The Wilkes Team

     Let’s see who can dig, turn, and chop up the most dirt!

                           On your mark get set GO!

We all need to learn to enjoy hard work! Being diligent: is visualizing each task from the Lord and using all my energies to accomplish it. And thoroughness: knowing what factors will diminish the effectiveness of my work or words if neglected. These are so key in us having an impact and an influence on those we are serving and working with.

We recently had a need to prepare a 25×25 garden out on our 90 acres. It could have been a lengthy process for one or two people doing it by themselves, but with ELEVEN it went amazingly fast!! Everyone had such joy and enthusiasm in digging and chopping up the ground which will bring us a wonderful harvest this summer if the Lord wills.

Looking back over that day I realized once again that I am the one that controls my outlook! If one person would have decided to let their feelings control their outlook and viewed this time of work as a burden and a bore it would have affected the whole group.

I don’t think we truly understand how much we impact those around us. People are watching us. People are looking for role models! How are we responding to our authorities? How do we interact with are peers? Are we being leaders or are we just following the crowd? Do you grumble over hard work? Do you up hold the standards of your authorities even when others are not?

We need to be different! Be willing to be odd. 2Timothy 3:14 says “Yea and all they that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”  Continue to be loyal to those God has placed over you. Continue to be an enthusiastic, grateful and faithful follower of Jesus Christ! View each task you are given as if Jesus Himself was assigning it to you and use all of your energies to accomplish it!

5 Comments » | posted in Family News, Farming 101

Yesterday our family met up with some good friends at ‘Fired Up For Fun” – a ceramic place in Stephens City, Virginia. Inside the store there are thousands of clay cats, lighthouses, birds, snow men, houses, a humongous deer, pots, plates, cups, bowls, and many other things. They are all white.

First, you have to pick something to paint. Yesterday I chose a small cardinal. With a large brush, you dust off the clay. Next, the nice lady who owns the store helps you pick out the paint colors. She squirts the paint onto a plastic tray and gives us a lot of paint brushes. My favorite  part is the painting. Matthew helped me paint the bird. Usually, you have to paint the whole ceramic atleast 3 times. If you don’t, the ceramic may not look right after it is baked.

The store owner has lots of creative ideas that make the ceramics look really neat. After we are done painting, she puts the ceramics inside a large kiln. They are heated to around 400 degrees for several hours. Afterwards, the pieces of painted clay feel like glass.

Sometimes the color of the paint doesn’t look right when we are painting. And it also feels very rough. But after the clay is baked in  the kiln, the paint becomes the right color and is smooth as glass. In our lives, God uses  trials to make us beautiful vessels that bring Him glory.

Let your light so shine before men  that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is heaven.

Matthew 5:16

7 Comments » | posted in Family News

While visiting a beautiful county estate, Carl Boberg was suddenly caught in a sudden thunderstorm! The storm did not last long though. The awesome and violent lightning and thunder quickly ended, leaving a clear brilliant sunshine and the calm, sweet singing of the birds in the trees. Falling to his knees in awe and adoration of his Almighty God, this Swedish pastor in the year of 1886 wrote nine stanzas of praise to his Lord!

May these words bless you and cause you to think once again about the unfathomable greatness of God and His wonderful redeeming love for each one of us!

O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder. Consider all the works Thy hands have made. I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder, Thy power through out the universe display.

When through the woods and forest glades I wander. And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees; When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur, and hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation. And take me home what joy shall fill my heart! Then I shall bow in humble adoration, and there proclaim my God, how great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee; How great Thou art, how great Thou art! Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee; How great Thou art, how great Thou art!!

10 Comments » | posted in HIS-story, Photography

"A nation ignorant of its past is a nation ripe for deception and manipulation." A very profound statement indeed! Furthermore, an uninformed nation is the means to bondage. This past Monday, Victoria Cobb and Dan Thompson of the Family Foundation (TFF) here in Virginia stopped by our home. Their organization is the result of the vision Focus on the Family has had to institute ‘watch dogs’ of family values across the nation in every state.

The goal of the Family Foundation is to create a Commonwealth of strong families, guided by faith, protected by a principled government. Between the years of 2005 and 2009, they have made the following five issues a priority when lobbying senators and legislatures in Richmond:

• Establish Virginia as the most pro-life state in the nation
• Protect the institution of marriage
• Reinforce the rights of parents to make life-altering decisions in their children’s lives.
• Limit the undue burden placed on families by state government.
• Re-establish Virginia as the national model for religious liberty.

Residents of Virginia are encouraged to review the TFF 2006-2007 report card that rates every VA senator and representative based on their recent voting record.

One point that Mrs. Cobb & Mr. Thompson emphasized was the importance of contacting our senators and representatives. Elected officials in Richmond have shared with TFF that they have been motivated to vote one way or the other based on only 3-5 phone calls made by concerned citizens. Over the course of Virginia’s General Assembly (January through March), some 3000 bills are brought on to the floor. Senators and representatives depend on their assistants, groups like the Family Foundation, and people like you and me to show them how to vote. One phone call can make a difference.

If you are a resident of Virginia looking for an organization to support, we would highly recommend the Family Foundation. Like Virginia, many states have local groups dedicated to defending the family, protecting constitutional rights, and promoting religious freedom (ie: Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Texas). We would encourage you to contact your local organization so you can keep up to date on legislation being passed.

The other way Mrs. Cobb encouraged us to influence our leaders was through prayer. Paul offered a similar exhortation to Timothy, "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all…that are in authority…(1Tim. 2:1-2)."

Learn the names of your senators, representatives, attorney general, Lt. governor, police chief, school supervisors, etc. Purpose in your heart to lift them up in prayer.

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice…(Prov. 29:2). Through communication and prayer, we can have a powerful influence on our government.

5 Comments » | posted in On the Issues

 The theme of this past weekend could be summed up in the phrase, “A Spiritual Launch Pad.” Friday evening, the Staddon’s van rolled into our court. And from the moment Markie zoomed out the front door to greet them until the final wave was  given Sunday evening, joy abounded and rebounded. Spirits were refreshed through interaction with one other, the sharing of testimonies, and discipleship. How exciting it was to hear an arsenal of reports on how God is working in Chicago, Oklahoma, West Virginia, and Virginia!

Much was packed into the fast paced 3 days to include an ultimate game of Settlers, a meaningful tour of the Brandy Station battlefield in Culpeper lead by Matthew, and an inspection of our new bee hives. The climax of the weekend came Sunday when eight families gathered together at Cacapon (ca-cay-pon ) State Park for a day of Spiritual nourishment and fellowship. A steady drizzle all morning in no way dampened the enthusiasm of each one present. There was eager anticipation for the showers of blessing God had in store.

Mr. Staddon inspired the congregation with a message on hope in the life of a Christian (1Cor. 13:13). In Philippians 1:23-24, Paul expressed great desire to be with Christ in heaven but knew that his service on earth was not complete. A test of true hope in the life of any Christian is whether or not they can sincerely repeat the words of Revelations 22:20, “…Surely I (Jesus) come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” Our tendency is to anticipate the dainties and pleasures of the world more than the coming of Christ. Furthermore, hope motivates the body of Christ to assemble together for exhortation as we see the day of His coming drawing nigh. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin (Heb. 10:25;3:13).”

Rather than a short lived feeling, hope turns inspirational experiences into fuel for the light that burns in the lives of every Christian. Though there was sorrow felt as the vans pulled away in the evening, great hope had been received. Spirits were revived and energy renewed to shine in the corners of the world each family has been called to. Families were launched on to Greater Works (John 14:12)

5 Comments » | posted in Ministry Reports