I did not intend this to be a series when I started typing last time. It turns out, telling the story takes more time to set the context. Read as a standalone work, it is understandable that naysayers might discount the events that occurred as coincidence. I ask that any naysayer consider the whole of this series before dismissing my claim. When I left off I concluded that God brought me back to Hume. This part I will chronicle in better depth how God brought me back to Hume and… let’s see how far I get. There is at least one more episode to this series.
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| Who wouldn't want to spend a Summer with this view? |
Due to all the chaos that was my unit moving to Colorado, those of us being honorably discharged were left by the wayside. In the months leading up to our return it was unclear through the time we got on the plane to go back to Texas when exactly we would be released. A few of my friends did research in Army regulations concerning those of us “stop lossed” and were able to get released as soon as was possible. I was in a bit of a bind, I had about a month of leave saved up and the time which would be set as our final out date was still unclear. It was ranging between May 30 and June 30th. That was a major obstacle because I needed to still get hired at Hume if I was to return. Orientation for staff was the first week of June…
The good news, because we were left by the wayside by our unit and my company knew we were getting out from February through April was a fantastic time of rest, eating out, and adventures. My roommate and I went to eat out on a daily basis. We would rotate between Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Mexican, and Thai food on a weekly basis. It was a very good time, I had my bounty of deployment savings. Celebration is essential for the soul, there was much celebration.
Getting back to Hume was complicated. The summer staff recruiting tour was in full swing but I could not make it back to California for the in person interview. I managed to get a phone interview and was hired on the condition that I got my lifeguard certification renewed. Being a lifeguard that summer was my number one goal, I wanted to have a position that I could interact with the students. Lifeguards and High Adventure Guides were the only summer staff positions which doing Recreation was part of the job. I was deathly afraid of short heights (still a work in progress) thus lifeguarding. I tried to be a lifeguard in 2004, but ended up working at a local waterpark instead.
I was still in the Army, with my duties their first. No exceptions. When I did the Hume application it looked like it was better that I be a Water Safety Instructor (WSI) over Lifeguard certified. That was a several week course that I got done. When I got in contact with my lifeguard supervisor at Hume I had to get Lifeguard certified before I arrived. Unfortunately, by that time of the year, there were no lifeguarding classes within a 50 mile radius that was during the week. There was not enough time to take leave so I could get the class taken care of. It was by the graces of one of my WSI Instructors that he was teaching a class about 80 miles away in a single weekend. I booked a motel and made the trek over, that was the worst sunburn I’ve ever had. It turns out my browning needs to be more gradual than 20 hours of direct sunlight in a pool in two days.
While I was juggling the certification issues, I also had to submit my paperwork so I can leave the Army and they wouldn’t go hunting after me. With only a couple of months left my release date was set to May 30. With my weeks of leave, it looked feasible. Then I learned Lifeguards at Hume arrive a week early from regular orientation to get acclimated and pass Hume Lifeguard tests. Don’t forget, I was driving from Texas to Home to Hume. Oh and if I was lucky I would get to stop in Phoenix for a couple days to attend the NRA Annual Convention.
In the less tangibly evident ways and a long week spent completing my clearing papers for the Army, I was able to make it to the Convention, even attend their law seminar, I got to visit Mom for a few days before I went to Hume for the summer. There were many moving parts at that time, between Uncle Sam, Red Cross class scheduling, Hume Lake staff and the whims of my leadership I was able to work at Hume in Summer 2009. I thought that was my last chance to go back to the place I loved. I did not have a plan for after Hume, but that will be for next week. I think that was when God’s providence was undeniably in control.
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| Proof I was a lifeguard at Hume |
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| Oh, the joys of ministry through Recreation... I didn't get sunburned after the lifeguard class. |
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| Staff Paintball, good times... |
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