...maybe it was all those mini-corn dogs I had to eat??

NEW LIFE RANCH SUMMER STAFF 1999...

The summers of 1999-2001 were life changers for me (Shelli). The same would be said of 2003 for Justin. Those are the years that we were on summer staff with New Life Ranch.

NLR is a Christian summer camp and retreat center. I've heard it said that "sometimes the ranch needs you and sometimes you need the ranch" when it comes to the summer staff. I think the process is definitely led by the Lord and pr@yed over, because it is always just the right people at the right time that come in to work for the summer.

I had no idea what NLR was...let alone did I want to work there. But, at some point during my junior year of college, my friend Kim was starting to fill out here staff application for this camp and I decided to fill one out as well with no real thought put into it. Well, one phone interview later, and I was hired as the "canteen girl". (The canteen was a place to buy souvenirs, cokes and candies) And....it was one of the best summers of my life followed by two more summers as a camp counselor and lead ropes tech. (Yes...at one point in my life, I could climb things and jump off of tall platforms without a care in the world.)

When Justin and I first started dating, the one thing that kind of plagued the back of my mind was "But he's never worked or been to the ranch! He'll never fully grasp how important that place is to me." God even answers whiney prayers sometimes because Justin ended up working there the summer of 2003 as their video guy. And he, of course, fell in love with that place just as I had.

Why am I going on and on about New Life Ranch? Because that place is still a huge blessing to us. Here we are, more than 10 years after my first experience out there, and they are still a big part of our life.

The full time staff are still very close friends of ours. My name is probably still etched into a bunk bed somewhere. And, only Justin and I know where our names are written on a wooden post from when we were dating. Though, it unfortunately is probably gone now from the wind and elements. :(

It dwells in our hearts. It makes me wonder though. With the work we're doing out here in Ch!na. Will we have that same effect on people we come in contact with? I sure hope so.

This month, out of the blue, New Life Ranch blessed us. This time they helped US! Talk about an extremely pleasant surprise. It was like a long lost friend dropping in to say hi. And what a wonderful hello it was!

...or, then again, maybe they just felt the need to say thanks for eating all those mini-corn dogs, or knowing that Mr. Postman was going to bring me a copy of the NIV, or dealing with all the mosquito bites, or camping under the stars in a beautiful setting with "hobos" in our bellies, or helping console a homesick camper, or doing the 'swim test' on an extremely cold day in the creek, or courageously eating bowls of Mr. Larry's surprise soup (which was always delicious), or my constant current feeling to dress really goofy and "SING HIGH or sing low" when a friend has a birthday.

Naahhh. I think they just genuinely love us, as much as we love them!

Here's to you New Life Ranch! B'GAWK!

And, if you're TOTALLY clueless as to what a "hobo" is, watch the following video: