Island Living

(Note: I wrote this 24 hours ago.)

I’m in a lovely gingham-checked, floralled-out private room at Barnabas Landing on Keat’s Island. This is a quick 24 hour trip for me, 18 on the island and six traveling.

It’s almost 11 pm and I can’t find an internet connection. There are no TV’s here. And there is no cell phone signal.  As far as I can tell, everyone else  at the camp went to bed an hour or so ago.  No one is in the common areas or out walking around in the courtyard.

Both my windows are open and there’s a sweet ocean breeze that is making this room comfortably cool and fresh. And right outside my room? Is the water wheel, turning water. The splashes and gurgles are musical and soothing.  I love it here.

Besides hoping that I will be a blessing in this place and not dead weight, the thing that has been on my mind for over a week, is my hair. It’s rainy season – and this is a camp. A really nice camp, true enough. But all the 

buildings are detached and the walkway from the shore to the courtyard is not covered. And my bangs will hang in my eyes regardless of how much product I put in them if they get wet.

I prayed about it. The rain. Not my hair. Well maybe my hair. But it rained anyway. Just for a few minutes. Just the minutes when I walked from the dock to the training room. Then the rain stopped.

But the damage was done.

The last time I was here (just for an afternoon), I brought my butane curling iron with me, and rebent my bangs on every break. They zing out - poker straight - at even the slightest hint of moisture. And that sucks man.

And the curling iron that I packed? The one that I took to England and used repeatedly many times every day (because we had moist weather there too)? That curling iron? Stopped functioning today.

So. I have flat, sticky-outy bangs that are hanging straight into my eyes and I’m trying not to allow this to  become the foremost thing on my mind while I’m here. Because I’m here, on an island with amazing leaders, pastors, trainers, food, scenery, sounds and really. I hate my hair.

Three things I'm thankful for:

1. Opportunities to hang out with some of the next generation's top leaders. How lucky am I?

2. If the only thing I hate is my hair, then I'm pretty lucky.

3. A great night's sleep. Seven perfect hours. I could live next to an ocean, easily.

My room is the bottom one to the right of the stairs. Pink flowers under my window:

Right outside my window.

I know!