Weekly Word, My Reading Life, Stash Report, To Do Tuesday, Gratitude Journal, FT&BC

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Hello There,

Happy Fourth of July to all of you who celebrate!  I hope you have fun and are all safe this weekend! 

Thank you all for your prayers for Elisa.  She passed away about 10 days ago surrounded by her loving family.  Please remember to pray for her family as services will be in about a week.  

Since February, our family and close friends have been experiencing great difficulties ranging from deaths, illnesses, crises and life threatening situations.  We have been supporting each other with love and I dearly want to continue supporting these precious ones free from time constraints.  I also need to find time to rest beside the still waters.  Alas, I am learning that I cannot do it all.  

  

The Lord is calling me to rest beside the still waters for a season. 

Weekly Word: Psalms 126:5-6, My Reading Life, Stash Report, To Do Tuesday, Gratitude Journal, FT&BC

Hello There, 

Hello thank you all for stopping in today!  Happy Father's Day to all who celebrate this day!

Your time is precious, so I appreciate your visit so much!  A lot is going on this week, so please accept my apologies in advance if this post seems a bit "rambly".  :)  

Next week I will be having cataract surgery, my next post will be July 2.   I'm hoping to be able to at least link up and comment on your various interesting blogs!  I wonder if cataract surgery rates extra ice cream?  :) 

In the To Do Tuesday section I am sharing a very cool slow stitching idea from Emma at the Vintage Sewing Box - a very beautiful and useful wall organizer!   I love it!   

Elisa, my friend needed one more brain surgery, Thursday morning.  She is such a strong lady of 70 years old and such faith.  I'm humbled by her faith and strength.  Just to be in her presence is a blessing.  

UPDATE ON ELISA::

6/18 3:50 pm

UPDATE ON ELISA:

Hi! I wanted to give you update. So mom was in pain this morning and they gave her morphine. She’s been sleeping and a lot less  alert. They ended up doing another CT scan to see what’s going on. I talk to the ICU doctor, and he said there is still some bleeding in the brain. They have called Dr. Henderson, so hopefully he’ll be in later. They did move her back down to ICU. I’ll keep you posted with anything

Weekly Word, My Reading Life, Stash Report, To Do Tuesday with a TIP!, Gratitude Journal, Gratitude Journal, FT&BC

 

Hello Everyone!

Thank you so much for visiting today's weekly post!  I'm so glad you're here!  This week has been an active one with having a nice, day long visit with my son, getting my eyes dilated, having an entire day with two grandbabies (the 13 and 8 year old), enjoying an impromptu picnic at the park with all four of them and my daughter, going to a Tea Party at my LQS and getting together with friends.    

Needless to say, some of my To Do Tuesday goals were put on the back burner.  Not to fear though, I do have a very handy tip in my To Do Tuesday section that I believe you will love.  I am also sharing a link to a new-to-me slow stitcher who has won my heart over.  

I've finished some great books and am currently reading some good ones.  My grandbabies and I decided to enter the Summer Reading Program as well!  

It's been a whirlwind, but I've enjoyed every minute of this week.  Please prepare your favorite beverage, pull up a chair and settle in for a great visit!   

UPDATE:  A dear friend has  been  bravely battling breast and lung cancer for the past 6 years and brain cancer for the past 6 months.  She is in ICU as one of the tumors is hemorrhaging and asking for me.  I'm going to the hospital.  Not sure when I'll post again but will try to post on Instagram account.

Prayers please!  Her name is Lisa.  

Here's is an index should you have a special interest you like to read first!

Weekly Word - Romans 5:3-5, My Reading Life, Stash Report, To Do Tuesday, Gratitude Journal, FT&BC

Hello Everyone!

Thank you for stopping by!  I hope you all are doing well!  My husband had dental surgery this week.  Thankfully it went well and he is recovering nicely.  He's an easy patient!  :) 

Needless to say, sewing studio time has been limited.  I've done tons of slow stitching so I can keep an eye on him be with him. 

I finished two audiobooks and am enjoying reading hard copies/ebooks on a more consistent basis.  

I hope you enjoy your visit!  

Here's is an index should you have a special interest you like to read first!

Weekly Word - Romans 5:3-5, My Reading Life, To Do Tuesday, Gratitude Journal

May we always remember

Hello Everyone!

It's been a fantastic sewing week!  I've finished a bunch of projects and continue to work on more.  The Road Trip quilt has been a challenge, one that I would probably stack in the UFO pile, but I'm glad I'm sticking with it!  

I finished two great books and am eager to continue with my current reads.

Summer temps are rising, but that didn't stop my husband and I from enjoying a pleasant morning on our back patio.  

I hope you had a great week and enjoy this post!  

Here's is an index should you have a special interest you like to read first!

Weekly Word - Isaiah 65:22-23, My Reading Life, Stash Report, To Do Tuesday, Gratitude Journal, FT&BC

 

Hello Everyone!

I hope you all have had a fabulous week!  My week was very productive and yet still filled with time with family and friends.  After losing my fur baby, precious Mia, I've been a bit lost as she was my sewing buddy.  

To refresh my sewing room, I began with a minor reorganization and packed up all but 10 UFO's in boxes.  Then, for the last month I've been trying an experiment and I love it!  

I've decided that my machine sewing time is Monday - Friday in the daytime.  Then, on Friday afternoons I begin my machine embroidery projects.  As they stitch out, I do a quick clean up, prep the next week's projects and then sit and read as my machine does all the work!  My evenings and the weekends are devoted to slow stitching, reading and writing.  I'm loving this new routine!

I hope you enjoy this weekly post!  Take good care!    

Here's is an index should you have a special interest you like to read first!

Weekly Word - Isaiah 49:15, My Reading Life, Stash Report, To Do Tuesday, Gratitude Journal, FT&BC

  

Hello There,

I hope you all are doing well!  This week has been socially active, organizationally productive and filled with time in the garden.  I've enjoyed visits with friends as we stitched.  If you read the Stash Report, you'll find that my sewing room is under a thoughtful reorganization.  Much of my mornings are spent working or simply enjoying my gardens.  How I love this time of year!  I've also discovered Lemon Ginger tea...yum!  Please relax and enjoy this weekly post!  Happy reading!

Weekly Word - Ephesians 4:2, My Reading Life, Stash Report, To Do Tuesday, Gratitude Journal, FT&BC

Hello Everyone!

Welcome!  I hope you all had a fantastic week filled with a few laughs, some craftiness and reading!  

This week was active with unplanned outings, unplanned finishes (a quilt) and a bit of reading.  

So, please, as always, get comfy and ready to read this weekly post filled with encouragement, my hobbies and a bit more of how my journey with breast cancer started!

Happy reading!

Weekly Word - Ephesians 4:1, My Reading Life, Stash Report, To Do Tuesday, Gratitude Journal, FT&BC

 Hello There, 

It was nice to begin to return to normal after COVID by attending sewing classes in person!  I learned how to make patches and am excited to make more!  I did hit the pause button on a book I'm reading and enjoyed a quiet weekend.  

I hope you had a great week!   

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

Last week we talked about how Paul wrote his Epistle from Nero’s prison, but he never even mentioned Nero! Instead, he stated that he was a prisoner of Christ. Then he continues in Chapter Four, saying we who are saved are also prisoners of Christ, and he urges us to live a life worthy of that calling!

Live a life worthy of the calling to be a prisoner of Christ? 

To some that may seem counterintuitive: living a life worthy of the calling to be a prisoner. But no, my loved one! We are all prisoners of something. As Paul writes in verse 17, before we gave our lives to Christ, our very thinking was futile, our understanding was darkened, our hearts were hardened, our moral lives were insensitive to the things of God, we indulged in whatever sin we wanted, and we were greedy. We were prisoners of sin and the defeated one.

Wow. 

I had to examine my life before I started serving God, and, sadly, yes, many of these harsh statements did apply. I am also sure that I’m not alone in this realization.

Yes, once we choose—and it is a choice—to become prisoners of Christ, our thinking has more purpose, and the process begins for our understanding to be enlightened, for our hearts to become tender with compassion and empathy, for our moral lives to become more respectful of the body and mind God gave us, and for us to become more generous. At least that is the goal, right?

As I am reminded to live a life worthy of the calling of Christ, the above paragraph makes it seem overwhelming and even impossible!

Let us remember that it’s progress, not perfection, that we strive for. More often than not, the changes are slow, gentle changes as we strive to be Christlike, not Christ. God has given us the tools we need: His Holy Spirit, His Word – the Bible, Christian music, and small group Bible studies. 

I pray this devotional has been as encouraging to you as it has been to me as I’ve studied, prayed over, and written it.  Next week we'll be looking at verse two in which Paul shares a practical "list" of living a life worthy of our precious calling.  And you know how I love lists!  Blessings my precious readers!  

 

My Reading Life

 has been filled with challenges lately, which is probably why I am seeking to read lighter books.  Consequently, I'm hitting the pause button on the wonderful 999: The Extraordinary Young Women of the First Official Jewish Transport to Auschwitz. It is a fabulous read, but not for this time in my life.  Vivir El Dream and Corrido de amor y gloria are enough heaviness in my reading live for now.  😉   

I'm focusing on the Alphabet Soup challenge and am almost finished - seven more books/letters to go!  Luckily, some of those books cross over to other challenges as well!  Here is a link to the progress I'm making on my other challenges.  

You may also want to check out my To Do Tuesday section as I made a new bookmark!  

Currently Reading

                       

 

To Be Completed At Another Time 

 

Finished Reading

"When her grandmother’s will wrenches Sara back home, she learns more about Margaret Van Buren in the wake of her death than she ever knew in life.

After her last remaining family member dies, Sara Jenkins goes home to The Hideaway, her grandmother Mags’s ramshackle B&B in Sweet Bay, Alabama. She intends to quickly tie up loose ends then return to her busy life and thriving antique shop in New Orleans. Instead, she learns Mags has willed The Hideaway to her and charged her with renovating it—no small task considering her grandmother’s best friends, a motley crew of senior citizens, still live there.
Rather than hurrying back to New Orleans, Sara stays in Sweet Bay and begins the biggest house-rehabbing project of her career. Amid drywall dust, old memories, and a charming contractor, she discovers that slipping back into life at The Hideaway is easier than she expected.
Then she discovers a box Mags left in the attic with clues to a life Sara never imagined for her grandmother. With help from Mags’s friends, Sara begins to piece together the mysterious life of bravery, passion, and choices that changed her grandmother’s destiny in both marvelous and devastating ways.
When an opportunistic land developer threatens to seize The Hideaway, Sara is forced to make a choice—stay in Sweet Bay and fight for the house and the people she’s grown to love or leave again and return to her successful but solitary life in New Orleans."

**** I found The Hideaway by Lauren K. Denton interesting as both women seek to find their way in life, seemingly to lose it and then make decisions of their own volition to create a life for themselves.  Oh, I wept for one of them and rejoiced for the other...you might do the same.  

Slow Read

Stash Report

Yarny Numbers

No change in yarny numbers, but progress continues on my Fall Granny Square Afghan!  (see below!)

Fabric numbers:  

Nothing in, and I used about 1/8 yard in a Patches class I took learning to make a cute little patch/bookmark!  (see below)

To Do Tuesday

Last Week's List

1.  Slow Stitching

Bee Humble - Hand embroider the details on Months Four and Five.  This will probably take two weeks to complete. Partially finished

2.  Crochet

- crochet and join together a third 16 patch square Done and even more accomplished!  I finished the third 16 patch square and  joined them to the rest of the afghan.  I believe I have enough of the colored yarn to make another row of 16 patch squares and a nice sized border.  Then the afghan should be a true queen size - perfect for our bed in the the fall! 

3.  Machine Sewing:  

a.  Some of the fabric that bled on my Christmas table topper is also in the cut fabrics for my Christmas Tumbler Quilt and Table Topper.  Thank God I'd only stitched up one row of my quilt!   Consequently, this week I will be replacing them.  Hopefully by next week, I’ll be ready to start stitching these projects together. Not Done as my daughter had the Accuquilt die I needed.  She was on a much needed and enjoyed vacation and I didn't want to bother her about this.  Funny thing, though.  She told me she had left it on the kitchen counter for me!  😂  I'll continue this goal for next week. 

 

b.  Prep two blocks for one of my UFO's, the Fall Into a Quilt project.  Thus far, I've made 3 out of twelve blocks.  All the information is still on Snow Days Quilting.  

 

 

 c.  “Learn and Discover” is a term I learned in this month series of Mastery Classes for my Bernina. Every month my LQS offers "Embroidery Academy" classes and this month's class was learning how to stitch up patches.  A quick online search revealed that patches are a hot new trend, I’m so excited!  This little design is from Urban Threads.  

This Week's List

1.  Slow Stitching

- Bee Humble - Complete the hand embroidery of Months Four and Five by May 15th. Month Five has a ton of beautiful details.    

2.  Crochet

- make another 16 patch row; this should take about two -three weeks

3.  Machine Sewing

- Christmas Tumbler Quilt - replace the fabric that bleeds with new fabrics

- Fall Into A Quilt - Stitch up the two prepared blocks

- Stitch up the pillowcase that's been on my design wall for a while

 4.  Machine Embroidery 

- finish this Kimberbell Lovebirds Tandem Bicycle Tote.  All it needs is the cute slogan embroidered and stitching the sides  (famous last words)  😏   UPDATE:  Here's the photo I forgot to include!  

 

 

Gratitude Journal

the song

the verse

This year, this verse has become my anthem of sorts.

LeeAnna's "I Like"  prompts for her Thursday link up are so much fun!  I giggled when I read this one:  Do you like to sing for yourself, or others? Oh, yes!  I'll sing for whoever will listen to m!   Do people recognize your ability or has anyone said you're not a singer? Most of my family say I have a terrible voice - and they're probably right!  I say this because even my Mia, as deaf as she was, would sometimes howl when I sang to her!  😀But, that doesn't stop me from singing - very loud and with great joy!  Do you judge yourself or sing for yourself? I do judge myself and I happily admit my singing could use some work - so I sing all the more!   Do you make up songs during the day?  All the time, especially when I'm alone.  My neighbors might think I'm daft!   Do you sing to babies?  Yes, though very softly.  When I used to babysit my oldest grandbabies, I would sing to them all through lunch!  Are you more comfortable singing high or low?  I love to sing in my opera voice, but I'll sing low as well.  One can find me using Alexa as a Karaoke machine and dance to the music as I sing my heart out to praise and worship music or music from the 70's!  I don't even get embarrassed anymore when my husband walks in on me!

My favorite languages are Spanish, French and English. Sadly, I don't speak French, but am bilingual (Spanish and English).   However, I love hearing people speak languages other than English in public.  It's interesting to learn which language  they are speaking and a bit of their culture.  

Moments of Gratitude this week

- The checkout clerk and the gentleman bagging my groceries were so very kind to me today giving me hugs and words of encouragement

- My husband made me this little "sharps receptacle" for my dull/bent pins and needles out of an empty prescription bottle.  It's small enough to travel with me to classes and when it's full, I simply tape over the hole in the lid and toss it in the garbage!  

- I've had a week of more laughter than tears!  Joy does indeed come in the morning!  

Did you have some moments of gratitude you'd like to share in the comments?  

Faith, Trust and Breast Cancer

I'm sure that every week we all hear of friends, loved ones and acquaintances who are diagnosed with cancer.  This breaks my heart - for the patient as well as their loved ones.  For some, they are in a fog of numbness, in denial, in "protection mode" of their loved ones, or even paralyzed by fear.

Thus far, three of my friends have been diagnosed this month.  These events have naturally caused me to reflect when and how I learned that I had breast cancer.

It was early November 2014 and I was out of town taking care of a family member who had just undergone her second mastectomy - after 20 years she had a reoccurrence of breast cancer.  As I was packing to go home, I called my dad for our nightly phone call.  

He said, "Mi hija, I know you're exhausted, but when you get home, can you meet us at the hospital?  Your aunt is having surgery for breast cancer."

Pause.

Deep breath.

"Yes, Daddy, I'll be there."  

Heart shatters into a million pieces....

Then I prayed, "LORD, that's two, who is the third one with breast cancer because we know things happen in threes."

God responded, "It's you."

So, that's how I found out I had breast cancer.  

I arrived into town, went to the hospital and then came home to call and schedule my mammogram.  My PCP called less than 24 hours  after my mammogram informing me I had an abnormal mammogram and needed more tests.  

I was calm.  After all, I already knew the results.

My precious radiologist saw me right after the imaging was done, gave me great medical advice and sent me on to begin my battle.  

My precious readers, the tumor was just a half inch from my chest wall, ready to break through.  Thank God for skilled mammogram techs!  She caught it! Please get your mammograms/ultrasounds/screenings!  They are life saving diagnostical tools!   

I was diagnosed the day before Thanksgiving 2014, less than 24 hours before hosting our huge family gathering....But, God had prepared my way, my heart, my path.  

He is also preparing the way, the hearts and the paths of all us who face challenges and trials, be them medical, emotional or traumatic.  Let us all lean into His everlasting arms and fight, knowing joy comes in the morning.  

Enjoyed this post? 

Never miss out on future posts by following this blog!

Your comments are so appreciated! 

I read each one and will respond by email.

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 @ Carol's Quilt Schmilt

I Like @ Not Afraid of Color (Thursday)

The Loop Scoop @ Moogly and Petals to Picots (Thursdays)

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

Weekly Word: Ephesians 3:1 + Books, Stitches and Gratitude!

 Hello There, 

Thank you for stopping by!  This has been a productive week all around!  I hope you'll enjoy reading about the Paul's amazing grace while imprisoned, the books I've been reading and the fiber arts coming to life!  

Weekly Word: Ephesians Chapter 1 + Books, Stitches and Gratitude!

 

 Hello There, 

Thank you for coming by for a visit!  It's been a great week of sewing, squirrels, reading and seeing friends.  It's been my first "normal" week mas o menos (more or less) in quite some time.  

My LQS, Be Sew Creative, offers Mastery Classes to learn our sewing machines and I've been attending those as well as a "Stitch It Out" class to learn more about the embroidery possibilities of my machine.  My head is spinning, but the information is enriching my sewing life.  

Bible studies and my prayer life have been deep and healing.  We're also gardening as spring has sprung in Las Cruces, NM!  I so love gardening!

Weekly Word: Ephesians 2:10 + Books, Stitches and Gratitude!

Hello There,

Happy Easter to you!  The LORD is risen offering new hope and a chance at new life!

Well, it has been a year for us!  Instead of sharing the drama, I share the victories!  My husband and I had a wonderful week at the end of March in San Diego visiting my parents, sister and brother-in-law!  It was amazing!  I picked up these cross stitch kits at the locally owned Needlecraft Cottage in Pacific Beach.

They are on perforated paper, so it will be a learning experience for me.  Your suggestions are welcome!  

And more good news!  After a minor accident, Mama is recovering well in the hospital, she and Daddy held hands and talked about how much they miss each other 💖, a friend is recovering at home after an unexpected week-long stay in the hospital, my garden is coming along nicely, and I was finally able to take a good nap this afternoon!  I also celebrating my birthday this month and have a third birthday party to attend tomorrow with my beloved Golden Girls (a group of retired/almost retired teachers).  

I am very behind in responding to emails and will be working on catching up this week.  Thank you so much for your patience!  

Weekly Word: Goodbye, Sweet Mia, Psalm 25:7 + Books, Stitches and Gratitude!

 

 Hello There, 

Such a hard week...my precious Mia, my poodle of 17 years, passed away on March 14.  Her's is the second close death we've had this year.  I feel shattered as I wait for the joy that comes in the morning.  

Weekly Word: Psalm 25:6 + Books, Stitches and Gratitude!

 Hello There, 

Thank you so much for visiting today!  This week has been a great one for stitching and reading.  I've had time to make progress on my Bee Humble BOM, finish a project and even finish a book!  Yea!

Please pull a chair and your favorite snacks as you enjoy this week's post!

Weekly Word: Psalms 25:5b + Books, Stitching, and Gratitude!

Hello There, 

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!    

 

Weekly Word: Psalms 25:5a + Books, Stitching, and Gratitude!

                       

Hello Friends,

As mentioned last week, 2023 has been off to a rough start for our family, but love overcomes everything.  The love and support from  you, my blogging community as well as friends and family has been so encouraging.  The LORD has been doing a quiet, healing work in our hearts as He guides us and keeps our minds on what is truly important:  faith, love, peace and being true to the person He is creating in each of us.  

We have had some beautiful moments of joy and laughter as we live life and find joy in the everyday.  It seems Spring may be upon us soon, so I am eager to begin gardening.  Next month we get to go see my parents in San Diego!  We attended a large birthday celebration of a dear neighbor - he's 90th!  My precious grandchildren bring an extra measure of joy to my heart.

Life is good.  

I hope this song blesses you as you pull up a chair and read this weekly post!

Weekly Word: Psalms 25:4 + Books, Stitching, My Cloffice Reveal and Gratitude!

    

Hello Friends,

Wow...life does change on a dime...

We finished my cloffice, which is a closet turned into an office, the bookshelves, the electrical work for the cloffice and have it all set up!  Then came a storm in our family.

But, you know what?  Despite the pain, despite the grief, God has been gracious and constantly reminded me that weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5).  We are, managing to slowly move forward with the LORD's joy as our strength.  As we go forward, blogging may take a backseat now and then.  

I hope you enjoy this post as I catch you up on our study of Psalm 25, some books I've read, a quilt finish and  my Gratitude Journal, which will include photos of my new "cloffice"!

Weekly Word: Psalms 25:3 Shame? + Books, Stitching and Gratitude!

 Hello There, 

It has been a busy couple of weeks filled with jury duty (can't believe I was selected), trips to El Paso, an office/library remodel and a fun weekend!  Jury duty was actually interesting!  I enjoyed my trip to El Paso with my hubby and will be sharing a reveal of my new office/library soon.  Of course, photos will be on my Instagram account if I finish setting it up before next week!

I got out of hubby's way for a few days by sewing in my studio, going to a morning Bible Study, spending an afternoon at a local quilt show!  Yea!  We spent today at a Sit and Sew and then a fabulous cookie decorating class!  

It's nice to be able to spend a few quiet days at home now catching up on blogging, cleaning, laundry and crafting!