Knowing About and Knowing God, Literary Life, Finding Joy

 

Hello There,

I sure appreciate your visit!  This week was full! Last Saturday was Be Sew Creative Sit and Sew where I made significant progress on my granddaughter's ornament.  On Sunday my eldest grandson came over to help with yard work and my granddaughter is taking inventory and labeling Daddy's books from San Diego via the Dewey Decimal system.  In planning my own goals for this week, I totally forgot that it was Fall Break for my grandbabies!  I had three wonderful days with them!  I hope you all had a fabulous week reading, stitching and finding joy!

Take good care and, as Daddy used to say, 

"Make memories; it's later than you think."

HERE'S A WORD

While reading Tozer's book I finally became aware of the distinction between knowing about and knowing God.  He provided an analogy, but this one makes more sense to me.  We can see a photo of our favorite actress, author etc. and think we know them, but honestly, we don't know a thing about them unless we approach them, spend time in conversation with them listening to what they have to say.  

He's done so much to create this relationshop as seen here:  

Why did He do this? He created this earth and you and all of us to have a relationship with us, that we would love and worship Him!  

God wants a relationship with us regardless of where we are in life!  Once we take that first step of turning to Him and accepting Him as our loving Savior, He'll guide us to the rest of the journey.

Are you ready to take that first step?  

Please know this:  

You are loved.  You are not alone.  You are being lovingly prayed for.

FIBER FUN

I broke down my "To Dos" into three categories:  Finish, Focus, Prep/make a kit, and Be Kind = Soft Deadlines.  FoF represents the Fields of Fancy BOM, which I'm doing with Liberty of London Tana Lawn fabrics.  FBF represents the Flower Box Friends BOM

Last Week's List

1. Finish 

- Cabana Mesh Tote and potholders🤞Done!  My husband is going to insert the grommetts, but it's a finish!

I also finished these potholders. 

My granddaughter was experiementing with a strip block

that became a potholder.  

2.  Focus

- FBF: I'll be optimistic:  Finish stitching the pieces of the Bleeding heart block onto background. Not done

- As my granddaughter's Christmas ornament is a surprise, I'm sharing progress on my private Instagram account.  Done!  I managed to make significant progress!

3.   Prepare/make a kit

- reaquaint myself with my already started ornament for my eldest grandson Done!  

4. Be kind = Soft Deadlines - which are good for my mental health!

This Week's goals

1.  Finish

- my granddaughter's Christmas ornament 

2.  Focus

- FoF BOM Applique one prepped hexie and bind another Acufactum hexie

- my eldest grandson's ornament; I'm sharing progress on my private Instagram account. 

- FBF: Continue stitching the pieces of the Bleeding heart block onto background. 

3.   Prepare/make a kit

- Secret Sewing Projects  I wonder what you enjoy making as Christmas gifts?

4. Be kind = Soft Deadlines - which are good for my mental health!

LITERARY LIFE   

I love how my focus has increased with the "Finish, Focus and Prep" methodology I use with my Fiber Arts.  Consequently, I'm going to apply that to my reading life with a bit of a twist.  The categories will be "Finish, Focus and Next".  

This should help with my "Backburner Reads" which are books I started, enjoyed, but lost focus.  

Finish 

Next 

Finished 

**** The Bookshop at Water's End audiobook is another winner by Patti Callahan Henry.   It takes place in Souith Carolina featuring a tragedy turned into a new beginning and finding courage to be oneself.  In the process, there's secrets, best friends, romance and a bookshop whose owner is the wise sage.  Recommend.

***** Ellery Adams has worked her magic again with The Tattered Cover, the eighth book in the popular Secret, Book, & Scone Society series! Though usually not a cozy mystery reader, I was hooked after reading the first pages of the first book, The Secret, Book and Scone Society.  Since then, I've read all the books in this series and can hardly wait for the next installment!  

You will read about mystery, but also about love, kindness and community.  This book follows up nicely with updates on the characters to include major decisions, romance, betrayal and hope for the future.  The quotes at the beginning of each chapter touched my reader's heart, and some of them will go into my reading journal.  I'll continue this series because the writing is wonderful, the mysteries are intriguing  and the characters are very likable! I just have to know where their lives go!  The epilogue was interesting as some characters discussed the attributes of cozy mysteries and those of us who read them.  I wondered if this was perhaps a peek into Adams' thoughts?  Also, readers can find complete and categorized bibliography of the titles mentioned throughout the book!  My reader's heart glowed as I read them.  Highly Recommend.

I was so pleased to receive this eBook from Kensington Publishing via NetGalley for an honest review.

Thank you to Kathryn at The Book Date for writing about this series back in 2021!  

MAILBOX MONDAY - is a gathering place for readers to share books that they

added to their shelves or eBook readers the previous week.

Nothing from ereaderIQ, but I found a few library books!  The last two are graphic novels.  After enjoying the graphic novel, Worm by Edel Rodriguez, I just had to try these two.  Do you enjoy graphic novels?  UPDATE:  The type I'm referring to are comic books in book form.  Here's an example of Edel Rogriguez' graphic novel.

FINDING JOY

LeeAnna's I Like on Thursdays at Not Afraid of Color helps me consistently find the joy in every life.  She also provides a prompt for us to use.  This week's prompt is: As the weather starts to cool, do you have cozy clothes to start wearing? Show pics!  Oh yes, I have the usual leisure pants and t-shirts, but my favorites are two two granny square shrugs I crocheted.  Next week I'll have to pull them out of the closet to show them to you. I found the original pattern here, but you can find variations online.  

   I found a cute, extremely beginner friendly crochet pattern for this book sleeve on Instagram by @crochetchronicles.  

Just a reminder, for those fiber arts friends,  I'm wondering what you enjoy making as Christmas gifts? And for my reading friends, have you tried graphic novels?  Maybe you are in both groups!  :)

Here are the parties I sometimes link up with:  

Sundays

Oh Scrap!  @ Quilting is More Fun Than Housework

Slow Sunday Stitching @ Kathy's Quilts

Sunday Salon at Readerbuzz

Mondays

Mailbox Monday  @ I'd Rather Be At the Beach

Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps

What Are You Reading at The Book Date

Tuesdays

To Do Tuesday posts at Quilt Schmilt

Thursdays

I Like on Thursdays at Not Afraid of Color