Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Cool Incidents and Things I've Come to Appreciate

I've done bits of thinking over the past few weeks, and I've realized that a lot of cool things have happened lately, and there are many experiences and opportunities that I've come to appreciate during my time here.

Just tonight, I was walking from the dining hall to the Grille and I suddenly noticed a deer walking across the path. It just moseyed its way across the path and into some trees, and didn't pay much attention to me. And just last night, when I was walking to the dining hall, between the dining hall and Silver Sage and Aspenbrook Lodges, there were two deer on the semi-grassy hillside, simply walking across the hillside like it wasn't a big deal. On top of these two incidents, there have been a few times when I've been driving on SMR property and deer have run across the road a ways up the road. Being from Michigan, I see deer every now and then, but they still get my full attention when I come across them, especially when they're only 30 feet--or less-- away.

Last week Sunday morning after the chapel service, I ran into a guest that I had struck up a conversation with on the previous day. He was a fine gentleman from Texas, here with his four-year-old daughter and one of his friends. We struck up another conversation, and he went so far as to offer to buy lunch at the Grille for Bradon and I. We ended up talking until 2 in the afternoon. It was some of the best time that I've spent this summer, and I hope that I can keep in contact with this gentleman. I sometimes forget that things like don't often happen, but I appreciate the few times that they do.

I say it often--and I mean it every time--I don't think I could ever get sick of this scenery. Every time I see the sunset make a mountain ridge across the valley glow red, every time I walk in a mountain meadow, every time I look out and see the beautiful world around me, I have to take a moment to pause and take it in. I hope that in my last 3 weeks here (I'm here for two weeks after the program ends), I never fail to follow some advice I got from my boss: "Take a moment every day to appreciate the mountains." I like that, and hope that I never forget to do so.

Something else that struck me again tonight was the stars. It's incredible how many stars you can see from SMR, even with so many outside lights on around the property. There's so many, and I had to pause and just look up for a while tonight. I think I should do that more often.

One of the things I've come to appreciate the most this summer whilst at SMR is the connections I've built with Calvin faculty and staff members. My laundry list of faculty and staff members to stay in contact with just keeps growing and growing as each week goes by. I'm more and more starting to value and understand the wisdom passed on to me from Glenn Triezenberg: "major in professors." For my last two years at Calvin, I fully intend to do so. With the bits of spare time in my schedule, I intend to take classes and connect with good professors, not because their classes are within my focused areas of study, but because I can learn from them how to live life. I've already noticed the value of this, and I can't wait to continue the practice.

And with that, I shall leave a few pictures:


Devil's Thumb, with Nicole Steiger for scale.

Possibly my favorite picture of the summer. The goofy stuff, gotta enjoy some goofy stuff. Photo credit: Cari Vos.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Storms and Stories

Before I left home for Colorado I would have never dreamed that I would go whitewater rafting, rock climbing, cliff jumping, tubing down a river, or pretty much any other adventure I have had this summer.  In fact, I thought that coming to Colorado would be a time of relaxation in the mountains without a care in the world.  Never the less, I have been blessed by many new adventures and many new friendships that I never expected.

One of the themes of the program this year has to do with learning people’s stories.  Most of our speakers have taken a moment to share their life stories.  They are all beautiful testaments of how God shapes and molds us through both the good and the bad.  In our small groups we are also each taking a turn to tell our own life story.  Most of all, I've enjoyed getting to hear bits and pieces of the stories of the people I work with in the programs department.  It is always interesting to hear a new perspective from different types of people.  The best thing about these stories is that the people telling them are honest.  They don’t leave out the struggles or the doubts or the disappointments.  The stories never end with despair.  They always end with glimmers of hope and healing. 

Today I had the privilege of hiking Devil’s Thumb with some friends.  It was a difficult hike but the views at the top were worth it.  We had a late start on the day, so when we saw storm clouds gathering we quickly began to make our way off the mountain.  Not long afterwards, we could hear the thunder in the distance.  Before we knew it, we were hiking down a muddy path being pelted by rain and hearing the echo of thunder off the mountain.  It was a cool experience until the hail started pelting our bare legs and exposed heads.  There was so much hail, that it was accumulating on the ground.  By the time we got to the car, we were wet from head to toe, covered in mud, and very hungry.  Nothing sounded better than a hot shower, a dry set of clothes, and a good meal.

I’m telling this story because I think it is a good metaphor for the life stories I've had the opportunity to hear.  Everyone goes through storms in their life and experience struggles that they never expected, kind of like the storm we got caught in today.  However, we have the comfort of knowing that, no matter how wet and cold we get, somewhere in the future there is a hot shower, a dry set of clothes, and a good meal waiting for us.  This doesn't always mean that things are going to be easier.  Even when you reach that point where you feel safe and secure again, you might walk outside and find yourself caught in the middle of a storm again, but you always know that God will provide a safe haven in the middle of your roughest storms.  My own life is shaped by storms, but I have the comfort of knowing that God will be with me and provide me with the comfort I need. 

 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”   Joshua 1:9






Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Mountain Meditations





In the valley of the shadow of death thy rod and thy staff comfort me.
For it is in this darkness you teach me, mold me, shape me
that I may emerge from the depths
to the peak of the mountain
whole;
to stand and witness the marvelous light of your glory,
with eyes wide
open.





Sunday, July 7, 2013

Another Fine Week at SMR

Hello, my name is Matt Beukema. I'm a junior at Calvin College studying history, and I am spending my summer at Snow Mountain Ranch with the Calvin Leadership Challenge Institute. The program is already halfway over, which makes me slightly sad. So far, the program has been a pleasure and privilege to be a part of. I am grateful for this opportunity to spend a summer with great people making great memories.

This past week, our speaker for the program was Glenn Triezenberg, the director of Calvin's Career Development Office. As per usual, the students in the program got to have a one-on-one conversation with the speaker, and as per usual, I took advantage of this opportunity. During the conversation, Glenn pointed me in a couple of directions that I should consider with school and careers. I truly appreciated this, because for the past couple of years, I have been without much of a direction in life, going through school but not knowing where to go with it. But I now have hope that I'll find a direction eventually, and that the uncertainty is quite fine. I now can appreciate the words of J.R.R. Tolkien: "All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost." For now, this will be my motto, and I think I can live with that.

In my employment for the YMCA, I work in the bike shop. The Y has a fleet of mountain bikes that we rent out to guests, and I help with that, as well as maintaining the bikes themselves. Along with that, I work on the trails of Snow Mountain Ranch. Just this afternoon, one of my coworkers and I were out cutting a new trail. The process of making a new trail involves chainsaws, rakes, and a weed-whacker on steroids. All-in-all, a good time and a lot of hard work that ends with a beautiful trail through the woods.

And with that, I think I shall conclude with a few of my favorite pictures that I've taken so far this summer:

Me, my trusty Osprey pack, and the completely necessary addition of the Moosejaw flag.

Looking at mountains off in the distance over Monarch Lake.


Just before a sunrise, camping out on Nine Mile Mountain.



I couldn't pass up a few pictures of wildflowers.



From my favorite hammocking location: Columbine Point.
-Matt Beukema

Friday, July 5, 2013

Coyote Tooth

Hello! My name is Kayla Junga. I just graduated this May and what better way to start a new chapter than to spend the summer at Snow Mountain Ranch! So far I've enjoyed working here and the Leadership Program has really helped me to learn more about myself, others, and how our stories can make us who we are and can shape us as leaders. I look forward to the remaining weeks and spending more time here at the ranch. :)
A few days ago Nicole and I went on a hike to Coyote Tooth, which is a stone formation that kinda looks like a tooth. It is one of the many hikes on property so we took advantage of it. We also found a furry friend. Here are some pictures: