Thistle Farms on CNN

Last night, Thistle Farms was mentioned on CNN by Nancy Grace.

Below is the transcript excerpt:

NANCY GRACE

Aired September 24, 2007 - 20:00:00 ET 

"This weekend, I learned about a special program, helping lady victims of sex abuse, women with criminal histories, drug problems, prostitutes, founded a decade ago in the Nashville area by Becca Stevens, an Episcopal priest, Magdalene Ministries is a two-year community program helping troubled women start over. It gives shelter; it helps them recover from sex abuse, violence, drugs, alcohol. It gives health care services, resources, all free. Magdalene Ministries reaches four different states as of now.
 
It is a nonprofit cottage business, Thistle Farms, featuring an acre of lavender to make natural products and handmade by the ladies in Magdalene, now nationwide. If you want to help these women recover, simply go online. It`s on our Web site, and it`s at thistlefarms.org or givingmatters.com. There is more than one way to stop crime and drug addiction..."

Thirst

I walked in the woods and prayed at Radnor Lake in Nashville Tennessee. As I was walking I realized that my prayer was one of thanksgiving for the trees and hoping they would survive the drought.  The trees stand their ground.  Stoic and accepting, they took the late frost this past spring and then called upon their own reserves to grow new leaves.  They stand tall and peaceful in this windless summer and shed those leaves with equal grace.  They seem particularly tender at Radnor Lake because as I walked by I caught sight of the life-saving water in the same vision.  The tree and lake are within sight, but the tree can't move and is dying of thirst.  I wonder sometimes if that is how we look to God.  We are within sight of the kingdom, but we stand on what we claim is our ground, or our truth, or our life, and it looks like we are dying of thirst by the water.

Hither & Yon podcast

Early this past summer, I went to a friend's cabin in Fairview, TN to read and record excerpts from Hither & Yon. It was quite an experience, sitting in the attic of a tin roofed cabin in the heat of June, recording these pieces while trying to control our laughter as stomachs growled, birds chirped, and the dog growled. Happily, the end product is a podcast for each chapter of the book. Every episode includes an opening poem, a story, helpful hints, and the closing prayer from the chapter. Michael Kelsh provides beautiful instrumental music for each podcast. You may subscribe to the podcast through iTunes (go here) - a new episode will be added each week until all are available. I hope you enjoy it!

If you do not have iTunes on your computer, you may download it for free here.