Psalm 12:6-7 , Fiber Fun, Literary Living, Finding Joy

 Hello There!  

Wow, it has been two whole weeks since my last post! I honestly thought I’d be blogging while in San Diego, but we were just too busy making memories. From exploring local gems with Mama—complete with a perfect afternoon sharing cheesecakes at her home—to discovering new spots with my DH, we completely immersed ourselves in the local scene. Of course, no trip to SD is complete without visiting my favorites, including two trips to  Liberty Station and a wonderful haul (pics in the Finding Joy section) from Apricot Yarn and Supply!  On quieter days, we visited Mama at home and went for long walks on our own.  Overall, it was a wonderful time to disconnect and relax.  

Take good care and, as Daddy used to say, 

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

HERE'S A WORD

As I prepped for this study, I simply highlight all the words that describe what God does for us in my Bible and make a list of them in my journal.  I'll follow the same format here.

The Godly Are No More

For the choirmaster. According to Sheminith.a A Psalm of David.

1 Help, O LORD, for the godly are no more;

the faithful have vanished from among men.

2They lie to one another;

they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.

3May the LORD cut off all flattering lips

and every boastful tongue.

4They say, “With our tongues we will prevail.

We own our lips—who can be our master?”

5“For the cause of the oppressed

and for the groaning of the needy,

I will now arise,” says the LORD.

“I will bring safety to him who yearns.”

6The words of the LORD are flawless,

like silver refined in a furnace,

like gold purified sevenfold.b

7You, O LORD, will keep us;

You will forever guard us from this generation.

8The wicked wander freely,

and vileness is exalted among men.

• He helps us
• the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongues
• He sees the cause of the oppressed
• He hears the groaning of the needy
• He responds by rising up and bringing safety to him who yearns.
• He speaks flawless, refined and purified words
• He keeps us
• He guards us forever from this generation

My heart cries with gratitude as I read David's words as he is surrounded by those he cannot trust!  Look how he described those around him:  unfaithful, liars, flatterers and those filled with self-pride.  Can you imagine how Davide must feel?  Have you been in a similiar situation?  

Perhaps you've heard this quote:   "Don't tell God how big your problems are; tell your problems how big your God is!"   How many times are we focused on the problem, yet forget God's promise to us in Psalm 12?  

5“For the cause of the oppressed

and for the groaning of the needy,

I will now arise,” says the LORD.

“I will bring safety to him who yearns.”

As soon as David hears this response, he remembers who God is and that His words are:

- flawless,

- pure

- and even compares them to gold refined SEVEN times!   

David states yet another of God's promises that He will keep the needy safe and will protect us from the wicked FOREVER!  

I wasn't raised with a strong faith. Sure, I did everything that was required of me, but I didn't truly claim a faith of my own until my late teens. In fact, I didn't even realize I could read the Bible on my own until my late twenties! Looking back, it makes perfect sense why my heart races and my spirit rejoices as these words sink deeper into my heart than ever before.

Because His words are flawless and pure, they have the power to rescue and protect us when we surrender our hearts and lives to Him. I know this firsthand. I have carried a thorn in my side for over forty-five years, and these last few months, I almost allowed my reaction to it to cause real harm. But God... yes, God moved.

So, even when we are surrounded by difficulties, let us approach God's Word with joy and anticipation. We can rest in the confidence that we've surrendered our lives to the One who is entirely trustworthy to care for us. And from that place of security, let us share our precious faith with others.

Please know this:  

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

May you/someone you know find God.

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 

- at least one FoF hexagon Done!  

2.  Focus

- one FOF Hexagon Done!  

- this shawl with such beautiful Peruian yarn by Amano Yarns.  The pattern is by Fosbas Designs.  

3.   Prepare/make a kit

- There was really nothing to prep

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

This Week's goals

1.  Finish 

- at least one FoF hexagon

2.  Focus 

- FoF applique

- For my evening crochet, I'll continue working on Grandson's #4 afghan 

Prepare/make a kit

- for a Jalepeno Table Topper    

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

15 MINUTES TO STICH

I’m joining the Kate's 15 Minutes to Stitch' challenge at Life in Pieces to build the habit of machine sewing every day.  I've accepted that I prefer hand work to sewing by machine.  Not gonna fight it anymore, I'm just going to accept that part of myself!  This week, I sewed everyday!  It was fun to work on my Colcha embroidery and my grandson's afghan.  It was NOT fun to pull out about a foot of my pink shawl!  Lesson learned:  Do not crochet during the exciting parts of a TV show!  😉

LITERARY LIFE   

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 I'm starting to post these titles on Instagram on the day I acquire them as the deals are short-term.

***** Florencia Etcheves' Frida's Cook is a definite five-star, dual-timeline read that details the relationship between Frida Kahlo and her cook, Nayeli Cruz, while also following Frida's modern-day descendant, Paloma, as she uncovers secrets about a mysterious painting. The three narrators—Cynthia Farrell, Aida Reluzco, and André Santana—add incredible depth and clarity to the audiobook.  

Etcheves and the narrator team kept me completely invested in how Frida and Nayeli's relationship developed over the years, even as Paloma's search for the truth behind the painting deepened. Etcheves weaves these storylines together with immense skill, seamlessly incorporating themes of female relationships, romance, art, food, and how family history shapes future generations—alongside, of course, Frida's tumultuous relationship with Diego Rivera.

Though I came to this book with only a basic knowledge of Frida Kahlo, I left with an enriched understanding of her art, her passion, and, perhaps more importantly, her heart. Highly recommend!

 I express my gratitude Atria Books, Florencia Etcheves and NetGalley for providing the opportunity to review Frida's Cook.  

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 like this one:  Would you rather be swinging in a hammock outside or digging in your garden?  Hmmm. I would rather be digging in my garden so I can enjoy it while I swing on my hammock!  :)

If you're into EPP (English Paper Piecing) you may enjoy Emma Jones' YouTube Channel.  She has tips and tutorials which I enjoy watching while I sew.  Her gentle, calm personality are so soothing as I work on my own projects.  Here is her tutorial for creating a portable hand sewing station.  

Here are some photos from San Diego:

I believen the last one is filled with air plants on wood.

I love shawls and picked up one more set of yarns to make yet another one!  I'll be looking for a pattern after I finish the pink one!  I wonder if any of you have a favorite crochet shawl pattern?  Please share in the comments!  

Your comments are so appreciated! 

 🎶Here is a list of many of the songs🎶

I've shared on this blog.

Here are the parties I sometimes link up with:  

Sundays

Slow Sunday Stitching @ Kathy's Quilts

Sunday Salon at Readerbuzz

Stitching Stuff at Kate's Life in Pieces

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

Psalm 12:5, Fiber Fun and a Finish, Literary Living, Finding Joy

 Hello There,

Welcome!  I hope you've had a fabulous week!  I wanted to share a couple of blogging tips I've learned the hard way.  I've lost so much time when I somehow make the post/s I'm working on disappear.  Now I regularly create a backup for these posts as I'm writing them.

Perhaps some of you work on your phone and computer as you write your posts.  Make sure to close your posts before you use your other devices.  Otherwise, the post might disappear.  Ask me how I know.   

Psalm 12:3, Fiber Fun and a video! Literary Life and Finding Joy

Hello There,

    Welcome!  I hope you are doing well today!  This past week was so busy! I had a couple of gatherings with friends and a few doctor appointments. The friends were fun; the doctors... not so much.

Psalm 12:1, Fiber Fun, Literary Living, Finding Joy

Hello There,

    I hope you're having a blessed day with joy, peace and love!  My week has been filled with writing, studying, playing with fiber arts, reading and a bit of time with friends.  I did have a different kind of day on Tuesday.

    Our school district honors bilingual students by offering them the opprotunity to graduate with a Bilingual Seal added to their diploma. 

Psalm 11: Faith Over Fear, Fiber Fun, Literary Living, and Finding Joy

Hello There,

    I hope you've had a fabulous week!  Happy Mothers' Day to all who are a mom in once capacity or another.  For some, this day is bittersweet.  To you, whoever you are, hugs of comefort and understanding.  

    Our weather has been strange, to say the least.  Last month we were in the 90's and Thursday it was so crisp we needed jackets and blankets to watch our grandson's baseball game!  Our dry desert welcomed almost 24 hours of intermittent rain that Thursday and Friday.  

    My sewing room is coming along nicely. 

Psalm 10, Fiber Fun - or not? Literary Life, Finding Joy

Hello There!

I hope you had an amazing week!  We're going to several of my grandson's baseball games each week.  This weekend will be filled with his basketball games.  I love having this time with my family while the weather is still cool enough to attend.  Heat is my kryptonite, so soon I'll just be hearing about his baseball games rather than attending.  

I finally had some time at home to play with fibers and read. 

Psalm 9: 13-14, Literary Living, Fiber Fun, Finding Joy

Hello There,

    Thank you to everyone who stopped in last week!  It was fun to guest host Melva's Link Up and meeting so many wonderful people!  Thank you, Melva, for this wonderful opprotunity!  And thank you to all of you who linked up!    

    This week was jampacked with obligations every day - sometimes two or three in a day!  This weekend will also be full.  Thank God, most of these activities were fun!  As I wrote this post, I was surprised how much I did accomplish.  Usually things look worse in my head than the actually are.           

Psalm 9: Part 3, Literary Living, Finding Joy

Hello There,

    Welcome, and thank you so much for stopping in! Has Spring sprung in your neck of the woods? Here in Southern New Mexico, we have had a mix of hot, cool, and perfect temperatures.  I'm finding recovery slow going, probably due to a sinus infection developing a few days after I was diagnosed with strep.  Talk about a 2 for 1!

    This week, I am happy to guest host Melva’s (from Melva Loves Scraps) Sew and Tell link-up. You will find the link at the bottom of this post.

Psalm 9, Part 2, Fiber Fun, Literary Living, Finding Joy

Hello There,

Thank you so much for stopping in!  I sure hope you all are doing better than I am.  It's my birthday weekend and strep throat decided to crash the party.  I've been miserable, but am hopeful the coming week will be better.  My husband, who is an amazing cook, made me a big pot of delicious chicken/vegetable soup!  It's so soothing to my throat.  Thank You, God for antibiotics, my wonderful husband and chicken soup!   

Psalm 9: Part 1, Fiber Fun, Literary Living, Finding Joy

     Thank you for stopping in for a visit!  I hope you enjoyed last week's Parade of Behind-the Scene-Projects!  Every so often, I'll take a break from "our regularly scheduled programming" to bring you updates on those projects.  For now, I'll be sharing on Psalm 9 and a finished flimsy!  You'll also find a book review and some joy.  

Psalm 8, Part 2, Fiber Fun: Parade of Behind-the-Scenes- Projects, Literary Living, Finding Joy

Hello There,

   From 2020 to 2025, much of my life was split between New Mexico and San Diego as we visited my parents. My father sadly passed away last fall. Now that the sharp bite of grief is a bit dulled, I'm ready to begin my 'New Mexico' life again.

     As I settle back into my rhythm, I’ve found that one of the most healing things I can do is simply return to my sewing room—and, in the process, face those projects that have been waiting patiently for my attention.

Psalm 8 Part 1, Fiber Fun, Literary Living, Finding Joy

Hello There,

Thank you for stopping in today!  Lately I've noticed a change in my mindset. While I enjoy my current fiber projects, there are so many hidden gems and long-lost UFOs I am also working on and want to share with you!   

Next week, you’re invited to a 'Parade of Behind-the-Scenes Projects' to see my hidden fiber arts collection!   I'll share my progress via an occassional "break from the routine" posts.

Psalm 7, Fiber Fun, Literary Living, Finding Joy

Hello There,

Thank you all for you sweet comments on my new header.  I was playing with blogger's layout and decided to go for it! 

Psalm 6, Fiber Fun, Literary Living, Finding Joy

Hello There,

Thank you for stopping in! I hope your week was fabulous and that the coming week is even better. I was quite productive this week and even finished two books! It feels like I am finally getting my "land legs" back after my father's passing. Though I’m a bit late, I’m ready to set my goals for the year:

Psalm 5, Fiber Fun, Literary Living, Finding Joy

Hello There,

Thanks for stopping by! I hope your week was fabulous and your weekend is both fun and restful (if that’s not an oxymoron!).

I was invited to join a lovely group of stitchers for a "Sunday Sew Day." It was so fun chatting with friends and making new ones. Our hostess' husband made a cheesecake that was so delicious—no Mediterranean diet today!

This week was also another "organizational event," similar to my sewing room refresh. We tackled the tiny pantry, braved the "dungeon" (aka the laundry room), and scrubbed the fridge. This over-the-door organizer was a total game-changer for our pantry! Fingers crossed it stays tidy for more than a week. One of us is a bit messier than the other... but I’ll never tell who!

Are you doing any spring cleaning or freshening up your space lately?

Take good care and, as Daddy used to say, 

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

HERE'S A WORD

As I prepped for this study, I simply highlight all the words that describe what God does for us in my Bible.  Then I make a list of them.  I'll follow the same format here. As usual, I copied and pasted the Psalm from Bible Hub.

  Psalm 5 ^a

For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.

1Listen to my words, Lord,

consider my lament.

2Hear my cry for help,

my King and my God,

for to you I pray.

3In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;

in the morning I lay my requests before you

and wait expectantly.

4For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;

with you, evil people are not welcome.

5The arrogant cannot stand

in your presence.

You hate all who do wrong;

6you destroy those who tell lies.

The bloodthirsty and deceitful

you, Lord, detest.

7But I, by your great love,

can come into your house;

in reverence I bow down

toward your holy temple.

8Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness

because of my enemies—

make your way straight before me.

9Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;

their heart is filled with malice.

Their throat is an open grave;

with their tongues they tell lies.

10Declare them guilty, O God!

Let their intrigues be their downfall.

Banish them for their many sins,

for they have rebelled against you.

11But let all who take refuge in you be glad;

let them ever sing for joy.

Spread your protection over them,

that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

12Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;

you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

Wow, there's so much packed into this Psalm.  This appears to be King David's morning prayer.  What a great way to start off our day:  with praise and prayers!  First, let's praise God for all He does for His children!

• listens to us
• hears our cries for help
• hears our voices
• has a great love for us
• leads us in His rightousness
• makes our path straight before Him
• provides refuge for us
• spreads protection over us
• blesses us

He listens, hears, loves, leads, goes before us, provides refuge, protects and blesses us.  I am in humbled and deeply touched by all my precious LORD and Savior does for me, for all us if only we would maintain an open heart towards Him.  

Additionally, we need not worry about the wicked and liars or our enemy!  Look at this list!  

• not pleased with wickedness
• hates all who do wrong
• declares the liars guilty
• banishes them

Reading through Psalm 5, it’s clear David prioritized a thoughtful morning of worship. It makes me wonder: "Do I do the same?" No, not consistently.  

I'm praying to accopmplish the same routine David appears to have had.  My husband and I talked about having our "office hours" from morning until noonish.  This will certainly allow for a more deliberate time with God.  It doesn't stop there.  I am so grateful we can converse with God all day long. These "micro-prayers" guide my steps and act as a guard against "stinky thinking"  and hasty responses.  Imagine how the tone in our lives would change with deliberate micro-prayers before responding to a situation!  With God's help, hopefully we can be more Christ-like throughout the day.  

Also, Psalm 5 feels like a dance between God's actions toward the wicked and His love and grace to His children. It's interesting to note how David spends so much more time on God’s goodness than on his enemies' malice.  It reminds me to focus on God, not the problem. He is always bigger than the challenges we may face!  As one dear teenager in our Youth Group said, "God is bigger than the boogeyman!"

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

 - Finally complete the ornaments for my grandchildren!  Done!  They were tickled to receive them last night!  

Here is the information to the various designs:

Charizard Dragon:  HoneyKittenShop

Gengar:  ChaosKittensCrafting 

Llamas:  by Stitcher's Revolution pattern #31 "Llama Drama"

Yoda:  GeoCreationsUK

Spiderman:  OutlawStitching

Some cross-stitch patterns appeared to be similar to other sellers' designs, so now I only order from cross-stitch designers that provide BOTH a black and white chart and a color chart. 

2.  Focus - 

- FoF BOM:  finish binding one hexie and start appliquéing the next Partially Done!  They are really coming along!  This one EPP piece is a challenge as there are so many pieces to join.  I'm enjoying the outcome thus far.    

- QAYG quilt - continue to find the loose joining stitches and reinforce them; this will take a bit to finish Done!  I'm now joining another row to the main piece!

- FBF:   I'll be picking up this BOM at a later date

- Disappearing Nine-Patch:  sew the rows into blocks and press them. Done!   The blocks are pressed and completed! Now comes the fun part of a Disappearing Nine Patch quilt. I get to cut the blocks and place them in a new design!  

3.   Prepare/make a kit

- Christmas Ornament for grandchild #1: For now, he likes all things Star Wars, especially Darth Vader, so I picked this cross-stitch design  at RinaStitchesPatterns for his 2026 ornament.  It's easy preparation as there are only three colors in the design.  I'll be stitching on 16 ct. Aida cloth, so it should be slightly smaller than described below.  

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

This Week's goals

1.  Finish - I am once again pulling projects from my little pink plastic case.  These little projects should be fast finishes.  

 - patch up Chloe's toys and Grandson #4's crocheted airplane

2.  Focus - 

- FoF BOM:  finish binding one hexie; finish the EPP sewing and bind the above hexie

- Complete at least 15% of the Darth Vader ornament

- QAYG quilt - continue join the row to the main piece

- FBF:   I'll be picking up this BOM at a later date

- Disappearing Nine-Patch:  cut up the nine patch and begin sewing the new squares together

3.   Prepare/make a kit

- for Grandson #2's cross stitch ornament using this pattern for Blastoise from BixoStitch.  To ensure I am getting an original pattern, I only purchase cross stitch patterns that include the color AND black and white patterns.    

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

LITERARY LIFE   

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 I'm starting to post these titles on Instagram on the day I acquire them as the deals are short-term.

Libby:  

I'm surprised to note that I haven't finished any books this week!  I am, however, very much enjoying listening to The Let Them Theory. I'm also learning so much from my weekly Bible study, Tozer on the Holy Spirit. Our discussions take the material to a much deeper level, as everyone brings a different perspective to the readings.  

FINDING JOY

LeeAnna's I Like on Thursdays at Not Afraid of Color helps me consistently find the joy in every life.  Here is this week's prompt:  what was your favorite subject in school... elementary, high school, or college... or did your favorite subject change over time? what was the teacher like? do you still have an interest in that subject? My favorite subject in school was in the filed of Language Arts - reading and writing.  No surprise there. In college I was very interested in my Bilingual Education and Multicultural courses.  One fact surprised me:  The Untited States is the ONLY country in the WORLD that does not reauire their students to become at a minimum bilingual.  My precious professors introduced me to Latinx authors.  This continues to be an area of interest for me.  

Here's some other things that have brought me joy this week.    

Don't you just love finding ideas on blogs?  Joy from Days Filled with Joy shared this tutorial for a thumb/finger pincushion that I thought you all might like.  The photo is from Days Filled with Joy.  I just love Joy's concept.  

During an email conversation, Deb from Readerbuzz mentioned this book to me.  After just a few days of reading, I quickly came to the conclusion that it's a treasure.  Thank you so much, Deb!

My husband snapped a photo of this sticker we saw in our local bookstore.

I love this song by one of my favorite artists, 

Comeback Kid by the late Mandisa.

Perhaps you know a comeback kid?

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

Last Week's List

1.  Finish

 - no finishes planned

2.  Focus - 

- FoF BOM:  finish binding one hexie and start appliquéing the next 

- Gengar cross stitch - fingers crossed - finish another 15%  

- QAYG quilt - continue to find the loose joining stitches and reinforce them; this will take a bit to finish

- FBF:   I'll be picking up this BOM at a later date

- Disappearing Nine-Patch:  start making the blocks

3.   Prepare/make a kit

- continue re-organzing my sewing room