Rick and Cheryl on Adventure

Surrendering in Delays and Waiting “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”  - Isaiah 40:31(ESV) Rainbow out our front window One of the highlights of my week is attending our church’s ladies gathering called “Table Talk.” This past session, we were learning from notable women in the Bible, many of whom I can easily identify with. Hannah is known for surrendering in waiting. In our everyday lives, at any given time, we are usually waiting for something, waiting to get “there” from “here,” not content to just sit where we are. We often hear reminders to focus on the here and now lest we miss out on the beauty of the moment we are in. “Stop and smell the flowers” or “It’s the journey, not the destination that’s important.” Even the Bible tells us to "Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land . . . " (Psalm 37:34).

  PAYING THE PRICE “And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower [or house?]. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ . . . In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”   (Luke 14:27-30, 33) Similkameen River shining blue on this Spring morning

  STEP BY STEP “A person’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their own way?”     Proverbs 20:24 It’s been a busy month since we arrived in Keremeos to find a thin layer of snow on the ground, proving that the Similkameen Valley does indeed experience winter. Throughout February we’ve had a couple balmy weeks with daytime highs 7 or 8 degrees and nighttime lows barely dipping below zero. I enjoyed some beautiful walks up the mountain or along the river that felt more like Saskatchewan spring. We’ve also had some days with daytime highs below freezing and nighttime lows down to -17 and are currently sitting with 4 inches of snow and a coating of ice on the paved part of our road. The winterized fifth  wheel trailer we are renting for 5 weeks isn’t too cozy warm during the cold snaps but otherwise suits our needs well. The cottage, on the other hand, has been toasty warm no matter the outside temperature from the moment insulation lined the walls. Busy i

  THE REAL SOCIAL JUSTICE WARRIORS “He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked” (Psalm 146:7-9). We are currently staying at my dad's in Langham, SK This blog post departs from describing our ongoing adventure developing our land on Pincushion Trail and attempts to share with you our experience spending time with the amazing souls that comprise the global workers (formerly known as missionaries) of the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region. These are Romans 12:1 people who daily offer their bodies as “living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God,” for whom “true and proper worship” means giving up wealth, convenience, status, health, and family in service to the least among us. In November, we spe

  WATER IS THE LIFEBLOOD . . . For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. (Isaiah 44:3) We discovered a natural spring feeding a cattle trough high up on the mountain. Too bad we don't have one of those on our lot. Isaiah 44:3 is a verse I would like to claim both with regard to water on our dry land and the living water that God would pour on our offspring. From the moment we purchased this property, water has been on our minds. The problem of water has taxed and frustrated Rick’s thinking capacity and challenged Tim’s dream of growing grapes. So I thought I’d begin this blog with some perceptive thoughts and quotes about the absolute indispensability of water: “Thousands have lived without love, not one without water. – W.H. Auden 1 “We forget that the water cycle and the life cycle are one.” -  Jacques Yves Cousteau 1 “If there is magic on this planet, it is conta