Lost Treasures

Thirteen

ASPEN

At dinner, I could tell that Zephaniah was jealous of Eden and Joey. He kept looking at her from across the table.

Joey was joking around with Eden, making her laugh hysterically. Maybe I was the only one who noticed, because everyone else was talking and laughing too. But those two were stuck in their own little world.

So when Zephaniah got up to throw his trash away, I offered to go with him. 

"Hey, what's up?" I asked as we slowed to a stop at the conveyer belt. There was no one else around for the moment.

"What do you mean?" he replied.

"I can tell you like my sister. And it's bothering you that she's so invested in Joey. So why don't you just go for it?"

He sighed, realizing his secret was out. I was glad he didn't bother hiding it. "Because I know Joey. We go to church together, and he gets, like, every girl that comes. It makes me mad that he's going after Eden now, too, even though I shouldn't really be surprised..."

"So he's kind of a player?"

"Oh, you have no idea. He dates, like, six girls in the same year. And that was middle school!"

I cringed. Middle school relationships were so pointless. "Well, if you know all that, I think it's best to warn her. I mean, I could tell her, since I'm her sister, but she would just question how I got that information. Trust me, if you bring it up, she'll see that you care. Eden loves that kind of stuff."

"You think she'd actually take my word over his?" His voice wasn't bitter, just curious.

"It's worth a shot. She might have a crush on him, but if she's just going to be another one of his many flings, then I don't want her to get hurt. And it's early enough in the week to where she could save herself from wasting it all on him."

"Yeah... Do you think she would actually like me? I mean, we haven't gotten to talk all that much, but we did hang out for some of free time. We played racket ball in the games room with some of the other kids our age."

"That sounds fun. And I think that the more she gets to know you, the more she would like you. You obviously care about her. So I'd say it's worth a shot." I smiled, meaning it. It was cute seeing how much he liked her.

"Okay," he said, trying to psych himself up. "Okay. But, could you at least put in a good word for me?"

I chuckled. "Yeah, I suppose I could do that."

"Thanks, Aspen. See ya later!"

"See ya," I said, waving.

Now it was time for our first real session.

💫

When the doors finally opened, everyone began to filter in. The lights were dimmed, the chairs were empty and expectant, and the stage was ready. An exhilarating chill ran through my bones as I followed the crowd and entered what I knew would soon be filled with the Lord's presence.

There was music playing on the speakers, too. I recognized the song as a Christian hip hop/rap song called 'Church Clap.' Everyone started dancing and clapping to it, and I felt even more excited.

When the band came out, everyone cheered, and the frontman shouted, "Who's ready to party in the name of Jesus?!"

They began an amped-up Elevation Worship song called 'Overcome.'

"Now the darkness fades into new beginnings, as we lift our eyes to a hope beyond. All creation waits, with an expectation, to declare the reign of the Lord our God..."

It reminded me of everything I used to love about this camp. Everything I still loved.

HOSEA

The last song before the message was one that had become super popular with Christians and non-Christians alike. Sometimes it was controversial, but everyone loved it.

"Before we sing this, I want to give you all some insight from the writer himself," our worship leader, Jed, began. "When he uses the word 'reckless,' he is not saying that God Himself is reckless, but rather, that God's love  is reckless. God is unconcerned with his own safety, his own wellbeing, and his own comfort when He loves us. Sometimes His love is downright ridiculous when you think about it. His love is everything that First Corinthians talks about when it describes love. God's love bankrupted heaven for you. He gives himself away on the off-chance that one of us might look back and offer ourselves in return.

"There's more, but as you can see, this song should not be so controversial. When we sing about the 'reckless love' of God, it is biblically accurate in all of its forms, and it's not saying that God is reckless. We'll unpack more of that later tonight in the message, but for now, let's sing to our King."

With that, the band began to play 'Reckless Love.'

I had never thought about it in that light. I'd enjoyed the song, sure, but I never understood what I was really singing. Now, it all made sense, and I sang at the top of my lungs in worship.

Hands were lifted all around me, and although my church would've been uncomfortable with that, I partook in the praise. It was so freeing, to not be wrapped up and confined by what the religious leaders had to say. I was free in Christ, and I could praise Him however I wanted to.

I had never felt so alive.