Get The Girl - Part 2

Let me go on record to say that it is a way different experience finding JH in the Honda than finding it in the bbow - just sayin'. We parked down below by the cabins and ran up to the lodge to see what was going on...and if she would happen to be there. The lodge was buzzing with people everywhere...doing all the things you want and need to do before leaving. Most of the 270 students will leave late tonite on buses for the airport in Sacramento...only seven are actually being picked up, and the sixteen year old would be one of the seven!

Not finding her at the Lodge we headed back down to her cabin. Just as we got there she came out the door to start looking for us. The look on her face was priceless! She was so happy to see us, happy for the amazing time she's had at JH, and happy for us to meet her new friend Katy. Katy is adorable and these two had a spectacular time together. Katy is from Santa Barbara - well, at least it's on the West Coast. These two have all the same interests - music, horses, art. So thankful for their special friendship! Everyone was getting ready for their final dinner together up at the Lodge.

The hour before dinner was spent getting pictures with everyone you could possibly get your picture taken with. It was quite chaotic.

These are 14 kids in Taryn's group. Two of the girls were actually in her cabin last year so that was a lot of fun.

Taryn & Katy posing with...John Wayne??

Final dinner in the amazing dining pavilion. Gary and I had the honor of eating with the staff. Mack Ogren, development director at JH, was our host at dinner and it was such a blessing visiting with him about all that God is doing at JH.

After dinner there was a long presentation of awards.

This is one of the great little trails you can take from the dining pavilion down to the cabin area. Going down is so much fun...going back up, not so much! Of course I made this trip at least five times. Imagine do that multiple times a day for two weeks!

And here is the bbow parked among the pine trees at JH. Lovely! There was actually another rv parked down there near the creek. This family was from the Alabama and had made the trip to JH a family vacation. In hindsight we wished we had planned to stay the nite right here...but at this point we had no idea just how late this nite would become for us.

After that everyone was responsible to have their cabins cleaned out and all luggage in the proper location for departure. There was actually a very large horse trailer designated for luggage. And then everyone headed down to the Big Top. It is actually quite an amazing venue. I've heard so much about it I was beyond excited to actually be there!

In the corral next to the Big Top all these tents were set up to dry out - kind of a visual testament to God's sovereignty. Two days earlier Second Wind's three day wilderness adventure and the Shasta Trac 2 adventure were aborted due to weather. Second Wind teams had hiked, often in snow, to find a specific location using only a compass and coordinates. This can take two to ten hours depending on how well you navigate as a group. Taryn's group took six hours to find the correct location (first ones!) and set up camp there for the nite. She remembers falling asleep with the gentle patter of rain on their tent. She woke up around 3 Am with her feet and sleeping bag completely submerged in a puddle of water. This was not good. As everyone woke up in the same dilemma they were given instructions to pack up camp and head back to the ranch. This was very wise...but also very disappointing as this experience in the wilderness, that includes a 24 hr solo time, is considered the pinnacle of Second Wind. Still using this as a teachable moment they had a very special Big Top back at the ranch where Mack taught them about God changing our plans for His purpose.

Waiting for the Big Top to begin was another photo opportunity. The girls in Taryn's group had their picture taken with worship leader Ronnie Freeman.

And another group shot

Everyone waiting for the Big Top to begin.

The call to worship from the Big Top is unmistakable and every one was so anxious to worship. This was a dream come true for me. Ronnie Freeman is an amazing worship leader, and by this time the kids are so familiar with the music that the worship is uninhibited and just flows out of their passion for Christ.

A quick recap of what they had learned over the past two weeks was followed by testimonies from the students. The staff and coaches call this meeting "pay day". All the coaches work for the summer as volunteers - none are paid - so hearing how God has impacted the lives of the kids in their cabins is their "pay day". It was wonderful to witness this part of the program.

Near the end the sixteen year old in obedience got up and shared just a bit of what God was teaching her over the past two weeks. She shared that coming last year with her dad was really for her about her relationship with him, compared to this year when it was all about her relationship with the Lord. God met her here at JH and drew her heart even closer to His. At one point she looked down at one of her bracelets - a gift from her sister - that says on it "More Than Words" - that is the passion of these two weeks at JH for her - identifying her faith even more as her own, and cementing it in her heart as a faith that is "more than words". It was a grand moment!

As we left the Big Top I had this experience of stepping into the night and having the brightness of the stars completely stop me in my tracks. At this elevation the stars are so brilliant I literally thot I was walking under white Christmas lights. It was a crazy moment to realize it was actually the stars in the sky. It took my breath away!

After farewell sundae's in the dining pavilion it was time for some very tearful good-bye's as the buses loaded to leave JH. We left in the bbow shortly before they did, but well after midnite. We still have a two hour drive back to Redding. The good news was we got to hear wonderful stories from the sixteen year old about her time at JH - the bad news was it was nearly 3 AM when we fell into bed! What an amazing day in so many incredible ways...and we got the girl!