Close To My Heart

~ If you don't read this whole post at least don't miss the last paragraph ~

15 minutes from our ranch is a Youth With A Mission base. YWAM is a ministry that offers lots of different opportunities for youth and adults. The base in our area is called Western Frontiers. They run Discipleship Training Schools once or twice a year. A DTS is a 6 month (give or take) commitment. The first 3 months are spent at the base studying, learning about rural lifestyle, and doing community/ministry projects. At the end of the 3 months the DTS goes abroad to do a ministry outreach. Since I have lived here I have seen many teams go out for a couple months to places such as Tanzania, Pakistan, and Yemen.

Western Frontiers is also the ministry that hosts the Rodeo Bible Camp that I help with every year. I have developed many friends at or through WF. One of those is Monica the Magnificent. Monica's job for the past 2 years has been to develop a program called Mission Adventures. MA is a program that hosts youth groups at the base for 4 days of training and then takes them to Montana to a reservation where they engage in various projects. Last year I got to help Monica the Magnificent develop some of her paperwork and strategy for MA.

In the past 8 months the Lord has been moving Monica the Magnificent to wrap up her time at WF. This time has come all to quickly for me, since she and I have developed a really special friendship. She is going to be packing up and leaving for California in just a few short weeks. I am not looking forward to the goodbye, however I am excited for her new adventures.

This week at WF was an MA week. Wow, I should have named this post "Acronyms." Monica the Magnificent has stepped into the role of "cook" for MA this summer to allow the new directors to plunge in. She has amazed me with her humility in mentoring and stepping back. I don't know many directors who are so willing to step out of such a role and willingly step into the kitchen. Cooking 3 meals a day for 30-40 people is not a glamorous or coveted position. May God richly bless your humble, serving attitude Mon-i-ki-ya.

The Prairie Kid and I decided to go join in this week in the kitchen a little and hang out during MA. Thankfully there were lots of people to help with The Prairie Kid while I helped cook. And cook we did! And while we cooked we sang and danced, laughed and shared, and had a good ol' sweaty time! I even managed to soak my capris and make myself look like I completely lost bladder control while trying to wash some big pots and pans. I am classy, eh?

I also got to spend time with a few other friends this week. Remember the bride that had the car accident after leaving my house 2 days before her wedding on Easter? Theresa the Tremendous and I were able to spend some quality time together. And some friends that moved away a few years ago are now back! I am really excited to be reconnecting with them.

And last night I got to witness a lot of people get baptized in a horse tank. Gotta love rural Wyoming. Two of those that were baptized were kids that are in the class I teach at church and the girl was in my cabin at Kidz Kamp. I was blessed to be able to see them show their devotion to God in their baptisms last night.

Last but definitely not least, last night my son (who must get his classiness from me) reportedly passed gas quite loudly next to a gal and then looked up at her and not-so-innocently said "What's that? What was that?" He has learned all too early to not take responsibility!