Road Blocks and Detours

We rounded a corner and saw it - a tree lying across the road.  A crew had just arrived and was beginning to start their chain saws to go to work to remove it.  One by one the cars turned around to find another route.

Road blocks.  We have occasionally encountered them on our journeys.  On this trip, however, we have had many more than usual.  They were not trees in the road but changes in plans.  One thing after another seemed to go wrong, and we had to readjust our plans.  Every time a change in plans was necessary, we wondered why it was happening.

Detour!  It was no surprise after all the road blocks we had encountered on our trip, that a detour arose.  Less than two weeks before we were supposed to leave for Peru, the home office called.  "Can you stay in Peru longer?" Matt inquired. After all the road blocks that had already forced detours in our schedule throughout the past few weeks, the question was not a surprise and our answer was easy.  "Of course!" we replied.  Suddenly we understood.  All of those road blocks that had forced us into new paths were simply God's way of preparing us for this detour.

Then began the frantic preparations for the new schedule.  Coordinate with our Latin American director to meet us in Lima.  Cancel the original plane reservations and make new reservations.  Cancel the overnight stay in Panama and reserve an overnight in Lima, Peru.  Add an additional week to the trip to go to Iquitos, Peru, and rearrange meetings that were planned for that time in Maine.  Find out from the LA director what we should teach while in Iquitos.  Look for additional materials needed for teaching those classes.  On and on the list goes.

I wonder what other road blocks and detours still await us.  No matter how many there are, I know that God has gone ahead of us to prepare the way.

Missionary Trivia Quiz

 

Dear family and friends,

Years ago at a Christmas gathering at our church in Maine, we played a game testing people’s knowledge of the record of Christmas in the Bible against their own understanding of the events. It was an interesting exercise to see how much information we had gathered from the right source. Today we would like to play a trivia game with you to see how well we have communicated our prayer concerns over the past year. You will find the answers at the bottom of the page. (Some questions require multiple answers.)

1. Which of the following countries did we visit this year? A. Liberia  B. Dominican Republic  C. Mexico; D. Guatemala; E. Luxembourg.

2. Which two countries had we planned to visit but were unable to do so? A. Liberia  B. Dominican Republic  C. Mexico   D. Guatemala  E. Luxembourg

3. What kept us from visiting one of those countries? A. Lack of funds  B. Epidemic  C. Political unrest  D. Changes in scheduling

4. How many countries do we plan to visit in the coming year? 2, 3, 4, or 5? Go ahead, take a guess.

5. Did we spend more or less time away from our home base this year compared to last year?

6. Do we plan to spend more or less time away from home next year?

7. How many car miles do you think we traveled this year? A. Less than 20,000  B. 20,000 – 29,999  C. 30,000 – 39,999   D. More than 40,000

8. Where is our support level? A. 57% B. 59%  C. 61%  C. 62%

9. As 2015 begins, which of these do you think is a big prayer need?  A. Invitations to share our ministry here in the U.S.  B. Travel funds for overseas trips.  C. Arrangements for trips abroad.

10. When will we be in your area again?  A. We usually go to the churches where we are invited.  B. We plan to spend four to six weeks in New England and Canada.  C. We are hoping to get back to South Carolina.  D. We are willing to go wherever the Lord leads.

Check your answers and let us know how well we are doing at communicating with you.

Thank you for your support for us in prayer over the past year. We are so glad to know that we have people standing behind us. May God richly bless you, and may He be the focus of and the reason for all your Christmas celebrations.

Because of Christmas and Calvary,

Charlie and Joan Farley

Answers: 1. C and D 2. A, B and E. 3. The Ebola epidemic in Liberia kept us from going there, and we had hoped to visit Luxembourg on our way either going or coming, so that fell through as well. The Dominican Republic is rescheduled for next year. 4. Four trips are planned – one to D.R., one to Peru, and we are working on a trip to Africa and one to Asia. 5. We were away from home less because we did not travel as much inside the U.S. this year. However, we spent more time abroad than any previous year. 6. We hope to spend more time abroad and more time away from home inside the U.S. 7. B. This is less than any previous year since we started this ministry. 8. The last time we reported, it was at 57%. It now stands at 59%. Thank you for your continued prayer for us about this matter. 9. All of them. 10. All of these answers are right.

Ladies’ Winter Retreat

Most of the ladies’ retreats I encountered in Maine were day-long retreats packed with teaching.  This was valuable and a great boost to the women who attended.  Yet I longed for something that I had experienced years ago where people got together in a beautiful setting away from home with a little bit more relaxed schedule.  That way we would actually spend time with the other people there and have extra time for meditation and time with the Lord.  I wanted an overnight retreat in a beautiful location with the women of our church. 

The first question that needed to be answered was “When should it be?” As we looked over the church calendar, it looked quite full. There was one gaping hole: January. The let-down after Christmas was felt by a number of women. I also began to hear the women expressing a desire to get together during those cold winter months when it seemed that winter would never end. Then there were other advantages to planning it for the depth of winter. Retreat locations would be cheaper. Schedules would be freer. Speakers would be more likely to be available. So the idea of a winter retreat was born.

Ladies gathered for evening session on Friday night.

Since leaving our church, it is this event that I have most missed.  I loved hearing the women lift their voices in song together.  I loved seeing the fruit from times spent alone with God.  I loved hearing the laughter that came from being in a relaxed location.  I loved seeing the women head out into the snow for a walk together and then come back with cheeks bright red, stomping the feeling back into their toes, and seeing the growing bond between them.  If I could be there every year for this event, I would be very happy. 

So it was a delight to me when it worked out for me to both attend and speak to my precious sisters at this event.  Here are some of the blessings from those two days together.      

College women taking a "selfie".

• It was the first time in years that we did not have to drive through the snow to get there.  The resort where we gathered was about two hours from Bangor, so good weather for driving was a real blessing.
• Lynn taught a craft so that everyone who came early was able to take home a handmade project as a reminder of the event.
• Gwen shared her testimony of how God has faithfully led them through the years.
• Corinne, one of our supporters, came and shared her 85th birthday with us during the event.  Deborah, (who was not able to stay because of childcare duties) drove her down.
• I met new women who have become part of our church since we left. 

  

  Alone time with God.

• After each session, the women retreated to a quiet place to reflect and pray over what they had heard.  It was a blessing to see these women seeking the Lord.  There were a few tears for some women during this time, and it did my heart good to see God’s working in their lives.
• Once again, there was singing and a lot of laughter. 
• On Sunday morning and evening, a number of women gave praise to God for the ways He taught and blessed them during the retreat.

What a blessing it was to me to be there.  It may well be the last time I will be able to attend this event.  Who knows?  Maybe some of the women we’ve gotten to know down here will want to see something like this started here.

A Winter Trip to Maine

Why in the world would we pick January to take a trip to Maine?  After all, you can expect it to be snowy at this time of the year and definitely cold.  Road conditions are not the best and airline travel is “Iffy”.

We went because we now have a house and needed to collect our belongings from storage.  There were also speaking engagements available for us.  For me, it meant that I could spend some precious time with the ladies of West Hampden Baptist Church on their winter retreat.

God definitely prospered our journey.  We give him thanks for all that He did for us.  Here is a brief summary of some of the many blessings He poured out on us on this trip.

• Delta contributed to our travel fund.  We were waiting for the plane when we heard an announcement.  “If anyone would be willing to give up their seat and be driven to Atlanta to make their connection, we will give you a $400 voucher for future travel.”  Charlie jumped up and went to the counter.  A few minutes later we were on our way to Atlanta via taxi.  Since it was a holiday, we did not even have to deal with traffic.  We were there in plenty of time for our flight to Maine, and we think we may have arrived before the delayed flight.
• Our flight up was without incident.  We flew on a Monday.  The weekend before there had been many weather-related delays.  The next day another storm blew in and once again there were many delays, but we were already there.
• We have such generous friends.  Friends picked us up in Portland and drove us two hours north and dropped us off with another friend to stay for a couple days.  Another friend gave us a very nice vehicle to use while we were there.  Another friend drove me down to the ladies’ retreat. 
• We were able to visit people in Farmington.  Charlie’s uncle lives there, so we were able to drop in and see him and his wife.  Then on Wednesday evening we shared our ministry with the people of New Hope Baptist and stayed overnight in their “Prophets’ Chamber.”
• The ladies’ retreat was a real joy to my heart.  It is the event I miss most now that we’re gone.  Gathering with those dear friends to learn together from the Word of God is such a joy.  There was time for a few heart-to-heart talks, walks in the snow, and enjoying the beauty of God’s creation there in Southwest Harbor.  (More about that in another blog.)
• The men were available, flexible, and speedy in packing the moving truck.  The night before we were supposed to pick up the truck, Charlie got a call from U-Haul saying that the battery in “our” truck was dead.  So instead of picking the truck up early, Charlie had to let the men know that it wouldn’t be available until later.  When they gathered to pack, it only took them an hour to load.  As cold as it was, it’s good there were many men there to make it happen quickly.
• The pastor and his family are loving and hospitable.  The last half of the week while I was at the ladies’ retreat, Charlie stayed with the pastor, and we were both there when I returned.  They were very warm and welcoming, and we love to see that the church is growing under their leadership.  When we left, they loaded us up with sandwiches and treats for the journey that lasted almost until we arrived home.
• God kept us safe on the trip home.  We encountered the worst weather on our second day of the trip home.  After we’d been on the road a couple hours, the snow started, and it stayed with us all the rest of the way.  We saw a number of cars off the road, but the Lord kept us safe. 



Finally home in Georgia!

• We were able to unload the truck with just minutes to spare.  We had hoped to get some help on this end, but the bad road conditions meant that people were not venturing out.  Churches cancelled on Wednesday night, so the promise of a crew to “help with the heavy stuff” did not materialize.  So on Thursday morning, after a night of much needed rest, Charlie and I finished with the remaining items and returned the truck.  The man at the U-Haul store said to us, “You are three minutes early.”  Then we rejoiced at the unplanned delay at picking up the truck as it kept us from having to pay for an extra day.

It was a blessed trip from start to finish, and we give thanks to God for his many blessings to us.

Vacation Bible School

Vacation Bible School is often a highlight for children.  Our church in Maine held theirs recently.  Here is a summary of what happened.

• Every night between 45 – 50 children and teens came to VBS at West Hampden.



Craft time for one group

• Every night there were songs, crafts, games, Bible time, and a missionary challenge. The children heard a continuing missionary story from Joan and the teens were challenged by Charlie to consider God’s calling for their lives.  Charlie also taught the Junior High class during their Bible time.
• Every night the two teams (the Fords and the Chevys) raced each other to reach the finish line first. Points accumulated pushed each team closer and closer to the goal. Every night the Fords were a little ahead until the last night when the Chevys surged ahead and won.
• Every night parents brought their children and some of them stayed until it was over.

So, was it successful? It depends on how you count success. Only God knows the whole story, but here is what we know.

• The workers were faithful to do the job they were called to do. They also did it with enthusiasm and joy.
• The children kept coming back.



Telling the missionary story.

• Many Scripture verses were committed to memory.
• One child made a profession of saving faith. Another name was written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
• Over $400 was raised for us to buy children’s materials for our ministries and missionaries abroad.

Overall it was a good week, and we are thankful that we were able to be a part of it. 

Excitement: Real or Fake?

WITH NOTES TO SELF

Shortly after I graduated from college, I went back home for a while to work off the small debt I had accrued during my last year in college.  I quickly found a job waiting tables and cars at a small drive-in restaurant.

One day I arrived to hear two of my co-workers talking about someone I didn’t know.  Evidently, someone had died in a car accident and they were very concerned for the family members of the deceased.  I had read the paper this morning.  I didn’t see any mention of a car accident.  The way they were talking, I thought it would be front page news.  Finally, I interrupted and asked how they knew this person.  Sheepishly, the cook admitted that they were talking about a soap opera.

That was my first experience with real emotions expended over a false reality.  While I had personally experienced it to a degree in the reading of novels or watching a television show, I don’t think I had ever gotten so caught up in it that I was still talking about it several days later, trying to come to grips with the dynamics of fictional events.

Yet there are times when the excitement we see when we are out and about reminds me of that experience.  A lot of energy and emotion can be expended over things that pale in comparison to others.  I fall so easily into the trap myself.  Sometimes I think that a little entertainment is worth the time I put into it when there are many things that matter so much more that are waiting to be done.  So let me ask you.  Which do you think is better?  

• The excitement (and exhaustion) that comes from raising a family or the excitement of watching the Duggars raise theirs? 
• The excitement of watching a cooking competition on TV or the real joy of taking a meal to an exhausted mother or shut-in?  I’m not opposed to quality entertainment.  I just don’t want to be a watcher on the stage of life when I could be an actor.  Note to self:  The next time you’re watching something on TV, make sure your hands are busy with something more permanent.
• The excitement of a shopping trip to find Christmas presents for people whose closets are already full or the excitement of sending a gift to someone who is trying to survive on $3.00 a month?  Note to self:  Find more joy in giving to the needy than in giving to those who already have.  Remember, “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.”
• The excitement of winning a war on your video game or the excitement of actually getting out there and engaging in spiritual combat against the forces of evil?  Note to self:  Make sure you are daily engaged in battle for the souls of others.  As Paul put it so well, “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” 
• The excitement of climbing a mountain with a group of friends or the excitement of personally (or corporately) reaching new spiritual heights?  Note to self:  Encourage yourself and your friends to be more concerned with spiritual discipline than with physical achievements.  As Paul wrote to Timothy, “ For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”

The list could go on, but you get the picture.

This morning I was reading in Acts where Philip had gone to teach and preach.  The end of the story reads, “And there was great joy in that city.”  Great joy.  That’s what I like to see.  So what had been going on?  The people there listened and obeyed Philip’s teaching and they saw many miracles taking place – miracles such as people being healed and set free from demons. 

In the past two years of deputation, we have had the privilege of being in churches where excitement abounds.  The excitement is not being generated by the music, social events, children's activities, or even the next thing on the calendar.  The excitement we see seems to be about the obvious work of God in their midst.  People are being saved from the clutches of their sin.  Lives are being changed.  People are telling others about the greatest thing that has ever happened to them.  They are encouraging people to come to their church because they are excited about what they see God doing in their their own lives and in the lives of their friends.  They want their friends and colleagues to experience what they have. 

I like excitement.  But more and more I want it to be the kind of excitement that causes heaven to rejoice. 

Decorating for a Missions Conference

I walked in.  The signs were everywhere. The missions committee in this church had done an excellent job of alerting the people to what was going on during missions conference. 

I expected to see the flags in the sanctuary.  That idea is fairly standard for missions conferences.  In this church, those flags hang only during missions conference, so it is an immediate visual cue that missions conference has begun.

Signs greeted you on the stairs.  It would be very hard to miss them.  I overheard people trying to pronounce the strange words of the people groups as they climbed.


This sign was everywhere.  It became very clear that the theme for this year’s missions conference was reaching the least reached. There were signs on the ceiling and high on the walls – in places that would be very hard to reach.  All over the church, the signs got people thinking about the “least reached”.



A bulletin board gave locations of various unreached or “least reached” people groups.





A poster gave detailed information and statistics on various unreached people groups in the world.

The overhead was in use to announce the various upcoming activities. This one caught my attention.  Yum!

This was a church we were just visiting, so we were not one of the invited speakers.  It was very encouraging to us to see this church doing what it could to reach the world.

Our Maine Bag

Every once in a while we are really touched by a special approach to missionary care.  This past weekend we were in our home church, West Hampden Baptist Church.  Several years ago while we were still there, they began a tradition that is still going on.  The church collected Maine-made items for a “Maine Bag”.  This bag is always presented to the missionary wife, if she is present.  So it was my privilege to receive the Maine bag at the ladies’ lunch and to bring it “home” to show Charlie.

Inside the bag were all sorts of treats.  All of the treats are made in Maine. It was obvious to me that care went into selecting the items.  We do not have a house, so it is entirely appropriate for us that most of the items in the bag are expendable.  In fact, for most missionaries on home assignment, the same holds true.  I know that each missionary’s bag will vary depending on what the church collected, but here is what ours contained.  (In the picture, I’m starting at the back and then going left to right with each “row”.)

1. An L. L. Bean tote bag was used as the container.
2. “Bob’s Sugarhouse” Maple Barbecue Seasoning.
3. Balsam Fir lotion
4. Capt’n Eli’s root beer
5. A “Maine” embroidered kitchen towel.
6. Sitting on that is a little knitted holder for a hand sanitizer.
7. Beddington Ridge Farm’s wild blueberry jam.
8. Stonewall Kitchen’s roasted garlic mustard.
9. Stonewall Kitchen’s maple pumpkin butter.
10. Down to Earth Pottery’s soap dish
11. Cape Shore’s Sea Lavender scented soap
12. Carol’s Country Crafts’ quilted coasters
13. Bluehill Spoonworks’ wooden spreader
14. Two handpainted notecards (not pictured).

What I love about this bag is that everything came from Maine.  That makes it unique and a great reminder to me of this church.  Most of the things will be used up rather quickly and we will thoroughly enjoy them..  The soap dish and the tea towel, however, will make their way into a storage box to wait until the day that we can unpack our storage locker and move into a house.  Since we do not have a house right now, the edible nature of most of these items is very appreciated.  We still need to eat, even though we don’t have a house. 

Thank you, West Hampden, for your care for us and other missionaries as well.  Thank you for loving us and caring for us.

Back in Maine!

If I were to have designed a first week back in Maine after being gone for nine months, I don’t think I could have thought of a better week.  These are some of the highlights. 


The view from our bedroom window.

An absolutely gorgeous place to stay with very gracious hosts.  Rick and Kathie Ramsdell have a beautiful home on Holmes Bay.  The location itself would have been enough to soothe and cheer my heart, but I also cannot say enough about how gracious they were.  All of the people who have hosted us over the past year have been gracious, but the Ramsdells have definitely stood out as having a God-given gift of hospitality.  We are so grateful for their generosity and genuine love for us and for the work of the ministry.




Craft time

Game time.

Vacation Bible School with the Downeast Baptist Church in Machias, Maine.  My days were spent studying, writing, walking, meditating and praying.  But every night culminated in the best part – VBS.  The children were eager to learn and were enthusiastic about the week, asking at the end of it if it could go on.  The adults fully participated by helping with games, snacks, decorations, registrations, and providing meals for us.

The beautiful bride

A wedding at West Hampden Baptist Church on Saturday.  A young woman we have known for the last twelve years was married on Saturday, and we got to be there!  Seeing so many of our friends from West Hampden made it extra special. 














On Sunday Charlie shared our ministry with the people there, and then our hosts treated us to a lobster dinner.  What says “Maine” more than a lobster dinner?  Whoopie pies?  Well, we had those too!

Eastport, ME

Yesterday we travelled to Eastport, ME. We visited Raye’s Mustard factory, a place that Charlie wanted to see since we arrived in Maine and spent a couple hours enjoying the beauty of the place.  When we returned to Machiasport, the fog had settled in again, but I still spent more than an hour walking the beach.  It was a much needed and relaxing day off for me.



God is good – all the time.  Even when I don’t feel blessed, I know He is blessing.  But it is also a blessing (though not a greater blessing) to feel so blessed, and I thank and praise Him today for these special blessings.

Off to a Great Start

The people of Downeast Baptist Church have done a great job of getting ready for Vacation Bible School.  I was “blown away” by the obvious time invested when I saw the work they had done on decoration.  Here’s a sneak peek for you!



Can you see the camel trying to get into the tent?

    

The craft room waiting for children.

        


The table will soon be laden with snacks.

A closer look inside the tent.

We are looking forward to a wonderful week as we learn about the Israelites being "Lost in the Desert."

Where Will We Live? (Tongue in cheek)

 Mile after mile.  Sign after sign.  Town after town. 

We sit side by side in the car talking while Charlie drives.  We comment to one another about houses high atop hills or those beside rivers and lakes.  We notice the prices of new houses being built.  Sometimes we laugh at those prices because they are so far above our price range.  We marvel at the palette God uses to paint His beautiful world as the sun tucks itself behind the horizon and paints the sky with pink, purple, and gold.

Every so often, we see a sign for a town that makes us smile about the possibility of living there, so I began a list so that I could share them here.

Of course, there are some town names that reflect other places in the world.  We could live in Paris, Moscow, Naples, Mexico, Lebanon, Poland, Columbia, and Norway without even leaving Maine.  That could provide interesting conversations.  Imagine this conversation.


Our previous home in Hampden, ME

"Where do you live?"

"We live in Oxford."

"Really?  I thought you lived in the U.S."

"We do.  Oxford is a small town between Norway and Poland."

"Wait a minute.  Oxford is in England.  That’s nowhere near Norway or Poland."

"Well, let’s put it this way.  Oxford is a town in Maine.  So are Norway and Poland."



Gulf Shores, AL

"Oh."

Then there are other locations where we can play with the name of the town.

If we live in Humble, TX, we will always welcome you to our humble home.  If we live in Lake, MS, we can invite you to our lake home, though there may not be a lake in sight.  If we live in Mountain Home, TX, you might be surprised that there are only rolling hills around rather than mountains.  If we invite you to our Beach house, don’t be surprised if we mean our house in Beach, TX.

If we live in Welfare, TX, does that mean we’re on welfare?



Madawaska, ME

If we have a small house in Marathon, TX, does that mean we’re in a half marathon?

If we live in Friend, NE, we don’t need a home because we can always go to our Friend’s house.

So where will we live?  Stay with us and find out.

One thing is sure.  We would rather not live in Hell, MI.  That could get really complicated.

Are We Nuts?

Seriously, have we lost our marbles?  Do we have a screw lose?  Are we one off our rockers?  I could go on with all the many idioms there are for being seriously crazy.  Take a look at what I mean.

Our home in Hampden, ME

In 2010:

• We lived in a beautiful 2400 square foot house with hardwood floors and a newly remodelled kitchen, a new roof and a new septic system.  It was nestled in the woods overlooking the water.  In the winter, we could see the Coast Guard ice breaker maneuver its way through the ice up to the Bangor harbor.  It felt like it was in the country, but it was only a mile from the grocery store and post office, and only three miles from church. 
• We received a weekly paycheck from a faithful congregation who made sure that we were well cared-for.
• Our lives intertwined with a community of people we had come to know and love.
• We had a neighbor I had come to know and love who had ties to Indonesia, my birthplace.
• We took a missions trip to the Dominican Republic.

In other words, we had it made.

In 2011,

• We were no longer homeowners.  We sold our home, put the money in the bank and moved through a series of short-term residences.
• Charlie stepped down from being the pastor of our dearly loved church.
• We began to visit many churches in Maine to explain to them our vision of going to foreign countries to be part of a teaching team in various colleges and seminaries.

Our previously "stable" life was gone.  How exciting!

Or are we nuts?  Unstable?  Looney?  Batty?  Insane?

The wedding in CT where Charlie officiated.

In 2012,

•  We have already travelled thousands of miles, visiting Connecticut, Virginia, South Carolina and Florida.
• We will be traveling at least 5500 miles in the next two months. 
• We are planning to go to Guatemala in July. 
• From where we are right now, it looks like our expenses will likely exceed our income. 
• It's a good thing we are trusting the One who owns the wealth of every nation.

Or are we nuts?  Delusional?  Bonkers?  Touched in the head?

Sometimes when I look at the facts, I just laugh.  We are crazy! 

But it's so much fun to depend on the Almighty God and to know that He is the One who will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.  Since He is the One who called us into this ministry, He will provide for us. 

Our current residence - my parents' home in Georgia.

To be honest, however, the financial needs we have are great, but they are certainly not the greatest needs we have right now.  We need God to work in people's hearts when Charlie preaches.  We need to see Him at work when we're out visiting people.  We need His grace to be evident in our lives.  We need to be faithful testimonies to His power, grace, and love.  In short, we need Him.


Are we nuts?  Psychotic?  Out to lunch?  Unhinged?

The world around us would probably say we are.  If we are, I hope we are crazy enough to believe in our awesome, wonderful God who will take our craziness and use it for His eternal glory.

Fears Over a Secret Mission

My secret mission does not include daggers, lies, and spies.  Hopefully, the dark side of secret missions will be forever lost on me.  Instead, my secret mission will bring surprise, joy, and encouragement to my sisters in Christ.

It began more than a month ago when I was talking with a deaconness from our church.  They were planning a ladies' retreat, one which I had planned myself for many years previously.  The new pastor's wife could not be there because their house had not sold.  All of a sudden, with the exhuberant joy that comes flying out of my mouth without thinking, I said, "Maybe I could come."  In that brief, exciting moment without the concerns of the husband left behind, the cost of getting there, the long hours, or adding to my sisters' busy schedules by asking them to pick me up, I almost jumped in with both feet.  I caught myself on the rim of the decision and said, "I really need to talk to Charlie before I decide, so please keep it under wraps until I've had a chance to do that."

And so the idea of a Secret Mission was born.

I talked with Charlie about it.  With the cost of gas and overnights on the way and our negative cash flow, driving up and back was out of the question.  "What about the bus?" I mused.

I checked the bus fares and schedules.  "Do-able," he said.

So I bought the 45-hour bus fare to Maine.

That night I had super-sized regrets and couldn't sleep.  What was I thinking?  Why did I not listen more closely to Charlie's concerns over finances?  Why did he not talk to me more seriously about our negative cash flow?  Where was my respect for him if I let my own excitement squash his careful reasoning?  Much of the night I poured out my concerns to the Lord and confessed my lack of love for my husband.

In the morning, I told him of my regret.  Buyer's remorse, I called it, even though it was more than that.

"Why?" he asked me gently.

"That's a lot of money with our current cash flow situation," I replied regretfully.

"I know," he said.  "But isn't it worth it to go back to our sending church and give them an update?  Isn't is worth it to go and encourage our family of supporters?"

I smiled tentatively and gave thanks to God for this husband of mine.  He knew the "empty nest syndrome" for this pastor's wife was in full swing.  He knew it would do me good to go back and see my "kids" and "grandkids".  Out of love for me, he agreed, and I am so thankful.

So here I sit - on a bus miles from home and somewhere between Georgia and Maine.  (In order to keep the secret, this will not be posted until after I get there.)

No, there are no daggers or lies, but there is the Sword of Truth:  "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." 

This time I'm going a long way to "assemble together" and "exhort" my sisters, but I'm so glad I can do it.

Madawaska and Back

We left Searsport on a cloudy morning and began the long drive up to Madawaska, ME, the northernmost point in the state.  This was the furthest north I had been in Maine, and I was surprised to pass through the Maine woods and arrive in rolling hills of farmlands, stretching as far as the eye could see. ( I tried to take a picture of that, but my camera didn't do it justice. For those of you who haven't travelled to northern Maine but have been through upstate New York or through the farmlands of Pennsylvania, it is similar.) 

Did you know that the distance from Madawaska to Kittery, the southernmost point in Maine, is about the same as the distance from Kittery to Delaware? Unlike most other New England states, Maine is large, but relatively uninhabited. Only a little more than a million people live in this state.  

Our very comfortable bed while we were there.

The view of Madawaska from our bedroom.

We had a wonderful time with the people of Madawaska Gospel Church. The family who hosted us gave us a comfortable room with such a comfortable bed that I awoke for the first time in a long time without my usual aches and pains.  The people of the church welcomed us warmly and let us feel like family.

On Monday morning before we left, our host took us to see a few sights.  This park is dedicated to the bikers who have travelled to the four corners of the USA.  While it was interesting to see where people had come from,It also had an impressive view of the St. John River Valley and the Canadian city of Edmonston.  The brick walkway listed the names and accomplishments of those who wished to be remembered here.

It's not easy to see as my camera is not great, but there was a beautiful rainbow in the fountain.

It's not every day you get to drive through the solar system.

On the way home, we passed through a replica of our solar system.  The sun is on the campus of the University of Maine at Presque Isle.  Each of the planets is in the right place from the sun on a scale of 1:93,000,000 along Route 1.  Many of them were too small to make a good picture.  We zipped by earth without noticing it and had to turn around to see it.  Saturn and Jupiter, however, could be seen from a long distance away.  Pluto, though no longer considered a planet, was on display on the wall of the Houlton Visitor's Center. 

How much I love that God gave us eyes to see His beauty. 

This coming Sunday we're speaking close to home.  We like those trips too, not because of the scenery which we have seen many times before, but because of all the wonderful people we get to meet.

Stepping Back in Time

The sun was setting, throwing a pale orange glow across the blue-gray sky as we drove into the gravel parking lot.  The sign next to the white clad board country church announced that the service began at 7:00.  We were almost a half hour early, so we pulled in next to the two parked cars and sat in the car and chatted about our day.  After about ten minutes, a pickup truck arrived, driven by a bearded man in a sport coat and tie.  I had not met him before, but Charlie recognized him immediately as the pastor of the church.

Pastor jumped out of his truck and opened my door for me, introducing himself and welcoming me to his church.  His wife came around the vehicle.  Holding out her hand, she said, “Hi, I don’t think we’ve met.” 

After introductions, we crossed the parking lot, and walked up the wooden handicap ramp to the front door.  Crossing the threshold, we entered the century-old auditorium.  Two young women were at the piano practicing a duet.  No one else had arrived yet, but soon a middle aged woman arrived with four attractive teenage girls behind her.  They chose seats in the back row of the 50-seat room.  Two of them plopped down and re-entered the world of their Christian novels while their sisters chatted.

Soon a woman, her shining gray hair streaming past her shoulders, walked in with a roll of fabric tucked under one arm.  When the singers finished practicing, they descended the platform to talk with her.  She unrolled the material.  Inside was a quilted lime green table runner with appliquéd purple butterflies.  I joined the trio to admire the piece and listened to their comments.

“I’m going to teach this young woman to quilt,” she told me, “so I’ve been bringing this table runner in to show her the various stages so she will know what it’s like.”  I smiled and added a comment about the simple beauty of the piece.

Just then a family of four arrived.  Charlie had met them, so he introduced me.  I stood beside them, admiring their baby daughter as they talked. 

“Here comes Father Abraham,” someone said laughing as a balding man with reddish hair walked in carrying a baby carrier.  Behind him, his wife and four other children followed.   “Father Abraham” put the carrier on one of the seats and turned to talk to the pastor.  I peeked into the carrier to see a little boy beginning to fuss.  His mom was engaged in conversation.  So was his dad.  They had not heard him yet.  Quickly determining that it would not scare his mother, I bent over the carrier, unsnapped the harness and lifted him to my chest.  Soon he was snuggling against me. 

The baby’s mom turned and saw me. 

“You don’t have to hold him,” she said.  “I can take him.”

“No, please don’t” I responded.  “I don’t get to hold babies often enough.”

Before long the pastor ascended the platform, and everyone took their seats – infants to elderly all in the same room doing the same thing.  We sang.  We prayed.  We sang some more.  When the singing ended, I handed my precious bundle back to his mom.  The pastor announced the young adult activity for the weekend:  chopping and stacking wood for one of the elderly men in the congregation.  We bowed our heads to pray, and the pastor dropped to one knee by a chair on the platform and prayed aloud for the needs of the people.  Then he preached a sermon on the need for repentance in the presentation of the gospel.

When the service was over, we stood around and talked.  Charlie's friend took a pistol out of its holster to show to Charlie, and then reached into his wife’s handbag and pulled out a revolver.  I looked over Charlie’s shoulder, listening to the men talk about the merits of each one.  The pastor's wife joined us. 

“Do you have a concealed carry permit?” she asked me. 

“No,” I replied, briefly explaining.

When our conversation died down, we walked out from the brightly-lit auditorium into the darkness.  Laughing voices followed us, and I turned and looked back.  For just a brief moment, I thought I would see women in Victorian dresses getting into horse-drawn carriages because for that brief hour, I had been part of a community church where people were ready to support each other and leave their worries and masks behind, just as I imagined they had done a hundred years ago.

As we drove home, I wondered if we would ever encounter another church like it – a church where there is no nursery so families worship together, teens do ministry for their fun activity of the week, a mother willingly lets a stranger hold her eight-week old baby, and people share their everyday lives in the sanctuary. 

Did anyone say, “Little House in the Big Wood?”  I think I was there.

Blessing Upon Blessing

"Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!"  Psalm 107:8
If I were to stop and give thanks to God for every one of His good gifts, I would never get anything else done.  My heart is full.  From the blessing of beautiful summer days with its profusion of green and wild flowers, offset by the blue sky with white wispy clouds floating by to the blessings of people that we have met along the way, I just keep praising the Lord for His goodness to us.

Yesterday we were in Corinth, Maine.  About twelve years ago we made our first connection with this church.  They were looking for a pastor.  We were looking for a church.  As we spent the day with God's dear people there, our hearts were united with theirs.  We thought that God was bringing our paths together.  Instead, God led us to West Hampden, and Corinth Baptist Church continued their search for God's man.  About a year later they called Kirk Mellen, and it was immediately apparent to us that Kirk and not Charlie was God's man for that job. We became friends with the Mellens and continued to enjoy good relationships with the people of Corinth.

When we walked in the door of the church, one of the men welcomed us "home".  It was good to be there again and to see the work that God is doing.  We spent the afternoon with the same couple who kept us overnight on that first trip through the snow many years ago.  Instead of revelling in their heated floor and wood stove as the snow piled up outside, we walked through the woods and enjoyed God's outdoor miracles.  (To me, it is a miracle that such beautiful green comes back every year.)  The chickens entertained us with their antics, and we enjoyed the summer afternoon reminiscing and catching up on each others' lives.

I know there will be some churches where we do not get to return again and again, but I am very much looking forward to those churches who end up supporting us so that we get to do what we did yesterday - go back and give thanks for God's grace through the years.

Beholding Beauty

The beauty that God places in front of me each day is amazing.  There are some places where I've lived where I look back on and say, “There was nothing particularly pretty about that area, but I loved living there.”  There are others where there were particular things that drew my eye and encouraged me to give thanks to God for putting me there.  That is the case with Searsport.

Taking the opportunity of a day off on Memorial Day, we walked from our trailer to downtown and down to the sea.   We found the park, the dock, and of course, the beach.  I took off my sandals and walked along the cobblestone beach, splashing in the shallow water, letting the bay's water lap at my ankles.  Dogs and people played with each other in the shallows, and shrieks of laughter filled the air.

In our current location, there is obvious beauty all around. From the flowers and the parks to the quaint seaside villages and the ocean vistas, I often find myself giving thanks to God for the natural beauty that surrounds me.  Yesterday I sat at my windows while a storm moved in and marvelled at the billowing cumulus clouds racing wispy cirrus clouds across the sky.  Big raindrops and tiny bits of hail pelted the window, and periodic lightning snaked through the dark clouds.  Not a day goes by that I don't marvel at God's natural world around us.


After the skies cleared, I wandered outside to enjoy the fresh air, the sunshine, and the flowers.  Tiny orange flowers hid beneath the towering white lilac bushes.  Butterflies and bees floated on the cool breeze and fluttered from flower to flower.  I went back into the trailer and grabbed a pair of scissors, anxious to infuse some natural perfume into the trailer.

I found myself singing.  I joined the psalmist in saying, " O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens."  How blessed I feel I am to know, worship, and love the Creator of our world.

This morning I saw three robins standing like sentries in the yard, peering over the blades of grass for a hint of movement that would become a tasty breakfast.  Earlier this week I awoke to the call of seagulls, a pleasant change from the cawing of the crows that awakened me in Hampden.  Everywhere I turn, God's beauty abounds.  And because of my forage into the yard yesterday with scissors, God's creative beauty and fragrance are inside the trailer too.