A Cup of Tea and A Good Friend

Tuesday morning... a whole week since I began this journey. Time to sip a cup of tea and reflect. I'm still a bit in awe about the whole thing...if you only knew how nervous I was starting my own blog and how long it took me! I want to thank God for each and every one of you who have "encouraged" me this first week with your heartfelt comments. What a wonderful feeling it is to make new friends from all over the country! I look forward to the days to come...to more conversations with my new friends...God bless you all!

And now...off to the garden to plant seed potatoes...I'm making it part of our science lesson for today...isn't homeschooling wonderful!

Living Water

"What is that in the woods?" you may be asking yourself. Well, that is our cistern(no pun intended). It holds the water that comes from the natural spring on our land.So, in fact, it is our "well", since we have no dug well. The water is piped underground from the spring to our home, and we also have a little overflow spigot that folks can draw water from at any time.


There is a really special story about this spring. For many years, it was the only source of water for the folks on our road. At that time, most of the houses were summer camps (and still are for the most part)and people would come to this spring to draw the water that they needed. I can remember, as a small child, pulling my little red wagon down the dirt road with my brothers and sisters to fill up buckets so that we could have water at "camp". The spring was just an old barrel with a broken wooded cover over it. We would have to pick out the leaves and dead twigs from it each year. But it kept many a folk supplied with water all summer long.People depended upon that water...and it was always there...supplying for all those in need.

In much the same way Christ supplies our "living water"...

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:14


So the years went by, and progress happened to our little dirt road, and everybody got their own dug well. Everybody, that is, except for us. We still have the spring that never goes dry. It has supplied more than enough water for our household, and is there for all others in time of need, for the past quarter century and I'm almost sure that it will still supply long after we are gone...if the Lord tarries.




Our property, in fact, is loaded with springs. This one is our source of water for our garden and our animals. We feel so blessed that God continues to meet our daily physical needs. But more importantly, we are ever thankful that He provides us with "Living Water"...and that never runs dry!

God is so good.

Transplanting Lilacs

Okay, yesterday was the big day. We were finally going to transplant my two lilac bushes.Of course, the blackflies were out in full force. They usually disappear once the wind picks up a bit and sun comes out, but time was of the essence...we had so much to accomplish this sunny Saturday...and the lilacs were "numero uno" on our list!


Now, truthfully, I liked the lilacs right where they were. In the spring, I could look right out my kitchen window and see them in full bloom. And, of course, if it was a warm day, I would leave the kitchen door open and the smell of fresh lilac would fill the whole house. But my husband said they had to go. He said that they were creeping into the leech bed...and that is definitely a "no-no".


While swatting flies and supervising, which I am very good at, I was reminded of the verses in I Timothy which instructs us to remove ourselves from things that tempt us or will cause us to sin...

"But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition."
I Timothy 6:9

"But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness." I Timothy 6:11

So, I understand why the lilacs need to be transplanted, and why sometimes we are required to "remove" some worldly things from our lives...in order to "follow after righteousness..."