A HOPE AND A FUTURE

A friend recently made me aware that I might be able to encourage my blog followers with some of the experiences that I've recently gone through. So I've decided to do a series of posts to update, explain, encourage, and testify about the results of our recent "leap of faith."

Many of my readers are in ministry in one form or another, so I hope you can benefit from these next few posts or at least identify and add a hearty "Amen!" to my words. If you are not in some "official" ministsry, I hope that you will be blessed and uplifted in whatever your calling in life.

The picture I chose today reminded me of spring and the hope that this season brings. Here in Michigan we have little evidence of the change of season as yet, but today for the first time, I noticed some of the spring flowers' stems peeping through the ground. Tulips we planted in faith last fall were finally popping up! That's a sure sign that it won't be long until the promise of our hope, at least in the form of blossoms, will be coming. I saw the first purple crocuses in my big English garden today! Yet, our weather is still not very warm and the sunshine is sporadic.

As most of you know we recently resigned our pastorate with little to no idea of what our future would hold and about as much idea how we would make a living. At nearly 50 years old, (my birthday is this Wednesday), we weren't sure how wise it was to take such a risky step, yet we were sure the Lord was leading us. We are still in the infant stages of this move and can only testify to what we have already seen, not the complete working out of God's will as yet.

As spring approaches I am reminded of the long winter we've just come through and how it's not quite over yet. This seems to mirror our own experience in some ways. We have the sense that all is not yet shaken and sifted to "settle out." I keep getting a picture of someone panning for gold and the pan has a screen in the bottom. Water and sand are shaken through the screen to sift out the treasures. Some of the "water and sand" in our situation is still being shaken out, but we expect to find a gold nugget before it's all said and done. Does that make sense to anyone? I hope so. Or think of a glass container filled with half water and half dirt. When you shake it up, it looks muddy, but as things settle, the dirt settles to the bottom and the clear water rises to the top. It eventually becomes so clear you can see through it!

Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." Like the coming spring, Clint and I are living with our eyes directed toward our future and hope in a way we haven't exercised in a while.

More thoughts tomorrow on how this "leap of faith" is working out! Blessings, LORI

WORK, WORK, WORK!

AS YOU PROBABLY NOTICED, I HAVE NOT POSTED IN A WHILE!

I have been working so hard lately there's been no time to sneak to the library where I can post pictures faster! The gardens are going ballistic with all this rain. I think the English garden is out of control--and that's sooner than usual! I think it's usually July when I get that feeling that it's beyond my fixing. The vegetable garden is still ok, largely because of the raised beds and small design.

Here is a picture of Sophie and Granny sitting in the barn on Sunday evening. We had the 20-something's group from church here for a really fun event. I suppose Kori or Rhi will beat me to it in posting pictures of the crazy time we had. Sophie is wearing the "Cute Chick" sundress that I made for Emma two years ago. It has a matching hat and an embroidered pocket with a little chick on it. I designed the details, though I used a pattern. I love this outfit and it's great on Sophie with her dark hair and eyes and it's lavender details.

These beautiful hollyhocks--one of my favorite flowers--volunteered right by the barn door this year. I begged Clint to let them bloom before we moved them. It was a very healthy looking plant and some of my hollyhocks are not. They get that 'lace leaf' thing where something eats the leaves completely away. This particular one looked great.

So what have I been doing? Well, lots and lots of garden work and landscaping maintenance. I had to trim the spent flowers off all the meadow sage and dianthus. Did that yesterday and today. I also have been weeding and spreading lime in the English garden. I potted some flowers today that I got from my friend that runs a great little greenhouse business. She is a fan of my books and wanted the newest one, so I dropped one off to her. When I got home I potted all the wonderful plants I got from her into the hanging baskets for the front porch.

This last weekend Kori came over and we spring cleaned Mom's part of the house. Kori organized and wiped down all the cupboards inside and out and washed walls and windows. I helped by cleaning screens and mini-blinds and washing ceiling fans and some walls. I also washed all the curios on top of the kitchen cupboards. I got so inspired that on Monday I washed three windows upstairs and did other miscellaneous cleaning in preparation for company that is coming in a few weeks. With the heat we've been experiencing, I've just been ready to sit down each evening and act like a couch potato!

I've been reading a book about Smith Wigglesworth's life. It has been so inspiring! I love to read about heroes of the faith who've gone on before us. This one is really special to me because Rhiannon and I stayed in the town where he was born and is buried on our trip to England two years ago. When the book mentions details of the area, I can relate! I was encouraged to want the kind of wonderful results in witnessing and seeing miracles that he and his wife had in their lives. If you want to get a glimpe of something inspiring, I encourage you to pick up a book that has life stories of famous Christians and read about what they went through. It will help you to reach to greater depths and heights in your relationship with the Lord. Hebrews lists many of the saints who've gone on before in the "Faith Hall of Fame" in chapter 11. Testimonies are an encouraging thing! Read some today and give some today! Blessings, LORI