“Sugar” is how traditional Yankees from northern New England refer to what the rest of the country calls “syrup.” That's because widely available cane sugar is a modern reality. For much of our history maple sugar was the only sweetener we could produce ourselves, and was therefore readily available. Not only is it a culturally significant connection to the past, but also the production of “sugar” is a significant symbol for the ministry of our region. A gallon of Maple Syrup is produced by putting 40 or so gallons of sap through extreme heat for some time. Sounds like a version of Malachi 3:2-4 for our region. With apologies to Eugene Peterson.
"But who will be able to stand up to that coming? Who can survive his appearance? He'll be like a hardwood fire in the sugarhouse. He'll be like the strongest lye soap at the laundry. He'll take his place as a boiler of sap, as a cleanser of dirty clothes. He'll scrub the churches clean, evaporating the tasteless water from them, until they're fit for God’s table, fit to be poured on offerings of righteousness. Then, and only then, will northern New England be fit and pleasing to God, as it used to be in the years long ago."
"But who will be able to stand up to that coming? Who can survive his appearance? He'll be like a hardwood fire in the sugarhouse. He'll be like the strongest lye soap at the laundry. He'll take his place as a boiler of sap, as a cleanser of dirty clothes. He'll scrub the churches clean, evaporating the tasteless water from them, until they're fit for God’s table, fit to be poured on offerings of righteousness. Then, and only then, will northern New England be fit and pleasing to God, as it used to be in the years long ago."
-Abraham
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