WHAT. NO. NO, NO, NO, I DO NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL.
I miss my friends more than they can know, and I miss my family even more; however, I cannot imagine leaving this place. The work is difficult, believe me, but the rewards are more than enough to make up for it. In fact, the work itself can be a reward. I am spoiled by the magnificent scenery and constant fellowship surrounding me everyday at the Ranch. How, how, can I think about leaving?
I can't. Therefore, I will not. Moving on...
The Second Wind program is here! Or somewhere near here, I should say! Right now all of our 450 teenagers are off on adventures (surfing in the ocean, hiking up Mt. Shasta, navigating the wilderness, rafting the Klamath River, and biking to the coast), but for a little over a week they have been bouncing all over property. It's an odd situation to be in because though we work much harder with this group, we also can't help but catch onto some of their contagious energy. I do not know if you've ever experienced singing worship songs with 450 13-18 year olds but it is fun.
I've learned a lot from the group. More than I could ever hope to tell; so, I will share just two of the lessons they will have left me with.
1. When a teenager makes a salad, this is what they put on it: romaine lettuce, american cheese, croutons, and ranch dressing. That is all. They want nothing else. And I have a sneaking suspicion that the lettuce is not necessarily essential to their salad experience. The carrots, beets, tomatos, broccoli, sunflower seeds, and other toppings are left untouched. Our other dressings- italian, ginger sesame, raspberry vinagrete, etc- are barely dipped into. Salads, I would say, are generally thought of as a healthy addition to one's meal. Second Winders seemed to have taken this thought as a challenge, and they have won. There can be nothing healthy about the way they eat salad. But maybe I'm biased- I know what goes into the ranch dressing...
2. There is no reason to put ourselves through half of what we do. Let me rephrase, we chase after so much for such a long time that does not satisfy before we come to Jesus. That seems to be true for most of Christians. I have heard testimony after testimony here in which the speaker, at some point or another, relates a heart-broken warning. In his or her own words, something along these lines is said: "Don't bother with all that I did. It is not worth it. You are not missing out, you are saving yourself from so much damage."
That's one the biggest lies we want to believe, isn't it? That experience is freedom. That trying all the world has to offer will give us life at it's limit. If we really committed our life to Christ, then we would be constantly denying ourselves this true life. I think if we are honest with ourselves, we believe that walking with the Lord is not all that exciting. We believe it is necessary to numb parts of who we are in order to really live as a Christian in this world.
No. Not true. Completely and totally wrong. "I come that they may have life" - John 10:10. Jesus does not say "I come that they may follow me and turn away from all they want and eventually get to this life-long church service called Heaven." I don't want to commit my life to the latter either. But I do want life.
I watch these guests, especially those that are in high school and I am so encouraged. They are learning, before I did in my own life, that Jesus promises more than the World. They are learning that He is life, not the million other options the world offers us with pressing hands. They are learning that to follow God is the most exciting and wonderful journey we have the chance to experience on earth. In fact, it is the only way we can every truly find sustained and eternal joy while we live here.
God is not boring. He doesn't want us to be boring either. I have watched many of our guests come to know Jesus this past week and they are anything but boring. They are hyper, adventurous, loud, laughing, dancing, intelligent, immature, introspective, joyful, vulnerable, athletic, brave, and kind. They are many things, but they are not boring.
Sadly, the Second Wind program will end on Sunday. Happily, we will welcome back the parent-teen program the day after they leave! That session will only be fathers and daughters so, if you are so inclined, start praying that God softens the hearts of these guests. Pray that the girls would see how much their Dads love them. Pray that the Dads would be able to communicate their love to their little girls. Pray that God is the one who inspires both of these things, and that His handprint is obvious in it all.
