Work Day at Leahaven (Thursday, Mar. 10)

We'd had several groups of people use the guest house at Leahaven without making a trip down there ourselves.  On the 11th, we were expecting a pastor's family in need of a retreat, and we wanted to make sure the house was clean and welcoming.  The yard was so soggy that the only thing Herb could do was pick up all the branches that came down in the high winds.

Meanwhile, I headed inside to clean.  A good thing!  The mice seemed to think Leahaven is a refuge for rodents!  I sent Herb out for some poison while I got busy cleaning.  When I finished, it was time to hang some artwork that had been in our old house.  Since we sold the house, the artwork was freed up from its job "staging" the house.  We both though these prints that Kara gave Herb for his classroom at CCS would be perfect.  The one on the left is a gently-colored Nativity; the one on the right, a stark Crucifixion showing Jesus' scourged back.  I think that too often we Protestants avoid any artwork that represents Jesus, and at the same time we miss poignant reminders of important theological truths.  Jesus was born for us; Jesus died for us.  Let us never forget!

It was too soggy to drive out to the lake, but we walked out to the pond and back to the house, catching this glimpse of daffodils along the way.  The nice thing about Sand Mountain is that its spring is about 2 weeks behind ours, so while our daffodils at home were turning brown, these were in full bloom.

There's always a reminder of the beauty of God's creation at Leahaven.  His mercies are new every day; great is His faithfulness!