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 cheesecake 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.

Psalm 12

• 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