OCTOBER 24, 2023

The sun has set on another day here at the ranch. I am looking across Reinhold Lake toward the peak. Above is a near cloudless sky and a moon that is working its way to being a full moon. The old timer would refer to it as the “Hunter’s Moon”. We have enjoyed a beautiful fall season. Harvest is under way in many areas and shipping calves is a daily occurrence across the northern plains and mountains. Honestly, the change of seasons that we experience has never been a problem for me. The extreme diversity that comes in this region proves often to be quite the experience. However, I am not as quite as ready for winter this year, due to the fact that our spring and summer season proved to be quite challenging. In other words, I will miss the growing season.

I have not written for some time, due to some of those challenges that proved to be very time consuming. Let me explain. Last spring we began a major remodel of the dining room at RBR. We looked to be on target until one of the suppliers of material right out lied on delivery date. My crew worked very hard to overcome the delay. Many late nights and long days were put in. We were not able to utilize the dining room until after camp was over. We were able to complete the project in September and it looks amazing. We are grateful.

Then on Mother’s Day, due to some much needed rain after a long dry spell, the north wall of our house’s basement caved in. Our nearly hundred year old home finally succumbed to the pressure of the heavy gumbo soil that we live in. Our basement needed help and we hoped to undertake that as a project in the future, but the future project became a now project. We proceeded  to lift the house, dig out the old basement, construct a new basement, put the house back upon its new foundation and then proceeded with a complete renovation of the house. My grandparents built this house in the 1920’s. My dad grew up in this house… my parents raised my siblings and me in this house, and Robin and I have lived in this house since we were married and have raised our family in this home. Needless to say, much of our time was taken in this project as well.

Oh, and then don’t forget camp! We had another most blessed season with around four hundred kids in attendance. Our staff needs were nearly filled, but we could have used another person or two. Everyone had to work really hard to accomplish all that needed to be done. A blessing however, is that even though we were somewhat shorthanded, the staff that we had proved to be outstanding. They were truly amazing in all their effort. The Lord blessed us with a very fruitful summer, as many lives were impacted for the present and for eternity.

Our theme was “TRUTH”. Oh my, the message was and is so timely. Society is whirling out of control in the evil that satan revels in. We should not be surprised as it certainly seems that we are in the end times. The urgency and need is so obvious. At this thought, I must say, “Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. You are the ‘twelfth man’ as they would say on the football field.”

I would never discount the presence of God and the working of the Holy Spirit in all the activity and the people that are part of the RBR family. We are most blessed as we go about doing “Our Father’s business”.

Oh, and did I mention that we also had a wedding a couple of weeks ago here at the ranch? Yes, Rachel our daughter became engaged to Seth Sperling from SE South Dakota. They were married on the ranch with many friends in attendance. Yes, that took some of our time as well, but we are filled with joy as they start this new chapter in their book. Seth and Rachel will work with us as there is quite a need.

In closing, I do apologize for not keeping in touch better. I do want to thank you for your ongoing faithfulness and ask that we proceed together for the kingdom. Keep in mind our Annual Pie Auction to be held on November 17.

In Christ,

Larry B. Reinhold

HOWEVER

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It is nearly overwhelming... House... moving... remodel at RBR... health issues of staff... shorthanded in a couple of areas... However, I thought I would post pics of some of the positive views. The panorama from "Lakeside" (our temporary home) is amazing. We are grateful that the guys moved our piano out for us... and "Tige's Rose" is blessing us in full bloom.

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Not going to kid you... today was a challenge... Long day... way into the evening... But, we are grateful to God for His provision.

THIS OLD HOUSE

It is 1:30 AM and I am having a difficult time sleeping. Tomorrow, we will move out of "This Old House"... at least for a season. For nearly a century it has been home to the Reinholds... Generations.... and it has been the setting for many joys and yes sometimes trials as well. But it has always been home... and not just to our family. Emanuel and Hazel Reinhold built this house in the 1920's. My Dad, Tige, grew up in this house. He and his wife, Vicky, along with their three sons moved in around 1962. I grew up in this house. And Robin and I have lived in this old house for as long as we have been married. And our children grew up in this house.

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But time and this old gumbo (clay) soil has taken its toll. Our basement has always shifted to and fro to some extent with the freezing and thawing... wet and dry over the years. Tough country in more ways than one. And we had hoped to remodel one day and improve the basement and foundation. Well now the time has come as a couple of weeks ago, the north wall in the basement caved in after some heavy rainfall.

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Now we have to address the issues. However, our summers with camp are not the easiest times to get big projects like this done. We are extremely tied up with the camping schedule and all the kids that come to enjoy the ranch and learn more about the Bible and Jesus. Simply stated, "We would have scheduled this "project" some other time". But that is not to be.

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So what is the project. We are moving out and preparing to lift the house and proceed to move it to the east. When that is completed we will excavate the old basement and then proceed to pour a new foundation and basement . Then we will move the house back. Sounds easy enough.. Right? Well, we are encouraged that we have the contractors in place to do such a project. It should happen over the next month or so. Then when the house is back in place, a complete remodel will take place. Yes to fix the wear and tear of nearly 100 years on the Great Plains of Dakota and the living of multiple generations that have called this old structure home.

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Worries... not really. God has this. Weary... yes we are at that. May is always a challenging month with preparation for camp and the many ranch activities that must be done. And then there is the summer season. This will be our 44th season of camp at RBR and we know how busy that keeps us... We do not want our busyness to take away from any child's experience at camp. We somewhat say "tongue in cheek" that we operate on spiritual adrenaline. We realize our extra strength comes from the Lord. But at times we are physically exhausted as well.

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We know that we cannot complete this project on our own. We need to relay on God and the capability of others as well. We request your prayers that we will stay focused and fervent. We need to trust God to meet the needs and the extra expenses along the way. And we must live in faith and trust that God will provide in all areas.

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Camp starts next week. And we have so many tasks yet to complete. We will take one day at a time. There are some other situations that are part of life that are adding to the challenges as well. I ask for your prayer in those areas, too.

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I have added some pics to this album that go back to the 1920's. I find them fascinating. My Grandpa cut the logs and had them milled for the framing of this Craftsman model house. It was built for a thousand dollars back then. We still have the same hand saw that the carpenter used to build with. He used it for framing and then set the teeth differently for the finish work. Amazing. I loved growing up in this house... I always thought it was big. As I became an adult, I realized that it wasn't so big, but was certainly adequate for the family. We enjoy the coziness and closeness. And yes now moving forward we look forward to having it not only repaired but updated as well. Tomorrow we move... some of us will go to the house by Reinhold Lake... some are moving into a camper and one of the cabins. As for now, I should get a little shut eye in the last hours in this old house... and trust God that one day we will move in again for the next however many years...

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Thanks for praying and caring...

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From the book of Ephesians chapter three, Paul writes,

"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Please Pray

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever.”

Too often we only pronounce this above passage from the book of Jude at the “end of the service”.

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What power would be available if we pronounced this in full realization at the beginning of each day?
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We are grateful to God that he is merciful and assists us in the many times that we stumble. I just love this verse and the fact that in Christ… we don’t have to stumble.

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What victory!

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And we can be presented faultless full of joy before The Almighty. Now that is victorious living. Jesus Christ is “All in All”. Wow! Just read that last line again.

I have started this letter three or four times. The first included an update of the ongoing drought and the uncertainty that went with that. We honestly had many unanswered questions.

And then Thursday it started to rain. A beautiful rain. Over four days around four inches. Wow… Ponds and dams were rising. Even our Big Dam received quite a good amount. Grass was going to grow. Summer season looked so much better

We enjoyed Mother’s Day. Rain moving out. Everything looked so much better. And then just after we had gone to bed… we heard a crash. Going to look in the basement, we discovered a large portion of the north wall had totally caved in.

What now? We knew our Monday was going to be busy. One of us was needing to take some cattle to Sheridan. We had a shipment coming to the camp via semi. And we knew that the remodel job at RBR’s Dining Room was pushing on us so that we would have everything ready by summer. We would be looking forward to Molly coming to visit and the excitement of Julia’a graduation was certainly present.

We have much to be grateful for…. Camp looks to be nearly booked up for the summer. We have a good staff. But I will be honest, the load looks pretty heavy now.

Please pray. We need to press on together more and more each day.

There is so much more that I could share… and wanted too.

I will just end this letter as I started…

Jude writes, ““Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever.”