Diana B.

The Sun of Righteousness Arose

April 21, 2014 Diana B.1 Comment

“Ay, but when we go down, down, down, is it not a blessed thing that Jesus Christ of the seed of David died, and was raised from the dead? If I sink right down among the dead men yet will I hold to this blessed hope, that as Jesus rose again from the dead, so also shall my joy, my usefulness, my hope, my spirit rise.” -Charles Spurgeon

I walk down to the dock just after 6 a.m. on Easter to find a thin blanket of fog shrouding the lake.

All is calm. No wind. No waves. The water is a glassy mirror, a perfect reflection of the sky above.

The only movements are the ripples the ducks make gliding across the water.

A red-winged blackbird perches atop a new birdhouse built for the wood ducks. He stands tall and attentively, singing his happy, trilling song. Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing in praise right along with him.

But in the stillness, in the waiting for a glimpse of glory, I catch a whiff of something downright rotten. Floating among the cattails are dozens of dead carp — fish that didn’t survive being down, down, down below the thick ice of this deeply frozen lake.

Up they have come now with the thaw, and this stench of death is foul. Charles Wesley’s words keep coming to mind.

“His blood can make the foulest clean, His blood availed for me.”

I was once dead in my sins and stinking something awful, worse even than the rotten stench of these dead fish.

“But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” Ephesians 2:4

Oh, the triumphs of His grace this Easter morning!

The light fog starts to lift a bit. And the sun rises, and all I can think of is the glory of how the Son rises, too. The Son rises, too. The Light of the World.

I see all the glory of it above me and the perfect reflection of that glory here below.

“On this glad day the glorious Sun of Righteousness arose…”

“Glory to God, and praise and love be ever, ever given, by saints below and saints above, the church in earth and heaven.” Charles Wesley

Winter’s Last Kiss

April 16, 2014 Diana B.1 Comment

It’s “Poetry Day” in our homeschool, and it is snowing. Again. In April.

So here’s the poem I wrote after sipping what I hope will be my last cup of hot cocoa for a long while.

Winter’s Last Kiss

Winter came back for a kiss good-bye,
Tossing snowflakes in the April sky.
‘Oh my, oh my!’ little children cry!
‘No, not again,’ frowning grown-ups sigh.

But the joyful birds – steadfast to sing,
Tweet, chirp and trill – such sweet songs they bring.
Robin, finch, and blackbird with red wing,
Add voice to the glad chorus of spring.

Let’s send off showers of April snow,
Thankful for a cup of hot cocoa.
Farewell, winter! Far away you go!
Green grass, green leaves – come and grow, grow, grow!

A Sugar Snow!

April 3, 2014April 3, 2014 Diana B.1 Comment

It’s April 3 and the thick snow is falling on us like a heavy, wet blanket. Is this a sugar snow? Mr. Masters isn’t here yet, and the first bucket feels empty. Will there be any sap today?

My oldest, she runs on to another tapped tree and excitedly reports that the bucket there is really, really heavy. Heavy with sap!

Mr. Masters and a few more friends arrive, ready to help.

He says the sap is running and it’s time to collect it!

The crew of kids, they all hear him say “sugar” and quickly grab buckets. They follow him closely into the woods.

Well, most follow him closely.

At each tapped tree, Mr. Masters removes the bucket lid, and we peer inside to marvel at all the sap. The 5-gallon bucket at this big tree filled up in just 24 hours!

Next Mr. Masters carefully exchanges the filled bucket with an empty one and moves on to the next tapped tree.

The crew takes turns pouring sap into the buckets.

Everyone tastes a bit of the sweet sap. My youngest sips it right out of the tree. And this cute little guy, he gets a taste from his daddy’s finger.

With full buckets in tow, we hike back through the snowy woods to the parking lot, where Mr. Masters pours all of the sap into a huge tank in the back of his suburban.

Then we go back into the woods and do it all over again. And again. And again. Altogether, we collect 50 gallons of sap in a little more than an hour.

Then Mr. Masters goes on to other wooded spots where he has tapped trees. In all he collects 100 gallons today. Miraculous!

3 Marvelous Books about Maple Sugaring

April 2, 2014May 21, 2014 Diana B.Leave a comment

With all the maple sugaring excitement around here the last few weeks, I just have to share our favorite books on that sweet subject.

The first is Virginia Sorensen’s 1957 Newbery Award winner: Miracles on Maple Hill. This a charming story about a young girl named Marley and her family’s adventures as they stay at a country home on Maple Hill in Pennsylvania. As it begins, Marley’s father has recently returned from war and is not at all himself. The heartwarming story abounds with characters who seem so genuine. The themes of healing and spring and miracles all intertwine beautifully and are reminiscent of The Secret Garden. This is a fantastic read for middle to upper elementary students, especially as a family read-aloud.

Sugarbush Spring by Marsha Wilson Chall is a gorgeous picture book with a captivating story of the entire sugaring process — from tapping the trees to sealing up the full jars of syrup. Did I mention the illustrations by Jim Daly are absolutely gorgeous? I just wanted to climb right into the pictures and help with all the work, too. This is a perfect read-aloud for all ages.

Sugar Snow (one of the “My First Little House Books” series) is a wonderfully illustrated picture book using the text adapted from Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House in the Big Woods. As a rule, I’m completely opposed to adaptations of classics, but this series is a rare exception. Illustrator Doris Ettlinger beautifully captures the excitement of maple sugaring in the Big Woods of Wisconsin. I’ve been to the replica of the Ingalls’ cabin at the actual home site near Pepin, Wisconsin, and I must note that Ettlinger portrays that very accurately. All ages will enjoy the simple yet delightful book — and the whole series for that matter.

Happy reading!

The Story of Two Little Hands

March 31, 2014 Diana B.1 Comment

“May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.” Psalm 90:17

On March 23, 2003, we dedicated to the LORD our firstborn. During the ceremony that Sunday morning, just before her daddy played Jeff Deyo’s song “These Hands” on acoustic guitar, I read a letter to her. Here is part of that letter.

Today is your dedication day, and we praise God for what a blessing you are to our family. You are three months old and just figured out that you have HANDS! You bat them at toys, try to hold your bottle with them, and just love to put them in your mouth and slobber all over them. Most of time, though, you clasp them together and just stare at them as if to say, “What are these for?”

Before too long, these hands of yours will be coloring and tying shoes and learning to do lots of things. But our hope today is that someday your hands will point to God’s greatness and praise Him.

You see, God’s hands created the heavens and the earth and everything in it. And not too long ago, His hands created you. God loves you and cares for you and has a specific plan for your life.

We praise God for you. Always remember how much we love you, and that the ultimate purpose of your hands is to praise God.

In the meantime, don’t eat those hands! You’ll need them for later!

Those two little hands, she didn’t eat them after all. And since that day I’ve so often held them in my own. I’ve washed them. I’ve dried them. I’ve clipped the fingernails and polished those all shades of pink. I’ve squeezed one or both into my own warm pocket when little mittens were forgotten. I’ve kissed them. I’ve helped them fold together in prayer. I’ve showed them how to turn book pages gently. I’ve taught them to hold a crayon, a pencil.

I’ve watched them reach way up to pick apples from trees.

And I’ve watched them reach way down to pick up sand dollars and seashells from Atlantic and Pacific beaches.

I’ve taught them how to fold towels and t-shirts. I’ve taught them how to button buttons and zip zippers. I’ve seen them work puzzles, dress baby dolls, fill tea cups, and dribble basketballs. I’ve watched them write the alphabet in print. And then I’ve watched them learn the alphabet all over again in cursive. I’ve held the left one delicately as the right was wrapped up tightly in a cast for a broken arm. I’ve watched them paint flowers and stitch doll clothes and knit scarves.

I’ve watched them kindly hold her little sister’s hand in the backseat of the minivan. I’ve taught them to wash dishes and wipe down countertops. I’ve watched them gently behold the wonders of God’s creation.

I’ve watched them clasped together and dripping with lake water on baptism day.

And I’ve watched them gracefully glide across the ivories day after day…

Week after week…

For more than five years now those hands have made music.

Oh, those sweet little hands and I have been ever so busy together. And God has lovingly and faithfully held these little hands and mine in His mighty hands. He held each and every moment. He held us by grace.

And yesterday — 11 years and seven days after her dedication day — He called those little hands to bravely do what I never imagined them doing when I wrote that dedication letter so many years ago.

Yesterday those little hands went to church and played “Glorious” right along with the worship band. And then the band left those little hands all alone at the keyboard, left my firstborn perched high on a barstool, like a songbird ready to sing. And those beautiful little hands played “Amazing Grace” for the offertory.

And even when her foot struggled to reach the pedal below and those slender fingers pulsed with frustration and momentarily lost their way across the keyboard. Even that moment was all grace. Those sweet little hands just stopped and played it again from the top — “Amazing Grace.”

How sweet was the sound as the little fingers met the keys, the notes sang out beautifully, and the joyful noise of it all filled the whole room.

An answered prayer, a moment of grace, an offering and a gift.

Oh little hands, may you continue pointing to God’s greatness, may you continue praising the One whose hands made you!

“May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.” Psalm 90:17

More Maples and Springy-ish-ness

March 27, 2014March 27, 2014 Diana B.Leave a comment

Last week we spent the first afternoon of spring at the Arboretum, exploring the tapped maple trees there and also looking for signs of spring.

The Arb uses different equipment for tapping trees — most notable are the bright blue bags, which make it easy to see the sap inside.

They also run these hoses between taps — and use the law of gravity — to collect sap from multiple trees. The Arb collects a lot of sap. Last year, they made 111 gallons of syrup. And if you figure that it takes 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup, that means they collected nearly 4,500 gallons of sap last spring. That’s quite impressive!

Another impressive tidbit to share concerns our watch for signs of springy-ish-ness. It’s impressive how much snow has melted since our Arboretum trip two weeks before this. Remember how we couldn’t find a single bench to sit on?

And remember the magnolia tree with the nearly invisible bench?

Well, the snow is melting and the girls found multiple places to sit!

Also, the tips of the magnolia’s branches are {maybe} looking a tad bit fuzzier.

In closing, I must credit the cranberries for their bold color contributions while we await the arrival of spring flowers and all.

Thank you, cranberries. And happy spring, y’all!

Robin Says, ‘Cheer-Up Y’all!’

March 20, 2014March 20, 2014 Diana B.2 Comments

Today is the first day of spring, and much to our delight the girls and I saw our first robin in the maple tree out front! The girls saw him first and ran into the house to tell me. I grabbed my camera and followed them to the driveway. At first the robin was a bit shy, almost just a silhouette hiding in the shadows.

But then he must have realized the honors and title we were bestowing upon him as First Robin 2014. He moved to a closer branch in the sunlight and started to chirp, “Cheer-up Y’all!”

And then he hopped to an even closer branch, turned his body, and posed for a perfect profile shot. What a dear!

A robin that perches long enough for me to grab my camera and document the monumental occasion — that’s a winning robin, indeed. I don’t ask much. So this year’s First Robin really set the bar (branch?) high for next year’s contest.

To be clear, we had caught a brief glimpse of a robin high up in a tree in the next-door neighbor’s yard a few days ago. But of course that didn’t count as an official sighting in our tradition. To be official, the First Robin must be in our own yard. We’re rule-followers, you know, and every contest must have its official rules. Once the First Robin appears, we commence the planning of the Annual First Robin Tea Party.

The robin sighting this evening topped off quite a lovely day, part of which was spent at the Arboretum, exploring the tapped maple trees there and soaking up the sunshine ourselves. But that’s a story for another day.

In the meantime, it’s officially spring! And the First Robin 2014 says to tell you, “Cheer-up, y’all!”

Maple Miracles, Part 2

March 17, 2014 Diana B.Leave a comment

Mr. Masters said the sap was running today! So we just had to go check out the sugar maple trees and see it firsthand, even if it was late in the evening.

It’s only been a week and a half, but so much snow has melted since our first maple sugaring adventure. The woods feel like a different place already.

Tonight we moved much faster from tree to tree, and Michael didn’t even wear his snow boots.

Some of the buckets had no sap, but some had a bit of sap. Maybe Mr. Masters had already emptied and collected some of the sap earlier today.

As we left, the setting sun glowed across the frozen lake. And we were glowing a bit, too. Tomorrow’s forecast includes 3 to 6 inches of fresh snow. A sugar snow!

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” -Romans 1:20

God’s Steadfast Love in Victory

March 16, 2014 Diana B.Leave a comment

If you’ve been reading my blog this year, you already know that I’m currently enamored with the term “steadfast love” and have been studying it closely over the past few months. What a joy to deeply ponder God’s steadfast love and praise Him for it!

So today the series on steadfast love resumes with the next ESV verse in which the word appears, Exodus 15:13, which says:

“You have led in Your steadfast love the people whom You have redeemed; You have guided them by Your strength to Your holy abode.”

This verse is part of the third stanza in the “Song of Moses” that Moses and the people of Israel sang when God victoriously led them out of Egypt and across the Red Sea.

But let’s begin by backing up a bit to put this in context. Exodus 13:21-22 explains that as the Israelites fled Egypt, the LORD led His people by day in a pillar of cloud and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light. What a great visual of God’s loving and faithful presence!

God is leading His people out of slavery and into the Promised Land. At first they left with confidence, but once the Israelites learn Pharaoh king of Egypt and his elite, specialized army of chariots are pursuing them, their faith falters and they are filled with fear and despair. They complain to Moses, insisting they would have been better off serving the Egyptians rather than dying in the wilderness. (Exodus 14:10-12)

I love how Moses replies in verses 13-14. He says:

“Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

Be quiet, fear not, stand firm and watch God work today. It’s really that simple. Isn’t this what I need to do, too, most days?

When He tells Moses to lift up his staff and part the waters of the Red Sea, the Lord says, “I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.” (Exodus 14:17-18)

Oh, let’s give Him glory today, too. The crossing of the Red Sea is epic. Moses simply stretched out his hand over the sea — and the Lord worked. All night the Lord drove back the sea back with a strong east wind, dividing the waters and making the sea dry land. With walls of water on their left and their right, the people of Israel crossed over with no need for any sort of swimwear.

The Lord did indeed receive glory over Pharaoh and his men, his horses and his chariots. As the Egyptian forces chased after God’s people, the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on them and threw them into a panic. They acknowledged that the Lord was fighting for Israel, and they began to flee. Again, Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, which returned to its normal course that morning. The waters returned, covering the Egyptian forces and leaving them all dead on the seashore.

Seeing the great power the Lord used against the Egyptians, the people of Israel feared the Lord and believed in the Lord and in Moses. Then Moses and the Israelites sang a song of victory. The words of all four stanzas of the song are recorded in Exodus 15:1-17. Let’s look at the third stanza, verses 11-13, which begins with a few questions.

“Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods?

Who is like You, majestic in holiness,

awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?

You stretched out Your right hand;

the earth swallowed them.

You have led in Your steadfast love the people whom You have redeemed;

You have guided them by Your strength to Your holy abode.”

Imagine the Israelites singing these words as they stand on the shores of the Red Sea, having just crossed it safely on dry ground and having just watched the Egyptian forces sink like lead in the mighty waters.

This song paints a powerful picture of God’s steadfast love for His people as He guides them out of Egypt. His love for them is resolute, determined and devoted. It is reliable. It is not deterred by the fear and hopelessness of the Israelites. It is not deterred by 600 chariots. It is not deterred by the waters of the sea.

What an amazing love, and what a song of victory and triumph!

Meltdown at the Mailbox

March 15, 2014March 16, 2014 Diana B.Leave a comment

Below is my mailbox on Jan. 19, buried in snow.

Below is my mailbox on Feb. 17, completely swallowed up by something that resembles a glacier.

Below is my mailbox on March 5, somewhat more accessible.

And here is my mailbox today, March 15, looking very official.

It’s been so long covered in snow that I didn’t even remember there was a rock near the base of the mailbox. And please note that the grass is peeking through the snow along the curb in the neighbors’ yard. Grass!

Yes, the mailbox meltdown is fully underway, and spring has shipped!

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Winter’s Last Kiss

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