Stacey Gagne –  Well we are jumping right into summer with a hot day, that’s for sure!

I have been feeling nostalgic about summer the past few weeks.  (honestly I’m almost always feeling nostalgic about SOMETHING).    For me, summertime as a child involved many days with my cousins and family at my Meme and Pepe (french for grandparents) pool.  We also used to spend a lot of time at a cottage on Lake Champlain that my parents rented.   Man, I miss that place!    I think my favorite thing about summer is being near any sort of body of water… creeks, lakes, pools, streams, ponds, you name it.  I haven’t spent a whole lot of time at the beach and never heard the term “down the shore” till I moved to PA,  but I’d really like to go sometime while the weather is warm and the water temperature is swim-able.

What do you love about the summer?  Talk amongst yourselves and comment if you like!  🙂

Stacey Gagne – welcoming you to summer, and the week before Creation Fest!!!

I can’t believe it’s almost here again!  I think this year makes 13 years that I’ve been at Creation… something like that.  Wow.    This year, Creation Fest put together a great video and promotion called “I Am Creation” encouraging people to share their Creation Stories. I love how this event can mean so many different things and be special to so many people in different ways.  I also love that this verse applies to each and every one of us:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
2 Corinthians 5:17

So what’s my Creation story?  Gosh there are so many.

I have to laugh when people ask me about who is playing at the festival, because honestly, I don’t always know.  For me, Creation is not about the music or the corporate gatherings at the stage.  Strange?  Well, sort of… but it’s a good strange.

My experiences at Creation started when I was going for the first time mostly to see Rainchildren, the band my brother and friends were playing in at the time.  My parents had come to visit and we were all excited to go see them on the big stage.  (I had missed them the prior year at Hershey because I couldn’t get out of the job I was working at the time.)  Just days before the festival started,  I got a call from my friends at Creation Staff asking if I’d be willing to help out as at Gates Supervisor.  They were short and needed someone they trusted that could jump in and do what was needed, so I jumped in!  I had no idea what to expect.  When I arrived on site I was greeted by Kurt Weaver and Ben Bryson and the wonderful camping staff and the rest of that year is kind of a blur.

At the end of the festival each year, my joking comment is “oh there were bands at the festival?”.  Of course there are bands that I love there each year,  (this year John Mark McMillan is the main artist I’m hoping to see). but for me… it’s all about the comradery and fun of working together with friends.  Some of my Creation friends are people I only get to see once a year and others I work with here at WJTL every day.  There is just something special about being at Creation that bonds us in a different way.  Is it the beautiful grounds at Agape?  Working as a team to accomplish a goal?  Serving the Lord together in various ways?  Being really sleepy? Well all of these things combined lead to some memories that you don’t make just anywhere.

So,  as I look forward to heading West to Mount Union in just a couple of weeks,  I am thinking of rolling green hills, unloading trucks, making badges, selling tickets, big hugs, little sleep and lots and lots of laughter.  That’s Creation for me…     How about you?  What’s your Creation story?

One of the great things about working at WJTL is the variety of things we get to do.  Although my primary job is to keep things flowing in the office, I also have the opportunity to help out at some of our events, festivals,  and even record some on air promos.  This Friday night I’ll be out at Garden Spot Bowl DJing Rock N Bowl.  I’ll be taking requests all night and playing some of my favorites, too… so if you’re free, like great music, like to bowl, or like to eat cheezy bread … come on out and join me!  (You might want to call ahead to reserve your lane).

STACEY GAGNE – This past weekend I went camping.  It was the first time I’d ever done the “carry in on your back what you need” kind of backpacking camping vs. the “throw everything you own into a car and then go camp by your car” kind I had been used to.  🙂  I loved it.  LOVED it.  I can’t wait to go again.  Figuring out what to bring was a challenge and strapping it into my backpack or onto my bike was also a bit daunting… but there was something freeing about the simplicity of it all.   No mirrors.  No cell phone service.  No Facebook.  Sharing our supplies.  Cooking together and eating around a fire.   Hiking down to the creek which doubled as “the fridge”. etc. etc.   It was awesome… for 2.5 days

However, Sunday afternoon we came home.   We stopped on the way home for ice cream.  We went home to our washing machines and running water and delivery pizza (which tasted AMAZING because we were so hungry and we didn’t have to do a thing to prepare it).  Whenever I want a drink of water I go to the faucet or the water cooler without really thinking about it.  Though… today,  I actually have thought about it.    I’ve been thinking about the conveniences I have and others who don’t have them.   What if I lived in a place where life was more primitive?  What would I miss most?  What distractions would I be glad to be free of.   What does that kind of community look like when it’s no longer just a weekend adventure?  What do I truly need vs what am I just used to?

I never knew that a weekend camping would get me asking myself so many questions.

Stacey M. Gagne

I like camping… and soft serve ice cream

Memorial Day is this coming Monday, May 31, 2010.  It’s a day to remember the U.S. men and women who died during military service and those who serve today.    Lord, be with our soldiers … and soldiers everywhere for that matter.

Since it’s a national holiday, many of us have the day off and we also end up spending time with our families and friends at barbecues, camp outs, parades, etc.

I found a page at usa.gov that gives history of Memorial Day,  information about a moment of remembrance, current military operations, tips for supporting troops, etc.  It also provides safety info for Memorial Day Weekend celebrating.

Have a great weekend with your family and friends and remember to remember our soldiers and to keep them in your prayers!

STACEY GAGNE – Here’s another letter we received today from a WJTL listener:

“I just wanted to send a quick thanks for all of the Christian music on the radio.  It really is a blessing.  I often overlook that at any moment I can turn on the radio and have a solid, Bible based, mission driven radio station to listen to!  Thank you!  Also, while I was recently listening, it hit me that even though you guys desperately need money to keep WJTL on the air, you still have mission organization aftter mission organization share what God is doing through them and then raising money for anything from Bibles to schools to radios while at the same time you still are depending on the Lord for your support.  It really is a unique thing, and I believe God is honored in this!  Thank you so much” –   from a 19 year old listener named Kyle

Wow… so encouraging.  We really do seek to honor God above all else with the choices we make on and off the air.  Thanks Kyle for your encouragement.

Stacey M. Gagne

-Thankful for encouragement through listeners like Kyle

STACEY GAGNE – Today we celebrated with Intern Justin to thank him, as tomorrow will be his last day interning with us.  This semester we were happy to have Justin King, a Home Schooled Senior and Andrew Jones,  a Sophomore at Harford Community College intern with us.  Both of them had the opportunity to spend time in the office behind the scenes, in the studio and on location at some events with WJTL.   We’ll miss you both Justin and Andrew!  Tune in tomorrow during the Get Up and Go Show for Justin’s last day on air… and you can also hear his voice in the Bumper Sticker Spotting Promo we are currently airing.

We are excited to have “former Intern” Sami… Samantha Piersol back with us this summer.  She interned with us as a High School Senior from Twin Valley High School and is now a student at Eastern University.  She’s really active with the regional/local music scene including booking for the band Skyhawk Drive.  We look forward to having her on board to help at events this summer including Purple Door 2010!

Stacey Gagne

– “Liker” of Interns and Volunteers

stacey@wjtl.com

I’m a big fan of local music and get very excited when I find artists that I love that are just around the corner.  That is how I felt when I heard about the band Receiving the Ghost a little while back.  They have put together a really quality video for their song Waiting that I thought I’d share with you.

You can find Receiving the Ghost on Facebook.  Stay tuned because they do have a new album coming out and might be changing their name… you don’t want to miss the great music they have to offer.

[youtube 81U0bzmMT98]

STACEY GAGNE – Ann and I in the office have a theory that once National Day of Prayer comes… hold onto your hats because the Summer is about to come and go.  We go from National Day of Prayer to the Walk for Life(s) and Sertoma Chicken Barbecue this weekend and then it’s full steam ahead into summer events and the music festivals.   We have to consciously remember to enjoy each event and the days and nights in between.  Be intentional about your summer… enjoy the many awesome events that we have around us and your family time and quiet time, too!!

Stacey Gagne

lover of chicken, blogging and my new “office chair”

stacey@wjtl.com

STACEY GAGNE – I’ve been voting on my personal facebook and have re-posted on the WJTL  Facebook in hopes of helping our friends at Teen Haven win a grant through Pepsi’s Refresh Project.  Today, I received a press release encouraging us to vote for some of the other local organizations competing in the project.     You can vote for Teen Haven, the Lancaster Conservatory of Music and Aevidum during the month of May to be among the 10 grant recipients of $50,000.  The Skip Project is competing to be onee of two $250.00 grants.    You can find out the details and vote at refresheverything.com.

The link for Teen Haven is refresheverything.com/teenhaven and would provide a complete gym makeover at the Lancaster City Youth Center.  As a division of Water Street Ministries, Teen Haven helps urban youth develop leadership skills. These teens are passionate about improving the city and see this project as a way to impact their peers and refresh their community. It’s just a few clicks and could help teens in our community.  🙂   Having personally worked a few years  at Water Street with their youth programs,  I know too well how great a blessing a new gym would be to them and am glad to help give some attention to this opportunity!!

Thanks to Water Street Ministries for the details I’ve taken from their press release.  If you’d like me to forward a copy to you for your colleagues, please let me know.

Stacey M. Gagne

WJTL Office Manager

stacey@wjtl.com