Read: Luke 10:38-42

Martha, Martha…

Have you ever been called by your name twice by a parent? Here in the book of Luke, Jesus begins His response to Martha’s question by saying her name twice. He wants to make sure she is paying attention and hears His words.

It wasn’t that, what Martha was doing was wrong or bad, or sinful, but, she was distracted which was keeping her from paying attention to the better part. I question what was Martha’s intent in inviting Jesus? I think it was pure, she was just distracted.

I’m sixty one, and finally see the value and need to slow down. Limit busyness. Narrow my focus. So many things in and of this world are knocking on the door of our heart and mind. Not that they are all bad, but they can very well be distractions. Things that may be keeping you from that which the Lord would have you do. Go. Engage.

So here we are. Three days after the first day of Lent. It was Friday the 13th of all days I go to the hospital for a pretty serious digestive issue. I end up passing out, hitting my head, getting 8 staples, and whiplash. Oh and a diagnosis for what they believe is esophageal spasms and potential gerd.

It was February 10, 2026 I published “Living in the land “Between.” Now it’s time to practice what I wrote. Now it’s time to focus on the “better part,” and all during the season of Lent.

Troubles have not stopped. I went to the hospital and came out worse than when I went in. Physically anyhow. Not by any fault of the hospital or my own, it is the path that was placed before me. The basement flooding because of the warmer temps and some rain. Belle, our livestock guardian dog, still very much a puppy, is behaving not well. The pasture is a muddy hot mess, which is horrible for animals hooves. We have a sheep with a bad hoof and a horse with cracked and dry hooves. So a animal hoof perfect storm.

Life on Shiloh Center Farms while living in the land between. There is only one place to look while we are in this valley low. Literally we live in a valley. It is the hills from where our help comes from.

The picture is of a sunset across the mountains out a second story window of our home.

Jesus, our rock, our foundation. The chief cornerstone of our life. The One who knows our pain, our struggle, our weakness, and makes us stronger because of it. It is easy to throw scripture at life, but it is far harder to live scripture out through our life.

This is why I write. To remind me, to remind you, that our Triune God; Father, Son, Holy Spirit, is faithful and true. Just like His word, which became flesh, to make a way for us, where there was no way, to reunite with our Father.

Jesus, the Way, the Truth, the Life. Seek Him while He may be found. Draw closer to Him, as He promises to draw closer to You.

For a day such as this.

A day in the land between.