Weekly Word: Giving Up Control + Books, Stitches and Gratitude!

 Hello There!

It's wonderful to return to normalcy - healthy, free of health scares, organizing, blogging and a social life!  There was a complication with my knee surgery and after that a breast cancer scare (all is well).  More on that in the Faith, Trust and Breast Cancer section.  We transferred my Daddy's home library (well over 300 books) to our home, which led to a re-organization of my office and sewing studio.  I even managed to acquire more storage room - how did that happen?  

Are you familiar with the book, When You Give a Mouse a Cookie?  I lived it with all the restructuring and love the results!  

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!    

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. 

The Weekly Word

I was listening to the book of Numbers and Moses' conversation with the LORD caught my attention.  As Moses was leading the Israelites, I realized something:  though he was in constant presence of the LORD, he was trying to handle the burden on the people on his own.  How often do we do the same?  

Moses became overwhelmed with their constant complaints and cried out to the LORD:

Moses needed help and, finally after he was in despair and broken, he went to our LORD.  Why do we wait so long to go to our loving Father for help when we know He will respond with love, as He did to Moses.  

Now, there is more to the story, but the LORD really opened my eyes to Moses' situation.  Moses kept trying to meet the needs of 600,000 people on his own!  Oh, my dear reader!  How many times have we tried to meet the needs of our loved ones instead of letting go of control and trusting God to take care of them?  Even closer to home, how many times have we rejected help, we when we so obviously need assistance?  

I believe part of the reason is we are reluctant to give up the control we cling to with tight fists.  If only we would open our hands and release all to our LORD!

These last two months, I began learning to relinquish control and followed my husband's lead as I was struggling with my health. It was difficult to restrain my need for control, yet necessary I was ill and vulnerable and exhausted.  Trusting my husband as he trusted God was so restful and healing.  I could finally open my hands and release praise to the LORD.  

Why not try this?  He is faithful and trustworthy.   Amen? 

My Reading Life

Currently Reading

Finished:  I finished a ton of books these two months.  For the sake of sparing your time, my reviews can be found here should you like to read them.  Once you navigate there, simply click on the title of the book, scroll down a bit and you're there!  😀

★★★ Nancy's Mysterious Letter by Carolyn Keene

★★★★★ The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe 

★★★★Homicide in Hardcover by Kate Carlisle

★★★★Twisted Tea Christmas by Laura Childs

★★★★Terror in Tuscany by Carolyn L. Dean

★★★★★Above the Bay of Angels by Rhys Bowen

★★★★The Sign of the Twisted Candles by Carolyne Keene

★★★★The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang

★★★★★The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer

★★★By Book or Crook by Eva Gates

Next Up

Stash Report

Yarny Numbers

Naturally, during the healing process, I turned to crochet, finishing a few projects.  

These pictures are lacking in quality and will have to do as I've already gifted the scarves, but you get the idea, right?

The Mommy and Me 12-point afghan will be donated to Linus. It's spread out on a queen size bed.   A friend's mama purchased the yarn, but can no longer crochet, so I made it for her.  

Inspired by this same friend's organizing her crafty supplies, I went through my yarn stash and donated yarn to my granddaughter's school.  

Fabric numbers

Again, inspired by my friend's reorganization, I'm using what I have and purchasing only what I need to finish projects. 

This week I'm feeling better and getting back to machine sewing - more details are in the next section!

To Do Tuesday

These monthly calendars from Freemotion by the River have brought more of focus to my crafty life.    I broke the notes section down into three more sections:  1) Projects on the Radar, 2) UFOs, and 3) Xmas sewing.  

This Week's List 

It's been a while, so I'm starting fresh with this week's list.  

1.  Slow Stitching - There are two projects I'm working on, a Bee Humble sew along from Be Sew Creative and a set of tea towels for my "Golden Girls" group.  I've finished one tea towel already!

I went to Stitch Palettes color generator and the first image popped up - with DMC matches.  (I have a rather large collection of Presencia, so I converted them.) I then organized my needle/supply book and off I went to stitch!  

a.  Make progress on my 2/4 tea towels! 

 

b.  Finish block one for the Bee Humble Sew Along.

Here's what the final project should look like:

https://besewcreative-nm.com/products/bee-humble-6-block-of-the-month-registration-1?_pos=1&_sid=4646787cc&_ss=r

2. Machine Sewing:  

a. Continue progress on this fun granny square Christmas quilt.

b.  Join the blocks for the Pieces in the Garden SAL as a leader/ender project.   

3.  Crochet 
a.  Continue working on my Fall Granny Square Afghan.  I'm borrowing an idea from quilting and using a 16-patch block pattern.  

 

On The Radar...

1.  Stitch up a baby quilt that I've prepped.

2.  Finish up my daughter's crocheted dishcloths.

3.  Prepping kits for January 2023

Gratitude Journal

During these last few months, this song seems to describe my heart.  Even when I forgot to turn to God and instead got lost in ruminating, He provided people in my path to remind me of His promises, who He is, and that my Abba Father is waiting for me to run to His loving arms.  Praise His Holy Name! 

I love how Micah Tyler's family has made this song, Even Then, part of their daily prayers.  

I often link up to LeeAnna's Thursday's "I Like" at Not Afraid of Color.  Last week they shared their favorite pumpkin recipes, so I'll share mine!  It's based on a recipe from a Mennonite cookbook that I've passed along to my daughter.  As you can tell, it's well loved!  We enjoy pumpkin bread from October through Christmas!

 This week's prompt is apple cider.  I do like apple cider, but haven't cooked with it.  Do you have a recipe that included apple cider?

I'm so grateful that our late summer skies were filled with much needed rain!

I really enjoy reading @peacefulmindpeacefullife's Instagram posts.  How true is this statement?

Let's remember to love and be kind to everyone - including ourselves.  

                         

                                

@Dianydecorazon always inspires me with her colorful creations!

I'm so grateful we've had the opportunity to create our oasis.  We originally designed our yard in hopes of ministering to those who visited us.  Little did we know how blessed we ourselves would be by this environment!

This memorial to "The Forgotten War" touched me deeply as my father and father-in-law are Korean War veterans.

                              

Friend snuggling together - kind of!  😉

Faith, Trust and Breast Cancer

My second knee surgery went very well.  Less than 36 hours later I was walking pain free and without a walker or cane!  The physical therapist was pleasantly surprised that he couldn't tell which knee was recently operated!

Within a few days however, I developed an intestinal blockage which was cleared up after an ambulance ride and a three- day hospital stay.  What a way to lose a few pounds!

Less than a week later, a mass was discovered in my right breast and a "suspicious" area on my left breast - the one that had cancer before.  

After my diagnostic mammogram, I was feeling a bit depressed and anxious.  I asked my husband to take me to our local Veterans' Park.  I was reminded of all I have to be grateful for!  The plaque at the Heros of Bataan was espeically inspiring and touched my very soul.  It states in part:

"This 'Heroes of Bataan' portrays Filipino and American prisoners of war entwined in their struggle to survive the Death March.  They look back to what has passed, down to what is present and ahead to what might be." 

                     

 I took a deep breath and was inspired to do the same as I awaited my results, which were, thankfully, normal!   

Needless to say, all these health events took some time to recover from, both physically and emotionally.  After taking much time from blogging so that I can heal as much as possible, I'm back!  It's good to be here connecting with loving online friends.   

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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 Stash @ Quilt, Paint, Create

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

To Do Tuesday @ Texas Quilt Gal

Midweek Makers @ Quilt Fabrication (Wednesdays)

I Like @ Not Afraid of Color (Thursday)