Halloween: Baby Style!

This year's Lost Valley Halloween theme was "Above the Clouds," so I went as a baby carried by a stork! I couldn't find a girl outfit, so I had to be a boy baby, but it made the costume even better I think.It was a night to remember, hahaha.

Not much has happened since my last post not even a week ago. But, my birthday is coming up in a few short days! Mom sent me a package, but I can't open it until Sunday! It sits next to me as I type this, and it is teasing me.

Staff meeting tonight made me again think about the sovereignty of His will. Even though we have free will, He is sovereign. Even when we make a "bad" decision, He is sad and disappointed for us, yet He knew that we would make that choice, and He still uses that bad choice for His glory in the end. We need to continue and strive to live every day under the direction of His moral will. Only when we truly follow Him will we gain the peace and freedom that follows. In EVERY decision, little or big, I will strive to follow His will.

I am reminded...

I am reminded daily of His detailed design of His creation...

Well, it has been quite awhile since I've written in this blog, and for that I apologize.
The picture above was taken on a rare morning where the frost stuck around the ranch until almost noon. So I grabbed my camera and went for a walk.

Let's see...the spring ended very eventfully. I had two of my best friends leave the ranch unexpectedly, sending me into some hard times emotionally. But we go through it, and because of those events, I am closer to them than I expected.

Summer came and went with a hurry, just as I expected. The summer staff that is hired always makes me be on my guard a bit more because they tend to be a little more fake. Fake as in not going deep in relationship with people because they are only here for a few months. It was hard to get to know a lot of the staff because of that mentality, but I did bond with my roommates. They were great girls who kept me accountable and we shared our testimonies together.

Fall has also flown by, but in a different manner. We aren't as busy as the summer, and we don't have a lot of programs at night anymore, so our time is spent in fellowship with each other, and everyone knows that when you have fun, time flies by. I remember feeling like that last fall as well. You get to spend more time with guests as well. The Klopfensteins came to stay for awhile, Don Jessup basically lives here, and a lot of other regulars to the ranch are welcomed friendly faces.
I've been able to read more, draw and paint more, e-mail more, write in my journals more, call people more, and just relax more! I've also been able to finish some things that I've wanted to finish for a long time. Like hike Sawtooth, skinny-zipline, ride horses more, run more (although I haven't been too great at that right now). I still need to cross skiing, tubing, and hiking southern comfort off my list when I get those done.
One large thing that I became good at over the summer and into this fall is photography. I was one of the main contributors for our summer slideshows, taking pictures of the two rodeos a week, and nightly events. This fall, I met an actual professional photographer named Nadine, and she personally gave me advice, tips, and told me what I need to save up money for my next camera purchases. Through that, I learned that I am well on my way to create nice photos, but I'm also learning that it takes A LONG TIME to get a finished product. And unfortunately I don't have a ton of time these days, unless I use my days off to spend it in front of my computer editing. I'd rather simply try and take the best pictures I can on my camera and just download them. But, I have been able to work with some of my "artsy" photos I've taken to try out editing things. Here's one of those pictures...
I basically increased the contrast and color saturation using the simple windows editing program. With my other pictures, I am continuing to use photoshop CS3, which I found out is only one step below the pro level! Awesome. While Nadine was here, we had a nice snowstorm that gave us some beautiful icycles right outside our staff room. When I talked to Nadine, I showed her the photo I had taken only a night before, and she was amazed! She told me that I should never give up photography because I have the "art eye." It was a huge compliment coming from her. Here's that icycle photo...

Anyway, that was a fun little project.

And now, a week from turning 24 (which sounds weird to me), I am living at a beautiful ranch where I wake up to an intense orange sunrise that seems to put our ridge on fire and turn our clouds pink. The beauty of the Lord is shown in everything around me, and it is in those morning moments where I look up to the sky and stand in wonder at His creation.
Where will he bring me next? I supposedly have the next year or so figured out...going home to a hopeful job in MN, but after that? Who knows. I am thankful that God gave me a heart that is content wherever it is placed, and right now it is here at Lost Valley Ranch.
1 John 5:14-15