Wesley’s from across the state came together at Camp Wesley Pines, near Jackson.

Friday, I had a really long and rushed morning. I had two classes, and had to skip the third class to be in a meeting for my tech writing class… which didn’t get done until 2:15, and I was supposed to leave at 3, and I hadn’t packed *opps* But I got everything done, and was even on time *grin*

So we all (as in all 50 of us from State) met at the Wesley at 3… and loaded everything onto the bus, and we were off (gripe note: why do girls pack so dadgum much? I can survive fine for the weekend with my backpack and sleeping bag… but some of these girls were bringing 2 full size duffles, a backpack, sleeping bag, extra blanket, extra sheets, 2 pillows, and a purse. What’s up with that?). After a grueling 3 hours in the bus, we finally arrived at Camp Wesley Pines. We met the other groups (11 other schools) and had our first worship session. Our speaker, Dr. Dolphus Weary, was excellent. I bought his book… but it isn’t nearly as good as his speaking. *sigh* Anyway… then we had what they termed a “bonfire”…. All of us State people walkout to the fire and laughed… Tim and Silas jumped over the fire just to prove the point that is was so tiny… more like a campfire. Then, I attempted to go to bed… But the girls next door (who were from CCC, some Community College in the delta) decided to come in at 1am and teach us the Cleveland hustle… and then sing for us… and I got sleep around 3am.

Saturday, we had to be up by 7 to be at breakfast by 7:30 (and girls were getting up at 5am so they could curl/straighten their hair and put on makeup… what’s up with that? We were in the middle of the woods!!). After breakfast, more worship sessions, then we went out to work in Jackson. My group was assigned to work with Habitat for Humanity. In four hours we framed an entire house *yea for us*… we also split into small groups and tried to have a bible study thing… but the whole small group thing ended up being kind of dumb. We had to do this dorky thinks like relate our relationship with God to an apple… Oh well…

Funny story about the work site… If you give a mouse a hammer, he will ask for a nail. If you give Greg a hammer, he will think he’s a foreman. Greg, who knows rat crap about carpentry, was yelling at me to fetch him some studs and hammer this and that… till I asked him for a plumb, and he thought I meant fruit… I clarified that I wanted a carpenter’s level… and he still didn’t know what it was… that kind of put him in his place.

Saturday night, more worship and fellowship times, and more dorky small groups… and we had an awesome coffee house. Tim was the star of the show, too :-) He solved his Rubik’s Cube in less than 3 minutes, while one of the bands was playing. Even the Ole Miss people cheered… Box’s brother (Oliver Box, who goes to Ole Miss) was amazed… he hung his mouth open for like, 15 minutes *grin* Then we brought out the water balloon sling shot… we were shooting balloons 200 yards from the cabin. That was fun… until, at about 2am, we hit the transparency girl from Delta State *opps* Yeah, let’s just say she was pissed. And wouldn’t accept our apology. She said it was because we got her panties wet. Imagine that.

Sunday we ate together, had one last session and one last dorky small group *grin* Then lunch…. And we were headed back to Starkville, with one small stop at a Spanky’s convenience store for drinks and ice cream :-) And so, even though Neil told me I was a bad girlfriend because I didn’t spend all my time using up other people’s cell phone minutes to talk to Chad… Chad still loves me, and I had a great time.

However, since I did not have the weekend to work on homework… I am colossally behind… *sigh* I suppose I shall go crawl into a dark corner and do homework now *sniff*sniff* :-)

posted by Deedee 11:23 PM