I'm a mini-farmer.

I lived some of my life on a farm.  The trees, grass, garden and fields have always felt like home to me.  My grandparents farmed.  Many of my uncles and aunts made their living on the land of Saskatchewan.  Dirt must be in my veins!

About grade five or six, I remember being assigned a project on agriculture.  In scrapbook format, my assignment involved finding and cutting out pictures of farm implements and various crops from magazines.  Somehow terms like straight-cutting versus swathing/combining have stuck in my head.  Crop rotation and summer fallow were also methods used back in the 1970's on the prairies.  Learning these things in school added to my personal knowledge gleaned from listening in on adults conversing about rainfall, fertilizer and stubble!  Farming is not just a job; it is a way of life.

Jesus used agricultural references in many of His parables and teachings.  The sower and the seed, the wheat and the tares, the sheep and wolves.  He taught on fishing, collecting taxes and lost coins, too.  Jesus knew how to bring spiritual truths into everyday life by using everyday examples to illustrate.  

Although as a grown-up I have never lived or worked on a farm, I love to grow things.  In my young wife and mother days, I tried to garden.  The soil in my garden plots was mostly clay and not very productive. We hauled in sand, added manure and peat moss. A few years we enjoyed some fresh vegetables.  The weeds and gophers enjoyed the fruits of my labours in other years!

Now lately, I seem to have developed a green thumb with flower beds and indoor plants.  It is amazing how some regular watering and occasional fertilizer treatments will aid in the growth and blooming of many annuals and perennials.  Spider plants and succulents have thrived in my home.  Surprisingly, I have successfully kept an African Violet and some coleus plants alive, as well. I have even passed on slips from these plants to family and friends!  There is a sense of pride and pleasure to plant, water and nurture life.

This morning in my quiet time with the Lord, I read Hosea 10:12 and it stirred something in me.  "Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you."

Is it the mini-farmer in me that causes this Scripture verse to resonate with my heart?  For whatever reason, I recalled the assignment from elementary school on summer fallow and wondered:  What is the significance of breaking up the fallow ground?  Letting a field lie fallow was a good thing; it gave the soil a chance to replenish nutrients and rest.  But a farmer must work up that soil and plant it or it would be useless.  There is a time to till the earth, sow the seed and grow the crops needed to supply the farmer and his family.

The prophet Hosea was speaking to his people, the Jews living in Israel.  They had experienced some seasons of wealth and prosperity, but had forsaken their worship of God, Yahweh, the Lord.  Their spiritual lives were drying up and lying fallow.  They were not bearing the fruit or crops of righteousness.  Twice, Hosea mentions that term, righteousness.  According to GotQuestions.org,     "Dictionaries define righteousness as “behavior that is morally justifiable or right.” Such behavior is characterized by accepted standards of morality, justice, virtue, or uprightness. The Bible’s standard of human righteousness is God’s own perfection in every attribute, every attitude, every behavior, and every word. Thus, God’s laws, as given in the Bible, both describe His own character and constitute the plumb line by which He measures human righteousness."

So Hosea exhorts his fellow Jews to sow, to break up the fallow ground and seek the Lord.  He seems to mix together the spiritual terms and the agricultural terms.  Sow?  Seeds of righteousness and the result would be to reap mercy.  The Israelites were not paying attention to loving God, to loving their neighbours nor to being examples in their relationship to others outside the Jewish faith. They were not living according to God's standards and His ways as taught in the Law, or the commandments of the Bible.  And just as in earthly farming, the soil of their hearts had been left fallow, not being worked or having stones and debris removed.  They had allowed sin, selfishness and spiritual laziness to keep them from growing in their relationship with the Lord their God.

Hosea promised that if they would sow righteousness and break the ground, they would be prepared to receive the blessings (rain) from the Lord Himself!  Today if you were to sit down and have coffee with a bunch of farmers, the talk would be about the weather and specifically about the moisture or lack of it.  Physically and spiritually, we need the rain.  Water is symbolic of eternal life, of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  Oh, how we need God's rain from heaven!

But God will not rain on our hearts unless we seek Him.  What does that entail?  Seeking God involves repentance, turning away from sinful thoughts, words and actions.  Seeking God means praying, asking Him for what we need.  Seeking God is saying Yes to living His way, not our own way.  In another Bible verse, the prophet Jeremiah wrote to the Israelites, " And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."  Seeking God is an "all in" kind of effort, searching for Him diligently, daily, directly.  And He promises to be found by those who sincerely pursue Him.

I am stirred to seek the Lord, to break up the hardened and rocky ground in my soul, and wait for Him to pour out the spiritual rain I so need.

What about you?

 

So, as promised, here are some photos of the finished product of my attempt at antique restoration.  What a wonderful feeling to complete a project, especially after some difficulties and obstacles!  A friend cut some mirror glass for me so now the mirror is also complete.  

The remainder of our summer has flown by...we had taken a three-month mini-sabbatical for rest before we take on a new season of ministry.  Tomorrow is our first official day back.  We have a trip planned starting this week and are looking forward to connecting with folks once again.

Highlights of the summer were: building a deck for my mom, visiting our granddaughter, taking a trip to Medora, North Dakota to an outdoor musical, lazy days at our cabin, and the grand finale - our Selke Family Labour Day Classic weekend hosted by Caylea up at Big River Bible Camp!

And just like that, the summer is over.  Kids are back to school, Bible camps are over for the year, combines are running day and night to get the harvest in.  A tinge of gold is appearing in the trees.  Autumn is approaching with its unique beauty.  God's handiwork in the seasons is one of the reasons I worship Him!

On this final day off, we enjoyed fellowship and the Word at Balgonie Baptist, went out for lunch with our friends and then slipped home to spend a quiet afternoon reading in the backyard.  Leftovers for supper and maybe a Sunday night movie and popcorn.

Tomorrow is the dawn of a new adventure!  Thank you for following our crazy lives and praying for us as we continue to serve the Lord.

I'm not a crafty person.  My experience in Home Ec. class was a disaster during the sewing portion.  I have learned to knit, crochet and embroider - Mom did try to instill some homemaking skills in me- but I've never loved doing those things.  

And don't get me started on drawing, painting and the like.  My projects are epic fails.  When I used to teach Sunday School, little kids would mistake my "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" as a mongrel dog! So if you do see me doing something in the arts and crafts department, it will be for the social time and not the actual activity.

But of late, I thought I'd try my hand at refinishing a piece of antique furniture.  Some friends of ours were getting rid of old items they found on their new acreage and we happened to be around at just that moment.  So we dragged two dressers home; they were in good shape and had all the drawers, legs and most of their hardware.  I saw potential in these pieces and asked myself: how hard can this be?

I recall my Mom refinishing an old fold-down desk that had several coats of lead-based paint on it. Mom used some kind of product/chemical to remove the layers of green, cream and blue paint and scraped and wiped until the natural wood was revealed.  After it was cleaned thoroughly, Mom applied Danish oil, which brought out the beautiful wood grain and enhanced the colour, a soft honey-gold oak, if I remember correctly.  The desk became mine; the writing surface lowered and it contained cubby-holes where my little notes and pictures and keepsakes could be hidden away from pesky eyes!  

Somehow, my childhood memory didn't account for the difficulty of removing paint, layers of historical eras of fashion and style.  I don't remember Mom being frustrated or delayed in the project.  One day the desk was painted a hospital green, the next it seemed to be a lovely antique.  Reality is that as I have applied various chemical products, scraped and used much "elbow grease" and still the paint is taking  forever to get off the old dresser. 

The antique effect that had been quite popular must have involved two or three applications of product to produce said effect.  Last fall I experimented with the various methods of removal and then let the project lie for the winter.  I finally got to it this week.  And made some reasonable progress...

The larger dresser had a mirror, with various ornate pieces on the bracket that attached the glass to the chest of drawers.  I had done most of my experimenting on the littler pieces to find which method worked best.  But after realizing how difficult and time-consuming this would be, I've decided to just tackle the smaller dresser and then finish and repair the mirror to be hung above the little dresser.  

I'm doing the project in the shade outside, out of the heat.  And hopefully before the snow flies, I can post pictures of the final results of all my work.  The wood is a light birch (as Walter can ascertain) and I think it will look rich with a coat or two of Danish Oil and some new drawer pulls.  The mirror frame is probably of a similar wood, but the glass is broken.  I will refinish the frame first and then see if it is worth replacing that mirror.  

Any advice from those of you who've done this type of thing before?  Let me know any tricks, tips and shortcuts that may be helpful for a novice like me!!!

 Cottage, cabin, summer home.

All these conjure up in my mind quaint, rustic and simple structures.  Basic shelter for sleeping or protection from inclement weather, but nothing fancy or ornate.

That's what we have as a get-away spot!

Some history: over 25 years ago, one of our dear First Nations friends offered us the use of her cabin at Sandy Beach (between Lebret and Katepwa in the Qu'Appelle Valley).  Gloria and her late husband owned this cabin and they and their family had enjoyed wonderful times there.  But all their children had moved away from the area and now Gloria wasn't using it as much.  So we got a set of keys and directions to locate the cabin and away we went!

The lot is a lovely treed space with a front and back access for parking.  Tall birch and elm trees towered over us, with overgrown and scraggly Caragana bushes lining one side of the lot. There were two wells on the property; neither one was working as no one had used or maintained them in recent years.  So we took it upon ourselves to tidy up and work on a few projects around the cabin and lot in exchange for the use of the space.

The cabin itself is a two-room 30 foot by 40 foot building.  Set up on concrete blocks, there is no basement or true foundation.  A lean-to was attached to the side with a separate entrance off the narrow deck.  It was used for a wash space and storage, or extra sleeping area.  The main room had a large picture window along one wall, couch and two chairs all circa 1950's to 1970's style.  The kitchen area had a small sink, two feet of counter space, a regular electric stove with a small fridge across from it.  A square table and four chairs sat beside the fridge, giving only two feet of walking/working space.  The corner of the cabin contained a tiny bedroom with a 3/4 mattress, small dresser and open closet with shelf and row of hangers underneath.  A sliding door separated the bedroom from the living room.  A window opened onto the lean-to from the bedroom and the kitchen, so clearly it was an after-thought!  

It was fun and cute and our kids thought it was fantastic!  They were all under 10 years old back then and their standards and expectations were pretty simple.  

The main living space was outdoors.  A picnic table, firepit area and lots of open grass for playing games and catch with a football or frisbee.  Ideal for active kids.  As we explored, we found a shed filled with rake, shovel, lawnmower, random tools and containers of nails, screws and such.  The shelves were laden with old pails and shovels for the beach and toys for outdoors.  Treasures!

And then tucked beyond the shed in the trees and bushes was a white, one-seater outhouse.  Cobwebs, odor and squeaky hinged door all made for wrinkled up noses and hesitation to use this facility.  But we cleaned it up, using disinfectant and a broom and soon it was not so bad.

After a year or so of using this cabin, Gloria offered it to us and our co-pastor's family for sale.  None of her kids wanted the property and Gloria's health was declining.  She made us a deal we couldn't refuse and so we bought it in installments along with our friends.  We made plans to open it up for the season on the May long weekend.  Our two families packed up food, tools and cleaning supplies and went to work.  Noisy fun and some progress was made as we removed plywood covers from the windows, repaired some rotting wood rails on the deck and trimmed trees and grass.  We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows, and enjoyed the fruits of our labours!  

Since then, we have spent a couple of weeks a year, or maybe the odd long weekend there with our family.  With no functioning well, we have to haul all water for drinking and cleaning.  Spit baths are all one can perform at the cabin; we used to have access to the campground coin-op showers but not these days.  So hosting our whole family now that we have spouses and a grandbaby isn't really possible.  But the memories are so special and we cherish the adventures over the years.

Hiking the trans-Canada trail, days at Katepwa Beach, fishing and boating, tours of the Motherwell Homestead, watching fireworks on July 1...great times together!

This summer, Walter and I have spent a couple stretches of time sitting around the fire, cutting grass and piling up kindling and firewood, driving our quad along the trail or up the valley on the backroads, and cooking over the open fire as often as possible.  The cabin was used for our pastors' day retreat, kids/youth campout, personal prayer retreats and family vacations.  I remember we hosted a corn roast for about 30 people one year!

With some planning, we can rig up a showerhouse and add more sleeping space with RV/camper trailers pulled onsite.  I think "Gloria's Cabin" will still have lots of use in the future!  I sure hope so.  The cabin is one of my "happy places" and God's gift to us when we need rest.

 The summer adventures continue!

Last weekend was the Findlater VW Show & Shine (in Findlater, SK).  We enjoyed our experience last July and thought we'd be repeat participants this year...until Walter went to start our red & white 1972 Super Beetle to show a friend how it worked and oil spewed forth!  That was a few weeks ago and so we had to take out the motor and find the problem before taking the Bug to a show.

On some of the hottest days of the summer, we were working on the car in the driveway.  I was assisting Walter and actually enjoyed learning about the motor and other things.  I operated the jack, handed Walter wrenches (he needed the 15 mm quite often!) and kept us hydrated in the heat!  We thought a rubber seal was the problem so after we replaced it and cleaned the oil and crud from the motor, we put it all back together and started it up.  Oil again!

So Walter ordered an oil cooler from California Imports (CIP) and a week later we were replacing that part.  Walter noticed the old one was swollen and misshapen, but had no idea how that could happen.  Once it was installed and the motor inserted once again, we started it up.  This time, fuel was dripping.  That was an easy fix - the fuel hose slipped off and Walter tightened the clamp.  Voila!  

Not trusting the Beetle to make the 45 minute drive outside Regina, we borrowed our friend's flatbed trailer.  On one of the hottest days of 2024, we pulled our little pride and joy to the show in Findlater.  As we pulled off the highway, we could see the sign pointing to the green space where others had already parked in neat rows.  Bob, the organizer, signaled to where Walter could park our car and thankfully it was in the shade.  I set up some lawn chairs and our cooler full of cold drinks.  While Walter attached the registration form to the windshield with our entry's details, I arranged some toy VW Beetles and vans on a small table.  Turns out, lots of people admired our little display, almost as much as the Super Beetle itself.

More cars, vans and dune buggies arrived along with some guests and we were busy for a while chatting with folks.  It was fun to hear other people's VW stories.  Everyone has an uncle, Grandpa or someone they know who had a VW of some description.  People were very impressed that Walter had done the rebuild himself and they loved the colour scheme of candy red and white.  I was glad I paid attention to Walter's explanations and steps of the project so I could actually engage in conversation!  When the initial rush of visitors waned, I made friends with Susan from Saskatoon, who was sitting in the shade next to us, while her husband was schmoozing.  They had a purple modified Model T on a Beetle frame on display with a for sale sign.  We chatted to pass the time between inquirers.  

Then Walter decided to sit and have a bottle of water, so I wandered around to take some pictures of the entries in the Show & Shine.  Several of the camper vans and cars were in the show last year and I said "Hi" to Georgie with her two small dogs on leashes. Her light brown 1958 Beetle with an "air conditioner" attached to her passenger door window, looked clean and shiny.  Georgie has an Australian accent and has owned a few Beetles over the years.  She was one of Bob's co-organizers of the show and I was impressed by her knowledge.

I stopped by the registration table and entered our ballots in the "Drivers' Choice" and "People's Choice" boxes.  I had a conversation with a 20-something young lady, Nicole, who was getting married the next Saturday!  Her father-in-law to be helped her rebuild a 1968 Beetle and she showed me the before pictures!  A week ago it was a rust-bucket; this day it was a beautiful blue with the chrome stripes and windows perfect.  I thought it was also running, but later found out they had also trailered it to the show. Still fun to see someone so young have an interest in VW's.  I voted for her entry!

I stuffed a few papers into the door prize box, as well, then checked out the food truck menu.  Yum!  Smoked brisket, pulled pork, smoked chicken or turkey wraps and sandwiches, dill pickle pasta salad and lots of ice cream options!  I strolled back to our car, admiring more of the cars and vans and even a bright yellow dune buggy from Coronation, AB.  The couple dressed in matching yellow t-shirts and black pants/skirt had driven out from Alberta that morning and planned to drive home after the show.  Some people love these shows and spend the whole summer traveling from one event to another.  

The food truck was calling to me, so I offered to buy our lunch.  Earlier I had talked with a dad and daughter who were seriously considering buying a Beetle.  They had continued checking out all the vehicles at the show and wandered back to ours while I was gone. When I brought back our delicious meal, Walter was exchanging information with them. Selling our first project car would be kind of sad but it could finance the next project Walter already has in pieces in the garage!  We'll see if the father/daughter follow up with the conversation.

The heat and humidity were quite oppressive and I was wilting by mid-afternoon. But soon Bob was informing everyone that we were to prepare for awards and presentations and then the big parade!  So I packed up our belongings in the car.  Everyone dismantled their umbrellas and displays and soon we were lining up to follow Bob and his light blue/white Beetle around the metropolis of Findlater.  A few engines roared to life...a few sputtered and stalled!  VW's are a humble vehicle to own and are often in need of tweaks.  But if you look up the car show on Facebook, you can see the slow but steady parade in live action!

We took our door prizes and walked over to load up our car on the trailer for the drive home.  We were hot, dry and tired but felt glad we could be part of this little group. I was happy to make a couple new friends and Walter made some connections for future projects. All in all a great day!

 

 Summer is a time for fun, outdoors, vacation, family, barbecues and travel!

Walter and I are taking the summer off for much-needed rest and rejuvenation after a season of our lives that has been very busy and intense.  We are grateful that the Lord has directed us to step back from responsibilities and leave things in His hands.  

Rest is not an easy space to be in.  Although we all complain about how busy we are, how we wish for time off to do whatever we want, sometimes the removal of tasks and structure can be strange and scary!  What DO I do with free time?  What do I really want to pursue now that I have the chance?

So far, Walter and I have been working on a deck project for my Mom who lives in small-town Saskatchewan.  She had a "postage stamp" front step on the north side of her mobile home and wanted to make more outdoor living space.  Finding no one available to build her dream deck, she ordered the materials anyways and hoped to find someone with the skills and time to build it.  With our summer break beginning in June, my husband offered our team effort for Mom's project.  

Walter and Mom discussed the design and with a few tweaks, we began.  Preparing the ground, laying out landscaping cloth, setting the concrete supports in place were the first steps.  Next, measuring and cutting, setting the 4 by 4's in the supports and attaching the pressure treated 2 by 6's soon gave the deck a form and structure.  It was amazing how quickly things took shape.  Neighbours began noticing the project and it seemed more vehicles were driving down Mom's street!

For a couple days each week in June, we tackled each phase of the construction.  Mom or myself would prepare meals and keep the water supply flowing.  I was Walter's right-hand "girl" for most of the project.  A cousin of mine came along after his seeding was finished and lent a hand.  With Ron's experience and physical strength, the deck progressed much faster. And his wife, Wendy, supplied fresh rhubarb muffins for coffee breaks!

A few changes to improve the design and practicality meant extra supplies were needed.  Thankfully the local Co-op and other hardware and building supply stores have been great.  I know that Walter has enjoyed the challenge of a new construction project and I've enjoyed being outdoors.  Mom is thrilled with seeing her vision come to life and has already purchased new deck furniture and has plants and flowers to arrange.

Have their been obstacles and setbacks?  Yup!  Rain, sore muscles, less than perfect wood, tools and human error.  But to be part of building something from random pieces of wood and screws and metal poles is very satisfying.  In a week or two,  we should be completely finished the deck with railing, two sets of stairs and a windbreak/curtain to block the prevailing winds.  

Here's a picture or two to show the progress...

 

 Sunday morning dawned calm and beautiful.  The smell of fresh coffee greeted us as we entered the cathedral-ceiling, olive green dining hall.  Breakfast foods were set up for self-serve and we helped ourselves to bagels, cereal, fruit and yoghurt.  A few early-risers were already eating and a few stragglers wandered in at the last minute.  That pattern didn't change for the next three weeks of training - the morning people and night hawks were definitely identified!

We all gathered in the chapel below the dining room - the Pine Ridge Bible Camp staff joined our candidates and leaders for a time of worship and a special preacher, Walter!  Corrie and I led some worship music from songbooks she had made.  Gazing out the windows facing the lake made for an inspiring view.  It wasn't difficult to praise the God who created such beauty.  Walter preached his heart out from John 6, the "Feeding of the Five Thousand."  How was the Lord going to provide for us in the next weeks?  If He could feed a huge crowd of people on the hillside of Israel, He could meet our needs as missionaries preparing to serve in His harvest field.

The afternoon was lovely for walks and napping.  But at 4 pm, we all gathered again for an orientation and introduction time.  A few participants were still missing but we played our icebreaker game - everyone mingling and asking questions to get to know each other.  A quick run-through of the schedule and basics about the camp property and facilities and then we met again upstairs for more delicious food.

That night, with the ice beginning to deteriorate and water appearing along the shore, a couple of interns and young staff did a polar swim!  We "mature" folk watched and shook our heads in amazement!  Even though it was late April, the sun set around 8:30 pm and twilight lingered until past 10.  The north is a world all its own!

Walter and I slept fitfully as our minds whirled with thoughts of the next day's events.  We woke before our alarm at 7 am and got ready for Monday, Day 1.  As everyone found seats around the u-shaped tables, Corrie and I led in an opening song.  Each morning we would have a song and then dismiss the children with the childcare workers.  They shyly followed the workers outside and met in the room provided for their activities.  Janelle had craft supplies, games and fun planned for the next few weeks.  

On this first day, Walter shared his testimony.  Each one of us would take a turn telling our story of growing up and coming to faith in Christ.  It's a tremendous way of getting to know each other and practice public speaking in a safe and non-threatening environment.  Following testimony time, class would begin.

Walter taught the first session on NCEM History and Thought.  He gave a brief history on the beginning of the mission back in 1946.  The founders, Stan & Evelyn Collie, Art & Martha Tarry, and early missionaries like Cliff & Ingeborg McComb were brave and faithful followers of Jesus.  They obeyed a crazy call to go north and leave their livelihoods to share the Gospel among First Nations people of Canada.  The impact of hearing how God moved in hearts 75+ years ago brought a fresh calling to all of us!  The needs of people and the lack of Bible-believing churches in Canada's north is still as urgent as ever.

After lunch, I was up!  With notes in hand, I jotted a few points on a whiteboard and then perched on a stool as the participants sat down for the afternoon session.  I opened with the analogy of a football team and the importance of all the players, coaches and staff.  But my focus was not on the people on the field but those in the stands!  I was teaching the new missionary recruits how to invite our "fans" or supporters to join the team.  We brainstormed on how to write interesting and catchy newsletters and the importance of writing "thank you" cards.  We discussed other ways of communicating to those who pray for us and give financially.  

Then Walter challenged the class on preparing a 1-2 minute "elevator pitch" and demonstrating a sample.  Amidst a few groans and some questions about how and when, the class was dismissed for the day.

We all survived Day 1 and everyone was in bed early that night!