Turning Father's Day Right Side Up

Rising early each morning, my farmer heads to the barn.

Never complaining. 

Morning his favorite time. 

He's never upset to milk alone. 

He takes his time. 

Enjoying the quiet. 

Our children have appreciated this time as well. 

Moments spent with their father beneath a sea of stars. 

The chill of the early morning; stimulating. 

Walking with purpose. 

Cows to bring to the barn. 

Wildlife. 

Unfamiliar sounds. 

All part of the memory. 

Our journey to Organic Certification complete.

It has been quite an experience. 

Still waiting for that first check. 

Many cows dry. 

Making cash flow so difficult. 

Milk prices so low. 

The waiting seeming to take forever. 

We've learned much in this transition. 
Yet my farmer stays steadfast. 

The farm is a great teacher. 
Patient. 
Yielding. 
Strong.
Demanding. 

Much like my farmer. 
Much like my father. 
Much like my father in law. 
Three influential men in my life. 

Three men I learned from. 

Each sharing unique pieces of my Heavenly Father. 

My father, this year, will spend Father's Day in heaven. 

It will be 3 weeks tomorrow since he journeyed home. 
Sweet reunions. 
His mind fluid. 
Rejoicing. 
This brings a sense of peace to my soul. 
The memory thief had taken so much. 

My Father in law also resides with the King of Kings. 

A hard working man who loved fiercely with out words. 
Who worked 2 jobs to provide for his family. 
A man who bowed low to the King of Kings with all his being. 

I wake this morning with the goal of a Thankful heart. 

Each moment will be captivated by gratitude. 

I will push away grief. 

With the help of Holy Spirit this day will be beautiful. 

My farmer;

is an amazing dad. 

His selfless dedication to our family; a gift. 
His daughter has chosen well. 

Fatherhood embraced. 

His love for the Lord and this land deeply embedded in his soul.

Today we honor these men. 

I am grateful for each of their part in helping to shape who I am today. 

I am deeply grateful to my heavenly Father for allowing me to have had such wonderful men in my life. 

May you choose today to find joy. 
To take what may have been broken and see the strength 
gained from a hard walk. 
Take time to seek the good. 
Let God shape you in His image. 
Our broken parts become beautiful in light of His grace. 

In 1971,Elisabeth Elliot, had this to say about Fathers. 
Article on Fathers, by Elisabeth Elliot

Psalm 147:1
Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God,
 how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

Learning How To Celebrate

Today we celebrate. 

Though that term looks different these days. 

We are going to celebrate. 

Last year the celebration hard. 
The effects of chemo and radiation wreaking havoc.
The joy thief taking all. 
So, today we are going to celebrate my farmer. 
We will celebrate his last year in this decade. 
We will step into gratitude as we look back over the past year. 
A year with no chemo or radiation. 
Strength gained each day. 
The joy thief held at bay. 

James 1:2
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,
 whenever you face trials of many kinds,

I am not able to consider these trials we have been faced with, "pure joy". . .yet.
I do know that there is a purpose and reason. 
I do know that my farmer is here. 

That this day is a gift to celebrate. 

I don't know what that will look like. 
We've all been fighting off colds. 
I've been traveling to be with my brothers
 and helping my dad.
The tyranny of the urgent staking claim. 

So, today, we will pause. 

In the middle of the busyness, we will breathe deep. 
We will celebrate life. 
I won't try to force my agenda. 
I will work with the flow of the day. 
Choosing to see the beauty in each moment, 
Thanking God for my farmer. 

The way he still makes my heart skip a beat. 

The way I marvel at his ability to work no matter what. 

His selfless approach to life. 

He really needs nothing. 
His capacity to love. 

It is never about him. 

He makes do with what he has. 
He sees potential where others see none. 
A forever optimist. 
His altar; all of creation. 

His knees bowed in submission to the Creator of the Universe. 
A man of principle. 
Humble. 
A desire to give out of all he has. 

This day we honor this man. 

My farmer. 

Happy Birthday!

Joy Heard From Haiti

They have flown into a different space. 

A culture not like our own. 

Les Cayes, Haiti. 

 The south west section.

On the coast.

6 hours from Port Au Prince. 

The farmer and his daughter, have left the -3 three temperatures, 

chores and school and have joined with other farmers. . . to go. 

They have heard the call.

 God said,  yes. 

The Safe T homes; refuge for many. 

 Because of your faithfulness in giving and prayer, they are there. 

Just over 5 years ago Haiti suffered one of the worst Earthquakes ever to strike a nation. 

Already needy, this impoverished country needed a boost. 

The effects were devastating. 

They remain to this day. 

But the people. 

The resilience and joy that show forth. 

That is still there. 

Strength. 

Through the struggle. 

This farm girl, she will leave her heart in a nation not of her birth. 

She will never rest until the love of Christ is made known to the world. 

There is no running water in the hotel. 

There are ants in the sink. 

A gecko on the ceiling. 

Yet she remains untouched. 

She will bathe in the pool. 

She is where her heart longs to be. 

In a place where she can give. 

Where she can make a difference. 

We will lose this child to the King of Kings too. 

Just in a different way. 

While God called Elijah out of this world into his heavenly realm. 

God will call Clarissa to live and serve among those that are;

The least of these. 

Matthew 25:40

"The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'

Will you continue to pray? 

Can you help us to lift this nation before God? 

To ask for strength and mercy for this beautiful country?

For wisdom and direction for agencies so willing to help?

We are glad you stopped by. 

We pray your life will be changed by knowing the love of Jesus. 

Here is a little bit of the joy being heard from Haiti. 

He Held All These Moments First

There are no Christmas decorations. 

Actually there is no one home. 

I do not have my key, because it is still on the key chain that I can hardly bear to look at. 

So different from the years gone by. 

There are leaves all over the driveway and yard. 

More signs of change.

Dad always kept his yard free of leaves and such. 

It's almost too much to bear.

The heaviness and magnitude of all that is gone weighs me down. 

Each step towards the door; agonizing. 

I notice everything out of place. 

I see what's been moved. 

New pictures on the wall. 

I stand in the door way. 

I breathe deep. 

I question why I have come here. 

What am I doing here? 

But no matter where I go. . . there is loss. 

At home it's Elijah. Here it is mom. 

And the seven months that separate their loss wraps around my heart. 

This walk is hard. 

It takes all I am to step forward. 

To step into Hope. 

To set my mind above. 

I dig. 

I reach deep to the truths that I know. 

To the well worn path. 

I can not change the circumstances.
I turn to the memories for their warmth. 
Interesting, they don't sting so much. 
Mom's chair;

brings images of her sitting with her coffee,
laughing or telling a story. 
Looking at pictures. 
Oh, how she loved her pictures. 
A wall in the office, covered with all those she held dear. 
Family, friends. 
She never met a stranger. 
I can see her planning our day out. 
Lunch, shopping. 
Always shopping. 
Me who abhors shopping, loved it with her. 
She loved to shop. 
I hover in the memories. 
I walk around the house. 
I thank God for the gift of family. 
Once again the ache slowly gives way. 
The God of the Universe Can handle all my pain. 
He will guide our hearts each moment. 
His love for us is everlasting. 
May you anticipate that love this Advent Season. 

Expect great things. 

Isaiah 43:19
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? 
I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.


He will make a way. 
For me; for you.
Wonderful truths that God will share. 
In spite of the hurt. 
In the middle of the darkness. 
He will shine. 

Living in these precious moments. 
They are fleeting. 
But they are beautiful. 
Because God held them first. 

PSalm 102:11-12
My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass.
But you, LORD, sit enthroned forever; 
your renown endures through all generations.

MercyMe
The Hurt and the Healer

So here I am 
What's left of Me
Where Glory meets my suffering

The End And A Beginning - Day #30 of Thanksgiving

30 days of Thankfulness. 

A practice. 

A journey. 

A life attitude. 

Purposely seeking. 

Work. 

Changing. 

Becoming more like Christ in all we do. 

Having eyes to see beauty where none exists. 

3o days to establish a habit. 

A commitment to desire more. 

To yearn to be molded and shaped into the child God wants us to be. 

Displaying a heart in submission to the  path placed before us. 

A season of Thanksgiving leading into the season of Preparation. 

It's not too late to begin the walk of Thankfulness. 

Dig deep. 

Find the beauty amid the ashes. 

See God is doing a new thing. 

Isaiah 43:19

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? 

I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

Do you have eyes to see? 

Have you pulled back the veil enough to see beyond the pain, beyond the grief. 

Because, God is there. 

He reaches down and pours out his riches. 

We are free to walk in His grace. 

Hope.

The word for the day.  

The Advent candle lit.

The final day of November, the first day of Advent. 

Such close proximity. 

Thankfulness - Preparation. 

Hope. 

A season. 

 Hope of all Nations. 

Good news. 

Living in us. 

All around us a need. 

Choices made to live; in hope. 

Hope, when there's uncertainty and each step feels weighed down. 

Hope, when the pain of missing threatens to shatter the resolve. 

This Season set apart to grow deeper.

For some, hopes have been dashed. 

Faith rocked. 

Life; challenged.

Stepping into the first lesson in Advent opens our hearts to the possibility

 of what is to come. 

Let Hope guide your path this week. 

Hope in all that is to come and all that will be. 

Hope that the finished work in Christ is proclaimed. 

Isaiah 40:31

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. 

They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary,

 they will walk and not be faint.

Creating A Day That is Purposefully Thankful Day # 27 of Thankfulness

The season of Thankfulness. 

The settlers of this land grateful for sustenance; coming together in fellowship. 

A time to be grateful. 

And what is gratitude really? 

The lists that I have made of all the things I possess? 

That happy feeling when we are content and things are going swell? 

That is a part of the practice. 

True gratitude is deep contentment in life, no matter the circumstances. 

A Thankful life is lived looking through a different lens. 

One is not born a thankful person. 

It takes effort and intentional actions. 

To be thankful in every sense of the word mandates a shift in the view of the world. 

It permeates all you do. 

Because being grateful isn't just about the stuff. 

It's about looking at the world as a place where change can happen; and it starts with us. 

We take the step towards gratitude. 

Even when the checkout line is slow. 

(Oh I am so guilty of this)

We need to guard our hearts. 

Be careful what we watch and listen to. 

Intentional steps to cultivate a habit. 

Bitterness and greed are easy to step into. 

It is our default mechanism.

To rise above and shut the door in the face of those temptations is rich. 

So, as this Thanksgiving Day dawns and I want to just crawl back in bed, I am going to walk in the warmth of the memories of Thanksgiving's past. 

Oh, they are rich. 

I am going to treasure each moment for the gift it is. 

If you're in a place where bitterness and pain have become your 
constant companion,let it go. 

Make today different. 

Count your blessings.

Take your eyes off yourself.
Shed the negative.

Find another to bless. 

There is no greater pull out of despair than giving to someone else. 

Reach for a journal and begin the list of that for which your heart is Thankful. 

30 Days of Thankfulness~

I am thankful for:
Memories of the warmth and joy of family together
a home where I can share Thanksgiving meals

a table where all can gather

friends who are family

the blanket of white covering the barren landscape

a farmer who holds me in the night when I can barely breathe

grief; despite the pain and agony. there are lessons to learn

the hope of heaven and the beauty of a sweet reunion

the 17 Thanksgiving's I had with Elijah

a home that is full of laughter and teenagers

a hot cup of coffee

these moments to sit and reflect on all that I have to be thankful for

a season of Thankfulness that is followed by the rich Season of Advent

when we are truly Thankful the message of the cross becomes so much more

this day, this moment and the grace that will be given for the rest

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

May you create a day that is purposefully Thankful.

. 

Day #23 of Thankfulness

Clothes flapping in the breeze.

Sunshine each day. 

Gorgeous sunsets. 

Time together as a family.
A farm family that rarely leaves home. 

And now time to travel. 

Home. 

Home to the routines and our chores. 

Home to the familiar, yet changed.
And coming home is so bittersweet.

30 Days of Thankfulness~

I am thankful for:
Vermont coffee
My own bed
time with 6 people in a confined space with 2 tv's equipped with cable
4 days of no cooking or cleaning
time with my farmer
real conversations, about something other than the farm
3 days of little girls swimming to their hearts content
time in the Ancient Word
opportunity to worship with believers in another part of the country
going home
the gift of "getting away" for more than one night
those that made it possible for us to "get away"
the humor my kids have; and share it freely; often 
God's grace and mercy that flow so freely
the freedom we have to travel this country 
the beauty God created
Vermont coffee (did I already mention that)
my farmer who was willing to drive to go to Starbucks to get me coffee
a soul that yearns for more; more than what is here
hope; the promises given and the deep peace available
solid ground on which to stand


With hands lifted high, and feet planted firm we will continue walk 
the path God has placed before us. 
We will seek with all our heart the work we still have left to do. 
Part of our trip away has been seeking to look for ways to bless those we have come in contact with. 

We encourage you to pray today for God to place in your path 
those you may need to bless.

Leave us a comment if there was an act of kindness God place before you. 

May your Sabbath be rich and full of the rest God so richly intended. 

2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

Are you Having A Hard Time Expecting Anything Good? Yeah, Me Too Day #13 of Thankfulness

We spend the day at the hospital.
Faces familiar now.
Routines established. 
We wait. 
Somehow, I have become numb to this process. 
I tried not to think about it. . . at all. 
I didn't pray. 
Honestly. 
I couldn't. 
I didn't want my hopes to be dashed. 
Yet. 
I didn't step into fear either. 
I am not sure which is better? 
The cliff of the ache is just out of reach and I don't want to be on the edge anymore. 
The burn that has been my constant friend has lightened in my heart. 
So, when test day came, I chose silence. 
I didn't want to feel.
I went through the motions and kept the focus of the task before me. 
I don't know how to live this life with out my son. 
How to live with cancer just outside the door. 

Acts 17:28
For in him we live and move and have our being.' 

It is easier to be about the business and keep the routine. 

Focusing on the task, minus the emotion works. 

I am good at that. 

Separating out emotion and tasks. 

Yet, when a friend sends a text that what God does is awesome. 

It stops me in my tracts. 

Because I don't feel that what God has done is awesome. 

As a matter of fact, I can't see awesome anywhere. 

I can't imagine good news. 

Until. . . 

I stop. 

And the practice of gratitude seeps in and allows me to see, that despite the loss, He is good. 

Oh, so good. 

If I know the real good news then, all news is good. 

I need to learn again, the Good News. 

Won't you join me in this challenge of gratitude. 

No matter how desperate your circumstances are, there is always hope. 

30 Days of Thankfulness~

I am thankful for:
A community that has walked hand in hand with our family
reminders that God is in control - he is there
friends who continue to push through the joy even in the hard times
wood, that our home is warm
A beautiful porch that I step out onto each day, giving thanks for those who gave
my farmer
kids who are trying so hard to learn to live in a new family setting
a step daughter who works hard, loves hard and is willing to play
a grand daughter who can light up any part of your day
grace
stepping into gratitude
hospitals and routines
a smelly, stinky dog
a God who loves me and is patient with me as I learn to trust and love him

I don't want to live without feeling. 
I don't want to be expecting bad news all the time. 
Being "about business" all the time is safe; but I am missing out on much. 
So for today, I am practicing the notion that God is good. 
And that he is the giver of good things. 

James 1:17
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.


What ever may pass and what ever lies before me
* * *
Let me be singing when the evening comes

Matt Redman
Bless The Lord