Moving On

Saturday, Nov. 12 --- Today was our last program day at Meadow Ridge Ranch. I’ve known this day was coming for some time and prepared myself for it as best I could. For sure I was a little more than melancholy, the reality of it all was on my mind for quite a while. It’s always hard to leave something (or someplace) that’s been such a big part of your life.
     Just in case you’re unaware of what I’m talking about, the owner of Meadow Ridge Ranch passed away this spring and the ranch is now in new hands. It’s time for Trailhead to move on.
    Saturday morning turned out to be very pleasant even though the weatherman had predicted a chance of rain. We built our last warm up fire in the fire pit and gathered the chairs around. Twenty some kids, parents and wranglers circled up and the morning activities began. We had our usual time of greeting everyone and checking to see if the participants (the kids) had done their homework. Their homework assignment is always the same, and it’s dog proof. “Have you been a blessing to someone this past week?”  
    There are ground rules and they all know what they are. 1.) Your normal chores that you’re responsible for don’t count. 2.) If someone asks you to do something that doesn’t count either. 3.) Has to be something you’ve done for another that has a positive impact on them and you expect nothing in return.
     I think Rachel sort of hit it on the head. She shared with us her reaching out to another student at her school that’s always alone, has no friends and everyone ignores. She made a special effort to talk with this person and share lunch with her. What made this even more special is she did it at lunch time in front of the whole student body knowing full well that just by associating with this person some students would be critical of her.
     The best of all blessing are those that cost you personally and at the same time lift up someone else. Builds that special character that gets every ones attention. Rachel sure got my attention. I’m betting she got God’s attention, too.
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Trailhead Tom