Rearview Mirror

As I pull out on to the drive, I glance back in my rearview mirror to see the faces.
The faces of those that have come with me to Nazareth Farm.
I look and I can see God in their faces. The faces have a sense of joy in their eyes but yet they also have a sadness and concern.
The joy is from the experience that we have all partaken in and the enjoyment of each others companionship.
The sadness is the realization that we are leaving this wonderful place that has changed our lives.
The concern is for the fear of where do we go from here. How do we continue this experience and take it to our life going forward.

And then I look once more in the rearview mirror and I see my own face.
I see a mark left on my cheek and it reminds me.
It reminds me of what the farm has taught me.
It reminds me of what the people here have meant to me.
I see the mark and I know that I must put my trust in God.
I must continue to give of myself and share my prayers with others.

Now I am home and the mark on my cheek as long since disappeared.
But I realize the mark was not only on my cheek but in my heart as well.
Just as we received the mark on Ash Wednesday to remind us from where we came.
We receive our mark to remind us where we must go.

Look into your rearview mirror, what do you see? Do you see the mark?

Bill Walters
Chaperone (July 10-16)

Wouldn't it be nice? by Brandon Herzog

Wouldn't it be nice if we were together
at the Nazaerth Farm
And wouldn't it be nice to live together
In the kind of world where we belong

You know its gonna make it that much better
When we can say goodnight and stay together

Wouldn't it be nice if we could wake up
In the morning when the day is new
And after having spent the day together
Hold each other close the whole night through

Happy times together we've spent
I wish that every moment was never-ending
Wouldn't it be nice

Maybe if we think and wish and hope and pray it might come true
Then there wouldn't be a single thing we couldn't do
We could be a family
And then we'd be happy

Wouldn't it be nice

You know it seems the more we talk about it
It only makes it worse to live without it
But lets talk about it
Wouldn't it be nice

Dear Naz Farm,

I want to thank the staff members for all the lives they have touched. You are all truly role models and every one of you holds a special place in my heart. Before I came to Nazareth Farm I had a lot of turmoil going on in my life. When I first arrived to the Farm I did not think it would be possible to grow so much spirituality in one week. I have never felt so in touch with my spirituality and with God. During the drive home I kept thinking about what I really want to do to help change the world (this had been a constant battle for me). I often find myself overwhelmed by all the possibilities and things I could do, and I find myself wondering how can I make a difference when I am only one person? Then I started thinking more about what I learned on the Farm, and I thought of Fair Trade. I couldn’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner. Finally I have my answer I will buy/advocate for Fair Trade. I started to explain Fair Trade to my boyfriend’s father, and to my surprise I learned that they have family in Canada who are farmers. His father was very excited to learn about Fair Trade and now also plans on buying from them. Through God, the University of Detroit Mercy has led me to Naz Farm which opened my eyes to Fair Trade. When I got home from the farm I had a sudden burst of energy and I began to sing and dance. All the turmoil that was in my life had faded. I am happier then I have been in months. I hope to return to Naz farm and to bring my friends and family with me so they too can experience miracles.

God bless you Naz Farm.

Crissy Bieling
UDM March 6-12

Jim's Nazareth Farm Poem

They greet you with a hug
And show you a lot of love
They say, "Welcome Home.
You are not alone."

I didn't know what to expect
But this place it has had an effect
It gave me a glimpse of grace
And it helped me find my place.

Because of the work and chores
There are lots of snores
But as the week carries on
The moments are not completely gone
The memories will truly live on.

The friendships made are great
The staff are truly first rate
As well as the wonderful food on your plate
West Virginia is a mountainous state.

Throughout the week
You begin to find God in all you seek
Whether it be on the job
Or hanging out by the creek.

There is daily prayer
And an opportunity to share
You'll begin to see
Here is where you're meant to be.

The trip progresses on
Dark turns to dawn
Every morning begins with a loud song
You know the days can't go wrong.

I know this poem is rather drawn out
But I know that I had to say
That everyone here today
Has impacted me in some way.

Although we are going to part ways
Let's remember those awesome March days
That we walked together in stride
With God as our guide.

They said, "Welcome home.
You're not alone."
I can't believe all the love they've shown
And how much each of us has grown.

Holiday Season Already!

I know that Halloween was only a few days ago and we still have three weeks till Thanksgiving, but here at the farm we are already gearing up for Christmas. Last year around this same time I wrote a blog about St. Nicholas. This year, while reflecting on the characters of the Christmas season, I thought I would tap into my Scandinavian roots. In Swedish folklore there is a creature called the tomte (in Norway and Denmark they call him nisse). A tomte is a very small gnome like creature that lives under the floor boards of farmer’s homes. It ranges in size from a few inches to half the height of a full grown man. He generally has a beard and wears the clothing of a typical farmer. However, some tales describe him as a shape shifter and in modern Denmark he is depicted as having a red cap and looking almost like a little Santa gnome.
The tomte was a great help on the farm. He had incredible strength and would often do work in secret to help benefit the farmer and his family. However, the tomte was often very irritable and easily offended. Santa Claus may have his naughty list and piles of coal give out to misbehaving children, but the stakes were a bit higher with the tomte. If he heard you cussing, being rude, or urinating in the barn he may have punched you in the face or even go as far has killing your livestock. Also, if you ever spilled something it was customary to warn the tomte dwelling beneath the floor boards. Over time the tomte evolved to replace the traditional Yule Goat as the bearer of Christmas presents. The more commercialized he gets the more he looks like Santa, but he still has his own unique place in Scandinavian history.
Here at the farm, to the best of my knowledge, we don’t have any tomtes. Although a few months ago we did find a gang of puppies underneath the floor boards on the staff house front porch! No, we have our own Christmas traditions here at the farm and my favorite is our annual Christmas party. Each December we take a break from home repair and focus on sharing the joy of the holiday season with our Doddridge county community. We visit all of the families that we have worked with over the course of the year and bring them gifts and cookies. Also, we send a thank you cookie package to all the wonderful businesses the work with us. It all culminates with a big party for the children of the area. We have music, games, face painting, crafts, and Santa has a toy and at least one book for every child.
The only way that we can do this is through the help and generosity of others (or until we get a tomte). For those of you who came here this year, maybe you want to sponsor a family that you worked with. Here are some things to think about. Maybe your family wants to sponsor a family. Maybe your church or youth group wants to sponsor a family. Maybe you want to pool some money with your work crew. If you do decide to sponsor someone you could set aside time to pray for them throughout the holiday season. If you haven’t been to the farm in a while and don’t remember anyone on this list feel free to pick at random, or you could donate to the general Christmas fund. Anything that you all are able to do is appreciated. If you do wish to sponsor a family let us know before Thanksgiving so we can plan accordingly. Thanks a million and Merry Christmas.

Staff Reflection: Gatorade? H20!!!!!!!!!!

Water is everywhere: in rivers, lakes, ponds, creeks and oceans; in rain, snow and fog; in the very air we breathe, the food we eat; in our bodies and in every living thing. Water is essential to life, and we hardly realize it. From a chemistry standpoint, water is as simple as it gets: as this post's title outlines, water is an oxygen atom with two hydrogen atoms attached on either side. It is beautifully simple, yet essential to all we hold dear.

Let's look at this staff member's daily use of water. Going to the bathroom. Drinking. Brushing teeth. Cooking. Eating. Face and hand washing. All simple acts of water usage. Others shower more, play among water, and partake in other activities that require water. Yet how often do we recognize this simple gift? When do we appreciate the full effect water has on our lives?

I was in the garden the other day and was picking vines off the metal fence that surrounds it. Some were green and tightly wound around the metal links, while others were dead and shriveled, easily picked off with a slight brush. The former were alive and the latter dead, but a defining characteristic differentiating the two was the presence or absence of water. Same thing goes with chopping wood: wet or recently cut wood won't split as well as dried wood, because the wetness allows the wood to hold onto the strength and resilience that it had before it was cut off from life. It is in these small instances that God shows me what water can do. He allows me a vehicle for considering what my life would be with significantly less water, or unclean water. I think of those who live in places around the world, and even in our own country, who go without what we take for granted. Water is an interesting way that God can call us to live in solidarity with our less fortunate brothers and sisters. I see God in its simple beauty, in the life it literally pours out in us, and the joy it can bring - did I mention I'm a surfer?

Staff Reflection: "We are Pilgrims on a Journey"

Last weekend, the word "pilgrim" was brought to the forefront of my mind in a few ways. First, I saw an individual walking along the highway on my commute home. He was hitchhiking to get where he was going, an out-dated practice typically viewed as unsafe and foolish. But I know personally two people who hitchhiked around the country only a couple of years ago and did so independently and without any great issue. To me such an endeavor seems an exciting journey, one filled with unknown adventures and sights. Perhaps a frightening and daunting idea, hitchhiking must offer some freedom, simplicity, and the opportunity to witness America or wherever at the grassroots level. When I think of a pilgrim, I visualize someone on a journey seeking intangible enlightenment from either the destination or the journey itself. Many times it is a spiritual endeavor, but others may embark on a pilgrimage to get away from life or to experience something new and exciting. I like to believe that all pilgrims are seeking and finding something beyond themselves, what I like to call God. Hitchhiking sounds like an appropriate means for such an endeavor.

I mentioned that pilgrims often embark on their journeys to get away from an old life. The word "pilgrim" was also brought up in my mind the next day when I watched an old film, "Jeremiah Johnson." It's about a Spanish-American war veteran who decides after his stint in the war that he wants to become a mountain man. I can relate to him in that I came from a very different place to live among mountains, although we have very different lifestyles both before and after our relocation. He met a man in the mountains of Colorado who took him under his wing and taught him ways to survive in the wilderness. His mentor called him "pilgrim," for that was what he was.

These two instances brought up ideas about the modern meaning of the word "pilgrim." Is it the hitchhiker on the road? Is it the ambitious traveler whose heart lies somewhere beyond his or her known constraints? Or are all who seek some enlightenment, spiritual or otherwise, and want to grow, learn and experience life more fully the "pilgrims" of today? I learned from the great novelist Stephen King that we are made of our experiences and journeys and it is those things, the events that happen to us, the people we meet, and the things we see along the way, that are more important than the final destination. I think the pilgrim knows this, or at least will learn it as he or she travels onward. My own personal journey is one through life that lies along the path that God has laid before me. I strive to search for that path and to know it, and I pray that I have the courage to live it.