The Abbess of the Southern Homestead

Mile log: 579

Meet Abby. Or "The Abbess," as she has recently been christened. She is doing life with us at the Hobbit Hole this summer, and teaching English, doing Bible study, hanging out with girls, and learning all sorts of great cross-cultural lessons in the process. She is totally creative and brilliant. She's got me reading Moby Dick with her this summer, and wants to start a street act called "Shoeless Shakespeare," which you will hear about later, I'm sure. She loves British television, has a crush on Benedict Cumberbatch (but then, who doesn't?), and has the sound of the Dr. Who phone booth as her ringtone.

Abby has decided that "The Hobbit Hole" and "The Lake House" across the alley are in such tight-knit community, and have such a comfortable family-feel, that they should collectively be known as "The Homestead" - our house being the "Southern Homestead."

Tonight we were just hanging out in our dining room - me, Hannah, Brie, and The Abbess. We had costume dress-up time, ate a bag of marshmallows, and giggled until we couldn't breathe. Others from our family dropped in and added their own special elements to the evening, and the four of us just got to sit  here and receive it all as it came, with an open back door and plenty of chairs... One of those community ministry moments: if you are open and available, all sorts of spontaneous fellowship can occur.

I love how our family just keeps getting bigger, and our table just keeps growing to make room for more... it is a dream come true for me. I love having a new little sister around to tease and tell stories and come up with crazy ideas... and I'm really loving our morning Bible study through 1 Thessalonians, our prayer time together, going to visit families and teaching English together. I love how, as is true with each new person who joins our community, Abby brings her own flavor of Joy and Hope, Salt and Light, Love and Grace to life, and as she abides in Christ, he is working in her to make the ministry even deeper, richer, fuller, and more incredible.

Welcome to the family, Abby!