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!
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
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.
The first few verses of this famous Psalm are the lyrics to a beautiful hymn, but wow! As I read verse five I believe this could be our anthem.
Guide me in Your truth...
Teach me...
As I read this, I wondered why David used these two verbs. According to Webster:
Guide means: one that leads or directs another's way
Teach means: to cause to know something
This is reminiscent of the book Hind's Feet on High Places. As the LORD guided Much-Afraid on her journey to the High Places, He also taught her so many healing lessons.
Yet, as He taught her, He also guided her in assimilating those very lessons into her life.
Let our hearts be open to the voice of the LORD as He guides and teaches us and as He teaches and guides us!
My Reading Life
Currently Reading
Finished Reading
***** I loved The Sewing Machine by Natalie Fergie! I have been inspired to begin a simple sewing journal following the tradition of the many sewists before me. She taught me a bit about the Singer company, the Featherweight as well as showing that strength, being true to oneself and honor leave a legacy time cannot erase. Highly recommend.
**** I thoroughly enjoyed the Jenny Colgan's second book of the Kirrinfief series, The Bookshop on the Shore. The plot twists, the characters as well as the lovely location made it all for a great book to listen to as I went about my day. I found myself cheering for the Zoe and believing once again that goodness exists in us all. Recommend.
Slow Read
Stash Report
No change in yarny numbers, but I'm working on it! 😉
Yarny Numbers
Fabric numbers - After simultaneously (and sadly) cleaning out the homes of not one, but two family members, I am loathe to bring more "stuff" into my own home. Hence, I've been on two serious journeys.
One has been a rather serious fabric fast. After shopping my stash, I am only purchasing what is absolutely necessary to finish a project. So far, so good!
The second one is to stitch through my Christmas stash by May of this year to make room for Lella Boutique's new Christmas line, Christmas Eve. It's adorable and I plan to purchase just enough to make a quilt and some kitchen accessories.
I'm making progress as this is all that is left from this!
I did make two purchases this week. One was 11 fat quarters that were on sale at Latimer Lane Quilts to make my final Christmas quilt!
I also purchased the backing for the Bee Humble Slow stitching project.
Despite these purchases, I'm still barely in the black! Yea!
To Do Tuesday
Last Week's List
1. Slow Stitching
- Make progress on part 4 of the Bee Humble during the day. Not done.
- Continue stitching on the Grandmother's Flower Garden in the evenings. Done! Only a few more flowers stitches to have the current row completely joined!
- make progress on my Fall Granny Square afghan Not done. The baby is due in March, so the Sunshine afghan has been my focus.
- make progress on the Sunshine afghan Done! I am almost finished with the third skein of yarn. The fourth skein might be the last skein!
3. Machine Sewing:
- ** experiment with the Clear Blue Tiles on the Christmas placemats Done. I tried them out and even with the You Tube video tutorials, I need some help learning them. I am blessed that my local quilt shop, Be Sew Creative, offers a monthly embroidery workshop to work on whatever we like. I'll be attending that one!
- make progress on the four $15 Sampler blocks for this month Not done.
- Christmas placemats - progress! I did a few sandwiched and have begun quilting them.
This Week's List
1. Slow Stitching
- Begin 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 the Sunshine afghan
3. Machine Sewing:
- ** Pick a machine embroidery UFO/project to complete
- make progress on the four $15 Sampler blocks for this month
Gratitude Journal
Friends, perhaps you've noticed that 2023 has gotten off to a rough start for our family. Much of our experiences are not my story to tell (as my daughter would say), but affect us all deeply. This song reminds me to do as Paul states, move toward the goal I have in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14
New Day by Dan Gokey is a song that would serve us well as tune to set on our morning alarm. Our toes will be tapping and heart will be singing...well...maybe after our first cup of coffee!
Here are my latest and favorite Instagram finds.
Here's this week's prompt from Lee Ann: What thoughtful things does your special person do for you, or you do for them? Little things that mean something to you... for example brings home flowers, or folds the towels the way you like it, chores or little hugs when you're disappointed, shares secret jokes, watches a movie he knows you'll like just to be nice.
Oh my. I realized that my husband shows me love in so many little ways. He watches me carefully and hugs me just when I need it the most. He laughs at my "off color" and even my corny jokes. When I do my silly dances of joy, he laughs with me. Every evening before he starts playing online games with my grandchildren and our children, he makes sure the evening chores are finished and I'm settled in for a calm evening.
Here are some of my favorite finds on Instagram.
The following are perfect for dog lovers!
Melva at Melva Loves Scraps
posts the most thought provoking messages.
So very true...though I may sleep under two quilts,
the first one my daughter made me
is the one that always is closest to me
as I sleep.
I love our Nespresso coffee station.
A dear friend made the Valentine frame for me.
The younger fur babies are learning from Mia - sleeping by the electric heater is wonderful!
Take good care and thank you for stopping by!
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Here are some blogs I sometimes link up to!
Sew and Tell @ Melva Loves Scraps (Mondays)
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
I also read The Sewing Machine and enjoyed it! Your Sunshine afghan is so pretty - like a ray of sunshine! Good luck with your slow stitching goals!
ReplyDeleteSusan Cain is not a spiritual person, but I nevertheless found Bittersweet to be a very helpful book for me. I am intrigued with the ideas she shares in the book about the role of sorrow and loss in our lives.
ReplyDeleteYour sewing and handwork are beautiful! The Sunshine Afghan is especially lovely.
I'm sorry 2023 is rough. I'm keeping you and your loved ones in my thoughts and prayers.
Bee Humble is a lovely project, and so are your hexies! With our sppouses, the little things always do mean a lot, don't they? Enjoy your slow stitching today!
ReplyDeleteLovely projects you are working on. Hope this year is better for you and your family. How nice to visit San Diego. That is where we moved from 45 years ago.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing all your projects!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the good reminder about dealing with hard times. Hope the year starts to smooth out a little for you.
ReplyDeleteThe Bee Humble is so cute! I love the dog tweets too. I miss having dogs.
ReplyDeleteThe Sewing Machine sounds really worthwhile to read. I loved the Jenny Colgan book, I think i might have read it twice and one day I'll listen on audio as well!! Aren't grandchildren the best! I don't have any but I love my brothers and sisters grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! You projects are all progressing well. Clear Blue Tiles look like a fun way to mark and quilt. I hope you figure them out. Your post reminds me that God is our sustainer.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading about all your different topics, including memes you saw on Insta!! Blessings is one of my all-time fav songs!!!
ReplyDeleteHope your year turns itself around for you. Thanks so much for the heads up about The Sewing Machine. I purchased a Featherweight last fall as a belated birthday gift to myself. I'm looking forward to learning a bit more about its history.
ReplyDeleteanother lovely and though provoking post. Thank you for sharing and linking with To Do Tuesday. I always enjoy seeing the progress you make on your lovely projects.
ReplyDelete