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"!

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!    

The Weekly Word

Psalm 25:1-8

In You, LORD, my God I put my trust.

I trust in You; 

do not let me be put to shame nor let my enemies triumph over me.

No one who hopes in You will ever be put to shame, 

but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause.

Show me Your ways LORD, teach me Your paths.

Guide me in Your truth and teach me 

for You are God my Savior, 

and my hope is in You all day long.

Remember, LORD, Your great mercy and love, 

for they are all from of old.

Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways;

according to Your love, remember me, for You LORD, are good.

Life can present uncertain situations.

We don’t know the path forward. 

We don’t know what the future holds.  

We don’t know what to do.  

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.  Psalm 119:105 reminds us that God’s Word will show us the path forward.  

The Passion translation is even more encouraging:  

“Truth’s shining light guides me in my choices and decisions; the revelation of your Word makes my pathway clear.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭105‬ ‭TPT‬‬

When we don’t know what the future holds, let us remember that God not only knows our future, but He also has planned out that very future for our good!   “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭11‬-‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Friend, let us seek Him who had planned out our  future with loving intentions.  We don’t need to know our future, we only need to seek Him, walk where He leads us with trust, faith and steadfastness.    

What do we do when we don’t know what to do?   A dear friend once told me, “The safest place to be is waiting on the will of God.”

Be still and know I am God. Psalm 46:10a comes to mind as well.  Sometimes the best response is no response- until God speaks guidance to our heart. 

“but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭31‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So when uncertainty surrounds us, let’s have a pocketful of verses to recall and lean on as we are confidently waiting on our Father, our Abba, to show us the path to the future He has planned for our good. 

My Reading Life

Currently Reading

Slow Read

Finished Reading

*** X Marks the Scot by Kaitlyn Dunnett was a book I probably wouldn't have finished except that I needed a book with X in the title for the Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge.  But, if you need a book for a ABC reading challenge, this is the best "X" title I've found.  

**** The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan was a sweet book that kept my interest as the plot was well developed, the location wonderfully described and the success of a young lady coming in to her own was heart warming!  I look forward to reading the second book in the series, The Bookshop on the Shore.  Recommend.

**** Confessions of a Bookseller was an enjoyable book to listen to whilst living daily life.  Shaun Bythell writes with just the right blend of detail, humor and sarcasm.  I loved the silent pauses after sentences that left me astounded at the audacity of people.  Recommend - with a grin!  :)

Stash Report

No change in yarny numbers, but I'm working on it!  😉

Yarny Numbers

Fabric numbers

This is my first finished quilt of 2023, which I call Beauty From Ashes.  

         

To Do Tuesday

Gail at Quilt Gail recently shared a new-to-me challenge, A Gift a Month,  hosted at Days Filled with Joy.   It sounds like fun!  Ayumi at Pink Penguin presented January's gift - a cute fabric basket!  I see a squirrel coming...and more of my Christmas fabric stash getting stitched up!  :)

LORD have mercy, I do believe I forgot to write up a To Do list for this week!  Here's what my goals were.  

Last Week's List It seems like slow stitching was exactly what my hands were itching to do, so I followed their lead.  

1.  Slow Stitching My Bee Humble has taken a backseat these last two weeks to my Grandmother's Flower Garden!  I've taken out all the inner hexies, so it's much easier to stitch on.  Here's a close up:

Here's a larger view with the hexies removed:

Just two and a half more rows to connect, then I'll be working on the hexie borders.  

 2.  Crochet 

- make progress on my Fall Granny Square afghan Done!  I've made a few squares and have almost finished joining another 16 patch square.  

With all the driving we've done, I've been able to make progress on my Sunshine Mommy and Me afghan as well.

3. Machine Sewing:  

- ** experiment with the Clear Blue Tiles on the Christmas placemats  Not done.

- make progress on the four $15 Sampler blocks for this month Not done.  

This Week's List

1.  Slow Stitching  

- Make progress on part 4 of the Bee Humble during the day.

- Continue stitching on the Grandmother's Flower Garden in the evenings.  

2.  Crochet 

- make progress on my Fall Granny Square afghan

- make progress on the Sunshine afghan

3. Machine Sewing:  

- ** experiment with the Clear Blue Tiles on the Christmas placemats

- make progress on the four $15 Sampler blocks for this month

Gratitude Journal

 

Oh, my sweet Reader, when you feel alone and unloved, please remember this song!  You are loved by a God who longs to have a relationship with you!  This part of the song blessed me so much:

"You, don't have to prove yourself

Don't try to be someone else

You don't have to prove yourself

Don't try to be someone else"

In this age of social media where so perfection is the mask, let's remember, God loves just as we are and where we are.  The musician, who is deaf in his left ear by the way, shares his story here.  

Lee Anne at Not Afraid of Color has shared another great prompt for Valentine's week!  

"Do you make a special cake or truffles for instance, or give cards, get cards, get chocolates, give gifts? Even if you don't have a mate you could send flowers to a best friend, or give a sweet heart necklace to your daughter, or call your mom...

It's about love and showing it.

If currently things aren't happy, then do you remember any previous V-day that you liked?  Anything you like about celebrating the love.

How I miss teaching on Valentines' Day.  It was a time of kindness between my students and a time when I could purchase little gifts that delighted them.  

My husband and mine wedding anniversary is around Valentines' Day, so it's a week of sharing memories and treating each other to little kindnesses.  

I love what Lee Anne wrote:  "It's about love and showing it."  A good day for random acts of kindness, yes?   

This week's prompt was:  "Tell us about a time you knew someone was for you... in honor of Love month, I'm thinking a mate but it can be a best friend, or your dog/cat, etc.  How did you know, what did they do or say that made you look again, this time knowing they were your person."  

When I first saw Mia, my beloved poodle, I knew she was mine and I believe she knew I was hers.  We already had two dogs at the time, so my husband said, "No way!"  I hugged her good-bye praying God would bring her to me.  

Sure enough, she took in a roundabout way, she came to live with us!  Hence her name, Mia, which translated means "mine."  She rarely left my side during my treatment for cancer and now, I am nursing her through her older years.  Seventeen years later, our love for each still grows every day.   

Ok, before we get too teary eyed, let me show you my new office!  

Here's what my closet looked like as we were planning where to place the television/computer screen.  My son-in-law and my husband make a great team!  

Here's my hubby working hard to make a dream come true!

Daddy's books have a home again!

The new cloffice!  Now all my Bible study tools, Happy Planner and scrapbooking supplies are neatly organized and ready to use!

My new television can also be a monitor which really helps these old eyes of mine - especially when working with HTML!

                                             

This pop-up charging station is very convenient!  It even charges a phone when it's tucked into my desk - be it Android or Apple, they simply lay it on top!  No more looking for chargers!  

I'm so very grateful to my husband and son-in-law for making this happen!  

Another wonderful event was when a dear friend shared The Passion Translation of the Bible with me.   It explains the Word in a new way with such...well...passion!  After a brief search for a hard copy, I found it on the Bible app!  So convenient!  

Here's some of my favorites likes from Instagram this week!

Can you imagine this wedding?  😂

Take good care and thank you for stopping by!

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.

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