Tuesday on the ranch

Wyoming...big blue skies. As I sit and write this journal, I am struck by how big and how blue the sky is. It has been this way all week, even when it has rained, there is still a big blue sky. It continues to remind me how big our God is.

Tonight I am by myself at the ranch finding some alone time to be necessary. Kelly, Jesse and Stephanie are hiking a mountain close by looking for moose, bears and snakes. The staff all ventured into town for the last night of the Cody rodeo. There is peace in being alone.

Today we cleaned the bunk houses preparing for the DTS team that will move in next Wednesday. All four of us got to work together, so that was really fun. That took most of the morning. After lunch we baked cookies and made a Wartburg favorite (cool cookies) for the staff. Following the cookie baking madnes we washed the kitchen (lights, walls, chairs, floors, stove tops, ovens, microwaves, fridges...you name it)

My favorite part about this ranch is meal time. It is such great fellowship around the table. I feel like that is where people start to get "real" and share who they are. There is always laughter and stories. It reminds me of home...

I am not sure what the plan is for tomorrow. We have a few things to finish up in the kitchen and I know Kelly is dying to ride a horse! Hopefully she won't break a leg.

Thanks for all the e-mails and responses to our journals, you have no idea how fun they are for us to read. I am peacing out, but before I go, below you will find the words to Bebo Norman's "Big Blue Sky" This is life for now.

Laura <><

"I don't have a lot to give. This broken world can make it hard to live. I got nothing left to say. My empty words have simply gone away. But this big blue sky shows me all that I have got. And you're by my side to be everything I'm not. The angels sigh I breathe deep the breath of God. I cannot find another sky. My thoughts are heavy and they cloud my eyes. But when I'm searching for the sun. You rise up quickly with your kingdom come. I'm coming alive, nothing is good apart from you I'm coming alive...with you. I may not have a lot to give. This broken world can make it hard to live. I may have nothing left to say, but I know that you will never go away"