Hello There,
Thank you so much for stopping by! For those of you who celebrate, I hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving!
I participated in Jenn's at Jenn's Bookshelves Thankfully Reading event! There will be more about the fun reads in My Reading Life section!
Time for this week's post. Here's is an index should you have a special interest you like to read first!
The Weekly Word - is a short devotional that sometimes becomes a Bible Study series.
My Reading Life - is filled with current, completed and upcoming reads as well as an occasional short review.
Stash Report and To Do Tuesday is where I'll share share stats regarding my fiber usage and acquisitions, goals met/lack thereof and photos of my projects.
Gratitude Journal - Sometimes I get lost in my own stinky thinking. This digital journal reminds me to count my blessings!
Depressed? Grieving? Just Plain Sad? Part 3
Life can through us some curve balls that lead to a time of grieving, depression, or simply feelings of sadness. As I've been sharing, our family has been going through a transition that has led me to a time of grieving and adjustment. Rather than give in to society's demand to "just get over it", I took Ecclesiastes 3:4 to heart and gave my grief time.
One of Daddy's favorite sayings is, "Give time time." And he is so right! The song, Stayed on Him, by Terrian is based on Isaiah 26:3 has also been instrumental in reminding me where I can choose to keep my mine focused.
Finally, this website, has been the jumping off point of this Bible study. Ready to dive in?
The Bible shares many examples of people grieving/depressed. Elijah, a great man of God, was one of them.
When he came to Beersheba in Judah,
he left his servant there,
4while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness.
He came to a broom bush,
sat down under it and
prayed that he might die.
“I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life;
I am no better than my ancestors.”
5Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.
1 Kings 19:4-5a
How many of us have dealt with grief/sadness/loss in this same manner? I know I have. Sometimes life's blows seem to be too much to live with - they are utterly overwhelming! Elijah went into self-isolation by separating himself from his servant. Then he exhausted himself by going a day's journey - probably by walking. Finally, when he was lonely and fatigued, he prayed a despairing prayer for God to take his life! Thank God that He doesn't give us all our requests! Finally, exhausted, Elijah slept.
Again, how many of us do the same as we deal with pain? We go into isolation, exhaust ourselves doing what's expected, then are too weak to deal with our emotional and spiritual pain?
How did the LORD respond to Elijah? He sent a ministering angel:
All at once an angel touched him and said,
“Get up and eat.”
6He looked around,
and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals,
and a jar of water.
He ate and drank and then lay down again.
1 Kings 19:5b-6
The cycle repeated itself. The angel of the LORD once again showed compassion and gave Elijah something to eat and drink. In fact, Elijah was so strengthened that traveled 40 days and forty nights to reach his destination - a meeting with God. Upon his arrival, the LORD let him rest - again taking care of His child's physical needs.
7The angel of the Lord came back a second time
and touched him and said,
“Get up and eat,
for the journey is too much for you.”
8So he got up and ate and drank.
Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights
until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
9There he went into a cave and spent the night. 1 Kings 19:7-9
It was only then, after Elijah was rested and well fed that the LORD was able to speak life into him and direct him.
My dear friends, let us remember that despite our pain, we must take care of ourselves that we may hear the LORD's ministering message to us that will give us comfort and direction!
Let us take that morsel of food and drink offered to us that our bodies can begin to heal. Our bodies and minds have been traumatized! Let us take the time to sleep that our minds and hearts can rest. And then, during the fog of pain, let us remember keep our minds stayed on Him.
I am coming out of the valley of loss. Does this make me an expert? Not by any means. I'm simply sharing the lessons learned in my personal valley. Perhaps someone, somewhere out there in Bloglandia will be blessed or gain insight to a loved one's pain?
See you next week with more of this series.
My Reading LifeLast week I mentioned that I've been starting to line up my reading challenges for 2022. I mentioned one where I would read a book published every year since my birth. Even if I meet my long-term goal of reading a decade's worth of books a year, it will take at lest 6 years! I found this particular challenge, as well as some others here! They have some great ones listed!
Here is my week of reading. I have so enjoyed participating in Jenn's Bookshelves Thankfully Reading event! I finished a couple of books and even started some new ones! More importantly, I realized that if I consciously make time for reading, I read more! Go figure! :)
Remember, if you click on the books' image, you should get directed to a book description.
Currently Reading
Finished
Last week I forgot to mention that I was reading these two books!
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| ★★★★★ This is part of a fun, cozy mystery series, Secret, Scone and Book Society, by Ellery Adams. |
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| ★★★★★ The Atonement Child was difficult to listen to as Rivers addressed a difficult subject from various points of view. However, I did enjoy it. |
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| ★★★★★ |
The House on the Cerulean Sea was difficult for me to keep reading, but as Mary Alice and I discussed it, I got over myself and simply became acquainted with the children in the story. I recalled my experiences as a bilingual teacher and how my students faced much prejudice from the other students, teachers and, sadly, administration. Each one of these groups were well represented by Klune.
Despite the fact that I also faced these same prejudices from these same groups, I continued to strongly advocate for my students' as well as for their parents' rights.
Prejudice is everywhere. Change comes with one person at a time. Let's remember to love God's children - both adults and children.
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| ★★★★★★ |
Stash Report
Yarny Numbers
Again there's no changes in my yarn numbers, but definitely changes in fabric as I had a major finish!
Fabric numbers
No fabric in this week, but I finally finished my Qube Crush quilt. This was an Accuquilt quilt along hosted by my local quilt shop, Be Sew Creative, back in 2020. They did approximately 12 squares, but I went ahead and did all 72. What was I thinking?
Anyway, I finally finished the flimsy - it's a queen sized quilt using 9" blocks. I had a few extra that I'll be making into a door quilt for my parents. I learned about door quilts from one of Nancy's posts at Grace and Peace Quilting.
I thought I was doing fine with my squares, but alas maybe not so much. As I put them together, the points started shaking as they realized they would be cut off or sewn into the seam. 😢
Either way, it's finished and I'm keeping it! I discovered so much about the blocks I enjoy making, the ones that are more challenging and color combinations. I'll still be trying to keep my points on future quilts!
I'll be posting the finished photo soon as by the time I finished it on Saturday, the sun had set. UPDATE:11/28 AND HERE SHE IS! My husband had fun trying to photograph this lovely girl!
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| This picture in the shadows was the best one we could capture without the breeze joining in on the fun! |
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| My husband liked this angle. Please not our official "anchor" - a vase of seashells from our many walks on beaches far and wide. |
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| I love how beautiful our tree looks in this photo! |
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| How could I resist including this photo? Do you see my husband's shadow in the glass door? He's precious. |
To Do Tuesday
Last Week's List
1. Sunday Slow Stitching: Keep up with my daily QAYG Hexagons. UPDATE 11/22: Here's a picture of my Slow Stitching for today: prepping the hexies! ✔ Done and done! I actually am all caught up with my hexies!
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| This was Mama's tray. I asked if I could have it for my Slow Stitching. I love working on it... |
2. Slow Sunday Stitching: Work on my mittens. UPDATE 11/22: And here's a picture of the progress on my mittens!
✔ Done and done!
I made a bit more progress, but not enough to photograph.
3. Crochet: Progress on both Tranquil afghans and make more dishcloths. No Progress.
4. Machine Sewing: Stitch up the Qube Crush quilt top. ✔ Done and done!
5. Choose and prep this year's Christmas gifts for my grandbabies. I've picked out their gifts, but haven't prepped yet. Maybe today?
This Week's List
1. Sunday Slow Stitching: Keep up with my daily QAYG Hexagons.
2. Slow Sunday Stitching: Work on my mittens.
3. Crochet: Progress on both Tranquil afghans and make more dishcloths.
3. Machine Sewing: Prep my catch up blocks for Melva's Santa Fe Trail SAL.
3. Machine Sewing: Prep my catch up blocks for Melva's Santa Fe Trail SAL.
4. Machine Sewing: Secret sewing for Christmas!
Gratitude JournalI am so grateful for LeeAnn's I Like link up every Thursday at Not Afraid of Color! She really helps me to see the glass half full!
So...last Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving I received the text from the DOH that I had tested positive for COVID. Why am I including this news in my Gratitude Journal? Because, thank God, I am fully vaccinated and had just received my booster the week before. My symptoms are so very mild! At its worst, it felt like a sinus infection, for which my PCP had already given me antibiotics!
Though my husband and I were the only ones at our Thanksgiving table (yes, I cooked a traditional meal), we found joy in being together. It's been a quiet, but nice quarantine weekend.
I was heartbroken as my trip to see my parents is postponed - I cried so much as I thought of their disappointment. But, in rereading my own Bible studies, I remembered that the LORD has His reasons and His timing is perfect. Also, my symptoms are so very mild, how can I not be grateful? Amen?
I so enjoyed Jenn's Bookshelves Thankfully Reading event! It made my Thanksgiving weekend even more warm and cozy!
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| Thomas Branigan Library is having a book sale! If I test negative next week, I plan to be there! |
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| My husband and I are trying to avoid fried foods when we can. A dear friend taught me how to make flautas in the air fryer! Simply heat up the tortillas, fill them with the meat of your choice, roll them, secure with a toothpick and drizzle a bit of olive oil on them. I baked them at 350 for about 7 minutes/until crunchy! Delicious! |
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| Kitty and I got in some oh so rare cuddles. She is slowly become more domesticated! |
Perhaps you'll visit these link ups!
Midweek Makers @ Quilt Fabrication (Wednesdays)
I Like @ Not Afraid of Color (Thursday)
Can I Get A Whoop Whoop? @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict (Friday)
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