Home from the Ranch

Well, its hard to believe... but it is Monday, July 28th... and that means that after months of planning and praying and working and organizing, both of this summer's youth mission trips have ended. Now its time for an update of the most recent one!



The youth and I spent last week at Heifer Ranch in Perryville, Arkansas. It was HOT. 105 degree heat index HOT. BUT... we learned a LOT, worked hard, and laughed hard! Here are some photos of our most recent travels (with my thoughts on the time we spent on the ranch coming soon!!)



On the way to Arkansas, the Sulphur Grove kids and I stopped at the Garden of the Gods in southern Illinois... which was AMAZING. Here are the kids on top of the rocks!

THe youth climbed out on this pile immediately after I took the picture... far away from me and close to the edge... no wonder I have so much gray hair!!

Then it was on to the Ranch, where we spent our week working, learning, and serving. We had a great time but also had a lot of opportunities to really evaluate our lives, our global impact, and the idea that there is enough for everyone, but not everyone has enough. It was an AMAZING week.

Our night in the global village was spent divided between two places. Half our group (and I with them) spent the night in the large Thailand house. There were a lot of us in a small space, but we were BLESSED to spend the night in such good conditions... especially since... The other part of our group spent the night in the Urban Slum, sleeping on the brick floor. THey did a great job, but I know it was hard on them!

Afterwards there was much of what has become a theme for the summer... getting inked! (I must say... you girls need to work on your tans! Look at my feet compared to yours!! OH wait... that might be dirt....)

At the end of our time on the ranch we took one last group shot... and headed back north...

Where we quite inappropriately had lunch at Lambert's Cafe (home of the throwed rolls)... and all of us struggled with the amount of waste we produced after our week of minimizing our impact! It was a GREAT meal... but it came with some guilt... which is not really a bad thing!

Finally, and creepy, we found out what happens when a water buffalo is badly behaved on the ranch! Apparently the staff had water buffalo burgers for MONTHS... and his head, well, the bugs are still working on that one!!

Remember to be nice to others folks...and enjoy the sunset... and be thankful for all that you have... and remember... we are all responsible for each other! Find a way to make a difference!

Simplicity

Sometimes I wonder why life has to be so complicated. I know... who doesn't.... but sometimes I really do wonder when it happened that I got so caught up in life that I forgot how to just live. I love my life, I really do. There are parts of it that frustrate me or that I wish I could change. There are things that I do that I wish I didn't. There are things that I wish I did more!

Two weeks ago now I had the most amazing experience. (which is detailed in the next blog down). I got to spend 3 nights in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota. I have wanted to canoe in the Boundary Waters for what seems like forever. I even have a "life list" of things that I want to do and it is on there. I really wasn't prepared for it though, I have to admit. I really wasn't prepared for the experience itself or what has happened since.

My decision to canoe with the boys group was hard at first. Kim would do either and I had to choose. I chose the boys because I don't spend nearly enough time with them and because I was pretty sure that having my own tent during the trip would be WAY better than sharing one! Shallow reason, I know. Anyway, it was a very good decision for a multitude of reasons, not the least of which is the chance to spend 3 1/2 uninterrupted days bonding with the boys... in the wilderness.... um, yeah. Jason, our guide, and now one of my favorite people, was my canoe partner... we had many a good discussion while paddling ourselves through the lakes. We talked about life and love and living and learning and growing and changing and lots of other deep things that our teenage counterparts were too busy whining to discuss. We also had many a good non-discussion. That sounds weird but I was so blessed to have time to sit and think (while my scalp got really sunburned I'll add!) while enjoying the scenery and time with God. I don't think Jason knows what a blessing it was to me to be his canoe partner... so Jason, thank you!

At the end of every portage, every night while watching the sunset, while we paddled around, while we sat and talked... I always said "It is so pretty" or "Wow, beautiful." I think (I know!) that the boys got sick of hearning it. Truly though, that is how I felt. Not just about the scenery... about the whole experience. SOmetimes I am amazed at my own lack of ability to express appreciation for the situation.

There are things to be said, though... things to be thought and expressed about the lessons I learned in the BWCA and at Ko-Wa-Kan, and after leaving. There are things to be said about being humble, and amazed. About living life simply and passionately.

Things to be said about everything you need to live being in your canoe (on the water) or on your back (at the portage). Things to be said about the view from the side of my tent at the beginning of another day. Things to be said about living life.

But I lack the words to express all of that. I lack the ability to put into words the passion that I want to see back in my life. I lack the ability to express my immense desire for simplicity in my life, for viewing the world and my impact on it for what it can be and not what I am settling for. I lack the ability to express my desire to live differently and experience all that God has out there for me.

So, I can't... and I won't. But that's my heart right now. There you have it.

Minnesota....

Last night I sat with a few of the youth who traveled with me to Minnesota for the last couple of weeks. We were having dinner outside on what could be the last nice, cool night for a while.

Then it occured to me that we are back from Minnesota. We have come home to Ohio and it is all a memory now. CRAZY. We talked for months and months about our trip. We dreamed and worried and planned and prepared. It suddenly hit me that our great Minnesota adventure has happened. So much of it lived up to our expectations and dreams, so much of it took us by surprise. We succeeded and failed, we put our hearts into it and quit on it, we worked hard and played hard, we laughed, we cried... I admit there were even a few swear words. We traveled for hours in the big white van, in yellow canoes, and on our own feet. We saw parts of the country that amazed us, humbled us, and changed us. I wish I could do our time justice in some articulate fashion. But I can't. INstead, here are some photos of our trip.

On the second day of our drive to MN we stopped at Gooseberry Falls on the shore of Lake Superior. It was AMAZING!! Carly and Meg tried to cross the river before Kim stopped them an pointed out a "safer" path!



These are the boys that I canoed with (along with our friend Jason... ok, guide, but we think of him as our friend now!)

Each afternoon the boys would try to convince me to swim at our campsite. The water was COLD though!! And even though I had every intention of getting in each day... it was my little entertainment piece to have them beg, plead, and try to get me in... it was COLD!! And Carlys hate being cold!! Here is Daniel swimming at our first campsite.

We also had the most beautiful sunset view on our first evening out. Actually every evening had a great one... but this one also made a beautiful picture!

After canoeing we headed to Mound, MN outside Minneapolis and Camp Kingswood. Our base for our week of working with 2 other church youth groups.

In Lyndale, MN there is a church that we drove by nearly every day on our way to the work site... it had the oddest sign.
This is one of the work teams from Kingswood... they worked HARD on the same house all week, while most groups switched at least twice.

Carly and I got a Carly and Carly shot over an odd (and colorless!) dinner one night. Love my Carly!! (although I clearly have the better tan... shhhhH!)

Ahhhh... Minnesota! You treated us well, and kicked our butts. You hated us and loved us and made us crazy. You don't always pave your roads, but you give them all names. Your people were some of the nicest and most loving we have ever met, even though an awful lot of them laughed at us. You have a Starbucks in most every Target... which saved many a youth from the wrath of Carly. Your Caribou Coffee really isn't our favorite, but the hoof mints are darn good. We got all "tatted" up when we came to visit... and brought home some very decorative skin.

Minnesota... we love you and also kind of hate you. We are blessed and forever changed by the time we spent with you. We will always remember you!! And hopefully soon we will meet up with you again!!