Rick and Cheryl on Adventure

  Better Together “Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”    (Philippians 2:2-4) Farm to Table with Harv & Jan Sawatsky Over the last month, we have been overwhelmed with gratitude for the relationships that connect us with friends and family no matter where we are. I’ve come to realize that it’s these very relationships that bridge the gap between our “old life” and the new, thereby making our big reinvention less lonely. Here we are in Keremeos, a place few from the Prairies have even heard of, and we’ve been blessed by a steady stream of visitors who made it a point to stop and see us and our new home! Those of you who know me will be aware that part of my story includes an innate tendency and learned behavior t...

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 ...