When the staff arrive, we will have fun, eat great food, and go through our life guard, CPR, first aid, and ropes course trainings. It’s going to be a lot of fun! We’ve got some neat work projects lined out for this summer as well! You’ll have to come to camp to see what mark the staff will be leaving on the fence and Rivendale!

We received our new drapes for the dining hall today! They’re a beautiful green and look SO GOOD! They’re blackout curtains, so the dining halls will keep in the cool air! Campers will have a refreshing meal with the new drapes–especially since they’ll be sitting underneath new fans!

Daniel is doing a great job as the Retreat Coordinator! We’ve had lots of people interested in hosting retreats out here at Shepherd’s Fold. We even had a group out here today! AND They’re bringing another group tomorrow!!! They swam and canoed in the pond. They also played sand volleyball.

My friend Mandy got married on Saturday. She made the most beautiful bride! She got married at Skelly Lodge in Catoosa. A few weeks ago someone visited the Ranch, looking to get married out here! The date she wanted conflicted with summer camp so it didn’t work out, but she loved it out here!

I don’t remember if I told you…we got two new horses! Their names are Lightning and Choco and they’re very sweet boys! Lightning is a bay colored horse. Ron likes to call him Blondie. Lightning kinds looks like our old horse, Noah, except taller. Choco is a pretty chocolate color with four white socks. Be sure you come to camp this summer so you can ride these guys on trail rides!

I am SO hungry! I’m ready for Tammy, our cook, to be here because she makes really good food. And she is so sweet. She shares the Lord’s love with every person who walks through the kitchen. She’s a great woman.

Tonight, Katie and Patrick are doing their recital dance at a nursing home for the elderly. I’m really excited because I get to watch!  Dancing is so much fun.

This week a school from Tulsa is hosting two retreats out at Shepherd’s Fold. They’re going to swim in the pond, canoe, kayak, and have a picnic.

I spoke at my church services this past weekend about offering and I thought I’d share the story with you…

About a year ago, Pastor Rick asked me to speak about offering so I figure it’s about time. Haha When he first asked me, my immediate response was “YES!”, thinking ‘I LOVE microphones and I LOVE being in front of crowds!’ about ten seconds after I agreed to it I thought “what the heck am I going to tell everyone?!”  By the time I got outside the door of the church, the Lord had given me exactly what He wanted me to share. So I have a simple story for you.

A couple years ago, I was in Stillwater volunteering at the Special Olympics Summer Games. Hundreds of athletes were competing. My sorority sisters and I were in the arts and crafts booth. We were given several craft options to help the athletes make. There was…well honestly I don’t remember any of them but one- a lantern. Idk who picked that out. Probably someone who has never worked with kids. Who would want to make a paper lantern with no fire? After about an hour of no one picking my lantern craft, I became a little bored and decided to wear it on my head… It was a hot commodity then! (see photo) EVERYONE wanted a hat. We started getting really creative and fitting them to people’s heads and adding shark cutouts. I was collecting all of the scrap pieces and playing with them.

I was helping one athlete make this awesome hat and he said something about the scrap pieces of paper in my hand and being the statue of liberty… So I taped them together, added red yarn, and handed him a pretty sweet looking construction paper torch.

I can’t tell you how happy this kid was after that. His face lit up and he had the biggest smile on his face. It was like he had just been given a new car or something. It made his day.

All I did was give him the scrap papers I had in my hands. He left the arts and crafts booth and I went on helping others. A little later it hit me–that’s what the Lord calls us to do–give what we have; nothing more, nothing less. You might be thinking “anyone can give their scraps” and that’s true. But in that moment, it was more than scraps. It was all I had to give.

Everyone in this room has something to give- some may have money or time or special skills to offer. But there’s one thing every single person has and that’s their heart. And that is really what He’s after. The greatest offering you can give is your whole heart.

2 Cor 8:12 says “whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. Give according to what you have, not what you don’t have.”

When you do, it affects the way you live your life. It’s not about you or what your giving. It’s about the heart you’re giving from.

I’m sitting at Starbucks in Tulsa. It’s kind of cold and the music they’re playing is interesting… Some songs absolutely rock and other songs just make me think “what the heck is this??” BUT Starbucks is a neat place and I really enjoy their cookie crumble frappuccino. I’ve interviewed three summer camp staff members today and have one more in about an hour. I am so excited for the people we have coming out this summer. They’re incredible and the Lord has definitely hand-picked our summer staff.

Tomorrow I am meeting with our new food vendor representative. Her name is LuAnn and she’s so nice! She has a great attitude and a servant’s heart. I’m really looking forward to working with her this summer. Tomorrow, she and I are going to order the food for the first two weeks of camp!! OH! Along with the new food, we got a salad bar today! Shepherd’s Fold is raising the bar in the kitchen. You’ll have to come to camp this summer to check out all of the incredible things for yourself.

We added a volleyball net to the pond! This is going to create hours of long lasting fun and goodness to free time. The tower should remain open all summer this year. We found a pipe that was funneling out the water so we plugged it and the pond has been awesomely full!

Our summer camp theme is The Amazing Race, based on Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw aside everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles us. And let us run with perseverance the raced marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

I found a HUGE alligator snapping turtle last Friday. I named him Uncle Al. He was by the Eagle’s Nest and making his way toward the pond. I saw a few deer last night on my way home to camp. And I have a couple cats living on my front porch. They must really like being at camp because they try to get inside my house almost everyday. OH!!! We got two new horses yesterdaY!!!

A lady from Collinsville is coming to pick up a set of the cowboy curtains that are currently in the dining hall. We’re getting new blackout curtains to keep the sun out and the cool air inside.

There are wagon races in Skiatook next weekend. Mother’s Day is also next weekend.

It’s getting warm out here! I am SO ready to jump in the pool. We haven’t uncovered it yet though. The pond is rather full. All the rain we’ve been getting is keeping it nice and full. Campers will have a great time this summer jumping off of the tower and playing water volleyball in the pond. There are a lot of fish in the pond. Campers will have a nice time catching them!

I ran a half marathon last Sunday in Oklahoma City. It was fun, but ever since I ran, I’ve been hungry all the time! I ran with both my sisters, two of my aunts, and one of my uncles. The weather was fantastic and the 13.1 miles was a success! We all finished!

We have a new retreat coordinator! His name is Daniel Roberts. He’s been a Foldie for over ten years and was the 2008 and 2009 Camp Director here at Shepherd’s Fold Ranch. He loves working at the Christian summer camp and retreat center. He likes to hike and fish and camp during the summer. His wife, Whitney is a Foldie as well. She is awesome and will be volunteering as a nurse this summer.

The Ranch looks beautiful. The new road is fantastic, the rain has kept everything green, and Jack has got the grounds all trimmed up. You should come see the camp for yourself!

This past weekend, we had the men’s group from Abiding Harvest Church out here for a “Courageous” retreat. They had a wonderful time. Tammy prepared BBQ beef sandwiches (my favorite) and the guys made countless comments on how impressive they were.

Also, Katie’s birthday was Saturday. She turned six and had a birthday party here at Shepherd’s Fold Ranch! We had pony rides and line dancing and s’mores and a hay ride! I had a blast!

Our summer theme is “The Amazing Race”, based on Hebrews 12:1-2 which says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Brian introduced a new night game called Mission Impossible. The kids at camp had a blast! There were cars spread amidst the ball field with their hazard lights on. A few of them had summer staff members in them flipping the lights on and off as campers tried to sneak by. It looked so awesome. The campers really enjoyed it.

This week is “go time”. We’re ordering new merchandise for the store, drapes and a few new tables for the dining hall! We’re really excited for the awesome updates going on at Shepherd’s Fold. Camp this summer is already raised to a whole new level of fun and awesomeness!

OH! So the big secret I’ve been keeping… WE HAVE A NEW ROAD!!! It’s wonderful and smooth! Camp parents and kids have been commenting on it. One gentleman rolled down his window and said, “I’ve been waiting thirty-five years for this road.” Come check it out!