“The next morning we were woken by the signal of a trumpet. The crew weighed anchor, and the boat left harbour at 8:00 am. Shirt-sleeved, I rushed to the forecastle to say my last Good Bye to my dear German fatherland and to the people standing at the pier. After a couple of hours we were …”

The Fatherland.

To my grandfather, Viktor Herrmann (he’s in the life preserver), the Fatherland refers to his place of birth. He left his Fatherland in hopes of finding a new life in America. This new land promised freedom, hope, and happiness. After my grandfather settled in America, he sent back to the Fatherland for my grandmother, Hilda Knoll. She too left Germany and made the trip across the ocean to start a new life.

I often heard my grandparents use the term Fatherland to describe their homeland. From time to time my grandfather would start a sentence with the phrase back in the Fatherland. My grandmother told me about how her brother Otto walked home from the Great War back in the Fatherland. In the Fatherland, girls went to knitting school on Saturdays and learned to bake bread from scratch.

The book of Hebrews also speaks of a Fatherland. 

A land of freedom. A land of hope. The Father’s Land.  The journey to the Father’s Land is a walk of faith that requires courage and strength. As wanderers as pilgrims, we count the cost of leaving the familiar and friendly to go where our Father leads. In our Father’s Land we find challenge, joy, enemies,  purpose, pain, love, loss, and blessing. But the best thing about the Father’s Land is the presence of our Father.

13 … they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. Hebrews 11:13-16

And one day, like my grandfather, we will be woken by the signal of a trumpet, and we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 1 Thessalonians 4:17

Forever with Him, in the Father’s Land.

By Mary Kane.

all rights reserved. copyright 2019

Are you ready to simply study God’s Word?

Happy New Year and welcome to Luke 2, Sessions 1-6 of Simply Study! We pray you will be blessed by the time you simply study God’s Word. During this busy last week of Christmas Break take a little time to finish your study of the Christmas story. In Chapter 2 of Luke, we meet two often forgotten members of the Christmas story, Anna and Simeon. Like Anna and Simeon, I want to leave a legacy of a life well lived, looking for Jesus!

Simply Study daily Bible study contains the following simple pieces:

• Simply read Repeated readings will help you meditate on truths of God’s word.
• Simply mark Let loose your creative side as you simply mark the daily scripture reading passage.
• Simply answer Look back in the scripture to answer questions about the text.
• Simply reflect Consider what God is speaking to your heart and record your thoughts.
• Simply act Become a doer of the word as you decide how to apply what you have learned.

Note: This Simply Study Bible study will only cover the Christmas chapters of the book of Luke, not the whole book.

Simply Study, Luke Chapter 2, Sessions 1-6

Simply Study Luke Chapter 1, Sessions 1-5

by

Merry Christmas!

All rights reserved. Copyright 2019

Are you ready to simply study God’s Word?

Merry Christmas and welcome to Luke 1, Sessions 1-5 of Simply Study! We pray you will be blessed by the time you simply study God’s Word. During this busy last week before Christmas God asks us magnify and rejoice in Him as we wait for His deliverance. This updated link contains the rest of the Bible study sessions for week 1, plus sessions one and two.

Simply Study daily Bible study contains the following simple pieces:

• Simply read Repeated readings will help you meditate on truths of God’s word.
• Simply mark Let loose your creative side as you simply mark the daily scripture reading passage.
• Simply answer Look back in the scripture to answer questions about the text.
• Simply reflect Consider what God is speaking to your heart and record your thoughts.
• Simply act Become a doer of the word as you decide how to apply what you have learned.

Note: This Simply Study Bible study will only cover the Christmas chapters of the book of Luke, not the whole book.

Simply Study Week 1, Sessions 1-5

by

Merry Christmas!

All rights reserved. Copyright 2018

Are you ready to simply study God’s Word?

Merry Christmas and welcome to Luke, Session 1 of Simply Study! We pray you will be blessed by the time you simply study God’s Word. During this busy last week before Christmas God asks us to trust Him with the impossible. Impossible relationships, impossible challenges, impossible obstacles. All things are possible with God.

Simply Study daily Bible study contains the following simple pieces:

• Simply read Repeated readings will help you meditate on truths of God’s word.
• Simply mark Let loose your creative side as you simply mark the daily scripture reading passage.
• Simply answer Look back in the scripture to answer questions about the text.
• Simply reflect Consider what God is speaking to your heart and record your thoughts.
• Simply act Become a doer of the word as you decide how to apply what you have learned.

Note: This Simply Study Bible study will only cover the Christmas chapters of the book of Luke, not the whole book.

Please click on the following link to start your fist day of the Christmas study of  the book of Luke.

Check back tomorrow morning for the next session!

Simply Study, Luke Session 1 

Merry Christmas!

All rights reserved. Copyright 2018

The older I get, the more I appreciate the simple things in life.

Celebrating Christmas often puts us into a frenzy as we try to create the perfect holiday for ourselves, our family, and friends. In this post, I’ve curated some natural holiday ideas that I love because of their focus on nature and simplicity and/or the true meaning of Christmas. Try one or try them all, but I pray that you will have the time to experience the love and blessings of God this Christmas season.

A Natural Christmas

1. 5 Ways to Make Your  Home Smell Good for the Holidays. This amazing post from the Herbal Academy is full of wonderful ideas. Many of them would make a fun activity to do with children. I can’t wait to try #5, the Holiday Spice Potpourri. The spices in this blend are some of my favorites, and besides that, it’s a visual treat for the eyes too.
2. Old-Fashioned Popcorn Balls from Mother Earth Living. Remember the popcorn balls we used to make and eat as children? Here’s a recipe to enjoy. Even though they purposed this for Halloween, I always associate popcorn balls as a special treat of Christmas.
3. 55 Last Minute Herbal DIY Gifts.This post by Joybilee Farm has an incredible assortment of herbal gift ideas that you can make. Inspiration is just oozing here. From beverages and food to oils, candles, and beauty products, your biggest challenge will be deciding what to make.
4. The Twelve Herbs of Christmas. I like this post because it lists 12 different herbs historically associated with Christmas and explains their meaning in the Christmas story. For example, did you know that tradition has it that Joseph cut branches from a thyme bush to make bedding for Mary and baby Jesus? Also along those lines is a post of mine on Essential Oils in the Bible and how to use them today. It includes a recipe for creating a frankincense and myrrh skin blend, which would make a lovely gift for someone or to keep for yourself.
5. Natural Nativity. Finally, I’ve included my natural, rustic nativities. Each fall, I make these miniature nativity scenes from tree bark from Hickory & Oak Sawmill and Lumber Company (my brother-in-law’s sawmill) and from beeswax. I sell them at Christmas in my Etsy shop if you would like to add one to your home.

What is a favorite way you celebrate a natural Christmas? I’d love to hear about a tradition you have or a new idea you want to try this year.

Merry Christmas!

I took the photo you see at Fernwood Botanical Gardens and Nature Preserve in Niles, Michigan. Niles is my hometown and Fernwood is a favorite place. The first weekend of November, I was fortunate enough to be invited to participate in their Holiday Market. It was a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season.

As we head into Thanksgiving week, I’m going to take some time to reflect on all the things I am thankful for: my faith, my family, my little grandson, friends, my home, a job I love, just to name a few things. It’s important in the midst of busy lives and hectic days to stop and reflect on what’s important.

Preparations for Small Business Saturday

Fernwood Holiday Market

And it has been a busy week. I’ve been getting ready for Thanksgiving and also preparing for Small Business Saturday (November 24). I’d like to highlight a few of the things I’m doing this Christmas with my business.

1. Nickel Plate Arts, Gifted. I am one of the makers participating in Gifted at Nickel Plate Arts in Noblesville, IN. The gallery is being transformed into a unique Holiday Boutique where shoppers can purchase handcrafted gifts from local artisans. It starts on Black Friday , November 23, and runs through December 29. Check the above link for the dates and times the boutique is open. It is located at the Judge Stone House at Nickel Plate Arts, 107 S. 8th Street Noblesville, IN 46060.
2. Small Business Saturday. On November 24, Small Business Saturday, I will be at Gifted from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. doing a demonstration of rolling my beeswax taper candles. Come and try your hand at rolling one if you’d like and you can also pick out a few Christmas gifts for your family and friends from the selection at the gallery.
3. Etsy Shop Sale. From November 21 to November 26 everything except for the nativities will be discounted 20 percent in my Etsy shop.
4. Nativity Sale. From November 23 to November 27, my Christmas nativities will be discounted 15 percent. I have a limited number of these available as they are time consuming to make, so if you’d like one, be sure to take advantage of the sale!
5. Holiday Workshops. Saturday, December 1, and Saturday, December 8, I will be offering Aromas of Christmas workshop. You’ll learn about the essential oils associated with Christmas, create a make-n-take product, and enjoy herbal tea and a snack– all for only $25. It’s a fun girls outing or mother-daughter event. Other dates are available as well. Contact me for details if you need a different date than what is listed.

Thanks so much for your support, and I hope you have a blessed Christmas as we celebrate the birth of Jesus!

Botanically me,