The Red Barn Mystery

Whatever you do, do from the heart, as for the Lord and not for others
— Col 3:23 (NRSV)

Background

As far as barns go, there’s nothing unusual about this red barn. It looks like most other barns you might see on a horse farm down south. And the land it’s on near the Edisto River certainly has been a horse farm over the years. But folks who live near “The Red Barn” swear there haven’t been horses on that land for many years. But there have been some strange and mysterious occurences!

We think we’ve solved the mystery. Let’s talk.

Did You Know?

Let’s start with the mystery itself.

Even though we are way out in the country, we still have neighbors. They’re just a lot further away than your neighbors in the city. And good neighbors in the country watch out for each other.

So it caused quite a stir when the lights started staying on late at night. It got a lot of attention when imaginary people came and went to The Red Barn too. And it even got some of them talking when they started hearing laughter in that big, Red Barn.

But they just couldn’t seem to figure out what was going on. It was not a normal thing in the country near the Edisto River.

Had they asked, we would have told them. It’s true that The Red Barn doesn’t have horses these days. But it is still a workshop for mowers and tractors and ATV’s. And it still houses our exercise equipment and doubles as our “gym with a view.” The best part of The Red Barn these days, however, is that it has become our studio.

The Red Barn is where “the team” meets. It’s where we work through ideas, meet new characters, and make new friends. It’s where stories are born and are “fancied up” (stretched a little bit) to be told.

The Red Barn is more than an art studio. It’s a comedy club for imagination.

Not so ironically, The Red Barn is just across the pasture from our Poustinia. The Poustinia is an old horse shelter that we converted into our “prayer shed.” Like a desert or a wilderness, the Poustinia is a place where an old guy can meet the Lord, enjoy creation together with Him, and experience amazing moments of quiet, uninterrupted prayer.

From the Poustinia, The Red Barn has new “perspective.” Wee don’t see The Red Barn as the world sees it. That’s because we know who’s been there and what happens inside.

Inside The Red Barn is a “toy factory” for adult kids. It’s a playground for “geezers” who have hung on to their fertile imagination and a little talent to accompany it. It’s a place not like any other near the Edisto.

If you ever wondered about The Red Barn, the simple answer is, it’s all about God. The Red Barn, the Poustinia, and the animals who still roam the land and sometimes visit us while we play and pray — they’re all about our Lord!