Weekly Word: A Transparent Testimony Plus My Reading, Stitching and Gratitude This Week!

 

Hello there!

It's good to be back!  I'm recovering from the partial knee replacement with a new attitude which I am sharing in The Weekly Word.  Full disclosure, this devotional is quite transparent and humbling to share online, but how can I not share how God has changed me?  

This week's post is only a partial look into my hobbies, however, you will soon be caught up in the next few weeks.  

The "Faith, Trust and Breast Cancer" link below offers more details about my physical recovery.      

Your posts and comments have been a delight to read!  Thank you so much for reaching out with your encouragement and sharing a bit of your own lives!      

As my weekly posts are jampacked with lots of fun mini- articles, here's is an index should you have a special interest you'd like to read first!  Otherwise, settle in with your favorite beverage and snack and enjoy!  

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!    

Faith, Trust and Breast Cancer - Here you will find updates on life after Triple Negative Breast Cancer.  I was diagnosed in November of 2014 and my last day of treatment was in November 2015.   

Weekly Word

  

Verse 16 popped out at me with neon lights!

Psalm 23:5 immediately came into my mind!  My. cup. overflows.

The grace God gives us is meant to be shared without worry of depleting our supply as He is constantly replenishing it! Just what is grace?  According to Webster, it's 

a: unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification

b: a virtue coming from God

c: a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine assistance

We can constantly show grace and kindness as our LORD refills our cup!  During the weeks of previous surgeries, impatient to return to a full life without giving myself a chance to heal.  I was constantly rejecting my caregivers' pleas for me to rest and slow down. (Ouch!  That is hard to share!)  This time around, I wanted the next six weeks to be calm and peaceful for all of us.  

The first step was to repent of my past actions and accept God's forgiveness and grace (sanctification).  

The next step was noticing my family's expressions.  When I observed stress, I would ask if my attitude was controlling or rebellious.  If the answer was affirmative, I would apologize, slow down and pray for God's grace to fill me.  

Next, I learned to appreciate my family's efforts with chores, instead of worrying about a having clean house or perfect garden.  

What a difference God's grace made in our home!  

When I checked in with my husband, he said this time around was so much calmer and peaceful.  

Guess what?  No one cared about the condition of my home or gardens!  They only wanted me to rest and heal.    

Let us learn to accept God's grace for our regeneration and sanctification.  Furthermore, let us be aware of our own attitudes, go The Source of grace with a willing, humble heart, accept His grace and enjoy the positive changes we see in our and our loved one's, lives!  

Life changes dramatically when we lean on God, accept His grace, show grace, and give grace.  

 

My Reading Life

Currently reading

Once I Was You is taking me time to process, not because it is poorly written, but because I have to set it down and ponder Mrs. Hinojosa's story, deal with the deep anger and frustration I feel regarding how Latinos are treated in this country and celebrate Hinojosa's strength and courage to address and expose the atrocities happening even today in or nation.  

Finished 

It looks like April was a prolific reading month, and it certainly was!  However, most of these books were via audio as I crocheted.  Reading hard copies/ebooks was difficult, thought now I seem to be back on track!  

★★★ Such a Quiet Place was a as it seemed a bit slow, but had a fabulous surprise ending.  

★★★★ The Forgotten Seamstress was a reminder of how important history is to those who find our quilts.  I'm reminded to label my quilts.    The story of how women were and are so vulnerable to society's whims is addressed.  

★★★★★ The Horse and His Boy is another fantastical work that enjoyed thoroughly!  

★★★★★ The Maid is a wonderful cozy mystery that I highly recommend!  It shows how our assumptions about those who are different can make us look foolish.  I love the protagonist and hope there are more books featuring her.  

★★★★★ The Tattosist of Aushwitz is the first in a series that I am eager to continue reading.  Another great read about WWII and the courage of so many Jewish people.  Inspirational.  

★★ The Secret of the Old Clock is my Buddy Read with my granddaughter and I have to say, though I enjoyed the Nancy Drew series as a child, the same is not true as an adult.  I find her too nice and "perfect."  However, I will continue reading the series as that is what my granddaughter has chosen for us.

★★★★★ The Rose Code captivated me from page one!  Again, it shows the vulnerability of women and how we can be abused so easily by society.  However, we are loyal and smart - strong enough to perhaps save a nation!  Highly enjoyed this one!

★★ Brothers and Wives was meh.  It seemed like a lot of gossip and drama.  I picked it up as I've always  been curious about these young men who were thrust in a global spotlight before they were ready and without their mother's protection.  I found myself skimming through most of the book.    

★★★★★ The Lost Apothecary is another book I'd recommend! This one was a Buddy Read with Mary Alice.  The chapters vacillate from character to character as well as going from the past to the present.  Both the hard copy and the audio were enjoyable!

Stash Report

Yarny Numbers

While recovering from surgery, I naturally reached for my comfort craft:  crochet.  I finished another baby afghan using yarn from my stash but forgot to take a picture of it.  Here is an in-progress photo.  

I also purchased some more Tranquil yarn for this afghan.  A dear friend asked me to make her some dishcloths, so that was another skein purchased. Despite these purchases, I'm still in the black!  :)

Fabric Numbers

I worked almost exclusively on my quilt-as-you-go hexagons for grand total of 51 made in the month of April!   That, coupled with no fabric purchases, keeps me in the black!  Whew!

To Do Tuesday

 My last post's goal was this:

Last Week's List

1. Sunday Slow Stitching: Stitch up one hexie a day & finish the embroidered tea towel!  I'm so close! Done!  

2. Crochet: Make progress on my new afghan. Done - and pictured above.  

3.  Machine Sewing: Attach binding to my quilts in the binding que.  Stitch up the blocks for Row 2 Pieces in the Garden.  Halfway  Done.  I stitched on one binding and finished Row 2!  

 After I posted it, I won this fabulous set of teas, a tea strainer and some blossom tea’s as well.  

The flavors I won were Rooibos Vanilla Chai, Honeymoon, Elderberry Bliss (no caffeine), White Chai (Low caffeine), Madam Grey and Peach Oblong (high caffeine)! Not only those delicious teas are in the package but I also received a tuba strainer and two blooming teas - Dancing Lights and Red Sky! My granddaughter was so installed with the entire package that she set up a photo shoot and took the photo for me :-) thank you so much Melva and Stephanie! I encourage you all to go and check out both of these ladies’ accounts! @melvalovesscraps @cornerstoneteacompany

4. Christmas Sewing List:  Prep and begin stitching the grandchildren’s 2022 Christmas softies Not done.

This Week's List

I'm going to simplify my list.  After a conversation with another blogger, I tried working on just one/two projects a week and loved it!  So, here's my list.  If I accomplish more, fabulous.  But, this is my "official" list.  😊

1. Sunday Slow Stitching: Stitch up one hexie a day and & finish the dishcloths for my friend!   

2. Machine Sewing: Stitch up the blocks for Row 4 Pieces in the Garden.  (I'll be sharing Row 3 next week!)

Gratitude Journal

I loved watching my grandchildren play.

Here's the birthday cards they made me - pictures of me! 

 I enjoyed them so much, they drew another picture of me in their notebook!  😂

Here's a birthday envelope that was a blast to the past and encouraging!  I love Suzy's Zoo!

During my healing time, the recliner was my best friend.  I was able to observe Kitty playing in our entertainment center. 

She was deciding whether or not to enter "The Zone!"  

She decided to go a bit lower.....

to explore behind the photo albums.  Do you see her?

Here she is coming out 

having decided she'd learned all she could about The Zone!  

Dear friends, even if we look fine, sometimes we are in pain!  Fibromyalgia is real!  

This stir fry was so delicious!

This video from @healthtips.247 caught my interest!

I'm so grateful for Mia's presence, afghans and thought-provoking literature!

Faith, Trust and Breast Cancer

My orthopedic doctor referred me to Dr. Alvaro Hernandez in El Paso, Texas for my partial knee replacement.  The surgery was very easy to recover from in large part due to MAKO surgery.  The nurses helped me to walk on the evening of surgery.  In the hospital and at home I used something similar this ice machine to comfortably ice my knee.    

Once home, I did my physical therapy faithfully.  When the physical therapist came over on Day 5, he was shocked at my progress.  By this time I was only taking 1-2 Tylenol Arthritis a day.  My pain levels were between a 2-3, except when I stood up from a seated position.  The pain was concentrated on the incision.  Using a triple antibiotic cream that contained pain reliever helped immensely.    

Initially, I slept on the recliner.  Even though we have an adjustable bed, the position hurt my husband's back.  When I could sleep on my side, I slept with a pillow between my knees with the operated knee on top of the pillow.  This helped so much!

Within two weeks, I was walking without the walker or even a cane.  However, I repeat:  I did my physical therapy faithfully.  Physical therapy is vital to healing.  Even now, six weeks later, if I don't do the exercises, I am in pain.    

Now, I'm doing so well Dr. Hernandez said I could skip outpatient therapy!  However, I do the exercises my therapist left for me almost every day.  I also make sure I get in between 5,000 - 8,000 steps a day.  I'm able to use our Max Trainer for about 2 minutes now, but increase that time by about 15 seconds a day.  My walks are about a block and a half.  

Would I do it again?  Yes!  But only using MAKO and with Dr. Hernandez.  There's a long road ahead to full recovery, but I'm determined to gain back my 4.5 mile walks.  

Any suggestions or advice are so welcome!  

Take good care, my dears!

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You can also expect a visit from me as well!

Here are some blogs I sometimes link up to!

Sunday Salon @ Readerbuzz

Slow Sunday Stitching @ Kathy's Quilts

Sunday Post at the Caffeinated Reviewer

Sunday Stash @ Quilt, Paint, Create

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? @ Book Date

To Do Tuesday @ Texas Quilt Gal

Pictorial Tuesday @ Peabea's Photos & Scribbles

I Like @ Not Afraid of Color (Thursday)

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop? @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict (Friday)