Friday, February 28, 2014

I Want to Believe in the Next Generation...

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Hey K2 Kanakuk Friends,

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." ~ Romans 12:1-2

I know sometimes I can type/sound like a morbid-scared-to-raise-kids-in-this-generation-Lord-help-us-all-Just-come-back-now-type of gal...but truly today I have been pondering this thought and this thought alone (okay, alone is a big stretch as obvioulsy I have a million thoughts at all times I guess)...

I really want to believe in this next generation...
                                                       and I think I do.
                                                                         I believe in you.

I know social media is seriously "shallowing" up all of you. I know crazy things happen every day that make my momma say "Lord have mercy." I know that some (and even me) can say you are more entitled than ever. I know that the world of "selfies" has made for a word of selfishness. I know...and I still believe in you.

I believe Jesus has huge things for this next generation. Not just to be about causes that save whales and giraffes but that save babies and orphans. Not just a generation that wants to live more simply in their hippie no deodarant ways but truly a generation of simplicity in their lives. Not just a generation who "tolerates" anything but one that infiltrates with the Love of Jesus.

You. Your generation. Do you know that you can change the world? Truly. We didn't...maybe my generation did and continues to do some things to change the world...but you...you have the world at your fingertips...do not be conformed to this world...CHANGE IT.

Be awesome & Love Jesus,

kanakuk ashley robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com
Come get away from the drama of life...come to KAMP! (also spelled like CAMP)

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Why Grades aren't Important...

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Hey K2 Kanakuk Friends,
Woah...here is what's happening on the screen right now...either all the K2 Kanakuk Kampers/Staff gals are singing the hallelujah chorus or the parents of these said kampers/staff are mean muggin' the screen wishin' they could use a small southern cuss word at me...admit it!

Well, either face hold your little horses or britches...whichever one you have. Hopefully everyone has britches on. The title is only half truth...though maybe more than half. I must admit that I don't think grades are important, well, at least not as important as pressure of parents and world tend to make them. Hear me...I am not validating being lazy, dropping out or not doing your best. I am speaking (well, I guess typing) on the pressure of these little letters in our teens today. It's big. Every summer 95% of my conversations (I love that I can somewhat make up statistics...it's a big chunk of my convos) consist at somepoint you all sharing about the pressure you feel with grades, school, your resume (what, I didn't even know what a resume was till I was 24...seriously), and ACT/SAT score. And sadly, parents, most of that pressure is coming from you. You sweet gals share that you made a "B" or heaven forbid a "C" and you are feeling so overwhelmed by school. These sweet gals are 15 years old. I guess on behalf of education and anyone else I want to tell you I'm sorry for that pressure.

This post has hit me as I have begun to think of my littles and school, etc. I hear moms talking about preschools, alphabets and writing. And honestly I don't feel the pressure. If little L is the first to do mulitplication, awesome...but if not, who cares. If little B, when she is 17 gets a "C" in Algebra and worked her little tooshy off for that "C." We are going to Andy's to celebrate! I want to see my kids...to truly see their giftings and even their "not the best" parts too. I want to equip them in knowing if they did their best, truly their best, then that "B" or "C" is going to get hugs and applause all around. I don't want my kids ever saying things I hear in the summer...
    "My parents expect all "A's." No matter what and I can't do it anymore." 
          "I am overwhelmed and stressed all the time. All I do is study."
                "I have no time for a Bible study or youth group b/c I am doing community service and         studying b/c my parents say I have to get into ____ (fill in the blank)."

I have heard all those statements...so many times. From great kids with great parents...but somehow we have begun to place pressure on these letters and our kids are feeling their worth comes from these letters. I know it's a balance of a tight rope moms and dads to encourage our children and challenge them...but keep walking the balance well. Step back from moments when your precious one comes home with his/her first "C." Listen and talk through that. They are worth more than any "report card."

(Disclaimer: I am once again not bashing challenging a child or even grounding a kiddo for an "F" on a homework assisgnment. Take this post for what it is meant to be. A post on simply making sure the priority of grades is in the appropriate spot.)

I am not saying you, teens, shouldn't do your best and study hard/work hard. Please do. But you must too know that someday when we kneel at the Father's feet...I don't think He will say, "Hmm, I see you made a "B-" on your 11th grade Biology quiz? That may play a part in your entering or not?" Just sayin...

Be awesome & Love Jesus,

kanakuk ashley robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com
COOLEST slip-n-slides ever are at Kanakuk Kamps!

Monday, February 24, 2014

What I Wish I Could Tell My Teenage Self about...BOYS

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Hey K2 Kanakuk Friends,
Goodness, I love when I start a "series" and really it just lives on the world wide web as a serie. No "s." Well, boom...this just became a series..."What I wish I could tell my teenage self about...______"

The first addition was on FAMILY. You can read it HERE . I thought for the second addition we would jump into the topic that will bring inward squeals (because no way do you outwardly act like boys are a biggie...totally cool) and crazy eyes (eyes that all teenage girls have and make their parents roll their eyes and cry into their daughter's old dolls longing for the days of yore with pigtails and poopy diapers...yes, they would probably pick the poopy diapers) --- That was a long statement for parentheses. (I just googled "parenthesis" plural as who knew how to spell that).

Okay, so drumroll for the Top 5 Things I Wish I could Tell My Teenage Self about BOYS.
1. They smell. (deep, I know). Sometimes they smell good since they have all fallen prey to those ridiculous AXE commercials. This smell with burn the hair all the way up your nostrils b/c it is so oddly strong, bad strong, not like oh, big muscles strong. Also, after their athletic endeavors or for some who sweat easily just being called on in class, their body odor is, well, like that of their lineage. Poor Adam...no deodarant back then. (Oops, but the garden was perfect so maybe Adam didn't have BO).

2. Boys want you to be a good friend. Oh, the drama. I love the girls in the summer who say these words to me. "I hate drama" and then they continue to talk through with me their life and it's like a scene blitz of every CW show and vampire movie without the vampire teeth. Seriously. Guys that are great guys want just good friends. I am not speaking to the age 'ole question of "Can a girl and a guy be best friends?" (Oh, that's a whole nother blog...is "nother" a word...it was to my mamma). I look back to leadership teams (I didn't really have friends in high school...Looo-ser! I know. Or college really but at K2 on staff...there I found great friends...guys and gals. Deep memories!) and I realize I had sweet guy friends...true brothers in Christ. Oh, so sweet! It was pure and clean and safe. The operative word to this item is FRIEND. Be a sweet, kind and true friend.

3. Boys have no "cycle" but just as many hormonal or "cray-cray-ness." (Man, webster should holler cuz I'm making up some awesome vocab words. My english teacher mom will be proud...Hey Mom!). I know girls have periods, puberty and body changes. Girls are labeled as harder and emotions everywhere. I would debate though that teenage boys...equally as weird, hormonal, puberty-ness and well funny. Girls, I know so much emotions swirl in your little heart in a day. For boys I don't think they have 4,000 words they want to share with someone but they are equally as clumsy, awkward and need help. They aren't Mr. Cool Face all the time. (This point goes back being a good friend b/c all y'all got to many cells that are cray-cray to be anything but friends.) For all adults...like a 7th grade boy is maybe my favorite to try and conversate with...it's hysterical.  (Conversate...totally not a word)

4. Boys are boys. Don't make them girls or make them Channing Tatum in Step Up (the original, let's be honest after the 1st one it was pretty much downhill from there.) Don't be mad that for Valentine's day your boyfriend of 12 hours just got you a box of those chocolates from Walmart...maybe I over dramatize, no, I've heard it before from your girlies at kamp. Be glad they are boys and you are a girl. I just cringe when girls say...I have no girlfriends. I just hang out with guys. Sweet girl, that's not that cool. You need your girlfriends. They need guy time. They need to explore and conquer stuff and girls need to bake with their moms and crochet (you don't do that, oh, here's hoping that's what the teenage version of my baby L, baby B and baby T girls want to do or I'll just be moving to a cave in Australia and have prearranged marriages to my best friend's children...it's do-able, us kanakuk people know how to have babies!).

5. Boys are creations of the Most High God who intimately knows how awesome of a gift they are and YOU are. I hate to use such a cliche but here it comes...what if we started to look at boys...the guy you are crushing on, the guy who gets slammed into his locker by the football jocks every day, the guy who you ate mud pies with growing up, the guy who is the most popular for all the wrong reasons...each of those guys as your brother. The brother who loves you, protects you, makes you laugh...a brother. A brother who is a great friend, but not a boyfriend since you and he are all of 13 years old. A brother who is a great date for prom b/c you can dance like a crazy person and laugh, but not a great date for prom if he has a room key waiting. A brother who can come over and play games with your folks and build a friendship if you must hang out with each other, but not a boy who honks his horn for you to come out or even worse, comes and shakes your daddy's hand and then that hand is roaming places it shouldn't later on in the date. He is your brother. You are his sister. Live as such...until your hand is placed in the one Jesus has written to hold your most precious heart. (Or until Jesus holds your heart and comes back and we are all jamming in Heaven in MC Hammer pants...I'm just sure of it).

So there ya go...please no theological debates or "let's anonymously argue" on comments. I have no degree, officially but just my thoughts to make you smile and maybe see the world a little different...go hug your daddy or high five your friends...girls and guys alike!

Click HERE to read "What I Wish I Could Tell My Teenage Self about...FAMILY."

Be awesome & Love Jesus,

kanakuk ashley robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com
Wanna come to summer camp! You totally should!

Friday, February 21, 2014

Wanna Party...


Hey K2 Kanakuk Friends,
Boom-shocka-locka! Kamp is coming...which means you gotta start thinking about your party costumes. They can be simple or elaborate, silly or spot on...pretty much anything goes! (K-rated folks!)

Below is our parties for summer 2014...Get ready for EPIC-ness! (yep, prob not a word but let's roll with it)

Be awesome & Love Jesus,

kanakuk ashley robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com
Seriously, best summer camp eva! Here!

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Hello Again...

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Hey K2 Kanakuk Friends,
Well, hello hello...yep, still here. I'm sure everyone is waving, screaming and squealing with shouts of pure joy and overwhelmed with excitement that Kanakuk Ashley is alive and running again. Seriously hold back your excitement...you are acting like Harry Styles just popped out of your locker. Do you guys still have lockers? Hmm...I'm curious now...(stay focused Ashley...)

baby t's toes...they are long. like super long. 
Okay, so yeah...I'm back. I had a kid. She's awesome. For the social media world we shall call her baby T. We already have toddler L, toddler B, and baby K. We love the alphabet here in our house. Baby T has been the best. She's snuggly and has big 'ole cheeks...like on her face cheeks that are the most kissable cheeks E-V-E-R. The 3 other littles adore her and love to jam pacifiers up her nose and smother her with her blanket all in the name of "helping" or "loving." Melt.My.Heart!

So...thanks for your patience. I was getting hundreds of tweets and emails about when I was going to be back on Kanakuk Ashley...okay, I just a bluebird tweet at me once on my porch and I thought it was saying I needed to blog again...that's all...but it made me start blogging.

Come back, subscribe, check in every other day, or don't. Your call...

Be awesome & Love Jesus,

kanakuk ashley robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com
best camp in the whole world...Check it out: Kanakuk