Delightful

            Let me preface today’s bloggish thought by pointing out that the word delightful is defined by its sound. Doesn’t delightful just sound... well, delightful? Yes, if you can’t tell by my happy jabbering, I’m smiling benevolently on life at the moment.

I spent four weeks of June and July at a wonderful spot called Camp Wildwood in New Brunswick, Canada. It was my second summer as a member of camp staff. Needless to say, I spent many of those hours laughing my head off and carrying on like a crazy person. See, at camp, we live life loud. We lose our voices at campfire and Praise Craze. We get so tired that everything is funny and singing songs loudly becomes perfectly appropriate. We get whipped cream in the face and then throw it at each other (and then spend approximately twenty hours in the shower trying to get it off). We dress our campers up like minions or human crayons. We spend our weekends at friends’ houses, discovering chickens under our tent at 2 in the morning. We (I) kill June bugs. We get drenched in the rain or during Wet-n-Wild Duck Duck Goose. We stay up late talking about God, life and boys. We are shaped and taught by our awesome Father. We always have kids attached to our arms or sitting in our laps. We die laughing at some of the things campers say. We learn to comfort and hug a crying, homesick kid. We fall back in love with our Savior. It’s not always fun. In fact, sometimes, it’s downright heart-wrenching. But, I left knowing I’d left a branch of my family and a piece of my heart in McKee’s Mills. It forces you to live. That’s why I consider it a delightful place, unlike any other.

(Photo Credits to the incredible Kirsten Gargan, check her out!)

Prince Edward Island is, arguably, the most beautiful place on Earth. I live in a summer house that is a little less than a kilometre away from a red sandstone cliff and a beautiful rocky beach that can be explored and walked on for hours without seeing anyone else. It’s about rest there. We’re five minutes from the best fish and chips (and chicken fingers) in the world. We’re ten minutes from a stunning National Park, home to majestic dunes and yet another stunning beach. We’re forty-five minutes from Singing Sands, another incredible spot. The ocean, cold and occasionally jellyfishy, is our private swimming pool. The sunsets never disappoint. Oh, and PEI is home to Anne of Green Gables: The Musical. This summer’s viewing was my fifth. Live theatre never fails to inspire me, especially this show. I literally grew up on these books. The story of Anne and Gilbert is my favourite love story of all time. We also went on an annual 30 k bike ride with some family friends. This year, we got rained on. Then we sat under an overhanging at the nearby National Park’s information centre where my brother proceeded to karate kick the handicapped button and open the door for the various people walking in. My family’s not even traditionally weird, but they are prés que parfait. “Sempre en frente.”

Now, I’m home. Four days before school starts, and senior year is officially here. It’s so delightful to be home, to see the friends that Canada isn’t complete without. I spent my first day in Kenya playing some footy, getting some tackle practice in, debating the appearance of a half-octopus and half-man, learning the Parent Trap handshake with my best friend, sitting and chatting with the same best friend over a Malindi Chai Latte and a shared banana split at Java House, and then, sorting through various collections of stuff in my room. Spring cleaning. My dogs are thrilled to see their family home and the African sun shone for me today.  Thus, delightful. Even more delightful is the thought that God is walking with me still. He doesn’t need airplanes to get around (which reminds me, I need to write an entire blog post about why I hate Heathrow Airport). 

“The world tried to break me, I found a road to take me home. There ain’t nothing but a blue sky now. After all of my running, I’m finally coming home.” – Gwyneth Paltrow in Country Strong