Weekly Word: Quilting Devotional + Stitching and Gratitude This Week!

 

Hello there!

Thank you so much for stopping in today!  It's nice to be home after our week in San Diego.  I seem to be on a machine sewing streak as well as prepping new projects.  We have had a week of lovely rainstorms!  Poor Chico has been sleeping with us as he is terrified of thunder!  He's a great cuddle bug!  

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

The Quilt of Life by Mary Tatem is quickly becoming one of my favorite devotionals.  I loved this verse as it served as a reminder to me accept the LORD's daily (and sometimes more often) invitation to spend time with Him via His precious Word.  

As Tatem wrote, it is during these times we have the opportunity to receive His warnings as we face various challenges throughout our day.  I completely concur. 

If we wake up burdened, it is via these quiet moments with Him that we receive His comfort.

Can you imagine how God must feel when He invites us to spend time with Him and we respond with, "In a minute, just let me....", do whatever seems more important.  

I was reminded this week that our God is a consuming fire, a jealous God (Deuteronomy 4:23-24, Exodus 34:14).     

Tatem's article and the reminder I received with a repentant, humble heart served as a powerful reminder to me to show Him the love and respect He so deserves and spend time with Him exclusively every day.   

My Reading Life

Currently reading

 

Finished

 

★★Book Lovers by Emily Henry is a romantic comedy-not my favorite. There were a few steamy scenes that I skipped. It was your typical girl meets boy, mutual dislike, fall in love and happily ever after.  

★★★★★ The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson is the second in a the series, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. This powerful work kept me up to all hours of the night. It was a joy to witness Honey's growth and glean tidbits of wisdom from this wise Kentucky author. Both novels merit a very high recommendation. 

★★★ I am so enjoying the experience of my granddaughter and mine Buddy Reading through the Nancy Drew mystery series.  I just finished The Secret of Shadow Ranch.

Did Not Finish 

After finishing Book Lovers, I just not have the heart to finish this one.

Stash Report

Yarny Numbers

No change in my yarn stash.  

Fabric Numbers

Full Disclosure, I am not a mathematician!  I found an coding error in my Excel sheet and here are the accurate numbers - until I find the next error.  😉Thankfully, I still remain in the postive - just barely!  

The only changes are the hexies made this week!  :)

To Do Tuesday

Last Week's List

1. Sunday Slow Stitching: Stitch up one hexie a day.  I have until August 25 to finish my personal challenge of 365 hexies in 365 days!  I'm at 285/365 - 80 more to go in the 69 days left (as of this writing).  Done!  Here’s 15 more!  At the time of this writing, I'm officially caught up!  It's day 300 and I have 300 hexies stitched up!  

2. Christmas Sewing List: Continue stitching the grandchildren’s 2022 Christmas softies (July is my deadline).  Done!  Will continue with this goal this week.  

  

3.  Machine Sewing: Stitch up Row 5 Pieces in the Garden  by the 24th of June. Done!   This sew along has been quite the challenge for me!  Coming from a humble beginner/intermediate quilter, here’s what I’ve learned.  

1.   I’ve learned how to sew a scant 1/4” seam!   On my Bernina 490, I use the #20 foot and set my needle to position five. 

2.   I’ve learned to stitch slowly.  

3.   I’ve also learned to press my seams open.

4.  Linda at Texas Quilt Gal shared a picture on her Instagram. It looked to me like she was chain piecing her squares.  That photo was a game changer for me as before I was making each block individually. I’ll always be grateful for that tip.

5.  Melva at Melva Loves Scraps is skilled at writing patterns. I learned to trust the process.  

6.  I’ve also learned to break up the process into days rather than trying to finish everything in a day. 

Melva’s Pieces in the Garden sew along has upped my sewing skills!   My new BOM from Be Sew Creative looks challenging, but, now, I believe I’m ready for it!   

I just love how the blocks look all laid out!

Realistically, I'll probably on meet either the Christmas sewing or the Pieces of the Garden!  :)  I actually met both goals and got the blocks stitched out for the $15 Sampler Quilt from Be Sew Creative!  

This Week's List

My first priority before the ones below are to create scrapbook pages of our trip to San Diego for my parents.  Once that is finished, I might have time to achieve these goals:  

1. Sunday Slow Stitching: Stitch up one hexie a day.    

2. Machine Sewing: Attach the binding to this flannel quilt that I finished some time ago.  

3. Christmas Sewing List: Continue stitching the grandchildren’s 2022 Christmas softies (July is my deadline). 

4.  Kit prep: I would like to prep the newly published Row 6 of Melva's Pieces of the Garden SAL.  

Gratitude Journal

Have you ever felt like the woman at the well?  I know I have.  Guess what, Jesus loves us despite our mistakes!  Listen and believe Woman at the Well by Olivia Lane!  Here is the story behind the song.  

While in San Diego, we enjoyed my sister's Nespresso machine so much, I gave one to my husband for Father's Day!  I love how we set it up!

@gramma_dee posted these cool fabric vessels on Instagram.  The green on is made from an orphan block!  Aren't they so pretty?   

Chico heard my husband waking up and moving around in the bedroom. Every day he eagerly awaits his exit to greet him with licks and snuggles!  

Faith, Trust and Breast Cancer

During my journey with Triple Negative Breast Cancer, I was frightened, concerned, worried and lost.  I realized that I needed to turn to God for comfort.  These books were such a blessing!

  

Praying Though Cancer by Susan Sorensen and Laura Geigst is a powerful complication of brief devotionals written by women who have faced cancer. Over the years, I have collected extra copies to be handed out to cancer patients.  I also keep at least one additional copy on my bookshelf - just in case.  

Cancer is a thief and quite frequently, the journey is a long, arduous one.  Lynn Eib, a cancer survivor herself, wrote When God and Cancer Meet.  It is also a compelling compilation of true stories about families who have faced this terrible disease and seen God move in miraculous ways.  What I remember about the book is that not every cancer patient survived.  However, I remember drawing comfort form Eib's words, even in those circumstances.

  

When we are first told we have cancer, it is terrifying.  My diagnosis of Triple Negative Breast Cancer included a 70% chance of survival, a year of treatment and, six years later, the effects of chemo remain.  Remember, my story is not unique.  

I see myself as blessed, though, full transparency,  sometimes I do have pity parties.  TNBC was one of the biggest blessings of my life.  I learned to love deeper, love quicker, tell a complete stranger (females) that they look beautiful, and my faith grew exponentially.  I know this attitude is because of the work God did in my life.  I'm not sure these changes would have occurred without experiencing cancer.  So, yes, I am indeed blessed.  

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)