Winter lingers

Cozy home in the hills Although the weather station predicted about three inches of snow on Thursday and Friday followed by partly sunny weather for a few days, the snow didn’t stop and by Saturday morning, thirteen inches had fallen on top of the existing eight inches and more was still expected the next two days! Although very snowy, it has not been exceptionally cold, and the accumulation of slush on our long driveway has made getting in and out very challenging at times. When it warmed up enough to check on our Plowing...plowing...plowing the long drivewayThe van had to stay here for a while. Not as lucky as the ones killed during the hunting season. beehives we found a couple of them had died. And as the snow began to melt further, we discovered a baby deer that had starved to death right in our yard. But along with the hard and the sad comes the due share of joy. Jonathan has once "The trees of the Lord are full of sap..." (that's us!) again headed up our backyard sugaring operation which is looking like the best year we have ever had. It is a joy to see honeybees flying and deer and turkeys that made it through. We know that soon the  crocuses will come up and Joyful Jon makes our lives sweeter! the maple trees will bloom. For winters like this, here is a wonderful song we received from a pastor in Taiwan that is very fitting for the season. The title is "How tedious and tasteless the hours", words by John Newton and music arranged by Lewis Edson from Bach’s cantata 212.

 

How tedious and tasteless the hours
When Jesus no longer I see;
Sweet prospects, sweet birds and sweet flowers,
Have all lost their sweetness to me;
The midsummer sun shines but dim,
The fields strive in vain to look gay,
But when I am happy in Him,
December’s as pleasant as May.

 

His name yields the richest perfume,
And sweeter than music His voice;
His presence disperses my gloom,
And makes all within me rejoice.
I should, were He always thus nigh,
Have nothing to wish or to fear,
No mortal as happy as I,
My summer would last all the year.

 

Content with beholding His face,
My all to His pleasure resigned,
No changes of season or place
Would make any change in my mind:
While blessed with a sense of His love,
A palace a toy would appear,
All prisons would palaces prove,
If Jesus would dwell with me there.

 

Dear Lord, if indeed I am Thine,
If Thou art my sun and my song,
Say, why do I languish and pine?
And why are my winters so long?
O drive these dark clouds from the sky,
Thy soul cheering presence restore;
Or take me to Thee up on high,
Where winter and clouds are no more.

5 Comments

  1. Esther Staddon March 7, 2010 at 10:08 pm #

    I’m so sorry to hear about the hives, Michael. May the Lord continue to bless you with that eternal perspective!

  2. Michael March 8, 2010 at 8:47 am #

    Thanks Esther. I’m happy though – it looks like at least 2/3 of the hives will make it through and I think that’s good considering that I gave them no mite treatments of any kind at all last year, and some of them have only been treated once in the last 4 years! 🙂

  3. Joshua March 14, 2010 at 4:16 pm #

    Michael, I appreciate your perspective amidst the setbacks. I will tell you more later, but it is a timely message and reminder. I appreciate the following lines of the song you referenced,
    “…No changes of season or place
    Would make any change in my mind:
    While blessed with a sense of His love…”
    His love is upon us. God allows nothing more or less than that which will bring Him the utmost glory and us the greatest joy as we submit! Praise His Holy Name!

  4. Robert Staddon March 15, 2010 at 11:58 pm #

    Beautiful hymn, Michael! I don’t believe I had ever heard that one before. What a treasure!

  5. Donald March 17, 2010 at 12:22 pm #

    Agreed. Thank you for making sure this one was posted Michael! I hope we will remember to abide in Him even now that it’s spring.

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