Monday's & Tuesday's Strength: When Our World Collapses. Book Date. Pressing On.

Monday's Strength: When Our World Collapses

Continued study of some of the verses shared in Lynn Austin's Until We Reach Home.
When I was but a young girl, I asked Grandpa about married life. I was curious because I knew Daddy had been born during The Great Depression. I wanted to know how Grandpa had managed as not only was he supporting Grandma with a baby on the way (Daddy); he was helping to support his mother and siblings.

After a moment, he thoughtfully responded that married life could sometimes be like a square table with only three legs. He learned to hold up the most unstable part of the table to keep it from collapsing. He would run from one corner to the next to attempting to keep the table from collapsing.

Whenever I read “and struck the four corners of the house” in Job 1:19, I often think of Grandpa’s analogy. 

At times, our lives may feel like the unstable table, like the four corners of our lives are collapsing. Boy, when that happens, it is so very difficult! It can be so hard to feel, much less hear, the voice of God.

In fact, we may experience a variety of emotions. In our anger, we may say, “God, what are You doing?” Or maybe we are fearfully thinking, “I’ll never get out of this mess!” Perhaps the storms have left us so weak that all we have the strength to say is, “Help, God!” Maybe, just maybe, we have experienced God’s victory so many times that we can respond with, “To God be the glory. He knows what He is doing.”

In Until We Reach Home, Sofia had grown so much in her faith that she thought, “Yes, we’ve lost everything, but we are alive.” In all I have experienced in life, 

I am still alive, 

I am still standing, 

I am still here as a faith-filled woman with battle scars who has known pain and made mistakes. 

Yet I 

am 

still 

alive. 

I hope that when my times comes, my LORD and Savior will great me with open arms and tell me that when I was tested I came forth as gold, mistakes and all. 

My dear, if you feel like your life is collapsing before your eyes, remember, His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are higher than ours.  He sees the big pictures in ways we cannot.  Just as we see the big picture and our own children cannot, but they trust us just the same.  Let us remember to trust our LORD and Savior!  
8“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
9“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
12You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
Isaiah 55:8-12

My prayer for you is that you will go out in joy, be led forth in peace and will hear the mountains and hills burst into song before you as the trees of the field clap their hands as you trust in Him!

Machine Embroidery

My husband was able to release my poor pouches from their jail!  Without further ado, here are the finished Lace and Leather Pouches from the Spring Bella Box.  

                                       

                                                

                                               

                                               

Here's how the bow is stitched out.

                                   

My skill level with machine embroidery is definitely a beginner.  In spite of a mistake or two, I'm happy with my results.  

If you recall, I did try Kimberbell's suggestion and made this same pouch with quilter's cotton and batting from some scraps.  It came out just as cute!

Prayer Shawl

A lot of my time has been spent on this prayer shawl for the wife of someone who is hospitalized with COVID.  God willing, it will be finished today. 

                                         

The pattern and yarn information are here. I highly recommend the pattern for its beauty and simplicity!

To Do Tuesday.

Last week’s goals
1. Visit Mama and Daddy via Facetime. X 

This didn’t happen. They prefer audio versus video calls. They are so cute. My competition to speak with them is the old Western shows they so enjoy! Sometimes they are simply too busy to talk! 
2. Machine Embroidery: Only two projects left in my Bella Box! I'll be making a little clasp purse, I hope! ✔

I enjoyed making the project and am getting used to sewing with leather!
3. Prep the next one/two Stitcher's Garden blocks. ✔

 I was even able to prep more blocks than I anticipated!
4. Prep some more Qube Crush blocks! ✔

Same here! More prep than expected
5. Make progress on my husband's Christmas ornament and my hand embroidery. ✔

Just barely achieved.  An unexpected need for a prayer shawl came up.  You can see the progress here.
This week’s goals
1. Visit Mama and Daddy. I’m hoping I can visit them in person, but I’m not sure.
2. Machine Embroidery: Stitch up the clasp purse.
3. Finish two of the many blocks I prepped.
4. Sew up my prepped Qube Crush blocks!
5. Finish last week’s prayer shawl. 

6. Make progress on my husband's Christmas ornament and on the Namaste tea towel.

Book Date

Current

Halfway to Each Other
from my personal library

The Words Between Us by Erin Bartels
Free audio from RB Digital

I saw this book on Book Date and was tickled to find it on RB Digital!  It is a fantastic read so far!
                               Finished

Whispering Rock
Free from RB Digital
★★★★

I recommend this series of book for a bit of light reading. They are a nice companion while I'm doing chores/sewing. I wonder if you all listen to audio books as well?  Which are your favorites?  

Linking up to these fun parties!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? @ Book Date 
Monday Making @ Love, Laugh, Quilt
Oh Scrap! @ Quilting is More Fun Than Housework!
To Do Tuesday @ Home Sewn By Us (Tuesdays)

 

Your comments are so appreciated!  

I read each one and will respond by email to you!  :)