Discovering God in...

Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Look what appeared on this same field of corn while I was not watching! 


Another reminder of who is in control. How beautiful!








Saturday, July 9, 2011


You've heard of the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer? On this lazy, hazy, and crazy day I became a bit distracted from my to do list.


It began when I went out to scrape garbage at the edge of the field, but since I had my camera, I ended up taking an adventure. I am so blessed to be a country girl! I cannot imagine living in the midst of concrete and noise.  Yes, there are benefits to living in the midst of such things, yet...I just don't know if they out weigh the negatives of not living in their midst.


Take for instance a corn field. Row upon row of tall strong stalks with strong deep roots...each large plant from a single kernel of corn.  Is that not amazing?



Walking out into the field, is like entering another land, a dark green land in which sounds are muffled by the lush greenery.  In my imagination, it is like a jungle...a jungle of phenomenal corn!

Walking away from the field I wandered over to one of my flower beds to pull some weeds.  My eyes were adjusting from the large, to begin looking for something small...and I found it! A baby praying mantis climbing on a peony leaf.  Because I was also holding on to the dog's lead, I couldn't move enough to get a picture, so a download will have to do this time.  From my perspective, he looked exactly like this one.


I'm not a bug nut, but I do find these little guys to be fascinating!


Several days ago I blogged about the rocks around and within my beds. Someone recently asked where I had purchased all my rocks. 


I sometimes forget not everyone is surrounded by fields.  

I explained to her that I have not and probably will not purchase rocks.  When I was stronger, me and my faithful Gator would run through the fields picking up rocks, and there was NEVER any shortage!  I showed her that some still carry the curses of a farmer's plow or disk blade.










And then I have the BIG guys that probably carry more than a few curses from a steel blade.

The larger of these two arrived in my bed just this past spring.  I suspect it may be the largest one I have, I don't know about the heaviest.  There is a big hunk of granite in the front yard that was a real struggle to get out of the field!

I love my rocks.  Even though there are at least several hundred, no two are the same.  I love their solidness.  I sit on the larger ones...I wonder what they have seen and what they will see long after I'm gone.

Lastly, there is my, (I don't think "I" can claim this beautiful old tree.  It has been here for many years...long before me.) wonderful hard maple that has stood outside my kitchen window for the past 37 years. This tree has had children swinging and climbing.  It has been the home to countless birds, insects, and a few squirrels.  Oh, I can't forget the shade it has provided for picnic tables, sand boxes, and wading pools!


She took a lightening strike a couple of years ago. I have gone out many times and laid my hands on her trunk, trying to will her back to health. Last fall, my husband agreed to get her topped, hoping that might give her a few more years.  Standing and looking at her once strong branches I thought, "O'Girl, if I was younger and you were not quite as old, I would get myself up in your branches one more time and stretch out on one of your branches."

Since she's been topped, she obviously doesn't have as much foliage, but...looking up I noticed she is still home to a few lucky birds!


It is nice, being able to take an adventure, and then walk a few more feet and be back in the comfort of the AC! I'm so glad I was born, raised, and remain a country girl.




Thursday, July 8, 2011

I attended the National Powwow XV at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds in Danville, IN...and I discovered the wonder of God!


God in reminders of the past.










I discovered God in a new way to share "story."









God in diversity and the creative mind.






.

I discovered God in the sounds of drums, bells, and chants.  I discovered God in the value of diversity and in the courage and determination to be present.









I discovered God in Cooper being silly....just being himself and laughing.

I discovered God in the honoring of age and elders.

I discovered God in curiosity.












I discovered God in art and the attention to detail.

I discovered God in the honoring of tradition and being respectful and reverent.










Oh...did I discover God in all the color!

I discovered God in the "naturalness" of children.


Lastly, I discovered God within the music, sights, beauty... of this wonderful video.This is the Best World Music...


I discovered I could probably spend an entire afternoon watching and listening to the other videos!!


Saturday, July 2, 2011

The morning dawned with a gray mist covering the countryside.  I could just see the outline of the new bin going up across the road.


It was such a peaceful morning.  The birds were singing and the air had a freshness about it that spoke of "newness."


As much as I hated to see our hog operation close down, I have to admit...I don't miss the odor on mornings such as this!

As the day drew to a close, I noticed the sun bouncing images off the shed in my back yard. You know, these things are worth more than any amount of money.  I am so blessed to be living in this moment, on this farm, in this state!!






Saturday, June 18, 2011

After a LONG and HARD day of moving about 5 yards of mulch from a 15 yard pile, I showered and cleaned up.  Even though I was still tired, I felt a renewed sense of energy just by getting all that stuff washed off my face and out of my hair!


It is difficult to see in this picture, if I look at the rock in the lower part I can see the sun shining... Walking out my door, it looked as though the earth was being bathed in sunlight, much like I had just been bathed in water.  The wheat field literally gleamed "gold". The old maple tree had a radiance that seemed to give it new life.


I stood in awe and silent amazement.  God is so good.  I was blessed to see those moments of sun light offering a renewing grace to the earth.


Sunday, June 12, 2011

And the little children will lead them!

BPC's tradition is that they present their VBS program during worship on Sunday morning.  Yes, that means some of the children do not get to participate.  Still, they normally have a good turnout.  Today we had 150 Spirit filled worshippers and the "little children led them".  This is my 6th VBS at BPC and I think it tops them all.  What a wonderful week of witnessing God's presence in the faces and voices of the children.  Witnessing God's presence in the teachers and volunteers.  Witnessing God's presence within the parents as they brought their children and then picked them up.  I've pictures I plan to post.  I've downloaded a video on the Laughing-Listening-Learning FaceBook page. 


If you visit FB...I still need 25 "likes" in order get my URL address! : )

Worship was a wonderful celebration of the work of Spirit in this world!

Saturday, June 11, 2011

I grew up as a farm girl.  When I graduated from high school, I wanted to get as far away from the country as I could get.  I envisioned wonderful places to live and work, like New York city, Chicago, Europe...  My sophomore year at Purdue, I began to feel the tug to return to my roots.  It didn't take God long to speak to my country girl heart!

Being a country girl, the weather is more than just nice or inconvenient, it has a large voice in determining if we make our cash flow or come out in the negative.  Last summer, we had the most glorious spring! Our corn was well over my head by the 4th of July!  But, then it stopped raining.  June 25 was the last drop of moisture we saw until late in the fall.  The once promising crop dried up as we helplessly watched.

This spring, it has rained and rained! Even though the rain kept us from planting, I have been uneasy wishing "Rain, rain, go away...." We still have several acres yet to plant, still, I am encouraged each day when we've had a shower the night before.

Friday, June 10, 2011

BPC has hosted Vacation Bible School this week.  It has been a magical week of laughter, discovery, singing, crafting...

The secretary wrestled with the right words to express the joy of VBS in Sunday's bulletin.  We finally decided "Spirit-Filled" was the best we could do.

What a blessings to hear and see the work of God among the adults and among all the wonderful children who passed through the doors of this building.