9/11 and God

For your reading pleasure:  A Shocking Day That Neither Shocked nor Surprised God.

Childhood Memories -- A Craft From the Past

Of course, there is the usual grass cutting, garden weeding and tomato canning, but I've been busy reliving my childhood...

A few months ago, I had delivered a meal to a friend and their puppy promptly chewed two of my old, but loved potholders.  My niece had made some for me a long time ago.  I always loved making these as a kid and when I needed replacements the store bought ones just didn't cut it.  They just don't seem to stand up to the heat from the oven like these good ole ones do.

When I was telling my husband about my dilemma of trying to find decent potholders, he went online and found a kit with the whole works.  Frame, directions, helpful metal weaving tools and enough bright cotton loops to make two potholders.  This is the beginning of the first one that I made.

This is potholder #1!

This project brought back many memories from my childhood.  I loved weaving these--creating patterns with the colors--then, I remembered how difficult they can be to remove from the frame.  That brought back memories, too...the ones when I would get frustrated and yell and want to pitch the whole thing....yeah, those wonderful memories.  I did have to fight with this one getting it off the frame.  The second was a great deal easier.  I had left it on the frame for a couple of days knowing that I wanted time to put up a good fight.  Well, it seems that letting it sit for those two days helped a ton.  No fighting!  Lesson learned.

It was interesting for me to remember my frustrations as a kid and, thankfully, see that I'm no longer so easily frustrated and how God has grown me.

There is one problem, it is not all that big of a problem, really.  There have been quite a few admirers of my new potholders.  I may need to find a larger bag of loops to make some for gifts!  This is potholder #2.

P.S.  I realize that today is the 11th anniversary of the attacks on America on 9/11.  It remains a day of reflection and remembrance.  I cannot forget the horror of that day and how we have all been changed by such an attack.  God, however, was not asleep.  He is sovereign.

"My Father,
Enlarge my heart, warm my affections, open my lips,
   supply words that proclaim 'Love lustres at Calvary'.
There grace removes my burdens and heaps them on the Son,
   made a transgressor, a curse, and sin for me;
There the sword of thy justice smote the man, thy fellow;
There thy infinite attributes were magnified,
   and infinite atonement was made;
There infinite punishment was due,
   and infinite punishment was endured.
Christ was all anguish that I might be all joy
      cast off that I might be brought in,
      trodden down as an enemy
         that I might be welcomed as a friend,
      surrendered to hell's worst
         that I might attain heaven's best,
      stripped that I might be clothed,
      wounded that I might be healed,
      athirst that I might drink,
      tormented that I might be comforted,
      made a shame that I might inherit glory,
      entered darkness that I might have eternal light,
My Saviour wept that all tears might be wiped from my eyes,
      groaned that I might have endless song,
      endured all pain that I might have unfading health,
      bore a thorned crown that I might have a glory-diadem,
      bowed his head that I might uplift mine,
      experienced reproach that I might receive welcome,
      closed his eyes in death that I might gaze on unclouded brightness,
      expired that I might for ever live.

An excerpt from "Love Lustres At Calvary" from The Valley of Vision. (This selection is the favorite of my friend, Bill, who would, at any given opportunity, read from The Valley of Vision during Worship.)


Here is a a selection from "Valley of Vision" a CD of songs inspired by the book, Valley of Visions.  This song is based on this selection.  It is called "How Deep".
      

Mr. President, I Built This

I stumbled on this video put together by Bristol Palin, Sarah Palin's daughter.  It certainly made me smile.  What a wonderful response to Mr. Obama's remarks about the government building businesses.  I'm certainly glad that there was a farm mentioned--and from Pennsylvania at that!

Mr. President, I Built This


We are surviving the drought.  God, as always, has provided for us through our little garden, which we consider important to our living a more healthy life.  We also consider it important to help get us through these economic times.   It is good to have more than enough so that we are able to share with friends.  Food prices are only going up, it appears.

Pride is so subtle, that it can gather strength even from those gracious manifestations which seem directly calculated to mortify it; so dangerous, that a [besetting sin] may be esteemed a mercy, if overruled and sanctified by the Lord to make or keep us more humble:  therefore, though we can never be too earnest in striving against sin, too watchful in abstaining from all appearance of evil, and though those who wait upon the Lord may confidently hope that he will preserve them from such things as would dishonor their profession in the sight of men; yet I apprehend those who appear most to adorn the Gospel in their outward manner of life, are conscious of many things between the Lord and their own souls which covers them with shame, and that his tenderness and mercy to the, notwithstanding their perverseness, constrains them with admiration to adopt the language of Micah, "Who is a God like unto you, who pardons iniquity, and passes by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage?"  -- John Newton   (they wrote long sentences in those day!)

Garden Tool Quiz

Do you know what this is?

When I was growing up, we called it a hand cultivator.  It was used in our garden from the time I can remember.  Ours did not have the multiple attachments, just the prong thingy that is in the middle of the picture.   Since dad didn't want it anymore, for sentimental reasons, I nabbed it.  I always used it and liked it.  Yeah, I know, how weird is that?  Most people would prefer a "real" tiller.   I still have this darling antique.  The center prong is missing, but it still gets the job done.   Since our little Mantis tiller isn't working (something about gunk and a carburetor), I've been using this old one.  It looks like this only with more dirt ground into the wooden handles and a bit of rust on the wheel.  It is a great upper body workout, for those who are interested in such things. I'm probably just old-fashioned or maybe I just like to live in the past, (sometimes, I still like my telephone and running water) but there is something satisfying about using this old cultivator.  It helps me remember my dad, who taught me about planting and caring for a garden.  Who taught me about putting up fence and burning horns off calves.  He taught me about loving the country.  There I go getting nostalgic. It was a lovely, cool evening.  Perfect for working in the garden.  Garden work is usually preferable to cleaning the bathroom.  Bathroom cleaning is important, too, It's just that I would rather be outside.  I was able to get half of the upper garden worked up this evening. The happy news around here is that my John Deere, while repairs are yet to be completed,  is about done with her surgery and just needs to be stitched up.  That can't happen soon enough. Giver of All Good, Streams upon streams of love overflow my path. Thou hast made me out of nothing,    hast recalled me from a far country,    hast translated me from ignorance to knowledge,                                  from darkness to light,                                  from death to life,                                 from misery to peace,                                 from folly to wisdom,                                from error to truth,                                from sin to victory. Thanks be to thee for my high and holy calling. I bless thee for ministering angels,                   for the comfort of thy Word,                  for the ordinances of thy church,                  for the teaching of thy Spirit,                 for thy holy sacraments,                 for the communion of saints,                for Christian fellowship,                for the recorded annals of holy lives,               for examples sweet to allure,              for beacons sad to deter. I entrust myself to thee, for thou hast redeemed me. I bless and adore thee, the eternal God,    for the comfort of these thoughts,      the  joy of these hopes. ~an excerpt from Comforts, from The Valley of Vision

Charles H. Spurgeon

A fellow blogger and Christian agrarian, Brenda, at A Separate Path, has a great post on Spurgeon.  There is a selection from the introduction to his book, Farm Sermons.  It is well worth the read.  I invite you to check it out here.

Buckwheat: A Look Back

Ahh, yes, the title does sound rather formal, but, it's buckwheat.  How formal can buckwheat get?

Last spring, after much research into green manure, my husband and I decided that we would give buckwheat a try.  Our original garden plot was seven years old.  We thought it would be a good time to give it a rest and use the buckwheat as a cover crop, as well as one that would be used as a green manure.  This was going to be a boost to the soil as well as a deterrent to the weeds that have no problem growing in my garden, no matter what is going on with the soil.

*DISCLAIMER:  WE REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE DOING (BUT WE THOUGHT WE DID)!*

Disclaimer having thus been issued, I can fill you in on the details.  

The buckwheat was easily procured at our wonderful local feed mill, Bowser's.  It was then hand broadcast onto our tilled garden.  It grew into a lovely plot of buckwheat.  The local bee population seemed to enjoy it as well.  A huge plus, I think.  Here's where things went awry, in my humble opinion.  From what I understood, the buckwheat should be tilled under before it flowers and goes to seed.  OR, it can be left and the first frost would kill it and then it can be left to rot and then tilled into the ground.  I thought the first option sounded more "green".  I was going with that.  It seemed a happy thought.  When the buckwheat began to look like it was going to flower, the guy who runs the tractor and hooks up the equipment on this little corner of the world was informed of said event and that the plot needed to be tilled very soon.  I even offered to run the tractor, if he would connect the tiller.  The offer of me running any type of equipment usually speeds up any process for fear that I might actually do it.  When he sees me with a hammer, well, you get the picture, I think.  But, this time it didn't work.  It seems he didn't really believe I would even attempt to connect the tiller, let alone run it in the garden.  The buckwheat bloomed.  After much wringing of hands, on my part, the plot was mowed.  I thought, then, that it would be tilled.  At this point, the big guy had so many irons in the fire that there was no hope of getting the tiller on the tractor.  It wasn't long before a second crop of buckwheat emerged just as lovely as the first, albeit, unwanted.  This second crop was then mowed.  Yet, again, another crop was beginning to show it's strong and sturdy self.  At least the frost saved us from another round.  Fast forward to the spring.  The garden was tilled.  Crops were planted.  And, yes, you guessed it, there is buckwheat sprouting in the garden.  Thankfully just a few plants here and there that are easily dispatched and used as green manure, manually.  

All this being said, I am certain that there are plenty of folks who have had great success with green manures and are seasoned veterans at this craft.  It seems as if the use an old Presbyterian motto might work here, "But, we've never done it that way before."  You can teach an old dog new tricks, I think, just not these old dogs.

I have no idea if our soil has profited from our experiment with buckwheat.  I really don't know if we will ever try it again.  (My boss says, "NO".)  I still have weeds, though.  But, I think that's just life with a garden.  Or, maybe it's just life.

To read what real experts say about green manure, you can check out Gardening When it Counts, Growing Food in Hard Times, by Steve Solomon.  Or, online here.

.

P.S.  My camera was accidentally left at our daughter's in Minnesota.  It is being returned when they come for a visit the end of June.  I miss it.  

My sweet ride, Hazel, my John Deere, had to go in for major surgery this spring.  She has yet to be repaired.  In the meantime, I'm using an old Craftsman, which gets the grass cut with twice the amount of time and effort...the steering is bad.  I miss it more than my camera.  My arms and shoulders are getting a great workout though.

O LORD,

Whose power is infinite and wisdom infallible,

Order things that they may neither hinder, nor discourage me...

Permit me not to labour at work which thou wilt not bless,

     that I may serve thee without disgrace or debt;

Let me dwell in thy most secret place under thy shadow,

   where is safe impenetrable protection from

     the arrow that flieth by day,

     the pestilence that walketh in darkness,

     the strife of tongues,...

     the perils of youth,

     the temptations of middle life,

     the mournings of old age,

     the fear of death.

I am entirely dependent upon thee for support, counsel, consolation.

Strengthen me by thy Spirit in my inner self

     for every purpose of my Christian life.

--selections from Refuge, from A Valley of Vision

Spring, Again

We had a wonderful, warm March this year.  And then there was April.  Cold, dreary and, probably, normal.  While there were many folks that thought this would be a great opportunity to get a jump on getting their gardens in, I just knew the other shoe had to drop.  It was March!!  Sure, enough, there were frosts a plenty and some areas nearby had snow just last week.  Call me cautious, I would not rather waste time, money and seeds and have them killed with frosts, which are more than normal in April...and May.  So, today it is as if spring has come again.

Yesterday, after church, we had lunch and then took a chance that our Amish friends were not having a church Sunday.  Since we are now attending a church not far from them and gas prices being what they are, it seems like a good chance to take.  What wonderful Providence to have all our friends together for a great visit.  Obviously, it was not a church Sunday and everyone happened to be visiting at David's place.

I was ashamed to have to admit that I didn't have anything in the garden yet.  These ladies had planted quite a bit.  Radishes, lettuce, carrots, peas, beets and potatoes.  Lizzie and Lena have their plants covered.  Lizzie's garden would make any 'modern' gardener proud.  She has her early plants covered with row covers (hoops covered in plastic).  She has purchased on Amazon.com a gardening book, Garden Ways, Joy of Gardening (one that I grew up with).  I'm still trying to come to grips with the fact that this young Amish lady travels the Internet with ease.  This is unsettling to my fairy tale view of their life in Amish country.  Needless to say, her garden is beautiful.  Do you sense any garden envy going on??

That being said, today my hands are dirty.  Life is good.  While the weather people, dastardly beings that they can be messing with my life by giving bad predictions, fouled up my laundry day a bit (late showers, my foot!). In the end it was not much more than a long sprinkle.  It wasn't so bad that I couldn't get some goodies in the garden.  There are onions, spinach, lettuce, radishes and red potatoes planted today.  Now, I no longer hang my head in shame.

I learned something about potato planting.  Yes, there is much I still need to learn.  It seems that folks plant peas on St. Patrick's Day--heard about that one--potatoes when the dandelions bloom.  Well, my dandelions are well underway.  I've never planted potatoes this early.  I hope things go OK.  Last year, I got them in to late and, with the hot summer, I did not get a good crop.  It is supposed to be a warm, damp week here, so we will see how it goes.

At least my hands are dirty....Yes.


Though we often feel mastered by sin on all sides, you have given us another master, your Son, Jesus Christ, and now our hearts are turned toward holiness and our longings toward obedience.  May his great love cover the multitude of our sins;
may his perfect obedience replace our daily disobedience;
may his great power save us from love of the world, pride of life and from everything that is natural to our fallen state.  
May His beauty captivate us more than our sin and His love ground us in truth and holiness.


In Jesus name we pray,
Amen


Adapted from the Valley of Vision