Comments for Pebbles In My Pocket

Comment on Encounters* by Karin

Karin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:44:39 +0000

Interesting encounters – yet the Lord is in each of them.

Comment on by Barbara Brooks

Barbara Brooks — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 06:08:58 +0000

Sorry to hear you’re being accused of “self-censorship”. I don’t think people realize that you’re in a delicate situation when you live in a colony. If you share about any inter-personal situation, others on the colony could figure out who you are talking about! While I wouldn’t want to dredge of details of the split with Elmendorf, I would like to hear what others on the colony learned from the experience as far as general principles. Is there anything the colony is doing differently to help prevent similar situations from happening in the future? Church splits seem to be a universal affliction, and any wisdom the older folks have shared can be helpful.

Comment on by Dani

Dani — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 18:38:14 +0000

In an age where media/TV vividly portrays the evil side of humans, I think people are caught up in seeking it everywhere. Our entertainment is negative, what we see is negative, and what we here is negative. I suppose it is only natural to think that unless you bare all the grim details, you are covering the sordid things in your life.

However, I believe in looking for the positive. Looking for the blessed hope…looking for what God is doing in every aspect of life.

I think you present a pretty good balance of reality.

And I think that if someone wants to know all the grusome details…that perhaps they should seek out another means.

~D.

Comment on by Lisa

Lisa — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 04:05:09 +0000

Yes this is our Kleine Schul. Took these in the spring and they always make me smile…I think I even asked the men if they wanted the advice of a woman as I was taking the pics…!

A easiest translation of a Hutterite Kleine Schul would be like comparing it to a day-care center. Our children start attending Kleine Schul at two and half years of age till they are five years old. This is only during the summer months when the woman spend so much time in the garden…

Comment on by Karin

Karin — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 02:08:50 +0000

Are these pics from the time they worked on the Kleine Schule – from a previous post? I just love seeing a group of people working together as a team! They did a great job!

Comment on by itsJUSTme-wendy

itsJUSTme-wendy — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 23:20:39 +0000

I loooooved the pictures!
I love looking at pictures of strong men working, Oh wait a minute… In all the pictures they were just standing, LOL!
Guessed they deserved the break!

Is that your school they are working on? It looks Fab.

Comment on by Mrs. D

Mrs. D — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 19:53:09 +0000

I did not read all the comments due to time so pray this isn’t a repeat of what someone else has said.
I appreciate your comments very much. Sometimes folks just like to hear the dirt. Even though is may be the truth it is a form of gossip and strongly condemned in scripture. We are to build one another up, not tear down and even though a story might be true is doesn’t give strength to the hearer and so probably should not be repeated. I too am a pastor’s daughter. My father is now gone to be with the Lord, but he taught me to not repeat thing I might overhear. You can’t help overhearing things, but you really don’t need to repeat them. Often times we don’t know the whole story. Or the story may be shaded by its retelling as in tones of voice and sentence structure. I am not Hutterite, but I know all bodies of believers have issues just because we are human. A few years ago our church when through a \split\ because of difference of opinion and I was happily ignorant of the whole thing. I just thought people were moving on because other family members had moved. The dynamics of the body changed, but we just kept functioning as the body in a new way… people moved in to fill the gaps.

We are all still human. But for the grace of God, go I.

Thank you for your insightful response to this reader.

God Bless

Comment on by Dora

Dora — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:24:30 +0000

Lisa! I understand the letter that you received asking you to address the less pleasant aspects of life as well as the rosey ones. This is of course at your descretion. I would be more inclined to agree if there were an ample number of faithful Hutterite bloggers sharing details of their faith, beliefs and walks through this world. As it is there are very few that regularly or so eloquently share any part of their life. Thus your voice becomes all the more valuable and appreciated. Not that you need feel any weight of representing all Hutterites or even your whole colony. Your voice is your own. The very concept of blogging is founded on that principle. Many are enriched by your stories, insights and tidbits. I hope that you have the energy and inclination to continue as you see fit and feel inspired. Its up to the reader to also step back and objectively see that all coins have two sides. No society, group of people or even individual can be all roses! Thank you for your voice and for your efforts to share. You touch and inspire many. Hopefully you can also be touched and inspired by the reponses to that as well so that things flow in a full circle.
Best wishes!

Comment on by Carrie

Carrie — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 04:24:53 +0000

Lisa,
I like your blog the way it is! I like to come on and smile at the cute pictures of the neices and nephews! I think you do an excellant job of balancing the joys and sorrows that you encounter every day. I don’t expect you to share about your personal struggles in depth or about the hurtful things of the past. As a preachers daughter myself, there have always been things that I have not been able to discuss with others simply because it was not in my place to do so. So I know where your coming from and am right with you.
Now to comment on the letter you received and the comment that the anonymous person made: I don’t read in my Bible anywhere that being “behind times” is an abomination!!!! Furthermore, she says that culture is just as important as spirituality. I say, spirituality is a culture of it’s own. The Christian life and our walk with God is the most important thing in our lives. Without that, we are empty and void of reality. It’s true, we all have traditions of some kind, but if these traditions take the place in our hearts that belong to God, then we have wondered away from Gods perfect will for us. We all need to be willing to let God deal with these areas in our lives, even if it seems painful.
God bless you sis! I love ya and encourage you to keep on writing. It’s a tremendous gift that God has given you. Don’t let anything or anyone take it away. Don’t bury your talent!!

Comment on by Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 03:20:11 +0000

I always enjoy reading your writings! And I think you blog about a variety of topics, not just ‘the good’. I often wonder what you’ll come up with next. Du tust guet.