Bittersweet Farm

Bittersweet Farm

Nodding Goldenrod and Autumn Worries

Filed Under: Bittersweet Farm

It’s a nice fall Saturday on Bittersweet Farm. It’s been very warm and sunny, but last night a cold front came through–literally blew in. Temps dropped into the 40’s overnight. First frost isn’t due until early October, but that is only a few weeks away.

I rose early to pray with the Bethel elders as I do every Saturday. Lois and I did a couple little projects together. She made granola. The house smelled like almonds, sunflower seeds and cinnamon. I did a few small chores to help Lois and Hope and some light car maintenance. College football murmurs in the background–never far from mind on day light this.

I puttered around the carriage house a bit. Now I’m in my “reading chair” and Haz is currently curled up on the footstool. Hope is making diner. Later I will go over my message for tomorrow again.

Goldenrod nods in the sunny breeze and leaves are turning. The woods are blushing with color. First the yellows–Elm and Locust in September. The Maples will flame orange and red in October, then the Oaks will linger brown and rust into November.

There are about 30 mature Walnut trees on Bittersweet Farm. Every few minutes a walnut will fall from high in the trees and “thump” in the yard. People are busy taking care of business before the cold weather comes. Every night six or eight deer bed down in our back acre. Their coats are darkening for winter. I wonder how aware they are of the mayhem about to explode around them in November.

Among the good things about living in a state like Michigan are the mellow month of September, the crisp, colorful beauty of October, and the grey and brown month of November ending in a weekend of thanksgiving. They are a three month reminder to take care of business and keep your affairs in order at all times. This is good for your soul.

My thoughts and worries turn into prayers when I lie in bed on a cool autumn night beside my wife of almost 40 years, under and extra blanket, wondering when I should cave in and let the furnace warm the old house. That’s the way it should be.

Ken Pierpont
Bittersweet Farm
Summit Township, Michigan
September 22, 2018

Lord, Pass Me Not (Sermon) Video

Filed Under: Current Thoughts

Series: The Unseen World; Angels, Demons, God, and You
Message: Lord, Pass Me Not
Bethel Church–Jackson, Michigan
September 16, 2018 AM
Pastor Ken Pieppont

Rest A While-It’s a Command of Jesus

Filed Under: Current Thoughts

“Find me a place on the earth where a weary man can rest and listen for your voice in the turning seasons.” -Fernando Ortega (A Place on the Earth)

Well, summer is all but over. Its the time of the turning of the seasons. The kids have returned to school. Now we can begin to recover from all the exhausting effort we put into taking it easy this summer.

In June, July and August most Michiganders go north. I have in my mind a picture of a big SUV pulling a trailer laden with toys and bikes and kayaks headed north to find a quiet place by the lake for a few days of rest. It must be a lot of work to pull all that off I think. In September we come back home and settle in, check the anti-freeze, storm windows, and the snow-blower.

It’s September in Michigan and hard to imagine a better time of the year to sit on the steps in the quiet morning or stroll in the waning evening, quiet before God. Saints and poets know there is something unusually stimulating about solitude and silence.

Jesus was often busy and surrounded with clamoring need, sickness and shame, brokenness and blindness, suffering and poverty, oppression and death. He often rose early and worked late preaching and healing and forgiving sinners and resisting religious perversion and casting out demons, but He also retreated to the wild and spent time with His Father in unhurried prayer. He taught his followers to do the same. He still does.

Mark wrote: The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. (Mark 6:30-32)?

Jesus who retreated to the wild and taught his disciples to do the same, He is my King, He is my Lord, and He is my role-model. I want to work hard, go about doing good, and rest well, like he did. I want time in the wild, hearing from God and breathing out praise, thanksgiving, confession, and sharing the desires of my heart with Him. To do that I’m going to take advantage of some time on the front steps watching the leaves blow down or the storm roll in.

I will not be distracted by reading, writing, projects, deadlines, or goals. I will not give in to the temptation to worry or fill my life with frenetic activity. I will be quiet. Walking, driving the countryside with the windows down in the evening, listening with heart and ears.

I commend this Christ-like behavior to you. It’s life-giving.

Jesus said; “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-29

Ken Pierpont
Bethel Church
September 2018

Lord, Pass Me Not (Sermon) Video

Filed Under: Current Thoughts

Series: The Unseen World; Angels, Demons, God, and You
Message: Lord, Pass Me Not
Bethel Church–Jackson, Michigan
September 16, 2018 AM
Pastor Ken Pieppont

Follow Ken Here