A day at camp

Well I am officially living at the camp now. I got everything moved (thank you Mom for your help) and my apartment over the barn is very comfortable and nice. I don't know if everyone would love to live over a horse barn but God has certainly given me my heart's desire. This isn't your ordinary horse barn either.

It is February 1st and it is hard to believe the wonderful weather we have had. Almost 80 today. I am enjoying my outside chores-no more sitting behind a desk crunching numbers. Today I woke up to feed all the animals. I have a menagerie to care for and they all know my car now. First it is the hungry horses, then the lambs, pigs and goats. Then I go to the lake and feed to ducks, then down to the Sabinal River to feed more ducks and geese. Then back home to feed the rabbits. Of course, Calvin and Lily get fed too. I gave a horse a bath, cleaned 10 stalls, hauled hay and feed 100 pounds of feed.

I spent part of today getting ready for the women's retreat that is happening this weekend. I will be taking some of them horseback riding and doing craft projects. They will also be getting massages, manicures and pedicures. These are women that Meg has hand picked to be representatives for the camp in the cities they live in. They will be promoting Lonehollow and recruiting new campers for us. She wants this to be a relaxing and inspiring weekend for them. I have been decorating the health lodge where they will be staying. I'll post some pictures tomorrow. I bought great smelling candles and framed some of the fused glass projects that the campers have created. I'll be working with Meg's decorator tomorrow to put some more finishing touches on everything. I can't believe this is what I get paid to do.

The days are flying by and I have to say I am tired at the end of the day. I am glad I have a few months to build up my stamina before the 10 wranglers arrive. I leave Monday and will be gone all week to recruit at colleges in North Texas. I am looking forward to getting to know the girls that will be living across the hall from me from May to August. It will be a new experience for me after spending most of my life raising 4 boys. There will certainly be more talking. For now it is peaceful and quiet and I remind myself that I need to enjoy it. I couldn't be in a more peaceful and beautiful place. I am doing what I love. I would have never imagined this would be my life.

Yes friends, this is the view from my front porch at the horse barn. I took some time to do my Bible Study Fellowship lesson today and I just had to take a picture to share with you. Although pictures don't do it justice. The camp sits in a beautiful valley surrounded by mountains. It really is HEAVENLY. There is a peace and quiet that fills your soul. I will be moving out here in February so I can start riding the horses daily. Wow, what a job and what a place to live. I am so blessed to love what I do and do what I love. My dogs are going to love it too!!!

The Holidays

New Years Day - Venison, elk, and beef chili lunch at the Scudders house in Fredericksburg
New Year's Eve - Watching fireworks in San Marcos with the Akers.
Karlie and Lily Lu taking a train ride at the Akers' property in Wimberly.
Bebo came for Christmas, he loves Calvin and Lily Lu.
The pictures above are a collection of good times spent with friends and family during Christmas and New Years.

Somethings I am grateful for over the holidays:

- To work with positive-energetic-caring-creative people at Lonehollow. Meg surprised us all with a trip to Fredericksburg and Enchanted Rock. We had a fun Christmas party. I had two weeks off of work-that hasn't happened for many, many years.

- It was great to be in Texas this year to celebrate in warmer weather. Not only Texas but the beautiful hill country. Not only the hill country but to have access to 3000 acres anytime. It just keeps getting better as I will be waking up everyday with the beautiful hills and the horses outside my door as I call camp "home".

- I am grateful for the time with family and friends. The gifts are wonderful but we remember the TIME spent with others. Bebo flew down from Kentucky and was here for 10 days. It was great to tour the Alamo, Buckhorn Hall of Horns, eat great Mexican food, ride the river barge on the Riverwalk, shopping in Fredericksburg, seeing a show at the Rockbox, etc. Mom and I spent Christmas day at camp (she enjoyed picking a few veggies from the garden). I took my cousin Sherry's family horseback riding-it was her boys' first time to ride. I spent New Year's Eve with my dear friends, the Akers & their granddaughter Karlie, watching the fireworks in San Marcos. Considering I had no definite plans for the holidays they filled up perfectly.

I think that is the way life is...we plan and prepare the best we can with the knowledge we have but ultimately things change and we have to adapt. This was my first Christmas being divorced and I had some concern over how the holidays would play out. Honestly, it was bumpy, but I kept looking up and looking ahead. There was encouragement, laughter, beautiful warm days and love and I soaked it in.

I made some stained glass etchings over the holidays and the one I like the best says...

It is our attitude and faith, not our circumstances, that determine our destiny - by April Baxter.

My word for 2012 is STRONGER. I am ready to push on toward a new year, new beginnings, new life.

Coincidence is God remaining Anonymous

I had a "God thing" happen yesterday and I just love it when I am able to see it happen. I will be taking the horseback riding director position at Camp Lonehollow. Anyone that knows me, knows that is a blessing and dream job for me. I can't wait to work with the kids and the horses. Taking this position means that I will be moving out to live at the camp soon. I'll be riding and caring for the horses everyday. I wanted to get a feel for the community so I visited Living Waters church in Utopia to meet some of the people and see what the services were like. I loved it. The worship and the message were spirit filled and powerful. I sat by a wonderful lady that was so warm and friendly and gave me a sweet hug when I left. Her name was Helen Hutto. On my way home to Hunt I had a blow out on my right front tire. I was so thankful that it happened when I was just turning onto Hwy. 39 and was only going about 40 mph. I pulled off the road and started changing the tire but I couldn't loosen the lug nuts. There I was with no cell service and it was cold and windy outside. I had not passed a single car on this desolate road. Within a minute a car pulls over to help me and out comes three teenagers. They are able to change the tire for me and we start talking. They are from Fredericksburg and Harper. They ask what I am doing out there and I tell them about attending Living Waters Church in Utopia. They say they have all attended church there too. Since they don't live close by I ask why and one of them tells me his grandparents attend there. When I ask the name guess who it is...Helen Hutto! I am amazed! God just connects all the dots and sometimes we are blessed to see it. He knows every moment of our life and when I am reminded of that it increases my faith and my gratitude that He loves me so much. He is going before us and He has a plan on earth and a reason for each of us. I can't wait to see what it is. There are no coincidences in my opinion. Thank you God for all the details you take care of and thank you Caleb Hutto for being the good Samaritan!!!

Found the horse records!!!

OK this picture has nothing to do with my subject but I thought Lilly looked cute sitting in my chair at work. She gets to come to work with me on days when I am not staying late in town doing other things.
It is so exciting when I see God work in my life. I am learning to pray and expect. I can't say that I had that kind of faith before. I realize that answered prayer may mean that I don't see the answer right away or even in this lifetime but I pray with expectations now. Yesterday was a day God answered a prayer for me. For several weeks I couldn't find a green bag that contained my tennis shoes and horse records. I last saw it several weeks ago in my car. I had retraced my steps. I went to the Hunt Store, the car wash, my BSF church, everywhere I could think I might have left it. No luck. I left my phone number with everyone. I prayed and asked God to help me find it, I asked friends to pray for me to find it. Yesterday I found the binder with the horse records in a cabinet here at work. The bag is still missing with the shoes but I was most concerned about the horse records. I am so thankful. I didn't get the bag back like I envisioned but I got the most important item. It was an answer to prayer in a different way. That is so typical of the way God works. He does it in a totally different way than we envision. He either says yes, no, or I have a better plan. He is always listening and always faithful.

A true friend is a gift from God.

I have been blessed with the best friends in the world. People who display the character and love of Christ to others. These are two of them ~ Lori and Amanda. They are wise women of character that inspire me with their love of life and Christ. They are striving to become the best they can be and that challenges me to grow. I want to have the courage to step out and do something out of my comfort zone. This weekend I entered my first art show and won third place. I was thrilled and I plan on doing more stained glass projects. Watch out everyone Christmas is coming and you may be getting one of my projects.
Lori flew down to visit from Kentucky for the weekend. She had not been to Texas before so we did a few Texas things like horseback riding, eating Mexican food, a quick tour of the Riverwalk and Mi Terra. She is going to have to come back to get her cowboy boots. She is a treasured friend and I am so thankful for her love and encouragement during this past year. We laughed, we cried, we enjoyed just being in each others' company. It's nice when you have a friend that you feel so comfortable with no matter what you are doing.
Amanda is a friend that I have known for 20+ years when I moved away we had lost touch with each other. We reconnected and picked up right where we left off. She is entering a new chapter in her life and I have watched her step out in courage to pursue her dreams and use the creative gifts God gave her. I got to work her booth while she was at a bridal shower and I learned how to make sales on an iPhone. I am looking forward to seeing her more often now that we are both doing art. Thank you God for friendship and all that we learn about ourselves and others because of it.

A visit from Ryan, Crystal and Biscuit Killer

Time flies when you are having fun and we packed in as much fun as we could. Ryan, Crystal and Biscuit Killer spent a couple of days with me and we rode horses, toured the camp, had chicken fried steak and the Lost Maples Cafe in Utopia, good Mexican food at Mamacita's, picked veggies in the organic garden. I am working on a book of memories for the boys and it was fun to pick Ryan's brain about his childhood memories. Most of them were about doing things outdoors in Texas. He has always been so laid back and comfortable outdoors. I remember when he a baby we took him hiking at Lost Maples State Park and I put him on a large smooth rock under a cedar tree and he fell asleep. Now he is looking after his Mom by giving me a shotgun :). Thanks Rybo for caring about your Mom - Texas style!