A Christmastide Thank You
I will be taking some downtime during these 12 days of Christmas, but before I dim the glow of Facebook and hush the alerts on my email, I want to thank you for making Old Stone Well Farm such a blessing in 2021. May you, too, take this time in Christmas to hush the noise of the world so that you can keep hearing the angels sing that beautiful melody in your lives: Glory to God in the highest!!!
See you at the farm in 2022.
Blessings,
Donna
Christmas Eve 2021: A Very Holy Night
An early Christmas treat. I’ve decided to share Old Stone Well Farm’s Christmas Eve’s video a day earlier, as I know December 24 and 25 can be quite busy with last-minute preparations.
I wanted to share this holy night with you, inviting you into my home and onto the snowy paths in Vermont to explore the Christmas story once again. And get a candle ready to light as we will be singing “Silent Night” in the snowy back pasture of the farm together. Old Stone Well Farm will return in 2022, as I will be taking some downtime during the Christmas season.
Till then, wishing you all a very Merry Christmas. I can’t thank you enough for making Old Stone Well Farm Media & Ministry what it is today.
Remember to like on YouTube, subscribe and share with those who might be blessed by a Vermont Christmas.
Living the Christmas Story
It’s a snowy fourth Sunday of Advent here in Vermont at Old Stone Well Farm, and as I get the manger out in preparation of Christmas Eve, I share how nativities came to be part of our Christmas decorations and how the first living nativity was the brainchild of a certain saint who loved not only animals, but the Babe of Bethlehem. (Can you guess who that is?)
So how about doing something special today as you take time to sit back and enjoy our time at the farm together. Why not mull some cider? Or perhaps add a cinnamon stick to your steaming cup of coffee? Or if you are feeling really decedent, whip up some homemade hot coco and don’t hold back on the whip cream.
Treat both your tastebuds and your soul. And share the special message of striving to live Christmas with all you know and love.
Blessings!
Donna
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
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!
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
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
Having a Holier Holiday Season
On this Thanksgiving weekend…an invite to have a holier holiday season. And yes, the snow is falling hard here in Rupert, Vermont.
Blessings,
Pastor Donna
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
A Celtic Advent Begins
Observing a Celtic Advent has become a tradition here at Old Stone Well Farm. Beginning on Nov. 15, Celtic Advent is often referred to as a “Winter Lent,” as there are 40 days which leads to the celebration of Christ’s birth.
The Celts used this time to embrace each ordinary day as holy and to ponder Christ’s arrival in the world, in our hearts and his promise to return again. So join me as we begin our Celtic Advent.
Share this new tradition with others and, if you would, please like the YouTube page and consider subscribing. I would love to start 2022 with a channel for Old Stone Well Farm.
Blessings! Donna
accidental country pastor 