The Last Round Up

Today was the last "official" round up at Kwest. The guys staff always gathers together at the front porch of the chuck wagon to cover after noon schedules, have a little trivia, and talk about prayer needs.

Today was the final one for the summer of 2011. It's kind of hard to believe that it's come to an end.

As I round up my thoughts, I am incredibly humbled by what the Lord has done. The summer started off with kids smiling and coming to know the Lord, and it has certainly ended that way as well. We are all thankful for everything that has happened and we give credit to the Lord. We also know that it's not over yet, so we have some fun things to look forward to (like that Atlantis party tonight).

Round up is sort of sacred as are the steps we sit on every day at 3:25pm. Lots of memories, lots of laughter, and lots of ministry happens everyday. If you ever have been our on guys staff, you know what I am talking about. It's one of those things that make Kwest so special.

I am going to miss round up...

Encouragement Rocks

When older brother creatively designs a ribbon to encourage his youngest brother, dad smiles ear to ear. Imagine how encouraged little Colton was when his older brother spoke so kindly of him!
You know how it feels to be encouraged by someone. Pass out a "ribbon" or two to someone you know. Encouragement can literally change the course of someone's life!

Liberty North Tennis Kanakukers

I was able to see some Kanakuk tennis studs play their matches yesterday in Kansas City. Daniel Ohlhausen, Austin Casel, Will Stouffer, along with other Kanakukers Jackson Triplett and Marc Ohlhausen and the rest of the Liberty North guys are winning their conference! Great job guys! These three guys pictured are all headed to K-2 this summer!

Construction Underway!

Shouldn't be long and we will have a new centerpiece to K-West. As you can tell from the picture, we have only just begun to build, but it is on its way! Sure is fun breathing life into Kamp after being away for 9 months! If you have a great name for this little western building, please give us your idea in the comment section! We are still taking ideas! We will reveal the new name in 1 month!

Getting Ready for Summer

One thing that signifies kamp is near and our gates are preparing to open is the beautiful spring weather that appears in the Ozarks. Around mid April, everyone wants to get outside and look at the blooming Dogwoods. It's gorgeous.

Another key piece signaling summer is when our neighborhoods start to be dotted by ENO Hammocks, which make for perfect lazy afternoon naps (and help work on your base tan for those hot July days on the courts).

Today I caught my Golden Retriever Jake peeking out of my hammock in the back yard behind our home. Okay, maybe he didn't just "get there" on his own, but after I set it up for a quick lunch break, I figured he should be able to jump in with me...and he did!

As school starts to come to a close and kamp starts to ramp up with activity, we have so much to look forward to as the 2011 summer gets set. In just a little over 7 weeks, the first buses will roll in the front gates with screaming kids who can't wait to blob, water slide, and wake board.

If you are a parent, know that we have some exciting things for you to see this year via a whole new social media program (new blogs, web tools, twitter, and other fun photo programs). If you are staff, get out those trunks and dust 'em off...you will need them soon. If you are a kamper, think about setting up a hammock in your backyard and do some homework. It will get you in the kamp mood and help you finish your school year strong.

Waiting eagerly and counting the days....

Ward

Raise 'em Up

Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.


It is crazy to see the vast differences in the giftings and temperaments of each of my boys. The photo and video above highlight one of Colton's abilities: Basketball. He's a great little athlete. It is so fun.
As a dad, I want to take into consideration how God has made them, and then train them to know God and His word in a way that serves each child best. Each person's training is as unique as their giftings. One of my boys is shy, one is sensitive, one is independent, and the other is... a combination! Being their daddy, I have the joy of "training" each in a very personal way--- tailored to each of them individually, and paced in such a way that they will "grow in wisdom, stature and in favor with God and man" as best we can.
What a joy to be a dad!
And God feels the same about you, too.... He cares, disciplines, and teaches. Crazy to think about THAT kind of father that we have in God!

Will and Nicole for Certain

If you hadn’t heard already, the pictures speak for themselves. Will Certain and Nicole Downs got married on March 12^th! How ‘bout the K-West Reunion, pictured above! Even Jared Smith flew in all the way from New York City! As you can tell from the picture on the left, Will had grown tired of all the paparazzi that showed up for his wedding, and was about to knock my block off, when Nicole calmed him in the nick of time. Actually, I just wanted the two to show off their fancy rings as PROOF that the wedding was legit and the two pulled it off. It was an outstanding wedding. Both Will and Nicole were emotional as they recited their vows, both in awe of each other, and both understood the depth of love it takes to make marriage blossom for a lifetime.

In Will and Nicole, we see two individuals who love God wholeheartedly, and have committed to forgive each other, serve each other, and do those things until death. As Antoine De Saint-Exupery once said, “Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.” Similarly Tommy Nelson says that you don’t find your spouse by searching for him/her. You run your race pursuing Christ, and as you are running, look over and see who is running beside you. That’s the person you need to consider marrying. And so it was with Will and Nicole; Two people, living for Christ, happen to find the love of their lives. Their lives will be rich as they love God first, and each other 2^nd.

So if you are hoping to find your spouse, don’t worry about it for a second. “Look to accomplish God’s agenda, and He will meet your needs.” Matthew 6:33 TRV

I guess this wedding is…. number 347, of marriages whose friendship began at Kamp! Hmmm….. wonder who is next?!

New Church Front!

Well, after many snows to snows, the K-West church is getting a renewed look. We are currently in the works to tear down the old church front.....
and build a replica of an old western town building! It won't look like this--- but this picture will give you an idea of the look we are going for, as well as some variety of building names.
What do you think would be a fun name for our new western front? You can think very creatively, and K-West personalized! Such as, Table Rock Mercantile, or K-West Homestead, or J. Elrod's Hacienda, or .....
Please leave your comments!

How the West was One

Back in 1983, Kanakuk decided that it was time to add another kamp to it's growing family. With K1 established and enjoying summer ministry since the mid twenties, and K2 beginning in 1978 for teenagers, it was only natural to build something for our middle schoolers that would sweep them off their feet. Bring on some Cowboys (and some Covered Wagons new for 2011).

Breaking a bit from tradition, our Western Style kamp complete with ranch style bunkhouses (and in-cabin restrooms) made it easy for new kampers to enjoy the Kanakuk experience with their boots and cowboy hats. After electing Cecil Eager as the Kwest Sheriff, instead of Cherokees and Choctaws warring in competition, it was now the Wranglers and Rangers, two cowboy outfits that battled more fiercely than Texas and OU on game day of the Cotton Bowl.

If you have never been to Kwest, there are few things you should know. Ask anyone who has been there and they will tell you one thing: it feels like you're with one big family. With the setting of an ol' style Western town as a back drop, you can't help but feel like you're with friends and neighbors whether you stop by our office (the Western Union) or drop in the Dining Hall (our Goodnight Chuckwagon). Everyone is friendly and everyone is smiling.

Like an old time hand water pump that sends never ending fresh water to the bucket, there seems to be a non-stop well of encouragement and smiles. Friendly would be an understatement for sure when you think about our staff and team that make the place go. That's why year after year, our kampers will tell you that Kwest was their favorite.

It's hard to beat a place where you feel like your with family and things are so fun. Everyone needs encouragement and an uplifting smile, especially in those turbulent middle school years where things can get dramatic.

For over 25 years now Kwest has specialized in making our kampers feel like Junior High can be the greatest time of life. This summer we will swing open the gates, grab our hats and boots, and prepare to have more fun and excitement than the Oklahoma Land Rush! Grab your horse and get here fast...we can't wait to have some fun.

Kissy Husbands Profit

My son Carter is Mr. Excitement of the family. He's a go-getter, boisterous, fun, enthusiastic, and loves to pester his brothers.
When we told him that he was going to soon have a new baby brother, he went to our costume closet and created his "new baby costume." It makes no sense, but he was hilarious dancing around, showing off his crazy side. He is also the kid who jokingly tries to prevent me and my wife from kissing. Whenever Bronwyn and I are about to kiss, he runs up to us and shouts "no kissing!" as he tries to separate us---- always with a big smile on his face. Deep down he knows that it is a great thing that his parents want to kiss each other.
I recently read that husbands who kiss their wives every morning before leaving for work usually live 5 years longer than those who do not. A kissing husband has fewer automobile accidents, stays healthier, and earns more money than those husbands who do not kiss their wives.... Not to mention how much fun it is to kiss your one and only!
So, if you are married, I hope you are kissing your spouse! If you are not, save those kisses for your one and only!

Spiritual Training...and Freethrows

The Mission at Kanakuk and K-West is clear: we want to develop Dynamic Christian leaders.

How do we do it? We take the basic ingredients of life changing experiences, Godly relationships, and Spiritual Training, then add those to the most exciting kamp properties and the worlds greatest staff, and somehow in the midst of it all God honors and blesses tremendous growth. It is humbling to see how the Lord launches world class leaders year after year.

Everyone knows the Wiebe family loves basketball. Not too long ago my alamater lost the national championship because our entire team failed to make their free throws. The lack of execution of something so simple and so fundamental to the game, cost us dearly. Because of that failure, I wanted to be sure my own kids (and the kids of K-West) would always learn the skill of shooting free throws properly.

The same holds true for all of us who are parents when we think about spiritual training. When our kids fail to execute the most fundamental principles of being a strong leader, it can cost them dearly. So how do we train well?

In the picture above are our sons and their friends being ball boys for the NAIA national championship a few years ago. They all started when they were very young. It was the first step in helping create vision for basketball in their lives. They thought it would be fun to return to doing some of the things they learned as 7 year olds, even though they were all in high school. It was hilarious watching them.

Helping grow your kids into leaders can start at any age, but especially what they learn when they are young. Our counselors do a wonderful job with nightly devotions, leading bible studies, and helping answer tough life questions with firm foundational answers from the scriptures. Those seeds take root and grow them as leaders.

Here is some encouragement to help you make the most of the little things so important to basic spiritual training during the school year:

1. Help create vision in your kids lives. As a parent, it's our job to help our children see what is truly important in life and what is priority. Pick good role models for them to follow, and don't forget, you are the most important one they will ever see.
2. Cover fundamentals. Teach, talk, walk out, and write the truth of scripture into their hearts (Deuteronomy 6:4-8). Read this passage and pick one area to focus on as a family this week. Some of our best leadership training has happened in car pools or fast food restaurants after a tough loss.
3. Repetition is key. Praying and reading a short devotional each morning while you eat cereal with your kids is brief but effective. Nightly tucking in your children with prayer is not only fun, it's life changing. Remember to just listen and ask a question or two.
4. Write it down. We also have a chalk board by the back door that I love to write different verses on to remind us what we set our mind on as we face the day. There is something about seeing it written out that makes us think and move towards growth. Leaving a note in their lunch box or on the mirror can be a wonderful source of encouragement.

Leadership always comes back to little things. If we desire to see our kids grow, we have to help them hone their skills at the basic things in life. And by the way, if they play basketball, be sure they can make 10 free throws in a row this week. It might just pay off someday.

My First Sand Dollar Experience

It has been a forever dream of mine to find a sand dollar. That may sound funny, but I have always wanted to find one of these things! They seemed so rare and so beautiful. I've strolled the beaches in Texas, Florida, South Carolina, Mexico, Israel, and California and NEVER found a single one. I've only found live ones--- Echinarachnius parma swimming in the water beneath my feet in the Atlantic Ocean. I've looked all hours of the day---even early in the morning in search of these, to no avail.
My day finally came. To my surprise, while enjoying the beach one afternoon last month in Encinitas, California with my family, i strolled right in front of this beautiful sand dollar. I couldn't believe it. How could I search and search for one of these all my life, and then just happen upon it?! Isn't that the way it goes, sometimes!
I was always fascinated by the design of this sea creature. God just amazes me with His creation! If you've ever heard the Legend of the Sand Dollar, you'll remember that this poem describes some of the attributes of the sand dollar that remind us of Christ. For instance, the sand dollar has a big star, like the one the wise men followed to find Jesus. The four holes represent the four holes that Jesus received as he was pierced in his side with a spear, and nailed in both of His hands and feet. Finally, the sand dollar reminds me that Jesus paid my debt for me.

I was such a great experience for me to find this "sand dollar" that I wanted to share it with someone else. I gave it away as a reminder to that person of God's love. It felt really good to share it.

What makes Kanakuk Fun?

It's no secret that Kanakuk is a fun place to be...but why?

The Wiebe's have always had dogs around kamp and around our house. For the most part, we have chosen to go with yellow labs. However not long ago we had an abrupt ending that left the whole family sad, in fact so sad that we just couldn't look at another lab. After much deliberation, and some expert dog hunting advice, we made a new choice to go with a Golden retriever. Isn't it funny how people get at times when it comes to picking pets?

I'm glad we debated our decision. We have had some great dogs, but this one tops them all.

None have been quite like Jake. He is our new Golden that loves being in the "pack." He never wants to miss a moment of family activity. We know that Golden's are known for being loyal, committed to their master, and always happy to see you regardless of how tough a day has been. He fits those things to the "t"...and by the way, he follows me wherever I go.

This week we are in the midst of hiring our staff for 2011. We have literally thousands of applications we have to sort through, pray over, and make selections of who will be leading kids this summer. It's fun, it's exciting, and it's miraculous.

Much like Jake, taking the time to get the right staff is the first step in summer fun. Seeing the process that happens is amazing and certainly sovereign in God's hands. Watching the Lord line up just the right counselor who will in turn be ready to meet just the right kampers in the cabin is testimony to the Lord's goodness. We could never plan it that well.

It's humbling to watch our staff come along side, much like Jake does, to liven things up, make fun memories, and help add to the laughter that is so prevalent on the fields, cabins, and in the dining halls.

In no time the gates to kamp will swing open and thousands of kampers will be unloading off of buses, suburbans, and cars. The neat part is that they will be greeted by a staff who are loyal, committed to their Master, and happy to be with them no matter what has happened that day. Most importantly, they follow Christ no matter what the situation is (much like Jake follows me everywhere I go).

The secret really isn't a secret when you talk to kamp kids. They will be the first to tell you that the reason this place is so much fun is their counselors. There are lot's of camps around the country that certainly have good staff. By God's grace, we like to think ours is the best yet.

Life Changing Experience

Part of the Mission of Kanakuk is that we like to bring about leadership growth through life changing experiences. Of course we have talks and challenge them with scripture, but we also build some pretty neat memories on water slides, the lake front, and in the Tree Tops.

There is nothing sweeter than to see a young person grow when they come to K-West. It's fun to know that over the years we have helped countless campers grow in their walk with Christ, grow as a leader, and just "grow up" physically (the Four Square Life).

When I think about life changing experience in my life, one thing that comes to mind quickly is when my kids showed up and came into the world. Becoming a father is one of the best things in life. The only thing better is growing them up into leaders.

Three gfits to give to your kids every day that will help you in the journey are:

• YOUR TIME You will never regret spending time with your children at school plays, sports events, or science fairs. Do something unexpected with your kids this week. Show up and take them to lunch at their school.
• YOUR WORDS After working with thousands of youth for over three decades I have seen the importance of speaking well to your children and telling them how proud you are of them and how much you love them. Today is always a great day to do something out of the ordinary with a note or a few extra words to communicate your love for them.
• YOUR PRAYERS Taking a moment daily to pray with your child is a deposit that will return eternal dividends, not to mention bolster their faith now as they navigate the world and all it's bumps and bruises.

Babies are born every day. It's a common occurrence that no one thinks about until it's their own. Life change happens and a fantastic journey begins. Enjoy raising your kids today. By God's grace, you can be a life changer in some of the most common things that happen every day: your time, words, and your prayers.

Facing the Evil Empire

One of our favorite things at Disney was taking part in the Jedi Training Academy. Hunter and Connor were able to get trained only moments before a surprise visit from the Dark Side.

Connor fought with Darth Vader....

and Hunter with Darth Maul.
And guess what! My boys won!!! The two Darths were forced to retreat. Amazing.
They fought the evil empire and defeated the darkness! Those light sabers were swinging!
It made for a great review of Psalms 23 that night as we read, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in need. He makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me besides quiet waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the way of righteousness for His name's sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil, for You are with me!..."
As fun and fictictious as these Star Wars characters and movies are, it was a tangible example to my boys and to me, too, that God is far greater than any scary guy, even the devil.... And how God is always with us.... And how God can give us the power to accomplish even the impossible.
That's real. And I'm so glad it is true.

Kanakuk Disneyland

The Rapps went to California to interview potential staff, and also to meet some Kamp families. We were roughing it in San Diego, Los Angeles, and Santa Barbara in 70 degree sunshine. (It is now 7 degrees in Branson!)
One of the highlights was getting to go to Disneyland and see 12th term kamper Jeremiah Andrew! He is currently running track and has a triathlon to run next week! He is working everyday on Victor's Crown Bible study, too.
I am always impressed when a kamper arrives at kamp from California because of the great distance. We need more Californians at Kanakuk!

6" of fun!

Hunter, Connor and Carter sure took advantage of the 6" of snow we got yesterday!

We took sledding to a whole new level.
Am I crazy to let my almost 8 year old and 9 year old do this?!

See for yourself!

Follow the Intructions

Being the father of a 7 year old is such a blast. Connor, pictured above and below, is on a basketball team with his best friend Cole. As you might be able to tell from the pictures, he is more into basketball for the social aspects of the game.

But as Connor always seems to do, he amazes us with his insight. After this particular game he gave us the reason, in his mind, why his team lost. He said, "We lost the game because we didn't stick to the plan." Apparently the coaches gave instructions on offense that would have made a difference in the game, but his team mates didn't follow those instructions. (Apparently he thought he did :) )
It was a perfect illustration for real life. When we follow the instructions of our coach (God), we will avoid losses.

I am thankful that Connor could take away not only a good basketball lesson, but a most important life lesson!

New York....Wanna go?!

"Start spreading the news...I'm leaving today. I'm gonna be a part of it, New York, New York." You probably have no idea what these lyrics are, but it's an old Frank Sinatra song. Regardless of it's origins, you're probably wondering why I'm talking about New York.

Ladies, I have exciting news: You can be an actual part of it! April 14th to the 17th, Kanakuk is having a Mother/Daughter Retreat in the Big Apple. Look out NYC; Kanankuk kampers and moms are taking you by storm!

Imagine this...

Walking through this instead of just seeing characters in movies doing it:

(Times Square)

Strolling through this:

(Central Park)

Seeing the entire city at the top of this:

(Empire State Building)

Riding a ferry by this:

(Statue of Liberty)

Shopping through this:

(Chinatown)

Observing this and feeling like you're in Home Alone 2 (minus the Christmas tree because it will be April):

(Rockefeller Plaza)

Remembering this:

(Ground Zero)

Watching one of these (to be announced):

(Broadway show)

Talk about a trip stacked with great events, scenic attractions and adventures! Too bad I don't have a daughter to take on this trip. However, YOU are a daughter and should talk to your mom about going on this adventure. You will get to do ALL of these things with other really fun Kanakuk kampers and their moms, make memories to last a lifetime and grow spiritually while in NYC!

I want to be a part of it, but that's probably not going to happen. YOU can though!

Contact tracy@kanakuk.com for all the details!

New Year with Old Friends

Since 2011 rolled around, I have been hearing quite a bit about a new year, new diet, new choices, and new national champions. But don't go so fast to get to the new. Old things can be just important...especially when it comes to friendships.

Early on in my work with kids, I had the privilege of living in St. Louis and being the Klife director for five years. It was nothing short of miraculous for me. More than anything, it has proved to have been a season of friendship building that I still enjoy today. I was young, and the kids I worked with were even younger. Now I am starting to get gray hair and they are starting to have their own kids. Many things have changed except the friendship...it's even better.

A new year does always bring new opportunities, but there is nothing like an old friend. Time that I spend with St. Louis folks just seems to get sweeter and sweeter as the years roll by. This past week I had a chance to be in St. Louis on two separate occasions to see Mike and the Bobcats play some basketball. While I was there, it was great to see some old Klifer's. Faithful, fun, encouraging, and even more spirited than our opponents cheerleaders, they came out to support the Wiebe Family, Mike, and cousin Weston (it worked...we had two great wins).

I am always excited to meet and make a new friend, but I am more thankful for the old ones that grow sweeter with time. I intend to make it a point to enjoy those more this year...

Bowled Over...

To be honest, I am "bowled out."

I think there are way too many bowl games. I have seen so many that I honestly can say I have feelings of apathy towards next Monday nights Championship game. How about if the game ends in a tie and we have co-national champions?

I can hear it now. All of my Auburn friends are stomping their feet and wagging their finger (I am waiting for Spencer, Clarkson, and the rest to call). After all, most likely they will be hoisting the trophy next week and bring a national championship to the War Eagle nation.

On the other hand, Oregon can lay claim to having the greatest all time game day uniform set up in the history of football. Rumor has it that Nike makes sure that they never wear the same get up twice. On that fact alone, maybe they should just receive the trophy before the game because today it's all about how you look, right?

Would you please help me out? Vote for our poll this week and maybe even throw in a comment or two to let me know what the the Kwest world thinks about things this week. It might help me get motivated for just one more game...