So I have had a great chance to practice cruelty to animals this summer by catching some mice! The first time I had to deal with this was when I was called to go check on a fire alarm going off in a room. I get there and the people inside (who didn’t even care about the alarm now) just went off on how there was a mice in their room and how I need to get rid of them and that they aren’t going to pay so much money (these people also had a discount) to have mice in their room. I looked around the room for a live, scurrying around mouse…instead I found this critter with the plastic cheese in his mouth looking lifeless and curious (I think that in his last moments he thought to himself “man, this cheese is hard and tasteless”). So I tried to hurry out of the room because after that incident I just needed to go laugh it all off a while before taking the body to the dumpster. But the old lady just kept telling me how she doesn’t want mice and then I couldn’t hold it anymore…I started laughing. Appalled she looks at me and with a serious tone told me that it’s not a laughing matter. I politely told her that I know it’s not a matter to be laughing at and that I would go get some things and be back later to catch their mouse. I ran out of the room laughing thinking “WHY WAS A MOUSE IN THAT TRAP!!!! AAAAAAAA”.
Incident number two happens just the next day. I’m doing regular housekeeping and I’m getting ready to dump the trash. It’s dark in the corner where the cans were and so I just pick up the cans not thinking twice…all of a sudden there was movement in the can so I look down and see it. I FREAK OUT yelling for Heather to come and see this. I sit on the bed because that just startled me and Heather takes the trashcan outside to let the thing go (she’s against killing things) and then she comes back. She goes on telling me that there was not only a live mouse but a half decomposed/eaten mouse and poop everywhere. She told me to wear gloves to clean the trashcan out. I told her I’m calling for a new trashcan. So we give the poopcan to Henry and he asks what’s inside of it and I tell him mouse poop and he was sad that we didn’t give the mice to him.
Numero thres happened in the VIP room a couple weeks later. I’m helping a group clean up there because that day I was a couple minutes late and Todd just told me to do odd jobs so I got to help them. I look over, under the wood burning, because I saw a trap and now my mind is totally expecting to see a micey in them. So I see this creature bloated to about double the size. Again I start freaking out saying “REALLY…who lets the mice stay there that long???” So I tell everyone we have to pop the body before we throw it away…no one believing me they throw it in a bag and take it out.
And, as I’m sitting here writing this in the housekeeping office I see a mouse scurry around the floor under my feet…
23 September 2009
Mouse Stories - read at your own risk
So I have had a great chance to practice cruelty to animals this summer by catching some mice! The first time I had to deal with this was when I was called to go check on a fire alarm going off in a room. I get there and the people inside (who didn’t even care about the alarm now) just went off on how there was a mice in their room and how I need to get rid of them and that they aren’t going to pay so much money (these people also had a discount) to have mice in their room. I looked around the room for a live, scurrying around mouse…instead I found this critter with the plastic cheese in his mouth looking lifeless and curious (I think that in his last moments he thought to himself “man, this cheese is hard and tasteless”). So I tried to hurry out of the room because after that incident I just needed to go laugh it all off a while before taking the body to the dumpster. But the old lady just kept telling me how she doesn’t want mice and then I couldn’t hold it anymore…I started laughing. Appalled she looks at me and with a serious tone told me that it’s not a laughing matter. I politely told her that I know it’s not a matter to be laughing at and that I would go get some things and be back later to catch their mouse. I ran out of the room laughing thinking “WHY WAS A MOUSE IN THAT TRAP!!!! AAAAAAAA”.
Incident number two happens just the next day. I’m doing regular housekeeping and I’m getting ready to dump the trash. It’s dark in the corner where the cans were and so I just pick up the cans not thinking twice…all of a sudden there was movement in the can so I look down and see it. I FREAK OUT yelling for Heather to come and see this. I sit on the bed because that just startled me and Heather takes the trashcan outside to let the thing go (she’s against killing things) and then she comes back. She goes on telling me that there was not only a live mouse but a half decomposed/eaten mouse and poop everywhere. She told me to wear gloves to clean the trashcan out. I told her I’m calling for a new trashcan. So we give the poopcan to Henry and he asks what’s inside of it and I tell him mouse poop and he was sad that we didn’t give the mice to him.
Numero thres happened in the VIP room a couple weeks later. I’m helping a group clean up there because that day I was a couple minutes late and Todd just told me to do odd jobs so I got to help them. I look over, under the wood burning, because I saw a trap and now my mind is totally expecting to see a micey in them. So I see this creature bloated to about double the size. Again I start freaking out saying “REALLY…who lets the mice stay there that long???” So I tell everyone we have to pop the body before we throw it away…no one believing me they throw it in a bag and take it out.
And, as I’m sitting here writing this in the housekeeping office I see a mouse scurry around the floor under my feet…
TONIGHT
So I’m night portering tonight and two of my biggest fears happened. First the golf cart dies on me as I’m driving it around to turn on porch lights. I’m driving using one foot to push and the other to punch the gas hoping it would work again. People see me doing this and helped push me to the front desk. I felt so embarrassed…but realized people are nice to people who look pathetic and helpless! Then after I grabbed another golf cart I had to throw away some garbage in the dumpster. Well as I was tossing in the bag the wooden fence (each dumpster has one to make garbage more esthetically pleasing) door closes behind me. I bang on the door, push on the door, feel around for a latch, and can’t find anything. I call on my radio for help, everyone laughing; I finally find a wire and push it open…stupid dumpster door. Ok so it was dark and I couldn’t see the wire latch. Now that my fears have happened I need to come up with different ones!
22 September 2009
Thoughts on the Summer
It’s been four months…I have one month. People have left. The leaves are changing and it’s felt like autumn for a month now even though today is the first official day. I really lacked in my blog writing. I wonder if people really read this…I know at least 3 do…not counting my dad because the print is too small. You can’t be a Jr. Ranger at any age, only from like 5 -12, I missed that boat. If you smell poop then you are probably close to it somewhere. I have taken a total of five pictures this summer but I made friends with people who are better at taking pictures and have more expensive cameras. Learn people’s names and use them, you will make friends with people that way kind of unsuspectingly. I really like Signal Mountain, the people, the company, and the food. I have learned to plunge toilets with courage, take care of mice problems with strength, and how to take each incident with humor. I have realized urinals are stupid because guys will just pee on the floor anyway. Some companies send their laundry out to another company for them to do, we are more hard-core then that. Golf carts are super awesome to drive. Sunsets and sunrises are to amazing to pass up most of my life. Smores are SOOOO good with peanut butter or nutella. I love hiking. Climbing mountains is over rated. I think I might take a brown comforter from one of the guest rooms, they are so cool. It’s ok to spend extra money on food, especially on food you can’t pronounce. I miss Kansas sunsets. I can’t wait to ski. I can’t wait to see all my friends from home and to also visit friends I have made this summer. The real world is overrated. I’m getting dreadlocks sometime in my life. If you smell pee then you are probably close to it somewhere. I’m going to Iceland sometime in my life. Mold is over-rated. Bears like people…especially people covered in honey. Music is amazing. Hiking in the dark is exhilarating. Life’s better when you dress-up occasionally, in fine attire and in a costume. It’s amazing to know what it feels like to not be judged and just loved. It’s amazing to figure out a way to not judge and just love. Job uniforms are stupid and it’s ridiculous that I can’t wear my belts, headband, or tie-dye shirt visibly. Alone time is needed - hiking, running, driving, eating, etc. can be great experiences. Make the most of everything, especially when your boss says he’ll provide the food as long as you write down what you want!
Last Sermon
Overall the ministry I was involved with was a good experience. It started out rough but I learned tons and really realized just how big OUR God is!!! The last service happened on August 30th. After that all the ministry people were leaving to go back to school. So that morning Katelyn, Lee, and I got to stay at Signal and we did a special service where each of us talked about what we learned this summer. Below is my sermon, give or take, but it keeps hitting me that this is really the big thing God has enlightened me and shown me what I lack……………………
TITLE: Shortcutting Causes Soul Erosion -
On a hike my friends and I read a sign that said “Horses must stay on the trail”. Well of course we wondered why and jokingly came up with the idea that horses knew that taking short cuts on a trail will start to cause soil erosion and lead to deaths of flowers, grasses, and scenery. As we kept hiking a thought came to me and took my attention back to the phrase “Shortcutting leads to soil erosion”. I realized that it can apply to more of life then just soil; it applies also to the soul.
So I sat down and decided what things I shortcut from my life; such as waking up and running in the morning and getting exercise, eating healthy meals and not just junk, and getting good amounts of sleep there are also spiritual shortcuts like skipping on reading the Bible daily, not praying, and not fellowshipping with others or encouraging others or being encouraged. The big shortcut that I discovered from the summer is endurance and giving up and not persevering on tasks before me.
As a housekeeper I have days where we clean five rooms and all of them have dishes in the sink, tons of hair in the bathtub, sheets on the floor, and rocks in the carpet. I want to just sit down and call my boss and tell him that I can’t take it anymore and that I’m done for the day. I knew if I did that my boss would think I’m not a very good worker and my co-workers would be angry about me not pulling my load.
This also happens on hikes. Some hikes here in the Tetons go straight up with very few spots of even ground. By the time you get anywhere your legs are tired and your lungs hurt from the strain. While I was hiking Hanging Canyon I felt this way and I wanted to stop and turn around so bad. As we kept pushing on the view became magnificent looking at Jenny and Jackson Lake below us and gorgeous Goat’s Head and Lake of the Crags ahead of us. If I would have stopped hiking then I would not have had these amazing views and I would’ve missed the snow/ice tunnel!
I realize that perseverance needs to happen in all aspects of life like the spiritual or physical ones. I don’t read the Bible or pray everyday. I don’t run or do crunches everyday. I loose sight of the ending and ongoing benefits and only see instant gratification. I loose sight of the awesome, life after death and think that right now is it. I don’t build up very much before sleeping or computer time take over what little things I did.
In Romans 5:3-5 it talks about perseverance: Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Perseverance is the first things mentioned because without it the other things won’t come. If you don’t push through then your character would be wimpy and easily give up on things. You can’t be that way to follow Jesus. Some days are prime days of thinking Jesus doesn’t care; it’s easy to just give up with that thought. God makes us strong so that we can truly believe and hope that what He says is true. I’ve learned to persevere through hard days at work and on long hikes because in the end I know there’s going to be an amazing view. I learn to do things without complaining and my boss looks at me as a hard worker and I can look into a canyon and see God’s majestic beauty created for me to enjoy. So I encourage you to persevere and don’t give up. Sometimes it’s ok to be hard-headed!
TITLE: Shortcutting Causes Soul Erosion -
On a hike my friends and I read a sign that said “Horses must stay on the trail”. Well of course we wondered why and jokingly came up with the idea that horses knew that taking short cuts on a trail will start to cause soil erosion and lead to deaths of flowers, grasses, and scenery. As we kept hiking a thought came to me and took my attention back to the phrase “Shortcutting leads to soil erosion”. I realized that it can apply to more of life then just soil; it applies also to the soul.
So I sat down and decided what things I shortcut from my life; such as waking up and running in the morning and getting exercise, eating healthy meals and not just junk, and getting good amounts of sleep there are also spiritual shortcuts like skipping on reading the Bible daily, not praying, and not fellowshipping with others or encouraging others or being encouraged. The big shortcut that I discovered from the summer is endurance and giving up and not persevering on tasks before me.
As a housekeeper I have days where we clean five rooms and all of them have dishes in the sink, tons of hair in the bathtub, sheets on the floor, and rocks in the carpet. I want to just sit down and call my boss and tell him that I can’t take it anymore and that I’m done for the day. I knew if I did that my boss would think I’m not a very good worker and my co-workers would be angry about me not pulling my load.
This also happens on hikes. Some hikes here in the Tetons go straight up with very few spots of even ground. By the time you get anywhere your legs are tired and your lungs hurt from the strain. While I was hiking Hanging Canyon I felt this way and I wanted to stop and turn around so bad. As we kept pushing on the view became magnificent looking at Jenny and Jackson Lake below us and gorgeous Goat’s Head and Lake of the Crags ahead of us. If I would have stopped hiking then I would not have had these amazing views and I would’ve missed the snow/ice tunnel!
I realize that perseverance needs to happen in all aspects of life like the spiritual or physical ones. I don’t read the Bible or pray everyday. I don’t run or do crunches everyday. I loose sight of the ending and ongoing benefits and only see instant gratification. I loose sight of the awesome, life after death and think that right now is it. I don’t build up very much before sleeping or computer time take over what little things I did.
In Romans 5:3-5 it talks about perseverance: Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Perseverance is the first things mentioned because without it the other things won’t come. If you don’t push through then your character would be wimpy and easily give up on things. You can’t be that way to follow Jesus. Some days are prime days of thinking Jesus doesn’t care; it’s easy to just give up with that thought. God makes us strong so that we can truly believe and hope that what He says is true. I’ve learned to persevere through hard days at work and on long hikes because in the end I know there’s going to be an amazing view. I learn to do things without complaining and my boss looks at me as a hard worker and I can look into a canyon and see God’s majestic beauty created for me to enjoy. So I encourage you to persevere and don’t give up. Sometimes it’s ok to be hard-headed!
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