Weekly Word: Bitter or Better? Part 2 + Books, Stitches and Gratitude!

 Hello There, 

It's great to see you all!  Wow!  Time is sure flying.  I'm a bit behind in commenting and responding to emails, but I'll be catching up!  Thank you all for stopping by!

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, Slow Sunday Stitching projects, 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

In one of my Bible Studies, we're going through the book of Galatians.  Due to our various personalities, the veteran Bible scholar, the intellect and me - the emotional one, we all offer very diverse insights that make for interesting discussions.  

Though we all found Paul's word, "astonished", interesting, I have to say I could understand the Galatians becoming confused about the Gospel.  

If my understanding is correct, they were in a sense new Christians depending on the oral teachings of Paul and their flawed memories.  There was no hard copy of Paul's teachings that the Galatians could pull out and reread time and again to clarify their thinking.    The Judaizers were religious leaders and easily confused them.    

As I recall my early walk with Christ, I wasn't reading the Bible consistently and when I did, much of it was a mystery to me.  I was easily swayed by misunderstanding and faulty previous teachings.    

I was so easily embittered by current challenges in life.  How could God let this happen?  Why did He let past traumas occur in my life?  So many questions with very little answers! 

In a previous post, I addressed the question of bitter or better.  Galatians brought that post to mind again.  As new or even veteran believers, we can easily fall away from Jesus and the comfort He offers.  We can easily become embittered, especially in our early days of knowing him as our Savior.  How can we avoid this pitfall?

I only know my own experience, much of which occurred before computers and the Internet.   I had a friend who became my spiritual mother.  I could go to her with my questions knowing she would guide me without judging me.  

One wise pastor said, "Don't just take my word during the sermon!  Take notes and study the sermon at home!"  I took his advice to heart and many times would return to him with questions which he patiently answered.  

Commentaries were and continue to be so helpful as well.

Prayer and developing my relationship with Jesus has been my Rock.  To avoid the pitfalls of losing our way and/or becoming bitter (for an extended length of time), please consider these steps.  

If you have questions, ask!  

Some of you have been through terrible experiences that served to make your faith stronger!  Share your stories!  You are the ones I go to when discouraged, confused or in peril of bitterness.  You are the ones who encourage me - and others I'm sure.  

I praise God that we have such wide access to His Word, His people, and each other.    I praise God that your share your stories in the comments and emails; they stay with me long after I've read them and I continue to pray for you.

Let us reach out with questions and let us be ready in and out of season to answer questions with love ad compassion.    

My Reading Life

I just updated my Reading Challenges page and was happy to see that I've surpassed or met 5/7 challenges!  This was the first year I participated in online reading challenges, except for the Goodreads challenge, so I'm pleased with my progress!  

Currently Reading

Finished

***** At first I was a bit confused, but then immensely enjoyed listening to this book!  There is a triangle of a mother, Winnie, her friend, Helen, and Winnie's daughter, Pearl.  As Winnie shares her life story filled with secrets with her daughter, understand and love grows between mother and daughter.  Highly recommend.  

Stash Report

There's been no changes in my numbers!  No finishes, no fabric or yarn in, so that's good!  

To Do Tuesday

Last Week's List

1.  Slow Stitching

a.   Make progress block two of the Bee Humble Sew Along. I'd like to finish the leaves and the detail on the sunflowers.  DONE! I haven't finished all the detail, but did make magnificent progress! Two out of four are completely finished!  Instead of colonial knots in the center of the sunflowers, I spent some time with my granddaughter looking for the perfect beads.  I like the effect much better!

                       

Marsha, our teacher, gave us great tips for transferring the detailed patterns, but I still struggled, not quite attaining the result I wanted.  I decided to purchase the printable, sticky fabric stabilizer after seeing it on @whynotstitching on Instagram.

                         

b.  Tea Towel - I've made progress on the Pretty Kitty tea towel!

c.  Crochet - The Fall Granny Square aghan is coming along nicely.  Somewhere on my trip to San Diego I lost a completed 16 patch square!  😞

Just the same, progress continues!  My granddaughter is my special helper!

 

 

If  you scroll down to the Machine Sewing section, you will find a beautifully stitched antique tea towel that I won from Melva Loves Scraps.  

 2. Machine Sewing:  
a.  Continue joining the Pieces in the Garden rows. Not done!  I had a squirrel invade my sewing studio!  I'm making a simply patchwork quilt from Christmas fabrics.  Hoping to make it a queen-size.  

c.  Stitch and join Row 11 squares of the Pieces in the Garden QAL. DONE!

Now, Melva from Melva Loves Scraps hosts the Pieces in the Garden SAL and has based it on the story of her maternal grandmother, Tressie Teegarden.  Every month we have an opportunity to learn more about Tressie and to win an extremely generous and delicious collection of loose leaf teas from the Cornerstone Tea Company . 

I've been blessed to win this gift twice, this third time, Melva offered me something that made me tear up:  an actual tea towel stitched by Tressie herself!  Well, YES, I gratefully, and with a few tears shed, accepted this amazingly touching gift.  Please click on the photo to check out her beautifully, creative stitching.  Thank you so  very much, Melva!

                            

I encourage you to stop by Melva's blog.  Also, consider visiting the Cornerstone Tea Company.  I shared some of the teas with friends and they love them!  

This Week's List

1.  Slow Stitching   

a.   Finish block two of the Bee Humble Sew Along. 

b.  Make progress on my Pretty Kitty tea towel.  

c.  Crochet - make progress on the Fall Granny Square Afghan

2. Machine Sewing:  

a.  Make progress on the new Patchwork Christmas Quilt.

b.  Stitch up the rows on the Pieces in the Garden QAL.

On The Radar...

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

- Finish up my daughter's crocheted dishcloths.

- Prep kits for January 2023

Gratitude Journal

This song was initially filled with controversy as Danny Gokey is writing from God's point of view.  But, I love this video where he explains the story behind the song. 

Curious?  Here's the song.  Perhaps you're ready to let God in like you've never done before?  

Time to share our prompt from LeeAnna's Not Afraid of Color "I Like" Thursdays!  This week we're sharing a favorite holiday movie, past and present, and possibly a new show we'll watch this year.

I'm of the era where we watched Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph!  Yup, I'm dating myself!

Later on, It's a Wonderful Life has become my all-time favorite.  Of course, Home Alone is a favorite movie night one with my grandbabies!  

What about your favorite holiday shows?

I'm working on improving my core to avoid/minimize falls.  Though I couldn't find a video of the exercise I'm doing, I'll describe it:

1. Sit on the sofa.
2. Lean back, but not touching the back of the sofa.
3. Raise your legs and SLOWLY begin pedaling as if riding a bike.
4. Time yourself and try to increase your time each day!
5. My time went from 27 seconds on the first day to 44 seconds by my third try!  

I love when my grandson's share their latest Lego creations!

My granddaughter loves playing with my Iphone camera and it's features.  Not sure how she took this picture!

Though Mia is aging, she still follows me everywhere, including my sewing studio!

 

 

Kitty and Mia are now snuggle buddies!

Faith, Trust and Breast Cancer

I was pleased to run into an acquaintance who is also a breast cancer survivor - 10 years!  We shared our updated stories, celebrated each other with big hugs.  It's always a joy to run into survivors!
I've learned a lesson with the partial knee replacement surgeries:  the physical therapy exercises are 

1) for life,

2) take away my pain/discomfort!

During our trip to San Diego and the rush of Thanksgiving, I became lax on those exercises and, for the first time, experienced pain in my knees!  After simply one day of exercising, the pain was greatly diminished and now, if I do them daily, is gone!  

Movement, for me, is healing!  

Let's keep active!  

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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

Sew and Tell @ Melva Loves Scraps (Mondays)

To Do Tuesday @ Texas Quilt Gal

Midweek Makers @ Quilt Fabrication (Wednesdays)

I Like @ Not Afraid of Color (Thursday)