Scouting out the neighbors’ chickens. Love our hair!  I knew living here would be a lot of work, if I didn’t want to live on two acres of weeds and dirt. It is a project, for sure. But I’m realizing that we don’t have to get it the way we want it in the first spring. In fact, that’s impossible – financially and physically. So, while many beautiful and constructive things are happening at Orchard House, the truth is that... Read more

“A great many things in God’s divine providences do not look to the eye like goodness. But faith sits down before mysteries such as these, and says, ‘The Lord is good, therefore all that He does must be good no matter how it looks. I can wait for His explanations.'” ~Hannah Whitall Smith I love this quote, but I have my doubts that any explanation will be needed. I think when we get to Heaven, we’re going to sit by... Read more

Below is a testimony from Jessie, my second daughter. She wrote it as a celebration of her spiritual birthday a few days ago. It’s raw and honest, but also a glorious testimony of how God brought her from a life of rebellion to redemption. It never ceases to amaze me all of the different ways God brings us to Himself, and all of them are beautiful. Not that every element is beautiful (sin is always a part), but God knows... Read more

So … TARGET. Read more

I’ve been considering starting an FB page entitled REAL PEOPLE OF FACEBOOK, or something to that effect. Sort of a spin-off of PEOPLE OF WAL-MART. 🙂 I wouldn’t want to create an environment where all people do is complain. Complaining is never good. But being real is different than complaining. Being real is to say that we have issues, because we’re human and we live in a fallen world and life is gets hard, and sometimes we don’t deal with... Read more

I’ve been a grandparent for over three years now, and I’ve always been a bit mystified at exactly how I’m supposed to pray for these little people who so easily succeed in turning my heart into a big pile of mush.  My confusion hasn’t kept me from praying. But my prayers seem to always have a question mark at the end, as if to say, is that what I’m supposed to pray, Lord?  The Holy Spirit helps me in my weakness.... Read more

On the deck of Piny Point Lighthouse, Maryland But if impatient, thou let slip thy cross,Thou wilt not find it in this world again,Nor in another; here, and here alone,Is given thee to suffer for God’s sake. In other worlds, we shall more perfectlyServe Him and love Him, praise Him, work for Him,Grow near and nearer Him with all delight;But then we shall not any more be calledTo suffer, which is our appointment here.Canst thou not suffer then one hour, —... Read more

This morning, Shaun was in the driveway, changing the oil in our cars and rotating tires. I was inside the house, vacillating between laundry and studying for an upcoming one on one discipleship opportunity that would take place later in the week. I had just finished folding a batch of jeans and shirts when he came in, said he needed to take one of the cars for a spin, and asked if I would sit near the dining room window... Read more

A man’s heart plans his ways, but the Lord directs his steps. ~Proverbs 16:9 Earlier this week, I was cleaning the toilet, taking down a mildew ridden shower curtain and throwing it in the wash, and other general scrubbing. Not because that was my plan. But because my plan got thwarted. As a Pastor’s wife, I’m learning to deal with thwarted plans more often. I don’t mind terribly. Errrr … usually. Unless I’ve just set a big meal on the table... Read more

These two ladies have caused me to wonder one thing: Which one presents as though she’s loved, protected, uplifted, and valued – for her whole person, not only her appearance? Because she’s the one with a husband who knows how to treat women in a way that is truly empowering.Being a sex model only empowers men to lust. Posing nude seems as if it would be empowering to the woman posing, but in reality, it’s degrading and it allows and... Read more