The Anastasis Jr. High has been writing and compiling their reflections from the their trip to the Great Sand Dunes, they are too good not to share with everyone! For the next few days, I’ll be posting all of their reflections. Enjoy!
|Mrs. Tenkely|
On October 9th, the Anastasis middle school set off on a journey to The Great Sand Dunes. Some were jumping with joy, others not so much. The excitement of having school away from school was great! As we packed the 3 vans, each of us knew something great was going to go down. As you read the responses below you will see 2 things. First, the greatness of God’s power to be able to reach into hearts. Second, the power of community and how nature brings us together as a school.
-Caroline F
The Great Sand Dunes:
We were arriving to the Sand Dunes, and as we were turning the corner, there were the most beautiful Sand Dunes I have ever seen. My breath was taken away and they looked as they were paintings but made from God. When we arrived to the base of the Sand Dunes, we started hiking up to the top. When I reached the top, I felt like I had completed Gods painting, his creation, and that I was unstoppable.
-Maddie H
The hike at the Great Sand Dunes was absolutely amazing. I had a blast climbing up the great sand with my friends. When we got more than halfway, everybody started to slow down including me, but God gave me the strength to push through. When I got to the top, I saw all of the marvels of the world. God loves us enough to give us all his beauty to use and to take care of. I will never forget this trip because of how it impacted me.
-Micah D
There I stood at the foot of the dunes. The crystallized sand played with my eyes and the light breeze tugged at my hair. My classmates around me took in the scenery, then eagerly started forward. Crunching underneath our feet, the sand seemed to pull at our shoes and yank us deep into the sand, but we pushed our heals deep into the dirt. Time passed slowly, with the warm, brief, wind blowing here and there, and the crisp fall scent filled our noses. With each dune we approached the more tired we became but quickly encouraged one another to keep moving. When we finally reached the top, a sense of accomplishment filled inside of us, then we gazed at the view. The sky had churned to a brilliant shade of blue, and the crisp fall leaves seemed more vibrant from a distance. At that very moment, God’s love washed over us. It’s hard to describe the feeling exactly. It’s almost as if God gave each one of us a stroke of assurance, that he will always be there for you. It’s a moment I will never forget.
-Alexis B
Community is something we don’t often think about, though I did think about it on this trip. We were at the campground having fun, roasting marshmallow, playing night football, and climbing trees. It felt like there was no sadness because everyone cared about each other. If someone falls, we help them up. That didn’t come easily. The real bond happened when we climbed up the Great Sand Dunes. Going up the dunes we encouraged each other and the bond happened. When we got to the top, every one was happy. When we got to the camp site, after a small 1/2 mile hike, every one was exhausted. No one was in little groups any more. We were a community.
-Zac C
Our class went to the tallest dune in north-America it is called, the “star dune.” We also went to a waterfall. I felt like God was with us on this trip. It was amazing to see the beautiful scenery. When we got to the base of the dunes it looked a lot smaller than it really was, but when we got to the top it looked so much bigger. I think we should get out of our house, get outside, and get a better angle on life. I thought it was nice to have class outside in peace and to get out of city life.
-Grant M
The day we climbed the Great Sand Dunes, I was tired. I was so worn out that I didn’t think I could make it. When we got to the top, I was amazed with the beauty. I thought about how God made everything surrounding the dunes. Without the help of our Lord, I probably wouldn’t have made it, but I knew God gave me the strength to climb that mountain.
-Braden H
We climb together, hoping the top is near.
The sand gets hotter, our hopes get smaller, and our bodies weigh us down.
We encourage and help each other; no one is left behind.
We work together and we strive together, As a community.
We trudge onward, hoping the reward is near.
And it is; Our work has paid off.
Sitting at the top of that dune, literally jaw-dropped;
and the Creator’s beauty is ours to adore.
-Kaylee W
On the day of the sand dunes hike, I thought to myself, great another hike that I am going to hate and probably complain about the whole way. When we got there, I was amazed at what God had made for us to enjoy and to take pleasure in. When we were hiking, I was just hanging out with my friends. I had this sudden urge to climb to the top first. I believe that God gave me the will to push on. I have this Huge fear of heights, and I did not even think about it the whole time. I really saw in the hike that, “You can do all things in Christ who gives you strength”. PHILIPPIANS 4:13
-Blake J
My trip was challenging through physical and emotional pains. From the physical pains of climbing up the Great Sand Dunes to the emotional part of I can’t do this I want to go home. When I got to the top I was proud of myself, and if I knew how hard it was I probably would have still come. Mr. Fink and Mr. A, I think were trying to teach us a lesson of, no matter how hard life can be if you don’t give up there is an amazing view at the top. That is how I felt through the climbing of the Great Sand Dunes.
-Kelsey F
When we were heading to the waterfall hike, I looked back at the Great Sand Dunes and it looked easy to climb, but it was not easy at all. This is like faith. When you let God in your heart, it’s easy at first, but then as you get older it gets harder. When we were climbing the dune it’s go harder and harder. Even when life gets hard, keep trying hard and God will help you
-Ben L
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