The moment you arrive, you relax;
you’re never sorry you knocked. – Psalm 9:9b
This morning, I woke as the promise of sun had begun to light up the farm. Across the hill, the moon still shone bright over the snow that promises to melt today (finally.) I stood on the front porch, took a deep breath, and found my nostrils did not freeze. A good morning indeed.
Near the black walnut stump in the front yard, I have spotted the verdant tips of daffodils, the first of many floral gifts our predecessors have left us. Iris are emerging, too, and yesterday evening, I saw the feathery fingers of witch hazel reaching for light.
The farm is welcoming us out of the darkness.
***
When I wrote God’s Whisper Manifesto, one of the things I was most adamant about was that this farm be a place where ALL people were welcome, could take rest, and find sanctuary. As I’ve thought and prayed through our dreams for this place, I come back again and again to that idea, and this morning, as I read in Psalms, I felt affirmed that perhaps, in some small way, we can give people a glimpse of this God who welcomes everyone:
- whether we believe in God or not,
- whether we are cisgender or trans,
- whether you identify as black, white, Asian, American Indian, or take on none of those constructions,
- whether we are gay or straight or bi or none of those categories,
- whether your body functions fully or has some limitations,
- whether your healthy or less than so in body or mind,
- whether you or 5 or 50 or 105,
- whether you are divorced, single, married, widowed, or partnered,
- whether you are Korean, Russian, Ghanaian, Australian, Brazilian, Canadian, or from any other nation,
- whether we are liberal or conservation,
- whether we are Evangelical, Muslim,Emerging, Buddhist, Mainline, Hindu, Catholic, Jewish, Anabaptist, or just in love with this beautiful world of ours,
- whether we are male or female or reject those categories altogether,
- whether we appreciate the genius of U2 or not (although I will admit, this topic will warrant conversation.),
- whether you like NASCAR or not,
- whether you eat meat or abstain,
- whether you abhor GMO or think the hullaballoo nonsense.
Often, we say that we welcome everyone – in our homes, in our churches, in our schools – but then our actions belie our intentions, and we end up using that welcome as a way to change the people who knock. When I knock on a door, I just want to be taken in, wrapped in a blanket, and set with a hot mug of tea by the fire. I want to lean back in my chair, share a salad fresh from the garden, and know I will be heard for how I see and live in the world, not through the lens of how someone wishes (and prays) I would be.
I never want to be sorry I knocked.
So here, at God’s Whisper Farm, we will strive to be sure that no one ever regrets the moment they rapped on our door. We invite you in, settle you with some sweet tea (I’ll make unsweet if you prefer), and listen to what you want to tell us about yourself, and we will respect what you wish to keep close to your ribs.
All are welcome here. All.
***
When those daffodils pop up in a couple of weeks, when the forsythia glows her bright gold and the quince busts out with his pink, tender petals, we all receive the gifts of their nature, no matter who we are. And when you come here, we will count it as gift that you chose to share yourself – as you truly are – with us. Every single time.
Please come, be welcome, in every way.
We have lots of events coming up here at God’s Whisper in the coming months – knitting workshops, literary readings, writing retreats – and we hope you’ll come for any and all that you’d like. You can get more information about our events here – http://andilit.com/events-down-on-the-farm/