Chi Alpha Retreat: Photo Time!

Here is my blog post reporting the retreat. I didn't have pics at the time, but thanks to Ashley Jackson posting them on her site, now we can all enjoy them. For more photos: LSU XA official site.

Our lifegroup, "The Wreckin' Crew," praying for God to lead us this semester. The blue-red-green-yellow color scheme was not intended, but God really worked a unity theme in there, didn't he? John Barreca (my roomate) in blue, Zeke Brewer in Red, Me in Green, Lionel Dennis in yellow.
Me (left) and my friend Tollie Coates (right) were gung-ho, the first to jump in the water to prepare for the day's water activities. Thank goodness I had an Eagle scout with me to do the "J-stroke"! We flipped over like 5x, and the lake even ate my t-shirt, and I almost lost my hat as well.
Nick and Adam flip over as we play a game someone invented on the spot. The best description I can give is "canoe football." (American football for non-U.S. readers.) Each side of the pond was an end-zone. Loads of fun, actually!
Lisa King poses for Cosmo.
Michelle Scott aging before our eyes! Wisdom beyond her years.
Dustin aka "Money" and Adam Stephenson represent the cross.
The RED team listens to instructions about the upcoming Capture the Flag event. What made the 3 rounds we played so interesting was that there was a pond right in the center, with two land bridges on the side. Left to right: Adam Stephenson, Derrick Brumley, John Barreca, Me, Angelique Ortego, Renee Nestor, Michelle Scott (with Kristin Shipp in the background).
Let the chaos of trying to get deep into enemy territory begin!
At some point in the first round, Jonathan Buras said, "Josh jump in and swim across to get their flag!" Now I knew we were desperate, but me, swim?! I tentatively ripped my sneakers off and started swimming across the pond, into enemy territory, toward the flag...
Reaching the shallow water, a couple blue team members met me, halting my advance. Suddenly red team members (my team) showed up on land and made a diversion! Seizing the moment, I climbed up onto the pier. I ran to the end of the pier, where the enemy flag lay on land, grabbed it, and while being chased by Casey Jaynes, ran as fast as I could down the pier, leaped off, and threw the flag to Renee Nestor. We swam it back to shore, winning us the first round!
Fresh out of the water, Ashley asked for a victory pose, and a tired, silly grin is the best I could
muster.
Renee, my "Navy SEAL" partner in crime. (A better swimmer than I).
Crystal Lengendre has got our flag! My bad. I was runnin after her when Tollie of her team blocked me. I tossed my flour-filled sock at her and missed. You can see the aftermath of me colliding with Tollie in the background. Yeah, that's my sorry behind lying in the dirt.
Third round. I'm somewhere on the other side of the pond exhausted. But Derrick Brumley (far left) has repeated my stunt, except with much better style, and brings the flag home! Bring it, baby!