Last week I met with the Young Women’s President for my congregation to discuss camp ideas. Well, we got a little crazy (hey, I would like to point out that I was involved in this meeting… hahaha) and the next thing I knew I gained a fun task! T-SHIRTS!

Our theme for the year (not for camp) is "Be Strong". It comes from Joshua. You know… be strong, be of good courage… God is with you. Yup. Seems a good theme to me!

Teenagers need to remember to be strong against a great many things that assail them in this world. Of course, I happen to think the youth of my local congregation are far stronger than me. They inspire me daily!

At first I was excited. I have this nused embroidery machine and thought for sure I could do this! The only problem is that mine will really only do monograms unless you have a pattern. Pattern? We had no pattern! Rats! So my mother used her new embroidery machine. The good news is that she did most of the work and I only helped. I would have preferred to do more of the work, but it was a good way for me to learn how to set things up and whatnot. One day… one day I will use MY embroidery machine! (Better be soon because I’ve become addicted to emblibrary.com and their way cool patterns that I’ve purchased and have since learned that I can’t get them from my computer to my machine. GRRR. I can, I just don’t have the software and my software is on a floppy disc of all things. And NOT Mac friendly. GRRR!)

I have a picture of me wearing this shirt, but it looks an awful lot like a mugshot. I think… NOT! So I took a picture of the shirt with my camera phone. Here you go:

We kept it nice and simple, as you can see. Just the words "Be Strong". The theory was to make it look like a "Marines" or "Go Army" shirt, but we kind of girly-fied it with the pink stonewashed look thread and the slightly prettier font.

The girls LOVED the shirts! I have a picture of them wearing them, but I decided not to put it. While it is in a public location (we were having lunch at a restaurant), I always get a little persnickity about putting up pictures of minors. Sorry!

I will say that our teens inspire me daily to be strong. If I could be half as strong as even one of those girls, I’d be proud of myself. I know what they put up with in the halls of their school, the temptations of the world, the burden their heavy course-loads weigh upon them, and the sacrifices that they all make. I love each of them dearly and hope that they know what a good influence they are on me. I know I’m supposed to be some sort of "camp leader", but really? They are leading me more than I can ever hope to lead them.

Now, I must away so I can get ready for the midweek activity tonight and also take some stuff to the dump. Oh the thrilling life of a housewife/homeschool mom/busy bee!

Remember:

…Be strong and of a good courage, be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.
-Joshua 1:9

–Lady O