He Goes Before Us and Stays With Us Fiber Fun, Literary Life, Finding Joy

Hello There,

Thank you for stopping by!  Two weeks ago I threw all my goals out the window and enjoyed a staycation with my DH and even skipped a post last week!  Our staycation turned out to be a wonderful time of spiritual renewal, sharing memories and romance. Those days became a much-needed romantic as well as spiritual retreat.  He even commented we should have more staycations!  🥰

Well, hello there!

 

Hello to you!

This week my post will be a simply greeting to say, "Hello!  How are you?"   Last week my husband and I took a "staycation" and Chico and Chloe, our fur babies went to their "hotel" with one of our friends.  Our time together was a spiritual retreat as well as a time of renewal as we created beautiful memories.  

I hope you had a good week and look forward to visiting with you next week!  Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy these Christmas songs!

Take good care and, as Daddy used to say, 

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

Knowledge Vs. Enlightenment, Fiber Fun with Charizard, Thankfully Reading, Finding Joy

Hello There,

Thank you for stopping by!    This week was a fabulous stitching week, and I'm looking forward to more stitching next week!  "Embearoidery" has posted her free 2025 Advent Embroidery Calendar on Facebook and Instagram on this account.  She also has a dedicated page so we can share our progress and view calendars from years past.  I've enjoyed taking part in this tradition of a bit of daily slow stitching for several years. Here is this year's free design.  I'd love to hear what you think of it and if you decide to join in on this fun SAL!

Take good care and, as Daddy used to say, 

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

HERE'S A WORD

I've been pondering an event with a precious teenager that happened over 25 years ago.  As they were praying and seeking God's will for their life, they turned to me and stated:  "You and God are tight.  What is He telling you I should do?"

Wow.  What a honor that they would see me that way and would trust me so much.  

But I am not God and, though I sensed what God would have them do, this precious loved one needed to continue to build their relationship with God.  I gently told them to listen for God's voice, to seek His will via prayer and His Word and that I would pray for this specific need. It all worked out.  

Our relationship with God is not simple reading or listening His Word and doing what it says.  It is vitally imperative that as we read or listen to God's Word, we do so not only with our eyes and brain but also with our heart and spirit. Let us remember this:  

Knowledge alone does not enlighten.  

Opening our hearts and spirit to God and

obeying despite our fears,

will lead us to even greater faith, 

and a knowing of God's heart and His will for our lives.

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 - nothing this week

2.  Focus

- Grandson's #2 ornament Done!   I also had to start over with this ornament as well.  One of these days, it'll be smooth sailing!  By the way, I had found the pattern online for free, but this weekend, to my mortification, I found one paid pattern on Etsy.  I contacted her and purchased the pattern.  It must be popular because another Etsy seller is selling the same pattern except for using different colors!  Who is the orignal designer?  Yikes!  

- sew embellishments on the red and white Christmas ornaments. Not done.  

- FBF - the Poinsettia block:   Stitch the details on the petals of the poinsettia.  Done!  The pieces are attached and ready to be appliquéd

- Psalm 23 Stitch a Day - not done

3.   Prepare/make a kit- My main goals are my grandchildren's ornaments, which are all prepped.  So, I'll spend time stitching for now.  I thought I wasn't going to prepare anything, but then, as I wrote in the introduction, the 2025 Advent Embroidery Calendar popped up on my Instagram feed.  Happy days!  I wonder how many of you might participate?

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

This Week's goals

1.  Finish 

2.  Focus

- Grandson's #2 ornament

- FBF - the Poinsettia block:   Appliqué the petals and leaves onto the background. 

- sew embellishments on the red and white Christmas ornaments time permitting

3.   Prepare/make a kit

- Nothing at all - I think!

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.  

I thought this post I saw on Instagram and thought of my bookish friends!

  

   Slow Read                          Next 

      

Finished

(audiobooks) 

**** The Christmas Stranger by Richard Paul Evans was a delightful listening experience. It serves as a gentle reminder of the transformative power of love, healing, forgiveness, and moving forward with life. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed many of Evans’ novels, which may explain why this one felt so predictably sweet. Paul, consumed by grief, is on the brink of giving up on life until a heavenly visit. Enter a compassionate widow and her daughter, plus another a child who is living a life of hopelessness. Their lives intertwine, and the book explores the profound impact of allowing ourselves to embrace love, forgiveness, acceptance of healing, and the opportunity for a second chance at life. Evans’s writing has the power to instill hope in all of us. I highly recommend this book.

“Tales From the Cafe” by Yoshikazu Kawaguchi is the second installment in the “Before the Coffee Gets Cold” series. The author revisits some of the original characters, whose personalities continue to evolve and mature. The new time travelers present intriguing reasons for their adventure, and Kawaguchi’s signature wisdom is on full display throughout the book. I found this book to be both thought-provoking and healing. Highly recommend it.

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

added to their shelves or eBook readers the previous week.  Some of these books were recommended by you!  Do you see your reads below?  Thank all of you for sharing!

Here's what I've picked up this week. 

ereaderiq.com

Hoopla:  None

Kindle Freebies:  None

Libby:  I sure enjoyed participating in Jenn's Bookshelves Thankfully Reading Week!  

I finished these audiobooks!  

NetGalley:  none   

Purchased:  none

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: "would you rather go to someone's house for Thanksgiving (even a relative?) or host them in yours?" 

For about 10 years, we hosted between 20 -25 people for Thanksgiving.  Then, my sister started hosting, and now my daughter hosts.  I really enjoy Thanksgiving at her house as I can focus entirely on my grandbabies and not worry about anything else!  

My husband got creative while taking photos of Chloe!

SONG OF THE WEEK:

Five-year-old plays Silent Night

Five year old

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 the parties I sometimes link up with:  

Sundays

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

John 3:4-6, Huh? Born Again? Literary Living, Finding Joy

Hello There,

Thank you for stopping by!    I hope and pray you all have had a beautiful week and a peaceful Veteran's Day as you gave thanks for our many veterans who fought for our nation's freedom and democracy.  

For the last few weeks, an increasingly burning desire to somehow serve in a family literacy program has been on my heart.  According to my research, 54% of adults ages 16-74 are reading below a sixth-grade level - that's 130 million souls. 

How Do We Cry Out to God? Fiber Fun, Literary Life, Finding Joy

 

Hello There,

Thank you for stopping by!  This week has been a whirlwind of celebrating weight loss, shopping, visits with friends and rest.  Since starting the Mediterranean Diet to help control RA pain, I've felt healthier and even lost weight!  Less weight for me equals less pain, and new jeans. Though thrilled about the weight loss, not so much shopping for jeans. After a couple of days shopping, and an ever so tactful suggestion from a sales lady to go down yet another size, I found jeans!  Score!  

Forging a New Path, Fiber Fun, Literary LIfe, Finding Joy

 Hello There,

    Thank you for stopping by! I hope y’all had a fabulous week! This week was a mix of good and hard days. I spent a lot of time at home and attended a grief support group, which was very helpful. Are your weeks sometimes solely crafting or reading weeks? This was a pretty good crafting week for me, but next week I hope to catch up on some reading.
My wish for you is to have a fabulous week finding peace in doing what you love.

Take good care and, as Daddy used to say, 

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

2 COR 4:3-4: Remove the blinders! Literary Life, Fiber Fun

Hello There,

Thank you for stopping by!    I hope you all had a fun week!  Is fall in the air in your part of the world?  My last two weeks have been filled with doctor appointments, reading and crafting.  I did spend a day and a half in bed after an endoscopy.  Thank goodness all results are normal!  

Ezekiel 36:27, Fiber Fun, Literary Life, Finding Joy

Hello There,

Thank you for stopping by!    It was another busy week with more doctor appointments, gatherings with friends and various sewing groups.  Toward the end of the week I caught a cold, hence today's late publication.  I'm taking care of myself and know I'll feel better soon.  Mama tells me it takes a good 7 days to feel right as rain, so I'm looking forward to that.  

Ezekiel 36:26, Fiber Fun, Literary Life, Finding Joy

Hello There,

Thank you for stopping by!  I hope you've had a fabulous week!  It's so much fun for me to imagine you all reading this weekly post in a comfy chair with your favorite beverage!  This week I was very active with doctor appointments, a sit and sew with my Colcha Embroidery group, a fabulous meeting with my Latinx Book Club, lunch with friends, and I even had a hair appointment!  I've met some of my reading and stitching goals, finished some behind-the-scenes goals and rested!  Please let me know how your week was in the comments!  

Take good care and, as Daddy used to say, 

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

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."

Isaiah 49:50, Romans 8:28-29, Fiber Fun, Literary Life, Finding Joy

Hello There,

    Thank you for stopping by! Saturday was our first Flower Box Friends (see Fiber Fun) class at Be Sew Creative in Las Cruces, NM and it was awesome!  I found my slow stitching people!  Rejoice!  After a brief lesson and discussion, we sat for two hours stitching, visiting and sharing tips!  Oh such joy! Though I've been hand sewing since a child, there's still so much to learn and friends have great tips and tricks to share.

    This week I have Sit and Sew at Be Sew Creative, stitching with my Colcha Embroidery Group and then another fun filled class with my Flower Box Group.  

I finished another audiobook by Jojo Moyes (review below) as well as some read reads from NetGalley and my local library.    

    I hope you enjoy the memes, song, and answers to LeeAnne's questions this week.  Relax, grab a cuppa as you read on!  Long ago, I created a playlist on YouTube of some of the songs I've shared in the past.  Then I forgot to keep it up.  🙄 But, I remembered and it's updated.  I hope you enjoy it!

Take good care and, as Daddy used to say, 

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

HERE'S A WORD

I member a time in my life praying, "God, I know all things work together for Your purpose.  And I know you are all things to me, but, well, You knew my birth mother.  How was that a "good thing" and where in Your Word does it say You are my mother?"  As I searched my Concordance, I found this verse.  It has comforted me since then.

I love God's simple answers, don't you?

He replied, "You know what NOT to do as a mother.  Whatever feels natural as a mom (nature vs. nurture), do the opposite."

I also realized, abused children find each other.  As a teacher, within the first few hours of the first day of school, the Holy Spirit would help me discern which of my students were being abused.  I made sure that the rest of the school year they were surrounded with extra love, cuddles and positive reinforcement. For roughly the next ten years after I left the field, one particular student would call me every New Years Eve.  

Then He brought Romans 8:28&29 to mind:

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

- Make this Cabana Mesh Tote Partially Done.  I forgot to get fusible fleece...ug.  Here's the progress I've made.  

- I'm looking forward to finishing this potholder and perhaps making more! Not done.  I'm planning on finishing them this evening.  

2.  Focus

- FoF BOM Applique last week's hexagons ✔ Last week's hexagons are finished!  Yay!  I even bound an extra one!  

Here's my progress thus far!  

- As my granddaughter's Christmas ornament is a surprise, I'm sharing progress on my private Instagram account:  @miaismine22. 

- FBF:   Begin stitching the pieces of the Bleeding heart block onto background. I'm also going to check out my seed bead stash to accent the blocks.  I may have to pop into Hobby Lobby to complete this task.  Oh bother!  😉✔ Done!  

3.   Prepare/make a kit

 - trace, cut out &  press the pieces for the next block of Flower Box Friends, the Poinsetta. ✔ Done!  I believe seed beads will be a beautiful accent for this block as well.

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

This Week's goals
1. Finish - Cabana Mesh Tote and potholders🤞

2.  Focus

- FBF: I'll be optimistic:  Finish stitching the pieces of the Bleeding heart block onto background. 

- As my granddaughter's Christmas ornament is a surprise, I'm sharing progress on my private Instagram account. 

3.   Prepare/make a kit

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

- Xmas Table Runners

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 

Latinx Book Club

Finished 

(NetGalley eBook to be 

published by Bookouture 10/9/25) 

***** Only I Can Save Them by Imogen Matthews is a definite 5-star read inspired by the true story of Rudolf Breslauer and his family's experience in the Jewish concentration camp, Westerbork. Breslauer was a talented photographer who was forced to take pictures of each prisoner for documentation purposes. He later began secretly documenting the atrocities he witnessed. Little did he realize how important his work would become.

The dual timeline is about the actual time the Breslauers spent in Westerbork as well as the retelling of their lives by his daughter, Ursula. She now has a completing different perspective on her father's actions. Perhaps this is a lesson for us all: have more empathy and understanding.

Matthews wrote this story with compassion highlighting the cruelty that comes when one's view is of racism, hate and destruction. Her book is at once difficult to read and inspiring for one to have the courage and foresight to do what is right in the face of great adversity. This is a book that will stay with me for years to come.

Thank you to Bookouture Publishing and NetGalley for providing a digital copy of this book for an honest review.  

***** The Last Letter From Your Lover by Jojo Moyes was engrossing which surprises me as I'm usually not a fan of romance books.  But Moyes' books are the exception!  What happens when circumstances combine to separate two soul mate couples?  What happens when trust is broken?  

I may not agree with the some of the events in the story, but Moyes' did such a great job that I stuck with the book.  Recommend.

DNF

I stopped listening to this book due to the coarse language.

I do have a question for you to answer in the comments:  

What is your favorite reading ambiance?  

Does the format affect your choice of ambiance?

My alltime favorite reading ambiance is in my study/library/slow stitching room with soft lighting for eBooks and a bit brighter for hard copies.  I usually multitask while listening to audiobooks.  

 

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

added to their shelves or eBook readers the previous week.

I picked up this book at my local bookshop.

I picked up both hard cover and audiobooks at the library.

Here are some more freebies at ereaderiq.com!↓↓

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:  Do you have a good gingerbread type recipe to share? Or what is your favorite gingerbread style food to eat?  I did have a great recipe for gingerbread cookies, but have since lost it.  I do remember thinking they were so easy to make.  I love gingerbread cookies!  

I found this brain exercise on Instagram, and indeed, it is challenging!

LOL!  My 11 and 9 year old grandsons did it easily.  

The magic of young brains...

Playlist from this blog is here.

   Please remember to take time to 

respond to reading ambiance question in the comments:

What is your favorite reading ambiance?  

Does the format of your book affect your choice of ambiance?

Your comments are so appreciated! 

I read each one and will respond by email.

You can expect a visit from me as well!

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

Fridays

Off the Wall Fridays at Creations Art...Quilts...Whatever