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2 Reason Why My Heart Is In Alaska

My new second home is Alaska. My heart will always grow more and more every time I visit or think of what I've learned there.

Summer Jones

Oct 03, 2017

University of Georgia

Summer Jones

"I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth." - Psalm 121:1-2

For the past two summers I have been to Wasilla, Alaska to do mission work at a girl's camp at Laverne Griffin Recreation Camp. Spoiler-alert: I left my heart in Alaska (don't really know how I'm typing this right now without a full aortic pump*, but oh hey Jesus' got my back). Anyway, thought I'd give y'all an insight on this amazing, majestic place that God led me to.

Alaska displays God's pure beauty.

Just Google Alaska mountains and you'll be looking up flights to Anchorage in no time. God really showed off when he created mountains (in general), but the mountains in Alaska, omg(osh). When we first arrived in Anchorage, we had to drive to the campgrounds and the entire hour (even after 24 hours of travelling) I didn't want to blink because I didn't want to miss anything. It was 2:00 a.m. and was broad daylight with the sun sitting atop the mountain peaks, because for 6 months out of the year, the lights don't go out in Alaska. During those amazing two weeks spent in Wasilla, we found many wild flowers, moose, and otters. It's crazy to think that the Lord made all those beautiful mountains, land, and creatures, would make a being so unworthy of his time as me.

I met the most extraordinary girls.

We served a camp that was for the little girls ages ranging from 5 to 10. The cutest, most extraordinary little girls you'd ever meet. They will steal your heart the very first time they look at you with their big brown Alaskan eyes. Some of them grew up in church, so those girls knew Bible verses by heart, and even more than that they surprised with asking about topics such as predestination. If the girls didn't surprise you with wander and intelligence, they surprised you with random acts of love that only comes from above. Those girls gave the best hugs ever, the kind where they run as fast as they can with their little feet and once they wrap their arms around your neck you almost fall backwards from the impact. Yep, the impact they have had on my life is that big, as big as their hugs.

If you ever get the chance to go to the last frontier, for any reason, I highly recommend going. God will either awe you with his creation or teach you something about his love you never knew before.

*stolen from Joey from an episode of Friends

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2 Reason Why My Heart Is In Alaska

My new second home is Alaska. My heart will always grow more and more every time I visit or think of what I've learned there.

Alaska displays God's pure beauty.

I met the most extraordinary girls.

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The struggle bus is real.

1. Child prodigies:

2. Hearing other musicians in the practice room next door and accepting that you will never be as talented as them:

3. That anxiety that takes over before every performance:

4. Taking a million 0 credit classes:

5. When there's a paper due the next day, but you have to attend yet another concert in order to pass a 0 credit class:

6. When your friends try to encourage you after a performance, even though you are criticizing everything in your mind:

7. Knowing that there's always that one professor during juries:

8. The oh-so-attractive band/choir uniforms:

9. Realizing that a college campus is maybe not the best atmosphere to finish your latest composition:

10. Hearing "Oh, you sing opera? I LOVE Phantom of the Opera!" for the hundredth time:

11. When people think finals week is a breeze for you.

12. When you're drowning in the stress that comes with 18+ credits (and not to mention all those 0 credit classes) and people ask you how you are:

13. When it all comes down to it, though, you know that at the end of the day, music is your passion:

We don't buy into these... just like how we don't buy our friends.

8. "The whole philanthropy thing isn't real, right?"

7. "I don't need to buy my friends."

6. "Oh, so I'll bet you love to drink."

5. "Can you tell me some of your secrets?"

4. "What do you do at your meetings?"

3. "Do you guys haze really badly?"

2. "Is it just like in the movies?"

1. "Sororities are so basic."

There are plenty of obstacles that come when taking care of kids, but it's a very rewarding experience.

1. You get excited when the parents purchase season passes to the pool.

2. You've become friends with the stay-at-home moms in town.

3. You get a chance to eat "kid foods" again.

4. You've traded in your cute purse for a large tote bag.

5. You have at least one car seat in your backseat.

6. Their nap time is your happy time.

7. Lunch time can be a disaster.

8. You have to play the same board games repeatedly.

9. You catch yourself using the same lines your parents once told you.

10. Your "mom-mode" kicks in at times.

11. Your heart melts a little when they do something cute.

You'll never find any souvenirs with your name on it

1. You know you are up next when the teacher pauses while taking attendance

2. When “I’m going to do my very best to make sure I know all your names” is said, it may or may be an empty promise

3. “Wow! That sounds so cool! Where is your family from?”

4. You dread when people ask you to repeat your name over and over because it “sounds so cool when you say it”

5. There’s a 50/50 chance that your name will come back either correct or incorrect at Starbucks

6. People try to find shorter, easier nicknames for you instead of calling you by your actual name

7. When someone famous or fictional character shares your name, you get so happy

8. “What’s your name?” “It’s [name]” “I’m sorry, what was it again?”

9. You’ve pretty much seen every misspelling and heard every mispronunciation of your name throughout your life

10. When you find another person with an “ethnic” sounding name, you both get excited

11. Despite the struggles, your name is pretty unique… just like you

Can I be excused for the rest of my life?

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