Sabbath Keeping

"I will not forget you.

See, I have written your name

 on the palms of my hands... ."

~ Isaiah 49:16 ~

"since God in faithfulness remembers us,

we by faith must remember God."

"I made you.

Trust me.

I know what I'm doing."

~ love, God ~

"God didn't bring you out to deep waters to drown you, 

He brought you here because your enemies can't swim!"

~ Pastor Steven Furtick ~

The struggle is part of your story; 

God has a plan for your good and His glory.

"I'm a little pencil in the hand of a writing God, who is sending a love letter to the world."

~ Mother Teresa ~ 

God says NO to redirect, not to reject.

"We say then, to anyone who is under trial, give Him time to steep the soul in His eternal truth. Go into the open air, look up into the depths of the sky, or out upon the wideness of the sea, or on the strength of the hills that is His also; or, if bound in the body, go forth in the spirit; spirit is not bound. Give Him time and, as surely as dawn follows night, there will break upon the heart a sense of certainty that cannot be shaken." ~ Amy Carmichael ~ 

"I give them eternal life,

and they shall never perish;

no one will snatch them

out of my hand."

~ John 10:28 ~

Please pray for Jim and Gladys ~ Rebekah ~ Ryan ~ Dalton ~ 

Sabbath Keeping

"Direct my footsteps according to your Word;

let no sin rule over me."

~ Psalm 119:133 ~

Love the sinner, 

Hate the sin.

"Other religions deal with sins; 

the Bible alone deals with sin."

~ Oswald Chambers ~ 

"There's one thing we need above everything else; it's something we don't talk about these days. We need a mighty avalanche of conviction of sin. ... We're living in an unprecedented day (when) evil is no longer evil. We've changed the terminology -- iniquity is now infirmity; wickedness is now weakness; devilry is now deficiency." ~ Leonard Ravenhill ~

"When a man is getting better he understands more and more clearly the evil that is still left in him. When a man is getting worse he understands his own badness less and less. A moderately bad man knows he is not very good: a thoroughly bad man thinks he is all right. This is common sense, really. You understand sleep when you are awake, not while you are sleeping. You can see mistakes in arithmetic when your mind is working properly: while you are making them you cannot see them. You can understand the nature of drunkenness when you are sober, not when you are drunk. Good people know about both good and evil: bad people do not know about either."

~ C. S. Lewis ~ 

"The temptation of the age is to look good without being good." 

~ Brennan Manning ~ 

"Men do not differ much about what things they call evils;
the differ enormously about what evils they will call excusable."
~ G. K. Chesterton ~

"Whatever weakens your reason,

impairs the tenderness of your conscience,

obscures your sense of God,

or takes off the relish for spiritual things

then it is sin for you however

innocent it may be in itself."

~ Suzanna Wesley ~

"Primarily, God is not bound to punish sin; He is bound to destroy sin. The only vengeance worth having on sin is to make the sinner himself its executioner." ~ George MacDonald ~ 

"As the salt flavors every drop in the Atlantic, so does sin affect every atom of our nature. It is so sadly there, so abundantly there, that if you cannot detect it, you are deceived."

~ C. H. Spurgeon ~ 

"You do not really care for God's mercy or His comfort either, so long as you live in any sin. And it is well that you do not; for you can have neither. Your peace will be like a river, when you put away your sin; but not one word of true peace, not one drop of true comfort, can you have till then."

~ Alexander Whyte ~

"You'll never be able to speak against sin

if you're entertained by it."

~ John Muncee ~ 

"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, not abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

~ 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ~ 

Please pray for ~ those affected by Hurricanes Nate, Marie, Harvey ~ the Las Vegas shooting ~ the earthquakes in Mexico ~ Sandra and Bill ~ Gladys ~ Jim ~ the families locally of the three young men killed in an auto accident this past week ~ 

Sabbath Keeping

"And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, 

who will feed you with knowledge and understanding."

~ Jeremiah 3:15 ~ 

"A good sermon is not like a club that beats upon the will

but like a sword that cuts to the heart."

~ Tim Keller ~

"It was strictly forbidden to preach to other prisoners. It was understood that whoever was caught doing this received a severe beating. A number of us decided to pay the price for the privilege of preaching, so we accepted their [the communists'] terms. It was a deal; we preached and they beat us. We were happy preaching. They were happy beating us, so everyone was happy." ~ Richard Wurmbrand, Tortured for Christ N/E ~  (click on Pastor Wurmbrand's name and listen)

"It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching."
~ Francis of Assisi ~

"When you are possessed by evil spirits, it is crafty manipulations that you follow; but when you are possessed by the Holy Spirit of God, it is wise discretion you pursue!" ~ Israelmore Ayivor ~

"The backslider likes the preaching that wouldn't hit the side of a house, while the real disciple is delighted when the truth brings him to his knees." ~ Billy Sunday ~

"I preached as never sure to preach again,

and as a dying man to dying men."

~ Richard Baxter ~ 

"We [pastors] have a balance to strike--not to preach Christ without preaching the text, and not to preach the text without preaching Christ." ~ Tim Keller ~

"Cartooning is preaching. And I think we have a right to do some preaching. I hate shallow humor. I hate shallow religious humor, I hate shallow sports humor, I hate shallowness of any kind." ~ Charles M. Schultz ~

"A man who first tried to guess 'what the public wants', and then preached that as Christianity because the public wants it, would be a pretty mixture of fool and knave." ~ C. S. Lewis ~

"It is the business of a virtuous clergy to censure vice in every appearance of it."
~ Patrick Henry ~

"The preacher is not a chef; he's a waiter. 

God doesn't want you to make the meal;

He just wants you to deliver it to the table without messing it up.

That's all."

~ John MacArthur ~ 

"The waters of good preaching are always running downhill to the stream of Christ, who He is, and how He has loved us." ~ David Mathis ~

"The test of a preacher is that his congregation goes away saying, not 'What a lovely sermon,' but 'I will do something!'"...  ~ Francis de Sales ~

"The gospel-logic moves [in a sermon are]: 'Here's what you must do,' then "Here's why you can't do it,' then 'Here's the one who did it for you,' and finally 'Here's how faith in Him enables you to do it too.' Following this logic in a sermon means that often you bring in practical application in more than one place." ~ Tim Keller ~

"If I had only one sermon to preach

 it would be a sermon against pride." 

~ G. K. Chesterton ~

"If Jesus preached the same message minister's preach today, 

He would have never been crucified."

~ Leonard Ravenhill ~ 

"Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergymen or laymen, they alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon Earth." ~ John Wesley ~

"The preaching of Christ is the whip that flogs the devil. The preaching of Christ is the thunderbolt, the sound of which makes all hell shake." ~ Charles Spurgeon ~

"God has ordained that our preaching become deeper and more winsome as we are broken, humbled, and made low and desperately dependent on grace by the trials of our lives." ~ John Piper ~

"Brothers, pray for us."

~ 1 Thessalonians 5:25 ~

Please pray ~ for pastors and ministers preaching Biblical truths ~ for those pastors and ministers preaching milksop ~ for those in Biblical ministry around the world ~ October is Clergy Appreciation Month - a good pastor stands in the gap between the congregation and hell. Likewise, a praying congregation stands in the gap between the pastor and hell. My suggestion to show your Pastor he is appreciated...a gift card to a nice restaurant so his family can benefit. Unless your Pastor is not married, the family is in service to God. How lovely for the spouse to also be shown your gratitude ~

I've found my HaPpY Place!

~ Happy Cafe ~

My favorite new restaurant is the Happy Cafe in downtown Blackstone in southside Virginia. Blackstone is a small town, about 3650 people, in Nottoway County which has fewer than 16,000 people. As soon as I entered the Happy Cafe and heard jazz playing, I knew I'd like it. The food is delicious and made on-site; their bread pudding with ice cream is incredible! I used to make bread pudding and theirs is better than mine...I'm happy to say because now I can have it whenever I want it...delish!

Some of you have heard me say or seen written on this blog, "I spent the best one-third of my life on Thistle Cove Farm in southwest Virginia." It's true; it was on that little piece of consecrated land I found my calling, Dave and I grew our friendship into love, Dave made his peace with God, God showed me His new plan for my life (although not quite as soon as I would have liked! --laughing--) and so much more.

There are new owners of the farm; I wish them well and hope they'll be as happy and contented as we were. I said to them, "You can run the farm or you can run the roads but you can't run both. For good or ill, this farm is your visual testimony as to your stewardship of what God has allowed you to have." Dave and I found that farm in terrible shape and other than the fields needing mowing, I left it in fabulous shape...mostly restored house, restored barns and outbuildings, new fences, new garage...the list goes on and on. I counted it all joy to do the work required there and thank God for His allowing Dave and I stewardship.

Last week Beloved Sistah asked, "Do you miss the other place?" I smiled and said, "Not in the least bit! God brought me to a place where He knew I was ready, without hesitation, to close that season of life and move to the next. This has been a wonderful change and a wonderful new beginning."

~ new location, same glorious name! ~

About five months after Dave died, I had a meltdown where I collapsed on the kitchen floor, tears flooding my face, sobbing uncontrollably while dogs huddled around giving what comfort they could. Actually, they were panicked as well...Sam had watched as Melvin performed CPR on Dave and Sam still has panic attacks when he thinks I'm leaving (it's as if he's afraid I won't come back) and when I return, he can't contain his joy. I do wonder what goes on in his little mind...? Anyway, that was the moment I considered taking my life. It wasn't so much I wanted to be with Dave, it was more I was so totally overwhelmed, despondent and had no idea of what to do, how to do it, when, etc. With all my heart I believe God whispered to me, "Sandra, if you do take your own life, you'll miss all the blessings I have for you." I could not conceive of blessings, not in the midst of such horrible grief but I knew (know) God can be trusted. He has a plan...a plan for my good and His glory so I made the decision to "do the next thing" and that's what I've done since. I've done the next thing and the next and the next... I come from sturdy stock and the family stories I've grown up with would curl your hair. I've watched as Aunts and Grandmothers were left widows, sometimes in horrific circumstances, yet they "did the next thing". Never was a tainted word associated with them, they had little except their dignity and honor yet kept both unscathed.

~ view of our (God and me) pond ~

Great Aunt Effie was left a widow with 13 children when, one September, Great Uncle James was, quite literally, blown up while working on the railroad. She did other people's laundry for ten cents a day to keep food on the table, clothes on her children and a roof over their heads. James and Granddaddy were working together, when the dynamite cap went off, Great Uncle James was killed instantly with little to be found except bits and pieces. Granddaddy was blown out of his overalls, and found wandering in total shock, so the newspaper article said, half mile down the track. His eye was blown out so he had a glass eye made and used that in the socket; he delighted in taking it out, and showing it to me but I can't remember if I screamed or laughed. I do remember extreme awe he was able to do such a thing. Daddy told me more of the story when he and I were recently at the WV family cabin: When Uncle Clarence, Daddy's oldest brother was hunting a few months later, his dog scruffled around in the leaves and came up with Great Uncle James' hand. Daddy said Uncle Clarence did the only thing he could do, he buried the hand and, remembering Uncle Clarence as a fine Christian man, he said a few words of prayer.

~ view of pond with house in background ~

That story and so many more are part of my marrow, reminding me I come from sturdy stock, people who came to the New World almost two hundred years before the great famine in search of a better life. God has a plan that is, usually, totally beyond (my) comprehension. His ways are not our ways but I choose to trust Him and that brings me to this new season in life...less than thirty miles from parents, siblings and nephew with a good church even closer and a wonderful restaurant within walking distance of the church. Mercy me...can it get any better?! 

I'm happiest in smaller, rural communities and this is still the case. Monday through Friday, Steve Winn hosts Coffee Chat at WSVS Radio where Lester Flat and Earl Scruggs got their start. Click here to see Steve (in his Hokies shirt!) and to hear him promoting vacuum cleaners. Think home town sweetness when you think Coffee Chat; folks call in and Steve knows so many of their voices, calls them by name, asks about them/their spouse and families and off they go! Some call to sell things, some call to update him on their latest hospital visit including aches, pains and operations, others call just to say hello, some call to say, "I just made some stew and will bring you some later on today." Quite simply, it's small town Americana at its absolute best!

~ Beloved Sistah, et al, on the steps at my new home ~

I hadn't moved in when Beloved Sistah said, "Dustin is bringing his family here the end of August." I replied, "Oh, I hope I get a chance to see them." She grinned and said, "You will; we're all meeting here for lunch on Sunday." How glorious! We had a grand time...Mom, Dad, my brother/wife, my sister/husband, two sons with wives/children...it was incredible and the first time we've all been together in quite a while. Cherish those time...simply cherish those times!

My views haven't change enormously...it's still farm country with round bales being put up and corn silage being cut. With the help of Daniel, Robbie, Jimmy, Tommy, Christopher, Chloe, GraceAnn, Mandy and Joe, as well as the Tazewell Mennonite community, I was moved lock, stock and barrel. Steve, my brother, and Walt, my brother-in-law, helped once I arrived in Southside VA. A couple of days, Mom and Dad came, bringing lunch and that was gratefully received and eaten. Some things were meant to be left behind in southwest VA but I'm finding they were packed and moved here. So be it. At the end it was crazy hectic and I'm grateful to those folks for doing the hard work of moving me. My Beloved Sistah has spent many days, helping unpack boxes, re-arrange basement and barn but there are still boxes to unpack. I'm in giveaway mode and have many goodies to bestow on someone or a thrift store. I love where I live and foresee many happy years right here, celebrating God's plan for my life and His glory. If you're ever in southside Virginia, send me an e-mail and come visit; I'm not proud...even in total disarray, God's creation shines forth and there's always time for sweet ice tea, shortbread and a chin wag while porch sitting.

If you've followed this saga, included me in prayer, sent a card or e-mail...my heart is grateful. The process has been long, at times arduous but hardly boring. No, never boring!

Thank you; God's greatest blessings on you, yours and the work of your hands and heart.

Ponder this ~ "Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life." ~ Omar Khayyam ~

Sabbath Keeping

~ Honey Buns, one of God's finest Jersey cows ~

(photo by Ashley Fisher)

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say

to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." For He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day..."

~ Psalm 91:1-16 ~

"Opportunity may knock only once but temptation leans on the doorbell." 

~ unknown ~

"...Satan does not tempt us to do wrong things; he tempts us in order to make us lose what God has put into us by regeneration, viz., the possibility of being of value to God.He does not come on the line of tempting us to sin, but on the line of shifting the point of view, and only the Spirit of God can detect this as a temptation of the devil." ~ Oswald Chambers, Our Utmost for His Highest ~

"Darkness comes. In the middle of it, the future looks blank. The temptation to quit is huge. Don't. You are in good company...You will argue with yourself that there is no way forward. But with God, nothing is impossible. He has more ropes and ladders and tunnels out of pits than you can conceive. Wait. Pray without ceasing. Hope." ~ John Piper ~

"No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good. A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is. After all, you find out the strength of the German army by fighting against it, not by giving in. You find out the strength of the wind by trying to walk against it, not by lying down. A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does now know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness - they have lived a sheltered life by always giving in. We never find out the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it: and Christ, because He was the only man who never yielding to temptation, is also the only man who knows to the full what temptation means - the only complete realist." ~ C. S. Lewis ~

"For years my wedding ring has done its job. It has led me not into temptation. It has reminded my husband numerous times at parties that it's time to go home. It has been a source of relief to a dinner companion. It has been a status symbol in the maternity ward." ~ Erma Bombeck ~

"Temptation is like a knife, it can either cut the meat or the throat of a man; it may be his food or his poison, his exercise or his destruction." ~ John Owen ~

"Never succumb to the temptation of bitterness."

~ Martin Luther King, Jr. ~

"Too many Christians have a commitment of convenience. They'll stay faithful as long as it's safe and doesn't involve risk, rejection or criticism. Instead of standing alone in the face of challenge or temptation, they check to see which way their friends are going." ~ Charles Stanley ~

"Temptation is the devil looking through the key hole.

Yielding is opening the door and inviting him in."

~ Billy Sunday ~ 

"...Temptation is not sin, it is the thing we are bound to meet if we are men. Not to be tempted would be to be beneath contempt. Many of us, however, suffer from temptations from which we have no business to suffer, simply because we have refused to let God lift us to a higher plane here we would face temptations of another order.
...Temptation is a suggested short-cut to the realization of the highest at which I am-not towards what I understand as evil, but towards what I understand as good. Temptation is something that completely baffles me for a while, I do not know whether the thing is right or wrong. Temptation yielded to is lust deified, and is a proof that it was timidity that prevented the sin before.
Temptation is not something we may escape, it is essential to the full-orbed life of a man. Beware lest you think you are tempted as no one else is tempted; what you go through is the common inheritance of the race, not something no one ever went through before. God does not save us from temptations; He succours us in the midst of them." ~ Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest ~

"We usually know what we can do

but temptation tells us who we are."

~ Thomas A Kempis ~

"There is no temptation taken you but such as is common to man."

~ 1 Corinthians 10:13 ~

Please pray for ~ hurricane and earthquake victims ~ helpers ~ Maxine ~ Ryan ~ 

Update ~ coming tomorrow...I LOVE my Happy place!

Sabbath Keeping

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,

and a light unto my path."

~ Psalm 119:105 ~

"As the world grows increasingly dark, remember that you are the light of the world. Don't waste energy lamenting bad things over which you have no control. Pray about these matters, but refuse to let them haunt your thoughts. Instead, focus your energies on doing what you can to brighten the place where I have put you. Use your time, talents and resources to push back the darkness. Shine My Light into the world!

I am the true Light that shines on in the darkness--even in the most terrible conditions. Your light originates in Me and reflects from you. I have called you to reflect My Glory! You do this most effectively by becoming more and more fully the one I designed you to be. Spend ample time seeking My Face, beloved, Focusing on My Presence and My Word helps you to grow in grace and discern My will. Your time spent with Me nourishes your soul, providing comfort and encouragement. Thus I strengthen you and enable you to be a source of strength for others."
~ Sarah Young, Jesus Always ~

"Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter."

~ Charles Spurgeon ~

"In the age of technology there is constant access to vast amounts of information. The basket overflows; people get overwhelmed; the eye of the storm is not so much what goes on in the world, it is the confusion of how to think, feel, digest, and react to what goes on." ~ Criss Jami ~

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."
~ Jim Elliot ~

"Let God have your life;

 He can do more with it than you can."

~ D. L. Moody ~

"We know that the whole creation has been groaning

as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time."

~ Romans 8:22 ~

Please pray for ~ Texans in the path of Texas Storm Harvey ~ folks in the path of Hurricane Irma ~ Mexicans in the earthquake ~ first responders ~ volunteers ~ those in the path of Hurricane Jose ~

The news has been full of tragedy after tragedy, photos showing unbelievable suffering, damage, loss of life, homes, possessions. It is so easy to become overwhelmed; what to do, who to help, where to send money, water, food, blankets? Each of us must do as we feel led; I give to Christian Aid Ministries, a Mennonite non-profit who consistently gives more than they receive in donations. I know Mennonites and others who are first responders, who had boots on the ground before the storms hit, giving aid, compassion, a cup of water in Jesus' name. If you're interested in helping, please visit CAM (Christian Aid Ministries) click here to see how you can help.

Update: No photo today as I am on a borrowed computer with no photo access. Hopefully, internet access will happen this week. There's one more load coming and then will be finished moving; I'm living at Thistle Cove Farm (relocated), sleeping in my own bed and loving my new home! My Beloved Sistah has been cracking the whip and a good many boxes are emptied with, maybe, one third left (sorry Mandy...I lied unintentionally...I found more boxes so there are a few more to unpack than I originally thought). Sistah and I went to the Blackstone Arts and Crafts Festival, yesterday, and had a marvelous time...so wonderful to enjoy her company, laughter, love, friendship!

The new studio has been delivered, almost all vehicles have shelter and life is good great! Praise God, He has a plan...a plan for my good and for His glory! Blessed be His Name.

Sabbath Keeping

"Lord, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws;

our hearts desire is to glorify your name."

~ Isaiah 26:8 ~ 

"It is not reputation, fame, success or religiosity that glorifies God,

it's slavery."

~ indonesia123 ~

"Give me 100 preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God; such alone will shake the gates of hell." ~ John Wesley ~

"Humility is nothing but the disappearance of self in the vision that God is all."
~ Andrew Murray ~

"God works powerfully, but for the most part gently and gradually."
~ John Newton ~

"What are you really living for? It's crucial to realize that you either glorify God, or you glorify something or someone else. You're always making something look big. If you don't glorify God when you're involved in a conflict, you inevitably show that someone or something else rules your heart." ~ Ken Sande ~

"God is not proud. He will have us even though we have shown that we prefer everything else to him." ~ C. S. Lewis ~

"Worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness, the nourishment of the mind with His truth, the purifying of the imagination of His beauty, the opening of the heart to His love, the surrender of the will to His purpose."
~ William Temple ~

"An ineffable, holy God, who has the utmost abhorrence of sin, was never invented by any of Adam's descendents." ~ A. W. Pink ~

"When we live holy, we will glorify self

but when we glorify God, we will live holy."

~ indonesia123 ~

"One of the joys of heaven...will be discovering the hidden ways that God in His sovereignty acted in our lives on earth to protect and guide us [that we might] bring glory to His name, in spite of our frailty." ~ Billy Graham ~

"For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," 

is the One who has shone in our hearts to give 

the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ."

~ 2 Corinthians 4:6 ~ 

Please pray for ~ Jim ~ Miss Emma ~ Daniel and I as we begin moving animals from southwest VA to southside VA ~ 

THISTLE COVE FARM IS RELOCATING!

It's been a long while, six years to be exact, since Dave died and for several of those years, I've wanted to move closer to family. To each of you who have prayed, thank you so very much! God's timing is always perfect because He sees through the lens of eternity while we see only the here and now.

Oswald Chambers puts it well, "The bravery of God in trusting us! You say, "But He has been unwise to choose me, because there is nothing in me; I am not of any value."

"That is why He chose you. As long as you think there is something in you, He cannot choose you because you have ends of your own to serve; but if you have let Him bring you to the end of your self-sufficiency then He can choose you to go with Him to Jerusalem, and that will mean the fulfillment of purposes which He does not discuss with you."

"We do not know what God is after, but we have to maintain our relationship with Him whatever happens. We must never allow anything to injure our relationship with God; if it does get injured we must take time and get it put right. The main thing about Christianity is not the work we do, but the relationship we maintain and the atmosphere produced by that relationship. That is all God asks us to look after, and it is the one thing that is being continually assailed."  (italics mine)

Mercy! Yes, the bravery of God! I weep when I stop to think how often I've failed Him, asked forgiveness and He responded, "Sandra, of course I forgive you, as far as the east from the west and then I remember no more. You are the apple of My eye and I hold you by my right hand." If you ever get hold of His truths, you will never be the same; more importantly, you'll spend eternity in Heaven, celebrating the One who created you in His own image! (No, that doesn't mean we physically look like God, it means He created us to have His attributes. It's not His fault Eve, then Adam choose poorly yet even after their poor choices, He forgave them.) Again, I say...mercy! The bravery of God!


Peyton Burchell, with The Marshall Group, was my Buyer's Agent and to say he handled everything superbly is putting it mildly. When Dave passed away, Stoney Marshall helped me and it was Stoney's professionalism, kindness and compassion that caused me to again reach out to his group. It is impossible for me to overstate how much Peyton helped me, how much I relied on him and he never disappointed!

In addition to the lack of internet these past few months, I've also been in process of finalizing the sale of the southwest Virginia farm and buying the central Virginia farm. Yes, I've bought another farm with smaller house and more land. As the old woman said to her granddaughter, "Buy land. Buy as much as you can afford because they aren't making any more of it!" I've got until August end to vacate and there's much to be done. I've been giving away "stuff" like a mad woman and still have a lot of packing, etc. Needless to say, there won't be a lot of time for blogging and I've yet to obtain internet at the new place and I've also got to eat a few more times at Fisher and Company before I leave! lol

When I'm brought to mind, please say a pray for a safe move of animals, belongings and me and thanks again for all your prayers. God has a plan and He'll keep working it all out for His glory.

God bless you, yours and the work of your hands and heart.

Sandra

Sabbath Keeping

"I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God;

than to dwell in the tents of ungodliness."

~ Psalm 84:10 ~

"Never pray to be a better slave 

when God is trying to get you out of your situation."

~ Shannon L. Alder ~ 

"He who lays up treasurers on earth spends his life backing away from his treasurers. To him, death is loss. He who lays up treasures in heaven look forward to eternity; he's moving daily toward his treasures. To him, death is gain." ~ Randy Alcorn ~

"We may speak about a place where there are no tears, no death, no fear, no night;
but those are just the benefits of heaven. The beauty of heaven is seeing God." ~ Max Lucado ~

"There are no unique postures and times and limitations that restrict our access to God. My relationship with God is intimate and personal. The Christian does not go to the temple to worship. The Christian takes the temple with him or her. Jesus lifts us beyond the building and pays the human body the highest compliment by making it His dwelling place, the place where He meets with us. Even today He would overturn the tables of those who make it a marketplace for their own lust, greed and wealth." ~ Ravi Zacharias ~

"Believers are never told to become one; 

we already are one and are expected to act like it."

~ Joni Eareckson Tada ~

"God never said the journey would be easy,

but He did say the arrival would be worthwhile."

~ Max Lucado ~

"Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter." ~ Francis Chan ~

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep,

to gain what he cannot lose."

~ Jim Elliott ~

"Remember who you are. Don't compromise for anyone, for any reason. You are a child of the Almighty God. Live that truth." ~ Lysa Terkeurst ~

"The Christian says, 'Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. A baby feels hunger; well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: well, there is such a thing as water. Men feel sexual desire: well, there is such a thing as sex. If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probably explanation is that I was made for another world. If none of my earthly pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove that the universe is a fraud. Probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing. If that is so, I must take care, on the one hand, never to despise, or to be unthankful for, these earthly blessings, and on the other, never to mistake hem for the something else of which they are only a kind of copy, or echo, or mirage. I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that country and to help others do the same."
~ C. S. Lewis ~

"In my Father's house are many mansions,

if it were not so, I would not have told you. 

I go to prepare a place for you."

~ John 14:2 ~

Please pray for ~ President Trump and family ~ politicians who have servant's hearts and are leaders ~ Katie ~ 

Sabbath Keeping

~ my newest love, my grand nephew, Mason Bennett W. ~

"And the parched ground shall become a pool."

~ Isaiah 35:7 ~ 

"We always have visions, before a thing is made real. When we realize that although the vision is real, it is not real in us, then is the time that Satan comes in with his temptations, and we are apt to say it is no use to go on. Instead of the vision becoming real, there has come the valley of humiliation. ...

"God gives us the vision, then He takes us down to the valley to batter us into the shape of the vision, and it is in the valley that so many of us faint and give way. Every vision will be made real if we will have patience. Think of the enormous leisure of God! He is never in a hurry. We are always in such a frantic hurry. In the light of the glory of the vision we go forth to do things, but the vision is not real in us yet; and God has to take us into the valley, and put us through fires and floods to batter us into shape, until we get to the place where He can trust us with the veritable reality. Ever since we had the vision God has been at work, getting us into the shape of the ideal, and over and over again we escape from His hand and try to batter ourselves into our own shape. ...

"The vision is not a castle in the air, but a vision of what God wants you to be. ...

"If you have ever had the vision of God, you may try as you like to be satisfied on a lower level, but God will never let you." ~ Oswald Chambers ~

"A man who is intimate with God is never intimidated by man." 

~ Leonard Ravenhill ~

"A clever arrangement of bad eggs will never make a good omelet." ~ C.S.Lewis ~

"The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious."
~ John Scully ~

"I think there is a danger of something I call "The Peril of the Immediate." We are living in the framework of the immediate. We live there as much as other men. We are not supposed to. We are to live as men branded for eternity." ~ Leonard Ravenhill ~

"To the person who does not know where he wants to go, there is no favorable wind."
~ Seneca ~

"I'm an adventurer, walking with Jesus." ~ Sandra ~

"Festina Lente: Make Haste Slowly"

"...your Father knows what you need before you ask Him."

~ Matthew 6:8 ~

Please pray for ~ our country and President ~ Laura ~ Maxine ~ me ~

Hello, Goodbye....

HA! Bet you might have thought something else, eh? Recently, it was my extreme pleasure to go on a small group tour of the Lake District, UK with Helen Bertram of Whitecroft Traditional Tours. It was, in one word, excellent; to use two words...most excellent. All I had to do was show up and be taken care of; long time blog readers know that for an amazingly rare treat. To say it was a shock, coming home to the lovely cacophonic reception of dogs, cats, horses who ALL wanted me to get back to the job of tending to their needs...I ask you...is there a recovery program available for me? 

But I digress. I'm at the library, again, sigh, and am uploading photos of the trip with the actual travelogue to come later...when internet at home has been restored and, more importantly, when someone teaches me how, using my extremely high tech language here, make smaller my photos. Since the "powers that be" decided Picasa needed to die, I have NO idea how to (high tech verbiage again) make smaller my photos...they are extremely dense and need to be around 350 dpi for upload.

I've just learned I can make an appointment with the library high tech geek and see if they're able to help...please, God, make it so.)

Each day/evening had special delights, each evening we would say, "Best day ever; it can't get any better!" and then...and then...BETTER! My notes are home so I can't remember (ducking and running from those women who do remember! sorrrreeeee!) the name of this home but we had dinner here one evening. All our gamboling was done within a 40 mile area, thereabouts, and we still didn't "see it all". This man had three black labs, all of them totally sweet and he, the man, was over the moon when we squealed (you know women...), "We'd LOVE to see your dogs!" The pleasure on the man's face was over the moon happy...people wanted to see, and love on, his canine companions.

Not all photos will be of humans and dogs; some are meant to whet your appetite; the last photo is for Sue, she of Oregon fame.

I haven't received permission to put names to faces, so you'll have to enjoy sans names, except for Helen and Betsy, Helen's cohort in crime tour.

(photographic evidence of Betsy loving on a dog.)

 Helen Bertram, Whitecroft Tours, on right

New Jersey

Our host and Helen, seated at head of table.

Mrs. Heelis and Mrs. T.

Helen and Mrs. T celebrating H's birthday and the arrival of Mrs. Heelis.

listening to Mrs. Heelis

(I would tell you where...but I've forgotten...I do remember this is a private home)

enthralled by Mrs. Heelis

practicing for retirement

and, because people always tell me..."We never see photos of you, Sandra; where are you?" Well folks, here am I.

I took about 1,000 photos and it'll take time to do the travelogue...especially as I have to come to town to access i-net. Be patient...God willing and the crik don't rise, it'll happen.

Ponder this ~ "The world is a book and those who do not travel, read only one page." 
~ Augustine of Hippo ~

Sabbath Keeping

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb,

sweet to the soul and

healing to the bones."

~ Proverbs 16:24 ~

If you can't say anything nice

Don't say anything at all. 

~ Mom ~

For most folks, it doesn't cost anything extra to be nice.

"Not only do I think being nice and kind is easy, but being kind, in my opinion, is important."
~ Dwayne Johnson ~

"I still get weepy when I see a father being nice to his child. It so affects me." ~ Pat Conroy ~

"Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see." ~ Mark Twain ~

Kindness is never wasted.

"Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you." ~ Princess Diana ~

"Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate." ~ Albert Schweitzer ~

"Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them and they bless you, the giver." ~ Barbara de Angelis ~

"It's nice to be important

but it's more important to be nice."

~ John Templeton ~

"I'm just one woman away, my mother, from being the same as Mike Tyson. I would have ended up like him if my mama had not been so tough and strong. A lot of people, including Mike, don't know I came from the ghetto. They think I'm too nice and proper. But that's the way my mama raised me - to look people in the eye and respect them." ~ Evander Holyfield ~

"Wherever there is a human being,

there is an opportunity for a kindness."

~ Seneca ~

"Three things in life are important.

The first is to be kind.

The second is to be kind.

The third is to be kind."

~ Henry James ~

"Always be a little kinder than necessary." ~ J. M. Barrie ~

"There is overwhelming evidence that the higher the level of self-esteem, the more likely one will be to treat others with respect, kindness, and generosity." ~ Nathaniel Branden ~

"Be kind to one another,

tenderhearted, forgiving one another

as God in Christ forgave you."

~ Ephesians 4:29 ~

Please pray for ~ Katie, JW  & Mason ~  and me, as there might be great change in my life ~

(Apologies all...my home internet isn't working and, lately, life is chaotic, thus, no blog updates nor blog visits and am at the county library doing this update.  I've used this time to take a vacation (see photo above and tell me where...), try and catch up with mowing, take a quick trip to visit family, celebrated July 4th and dealing with "the rest of life". To those who've written to say, "You're missed"...many grateful thanks and to those who've stuck with me...many grateful thanks. It's been a mess and as Dave would say, "Some days you eat the bear and some days the bear eats you." As Julian of Norwich said, "All shall be well..." and so it is.)

Sabbath Keeping

"I know the plans I have for you",

says the Lord.

"They are plans for good and

not for disaster,

to give you a future and a hope."

~ Jeremiah 29:11 ~ 

"God is not concerned about our plans. He does not say-"Do you want to go through this bereavement, this upset?" He allows these things for His own purpose. The things we are going through are either making us sweeter, better, nobler men and women; or they are making us more captious and fault-finding, more insistent upon our own way. The things that happen either make us fiends, or they make us saints; it depends entirely upon the relationship we are in to God. If we say- "Thy will be done," we get the consolation of John 17, the consolation of knowing that our Father is working according to His own wisdom. When we understand what God is after we will not get mean and cynical. Jesus has prayed nothing less for us than absolutely oneness with Himself as He was one with the Father. Some of us are far off it, and yet God will not leave us alone until we are one with Him, because Jesus has prayed that we may be." ~ Charles Spurgeon ~

"Don't ask God to guide your steps

if you're not willing to move your feet."

"...we all die, and the length of our life has been set before the earth was formed. Sometimes God takes the little ones to keep the eyes of the rest of the family on Heaven. They will never forget where this road leads if one of their own has already come to the end of it." ~ Susan Claire Potts, Burning Faith ~

"The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, 

and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety."

~ George Mueller ~ 

"We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be." ~ C. S. Lewis ~

"I just follow God's lead. One step, one day and one opportunity at a time. The hardest part is not becoming distracted." ~ Carlos Wallace ~

"Sometimes you have to walk through fire

in order to reach your calling."

~ Shannon Alder ~ 

"Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes into rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominable and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards, You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself." ~ C. S. Lewis ~

"God has a plan."

"And we know that God causes all things

to work together for good to those

who love God, to those who

are called according to His purpose."

~ Romans 8:28 ~ 

Please pray for ~ Jim ~ Stephanie ~ Sandra ~ 

Sabbath Keeping

"My son, keep your father's command and

 do not forsake your mother's teaching." 

~ Proverbs 6:20 ~

"I remembered my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. 

They have clung to me all my life." 

~ Abraham Lincoln ~

"The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother."
~ Theodore Hesburgh ~

"Motherhood is a choice you make everyday, to put someone else's happiness and well-being ahead of your own, to teach the hard lessons, to do the right thing even when you're not sure what the right thing is...and to forgive yourself, over and over again, for doing everything wrong."
~ Donna Ball, At Home on Ladybug Farm ~

"But behind all your stories is your mother's story because hers is where yours begins."
~ Mitch Abram ~

"My mother had a great deal of trouble with me but I think she enjoyed it." ~ Mark Twain ~

"There is nothing in the world of art like the songs mother used to sing." ~ Billy Sunday ~

"My mother thinks I am the best. 

And I was raised to always believe what my mother tells me."

~ Diego Maradona ~

"My family is everything. I am what I am thanks to my mother, my father, my brother, my sister... because they have given me everything. The education I have is thanks to them."
~ Ronaldinho ~

"Expectation is the mother of all frustration." ~ Antonio Banderas ~ 

"I'll be a wife and mother first, then First Lady." ~ Jackie Kennedy ~ 

"I don't agree with the whole 'my mother's my friend' approach because you're their mum, and there has to be a difference between the generations." ~ Jane Asher ~

"Happy is the son [or daugher] whose faith in his [her] mother remains unchallenged."
~ Louisa May Alcott ~

"If your mother did not know how to love herself, or your father did not know how to love himself, then it would be impossible for them to teach you how to love yourself. They were doing the best they could with what they had been taught as children." ~ Louisa L. Hay ~

"As Jesus was saying these things a woman in the crowd called out, 

"Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you." 

Jesus replied, 

"Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it." 

~ Luke 11:28-28 ~

Please pray for  ~ Millie ~ Stephanie ~ Sandra ~ 

Sabbath Keeping

"Let him who boasts boast about this:

that he understands and knows me,

that I am the LORD, who exercises 

kindness, justice and righteousness on earth,

for in these I delight,"

declares the LORD."

~ Jeremiah 9:24~ 

"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others;

for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness;

and for poise, walk with the knowledge 

that you are never alone."

~ Audrey Hepburn ~ 

"The greatest thing a man can do for his heavenly Father 

is to be kind to some of his other children."

~ Henry Drummond ~ 

"You cannot do a kindness too soon,

for you never know how soon it will be too late."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~ 

"Want to snatch a day from the manacles of boredom? Do overgenerous deeds, acts beyond reimbursement. Kindness without compensation. Do a deed for which you cannot be repaid."
~ Max Lucado ~

"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." 

~ Aesop ~ 

"Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again." ~ Og Mandino ~

"Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate." ~ Albert Schweitzer ~

"Kindness has converted more sinners than zeal, eloquence, or learning." ~ Frederick W. Faber ~

"There's no use doing a kindness if you do it a day too late." 

~ Charles Kingsley ~

"Kindness is the sunshine in which virtue grows." 

~ Robert Green Ingersoll ~ 

"Let us hide our pains and sorrows. But, while we hide them, let them also be spurs within us to urge us on to all manner of overflowing kindness and sunny humor to those around us. When the very darkness within us creates a sunshine around us, then has the spirit of Jesus taken possession of our souls." ~ Frederick W. Faber ~

"Love is something more stern and splendid than mere kindness." 

~ C. S. Lewis ~

"Unseasonable kindness gets no thanks." 

~ Thomas Fuller ~ 

"No matter how low down you are; no matter what your disposition has been; you may be low in your thoughts, words, and actions; you may be selfish; your heart may be overflowing with corruption and wickedness; yet Jesus will have compassion upon you. He will speak comforting words to you; not treat you coldly or spurn you, as perhaps those of earth would, but will speak tender words, and words of love and affection and kindness. Just come at once. He is a faithful friend - a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." ~ D. L. Moody ~

"God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him

 in the heavenly realm in Christ Jesus, 

in order that in the coming ages He might show 

the incomparable riches of His grace, 

expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus."

~ Ephesians 2:6-7 ~ 

Please pray for ~ Stephanie ~ Rose ~ Jim ~ Dewena ~ Laura ~ JP ~ Maxine ~ the Roberts ~ Diana and her Hero  ~ President Trump and other leaders ~ Sandra ~ 

What You Need For A Reading Nook of Your Own

April's Full Pink Moon arrived on my birthday...a joyous gift!...and, absolutely knowing how to LIVE LARGE, (like you!) I treated myself to a frozen yogurt...smile! When the kind woman found out it was a birthday treat, she plopped a huge strawberry on top.

There are all manners of good things, on a daily basis, that, almost always, outweigh the not so good. Little kindnesses, treats that are both coming to us and, if we're smart, being given from us. One of the absolute best ways I give myself both grace and kindness is with a dedicated reading space.

After the Epic Mess and putting the bedroom to rights, I made a sweet little Reading Nook. I'm a firm believer that everyone should have a spot to call their very own, where they can sit and read or sit and think or sit and do nothing...all of which are done in my little nook.

The leather chair was a great find...not usually a fan of recliners but this one is on the shorter side and fits my body nicely...so nicely I've been known to fall asleep...wry smile. The sheep fleece keeps me comfortable, no matter the season, and, some years back, I knitted the purple wool shawl and use it to drape 'round my shoulders. The pillows are used to give back support and under my legs when the chair is reclined. A good reading light is a must and little touches like the battery operated candles lend coziness. Behind the candles is a green cafetan purchased in a Marrakech souk and hung for pleasant memories. Yes, that larger rug is Persian and was destroyed in the flood; while it can't be used in public areas, in the privacy of the bedroom, it's "okay".

Another cozy non-necessity is an electric fireplace that gives both ambiance and a little heat. It doesn't get very hot so the radio on top isn't in danger, neither is it hardly ever turned on. While reading, I'd rather have my imagination in use as opposed to warring with raucous noise.

The bookshelf under the candles contains books, magazines, writing boxes holding stationary, cards and colored pens to send notes and letters. It's not only reading I do in my nook.

The glass carafe was a gift from Sandra 2, my SC friend of many, many decades. It rests atop a small coaster from The Jefferson and another pleasant memory of a weekend with my husband.

This particular Reading Nook is in my bedroom and differs from others in the house and is only used prior to going to sleep. I love my space...each object has been placed with thought and consideration and every night, prior to sleep, great enjoyment is found here. Perhaps that's the secret to its success - loving the space, choosing each object with care, good lighting, comfortable chair, great reading material. It's a (not so small) way I, every night, take care of me gently and enjoy both space and act.

We're all different but the following are things that are a Must Have for my Reading Nook(s) and cozy contentment:

~A comfortable chair with good support...sides and back with pillows, throws, shawls or similar to cozy 'round shoulders should a chill arrive. The chair should have room to stretch out...a recliner or, perhaps a leather chair with ottoman, because one certainly needs a place to put up feet.
~A side table to hold book(s), beverage, essential oils, lotions, etc.
~a small aromatherapy diffuser with lavender essential oil. The diffuser doesn't have to be expensive as it's only going to be used for short periods of time and by the time I've read a chapter or twelve, my eyes are heavy with sleep and the room gently scented with lavender which is sleep inducing.
~Excellent lighting - I highly recommend OTT lights! There's an OTT light in every room in my house and my old eyes are greatly appreciative!
~A book case to hold old favorites and those to become favorites.
~While some do, I don't like cut flowers in a bedroom because their scent is overwhelming.

Do you have a Reading Nook? If so, what makes yours special for you and your situation?

Ponder this ~

"A reader lives a thousands lives before he dies. 

The man who never reads, lives only one." 

~ George R. R. Martin ~