I must finish the story of the dogs.  

I left you with fuzzy puppies across the creek and disappearing into a cave.

I went to sleep that night a bit worried about them for two reasons.  One was that they may have been hungry.  We had not seen or heard the big dog...the mother...the ghost dog...since the past Saturday night and now it was Wednesday night.  The other reason was coyotes.  Would they be Ok?  I had to just rest in the thought that they would be.

Thursday.  We left the house at 8 in the morning and drove up to Buckhorn and taught character traits.  We didn't get  home until 3 in the afternoon.  When we arrived home  I had one plan on my mind, to go catch the puppies.

Nate drove the van around on 80 and to a little drive that took us to the  other side of Troublesome Creek.  It was the end of January and we had no desire to wade through the chilly water.  We found a small trail along the creek and wound our way though the rocks.  Nate was faster  because I had to stop to take pictures of the awesome rocks and icicles.

I caught up to him just as we were nearing the cave where we saw the puppies disappear.  They were out again, playing, and when they saw us took off.  One went further up the trail.  The other two scooted into the cave.  We took off after the wandering one.  We found it hiding behind some a brush.  Nate carefully caught it.  We were afraid of getting bit.  

We held her for awhile and then put her into a sheet tied together at the four corners and then headed back to find the other two. It wasn't exactly a cave, just a shelf that went back in about ten feet.

We had to get a long fat stick to reach back to move the puppies to the edge of the shelf to where we could catch them.  He's glad he work gloves.  They were both snappy and growly trying to get away.  After some petting and holding, we put them all in the sheet and Nate carried them back to the car.

Three female puppies found a new home in our fenced in back yard.  It took awhile to tame them - food finally won them over.  Time after time at the dish we would carefully reach to pet their backs and they would run for cover.  

The following Sunday  Simeon and his girl friend Kimmie came over for lunch.  Kimmie took pictures of them and sent them to her mom who was a dog groomer and the suggestion was made that they were Great Pyrenees.   We did some research on the internet.  Wow.  Those puppies go for  a lot!  We called a local dog breeder who owned Great Pyrenees.  They came over and confirmed it.  

What were we going to do?  Who is missing their dog that was to have puppies?
We talked for about a week discussing if we should even keep them.  

We called Kay, the dog breeder again, and told her our qualms.  She said, "Mary Beth, I sold three female dogs last fall to people in your area and all three dogs ran off on their owners.  If you went to any of those owners they would take those puppies in a heartbeat.  My suggestion is to just keep them and don't worry about it."

That settled it.  Now we could keep all three.  We would be eaten out of house and home.  Shiloh wanted one.  Ethan wanted one.  Our college age children wanted them, but it was crazy for them to own one.  They already had college expenses and lived in dorms.  Where would they put a giant dog?  

I put a few pictures on my facebook page and also some videos.  Soon everyone was wanting a puppy.  Who to give them to?  We decided to give one to Kay the dog breeder.  She said she would like one and Nate and I decided to give her one in exchange for using her male dog in a few years when the kids are settled and breed our dog so they can pick out a puppy.

One dog left.  We heard from our son Ethan that Kimmie, a long time summer staff worker and soon to be on staff at camp full-time wanted one.  That's when I remembered a few summers ago when Kimmie gave a presentation at family camp about her desire to work at camp and her deputation (support-raising progress).  She also talked during that presentation how when she became full time she would get herself a large dog for protection.  

Large dog.  She wanted a large dog.  Well, in the end, we called Kimmie and told her our desire to give her a puppy.  Oh my!  How excited she became over the phone.  She had looked at the Great Pyrenees and knew she could never afford such a dog.  We told her, "Kimmie, God knew all about your desire and gave it to you.  This is definitely a God thing."

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It's been eights months now since our puppy adventure across the creek.  Kimmie has her dog in MI and we have Juliette with us and enjoy her antics.
One thing we have noticed.  These puppies are unusual.  It must be the breed. They act like full grown well mannered quiet dogs.  

Now Shiloh comes home from college and enjoys Juliette. (Shiloh named her)
Nate calls the dog Yetti for the big white abominable snow man, so we put the names together and call her Juliette. (Julie-Yetti)

Sometimes God grants desires in strange ways.  This story started about two years ago when our Collie had to be put down because of severe hip problems.  Shiloh, our daughter, loved that dog.  She loved having a family dog around.  We enjoyed our Collie and the many trips he took with us on hikes and trail rides.  It was inevitable that she would ask for another one. 

She asked for a dog several times over the months.  We drug our feet.  We put it off.   We made excuses… We traveled a lot…We were at camp a lot leaving our dog home.  Her asking persisted.  One day after her request I said, “Ok, Shiloh, if God wants to give us a dog, He will give one.  Just start praying about it.” (this was in April or May of 2010.)

Some days I don't know what to write....have a hard time getting started.  I will just write and see what comes up.

It's the last week of camp.  Pray for 5 special girls from our church who did their Bible course lessons and earned a free week of camp.  These five girls are on our church bus route.  One of the mothers wonders if her youngest, a fourth grader will make it all week spending the nights.  She can't even stay at grandma's twenty steps away with out wanting to come home.  Just pray for a  GOOD week for those girls.

Took some time tonight when my duties were over to take a walk up the mountain with Haley, one of the mission girls, to pick some black berries.  We had a nice talk about stuff in life and filled our water bottles full of berries.  There are so many berries still red.  Maybe another trip up in a few days to check.  The water bottle full of berries was placed in the freezer to be enjoyed later in the year.

The horses are getting a little arena sour...they are not listening to campers who don't know what they are doing.  The wranglers and myself do our best to work with the horses in the arena, but they seem to know when a campers gets on.  It's best not to work in the arena, but to just take a trail ride around camp.  The horses do well with this and are not asked to do much except walk one after another.  I tell the wranglers that we have to change things a bit to keep the horses from getting bored.  Trails do seem to help.

Upcoming blogs I would like to write about:

Crocheting plastic purses.

The story of how God gave Shiloh a dog.

What the work group did this week.




Time for sleep.  Flag raising comes early in the morning.

For the last ten years our 4th of July has been spent at Camp Nathanael.  It's just what we do.  We work there and it's the time of family camp.  There are usually a lot of people there, good speakers, good food, and many activities for the families. (We heard there were over two hundred people here for supper).

My job (of course)...and Nate's is to give horse rides.   We enjoy the best meal of the week and then head to the horse barn to get all the horses saddled.  There is a sign up sheet so not everyone comes at once.  It's better for us that way.  We ride around camp and along Troublesome Creek.  Sometimes it feels like a parade for many parents take pictures of their children riding past.  

It's so nice getting reacquainted with families.  

Tomorrow I go on an early bird ride.  We ride up on the strip job across from camp on a trail that takes us in an hour loop.  We see a beautiful sunrise, ride through Beech creek several times following the trail, sometimes see elk and cattle...and lots of ripening blackberries.

It's time to go.  Sorry I haven't been around here lately.  Camp work is tiring, but I will try to write more frequently.  

The picture is of Shiloh helping the campers with flag raising during Middle School camp (6-8th grades).  

A praise.  I heard an update today during one of the services that since camp has been going on 42 salvation decisions have been made!  Awesome!

The camp season is quickly approaching and my daylight hours will be devoted to camp ministry.  The days are exciting...and enjoyable rubbing shoulders with all the campers - so  many needs -spirtual, emotional and physical.   Perhaps something I say or do will be an encouragement. 

Usually I take along a small bag of yarn to crochet a project.  There are times of waiting - usually around meal times.  (You just can't finish eating and rush out the door.)  It's amazing what those little times can add up to be...one summer I worked on a baby blanket and finished it during these short waiting times.

Recently, while on a trip to MI we stopped by some yard sales.  I found a bag of yarn for a $1.00.  On the trip home I made several things from that yarn...a pair of mittens, a pot holder, and then this purse.  Just can't seem to keep my hands still.  It is part of my life to make things and usually give them away as gifts throughout the year. 

Phillippians 1:6  "Being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;"  

I don't know about the creations that are made by my hand...how God can use these creations to be an encouragement, that's up to Him, but I do know that this summer of camp ministry is something to be confident in too.  I trust that God will use these coming days to be a time of growth in campers, young and old, and perhaps they will come to understand and know Jesus better.  A transformed heart.  That is the best creation of all.

Good Morning!
It's raining here.  It's been raining a lot here and the creek is rising again.  Can't take the daily walk with the puppies for there is no room to walk on the shore until the rains quit and the creek is back to normal.

Yesterday afternoon was nice though.  We had a family over to ride horses in the afternoon.  We drove down to the old entrance with three saddles and the rest of the equipment in the van and set up a mini tack room by opening up the back of the van.  The two ladies watching took a seat on a navajo blanket after the saddles were out. 

A five year old girl learned how to brush Specka and Sunny Boy.  We took our time explaining how to brush safely.  She loved it.  A two year old little boy had to be watched and held unto because he wanted to be around the ponies so much.  The man held the ponies while I saddled  and finished tacking up the ponies.  We took the children for a pony ride around the field.  It brings me such joy to listen to the little boy as he said "ye-ha, ye-ha" the whole time he was riding.  In times like this with new and young riders, I have to be ever vigilant, watching closely each child and place a hand on the boys leg to keep him steady as we walk around the circle.  I must never assume that  he would sit balanced in the saddle or have the ability to always hold unto the saddle horn. 

After a few rounds of  pony rides, I walked across the narrow road to the other pasture to get Spirit, a big black Kentucky Mountain horse for the man.  We brushed and tacked up Spirit.  All the while the man told of his past experience with horses.  It seemed impressive, but still I cannot assume that this man can ride.  I must observe his actions around the horse and how he mounts up, picks up the reins, holds them, posture in the saddle.  All these actions give me clue as to a persons riding ability.  Sometimes what a person says...and what he does...are worlds apart.  Never assume. 

I've learned over the past ten years of being a riding instructor to take things slow at the beginning and make sure the basics of horseback riding are in place before we progress to a faster pace or a longer ride. 

In a few weeks many children will arrive at camp.  They will be excited to ride.  Some of the smallest of them wanting to ride the biggest horses-and I must never assume for then I am opening up the possibilities of accidents.  I have to match up riders and abilities and sizes of horses for the best, safest combinations as quickly as possible.  

I am asking you to keep me in your prayers this summer.  I need them.    

Meet our new pony Annanias.  We took him out today on his first trail ride around camp.  He is gaited.  It's such a smooth going ride.  Maybe he will be my mount for many rides this summer.  We have more hours to put on him before camp begins.  We just want to see how he adjusts to things.  We want to push his buttons a bit to see how he reacts.  Today he didn't like the sound of my helmet hitting branches.  He zoomed forward some.  Guess what I did on the rest of this first trail ride.  I let my helmet hit every branch I could find...intentionally.  

Recently I attended a CHA clinic and wrote about it.  A few years back I attended another similar clinic in Tennessee.  One of those afternoon clinic rides was the catalyst for a poem called "Walking Back Home".  It's part of a poetry book that I've put together.  If you would like a copy just let me know.  The following poem helps me to realize how important it is to train those camp horses and get them ready for the many coming summer rides with campers.



WALKING BACK HOME

Our family went to a camp far away
We spent a week training 
For the Certified Horsemanship  Association.
(Otherwise called the CHA)
 There we were introduced to horses-
A big bunch!
We rode them everyday after lunch.
We were asked to ride several different mounts
To see how we could handle them.
We went to the trail just plodding along
We felt so good we started singing some songs.
But then we turned around and BAM!
The horse I rode exploded and ran
With his teeth clenched unto his bit
I could not stop…I was sure to hit
The ground with a thud,
But for fear of that thought
I held on tight.
I tried to steer him with all of my might
Anticipating curves and trees
So he wouldn’t smash my knees!
I had never been on such a scary ride, 
And I would never forget.

 “It may sound fun to you, 
Young horse camp riders,
To run back home,
But let’s walk, in control,” I say
As we ride each summer day. 
“I will tell you why, of course,
With a story of my runaway horse.”




 

I must write a little about the trip last week to Marmon Valley Farm in Ohio.  It was intense.  We were judged on our riding and teaching abilities all week from 9 in the morning until about 5 in the afternoon.  After supper we gathered around the table in the main lodge for a few hours of lectures/evaluations.  I was there to again be certified to be a riding instructor.

I must admit.  I have eaten some humble pie.  I am not an English rider.  I did not ride well the posting of diagonals or could balance very well in the two point position.  I had a hard time changing discplines.  After working with gaited horses in Kentucky for the past 10 years and keeping the reins on contact; then going to this clinic and riding Western on a very loose rein and relying on leg and weight pressures first to slow horses down  was frustrating to say the least. 

They (the clinicians and upper level participants) were forever talking about transitions - the exact words for the movements to speed up and slow down a horse - it was something that I was not used to.  When teaching a class we had to be quick in our teaching and correcting poor riding posture, safety minded all the time, and loud enough to be heard by everyone in the arena.  I must say  I've certainly learned a lot.  I did not leave with the certification level that I was hoping for, but I am certified again.  That's good.  Things should be safer around the stable/arena/trail this summer during camp horse activities.

One of the things I learned that week about safety of equipment.  If you can physically rip something on the saddle/bridle, do it.  It's better to have a piece of equipment not usable and needing to be repaired, than to have equipment breaking with a rider mounted on the horse.  I've learned to be more observant.  (Today while working with a saddle I found a worn stirrup leather and ripped it off.  ...Repair work to do.)

I will continue reading and studying about horses and I will start  to make  the English saddle my friend (We do have one in the tack room) to further  develop my own riding abilities.  There is always something to learn with  horses, and if I can use them to help people enjoy horses more, be more safety conscious, and point them to God.  What I have gone through the last week will be worth while.

Some verses I came across in recent Bible readings:

"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go.  I will guide thee with my eye. Be not as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee."  Psalms 32:8-9

Love the spring time!  This is on one of our travels to Buckhorn to teach the students Character Traits.  The trip to Buckhorn takes us about an hour.  Yes, most of the road is like this...very curvy.  I used to get very car sick.  I learned to enjoy a few ginger snaps before the trip.  It helps with carsickness.