Impatient Imperfection

While on the USS Yorktown, we were given an opportunity to write an essay on an individual we consider to be a leader. The author of the essay selected as the best was given one hundred dollars (I did not say the author of the best essay because I did not get to read all of them, so the one that was chosen may have not been the overall best, but rather the favorite). It was not required but I wrote one anyway. Can you blame me? All I have to do is write 500 words or less about leadership qualities and I'll have a shot at a hundred bucks? You bet I'm in. Mine was about Amelia Earhart. It was not chosen (I did not pass GO) and I did not receive (collect) one hundred dollars. I did, however, write an essay that I was proud of. They told me I would get my essay back. I have yet to acquire it. Once it is in my possession, I will post in on here. For now, I have this:

I try hard, but I fail miserably.
I used to want to quit, but the fact that my dreams are almost unattainable pushes me that much harder to get there.
Even if others talents and accomplishments surpass mine, I will feel more successful if I have done my best and they have not. How sad to have done so much and yet leave the world and its people at a loss because you only gave ten percent. Just think of what would be different if you gave that other 90 percent which has already wasted away into nothingness. How much better could it be? If only one tenth of your capability can benefit several individuals, is it not worth that extra effort for several more? What price will you pay? For your rewards are much greater than their cost.

Congradtulations

The English language is one that I have a lot of trouble with even though it is the only one I speak fluently. The fact that many English teachers don't know all the rules so they can't teach them could be one cause of this problem. With that being said, I have had success in one part of that course. Spelling has always been a strength of mine. I'm a great speller compared to most people. If I see a word, I can usually remember the letters used to form it and the order they are in. Misspelled words annoy me. The church bulletin from today has a note at the bottom on the inside that reads, "Congradtulations to Travis and Amber Chaney on the birth of their son, Parker, born on Tuesday. Please pray for this young family." I'll be sure to remember to pray for them. And wish them "Congradtulations". Now I know Microsoft word has a decent spellcheck program that, although it may not catch every error, surely it would have pointed out this type of mistake. I personally think that whoever writes the mini articles could not decide whether that word is spelled with a "d" or a "t" so they figured if they just put both, one of them has to be right. Three notices above that one, there is a mention of a recent wedding. It begins with the word, "Congratulations". I hope that my assumption is incorrect and the error was merely a slip-of-the-hand typo rather than one individual's ignorance. If someone really does not know how to spell, they do make dictionaries. Or the earlier notice could have been read over. Just a thought.

Out of The Mouth of Babes

Tomorrow I will leave for JCLC Carolina, a camp held at Fort Jackson for JROTC cadets like myself. The stay was only supposed to last until friday but I received a letter in the mail this past Sunday informing me that the dates would be June 16th-June 22nd. Monday through Sunday. This is most unfortunate for me because it means having to miss Patriotic Sunday at my church. Instead of rambling about how stupid it is to hold a camp that takes up the most common time church services are held in the area, I will leave you with a recap of my five days of Junior Camp this past week.
Junior Camp is a camp that my church holds every summer for kids going into 3rd-7th grade. I was an assistant counselor as well as a worker/helper. So much has happened this week that I know I have forgotten a lot and I won't have all of the memories recorded, but I will hold on to the lessons learned and decisions made. The night before I left for camp, I was completely distraught. I was crying and praying to God to take me out of a situation similar to one in my past that He removed me from. Other people's bad choices were affecting me and it had gotten to a point where I just felt that I could not handle it anymore. I prayed that the kids at camp would understand that their decisions don't just affect them.
My stuff was packed up and ready to go on Monday morning. I headed to the church to help sign in the kids and get lunch ready for later that day. Little did I know that all the running around I was doing then could not compare to how much work was ahead of me. I began to get nervous on the bus ride there. How can I take care of so many kids? What if I mess up? I wanted to be a positive influence on the kids and somehow impact their lives. I made up my mind before unloading the luggage on the campgrounds that I was going to try my best to not ask anyone to do anything for me, keep my stuff neat, never be rude to a child(or anyone for that matter), and help out in anyway possible.
While the campers were being divided into groups, I helped out in the kitchen preparing lunch for over 100 people. It still surprises me that we were always able to have everything ready for meals when everyone arrived at the cafeteria and had enough food for people to have seconds every time. The first time in the kitchen was actually the easiest because we had made the sandwiches before we left from the church. From then on, everything was prepared right before it was served, which I thought to be a near impossible task, but somehow it always worked out.
Later that night we had a chapel service with a message on choices. After chapel we always played a game that all the campers could get involved in. The first night was Alien Invaders. Campers waited at one end of the camp ground while counselors hid in the woods. The kids had to make it to the chapel porch before they got tagged. I went to help prepare snacks. After snack time was counselor corner. We had the kids sit in a group in our cabin and each night a different counselor spoke. The next morning everyone was supposed to wake up, but that proved to be a difficult task considering half of the group had stayed up extra late to talk to each other. We had cabin clean up time, quiet Bible reading time, and then off to breakfast. After breakfast, the cleanest cabin would be announced and that cabin would get served food first for the next 24 hours. After breakfast they had to attend a morning chapel service(which left me time to do most of the unfinished cleaning). Team competition changed everyday and lasted long enough for almost everyone to play two games each. They had lunch later on and after lunch was swim time for girls and individual competition for the boys. Then they switched. Supper would be ready by the time they were done. An hour was set aside after supper everyday for free time, and if the kids wanted bonus points for their teams, all of them could attend choir for the last half of free time. Right after choir was the game, then snacks, and counselor corner again.
That was the routine for the week.
My experience was much deeper than a mere routine. I was always busy doing something whether it was watching the kids at swim time, helping out with competitions, making the food, distributing it, cleaning up the cabin(which was never 100% until everyone left and the counselors completely cleaned it out), or helping in the snack shop. Even while working, I still found time to spend with the kids. I learned most of their names. I learned how to not just deal with, but actually communicate with the kids who were always whining or would not pay attention. I gained so much experience by being around them and just talking with them.
The second night, I had been thinking about my situation back home and how upset I had been. I honestly had lost faith that one person in particular could ever be saved. How hypocritical of me, right? I consider myself as having an extremely large amount of faith and trust in God in all things and yet I didn't think He could ever save this person. Nor would this person ever turn to Him anyway. But the second night at camp, the little girl in the bunk next to me randomly began to tell me about King Ahab and that he was the most evil king ever and he got saved. I really needed that story then more than ever and I still can't believe it came from the mouth of a child. It really proved to me that God can use anything. He is there and He cares more than you know.

Fort Jackson Summer Camp June, 2007

Last year I went to Fort Jackson for JCLC Carolina. It's a camp that I was able to attend through the Junior ROTC program at my school. I had so much fun there and did really well in the competitions, so my instructors decided I should go again this year. I will be leaving on June 16th and will be there until the 20th. This year I will come back with many pictures and stories. Here's what I brought back from last year's experiences.

The following are the actual journal entries I kept with the exception of the italicized print in parentheses which were added later as my commentary.

Day 1, Monday June 11:

We showed up at camp before most other schools. our cabin was open but we didn't know it so we sat outside for like 5 hours. when we went in, i unpacked some of my stuff and ppl continuously got moved around. i thankfully stayed at the bed and locker i started with. i met a few ppl. got Fire Watch and Clean up lists together and then had to redo them three times b/c the STUPID chaperone didn't know what to do. omg. so gay. read my bible. took a cold shower at 10 pm-lights out. and did fire watch for an hour and a half.(basically all you do is pace back and forth in the barracks w/ a flash light) then passed out. -Byrd

Day 2, Tuesday June 12:

We're getting fussed at by the "chaperones". This is all BS. W/e. Today i did the wall repel. twice. It was pretty cool. (i started out wrong both times and ended up hitting the wall at the top the first time and flipping upside down 30sumthin feet in the air the second time and got up, well, i was parallel to the ground, and repelled down like a pro the rest of the way) Then I did this 10 Station thing answering all kinds of questions and stuff. I think I did pretty good.(it tested a lot of military knowledge) Then we hiked all the way back and ate lunch.(it was the longest walk i have ever taken. and after lunch we had to go all the way back) I called so many cadences. :) I had to carry the flag a couple of times. (the "guide-arms-bearer" who i called flag boy, disappeared for a little while and i grabbed the flag because we had to have someone carry it.) Next- Land Nav. I did compass. We did everything perfect, but we didn't have our directions.(i used the compass in a group of 4. one guy went up ahead to scout for any markers, points we were supposed to find and two people trailed behind counting steps. we went exactly where we were supposed to go but our first point did not have any directions for our group so we used another group's directions and it led us straight to the exit) Me and Poteat have gotten a lot closer now.(My, shall we say, interest while at camp. he seemed to like me as well.) I met Logan and Will.(Logan had been in a leadership position the day before so i had seen him around adn i had heard of will through Poteat.) I saw some Airport ppl too. (they were in the other company so i almost never got to see them)We also did a couple different tests.( i did very well :))Me and Poteat sat by each other at this Math and Science thing.(we made one sided pieces of paper and battery powered cars. tipper adn Poteat had the fastest car there and me and my partner dude had a retarded spastic car that merely twitched and wouldn't go anywhere) I know things wont work out-NC- but I'm worrying anyway.(Poteat's from a school in NC) Magan and Kristina were flirting w/ him i think.(2 of the girls in my cabin) But what about Aaron?( a guy i kinda like(d) that goes to my school) I might get my hair done tomorrow. :)( a lot of the black girls were doing other girls hair and i wanted mine done so it wouldn't keep going in my face) -Byrd

Day 3, Wednesday June 13:

We were supposed to go to sleep at 9 and its after 10.(while i was writing this obviously)We picked Drill Team members this morning. We wont do well because we don't know what we're gonna do. I got to call cadences. again.We fired a simulation like i did before.(I did that once before at the front of ft Jackson) I did pretty good. Poteat and Magan seemed to hang around each other a lot. I got jealous. We did like video game shooting. I drove a hummer thing and killed Poteat more than once.(in the game obviously) :) and didn't know it was him until after the game was over and we had gone outside. Got a little sunburned.(it looked like blush) Did the biathlon. (where you have to run and then do marksmanship. 3 stations, 5 rounds at each station and 3 targets. biggest about size of baseball worth 1 pt for hitting it, middle target size of 50 cent piece 3pts for hitting, and small target size of a quarter 5 pts.) I had some asthma problems but I was alright. I did really good. my score was 30 total. 5pts(station 1), 14pts(station 2), 11pts(station 3). Top score I heard was 55. I took 30 minutes though. We ate and then went canoeing. Me and Poteat were selected to be the demonstrators. it was fun. and funny.:)I asked him if he and Magan were talking. He didn't know what I meant. He says he kinda does like her. She is pretty. At supper, right after drill, Magan said she doesn't like him like that. She wants me to tell him i like him. NO WAY!! Zach Scheper had a seizure yesterday.(While i was writing i realized that i didn't record that the day before so i stuck it in there randomly. as i tend to things. i had just gotten down off of the repel tower for the second time and was walking away when i heard a man yell from behind me. i turned around and saw a boy having a seizure. i stepped closer to see who it was and found out it was Zach. the only other person from BCHS in my grade. everyone else was a year below us. the adults sent the kids away from the area and towards the bleachers. 1SGt Mitchell asked if anyone knew the kid and if anyone went to his school. i told him i did so he called me over there by Zach while the medics were taking care of him and i had to answer all these questions. when we were through and they loaded Zach into the ambulance, i went to walk away and i started having an asthma attack. thankfully i had my inhaler. that was only the third time in my life I've had an asthma attack when i wasn't running.)Oh, canoe, we had a race and me and Poteat would have won, but I burned myself out at practice. (we came in third)On the way back from canoeing, I tripped and stumbled so much! (I later found bruises everywhere) Poteat let me have some of his water because mine was empty. Back at the barracks at night i was reading my Bible and a girl wanted to read w/ me. we ended up praying with Jazmine(my friend in the top bunk next to me.)Then I prayed w/ a group of about 10. wow. I got to use a phone to call my daddy today. and i think were doing ropes course tomorrow. I miss Poteat. Met Etta and April and played w/ my poof ball pillow w/ Jazmine. :) -Byrd

Day 4, Thursday June 14:

Supposed to be company 1SGt. Brittany Glover got it. I missed board meeting.(i was selected for it which says a lot. the board meeting is the only way you could become an honor cadet and even have a high rank in the battalion. I didn't know i was selected to go until the next morning when the meeting was already over and they already had their ppl.) Am up for Iron Woman tomorrow.... go figure. Did high ropes.( so awesome. climb up a wooden pole by the staples sticking out. go across a rope bridge. then you have a cable above you and one beneath your feet. go across that and you come to a cable under your feet and ropes hanging down that you have to reach out to. next you walk across a pole. then its the most fun part. the zip line.)Got pep talked by Magan.(she kept telling me to tell Poteat that i liked him and i tried to tell her he liked her not me.) Ate. Got told not to tell him.(she talked to him at chow and he said he wouldn't try to start a relationship w/ n e 1 at camp because it wouldn't work, long distance) Did leadership challenge. (We were awesome)1st Squad.(I yelled 'what squad are we?' and they answered "first squad" over and over :)) Teamwork. ( hands in. 1-2-3- TEAMWORK!)We cool.(everyone got a nickname: Spiderman, Goldilocks, Spotter Boy, Flag Boy, Teddy Bear, Big Boy, Cap, Flag Boy, Crackhead, Pretty Boy, and Brookland Cayce-me.) Ate. Talked w/ 1SGt Mitchell at chow. Did drill.(it was so-so) Got stressed. Cried. Went to nurse.(Leila from airport was there and she hugged me and i cried on her shoulder. She so has cool points.) -Byrd

Day 5, Friday June 15:

Woke up. Formed up. Did drill practice.(once again, still so-so) ate. Drill Competition.(we messed up so bad) changed(into pt uniform). hung out w/ Magan. Did Iron Woman: 4 push-ups, 26 sit-ups, 9:00 on mile run.(minute faster than ive ever done. it rained when we lined up on the starting line. I never stopped and never walked. i got my breathing under control while running. never been able to do that before.) Came in last overall. but gave it my all.(everybody was cheering for me when i crossed that finish line) Didnt get an award at awards ceremony. I got first place in knockout in front of almost whole camp.(some ppl ,including Poteat and my friend Lexis, were doing water balloon toss outside.) At the end, ppl w/ talents went up.(i wanted to go up there. i sing. i went up. i didn't know what song. when i picked my song, i asked the Major in charge if i could go last and that it was important. he said yeah and b4 i went he told every body to form up. he anounced taht a young lady wanted to sing the national anthem.) I sang Star Spangled Banner In FRONT of EVERYBODY.( my first solo ever. I've always wanted to sing teh national anthem to a crowd.) I love this camp. EVERYBODY was cheering so loudly!(all night and even the next day ppl were telling me how good it was. it was a tear jerker for me.) -Byrd

Day 6, Saturday June 16:

At 3:17 in the morning, SGt Bennet woke all the girls on my side of the barricks up because one girl stopped fire watch early. we were all yelled at and threatened and i had fire watch at 4:30 til 5:30. i also had to do clean up. adn have all of my stuff packed and on the bus before formation which i had to be in by 5:55. so every time i walked by my locker i would change an article of clothing or pack sumthing so i wouldnt get in trouble for not doing fire watch. after clean up i got a bunch of ppls numbers and email addresses. then we had to go do graduation. i could see my dad from where i was standing. after we marched off teh field, i gave so many hugs to all teh other cadets that i knew i would soon be missing so much. i had everything about camp stuck in my head the rest of the day adn into the night. marching cadences, etc. i was on the phone w/ James until like 11:30 when we were both getting really tired so we called it a night. -Byrd

Tagged

I will be leaving in the morning to be a counselor at Junior Camp.

• Link the person(s) who tagged you
• Mention the rules on your blog
• Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours
  
• Tag 6 following bloggers by linking them (or 5)
  
• Leave a comment on each of the tagged bloggers' blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged
  

I was tagged by J. at I'm Having A Thought Here.

See Rules above.

1)I cannot stand repetition in a conversation.
2)I am obsessed with numbers and patterns. They are in Everything.
3)If it sparkles, I like it.
4)I become extremely nauseous when I know someone is lying to me.
5)I get terrified at the mere sight of any form of cockroaches but I can handle any other bugs.
6)When I meet someone I almost always see either their potential or their past.

Junebug
It's A Funny Thing
Kitchen Table Medicine
Nehemiah
Jessieh Speaks

When I return, I will let you know how feels to be a teenager spending a week in a two-room cabin with a bunch of elementary school kids. And what happens while there. I hope you enjoy the rest of your week.

Here's To You

There are few individuals that cease to amuse me. One of whom is a woman I recently came to know quite well. We have had similar experiences although she has had many more than I. I'm finally taking the time to brag on her a bit seeing as how I've wanted to post something about her for a while now. Although there are times words just can't quite explain everything, I shall try. She's a huge source of my encouragement and motivation, a true woman who is deeply beautiful in so many ways and I'm so thankful that I've been able to grow closer to her. I have learned so much from watching and listening to her and seeing the mother in her, the wife, the lady, the girl. As I still have more growing up to do, I'm paying attention to others and their choices along with the effects of their past actions. I'm being influenced by so much and I'm so glad that one of my strongest influences is right there when I need her. No one is perfect, but this person seems to strive harder than many I know. Her unwavering beliefs and utmost dedication to the important things in life push me to strive for better than what I previously settled for. She is my inspiration for starting this blog, which is no where near as interesting as hers, but it's a start. She has dreams of becoming a writer and I have no doubt those dreams will be accomplished soon enough. She loves, works, and thrives. It leaves me amazed. Her and her husband (they are the sweetest, most in love couple I have ever known), have raised 4 brilliant children
all seeking to please Christ. Johnny Depp is another love of hers and it is because of her fascination that I came to see him for more than just Captain Jack. I now can appreciate him as the marvelous actor and legendary man he is.
So thank you for all you have taught me. I have gained so much as a result of our friendship and none of it will be forgotten. Neither will you.