In 1996, the little Pirkey family moved into a farm house way out in Stockbridge, Wisconsin. This old farm was owned by my Great-Aunt Tootie and she was living with her really groovy daughter, Carol, so left us live on the farm for a few years. It was lovely out there. The rolling hills and the beautiful sunsets. It was so peaceful.

The kitchen sink was directly in front of a large bay window and I would stand there and do the dishes every afternoon. One summer day, just after we moved in, little Zeb who was 5 years old, began to scream in a way I had never heard before from outside in the tiny field in front of the barn.

As all mothers do when they hear their children scream in a new way, I flew out that kitchen door like my life depended on it. In a second I was out in the field yelling to Zeb, “Where are you Zeb? Where are you!”
You see, random corn stalks and weeds had grown so high in this field that I couldn’t see the three foot red head anywhere.

I came upon him. There he stood, mouth agape. “MOM!” he said in a breathy excited voice. “Look!” He stood there pointing at the large circle of cement that once was the bottom of a large silo, abandoned years ago. The weeds were growing up all around it. I stepped up onto the cement, “Zeb, you scared me, why did you scream?” He pushed me off the circle of cement as if I was standing on holy ground.

I was confused and took notice of Zeb’s odd expression. “What is it honey?” I asked.

“Mom! Don’t you know what this is?”

“What is it Zebbie?”

“This is the stone from Jesus’ tomb. It blew all the way to here!”

I stood there stunned for a second. What? I began to laugh, but then tears welled up into my eyes. The faith of this little boy was most defiantly making this tiny field actual holy ground. I couldn’t get myself together to even speak to him. He stood there taking my difficulty trying not to cry as …belief. He began to nod. As if to say, Yup it’s the stone and my mom is finally getting it.

I patted Zeb’s head and said, “Wait until Daddy sees this!”

He has risen! And the stone blew off that tomb all the way to Stockbridge Wisconsin, who would have thought! 🙂