Another Year. Another Opportunity.

A flip of a calendar page and we turn our attention to changes we would like to make, predominantly in the area of personal improvement. A new year is, after all, another opportunity to start over, to begin again. It’s a safe bet to say that the majority of people focus on fitness goals: weight loss, weight gain, cardiovascular and strength training. I wonder how many of us would be willing, along with fitness goals, to put as much focus on relationship goals? What if we began this new year of 2018 with plans to invest in others as much as we invest in ourselves?

Our investment in others might begin by listening twice as often as we speak; and when we speak, to look at the one to whom we are speaking as if we are looking in a mirror, just to make sure we are addressing them the way we would want to be addressed. None of that will come naturally unless we are also spending more time talking to God as our Sovereign Creator and Redeemer. Of course, if we listen twice as much as we speak to each other, it’s probably not a bad idea to have that same disposition with God, to care enough to listen to the desires of God’s heart rather than focusing only  on our wish lists. Our disposition of listening may be through reading what has been preserved for us in scripture along with moments of solitude when we can separate ourselves from the world’s distractions. Read scripture knowing that God is already present and has only been waiting for you to show up. You will be amazed what your eyes see and your ears hear.

If you are looking for a 1-year bible reading plan, there’s a wonderful chronological plan that lays out the books of the Bible, as much as possible, in historical order. It can be found at: https://www.backtothebible.org/reading-guide/12. If you would rather have a paper copy, send me an email at anamcaraky@gmail.com and I’ll send you a pdf of the same plan. Read not to meet a goal this year, but to fall deeper in love with the One who created you for relationship. Whatever your goals may be for 2018, I pray that a part of that plan draws you closer to fulfilling the Greatest Commandment to love God, and to love others as you love yourself.

There's nothing like a good bird dog!

When my dad said "I love to hear my girls sing," he wasn't talking about his three daughters. It was an expression he used for his hunting dogs and the joy he derived from hearing them bellow as they ran through the woods, hot on the trail of small game. Of course, any bird dog owner will also tell you there is an equal sense of joy in seeing their favorite bird dog go on point, a silent indicator that pheasant may be on the menu for dinner.

Today, I would like to give a shout-out to another favorite local business that isn't about bellowing or pointing, but it is named for one of my favorite breeds of pooches, Bird Dogs Coffee on 101 W. Seminary Street in downtown Owenton, Kentucky. Bird Dogs is definitely more than just coffee. It's space for good conversation with good friends and a meeting space for new friends. It's sandwiches and salads, seasonal soups, and darn good sweet treats.

Bird Dogs' biggest asset is the couple who own and operate this cafe, Kasey and Randy Towles. No matter who you are or where you are from, their hearts for authentic hospitality will draw you in like an old friend. They also just happen to have merchandise for the rest of you who may love dogs as much as my dad. 

Check out Bird Dogs' Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/birddogscoffee/

A Jesus Sighting!

Jesus has been sighted at Anam Cara, twice! While doing some landscape work in the back yard, I noticed what at first appeared to be nature's way of eroding one of the stumps left from our first cedar harvest; either that, or the clever work of termites. My mistaken hypothesis was due to looking at the stump from the wrong perspective. As I shifted my position, the squiggles became letters and the letters, I realized, spelled "JESUS."

It wasn't long before I spotted "JESUS" a second time.

It seems we have had a mystery carver share lodging with us at some time! I love that I don't know who our carver is or when it happened. I love that our cedar stumps now have a purpose, declaring the Name above all names! There may be more "JESUS" stumps around the edge of our woods or maybe there are just these two. What it made me realize, however, is that it's worth checking our perspective from time to time just in case we are missing seeing Jesus right in front of our nose!

Spiritual Muscle

Autumn is peaking around the corner. The days are pleasant and the nights are refreshingly cool, perfect for evening bonfires. Before long, the leaves will begin to transform from vibrant shades of reds, oranges, and yellows to dry, brittle browns. And then, with each breath of wind, the leaves will lose their hold on the branches and gently float to the ground. This season in more northern climates is a time of preparation for the cold, winter months ahead.  The trees are conserving energy; readying themselves for the onslaught of dropping temperatures. 

Naturalist Henry David Thoreau recorded in his journal entry for October 29, 1858: “Nature now, like an athlete, begins to strip herself in earnest for her contest with her great antagonist Winter. In the bare trees and twigs what a display of muscle.” Followers of the Way of Jesus, citizens of the Kingdom of God, can learn from the trees during these seasons of transition. How do we prepare for the onslaught of events that are bound to occur at some point in time, events that challenge our survival as Kingdom people? What are we doing to minimize what we hold on to so that we are prepared when circumstances require a bit more muscle to weather the approaching storm?

We pour our energy into things that give us strength and endurance in our relationship with our Triune God. We let go of over-scheduled agendas and step into the pages of poetry and prose, history and metaphor contained in the Grand Narrative of our Hebrew and Christian testaments. If we are to build muscle and, to paraphrase Thoreau, strip ourselves in earnest for the contest with the antagonist that is bound to challenge us, then we had better know how to let go of our finery for a season. We had better know how to pour our strength into our basic need—strong roots that connect us to the source, a relationship with our Creator God through the redemption offered to us in Christ Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is time to rest from constant production and focus on what we need to survive the turbulent storms of life, to settle into holy habits that build muscle, spiritual muscle. Only then will be prepared to endure the tougher seasons that are bound to come. 

*Resource: Roger Di Silvestro. National Wildlife Federation’s Blog. Sept 05, 2014.

Thin Space Welcome

Welcome to Thin Space Ministries. Celtic theology believes that there are "thin spaces" whereever heaven and earth are so close they almost touch. At Thin Space Ministries, we believe that place is available, not as a piece of real-estate, but as a disposition of being in relationship with God through Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit. In other words, a "thin space" is a relationship that is grounded in a relationship with our Triune God. Sometimes we need time and a place away from our chaotic schedules in order to quiet ourselves enough to find that "thin space." Thin Space Ministries offers that opportunity at Anam Cara Retreat. As our cover photo states, we are dedicated to offering journeyers a place to listen to the heart beat of God. Schedule a time for yourself or your leadership team to listen for the heartbeat of God and rediscover your "thin space" not as a place, but as a relationship.

Be Still...

I am trying, really I am. A plate which hangs on the wall where I am sure to pass multiple times throughout the day reminds me of my current assignment: "Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps 46:10). It is one of the passages of scripture that influenced my intent for our retreat space here at Anam Cara. Being still, however, is not a natural part of my personality. Unless I am sleeping, activity dictates my day. I have always had what I refer to as "the chipmunk in the forest syndrome"--a tendency towards constant action that is easily distracted in other directions. After a season of busyness with church responsibilities and a doctorate degree, I am having to relearn how to "be" and actually sit in one place long enough to listen for the heartbeat of God. It has been my dream to provide a "be still" place and a "be still" experience for others, but God decided I needed to abide in that place and have that experience myself. That is why God is God.


In the midst of being still, maintenance work does have to be completed. Mark has been running the brush hog through our 24 acres clearing paths for a prayer trail.  I have been hauling mulch to our small labyrinth on the edge of the woods. The gardens have to be weeded, prayer stations need to be made, the lawn needs to be mowed, and something always seems to need fixing or cleaning.

We both, however, relish our "still" times when we can hike these trails, pray in the labyrinth, or simply sit in the music room at the end of the day to watch the sun set. We invite you to enjoy time away from busyness to a place and an experience where you too can finally obey God's command to "be still."

There's a time for every season under the sun...

It's transition time.  As of June 18th, I am ending my tenure as pastor at Midway United Methodist Church and am entering a new season as a pastor with the world as my parish.  This past Monday, I returned from an incredible trip to Kenya and possibilities for ministry that I never could have imagined.  Stay tuned for updates as Mark and I develop Anam Cara, Thin Space Ministries, and discover how God is uniquely calling us to live out His gospel of grace as citizens of His kingdom through Jesus Christ here on earth as it is in heaven!

Running the race (Acts 20:24)...
Judy

Departure day!

It's Monday morning, February 1st, 2016, and this afternoon we will be on a plane for Tel Aviv, Israel.  Of course, the day would start with a major leak under one of the bathroom sinks, but doesn't something always happen on a big travel day?  I can't wait for our arrival in Israel.  I can't wait to see the Great Pyramids of Egypt.  I can't wait to see the expressions on our traveling companions' faces, Shari and Mary Alice, who are seeing this all for the first time.  I can't wait to come home!  A fitting prayer for the day is attributed to St. Patrick.  It will be my traveling prayer for the next two weeks:

I bind unto myself today
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this today to me forever
By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation;
His baptism in Jordan river,
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb,
His riding up the heavenly way,
His coming at the day of doom
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of cherubim;
The sweet ‘Well done’ in judgment hour,
The service of the seraphim,
Confessors’ faith, Apostles’ word,
The Patriarchs’ prayers, the prophets’ scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord
And purity of virgin souls.

I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the star lit heaven,
The glorious sun’s life giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea
Around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward;
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility
I bind to me these holy powers.

Against all Satan’s spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart’s idolatry,
Against the wizard’s evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave, the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
By Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/geneveith/2012/03/christ-within-me-christ-behind-me-christ-before-me/

Some come out only with prayer...

I was weeding the flower beds while Pepper, the mutt, went about her business and came to a stubborn creature with roots that had to run to New Zealand and back again.  No amount of pulling was going to get this baby free of the clay that hugged its deep-seated root system.  This guy was not giving up, but then neither was I!  For some strange reason the Holy Spirit used that moment to put in my head the story in the gospel according to Mark about the disciples' inability to cast out a demon from a boy.  Jesus had just descended from the mountain following his transfiguration before James, Peter, and John.   What the disciples had been helpless to do took only a command from Jesus and the demon fled.  "Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, 'Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?'  Jesus replied, 'This kind can be cast out only by prayer" (Mark 9:28-29).

I know this going to sound like a wild connection, but it turned my thoughts to Brother Lawrence, but then my attention has been known to wonder like a chipmunk in a forest.   I had been attacking that weed with its deep, strong, stubborn roots like a mad woman instead of bending to the task as an act of worship in the presence of God.  Now, some of you may be thinking pulling weeds is far from worship, yet what isn't worship or should be worship if we're completely sold out in love with God?

Brother Lawrence bent to the task of mopping floors and washing dishes with the attitude that he was doing so in the very presence of God.  Why shouldn't I do the same with weeds?  I started singing and praying and saying a few of my favorite passages and...the weeds didn't grow any shorter or miraculously jump from the ground like an exorcised demon.  Instead, it was I who was transformed. I was exorcised of the need to conquer and filled with the desire to worship the God who makes stubborn weeds and stubborn women.

New additions...

Mark and I went to the Mary Kendall Campus of Kentucky UM Homes for Children and Youth in Owensboro a week ago for their annual auction day.  Needless to say, we had an awesome time and picked up a couple of goodies for Anam Cara!  The stained glass cross hangs on the main level in the center window pane of the great room, while the popcorn popper is in the fellowship hall in the lower level.  I've already put the popcorn popper to use when our work team from Lawrenceburg UMC was here and got a little carried away...we had popcorn coming out our ears!

Our first team work day!

 The Lawrenceburg United Methodist Church confirmation class, mentors, and parents arrived at 9:30 Saturday morning and put in a hard day's work!  We had a stone removal/hauling crew to line the path and the outer ring of the labyrinth, a crew hauling cedar chips, a chain saw crew, and a crew fastening cedar stumps together for the labyrinth outline.

 The original path was way too steep.   Thanks to Lance and his chain saw we made a detour through the woods which required the removal of some downed trees and the wood was used for more cedar stumps in the labyrinth.  By the time 3:00 pm rolled around we were absolutely beat, but everyone still had enough energy to hike down to Eagle Creek.

Thanks again Lawrenceburg UMC!  We couldn't have done it without you!

Our labyrinth begins to take shape!

My original plan was to put a full sized labyrinth on the south lawn, but Mark convinced me it was too close to the road. We walked through the woods and found this spot along our trail. We decided it would make a wonderful station for our woodland prayer walk. After clearing the ground, I used a stake and a rope with knots tied at varying intervals to mark out concentric circles using a can of spray paint. As the sun began to set, we were able to decide where the western entrance to the labyrinth would be located.

On Saturday, the confirmation class from Lawrenceburg United Methodist Church in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky will be out to help us complete the labyrinth by picking up wood, hauling wood chips to fill in the labyrinth, and outlining the exterior of the labyrinth with rocks.




Once the circles were drawn, I marked the turns in the labyrinth with rocks and then spray painted the whole design on the ground with an outdoor spray paint.

We started by placing our cedar stumps around the design to get an idea how many stumps we would need and then I began connecting the stumps in about two foot sections by stapling them together with a heavy gauge wire.

We're getting there...

The bid to do the backyard landscaping was a bit, shall we say, extravagant.  We have another landscaper coming out to give us a bid in the morning, and I'm hoping it's within our price range.  I'm so ready to get it finished!  Our son, Jason, and a friend, Rusty Williams, came last weekend to help cut down part of our "wall of cedar".  A tree trimming company, Asplundh, was out this evening chipping all the branches we cut down and tomorrow Jason will be back with Mark, both armed with chainsaws, to tackle more of the cedars.    The descent sized trees are being cut into 6-8" stumps which will be used to line the path of our labyrinth on the south lawn.  The chips from the brush will fill the labyrinth path, so I'm feeling pretty good about our attempt to reuse the resources God has given us.

While the guys are doing their chain saw thing tomorrow I'm going to make a giant compass with a rope and stake.  After tying knots along the rope to coincide with the different concentric circles that will make up the labyrinth, I'll use a can of white spray paint to  make a temporary outline of the labyrinth so we have an idea of its general layout.  The last Saturday in May, the confirmation class from Lawrenceburg UMC is coming here for a work mission day  with Lee Ann Williams to help us actually build the labyrinth.  I can't wait!  Once the labyrinth and back landscaping are done I'll hold a huge open house for the churches in the area from all denominations as well as people within the United Methodist Conference in Kentucky.  Hopefully, it will generate some activity for the coming year!

Phase 1 of landscaping...

Wilson's Nursery completed about 75% of phase 1 which includes the front of the house plus north and south ends.  In the spring some perennials will be added and we should also be ready for phase 2: the backyard/patio area.  Hopefully, we'll get the cedar farmed this winter which will allow the hardwoods to flourish and open up views towards the ridge.  Spring will be an exciting time around Anam Cara!

The landscape is being landscaped!

I just signed the paperwork (and the check!) to begin phase 1 of our landscape design!  Sometime in the next two weeks Wilson Nurseries will begin working on the front, south side of the house, and north side next to the garage/retaining wall.  Wilson's did a wonderful job envisioning what I had in mind for a retreat setting rather than what is typically put in around a neighborhood house.

Phase two will be the removal of several cedar trees followed by landscaping the backyard and the hillside leading to the lower drive.  The back will include pavers with a fire pit, herb garden, and a walkway to additional parking and the lower drive for retreat guests.  The hillside will have a stepping path made from the large stones discovered during excavation and will lead to the lower drive and the trail entrance.

Phase 3 will be peripheral trees, a mixture of evergreen and deciduous, along with a few fruit trees.  The south side will also include a labyrinth.  Each phase of Anam Cara's development is SO exciting!     We've also discovered a reasonable resource for the log cabins we have dreamed of putting on the ridge top and riverside along with an offer to help us develop a completely green water/septic/heating systems.  Stay tuned for pictures as each phase unfolds!

Marriage Retreat

Thin Place Ministries hosted a marriage retreat this past weekend at the Anam Cara Retreat house.  Along with the facilitators from the Versailles United Methodist Church and the pastor and his wife from the Owenton United Methodist Church there were four other couples who spent all day Saturday studying a biblical understanding of marriage. The planning team arrived Friday evening, and if the music I heard was any indication they had a wonderful time of worship!  It was a bit rainy on Friday, and since the backyard has yet to be landscaped we had to cancel a bonfire.  Saturday the other couples arrived for breakfast and Mark and I joined the group for most of the sessions.  The weather was absolutely glorious, so couples were able to sit outside during some of the break-away sessions.

We're working on hosting this same marriage retreat in February and possibly a women's retreat on Forgiveness at some point, so stay tuned for opportunities to get away and listen for the heartbeat of God!

Down to landscaping on our checklist!

It certainly has been a long, drawn out affair, but after almost 2 years from the day we first broke ground Anam Cara is finally ready to go.  We labored all Labor Day weekend ;-) putting up blinds in the guest rooms, dusting, sweeping, and hanging valances.  I made bedding purchases and felt like I spent a bundle just outfitting the two extra long twin beds and the king that will be formed when the twins are pushed together.  Aside from hauling a few more boxes of books and odds and ends for the storage area we are ready for guests!

There is a lot, and I mean A LOT, to do for landscaping.  Our first project will be to harvest most of the cedar trees in the back of the house so we can landscape that area with a fire pit and patio.  I'm going to try using some of the cedar trees to form the labyrinth that will go on the south side of the house...hopefully a fall project. The rest of the landscaping will happen as we have time and money.

We also will be working on our application for 501C3 status and an official business/ministry plan.  Depending on how the backyard cedar harvest and landscaping goes we may tackle an open house late fall, so stay tuned for more details!

The deck is finished!

A foggy April morning

The perfect view for a cup of morning tea...

Wildflowers...

The woodland flowers are blooming. My new mission is to find a book on Kentucky wild flowers, as well as edible and medicinal plants.  I've found onion down by the stream, and I'm sure there are many other edibles once I learn to identify them.

 The deck isn't built yet, but I love to sit in the kitchen with the windows open and have a cup of tea.  The birds remind me that even when the sky is gray there is a reason to sing!

There's a sound out here late at night that I haven't identified yet.  It's nothing I've ever heard before.  The "song" starts on a G, hums for about 3 seconds and then moves to an A, humming this pitch for 3 seconds, and then the song then repeats.  Angels maybe?

It is absolutely beautiful here at Anam Cara.  I'm learning to sit with the quiet of the place.  It's been more of a struggle than I thought it would be.  What was unsettling at first, the coyotes howling at night and the lack of "people" sounds, is slowly becoming a part of my regular rhythm.  It's a good lesson.