Summer bucket list.

Go to the beach.
Parties.
Hume Lake<3
Go up to the mountains.
Visit Belmont University.
Sing with Mr. Kenny Eiland.
Train with Zane and Ben for b-ball. (pending)
Pull an all-nighter.
Bonfire.
Midnight premiere of pretty much anything.
See Winnie the Pooh.
See Captain America.
TENNESSEE.
Finally see Inception.
Get into a Bible study.
Sing in TN.
Read. A lot. (pending)

I have work to do... and approx. 4 or so weeks to do so.

Later bro,
Kyls.

Nothing like a little summer narcissism. 

;)

Steak n Shake, baby.

Seriously. One of the best burger places I have ever been.

Totally a highlight of my visit out here.

Sunday morning, I woke at 6:00 a.m. (4:00 a.m. California time) sharp, put on my new casual and super cute dress, my gladiator sandals, did my hair and hopped in Kenny's truck and off to Harpeth Community Church. This kid has now sung in Tennessee. Yeah dawg, that's what up. After singing both services, saying goodbye to Darnell and some of my other new Southern friends, I came home and took the most glorious nap. Upon my awakening, I found that Kenny's doo-wop was here for rehearsal and they allowed me to sing with them, also a blast. Sunday evening, Kenny and Dona's friend was having a birthday celebration that I was so graciously invited to as well. And let me just say, one of the greatest nights of my Tennessee trip. AMAZING food, watching these people smile and sing and dance and just have fun was a blast.

Monday morning was my appointment at Belmont University and if we're being totally honest, I'm like 85% sold. 

Not only is this literally the most beautiful campus I have ever seen, but it's such an amazing community. They are in the heart of freakin' Nashville, just adjacent to Music Row!! They own multiple recording studios, including two actually located in Music Row and multiple ones on campus. They have a huge gym/event center where they hold concerts, debates and many different events. They have even had a presidential debate in there once! Belmont is a well-renown school, their music program has been #1 for years and their other programs have been in the top 20 for years as well. 

Needless to say, I'm about 90% sold on going there. Of course, finances are always something to worry about, but God knows how much I want this and God also knows what is best, so I'm holding to the truth that God will provide for me the best option... and I really hope it's Belmont because that place is so freakin' pretty.

(Freakin' amazing, right? Right.)

I am heading back home on Thursday. Not excited to be flying and hanging out in airports all day. But quite frankly, if you sit down at the gate, if gives you a great opportunity to determine what people would look like if they were cats. But after having told a few people that, I've realized that I'm the only person that does that. Oh well. To each his own, right? :P

Well, with all that being said, I'm excited to be coming home soon. I've really missed my family and friends, but being out here has taught me so much and left me with some amazing memories.

Later bro,

Kyls. 

You from Tennessee? 'Cause you're the only Ten-I-See. ;)

My hunk of burnin' love.

;)

I'm currently in Tennesee!

And it's really freaking pretty here.

As beautiful as it is out here, I honestly miss home a lot. I don't miss the desert so much, but I miss my family and I miss my friends. Oh my gosh, I miss them so much. I miss my church. Saturday night means Fuel and Harbor and I really want to be there tonight. I guess I never knew how much I loved it there... wow, never thought I'd be saying that.

I hate the desert. It's hot and ugly and surprisingly crowded, but I love the people I have there. I love them. 

The main reason that I came out to Tennessee was to visit Belmont University, I have a scheduled tour for said college on Monday and as excited as I am to see it, I feel like I might have also changed my mind a little. As beautiful as the campus is, as great as their reputation is, I don't know if I'm really ready to completely uproot myself and move all the way out here. I don't know. At the same time though, I do love it out here. Being that I'm living with two working adults and the daughter of one who actually has a life out here, I am kind of a tag-along and a stranger. I have yet to really see what TN has to offer me. So, I don't know... I just don't. The future freaks me out. 

I have a lot of thinking to do. A lot of planning to do.

My thoughts are (as always) running at like, 100 miles an hour and I feel stuck. 

Stuck, but hopeful.

Later bro,

Kyls.

Post-Hume Sadness.

Every high comes with a crash.
And no, I don't mean drugs... :P

Hume Lake, and any other Christian summer camp for that matter, comes with an amazing mountain top experience. Being at chapel two times a day, worshiping alongside a giant group of people (most being great friends of mine), seeing hands raised and eyes closed and hearts on fire. I miss seeing daily lives surrounded by all things God. It's hard to board that bus in the morning, drive away from your home for 7 days and expect to honestly feel the same way when you get home. Mountain top highs always come with a crash.

Going home from camp is always a bummer. As much as I did miss my family, my friends and my very own bed. being at Hume is a feeling like no other. That Saturday morning, boarding the bus, making sure I was sitting with Travis, Stephy and Hailey, thinking "Is that really it?" Those thoughts were not because I felt disappointed and expected more from my camp experience, not at all. Those thoughts were because I felt like  the most amazing week of my summer went by way too fast. All the things that I learned, all the fun activities I got to be a part of, the nearness I felt with God... it felt like it was all over.

But that's not how it should be, is it? Why should my location determine the way I feel about God? That's a little selfish, don't you think? Chapel doesn't always have to be someone teaching me something, it can be about me getting over how lazy I feel or how upset/angry at God I might be, I can learn for myself. Worship doesn't always revolve around an awesome band and some cool lyrics. Worship is a lifestyle.


So, easier said than done, right? Right. This the part that I need to work on. Being kept accountable. It's not that hard to crack open my Bible for a mere five minutes and put a little Jesus in my day. Staying connecting is only hard if you're not willing to do it. There's a God up in Heaven that wants you, wants me, and I'm being too selfish to just see what He has for me, when I already know it's the best.

I really do miss Hume though...
Well, that's my ramble for today. I really need to get my act together.
I'm very determined to stay focused and to stay connected but, it takes work. So it's time to get my Jesus wheels in gear and really step up.

Later bro,
Kyls.

Back to reality.

Hume Lake 2011.
So far, the greatest week of my summer.
Here are a few pictures from my week at Hume Lake, the rest are on my Facebook.

Every year that I go to Hume Lake, I'm reminded of what an amazing place it truly is. Despite the bugs, the heat and the fact that it rained for two days, I have no complaints. The cabin I was in proved to have some challenges, but even that couldn't derail my week. 

From running around the in the pouring rain with Jasmine, getting muddy and then jumping in the lake fully clothed after Rec, some...interesting food, seeing friends from the previous year, even to getting dead last place on my Rec team, this was easily my favorite and my best year at Hume.

Spending time with my friends, getting to know others and just having so much fun were a huge part of my week at Hume Lake, but what made it incredible was the growth and the nearness that I felt this week. God broke me in a way that I never thought I'd experience. He finally broke down my walls and for the first time in a really long time, I feel close and encouraged and loved by the King. 

Our speaker was so incredible, almost every single message brought tears to my eyes. I felt as though he was talking to me, that he was speaking from my personal testimony. Even in his optional seminars, he struck such a chord with me and brought me to tears. 

The theme this year is All In. And for the first time, I am all in. I am determined and I am encouraged and I'm ready to really get serious. This week has really shown me how selfish I've been. I've been wearing the crown for too long and I make a really bad king. Like the Isrealites in 1 Samuel 8, I knew exactly the mess I'd make of the kingdom if I let anything other than God take the reigns, but I wanted to be king anyway. My lust for control, my pride and even a 2 to 3 year sin struggle have destroyed my kingdom and well, it's time for God to take control because well, I suck at this king thing.

So, it's about time I went All In. Because what really is the worst that could happen if I let God do His king thing? Romans 8:28, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him..."

Love = unconditional sacrifice.

Sacrifice = complete surrender.

God didn't send His only Son to get 90% of me. He sent all in return for all.

"When you go all in on God,

you will understand that He already went all in on you."

-Chris Brown. 

(our speaker for the week, not the artist. :P)

For more Hume pictures, check out my album on Facebook.

Later bro,

Kyls. :)