We have snow in April at the ranch this year. In fact, as Aidan verified earlier today, we have "a whole ruler full!"  In Aidan-ese that translates to a foot, like right out the back door for instance. Yessirree and in April to boot. Needless to say we called it a snow day and they have spent the better part of it pulling each other around on the sleds and having snowball fights. They determined we neeeeed to keep a wether (male goat) this year so they can train it to pull. ; )

Imagine being 12 and in pain caused by an illness of uncertain origins. Imagine being the mother of said 12 yo. Imagine walking past her room and hearing the verses from "How Great Thou Art" floating softly into the hall. "Why are you singing," you ask. "Because there is nothing else to do," she replies. This incident is recalled in Dorcas Smucker’s book, Ordinary Days. She concludes that faith, finally, "consists of trusting when there are no easy answers, singing in the dark because there is nothing else to do, and finding it to be everything."

Some 15 years ago I was laid so low by recurrent illness that more than a few nights were spent propped on the couch wondering what the purpose of it all was. I had just before that been blessed with fervently Christian women who had introduced me to many new ideas. I was charting a new course in life. They had given me recordings of Christian music which filled the air through those long nights. Time slows to a crawl when you are counting every labored breath and it is tempting to wonder why. Also futile. In the end you are left with the choice to rebel or to sing.

Dorcas tells about an afternoon spent reading aloud to that daughter who was painstakingly working her way across her first rows of knitting. Her husband had taken her other children out for the day. She wondered if they would have had that opportunity to just sit, the two of them, had this illness left them any other choices. I know I would not have had hours on end to sit, captive, turning over the words sung by devout souls, thinking over their implications, if there had been anything else to do. Sometimes God does lay us down. Sometimes it isn’t until much later that we recognize those pastures as green.  Faith requires us to sing.

Her book is a delightful collection of essays about a woman whose life is so like mine, and yet so not like mine. It is full of my favorite things – random thoughts and quotes that make you smile such as: "It’s called ‘casserole,’ from which comes the Greek word for ‘Mennonite.’" There are serious reflections interspersed with lighthearted humor. Kind of like life. : ) I found she also has a blogspot and I have bumped it to the top of my ‘things to surf’ list whenever another free moment presents itself. Til then I am happy she wrote in short essays which I can squeeze into stolen bits of time throughout the day.

On a related note – as I come to the end of my lenten blog fast I see Elizabeth has a similar theme here. I wonder if when you talk with a dear friend on a daily basis you begin to think in step?  Or maybe that is how you become dear friends to begin with. <g>  As we find ourselves in the midst of dark nights of indecision I am so grateful for these messages. What is said about friends? "They know the song in your heart and can sing it for you when you forget the words." So sing. : ) If not just for you then for someone you know who cannot remember right now. Faith, and friendship, requires it.

Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? Mt 6:26

Good morning! Hoping your Easter weekend has been glorious! Ours has been very low-key.  My favorite <g>  As I have maintained over again, I have been a bit of a holiday flunkie in recent months. I have too many ideas to count but have only tapped into a very few of them. This lent has been sweet for all its challenges. We have prayed the Way of the Cross each week. (we are blessed with a looooong hallway in this house so we could display all the stations)  Our Easter dinner will be equally sweet but low key. Since we will be out much of the day we made our ham ahead and potato salad vs mashed.

Moira has been perfecting her bread making skills as you see. She made up some rolls for dinner this time. We made a lemon cake which the kids decorate with candies in the shape of a cross. Every year I remember I wanted to buy a lamb cake tin, every year I make this cake instead since I don’t have it. ; )

The children were also very sweet watching The Greatest Story Ever Told on Friday. Aidan is suddenly very aware of the Passion, having learned to read and devoured a children’s bible reader this year. He was spellbound watching on Friday afternoon and then found a rerun on tv Saturday to watch all over again. He admits he ‘about broke up’ over it. He is a rather sensitive child and it all hit him I guess. As well it should.

It brought to mind our trip to Tucson. As we were wandering around the mission there were two men standing under a painting, I should say gentlemen but the memory of the conversation still stings. The one was expounding about how the burial box and bones of Jesus have definitely been found and quoting all manner of pseudo-experts (coincidentally most of whom seem to be big screen names). I just shook my head in frustration. If that were true then none of this would really matter. There would be no Father God nor a Savior.  There would only be a hoax of the grandest proportions which Christian churches of all denominations have partaken of. Without the cross there is no Christianity, which of course is the reason why these claims resurface every so often.

It brought to mind another story we read where the author asks who is more fortunate, a small child who knows Jesus or an educated, successful man who does not. Looking at Aidan’s face, awestruck and contemplative, I know the answer. I hope your Easter leaves you awestruck as well. I am uploading a few scenes from our Easter prep.