Wow. You are still here

Hey Old Blog. Wow! I can't believe I found you. Like an old favorite shirt that got shuffled to the back of the closet. Maybe I'll start blogging again...

Christmas tradition...

We spent this Christmas in Colorado with the Fuller side of the family and I thought I'd throw up a few pictures of a Christmas tradition we've done for as long as I can remember...making Christmas sugar cookies. Since I (Ryan) took the pictures, I'm not in any of them. :P
And here's a pic of Shelby and Joe's gingerbread house. It won the "Most Beautifully Detailed" award. Hope everyone had a great Christmas filled with joy, peace, family, friends, and much thanks to our Lord for choosing to come be a part of our world...

Wishing all a great New Year!

October

It's October - quite possibly the prettiest month at NLR. I realized I haven't posted in a while, so here you go:
Fall is great. Seasonal change. The cool weather. Leaves falling. I love the fall at NLR!
I am truly grateful for my family. My wife, my kids, my parents, my in-laws, even my brother-in-law doesn't seem so bad today (That's you, Josh, love you bro!)
I am grateful for life as God has given it. Things aren't perfect (He promised they wouldn't be!) but He is gracious and merciful and has blessed me, so I choose to be thankful.
I worry about things (my kids, my staff (and open positions), the economy, getting older) but again, I choose to trust (it's hard for me).
The Lord is good and I know He is in charge. I choose this today.

We're in Telluride on vacation! To see a few pictures, click here. I'll be posting more stuff on my blog as the week continues.

--Ryan

What a Day

Yesterday. What a day. I don't know if I can really communicate the emotions of yesterday... We ended summer camp. We celebrated 50 years of New Life Ranch. Ruth Heck was welcomed home to be with Jesus. Paul and Julie Baker called to share their excitement of a new son to be born in November!
I recieved this email from Dr. Jim Walters... a man I really enjoy and respect. Let me share it:

What a privilege to stand on the perimeter of your lives as you treat Ruth with the love and dignity she deserves in these final days before she joins her beloved Lord and husband. In time past, the bedroom was the place of birth and death, a holy place where heaven touched earth at two of the most significant moments in human existence.. The loss of the second in most families is a sad loss. Our prayers for you is that during these days, when tears rightly flow, you will experience a fullness of joy rooted in the privileged years of beng loved by Ruth and in anticipation of her glorious tomorrows "as death is swallowed up in victory."
Jim and Lynda

Cool, huh?

From the minutia

Summer Camp is almost over. Well, actually we are in week 6 which means we still have two weeks to go. But for me, I can start looking at what's next. My staff are all doing great and even our summer folks have learned their jobs and are doing a great job. This makes my world much easier! and I have time to start looking ahead. Out from the 1,000 details (or more) that is summer camp and into the bigger picture of planning and "what can we do to make next year better?" but first, the 50th. Aug 2nd is the 50th anniversary celebration of the ministry of New Life Ranch. There will be lots of activity and lots of people. Check out the website if you want to come join us.

And then, after that... it's back to planning. Yeah. I like that stuff!

Busy

Busy, busy, busy… that seems to be the word of the times! Well, I have to say I thought I would be somewhat exempt from this “lifestyle” coming to ministry at a camp. I guess my expectation was that in five years, I should have figured it out by now… come on, ministry… at a camp… I should be able to figure out how to slow down and live a simple life! I give up. Lord, I surrender my effort to “figure this out.”

You are now my witness. I confess to you as I confess to the Lord. I cannot do it. I know it’s cultural and it’s ingrained in my bones. I cannot do it.

Now what? I guess I will continue to get up each day and do what I can…