Inspired by . . . a wrinkle in time

Inspired by . . . a wrinkle in time

The week of Christmas afforded us some of the most beautiful weather we'd had all year. Clear skies and highs near 80 drew us out-of-doors.

It was the perfect time to visit the Sauer-Beckmann living history farm in Stonewall, Texas.

The Sauer's settled the land in 1869 and worked the land until 1900 when the Beckmann's purchased the property.

One of the Sauer's children, Augusta Sauer Lindig, served as a midwife at the birth of President Lyndon B. Johnson.  The homestead is adjacent to the Johnson property and part of the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park.

Stepping through the main gate is like stepping back in time. For me, it was also like stepping into a memory. The sights, sounds and smells of this small family farm reminded me of growing up in Vermont. Opening the grain bin was like slipping through a wrinkle in time. In that moment, I was transported back to our small farm. I could almost feel the stone slab beneath my feet, see the dust particles dancing in the sunbeams as they streamed through the west window. I listened for my dad's footfall in the next chamber. And then . . . it was gone. The wrinkle closed and I was back on the Sauer-Beckmann farm, standing on a dirt floor in a room I'd never seen before.

The smell of grain was the first one to meet your nose when you entered our barn. I will forever associate the smell of grain with my dad, and my childhood home. 

The dust clung to me like pixie dust and each new discovery conjured a memory. The tack room and it's smell of leather. I breathed deeply and remembered dad harnessing the horses to our antique buggy for a ride through the village.

"We used to can vegetables from our garden," I told the Dreamer as we passed by the window of the log cabin and spotted all the produce they had "put up" for the winter.

"My dad had one of these."

"I still have our bowl and pitcher set."

And on it went. We didn't live primitively like they did in the early 1900's, of course. But my dad had a lot of antiques from that period, and earlier, and the house and barn were full of his finds.

I can't escape the memories, nor do I want to. Like history, our memories have much to teach us.

You learn that what scripture teaches is true: Our lives are just a vapor. Quickly passing, quickly gone. Each day has worries enough of it's own. Worrying about tomorrow is a fruitless exercise. Most of the things we worry and fret about, never come to pass. The plans and blessings God has for us, as we submit our lives to Him, far surpass anything we could want or imagine.

Seek first the kingdom of heaven, and all else will be added unto you. Matt 6:33

As my Nana liked to say:

“Yesterday is history; tomorrow is a mystery; today is a gift. That’s why we call it the present.” 

At first glance you might think that the people on the Sauer-Beckmann farm are living in the past. I would argue that just the opposite is happening. They are living purposefully, and joyfully;  fully in the present.

It begs the question, are we, in our contemporary,
fast paced, day-to-day lives, 
living purposefully, and

embracing the present with JOY?

Blessings,

Sharing inspiration here:
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Thought Provoking Thursday, Grace & Truth, Weekend Whispers,
Inspire Me Monday, RaRa Link Up, Intentional Tuesday,
#WordswithWinter, Titus 2 Tuesday, Thoughtful Thursdays,
Encourage Me Monday, Wholehearted Wednesday,
Women with Intention Wednesdays, Word Filled Wednesday,
#GiveMeGrace, Still Saturday
Nature Notes, Sweet Shot Tuesday, Through My Lens, Little Things Thursdays,
Bird D’pot, Saturday’s Critters, Life thru the Lens, Wild Bird Wednesday,
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