down to the basics

Friday morning found us without power, therefore no phone, no electronics. Morning's silence rings with the occasional resounding...CRRAAACCKKKK as huge limbs ripped from their trunks, and trees without deep roots fell with the weight of the layer of ice on them.... giving the back yard a new look

I love the beauty that this type of storm lays on our landscape- the white and dark clouds soon gave way to blue skies and the sunlight sparkled through the glassy trees...what an awesome richness displayed by his hand

the pictures don't do it justice... the landscape sparkled.
It was a time rarely experienced- the quiet reigned, and at night when you rounded the corner a mile outside of town, the darkness loomed...but it wasn't a bad darkness.. it made for family laughs, candles, games, and a good night's sleep... I think that every once in a while we should ... make the most of our moments ....

Keeping it simple

To keep it simple!

Its all about HIM!

To see Him in my day... no matter where I am, what I am doing, He IS always there, softly speaking, always shining the light on my path, always loving.... no matter if I am busy with 'stuff'

busy with the clanging, and clatter that this life brings... I often find myself deaf!

but my heart yearns to hear, to quiet this clamor of noise that so often keeps my attention

and then on the way home.. the black clouds part and the skies open up a hole with beams of sunshine.... and I am awed by the beauty He displays, and I rest..

A thankful Heart

I am so thankful for the blogs

I am thankful that I get to glimpse the heart of those who Love Him - He who sings over us!

I am thankful that I can be reminded of what it is all about...even if it is just pictures of your day, whether it be children, or your environment- indoors and outdoors

You have no idea on how it refreshes me.

Listening to your background music..speaks to my soul, and I am so thankful that you take the time to find or write ministering songs-

Though I might never write a comment on your blog- know I read them, they are precious to me, and give me hope.. hope of life dreams fulfilled, hope of knowing God speaks to all of us in the small and large things, hope of tomorrows, hope of healings, hope of a huge generation that will know God intimately from birth onward...because of you, because of your heart- your heart that longs, and seeks the truth, seeks to know more of HIM- right where you are, right there in the midst of your life, even sometimes just doing your thing among the 'stuff'... waiting....

and you breathe, you sing, you worship, you trust

Thank you all

quiet and waiting

God's creation- freckled, a little mischievous, compassionate, creative, ... these are some of the words that I know describe me.
Who am I? Who am I in this world... why am here today? What is it HE wants me to do? Encourager, exhorter... words for this morning- I agree I am that too.
But what am I to do at work, what do I answer when they say... what job do you want? what job will bring you peace? I want to say 'NONE!!!" I don't want to work at all! I want to spend my days with my husband and family, creating little gifts, or big ones , maybe sell a thing or two for a little spending money.... but my heart hears the whisper, confirmed by life's circumstance " Not yet, just a little longer. Chin up! I will give you rest!"
So back to the questions... what answer do I give today? and my heart knows the secret.. peace will lead the way. The 'Peace' that links with the One who lays out this path laid in stone, a light shines softly on each step ahead. Regardless of who is with me, this path is mine alone!
Sometimes- okay most of the time, I want to see where this path will lead, but He shares with me only that which this day needs.
So in a short while I will meet with my boss, and coworkers, nurses just like me... and I will tell of my desire, I will tell them of 'me'... I will take a step of faith, I will take a giant leap... the unknown, unwritten future will be a future of inner peace.

tribute to a friend

Friend

So much could be said, yet your picture tells it all, it radiates you in a moment of happiness. You were a woman loved and a woman that gave love.

A mother who loved her family- husband, children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, parents, and in-laws
Grandchildren were the joy of her life- she loved to spend time with them, as much as she could.
She was more than her quiet demeanor spoke- a life that was lived in the echo of mercy and grace, knowing her own weaknesses, she yielded to His strength, once wobbling, and weary, she leaned into Him and found His strength enough ... she knew the power of the resurrected life, and worshiped freely the King of Kings.

Because you were forgiven, you freely forgave and harbored no ill.
Because you were wounded and healed, you had a heart of mercy, and handed out grace
Because you knew love, therefore you loved..... without expecting anything in return

My life was enriched by the moment in time, when our lives touched.... It seems it was too short.. but I guess it was time enough.

Thank you for your love.

Thanks for being my friend.

hero and villain

We had an unfortunate happening the other night.... one that ended up working out in the end, however there were more than a few moments of stress, sweating, fear, and probably a few unspoken words of questionable endearment playing around in my spouse's brain during this unfortunate time.
a little bit of supporting information... the afternoon/evening started great! I got to spend more than a few minutes on the deck, working at finishing the jewelry started by my sister and her granddaughter last weekend. An hour had gone by, Bruce was sleeping in his favorite recliner...and the weather started to get cooler. As I was organizing my 'stuff' to return to their proper spaces, I came across the tool of the night! A find that gave me great joy because I knew I could become a hero soon to my husband... and almost on que he walked out on the deck to have his 'after nap' smoke. I retreated inside and quietly pulled out my tool.(THE VILLAIN)
I took it to the lock and I was thrilled to see that it worked like a charm.... We didn't get one with his recent buy... and Bruce had expressed a desire to be able to lock his prize possessions. (the victim? )

I was a bit smug when I walked up to Bruce and tell him I had just "Made HIS day!!!" A somewhat doubtful expression was quickly replaced by a wide smile and an exclamation of delight when I handed him the tool... something that I had laying around in my jewelry extras... Confidently I walked with him inside, and watched him approach HIS desk, and insert the tool. First left, then right, then left then right... Obviously my husband had no clue how to use a skeleton key...so I offered to work my magic... turn clockwise...nothing, maybe a little bit of contact but essentially nothing...turn to the left obviously did nothing either ..why ? well because I left it LOCKED? Who would think that my tool would so soon lose its effectiveness on this lock... THIS LOCK....??? my husband's prize possession, an antique of some value.... and all his personal stuff inside? WHAT HAD I DONE??? He in all his wisdom says.. "why didn't you try the key with the desk open? that way if it didn't work we could still access things?" I don't know, I just didn't think that way! but I truly felt awful, and realized that the morrow would bring an early trip to local antique shop looking for keys. He never yelled, or said anything sarcastic...I think he was overwhelmed with shock. I did have the thought to give him hope, and sent him on to his mother's place- if anyone had a skeleton key SHE WOULD! While he was gone ...Ben came by... a son sent by divine appointment ( he had a sliver)... I told him what I did, and he echoed his father's statement " why didn't you try the lock with it open?" duhhh... But Ben prides himself on being able to open anything, and has the patience of a saint, or a pastor... alot more than his father anyway... and after a good thirty minutes, working on the drawer below lock...examining the workings of it, etc, trying some of mom's useful tools that have helped her over the years...none worked until this!! (the hero)
YOU might not have something like this in your possesion...but I have a mother in law who kindly gave me alot of her stash of 'stuff'... and this (if you look closely) is a crochet hook... the smallest...used to make fine lace edging.... but bent at this angle...became a hero!
I can only hope I learned my lesson... stop trying to be a hero!.... and if you want to see if something locks...lock it in open position.... But also something else came out of it... We told Ben he would make a fine locksmith, and since they are few and far between...why not check out how to get certified?

Productive!

okay three wk plus 3 days post op, and I have actually completed some sewing projects! The purse I actually cut out and sewed the main pieces before surgery, I just had to hand sew the binding part..and now I have to pick a button. who would believe that this cost me less than $3??.. some upholstery samples purchased for less than $1 each at a fabric store closing ... No pattern, but I had a general idea of what I wanted...its not perfect... a couple of errors are noted in fitting of the last pieces but isn't that part of homemade sometimes? I used 2 samples cut in a diagonal and pieced together, and took off a 5 inch strip from the bottom of each and used to make outside pockets with three divided sections.
Inside the purse I used a complimentary fabric and made one medium sized zippered pocket (6" square), and one pocket to hold pens and narrow (2.5 inch) objects for quick access.
I also made a sturdy bottom with another scrapped upholstery sample... so the purse can actually stand on its own ... Oh and Thanks andrea for leaving that yardage of green heavy fabric in your apartment...it came in handy for the shoulder strap and binding. Now if I can only figure out which button to use..looking at these pictures does help..that oblong button looks actually blue..black is too stark, so I will probably go with the yellow or leather look brown. I will end up making a loop and button closure
Now for a couple of pictures for that last of the diapers for Dee
well actually they are for Bella...supposed to be for 10 to 20lb... she will use strappis for diaper closures and there will be diaper covers overtop. Sophia's diapers were made with soaker sewed in and velcro'd... I was hoping to use snaps on these, but need the proper equipment. And I made Bella's with pockets so the soaker liners can be added and removed... ALL of my diaper stuff that I made these last couple of weeks were from scraps that I had in my fabric stash... I tend to hate to throw usable pieces away, and I know my son in law would have gladly helped me along... but the flannel scraps, gauze material, and faux suede came in handy. Don't they look comfy?
oh those clips? they are from my quilting tools...heavy duty and they helped show the tab style of final product. those plaid flannel soaker inserts at the top are made from the fabric I had bought at $1/yd to make for Coffee Cabin use a few years back... the white soakers are gauze material scraps from a blouse I made Andrea YEARS ago. the pink flannel is left over from a baby quilt I made for Abbie, the yellow from some pj I made someone sometime, and the blue flannel- a used receiving blanket... and the white faux suede? from an outfit I made someone years ago... I have also made fleece covers...the fleece ? from left over fleece from hats I made for my kids and grandkids over the years...its funny to think that Sophia is wearing on her bottom what Ben has worn on his head (as in matching NOT that I used his hat to make her diaper cover...though humm maybe that is an idea???) and I used both my regular sewing machine (Bernina- my gem) and my serger- both invaluable in diaper making. Twas fun, but now I am looking forward to my eldest granddaughter coming over to help me reclaim my dining area, reclaim my floors, and she can help me cut out another project I hope to complete before I return to the working grindstone.