Simple living, and simple faith, was what we were looking forward to experiencing at the Living Waters Ranch. We had just moved in to our tipi home. I had fun decorating and making it cozy, with Indian bedspreads and my home made pillows. I laid my silk tablecloth from London over the trunk, that we had placed, at the head of our mattress. It was the perfect spot, for the oil lamp, and our new Bibles.
For our first free evening, Thomas prepared the tipi to make a fire in the center, and I put a pot of water on for tea. We celebrated our first family time with baby Nomtini, by the light of the lamp, and Thomas serenading us with his flute.
Many of us newcomers, were curious to know how such a beautiful community, came into existence in the first place. The background story was, that Tony Tuck, the owner of the land, which encompassed some 80 acres, had a vision as a hippie, to start a “back to nature” commune.
For our Saturday dinner, I cooked for the first time at our tipi camp. I had lots of jars of various kinds of beans and flour, and my own cooking pots and dishes. I was allowed to get fresh vegetables from the garden, and I made corn tortillas over the fire, with my cast iron frying pan.
That is why we followed the vegetarian diet, because we thought that it would make us holy. And at the same time though, Thomas was taking LSD and smoking marijuana, thinking it was connecting him to God. Actually, that didn’t make any sense because the drugs, aren’t good for the health of the body, or the mind.
But now, we were learning a different meaning of holiness according to God. We were accepted and loved by God, because of simply believing in his Son Jesus. We were aware, that we needed to put away our beliefs from the past, and start all over.
At the end of the study, Tom said, we will have the opportunity to put into practice, what we are learning. He told us that there would be a bonfire event on Friday night. We should prayerfully consider, if God wants us to throw things away, from our old life. He said, he hopes that the people with drugs, will get rid of them. He said it was time to act on your new faith, and make a clean slate.
PS: If you like the music, check it out on Spotify, Naomi van Dooren, Jeder Moment!! My favorite song!
