Man, I am so thankful for the blog format of mass communication because I can get real with y’all without you seeing my ugly cry face.
Guys, it’s cold right now. Like, walk outside and your eyes and nose hurt cold. I moved south to avoid that nonsense, but I suppose I’m also thankful for seasons….even if East Tennessee Autumn is only 30 minutes long at the beginning of November.
But as I was standing at my kitchen sink washing the dishes, I was suddenly struck with the urge to be outside. I wanted to be with my chickens, I wanted to walk through the gardens and just be outside in nature. So I finished rinsing the dish in my hand, bundled up and grabbed a cup of coffee and went out with Cyd and Flynn. And it was actually snowing. Snow in March ain’t no thing for someone who grew up in the Midwest, but I was still surprised by it.
But it was beautiful!
And it made my eyes well up with tears.
And I walked on a little further toward the chickens and they were singing egg songs. And as I collected the 8 eggs they had laid for me, I looked at them and they were beautiful! These beautifully feathered creatures make food for me. And again, my eyes welled up with tears.
So I walked back toward the house and gazed at the potager on my way past, and I noticed something…
The peonies I had transplanted in July had sprouted! They lived!!! They’re my absolute favorites, next to orchids.

And then I couldn’t take all the winning any more and I finally cried.
All this beauty surrounds me. All that we’ve worked to grow and build and create here- it’s a reflection of our God and Creator. It’s a tiny, fragmented glimpse of the glory of Yahweh God; a sliver of a peek at what it’s going to be like at Abba’s house. And guys- I can’t wait.

This place is nice. And God graciously gives us the opportunity to manage and work this land and establish our homestead gardens. But, man, am I excited to go home home.
One day.
Come, Lord Jesus!