Omega Benji 2014 (I think I'm in charge?)

So Impact.

That Christian orientation camp I've blogged about like six million times? The experience as a freshman, two years of counselorship (is that a word?), and all other things involved with it? Yeah that. Well, my leadership in that has expanded.

Each camp--consisting of 18 people--is split up into three different roles (it's lopsided, don't worry about it). Of that, 14 are counselors (what I've been). Two of those are on prayer team, which their sole job is to pray for and support everyone else in the camp. So they basically have to be real servant hearted. The last two are the cochairs, who are like the parents of the group.

So...just call me Mom.

Yeah, for whatever reason the executive leaders of Impact decided to put me in a power position. There are 54 cochairs total--27 girls and 27 guys. We are then split up into sessions--Alpha is first, Delta is second, and Omega is the last. Then we get our camps, which are named after the twelve tribes of Israel. We only use 9 of those and I don't know why we use the 9 that we do. They also have corresponding colors that Impact has given them to identify themselves. Asher (aqua), Benjamin (Benji--yellow), Gad (orange), Issachar (silver), Reuben (red), Simeon (green), Zebulun (purple), Judah (royal blue), and Naphtali (pink). My first year I was Asher, the next I was Gad, and now I'm Benji.

Last year, I informed my roommates that I didn't want Gad. I got Gad. This year, I told them I didn't want Benji. I got Benji. This is all purely based on color preferences.

I know that God is just up there loling away.

So my partnerships are going to be super important this year. My fellow cochair Tyler and I will essentially be the ones setting the tone for the camp. We'll be the "counselor" models for our counselors to follow. It's us. We will set a vision for our camp, pick counselors who fit that, and start building relationships with them so they can better share the Gospel to their freshman in August. Needless to say, Tyler and I will be working with each other quite a bit.

Then there are my stud prayer teamers--Emma and Elijah. Emma was a cochair last year, so she's going to be such a great support role for me this year because she's been there. She and I will be each others support as well as the support to our girl counselors. Tyler and Elijah will have the same roles but with the dudes in our camp.

Right now, it's just the four of us that make up Omega Benji. The other 14 will come in February (eeeek!). And then the other 70 will get here in August (waddup, fightin Texas Aggie class of 2018).

It's incredible how the Lord has shown how specifically I am made to be a cochair this year. Through the little things and the big things, there is not a shadow of a doubt in my mind that this is where I am supposed to be. Following Christ. Leading a camp. Tyler and I have our work cut out for us, even with the help and endless prayers of Emma and Elijah. But I am confident in the job that has been set before me and that I will not be given more than I can handle. The Enemy will threaten and scare and lie. But I stand on the Solid Rock. And the Lord God will not let me be moved.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9.

I don't get Gossip Girl

Here's the deal, you guys. My roommates love that CW show Gossip Girl and never stop talking about how beautiful the love between Chuck Bass and Blair Waldorf is. The whole concept of the show--bratty, rich, Upper East Side-rs who text everyone's secrets to this one person who then spills all the secrets to everyone on the list server--is completely ridiculous. "Who am I? That's one secret I'll never tell. XOXO, Gossip Girl."

I love shows like 24 and Prison Break. Give me an epic "save the world" story any day. But my curiosity got the better of me this weekend and I ventured into the great unknown of Manhattan's most privileged fictional characters.

I finished the first season today. Yeah, that took all of 4 days. But even after cranking through 18 episodes like it was my job, I still just don't get it. Chuck Bass is a creep. Blair is the worst. Nate and Dan are the only ones with a moral bone in their bodies. And Serena has all kinds of skeletons in her closet. What's the allure? Why does anyone watch this show? Why am I?

My reasoning is twofold. The first reason I think I'm still watching it is to see when Chuck Bass stops being the worst and when his character finally develops into the swoon-worthy stud of a man Rachel, Myles, and Joy talk about all the time. Right now he's just kind of a creep. The second reason is that their lives are so privileged. Chuck Bass hands out $10,000 just for funsies. Blair can just fly to France whenever she wants to.

Normal people aren't like that.

Normal people don't have a couple hundred thousand dollars in a trust fund or get lunches that cost $120 on a weekday.

So maybe that's the pull. These people live absolutely crazy lives of money and parties and easy come, easy go. Their happiness is hard and short-lived, but it is so fun to watch. The roller coaster that they ride on every day is fascinating to Suburbia, USA.

Do I wish my biggest struggle of the day is having to live in a luxury hotel? Sure. I wouldn't hate that. But I do want unlimited money for my own usage at my fingertips? I don't know. Money is made by people and people have a tendency to be greedy and self-serving. Not all of us are controlled by that, but there's a piece in all of us that is.

The drama that constantly surrounds them is interesting to watch, but nothing in me wants that for myself.

So is that it? Their lives are so amazingly crazy, it reminds us of our sanity?

I don't have an answer. I wish I did, because after I've bashed the show for so long, my roommates are teasing me for caving now.

This is a weird post. I'll keep y'all updated if I find any deep revelations about the human condition in my continued watching.

Keep it Classy, Ags

A&M is known for being a loud and proud university (even when we didn't necessarily have the bragging rights to be so). Since the rise of a nationally-best offense on the football field and a bigger freshman class than ever before, our right to brag has, well, been justified to an extent.

But this is not a post to talk about how great A&M is (even though I totally could because duh).

This is also not one of those stupid open letters that crop up every 4.7 hours on Facebook.

This is a reminder to the 51,000+ students at this university to stay classy.

In 1876, Texas A&M University was founded as an all-male agriculture and mechanical university where every student was a member of the military-oriented Corps of Cadets. It was based on honor, integrity, service, respect. Through the development of a football team, organized student yells, and an undeniable spirit that can ne'er be told, we began to hold such qualities with very high esteem.

Somewhere along the line, we've managed to lose sight of some of those.

Old Army Ags will look at us, shake their heads, and grumble about this "New Army".

I think it needs to be said that "New Army" in this context is not a positive thing.

New Army is the loss of traditions that Old Ags hold near and dear. Not hissing an Aggie. Not booing during football games. Being respectful to classmates and fans repping a different color shirt. Not dropping the f-bomb after every missed tackle or showing up to the game high as a kite. Not giving dirty looks to people who encroach on your standing space. Not doing a paper, finishing homework, or studying for a test.

Not taking the "respect" aspect of the six core values of A&M seriously. 

Aggies, hold onto the traditions we were built on. 

This is not about how we've totally and completely fallen away from who we are as a university and a body of students. I have seen how we still make our founders proud. Chivalry is still thriving here in Aggieland. The way we treat fans from other teams is a testament to the fact that we are the Aggies, the Aggies are we. Kyle Field has been louder than I've ever heard it during some of these games. We've united for cold and rainy Silver Taps. We aren't afraid to smile at a stranger if we make eye contact with them while walking to class.

A&M is, arguably, one of the friendliest campuses in the nation.

So why are we having a hard time reflecting those things when Johnny scrambles around outside the pocket or we get a bad grade on a test? Why is our first inclination to curse under our breath and boo at our quarterback?

I want to be able to proudly say that my university still considers the values it was founded on to be its guides even today. But how can I do that when the guys behind me at the game are calling my roommate an "effing retard" when she wobbled off the bleachers because we were all crammed in together?

Ags, think about why you chose to go to A&M. Yeah, you'll get a good education that will send you into the real world with a real chance of getting a job. But the traditions, the values, the honor, the feeling of slipping that gold Aggie bling onto your finger--doesn't any of that stand for something?


It does for me. I can only hope that it does for you too.

Thanks, and gig 'em.