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I am Sandra - faithful steward. listener. shepherd. dream believer. hard worker. collects brass bells, boots. Jesus follower. contented. star gazer. homemaker. farmer. prayer warrior. country woman. reader. traveler. writer. homebody. living life large.

Monday, October 31, 2016

Martin Luther, Grounding, This Little Light of Mine...


His parents wanted him to become a lawyer but Martin Luther, in order to seek God, became an Augustinian monk, but eventually became disillusioned with the Catholic church. On today's date in 1517, his 95 Theses attacked the Catholic Church for selling "indulgences" to absolve sin. The 95 Theses (click to read a former post at Thistle Cove Farm blog) have two central beliefs: the Bible is the authority and salvation is obtained by faith alone and not by works. This sparked the Protestant Reformation, divided the Catholic church and forever changed "religion". If you're of the Protestant faith, you have Martin Luther to thank. Additionally, he wrote many hymns and one of my favorite is A Mighty Fortress Is Our God .


This Autumn has been glorious! Even though we're in dire need of rain, the colors are saturated against brilliant blue skies.


Sunday afternoon, Sam alerted me there were strangers on our road! How dare they! Sam is such a comical little feller; he's a good guard dog but will stay in our driveway while he's barking, barking, barking. When I acknowledge him and told him it was all right, he calmed down; all the while, Sadie is right beside me, making sure no one gets close.


A few years ago, I crocheted (is that right...crochet or crocheted???) this rug which is used in the bathroom. Every so often it needs to be washed, then hung over the gate so it can dry. It's not the best job ever done but it brings me pleasure, and, yes, even joy, when I both see and use it.


Warm, sunny days are taken advantage of by doing a bit of grounding. I wrote about it here and Wellness Mama writes about it here. She goes into scientific jargon while I basically say, "Here I am, it works." The book is Pushing Up Daisies, an Agatha Raisin mystery by M.C.Beaton...LUV this series and the made for television series, here. Heck, I LUV the Hamish MacBeth series as well!


I love where I live but one huge drawback, for me anyway, is the lack of thrift stores. A recent thrift visit found these lovelies...the little green pitcher, with lid, is used to hold cream for coffee and the little butter dish perfectly holds one of my half pound blocks of home churned butter.


I'm not sure of the original intent, but this cut glass vessel will now be used as a water pitcher. As a wedding gift, Dave and I received a Waterford pitcher and this little jewel looks like it will work wonderfully well alongside. (Gee, how do you like that onomatopoeia thing I got going? or is it? It's "alliteration", thanks to Mags for the correction...at Late Dark Thirty last night, I knew onomatopoeia wasn't correct, but couldn't sus out what was correct.) (The Lassie movie poster, background, showcases my farm, center, just under the word Lassie...woohoo!)


This little light of mine makes my heart beat quickly. I'm so glad my 'old granny' taste is out of fashion so folks will take things like this sweet, sweet lamp to thrift and consignment stores where God allows me to find and purchase.


The upper globe can be turned on or


the lower globe can be used as a rather bright night light, or


both upper and lower globes lit here.

Do you know Mags of Fraise Lachrymose blog, here? Last month, it was my pleasure to visit Mags, in Ireland! and she's begun blogging about the visit. I'm working on a Irish travelogue and, God willing and the creek don't rise, will soon have photos and verbiage posted. In the meantime, visit Mags for the first of her four parts...enjoy!

Sara, Sweet Magnolia Farm, recently commented, "Sandra, you live a beautiful life..." and it caught me by surprise. My life is centered on food, shelter, clothing with enough excitement like travel thrown in for good measure and I'm always surprised when people like it as well. Like Pam R. who wrote, "I just love your style of writing, the words and phrases. You have such a way with words!"


Sara and Pam, thank you so much and thank you all who read my natterings and give the gift of your time to comment! I do love my life, my animals, my farm and even though Dave is missed, dreadfully, the light at the end of the tunnel is light and not an oncoming train. I work terrifically hard, keeping it all going but I always...always!...take time to sit and bask in the beauty surrounding me. I have never taken my life, nor where I live, for granted and am well aware of the blessings and gifts God has given me.

Bless you all for the gift of your time in reading and the gift of your comment...bless you all!

Ponder this ~ "I have learned that my strengths are a result of my weaknesses, my success is due to my failure, and my style is directly related to my limitations.
   I have discovered that after all those years of musical instruction, after all that practice to be perfect, after all that hard work trying to compose the right notes, I am gifted with the knack of hitting exactly the wrong notes at precisely the right time.
   This is the secret of originality. Think about it...Only you can commit a colossal blunder in your own exquisite style. This is what makes you unique. But when you are faced with solving the problem, this is what makes you inventive."
~ Billy Joel ~ 

16 comments:

  1. Blessings on you as you navigate life. So that was you visiting the Lewis spots in Ireland?

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  2. That is a pretty rug you crocheted - yes, it is spelled that way! I also hang my rugs over the fences or gates after washing... used to have many feet of pool fence that was perfect for that job and now things aren't quite as convenient on rug-washing day!

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  3. your heading sight is so dreamy
    your farm is so beautiful and lamp is stunning
    loved being here

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  4. Wonderful!

    Luther is a Saint!

    Fine autumn-impressions

    Yesterday I saw a documentation about Luther's wife Katharina von Bora. AMAZING!
    She's a Saint, too!!!! Somehow like Sandra.......

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  5. Anonymous5:02 AM EDT

    Wonderful fall colors. I too, love the hymn, A Mighty Fortress. The older I get, the more meaningful the lyrics of hymns become to me.
    Love your thrift treasures. My favorite, the little green pitcher for cream. The lamp is an amazing find. Mama had one similar that was ruby red.
    God bless you this first day of Nov. Your blog friendship is much appreciated.

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  6. Your blog is itself so often light at the end of tunnels. Joyfully crocheted is fine, I think! NI rubbish for thrift stores- but I still feel guilty at not taking S2 to the one bookshop that would have kept us away from the Dark Hedges... Alliteration?

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  7. I think your granny lamp is lovely as is your post.Even in your grief your gratitude shines through. I love to walk barefoot! Unfortunately in GA the ants will eat. you. alive in summer/fall. Blessings, Angela

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  8. From one widow to another, you inspire me so much dear Sandra, in the hard work that you do, in the joy that you find, in your creations, in your making your own butter, etc. and in your love and faith in God.

    Thank you.

    You do live in a beautiful place!

    Happy Fall & love, hugs & prayers ~ FlowerLady

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  9. I enjoy all the "little lights" you send my way
    and I enjoy "pondering" too . . .

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  10. I also like the crocheted rug - bright and cheerful. Yes your blog is well written and ranges beautifully between the serious, important to the delightfully whimsical. Yes you live and love life well -

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  11. Guilty as charged, Ellen B! S1 (me) and S2 (bestie) and I visited Mags and had a fabulous time!

    Gretchen, thanks for telling me; the correct spelling has always confused me. My rug is so heavy, it would pull down the clothes line.

    Baili, thank you for visiting Thistle Cove Farm; yes, the photo is beautiful...I am blessed. Come back soon, you're always welcome.

    Dori, thank you for bringing up Katharina...I thought about mentioning here...she is a saint! I'd rather be a saint than a sinner...lol. Dori, I look forward to visiting you...either now or when we're Home. xoxo

    Mildred, I know what you mean...and the older hymns speak to me greatly. I cannot believe someone gave those little beauties to thrift and consignment stores...their loss, my gain!

    Mags, we did the right thing...S2 and I were at several book stores in Dublin and seeing Dark Hedges was amazing. When crocheting that rug, I kept thinking...not a very good job but I kept going. Now that it's been used for a while, the edges lay down almost flat...ha!

    Angela, I went to college in GA and don't remember those ants kindly...ouch! Thanks for visiting and your kind words.

    Rainey, thank you...we just keep on keeping on, don't we? There's no other choice; God gives us strength, wisdom...what we need to do what He needs us to do. God is good, all the time...all the time, God is good.

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  12. Lovely to hear what's going on in your beautiful corner, Sandra. Yes, you are a wonderful writer that has a way with words. I'm looking forward to your travelogue to Ireland. I know you will take us to wonderful sites. Oh, I love that sweet butter dish and your other found items. Have a lovely day! ♥

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  13. There's so much in this post. I have to find out about this grounding -- bare feet on the ground? And those books and TV series. And Ireland? How did I miss such a big thing? I will have to catch up.
    Love your crocheted rug. Looks like a lot of work. I am two months -- two months!!!! -- into knitting one silly sock!
    Your butter crock and pitcher and lamp are lovely. Yes, thank You Lord, for people who don't like the old things so we can enjoy them!!
    Blessings to you, Deborah

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  14. I thank God that even though we all have such different lives, we can all find things to enjoy and be grateful for. I look forward to reading more about the Ireland trip. :)

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  15. Your header and the land around you are beautiful!!... and yes, I agree with fellow readers of your blog - a beautiful life indeed (although it ain't easy, don't I know it) and you writing is a gift.

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  16. What a great way to end your post with that quote from Billy Joel. It was surprising to know he wifely and wrote that. Mercy! Wonders of wonders, I knew he was an artist, but it still surprised and delighted me. Thank you, Sandar. You do have a wonderful life, doing exactly what you need to do to come again into His glory. Blessings on you tonight as I thank God for my virtual friends, of which I am proud to say, you are one.

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