Letting Trouble Have Your Chair

There is an old New England saying that I like, which says, “You can’t keep trouble from coming, but you don’t have to give it a chair to sit on,” advising people to expect trouble (as this is a fallen world), but not to be entertainers of it. Once this ‘trouble’ has been allowed lodging and food, it will stay with you and multiply trouble upon more trouble.

This past spring the State of Vermont ‘legalized’ same-sex marriage, which was (and still is) a terrible blow to us, and so dishonoring to God and the beautiful order with which He has created all things. We discovered that the legislation was being considered just days before it was passed, and in the time left we scurried to write letters to our representatives, pleading with them to vote honorably, and drove to the state capitol to be a presence during the proceedings. We were saddened to find out that we and a few others were the only Christian presence there. The bill had moved so quickly through the house and senate (almost sneakily) that most in opposition only found out about it after it had been passed. We found out about it before only because the Governor had stalled it with a veto and the bill got a lot of press at that point.

It has come to our attention that since the passage of this gay marriage law, Vermont has now become a target state for starting a nation-wide legalization of similar legislation. It was common-knowledge in the last couple years that New England was targeted by the homosexuals in the hopes that if they could get each NE state to legalize same-sex marriage then the whole nation might follow. Vermont now has the reputation of being an ‘easy’ state to use for political agenda. Because of our same-sex marriage law this past spring a lobbyist is vying for the legalization of ‘Polygyny’!!! (having of more than one wife). He has a blog here that explains his purpose, and even some strategy. The fellow claims to be a Christian (‘reformed’, too), which makes it even worse… :-P

We’ve let them sit on our chair, and now our larders are being raided!! These matters are in the Lord’s hand, and we, as humans, have not the power to prevent them from happening, as we cannot soften the hard hearts of wicked men. But, we can at least stand for what is right according to God’s word; speaking when it is the time to speak, and giving testimony to what is right by our actions, and praying that the Lord would be pleased to change hearts and minds that they might honor Him. I do believe that Christian laziness is somewhat responsible, as we are to be the Salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13-16) I am so ashamed that even we have been so asleep as to not care for the spiritual well-being of our homeland.

The Scottish Presbyterians would be appalled; they so passionately sought to protect the purity of the worship of God. A certain congregation got assigned Alexander Henderson as minister by the Scottish government (trying to force liturgy on them), and the church barricaded the doors and would not let him in. (Later, Henderson came to faith upon hearing a sermon by a Presbyterian minister, and was then welcomed by the congregation that had previously detested him)… there are other accounts, as well. I wish that I, and other Christians could have such well-placed zeal that we lock the doors, rather than give any credence to that which is evil by offering our chair. Compromising on what is true and right is ugly on the personal level, it is even more horrendous in Church and State.

End of rant.

Cold Things are Beautiful, and Warm Things are Huggable

I am always so stunned by winter skies-- the air and the ground are COLD, but you look up in the evening to see the sky burning with orange, peach, pink, purple, red... I think God made all of His creation with 'compensations'. Some places are hard to live in because they're too cold, or too hot. But, there are certain beauties that cannot be experienced any other place. I think of the stunning Northern Lights one sees in Alaska, but to live there and experience the beauty one must also tolerate very few hours of light in a day.

This afternoon I took my first 'jaunt' of the year on cross-country skis! Trees, brush, and all other 'matter' received a dusting last night that turned to crystal. We received no sun all day, so the beautiful crystals did not melt!

An overflowing, iced-over watering trough

The spout that didn't stop running!

A frosted fir branch

A weed turned beautiful with the intricate formation of ice on it!

Frosted forest-- our house is pictured behind the barn

Phoebe and Fiona are sooo fun! They built their own 'tower' in the play pen out of the couch cushions...

Around home and town this Autumn

Thyme growing wild in the cow pasture

A sleepy, misty morning on 'Wild Thyme Farm'

My favorite apple tree :o)

Our neighbors' barn through the trees...

Wind stealing leaves from the trees!

View of our town from a cow pasture ;o)

Rita and Fiona on the town green-- so pretty! :o)

Our 'Town Hall'. Where we register to vote, and go Contradancing every month! :-D

Yes 'tis true; we have covered bridges :o)

We call these "Ghost Blankets"

Morning Silhouette

Rita's thoroughbred gelding

Autumn Colors

I finally took time to go out with a camera and record some of the fall beauty! The colors are not as vibrant as they ought to be, because there was a haziness from alternating rain/sun, and it was too bright out. The naked eye can see fine, but cameras need 'special' lighting! Hopefully before all the leaves fall off the trees I will get a chance to take more-- I hope you enjoy these though! :-)

Come to VT!!

It is now almost peak foliage in the Northeast Kingdom. Give it a week, and the hills will be on fire with crimson, gold, orange, brown, and yellow. Here is a nifty 'foliage map' tracking the usual trends, if you are interested: http://www.foliage-vermont.com/fall_maps.htm. Don't worry about imposing on us-- we'll just put you to work stacking wood, making apple sauce, putting the garden to rest, and sealing things up for winter! ;-)

New England Funnies

I just came across these, and thought they were hilarious!! New Englanders really are like this, too... :-D

To the European, a Yankee is an American.
To an American, a Yankee is a New Englander.
To a New Englander, a Yankee is a Vermonter.
To a Vermonter, a Yankee is someone who eats apple pie for breakfast.
And to a Vermonter who eats apple pie for breakfast
a Yankee is someone who eats it with a knife.
~An old Yankee joke

"What New England is, is a state of mind, a place where dry humor and perpetual disappointment blend to produce an ironic pessimism that folks from away find most perplexing." ~ Willem Lange

Random New England 'proverbs':

"You can't keep trouble from coming, but you don't have to give it a chair to sit on."

"It won't be warm till the snow gets off the mountain, and the snow won't get off the mountain till it gets warm."

"Talk less and say more"

"Take care of the minutes and the hours will take care of themselves."

"We have two seasons: winter and the Fourth of July."

"In New England we have nine months of winter and three months of darned poor sledding."

"An ounce of experience is worth a pound of theory."

"The quickest way to do many things is to do one thing at a time."

"Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up." ~Robert Frost, poet from Vermont.

Wild Geese Flying

A few flocks of timid Canadian geese have begun to fly South; their honking echoes reach our ears through the chilly air, and mark the beginning of Fall. The geese always serve as a signpost to the changing seasons of Spring and Fall, because they never stick around. They always pass through-- escaping the cold in one season, and the heat in the other. I was thinking recently about how the seasons here do not blend-- the most distinct characteristic of where we live is, in fact, the changing of the seasons...