Hello There,
I'm sure many of you are preparing for your Thanksgiving celebrations. Perhaps you would like to share your favorite Thanksgiving tradition in the comments below? Or maybe you have a new tradition you're adding to your celebration of gratitude this week?
One of my favorite traditions is listening to each person around our table share whatever is that they are grateful for. I also love to bake my stuffing as I remember my Grandmother making it - with tons of carrots, celery and a dash of onions. Yum!
I am adding Jenn at Jenn's Bookshelves Thankfully Reading to my Thanksgiving weekend plans. Who knows? Perhaps it will become a new tradition for many of us!
Jenn is once hosting the Thankfully Reading from November 24 - 28. No rules, simply cuddle up and read. Are you in? If so, please join us by signing up here!
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 2
As I shared last week our family has been going through a transition. Also, like many of you, we have recently experienced the loss of several family members and friends, some to COVID, some to cancer.
Though societal pressures may tempt us to rush the grieving process, Ecclesiastes 3:4 clearly states there is a time to grieve.
After listening to Terrian's song, Stayed on Him, a curiosity about grieving, depression and just plain sadness led me to this website. The author listed times with Biblical heroes were struggling. As I read this examples I felt less alone, but I noticed something: every single passage in which despair was expressed, the various authors also expressed a deep faith in God's promises.
Let's look at Psalm 56 where David expresses his feelings as he faces looming danger from the Philistines:
Record my misery;
list my tears on Your scroll -
are they not in Your record?
- Psalm 56:8
David is in such distress that he want to make sure his feelings and even tears are recorded in God's scroll!
But look! Just a few verses later, he writes:
In God whose Word I praise,
in the LORD, whose Word I praise -
in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can man do to me?
- Psalm 56:10-11
When I read a repeated phrase, I sit up and take note. David is praising God, despite his misery and fears! In fact, verses 10 and 11 are actually a repeat of verses 3 & 4! He is trusting God and is not afraid - after all - what can mere man do to him?
When I saw this, I excitedly turned to the next example, such as Moses in Numbers 11.
I cannot carry all these people by myself;
it is too burdensome for me.
If this is how You are going to treat me,
please kill me right now—
if I have found favor in Your eyes—
and let me not see my own wretchedness.”
- Numbers 11:14-15
So much can be said about these verses, but for the sake of this study, let me simply ask you this: Has your despair, or the despair of someone you know, ever reached such a level that you/they wished God would actually kill you? How many times do we put on a "brave face" only to be hiding our grief and pain from those who love us so much?
Oh, dear Reader, look how our loving LORD responded to Moses:
Then the LORD said to Moses,
“Bring Me seventy of the elders of Israel known to you
as leaders and officers of the people.
Bring them to the Tent of Meeting and have them stand there with you.
And I will come down and speak with you there,
and I will take some of the Spirit that is on you
and put that Spirit on them.
They will help you bear the burden of the people,
so that you do not have to bear it by yourself.
Numbers 11:17
God is ready to sent us people to help us through the valley! This time around, I openly shared my feelings with my family and a few trusted friends. For the most part, they were quite understanding. Those who weren't, well, I stood my ground, remembering that God's Word says there is a time to grieve. I refused to allow anyone to invalidate my feelings.
Friends, be it grief, depression or just sadness, let us give ourselves the time to go through these times in a healthy manner.
As we move into a season of gratitude, let us not only be grateful for the knowledge that God hears our hearts and will respond with love, compassion and assistance, but let us avail ourselves of His support.
I hope to see you next week as we continue this study. Blessings to you all!
My Reading LifeI'm starting to make a list of Reading Challenges for 2022! I've been participating in the annual Goodreads Challenge and am ready to branch into a couple of more challenges. I found an interesting list of personal challenges here and picked #5: reading a book published every year since my birth - yikes! I challenged myself even further by choosing as many books as possible from my bookshelf!
Here is my week of reading. Remember, if you click on the books' image, you should get directed to a book description.
Currently Reading
 |
Finished
 |
| ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ My Granddaughter and I haven't met for our book club, but I finished this book. I'm still a bit concerned about how she will react, but it's a great opportunity for discussion as well as to share a few comforting Scriptures. |
 |
| ⭐⭐⭐⭐ This one was a bit hard to get into, but I'm so glad I stuck with it! |
Stash ReportYarny Numbers
Again there's no changes in my yarn numbers, but definitely changes in fabric - it continues to roll in!
Fabric numbers
Lots of fabric came in this week, too!
  |
| I picked up the white on whites on the left to finish up my Qube Crush Quilt. (Ignore the spot on the middle piece - it was from my camera.) My daughter gifted me the ones on the right for the same purpose. |
 |
| We went to Texas Foam and Fabric to get a chair upholstered and I brought home the top two fabrics which will become pillows for our backyard furniture. Except for the grey fabric, the bottom fabrics were gifted to me. |
but the year isn't over yet! :)
To Do Tuesday
Last Week's List
1. Sunday Slow Stitching: Keep up with my daily QAYG Hexagons. Nope, but close!
2. Slow Sunday Stitching: Work on my mittens. Nope.
3. Crochet: Progress on both Tranquil afghans and make more dishcloths. Nope.
4. Machine Sewing: Finish the commission job. Oh yes!
5. Machine Sewing: Plan and layout the blocks from my Qube Crush quilt. Yes!
 |
| These need pressing..... |
 |
| These blocks are impatiently waiting for their friends! I have enough to make a queen-sized quilt for my bed! |
6. Choose and prep this year's Christmas gifts for my grandbabies. Nope.
It looks like I didn't do much, but wow! The Qube Crush quilt is almost finished! That one took a bit of time as there are 72 9" blocks to work with!
This Week's List
1. Sunday Slow Stitching: Keep up with my daily QAYG Hexagons. UPDATE: Here's a picture of my Slow Stitching for today: prepping the hexies!
2. Slow Sunday Stitching: Work on my mittens. UPDATE: And here's a picture of the progress on my mittens!
3. Crochet: Progress on both Tranquil afghans and make more dishcloths.
4. Machine Sewing: Stitch up the Qube Crush quilt top.
6. Choose and prep this year's Christmas gifts for my grandbabies.
Gratitude Journal |
This week I made another family favorite - Pumpkin Bread! It's from a Mennonite cookbook that was gifted to me years ago by our Youth Pastor's wife, Mary Scott. |
I so wanted that cookbook, but at the time money was a bit tight.
She gave it to me for my birthday...
and I have passed it onto my daughter.
I'm so grateful for this pastor's wife.
 |
Here's the recipe. One note though, I add in the spices and pecans quite liberally! |
 |
| Last week I shared this beautiful scarf. Emma from The Crochet Swirl has since released the pattern. Here it is if you're interested! |
But most of all, I am grateful for you, my blogging community. Bloggers, blog readers, those who host and participate in link ups, the whole kit and caboodle - I am grateful for you all. Thank you for being a part of my life.
Perhaps you'll visit these link ups!
Midweek Makers @ Quilt Fabrication (Wednesdays)
The Loop Scoop hosted simultaneously by
Petals to Picots and Moogly
Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation
Can I Get A Whoop Whoop? @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict (Friday)
Enjoyed this post?
Never miss out on future posts by following this blog!
Your comments are so appreciated!
I read each one and will respond by email.
You can also expect a visit from me as well!
I am eager to start planning my reading for 2022. I've made a chart that I keep in my journal to keep track of the books I'm reading for each challenge for each month. I am happy with the challenges I chose this year, and I hope I can do some of them again next year.
ReplyDeleteYou've inspired me to make pumpkin bread this year for Thanksgiving. I like your recipe. I've never added pecans or raisins, but that sounds good.
Happy Thanksgiving, Patricia!
Reading a book published every year since your birth seems like quite a challenge. I’m too old for that ;)
ReplyDeleteWishing you a great reading week
I'm starting to think about reading challenges for 2022, too. I haven't sone them for a few years, but may start again. The pumpkin bread looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a fun reading challenge! I'm tempted to join. I'd probably end up reading a ton of Stephen King because he's been writing for longer than I've been alive. Have a great Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteThankfully Reading Weekend has definitely been my Thanksgiving tradition for several years. Ever since I first heard about it, but I don't know remember when that was.
ReplyDeleteTaking time to grieve is definitely important as is asking for and accepting help from others. People like to help and want to help...they just aren't sure how or what they can do, which is why we need to ask them. "Hey, if you're going to the grocery would you mind picking me up some dang cat litter? I need it but the thought of putting on clothes and running into Walmart makes me want to cry." People need specific tasks to help with.
As for depression and sadness, I find that in my own case I'm usually just TIRED and then I start having a pity party for myself and then I think about how other people have REAL problems like illness or marriage issues, and then I take a good long nap and get over myself. LOL I know it's not that easy for others, especially if they have clinical depression, etc. Only talking about myself here.
Interestingly, THIS weekend when I got over myself and my whining, suddenly I remembered online grocery order & pickup and that took away half of what I was stressing out about. And then when I was mindlessly scrolling FB, I was reminded to add Cool Whip and Turkey Gravy mix to my order and did so with 58 seconds to spare.
Is that God stepping in to help? Dunno. But I'll say "Thank you!" anyway. lol
Hope you have a great Thanksgiving!
Fun haul! The mittens are adorable. It's always more fun to stitch on something cute.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving! I'm going camping for Thanksgiving, so no huge meal for me.
ReplyDeleteI think it is an excellent Thanksgiving tradition to sit around the table and tell each other what you are thankful for. It is thankfulness in our hearts that adds a little beauty to our day. Love those fabrics you have chosen for the pillows; especially the one on the right. Those white pattern fabrics are pretty. Enjoy your Thanksgiving celebration with your loved ones. Here in Australia we don't really have a Thanksgiving celebration as you do in the States and Canada.
ReplyDeleteWonderful fabric!! Can't wait to see what they become!
ReplyDeleteI am also starting to plan challenges for 2022. I have not heard of a challenge to read a book from each year since we have been born! That does sound hard. Good luck :) Here is a link to my post for today: https://cindysbookcorner.blogspot.com/2021/11/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-8.html
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your vid of your LQS!!! Thank you for sharing your heart. Plus, I often get book reading ideas from you--thank you! Happy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteWhat a big book challenge for 2022 and taking as many as you can from your shelf even better. Glad you stuck with Life and Other Inconveniences. Oh my a Queen quilt from those blocks. A Queen quilt is so huge, I am putting one together at present. I am thinking I am crazy!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the "time to grieve" reminder. Seems like I tend to forget that life really isn't all roses. ;) Oh those blocks are so pretty - how neat to have that many ready to make a big quilt. Your mittens are so cute! Thank you for the pumpkin bread recipe. Wish I had a piece right now.
ReplyDeleteThank you for linking to To Do Tuesday!