Weekly Word: He WILL Heal Us + Books, Stitches and Gratitude!

 

Hello there!

I hope you all are doing well!  This week has flown by with visits with with friends, Bible Studies, helping a friend reorganize her sewing area and even teaching a another friend to make green chile chicken enchiladas!    

Next week will be much quieter as I prepare for surgery.  My hubby and I are hoping for a day trip to the mountains to just breathe and enjoy nature.  

Onto this week's post!

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

I heard Mandisa's song, Press On, and immediately thought of Philippians 3:13-14 where Paul is referring to attaining perfection in Christ and how he strives towards that goal.

In our brokenness, we are still called.  But how can we answer the call if we are broken?  

If we pay attention to Paul's transitional words, we will find the answer:  however is to forget the past and do my best to reach what is ahead.  

What is ahead?  God's call through Christ Jesus!  We are called by God to do His works, to love others, to spread the Good News of His love for us and desire to be a part of our lives.  So, how to apply this to our lives?  

When in a dark place, this verse reminds me that though I cannot run, we can still forget the past and press onto our healing. 

We cannot physically forget our past, nonetheless we can view it from a different lens:  the lens of God's healing.  

We can look at it and see how God has healed us as we've run straight into His waiting, loving, healing embrace.  

We can minister to others who perhaps have had similar experiences point them to our Abba Father, our Daddy, and encourage them to seek their healing as well.  

We all have pasts.

We all have hurts.

We've all faced challenges.

We all have a loving God who encourages us to run the race to our calling and healing however we can however we can:  running, walking, on our knees or even sitting in our chairs enveloped by our God's healing touch. 

 Why not try this?  

My Reading Life

Currently reading

Once Upon A Wardrobe by Pattie Callahan

The Wish by Nicholas Sparks

Jerusalem's Queen:  A Novel of Salome Alexandra by Angela Elwell Hunt

Finished 

The Clue in the Diary by Carolyn Keene (Buddy Read). I've decided not to rate the Nancy Drew books I'm reading with my granddaughter. I thoroughly enjoyed them as a girl, but as an adult...not so much. But, I am so enjoying the experience of reading with her! So, how to rate the books? I'll keep it simple and leave it as is! :)
★★★★A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier was a delightful read that took place between WWI and WWII and followed the life of Violet as she makes her own way in this post-war era.  We follow her on many journeys:  learning needlepoint, finding healing and love again, making friends and navigating family issues.  I was fascinated by the author's presentation of kneeling cushions and the role needlepoint has in the church.  I almost decided to pick up needlepoint, but alas, am resisting - for now!  If you enjoy history, stitching or reading about family, this is the book for you!   

Stash Report

Yarny Numbers

This week I helped a friend clean out a room.  Though I was so tempted to add to my fiber stash, I resisted but these skeins of yarn, embroidery threads and Aunt Martha's iron on transfers.  

So, there's been a definite increase in my yarn stash! 

Fabric Numbers

Being that I finished the flannel baby quilt, there is a change in numbers!  

To Do Tuesday

Last Week's List

1. Sunday Slow Stitching: 

a.  Stitch up one hexie a day and prep more hexies to stitch up. Partially done!  I'm up to 358/365 hexies!  The goal is to have 365 hexies by August 25!

 

b.  Today I'll be finishing up the last bit of binding on this baby quilt.  You know, from the flannel I bought to make one quilt, I had enough (with a bit of help from my white flannel in my stash) to make one more quilt plus this baby quilt!  Done!  Tada!

 c.  Prep my Colcha piece for stitching the background.  Not done.  

2. Machine Sewing: 

a.  I have a blouse and a shopping bag to repair.  Done!  Why is it that the simplest shortest tasks wait the longest?  

b.  I would love to turn these prepped pieces of fabric into a flimsy and maybe even make the backing.  Nope.  Maybe this week?

On The Radar...

I'm pleased with the quilt kits I prepped to stitch up as I recover from surgery.  The dark fabric on the bottom is the blouse I needed to repair.  Even that got a stacking basket of its own!  😉  

a.  Make a baby quilt for a new grandma.  This quilt is also prepped.  

b.  Keep stitching through my Christmas fabric!  I prepped another Xmas quilt!   

This Week's List

1.  Slow Stitching

a.  Stitch up one hexie a day and prep more hexies to stitch up. 

b.  Begin binding the second flannel quilt.  

 c.  Prep my Colcha piece for stitching the background.   

2. Machine Sewing: 

a.  Turn these prepped pieces of fabric into a flimsy and maybe even make the backing.  

3. Make my blocks for the $15 Mystery Sampler quilt. 

On The Radar...

1.  Stitching up the second Xmas quilt.

2.  Stitching up the baby quilt.

Gratitude Journal

The song Different was planned for this post months ago, months before my world was rocked by a curve ball breaking my heart into jagged pieces.  But, God's timing is perfect.  

This afternoon, the song, Different, played on radio and I cried as I sang along.  

Tonight, while writing this post, I saw it was on this week's schedule.  After once again listening to the story behind Different by Micah Tyler, I realized that this is what the Lord has done in me:  He became different.  Just like the lyrics say, 

"I just wanna be different

So could You be different

In me"

Life can be hard, dear one, oh so very hard.  In spite of that, my wise daughter's words come to me every day:  "Mama, you come out of your storms stronger and healthier."  

Wow...she's watching me and God in me making me different.  

Different.

I'll take different....as painful as it can be...yes, I'll take different.  

Oh, yes, as I've aged, I'm realizing how precious time is and 

how I want to spend it with loved ones.

For our "I Like" link up, LeeAnna asked us to share what fruits and veggies we like and how we prepare them.  I love, love, love broccoli!  Raw. Steamed.  Stir fried.  In salads.  Even grated on homemade pizza!  I just love broccoli - especially with the May Ploy sauce on it!  Yum!

Here is a picture of Sheet Pan Chicken with Roasted Broccoli and Potatoes by @simplyrecipes!  Delish!

This brocolli stir-fry was delicious!  Cook the meat first, remove it from pan, add the veggies for a quick fry and then return the veggies to the pan.  Serve over steamed rice.  You can thank me later.  😊

I also have been enjoying strawberries and blueberries in smoothies with the pictured ingredients!  Yum! 

These posts from Instagram caught my attention. 

Fai

Faith, Trust and Breast Cancer

This week is surgery - which I'm eager for!  It'll be nice to take long walks again after recovery.  

I try not to think that I'm having to have surgery because the chemo steroids damaged my cartilage.  But...the reality is that it gets tiring to live with the long-term effects of chemotherapy.  

It's interesting how the children around us view our world.  When I told my youngest grandchildren about the upcoming surgery, he gazed deep into my eyes and asked, "Ama, do you like surgeries?"  Sweet, innocent boy...

I'm not sure when I'll post again, but until then, take good care!  

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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)