Saturday Night by Lauren Stonehill

 Hello everybody back home! It’s been another rainy day in New Jersey, but still an amazing one. We woke the participants up with songs and Terry’s guitar (payback time!). We had amazing talks today from some super special loggers. The participants learned from talks about living in the love of God, prayer, gifts and responsibilities, Christian community and worship. Also an awesome “Keeping What You’ve Found” talk presented by our wonderful co leaders, Clay and Anna. Lots of table times meant bonding with the all the new lumberjacks. The participants also got to experience zapping (talk about powerful), which is always fun and amazing. We wrote letters to our future selves and did all those energizer dances (interlude anybody?)

            And then came the closing, we got to show the parents just how special L.O.G. is to all of us. It got a bit emotional. This was especially because of all those seniors who will be graduating out and heading to college in a few weeks. The tears started with Terry’s rendition of the Ragman and it went on from there. One participant said, “We came in like strangers, but we left like family.” (which made my day). New crosses, bibles, and collages were handed out to each participants. We are already talking about having some New Jersians head out for one of our Indiana L.O.G.s this fall!!!!!!!!! I’m so excited! And then we had to say goodbye but not to everyone. Three participants got permission to stay another night with us!!!!!!!! It’s been an amazing day but it’s sad that the “weekend” is over.

            It’s so different being on team compared to being a participant. For one, I know everything that’s going on (most of the time anyway). It’s a lot more work, and a lot more tiring. I never realized just how much work these teenagers put into my participant weekend, but now I do. It’s crazy! We go to bed so much later, and have so much more to do, but it’s still such a powerful experience. This time I get to be the one saying this is my favorite spot and annoy the participants by splitting them up from their friends. I know the songs and am not just mumbling along. I’ve also got to see just how this weekend affects the participants. I’m so blessed to experience seeing how we can pass on the love of God to the new lumberjacks. We had multiple kids who said they didn’t sing in public, or didn’t want to, but by today almost everybody was (there’s no such thing as a bad singer). I think the participants realized that we aren’t just a group of teens stealing a weekend from their lives, but people who accept them for who they are ( an angel of music or otherwise) because we are the family of God.