How the west was not won

It came to an end this morning around 6:30. The wagon circle (the cars) began to pull out single file as the pioneers went their own ways to embark upon a new day. The leader of the group, Nichalas, gave us the details sitting beside me on the couch, smelling like wood smoke and saying he was rather cold.

The real brain storming began last night about 1/2 hour before the sunlight was totally gone. It was then that Nichalas and Mat decided to venture out and "build a shelter" just west of the barn. After fumbling around in the dark for about 10 minutes, they decided it was too late to "create" the shelter and elected to sleep out in the open on a tarp. This decision was based mostly on just discovering they had only one tarp, rather prepared I'd say. Fortunately, the rain had come to a stop, but the temps were continuing to drop. Around 9:00 the house was invaded with the excited pioneers, about to embark on their "roughing it camp out". There ended up only being one fire, which died out sometime after 1:00am. I gathered that no one was scared enough to stay up and feed it to fend off the wild beast.

Adam elected to say yes when he was called in to work, missing out on most of this exciting adventure. They all slept outside and only their heads were cold. I am thankful that they did this. What memories they have made. From the back door you could hear the laughter and murmuring of nonstop conversation. The dreams and ideas that were sparked last night were probably more than the actual fire spit out.

I don't know who came up with this challenge. I am encouraged though that these young men elected to do something out of the ordinary, something that consisted of good, clean fun. It is nice to be able to joke with them about having their supplies of alcohol, drugs and wild women, knowing that nothing of that sort is even in the inventory. It's comforting, exciting and a relief that they want to come in and spend time with me, just to talk, to include me in their lives. It's encouraging and what hope seeing 5-10 young men who are the complete opposite of what the media is projecting them to be. It is a blessing knowing that they started the camp out so late because some of them attended church first to recognize Maundy Thursday. It is rewarding too, knowing that God is so much bigger than me. That all the oops, mistakes, should haves, and what I actually did do were made right by my Father. How hard it is to completely give up someone who really isn't mine, to give them over to their heavenly Daddy, and accept the fact and responsibility that I am only a caregiver. Yet, how much of a blessing, with so much freedom, it is to finally do so and let Him take control. To be able to set back and see these young men reflecting so brightly their Christ who lives within their own very being.

It was also shared that the hot dogs and chocolate cookies eased the hunger pains, as that wascally wabbit got away.