Monthly Archives: June 2021

Worship at Old Stone Well Farm

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A Bouquet of Healing and Hope

Today’s my birthday —June 27! And I had such a wonderful gift when I visited a local lavender farm — Lavenlair Farm in Fort Ann, New York (www.lavenlairfarm.com). Not only was I treated to perfumed-filled fields of flowers, the owner and I had a conversation about life, faith, God and seeing the beauty all around.

She shared with me her struggle with the decision to open her farm to the public because her lavender fields weren’t the picture of perfection she envisioned. But as she looked around and smiled, she shared a bit of wisdom that I needed to be reminded of — perfection is overrated. I am so glad she opened her farm because my time in the fields was a time of healing and having hope restored. I will share more about my conversation with her that was filled with so many God moments in future blogs.

For now, come to the lavender fields as we delve into the healing story we have in Mark’s Gospel and ponder how we can all find healing if we only dare to reach for it.

Blessings!

Pastor Donna

Today’s Scripture Reading: Mark 5:21-34

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat[a] to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. 22 Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet 23 and begged him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.” 24 So he went with him. And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. 25 Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. 26 She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 for she said, “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” 29 Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 He looked all around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

Worship at Old Stone Well Farm

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Morning By Morning

I find myself moving a bit slowly this morning. Perhaps it is the wonderful afterglow of a much-needed vacation that has me not rushing around as I usually do. Or perhaps, just perhaps, the much-needed time away was my much-needed time to get back in sync with God, and my “moving slowly” is really me moving in step with the Holy Spirit. Whatever it is, this I know. I want this peacefulness to stick around.

What about you? How are you feeling this morning? Are you in step with God? Are you feeling the Spirit? Or has your list of things you have to do or want to get to nipping at your ankles like a yapping little dog?

This past week, as I sat on the beach listening to the waves, watching the sunrise and the sunset and chatting with my seagull friend, I realized how much we need to reconnect with the Divine and allow a heavenly timetable to direct our days. We really can do so much more when we hand it all over to God.

And so, I handed over my worries, my stresses, the looming deadlines awaiting me, the conversations with the insurance agent as my husband and I still deal with the aftermath left behind by a careless drunk driver who totaled our cars that sat in the driveway of our fledgling little farm — I handed all over to God, admitting that I can do nothing without Him.

The English mystic Julian of Norwich, who wrote “Revelations of Divine Love” in 1395, used to say, “All shall be well and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well.” Yes. When troubles come. When rain falls. When our skies darken. When things don’t go smoothly — all shall be well. Why is this a truth we can hold on to? Because, God’s faithfulness is great. And yes, morning my morning new mercies we will indeed see.

As I pour another cup of coffee slowly and not rush to hit the rail trail for my morning run, but rather enjoy the chirping of the birds and really take notice of my flourishing garden, I invite you to this special vacation edition of our time together. Move slowly with me. Sit with me. And together, let us reflect on Lamentations 3 and think about the new mercies God is presenting to us this day.

Blessings! Pastor Donna

Lamentations 3:22-23 (New Revised Standard Version)

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Wisdom from a Gull

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Jonathan Seagull discovered that boredom, fear and anger were the reasons that a gull’s life was so short, and with this gone from his thought, he lived a long life indeed. — Richard Bach, “Jonathan Livingston Seagull”


I’ve been spending my week meeting up with a little seagull on my morning beach run here in North Carolina. It reminded me of a favorite book of my mom’s when I was a child — “Jonathan Livingston Seagull.”

Whenever we went to the beach and a seagull would swoop in trying to snatch anything that would drop from our lunch — a piece of bread, a potato chip, a piece of crumbled cookie — my mom would wistfully say, “I wonder if that one is Jonathan Livingston Seagull?” Of course, the gull trying to steal our lunch wasn’t.

Anyone who has read the book, which was published in 1970, would remember that Jonathan was the gull not interested in his next meal. He knew there was more in life than chomping on chum from a fisherman’s boat. Jonathan wanted to fly higher than gulls thought possible. He dared to dream the dream he heard about from the mythical “Great Seagull,” who even to my young ears, I always heard as “God” instead. After all, didn’t God want me to soar to greater things?

“Don’t believe what your eyes are telling you. All they see is limitation,” Bach writes in the book that sold over a million copies.

This week, as I find rest and healing at the ocean I find myself revisiting the wisdom and the lessons of Jonathan Livingston Seagull. What are my eyes really telling me?

Stay tuned as you will meet my seagull friend in a future “Worship at Old Stone Well Farm” video. (I am now turning off the computer and resuming my vacation!)

Blessings! Pastor Donna

Worship at Old Stone Well Farm

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Branches, Birds and a Little Pink Ribbon

My friends, I usually write a preamble to our time at the farm, but I am not feeling very verbose. My husband and I had hardly any sleep last night. Our neighbors here in our once quiet safe haven have wreaked havoc on our property. Yes, the same neighbors I mentioned in last week’s video.

Well, after a full day of partying and heavy drinking, my husband and I were woken up to a crash. Turns out two friends/relatives of our neighbors were hammered and flew down our embankment and into my car, which rammed into PJ’s truck, which rammed into our house. Our lawn is torn up, our cars totaled. Both cars. I am a pastor whose church is an hour away. No rental company will come all the way to us with a car for us nor are any opened on a Sunday. So I miss out on work. And we were set to leave on a much-needed vacation after church today — a vacation to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary this week.

As of now, I am not sure what we will do. All I know is I am numb. I am sad. And so, prayers ascending. We will get through this.

I think about today’s Scripture, how Jesus says the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed…something so tiny that holds into a mighty shrub that produces branches for the birds. I talk about the little things that matter in life, how the little things we do make a difference. I wonder, though, why there are still so many people who live their life with no regard for anyone else? A drunk driver, who tried getting away last night, didn’t care what destruction he caused for another.

It was a long night. Complete with a 40-minute wait for the nearest State Trooper to come. Yes, in moments like this, rural living is not a joy. It was a bit alarming that there were no sheriffs around and that the nearest State Trooper was that far away from us. A helicopter was also brought in for the other passenger.

The little things make a difference in this life. I believe that. But now, I am finding it hard to plant a little seed of forgiveness for those who didn’t think about a pastor who needed to get to work today, a couple who were set to go on vacation, children of God who seek to live our life loving others…yes, I am struggling.

So I ask this day, you join me at the farm. Enjoy my 18th century bird bottles and how I have tried to make Old Stone Well Farm a place where the little seeds of faith will take root. I also ask that you hug your loved ones.

Blessings,

Pastor Donna

Worship at Old Stone Well Farm

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Rebuilding the Old Wattle Fence

I had some much needed rebuilding of my old wattle fence (a primitive structure using twigs and branches) to do the other day. As I was working on it, I was thinking about the growing divisions in my once bucolic rural community and how it is that we all need to do the work of rebuilding broken fences. When Jesus says “you are my brothers and sisters” he means it. You are. So how are we being “family” to one another?
As always, thank you for spending time on the farm with me. It’s always great to have you swing by and catch up. Blessings!

Mark 3:20-35

20 and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. 21 When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” 22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.” 23 And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. 27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.

28 “Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

31 Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters[a] are outside, asking for you.” 33 And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”