Hi! This is Harley, writer of the monthly Kidz Korner column in this newspaper. I just entered middle school, which is an entirely different world than elementary. However, my church’s youth group makes the change super exciting! One thing I love about the student ministry is all the special events they offer, like pool parties and summer camps. In fact, a fall retreat for both middle and high school girls occurred recently—simply called Girls Weekend, or GRLS WKND, for those with a sense of humor. At first, it seemed a little intimidating—host homes and high schoolers? But once I arrived at church after a carpool, any apprehension disappeared!
Friday, November 3, was the day that Girls Weekend began. All the attendees (dressed in costumes in accordance to the Space Gala theme) were swept through photo booths, luggage rooms, halls filled with balloons suspended from the ceiling, and a stunningly decorated Gatheria with streamers and tables! There we ate a delicious dinner and then trotted to Hall One for dancing, worship, and the first session. Everyone learned about the glory of God by watching a video that started with a small section of Earth and started zooming out to display the whole universe. After the sermon, the sixth grade carpooled to their host home, had a devotional, shoveled food into our mouths, and viewed the fantastic Mario Kart movie until midnight.
A fire alarm woke us up on Saturday.
Long story short, the caring and kindly parent who was cooking breakfast accidentally burnt the bacon, which set off an obnoxious beep, which lasted for ten minutes, as did the smoky smell.
Anyway, everyone was awake and fed plentiful popcorn and pancakes as well as salvaged bacon, which facilitated the process of getting dressed and ready to return to church. (Side note: I couldn’t find my sneakers OR sandals in the pile of twenty or so shoes downstairs, and thus had to wear my glossy white high heels. Reason: My feet are Size 3, so I couldn’t borrow footwear.) After session two, which featured a guest speaker, lunch was served, and then there was a surprise!
WE WERE GOING TO THE TRAMPOLINE PARK!
A random, made-up podcast about popularity and buckets, thirty minutes, and a few protests later, everyone from Girls Weekend had arrived at Altitude Trampoline Park. There was so much to do, from trapezes and rock walls to foam pits and, of course, trampolines! Mrs. Kim Bain, Girls Weekend’s director, insisted that the experience aligned with “Space Gala,” as a “moonwalk.”
Next, free time! The sixth grade returned to their host home to roast marshmallows, apples, and even pineapples! But, after free time came Saturday night dinner, which was labeled “Casual Dress.” However, I had packed the fanciest dress I owned, along with my favorite jewelry and a pearl hair clip. Free time passed in a blur, and following a brief crisis concerning a curling iron (did I forget to mention the mattress surfing down the steep staircase?), everyone was ready to leave. My hair successfully curled with Level 25 hairspray and high-heels properly adorned, we scattered to our transport vehicles and departed for church.
The dinner was amazing, but even better (in my personal opinion) than the meal was the activity afterward! All the middle and high school girls watched a movie on the lawn, the new remake of Cinderella, while munching on desserts. It was a fitting end to an exhilarating day.
Sunday morning was, unfortunately, the final day of Girls Weekend, according to most. Everyone received a blue GRLS WKND T-shirt that read “If the stars were made to worship, so will I,” lyrics from a favorite song that weekend. The final session pretty much recapped what we’d learned, such as how God is so glorious and powerful and yet loves us, and that we shouldn’t place our identity in anything other than Him. It was an amazing message.
Even if Girls Weekend is officially over, it’s not over in our hearts. All the middle and high school girls are so grateful for everything, and can’t wait for next year!
Bye, everyone! Stay tuned for next month’s Kidz Korner article!
Harley Isabel Smith is a homeschooled 6th grader who has been featured on TV as a philanthropist, has a heart for evangelism, and writes monthly for the Gazette’s Kidz Korner. Visit https://harleyisabelsmith.com where she is constantly adding written and video content to entertain and educate children. Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”