Tomorrow will be my one week anniversary of being here in Death Valley. To celebrate the occasion, I'll blog about my first week. How does that sound?
Before I arrived at the Furnace Creek Ranch but after I had entered the park, I stopped the truck and hiked up to the top of a small peak in the badlands.
From that vantage point I could see the desert stretching to the mountains stretching as far as I could see in the hot, dry air of California. I took some time to journal about my thoughts and emotions leading up to another season with ACMNP and before moving into my new temporary home for the next six months. Here's a snippet:
Made it out to DVNP. Really great trip out here. The past 3 weeks have been filled w/so much fun, love, friendship. But it's also been a time of confusion as I discern about seminaries and answer the oh-so-common question about what I'll do next in life. And it's been a slight time of unease as I look forth to ministry in Death Valley. I'm not too nervous if I compare it to how I've felt in similar situations in the past, but nervous enough to be ashamed of being nervous. What is there really to fear out here?
...I put too many expectations to the fore of my mind that will not be met unless people react as I want...I have to let go of trying to meet expectations I set others to have of me. My main focus is to pursue God with all my heart, strength, will, and being. In doing that, I will exceed anyone's expectations--including my own.
With that I slammed close the journal and boldly walked back to the truck and fired 'er up. I drove down, down, down to 190 feet below sea level and through the entrance arch for the Furnace Creek Ranch. On my third attempt, I finally entered the right door and talked with the employee check-in folks. After meeting Laurie and Tobyn (my ACMNP teammates) during lunch, filling out a stack of paperwork from Human Resources, and grabbing a black trash bag full of linens in one hand and my newly issue room key in the other, I headed to my room at the Dunes dorm.
I put the key into the hole and quickly realized that I was trying to get into the wrong room. I made sure no one saw my folly and went up to my actual room. The key went in the hole but then the same outcome occurred: the door wouldn't unlock. Long story short, the key I had was cut for my lock but was the wrong size. Only after interacting with the entire staff of the Fire, Life, and Safety Department and two days later did I have my very own room key.
Once I finally had the chance to get settled in to my room, I met my two roommates, Carlo and Jorge. Both are from Cuba. I had my doubts at first that this would be a good living situation. Rooming with two men over 35 who spoke English as their second language didn't sound like an ideal situation. But after having Carlo and his girlfriend cook two dinners for me this week, getting a chance to talk with him and Jorge about their lives, and bonding with Jorge over Billy Joel's "Honesty", we're starting to form some friendships.
I spent three days this week on the job at the General Store. I'll be working as a cashier. Jordan trained me this week on how to do my job. Not that the job seems too complicated, but it did really help to spend a few days observing a veteran. He and I are the only young males working in the store. Not that age and gender are a big deal, but it was nice to work alongside another young dude. Sometimes I felt pretty singled out at the info booth in Acadia among Jamie, Sarah, and Edie. Plus, I appreciate Jordan's taste in football. He's a self-proclaimed huge Packers fan.
Today was our first ACMNP worship service. I was blown away by the service. First off, that was because we had pretty gusty winds. Second, the faithful who gathered were Christians working at Furnace Creek and their kids. We had about 11 folks in attendance. One lady said how thankful she was that we as the ACMNP team had returned. A girl came up to me afterward and said how glad she is that we'll be there to provide a church for her while she's living in Death Valley. I'm excited to be a part of what God's already doing out here.
I've spent a fair amount of time exploring the park already. Tobyn and I hiked Golden Canyon right before sunset my first day here. Laurie and I hiked around Dante's overlook one day and the Mesquite Dunes and Salt Creek today.
On my own I've been up to Zabriske Overlook, down to Badwater Basin, and over to the visitor center. Yesterday afternoon I went for a walk around the outskirts of the ranch, golf course, and air strip here at Furnace Creek. I was having a grand ole time until the desert brush kept thwarting my chosen routes. I eventually accepted the reality that I wouldn't be able to make it around the perimeter and would have to come back the way I came. By that time (4:15) the sun had set behind the Panamint Mountains and the coyotes had began to emerge for the evening. I saw five of them before I made it back to the dorm. I walked softly and carried a big stick.
My favorite part about being out here is the sunsets. On my second day here I was out walking in the salt flats a little bit north of the ranch while the sun was setting. The Amargosa Mountains to the east and Funerals to the north were awash with color as the light of the setting sun accentuated their geological character. Here's what I wrote in my journal about the experience:
I haven't been that blown away by beauty in a long time. The colors of the sun and the filtered light flooding the eastern peaks created a scene of irreplicable beauty. I had the thought of how amazing it is that God is evidenced in that beauty, but also in so much more. The love of family, the joy of salvation, the comfort of acceptance all go along with the beauty of the earth to illustrate God's glory and wholeness. People need to know God, all of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, or else they will be robbed of the greatest power we can know.
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