Atypical Pastors Wife
  • Welcome!
  • Noise From The Barnyard
    • Calf Corner
    • Not Your Ordinary Bull
  • Heavenly Hay
  • Ministry Moosings
  • Homilies For The Herd

Noise From The Barnyard

This is where family and friends hang out and discuss world events, family happenings, valley news and things I'm "moosing" about.  It's the day to day across the fence chatter.

Fall Foliage Follies #2

10/27/2020

2 Comments

 
We are so fortunate to live where we live. Our area, commonly known as Happy Valley is also called the five finger valleys. We have valleys long and thin that run all through the mountain range. Being the bird nerd that I am, I was drawn last weekend to Greenwood Furnace State Park area along Standing Stone Trail where a hawkwatch platform is located. It's migration season. The wind was perfect for raptor migration so my handsome hiking buddy and I tripped over the rocky ridge trail and spent some time on the platform with the counter. Yes, people actually sit all day long with binoculars and a scope and identify the types of birds they see migrating. I managed to last about an hour but that's as hard core as I am. Maybe a stronger pair of binoculars would have kept me there longer. 

I'm a big loon fan but I've never seen one in the wild. The closest I've come is the sound my phone makes when I get a text message. It is a distinctly erie sound and one you might not want to hear when you're sitting in the dark outside of the church in ladies Bible study as I found out when my husband texted me and my studymates were about to run to their cars. And although I've never seen those low riders on the lake, I saw nearly 30 in the air, all making their way south for the winter. We also saw Red Tail hawks, a bald eagle, and at least 50 Canadian geese flying in their classic V-shape formation and announcing to the world how proud they were of their accomplishment. I just tried to remember not to look up with my mouth open. Ha!  Having been a huge Woody Woodpecker fan as a child, I was thrilled when a Pileated Woodpecker flew eye level across our view. I believe he was taking a pit stop to fuel up among the deadwood before continuing his trek to warmer climates. 

Then we traveled a little further down the trail so Sausser's pile, aptly named because it is literally a very large pile of rocks that form an outcropping on the side of the mountain and as you can see, the view was worth the extra sweat and yes, a few bruises to boot. Can anyone say trekking poles? I think I may need to invest in some. 

The forest was filled with the song of the gentle breeze and the leaves as they shook and fluttered to the ground, the gold especially brilliant as the sun hit them as they seesawed to the ground. It was nothing short of magical and although things will not die in heaven, it reminded me of what's in store when I get there. When I survey the splendor of the mountains, the colors of the autumn trees, the grays and blues of the sky, and the majesty of the God's creation, it's hard to believe that there is anywhere that could be more beautiful. But then I remember that even the world is in a fallen state, groaning for His return, and my heart swells with expectation at what the new heavens and the new earth will look like. 

After our trek, we ate snacks from my pack-beef jerky and trail mix and traveled further down the mountain...in my truck...to the valley below. What would an outing to the country be without a stop at a gun shop and lunch at one of the local country stores? Homemade ham and cheddar soup, a chef's salad that came in a serving bowl, and an Amish whoppie pie for dessert was on the menu. The whoppie pie was especially yummy but not nearly as good as my mother-in-law's are. Louise, your's just can't be beat! 

The leaves are slowly fading around here. The yellows are the last hold outs and are showing up the reds and burgundys. I can't remember a more beautiful or vibrant fall season ever in the 42 years we've lived here. There's just no other place on earth that I would rather be. Soon our Saturday adventures will have to turn to warmer activities but in Pennsylvania, there is no end to fun places to see and things to do. 



2 Comments

Fall Foliage Follies

10/19/2020

0 Comments

 
I love fall! There's nothing better than donning jeans and a sweatshirt and getting out into the fresh, crisp air of autumn. I love the colors of the leaves as they become the most brilliant right before they drop to earth as they finish their life cycle. I pray that I, like them, would shine the brightest and the best all the way up to the end of my course or until Jesus returns. The smell of walnuts and acorns fill the air with a smell that is distinctive just in autumn and blends with the colder air that makes your nostrils tingle with delight. There's just something relaxing about it all, making you want to slow down, relax, and linger a little longer in beauty of it all. 

This fall is a new season for me and a good time to make new memories so on the weekends we hop into my truck and head out on a new adventure. This particular week we headed northeast to the south side of what is known as the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon/Pine Creek Gorge. Rails to trails runs through there as well as many hiking trails, ATV trails and Hyner View. Hyner view has been on my radar for some time now so I was thrilled when we learned that it was close by. And as you can see from the photos above, it was beautiful. Even though I've seen it many times in photos, it took my breath away and I stood speechless for nearly half an hour as I pictured the finger of God moving through the mountains creating the valleys and mountain ranges that seemed to go on forever and forever. 

While there some hang gliders showed up and wowed us as they fearlessly jumped off the mountain and then soared above us for several minutes before landing in a field down below. 

We grew hungry and passed through a small town having an apple butter festival, complete with homemade apple butter cooking over a wood fire and a gun raffle. We stopped and grabbed a beef sandwich, some oh-my-they-grow-good-chickens-and-corn-around-here soup and a homemade apple dumpling that almost rivaled my mother's recipe...almost! 

While there, some people approached me, sure that they knew me and I had to tell them my theory of this strange phenomonen that happens literally EVERYWHERE I go. People think they know me. All I can figure is that I'm one of God's common molds. He made one and said "Hmmmm, that's good. I think I'll make a ton more just like it!" At least I hope that is what He said when he created a million people who look just like me! I find it rather puzzling since I am so tall and my hair is...well, let's face it...pretty hard to miss. My reason for adding this will become obvious as I write about other adventures. 

As the day leaned into dusk, we grabbed hands and strolled down the rails to trails path, watching the deer and the water. By the time our walk was complete, the sun was setting behind the mountain and night was setting in. After all the hiking and excitement, we were hungry so we stopped at a quaint little inn that had out of this world food choices and enjoyed a quiet dinner before heading home. And just in case you're wondering from the photo, we did not indulge in the alcoholic choices on the menu. 

My soul was happy and my heart was full of all the heart snapshots from the day. I will cherish them always. 
0 Comments

Just Who Do You Think You're Talking To?

10/5/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
It was beautiful weather for a walk this morning. The clouds overhead provided a cool canopy as I got underway down the trail. I started out gingerly as my muscles screamed from yesterday’s squats and leg presses but I soon forgot about my legs as a chorus of songbirds began to serenade me. One bird seemed to be telling me to  “walk down, walk back”, which is what I do each morning on my 3+ mile jaunt.  Admittedly, the first few minutes of every morning, I am captivated by the beauty of the trees, vegetation, the smell of the woods, the sound of the water, and the flowering plants that line the path. Soon though, my thoughts rise from the splendor of the creation to thoughts of the creator of it all. 

I’ve been praying about several situations that weigh heavy in my life. As I prayed, I asked God for new beginnings. Immediately my mind went to Genesis 1:1. “In the beginning”, the very beginning of time but not the beginning of God. He created the heavens and the earth. I thought of the sun. God spoke and the sun was created. I thought of the power of the sun and of how long the sun has burned without going out. I considered the force of its brightness and its consuming heat. That ball of continual, fiery, energy with its searing power came into being by one word spoken from God’s mouth. That’s power! “In the beginning”, God spoke and a force as potent and violent as the sun was created...out of nothing but a word. I marveled at the power that has to be present for something like that to happen and realized it can be found in the voice of God when He speaks just one word.

The creator is the same one who walks with me everyday, who put His Spirit inside of me, and who cares about every minute detail of my life. He is the captain of my life, the shepherd of my soul. He is the same God who chose a new beginning for mankind when He instructed Noah to build an ark and Moses to cross the Red Sea. This God is the one who redeemed Israel over and over again as He continually called them back to Himself. He is the same God that gave the Apostle Paul a new beginning and used him to change the world. He is the same God that redeemed Peter back to himself so that he could begin again to declare that Jesus saves! He is the same God that redeemed mankind by sacrificing His own Son that I might have a way to communicate and fellowship with Him, to be accepted in His presence. That’s powerful!  As I pondered this, another bird call rang out and it seemed to be saying “I need Him, I need Him” and I joined in his chorus and began to tell God, “I need you, I need you!” I need new beginnings. I am desperate for new beginnings and as I did this, I felt His powerful peace wash over my heart just as the water rushes over the rocks when it makes its way downstream. I pictured in my mind’s eye God taking my burden and carrying it downstream to a place where it will never return. What comfort I get from putting my burdens in God’s hands and watching what He creates from them. He is a God of new beginnings. He always has been. He always will be. 

I thought of my daughter. That girl was born with more spunk than any child should ever have and she was a huge hand full during her toddler years. While my  three babies slept in the afternoon, I would lie on my bed and cry out to God, asking Him what to do to harness this young lioness He had given me. Often I would tiptoe into her room and lay my hands on her and pray because quite frankly, I was at my wit’s end with her. One day, I laid her down after a particularly difficult morning, laying my hands on her and asked God for what I thought would have to be a miracle in her life. When she woke up from her nap, she was an entirely different person and she continued to be an entirely different person from that day forward. When my parents came to visit, they noticed a profound change in her and asked, “Who is this child and what have you done with our granddaughter?” That is the power of God. He is still at work today creating new beginnings for those who look to Him, for those who need a miracle, for me and you.

So today, I would ask you to think about the WHO of your praying. Who are you praying to? What is He like? What has He said? How has He proved Himself in the past? Is He reliable, believable, trustworthy? Are you following His instructions for praying and getting answers or do answers seem to be fleeting? Why? 

I am working on my next Red-Letter-Journey entry which deals with faith. It’s been a long time coming but as I thought about faith and prayer-answers it seemed that the subject was too broad. Volumes have been written about faith and prayer over the years by people way smarter and more knowledgeable than I am. But as I have taken this month of September to avoid social media interactions, to turn off the news, to un-crowd my brain of all the words that usually come into it during the course of a day, I’ve pondered what the red letters say concerning faith and prayer and came to the conclusion that faith is really very simple. It’s just not always easy. 

I love how the Lord meets me just where I am. He created me. He hardwired me and only He knows the best way to communicate with me so that I get it! (By the way, I highly recommend taking some time from social media. I’ve always believed that the reason there is such shallowness in our culture today is because we take in so much information every day that there is no way to deeply process anything that we hear, including what we read, hear or see in our time with God. It will amaze you how your thinking patterns will change when you’re not filling up every moment with new information.  Get a few thoughts and allow them to marinate a little.) 

I love pickled eggs! The longer they sit in that beet juice mixture, the darker their color and the more flavorful they are. So as you read God’s Word, notice what jumps out at you. Write it down so you don’t forget and then find a quiet spot and think just on that. Do it for several days. Train your brain to think! You will be amazed at where God will take you as you allow Him to speak to you about it. For me, there’s nothing more thrilling than to know that God Almighty has taken time to personally speak into my life. 

Not only does He speak, He moves as a result of my words, when they are faith-filled words. That is where prayer answers come from. That is who prayer answers come from. It’s really very simple. Requests + Faith = Prayer Answers. But, but, but-yep, I hear you! It doesn’t seem this easy, does it? But that’s what the red letters say, folks. And this seems to be where it gets complicated, doesn’t it? Yet, we must be careful that we do not allow our experiences to form our theology. Perhaps, our theology needs some adjustment to come more into line with those red letters. Perhaps our faith needs a booster shot. Perhaps our theology needs a tune-up.

More to come! 


0 Comments

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    May 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    April 2019
    September 2018
    August 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    November 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013

    Categories

    All
    Eternity
    Family
    Holy Living
    Perspective
    Witnessing

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.