Category: Plot Twists

Our 2024 & MERRY Christmas!

Published on by Abigail Rehmert2 Comments

It’s been a minute since I’ve been here, so I thought I’d take the time to write up the year. We won’t forget our 2024 for a number of reasons.

KITCHEN

Cooking in an updated kitchen – what a great way to pass The Long Winter. Luke moved the fridge, tore down part of a wall, and it presented an unbroken counter space (pictures at the end).  Sourdough pizza, three-story sf cake, and Indian dahl (lentils) all emerged from it. We loved feeding people on our patio, especially our international friends from the local college.

CHURCH

Soon after Resurrection Sunday, our church merged with another. Luke jumped into a new-to-us ministry as an associate pastor, and we’ve loved the gift of many new sweet relationships. As I read through my prayer journal from a year ago, I’m so grateful for God’s clear faithfulness and leading. The church, in its brokenness, was HIS beautiful idea, and so it is with full confidence we can worship the Chief Cornerstone together, and take courage that He promised to build His church. Among the blessings is our life group who has been so lifegiving to us!

HOME

In April, Luke asked me to pray about finding a house closer to our church (in the bordering town). I wrote “new house?” on my prayer list and prayed a little dubiously, maybe a handful of times. But we viewed a couple properties, and then with much discussion and more prayer, we decided to attempt an offer on a 1925 house in need of sweat equity and optimism. Thankfully, Luke had sweat equity, and I had plenty of optimism.

With the strategic help of our realtors, we made a big decision while on a road trip. In a gas station parking lot. In a tiny mountain town. With no wifi, data, battery life, or working car chargers. We eked out our signatures on a contract via our best-working phone, grasping at signal and mustard-seed faith. Meanwhile, we couldn’t help laughing like little kids at the landscape of such a serious moment.

Oh, how I clung to our original vision, as we walked the property for the third time in July, this time with keys in hand. Could this scrappy little place–with its oddities and closet for a kitchen and no AC–truly be the best place for our family and ministry? I wish I could tell you all the ways God creatively provided through this process. 

Everything begged for attention, but Luke rolled up his sleeves to redeem the hardwood floors lambasted with thick white paint. No small task.  

In between houses, we spent the triple-digit summer at my parents’ delightful home across town. My 3-year-old and I swam, enjoyed the piano, went to baby appointments, read books, and thrifted treasures for our new home. Meanwhile, Luke spent many afternoons and evenings working to transform the place, with new and old friends pitching in to help (we have the kindest friends!).

I picked bouquets from a garden I didn’t plant and agonized over paint colors and stain shades, but it was my dear friends and family who helped Luke put up gallons of it both inside and out.

The roof went from a shabby grey to fresh brown, and the little house turned weathered white to a stormy blue with crisp trim. You all helped us install windows, find furniture, clean, as I said, paint, sort baby clothes, shingle and side, clean our car, pack and unpack, and move all of our things (TWICE!), cook us meals — all before home reno loan deadlines, winter, and a baby due date.

Ironically, in addition to our big change, three of my sisters moved this year as well, so there were plenty of cleaning parties and cardboard boxes to go around.   

TRAVEL

We began by taking a trip to Kansas in windy March, stranded in Utah for a couple days, due to a blizzard in Wyoming. Finally in Kansas, we spent a refreshing week at the farm with Luke’s parents.

At the end of May, we enjoyed my grandparents’ gorgeous cabin with my family. We loved the privilege of attending and officiating our good friends’ wedding in Gig Harbor, Washington. This was a quick, memorable getaway for just Luke and I, and we enjoyed staying right by the ocean in a cozy boathouse; we considered it an early five-year anniversary trip.

In June, we journeyed to a Colorado camp for a large family reunion to see grandparents and a plethora of dear cousins. We drove on to Kansas from there to see all of Luke’s family. We took country road walks, made ice cream runs, ate pancakes for breakfast, played games and talked and laughed into the late evening. We ventured to church camp, but after that we stayed home to await Rosie’s arrival.

FAMILY

We are immensely thankful to be a family of four in ’24. Baby Girl was seven days late but came at the perfect time, giving us a couple weeks to settle into our new home (special thanks to my sisters and dear mother who helped me nest above and beyond). 

The first official contraction happened during the Vice President debate (a nod to the interesting political time in history she entered), and she joined us before dawn the following morning. She endeared us all with her delicate, feminine features and love for socializing. It’s a treasure to see our children already bonding, knowing they will, Lord willing, grow old together. We have nothing but gratitude for our family’s growth this year.

Both being part of large families, there’s always a flurry of change, earnest prayers, comings and goings, goodbyes and joyous reunions, laughter, stimulating conversation. Not to mention buzzing chat groups, delicious food, cutthroat Scattergory matches, Marco Polo monologues, spontaneous thrifting, lingering over coffee, and comparing notes on a variety of topics. The little cousins are already building a giant warehouse of special memories together.

ONWARD 

We’re approaching 2025! There’s much to be about, pray about, and praise God about. I’m excited to continue being a homemaker, take a few family trips and watch an even bigger kitchen transformation happen among other home projects. 

We truly wish you each a VERY MERRY Christmas! It may start to sound cliche this time of year, but we can’t stop enough and marvel that God became flesh, walked among us, and shined light in our darkness. The best is yet to come for all who believe in Him. No matter what the year holds, we know and trust God is good, He is sovereign and powerful, and He loves us more than we can comprehend. 

1) Our former kitchen before the remodel   2) Improved kitchen. Fridge and washer/dryer are hiding behind the wall. 

Our 3-year-old enjoying the park and a sunset after a church softball game. It was a sportsy year, as I can’t believe we also played (and won!) a volleyball league season with great friends in the spring.
Our BEAUTIFUL baby girl, “Rosie!” Her full name isn’t featured on this blog for privacy purposes, but you may be able to guess it from the 2nd part of her name on her blanket. 🙂
Five years of marriage! Mount Rainier in the background.

1) Our new living room BEFORE Luke’s work in sanding and staining the floors. 2) And NOW — a room full of Christmas and the warmth of fellowship of our young adult group watching a Christmas movie together. GOD IS GOOD.

This quote struck me recently. “An ordinary day to you is making up their childhood.”

A Fairytale of a Summer

Published on by Abigail RehmertLeave a comment

How can one summer hold so much grace?

Reading familiar good books always feels like “coming home,” and I’m richer for having read several favorites again and many news ones. I also loved the thrift finds; maybe I’ll share about some of those another day.

Our garden produced a wild tangle of more tomatoes than we could dream of. I’m going to miss having a fresh tomato and fresh herbs to garnish any dish. The tomato soup and fresh pico! We also highly recommend limelight hydrangeas.

I’m so grateful for a lovely new sister and a wonderful new brother, added to our family within five days of each other! The early summer brought many enchanting evenings, all anticipating these two new marriages.

Speaking of marriage, we celebrated four years! Truly love him more today than ever (which was a statement I never understood before getting married). He is so many answered prayers all rolled into one man.

In our summer travels, I enjoyed the mountains and the plains (and the dear people even more). It dawned on me, walking the open dirt road flanked with farm fields, that the unbroken horizons prompt the same awe-filled worship as do the mountain-crested ones. God declares His glory in all His creation.

 “Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
 Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.”

Psalm 103:1-5

More Thoughts After Bookends

Published on by Abigail Rehmert1 Comment

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

Light, amusing, well-written glance into America in the 1960s. The Wednesday Wars is about the mishaps and misfortunes of a young teenager who loves Shakespeare and goes to high school in Long Island, New York. The author ushers the reader into the story so well, that eventually, I couldn’t wait for the book to be over because I didn’t feel like going to middle school any longer. 😀 The wording gets repetitive after a while, which was a little tiring. Also, his parents’ lack of involvement makes me sad.
Even though I’m not a middle-grader, I might check out the author’s other books.

A Hobbit, A Wardrobe, and a Great War: How J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis Rediscovered Faith, Friendship, and Heroism in the Cataclysm of 1914-18 by Joseph Loconte

Continue reading “More Thoughts After Bookends” →

Thoughts after Bookends

Published on by Abigail Rehmert3 Comments

Gilead by Marilynn Robinson

I heard big things about this author (Gilead won a Pulitzer), but the story just didn’t captivate me. It’s a memoir — a pastor writing letters to his son on his death bead, but he’s not actually bedridden. His son is still young at the time of his writing, and I wanted them to be out making memories together, rather than him just reminiscing days gone-by. I found it hard to follow the plot line, since there was little action. There were some thought-provoking faith statements here and there, and maybe someone else would really enjoy. Am I missing something? Because it sure wouldn’t be the first time I’ve missed something poignant in my first read through.

True Grit by Charles Portis

I’m not typically one for Westerns (wait, had I ever read one?), but True Grit is now a personal classic — both witty and brilliant. The main character, a 14-year-old girl, seeks vengeance on an outlaw responsible for her father’s death. Despite all the big shots, SHE is the one with the true grit. My husband and I listened together, and he wrote some fun thoughts on the book.


The narrator I found on Scribd (Donna Tartt) makes the experience, along with driving across the high desert plains and canyons as you listen (seriously, just start wandering around barren backcountry for the full western effect). The 2010 movie follows the book quite cleverly!

Anne Frank Remembered by Miep Gies

After reading Anne’s Frank diary, this book deepens the layers of the harrowing account of hidden Jews in Amsterdam. Miep and her husband made it possible for the Frank family to go into hiding. Her bravery shines through even though she forcibly shifts the spotlight off of herself in this detailed account. She said she just did what had to be done — even when it meant standing toe-to-toe with the Nazis. I recommend this book if you’re interested in true, home-front WWII courage.

How to Thrive as a Pastor’s Wife by Christine Hoover

Encouraging, convicting, and a blessing to read. Christine warns against comparison and bitterness, and highlights safeguards and boundaries for your marriage and children amidst ministry.

Millie Keith based on the series by Martha Finley

This purple-covered, eight-book series is really for teen girls, but reading them is like coming home to me. Something I cherished this summer. I wrote a post dedicated to the characters, The Company We Keep and also interviewed the adapter/author here.

This Tender Land by Kent Krueger

This Tender Land was a page-turner for me, and I enjoyed the quality description and the history nestled in the 1930s setting.

This story about kids, is certainly not FOR kids. The children meet a constant string of unsavory adults. This makes the storyline a bit depressing, though, unfortunately, realistic.

*SPOILERS — This Tender Land doesn’t detail anything explicit, but alludes to all manner of everything sinful. I found it sad that the orphans were, in a way, pursuing the one true God, but never found Him — never once did they find the Word of God. Lots of spiritual references and a theme of forgiveness, but no solid theology landed upon. All the “spiritual” adults in the story were plagued with phoniness and hypocrisy (like faked healings).

Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

Only my second novel by her, I’d love to read some more. We found the overwhelming amount of characters to be tedious and difficult to keep track of, as trekked along our cross-country roadtrip. I googled the lengthy list of characters. However, her writing is so vivid; it’s amazing how each character truly owns their own backstory and voice.

The Watchmaker’s Daughter by Larry Loftis

A biography about Corrie ten Boom, told in chronological order. If you’ve never read The Hiding Place, there’s no match for it, and I highly recommend reading it before any other biographies about the Ten Booms. You just can’t replace the soul-stirring, first-person, unfolding drama of The Hiding Place. However, The Watchmaker’s Daughter tells their story well, and includes some information and historical context that The Hiding Place does not.

Honey for a Child’s Heart by Gladys Hunt

I loved this book! It’s about the importance of children’s literature, laced with reasons and references from great fiction. It’s delightful and compelling. Her nods to Winnie the Pooh, Little House on the Prairie, etc. is like a little visit to the wonderment of childhood and provided fresh and practical inspiration for making my own son’s childhood sweet with honey. “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24

She includes lengthy recommended booklists in the back.

Transforming Power of the Gospel by Jerry Bridges

Transforming Power of the Gospel changed my life years ago when my dad gave me a copy, in response to a lot of wrestling with questions.

How do I be sanctified? God is sovereign, so how do I depend on Him but also walk forward in responsibility with the right motives? And why is not working? Why do I do the thing that I hate?

If you have questions like this, know the gospel is for every day. Jerry Bridges discusses the MOTIVATION for our day-to-day good works. Guilt that meets GRACE that outpours into gratitude. He beautifully illustrates this from the life of Isaiah.

MORE TOMORROW

Thank you for reading by book reviews. I always enjoy and welcome your recommendations and discussion on any of the ones you’ve also read! Isn’t it interesting how our perspective of a book can be shaped as we exchange ideas and takeaways with others?

Check back on the blog TOMORROW, because I have more recent book reviews, including Jill Duggar’s new book, and some of my favorites of all time!

The Company You Keep

Published on by Abigail Rehmert2 Comments

I met her many years ago, when I was 13.

Her name is Millie Keith, and she remained a great friend to me through all my life’s seasons. She also was 13, the oldest of eight children, and a fairly new Christian, desiring to follow Jesus’s footsteps. The biggest difference between us is that she lived in the early 1800s. She wasn’t even real at all.

The Millie Keith series captured me with humor and dynamic characters and plot, and showed me how wrestling with doubts as you learn to trust God is normal. Millie moved to the frontier from Ohio, leaving everything familiar. The Keith family shares the gospel with whoever they can, on steamboat or stagecoach. Later, due to a chronic sickness, Millie would visit the deep South to try to heal her lungs. While there, she stood up against slavery and . . . lost her heart. Finally, in her 20s, she would answer the call to a foreign nation to share Christ with a place far different than anything in America.

Many Christian fiction books mention “God,” “faith,” and “prayer” a few times and that’s it. That’s fine. Not all art must spell out truth, some just reflects it. Christians have also written stunning analogies (like Pilgrim’s Progress and the Narnia books). They’re desperately needed. But as a young person, I was most encouraged when reading about believers who apply God’s Word to their every day scenarios, like loving a little brother when he is annoying or giving grace for a legalistic religious friend. Millie prays in an ongoing conversation to God throughout her day, lifting up her worries and praise at His goodness. While the Keith family’s lives are bright, humorous, and full of good things — they also encounter difficult questions, suffering, and the hardships of the frontier. Fiction is good, because it reminds us “both what the world is, and what it should be” (said by a fellow writer friend).

Millie’s Aunt Wealthy, an eccentric mentor character, says, “Life is not a tea-party my dear, but a wild adventure.” She inspires us to search for “divine appointments,” opportunities God brings to minister to a variety of different people who cross our paths.

I wanted to be like Millie. I wanted a Bible with hot chocolate stains on it.

“(Millie) had been in the habit of reading her Bible at least once a day since she had become a Christian two years before. Papa had knelt with her when she prayed to accept Jesus as her Lord, and then he had given her his own Bible… Millie had carried the book with her not only to church and to school but up trees and under hedges — all of her favorite reading places.”

Millie’s Unsettled Season

“The pages had been stained with tears, shaken with laughter, and endured at least one cup of hot chocolate spilt in the book of Lamentations, but Millie’s fingers knew each and every book, and many verses, by feel.”

Millie’s Remarkable Journey

Keep Good Company

Have you been influenced by fictional people? Paxton Hood said, “Be as careful of the books you read, as of the company you keep; for your habits and character will be as much influenced by the former as the latter.”

In my experience, not all “Christian” fiction is wholesome. And not all wholesome fiction is “Christian.” So be watchful in your reading, and consume only the best. “Be wise to what is good, and innocent as to what is evil” (Romans 16:19).

I love to spur others to read all things excellent and pure! “One must always be careful of books and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us.” –Cassandra Clare

Christians certainly could only read the Bible, biographies and commentaries . . . but oh what they would miss in the world of fiction.

There are dozens of reasons to read quality fiction, and many have said it better than I can. I believe it gives us a beautiful gift of common grace — creativity and imagination realized. It teaches us to think outside ourselves. Ann Voskamp wrote in an article about audiobooks, “When reading is  your favorite pastime – you enter into other lives and gain more time.”

Fiction helps shape us to see who we want to be and understand who we shouldn’t be. It provides a healthy way to pick apart a character (without the sin of gossip and unkind criticism).

Stories can give us aspects of the gospel in new lights and personify truth. The very elements of a story — plot twists, beginnings, happy endings, — mirror our Maker’s great redemption story for us. And the ending will be oh so good and happy.

Create the Company

Not only consume good fiction, but please create it! If you are nurturing the draft of story, don’t give up on it. Etch all the excellence you can muster into the paragraphs. We need more God-honoring word-art in our world.

“Stories are verbal acts of hospitality.”

Eugene H. Peterson

Be like Kersten Hamilton, and pour your soul into your craft. She was tasked with adapting Martha Finely’s work into the Millie Keith series I talk about so much. She bravely enhanced the plot and characters, added much biblical truth, and brought history to life. These books are out of print unfortunately, so they may cost a bit more (they’re worth it, though). You can read my interview with Kersten here where she shares about the fascinating process of adapting this series. Her word arrangements sing, so I value her advice to young writers.

C.S. Lewis said, “Since it is so likely that (children) will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage. Otherwise you are making their destiny not brighter but darker.”

Let’s aim to keep (and create) fictional company that will inspire brighter destinies and wild adventures — all for Christ’s glory.