I think God gave me a marvelous idea, or rather, He reminded me about Kelly's marvelous idea from years ago. I mean, I was thinking about our farmhouse (what else?) and wanting to, somehow, make it a get-away retreat for burned-out Christians. You know, for those who are preached at every Sunday and told that unless they strain and work themselves into early graves while telling the whole wide world about Jesus, they are big, fat spiritual losers and gigantic disappointments to God.

(You think I'm exaggerating about such sermons?)

It's for those dear, misguided souls, especially, that I'd love to provide a serene, tranquil experience upon green farm-like acres, gifting them some hours out there to sit beside Jesus and discover how and who He really is... the passionate lover of their souls.

Already I can picture a chair placed here, there, far out in our green fields, providing places of rest and renewal. Places within circles of flowers and silence... places where people can just be. Be content. Be at peace. Be with Him.

And it was that mind picture which reminded me of Kelly's original post from long ago--here. When I first read it, I came away changed... and I am thinking perhaps you will, too.

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My all-time favorite 'Kelly post'? You'll find it here.

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... He leadeth me beside the still waters... He restoreth my soul... from Psalm 23.

I guess Tom and I had such a marvelous time on his birthday a week ago that we nearly repeated the whole day yesterday. Yard sales, estate sales, eating out for lunch and seeing an old-fashioned-like movie (Leatherheads) at the old-fashioned theater. (Great movie except for the occasional naughty word. Very reminiscent of Cary Grant-style romantic comedies with a bit of Disney sports movie thrown in.)

But my favorite part of our day? That was the part where I raced through a rainy parking lot into the huge supermarket to search for Mary Jane. Her long (long!) awaited magazine, that is, the one which I called Barnes and Noble about last week and was told they didn't have it. Well, you can imagine my audible gasp (probably scared the lady standing next to me) when I spied Mary Jane there on the shelf! Hooray! A new issue of Mary Jane always makes for a memorable holiday-esque event around my house.

And this latest issue is amazing. Perhaps the best issue ever(!), it has tons of personal stories by other kindred spirit farmgirls and amazing photos, also. And now since Mary Jane has handed over the publishing of her magazine to someone else, issues will come out way more regularly than one every year or so. (Just picture me happy dancing my way out to the car yesterday then, once inside, yahooing to Tom. Truly a day to celebrate.)

The only problem? I can just read a few pages at a time before I become even more feverish and bonkers to begin my new life out at our own tiny farm. Will this month never end?

And yet (I forgot to tell you) I have seedlings begun in little yogurt containers all across my kitchen windowsill and inside my small greenhouse on our counter. I'm babying those plants--keeping a lamp beside them and carrying the ones from the windowsill to the greenhouse so they can warm up in the mornings. And loving watching all those seeds growing... and dreaming of the day I will plant them in my new huge garden.

Anyway, if you are at all a farmgirl or farmguy at heart... if you'd like to discover others who actually understand your farmlife yearnings... you will love, treasure and devour the new issue of Mary Jane's Farm Magazine. I promise.

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Favorite Mary Jane links:

Here.

Here.

And Here. Lots of incredible essays under 'past listings.'

When Tom and I move out to our little farm we will meet new people. Down-home country folks, I hope, old-fashioned souls like the ones I described here.

The waiting gets harder every day.

But there is someone else I hope to meet out in that tiny country town. She's a woman who's day-dreamed about living on a farm since she was 14 years old. She's taken myriad countryside drives all the while trying not to covet every farmhouse set back from the road, and instead, rolled down her window in hope of tasting what a country morning must smell and feel like to those blessed country dwellers. 

She's made-up stories about how hideously happy farm folk must be to live on open acres, all the while putting her own dreams shyly on hold because, well, you can't really have what you desire in this life--can you?

And now for certain I will actually meet that woman. When she comes bounding out of her car in the driveway in front of her barn I will rejoice with her that finally--all these 35 years later--the dreams of her countryside drives all came true and she'll live a whole new way only 20 minutes away from her old life. But everything will have changed.

She'll have room to create, grow and run around. There will be no end of work to do--and she will love it all. The art and beauty of it in a place where even mucking out a stall feels like freedom. The creating of a whole new world at the half-century point of her years upon Earth just when she'd imagined her days would continue their mediocrity and slow pace.

She's delighted by the surprise of it all, amazed by the Giver of it and His compassion for her. And that at age 49, one can start over, live better, fuller, and fulfill the dusty dreams long ago placed resignedly upon shelves.

Yes, that woman is the one I am most anticipating meeting out there in my driveway, out in the countryside where--instead of driving away--I'll be staying, calling it Home, and calling it Good.



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