A Holier Holiday Season

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The Holiness of Hiraeth (Longing for Home)

Where is the season of Advent going? This morning I woke up feeling the holiday pressure to get Christmas done, and then I remembered to breathe, slow down and be in the moment of this holy season. And so, I began to putz around my old 18th-century house and was struck by the memories that came flooding back when I looked at my dollhouse. There’s a Welsh word — hiraeth — which means a longing for home. I think this longing grows stronger in the month of December. Yet as we long, we take comfort in our memories. What memories of “home” do you hold in your heart? Enjoy this midweek time together at Old Stone Well Farm! Blessings!

Old Stone Well Farm

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Always Rejoice — Always

It’s joy Sunday, the day we light the pink candle around the Advent wreath and hear Scripture’s call to “rejoice, always!” It is also a day known as “Gaudete Sunday,” taking its name from the first line of an ancient hymn that was sung on this day that begins with the words “rejoice.”

But what is joy, and how do we find it even when life seems anything but joyful? And why the pink color for Advent? We will answer these questions here at the farm. (I will even explain that pink rose ornament that you see in the preview.)

And if you are curious as to what that ancient hymn sounds like, listen to the end for a snippet of it.

As always, thanks for spending this season of Advent with me here in Vermont.

Share with others!

Blessings — and joy,

Donna

Old Stone Well Farm

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The Holiness of a Candlelit Breakfast

We continue our quest to have a holier holiday season. Today at the farm, join me for a candlelit breakfast, some thoughts about the joys of simplicity and the blessing of “my daily egg.”
These midweek gatherings are my gift to you and your loved ones — a gift that reminds us all to slow down and savor the God moments all around.

Blessings!

Old Stone Well Farm

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A Fragrant Offering

What is that goodly fragrance flowing…and so goes the 17th-century French carol, “Whence is that Goodly Fragrance Flowing?”

If you are not familiar with it, then I have a treat for you here at Old Stone Well Farm. I invite you to join me at my little home built in the 1700s, the oldest house here in my Vermont village, as I make Colonial pomanders to trim the hearth and share with you the use of fragrance in Scripture and its power to hearken back to a memory and tug at your heartstrings.

So light a candle, make some tea or coffee, and allow yourself a break right now. Step back from the crazy modern world and reconnect with a simpler time here at Old Stone Well Farm, where I pray you will find rest and be renewed.

As always, thank you for joining me! Share this gift this Advent with others. A subscribe button has been added in the video, so subscribe anytime.

Blessings! Donna

Midweek at the Farm

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The Holiness of the First Snow

A midweek time to breathe and recenter so that you can truly have a holier holiday season this year. I would love for more people to enter into Christ’s birth with peace, not stress; with hope, not discouragement; and with the beauty of realizing joy is not bought…we really do have all we need already around us. Enjoy!

Pastor Donna

Old Stone Well Farm

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An Angel Named Oscar

Celtic Advent has met up with traditional Advent, and I am so excited to invite you to the farm as we light the first candle on the Advent wreath. This will be a time to share a cup of coffee and hear a little about Celtic spirituality and the monks beliefs in angelic encounters. I will also share with you an Advent Celtic circle prayer. And I can’t wait to tell you the story of a very unlikely angel named, Oscar. So make yourself comfortable, enjoy some old and new holiday songs, and watch the snow fall here in Vermont as we make our way to Christmas together. As always, I appreciate your feedback and support. Share with friends and family. Like on YouTube, and consider subscribing to the YouTube channel. I only need a few more subscribers to get a personalized YouTube channel. Blessings! Donna

Thanksgiving at Old Stone Well Farm

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Happy Thanksgiving! It’s a busy day here at Old Stone Well Farm, and I invite you to come and join me as I get the fire going to make the pies in the Dutch oven, boil the Christmas pudding and melt the beeswax for more Advent candles.

And I will share with you a recent discovery about my black-and-white chicken. Hint: She is a perfect fit for living here at this 18th century home. For now, I want to take time to thank you all for your support with this ministry.

I have some plans for it in the new year, but I need your support. So share with friends and like on YouTube! And now, let’s get cooking.

Blessings! Donna

Old Stone Well Farm

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Stir Up Sunday

On this our second Sunday in our Celtic Advent celebration, we get out the old bowls at the farm to whip up some holiday goodies. This day is known in Anglican circles as “Stir Up Sunday,” which gets its name from the collect in the Book of Common Prayer that asks God to “stir up” God’s faithful children. It was a day for families to “stir up” their Christmas puddings and fruitcake, allowing enough weeks for all the wonderful holiday flavors to mingle together.

I wonder, though, what does it take for our faith to be stirred up? What would it look like to live with such a faith? And, as we head toward the Thanksgiving holiday, who has been that special person in your life who has “stirred up” your faith? Think about that person and pause to give God thanks for them in your life.

So, let’s get ready to stir things up!

Blessings to you and your family,

Pastor Donna

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