"Only one life, 'twill soon be past
Only what's done for Christ will last."

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Okay, It's Here

Spring has come, and summer is really on its way.

So how do we know?

Saturday was spent watching the fire and the sap boil. The sun was so gorgeous and warm that we soaked it in, the first of the year. Yes, for me, it was!

I ended up with a lovely pink burn on my face, but it was worth it!

We also got a little more than a quart of syrup, which we slurped up on Betty Crocker's recipe for pancakes on Sunday after church
.Photo: The fruit of a day's labor and a sunburn. It tastes magnificent. Pure maple syrup



We were naughty in Sunday School. Our pastor is doing a study on apologetics, and he mentioned modalism.

"That's modalism," he said, and three of us started to shake with laughter.  Here's why:

St. Patrick's Bad Analogies

The eye of the pastor was upon us, and he said, "I must have touched a nerve."

Thankfully we have forgiving churchmates. Friends that read here, I offer our excuse for our bad behavior...
 and apology!

Monday was a day for the bees.

We expected 5 packages of bees, but got SEVEN. Five were hived in the darkness last night. Two packages are buzzing in the bathroom again this year, and we're hoping someone at the bee meeting tonight will jump for joy at the opportunity to take them in and home.

If not, we must come up with the materials for the hives to house them. Perhaps this will be an experiment this year with non-conventional hive techniques. For now we are buzzed every time we go into the bathroom.

They are beautiful bees, and two lone bees paid a visit to our window, wanting entry. The glass is open and the screens are letting in a few spring breezes.

Our two other hives made it through the long winter, alive, and seem to be doing well. Yesterday I mixed up pollen patties and sugar syrup for all the hives to tie them over until the trees start flowering.

The dogs have spent time in the pen, both yesterday and today, and what a joy for them to be outside sun-bathing!

My mother had an experience of what appears to be divine healing this past weekend. Her eye appeared to have a problem requiring a rigid sort of convalescence, but the doctor who checked her before the final proceedings could find no trace of the problem! She had asked friends and family to pray. God answered.
She is very thankful.

I am so glad to be a child of God through this faith in Christ Jesus. We truly have the most wonderful faith. It spans the entire history of the world, it shows its mark on every aspect of creation, it reaches out in earnest appeal to every soul, yet it doesn't intrude or bully.

It is a privilege to adhere to a faith that exemplifies forgiveness, mercy and love. It is the most compassionate of faiths, and the most tolerant. God is so good to His children.

His Way is the best of ways, yet true to His perfect nature, He takes care that those who do not follow His Way will be punished. That is the way of Christianity, and the Word of God. It is one Way, no other. It must be followed through belief in Christ Jesus. Those are the conditions.

He is gentle in allowing the trials we must bear, too. It seems to us that we have so many things to work through, or heal from, but now matter how deep the valley, God's grace is there to compensate.

I look at our Christian brothers and sisters suffering in the Middle East right now, and I know it is awful---yet they have the grace from Holy Spirit to stand, even until the end.

One of my favorite radio people, Jan Markell, just sent out her newsletter. It's on the convergence of signs. Very exciting! The Convergence

You'll enjoy reading it.

In our school Bible reading time we finished Acts today and started Romans. Interesting to read the two parts together. Paul argues his case before Felix, goes through a ship wreck and then lays out what it really means to be a Christ-follower. In the shipwreck an angel appears to Paul and promises him in a personal sort of way, that no one with him should perish in the wreck.

How I wish an angel would appear to me, an assure me that no-one I know will perish in the upcoming judgement!  Lord, work in the the lives of my friends and family, drawing them to Yourself, convicting them of sin, and helping them to repent!

The thoughts we reap from our time in the Word each day.

Spring, Passover, Resurrection Day, ground appearing. I have been working each day on getting the fish pond ready for our patient fish. I had to remove several chunks of ice and many rotting leaves. The fish are healthy, having wintered well on the bathroom counter. Right now the bees are sitting next to them. It's like going to a zoo in there...



One more interesting thing. As you know, my husband and I are singers. We are "choir geeks." My darling daughter, Margaret, got to meet and greet a well-known figure from the choral world.

She got his autograph for us.





Can you guess whose it is?

We were thrilled! Someday it will be as valuable as J.S. Bach's autograph. I'm convinced. Therefore I framed it.

Fun days. It's spring. Time to come alive again!

Pray the bees survive.

Update: 4/9/14-----Both packages of bees sold quickly last night!  Yay!!!!

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