Hello There,
Welcome! If you're new to this space, you'll find it filled with our continued study of the Psalms, see what I'm up to with needle and thread, as well as discovering if I've met my goals for the week, perhaps find a book you'd like to check out and finally seeing a few things that have brought me joy (and hopefully you as well) this week.
In my neck of the woods, it's Fall Break for my grandchildren! Yay! I got to spend two whole days with them in which we did a fun shopping activity, ate their favorite foods: French toast, my husband's spahgetti, quesadillas, and the pasta dish I mentioned a few weeks ago. My grands range in age from 10 to 17 years old and they still like hanging out with us!
My hands have improved since last week, but I've definitely kept up with their pampering! Thank you all for your well wishes. Now, onto the rest of the fun!
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 Presence of the LORD
1 Preserve me, O God,
for in You I take refuge.
2I said to the LORD, “You are my Lord;
apart from You I have no good thing.”
3As for the saints in the land,
they are the excellence
in whom all my delight resides.
4 Sorrows will multiply
to those who chase other gods.
I will not pour out their libations of blood,
or speak their names with my lips.
5 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;
You have made my lot secure.
6The lines of my boundary have fallen in pleasant places;
surely my inheritance is delightful.
7I will bless the LORD who counsels me;
even at night my conscience instructs me.b
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will dwell securely.d
10For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
11You have made known to me the path of life;
You will fill me with joy in Your presence,f
with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.
- Psalm 16
- The LORD preserves us
- The LORD provides and is our refuge
- The LORD is our chosen portion and cup
- The LORD makes our lots (boundaries) secure
- The LORD counsels us
- The LORD instructs us
- The LORD remains at our right hand
- The LORD will not abandon us
- The LORD will not let us see decay
- The LORD makes known to us the path of life
- The LORD fills us with joy in His prescense
- The LORD fills us with eternal pleasures at His right hand
While traditionally a "lot" could be a portion of land given to someone, I love what Joseph Benson, a highly respected biblical commentator, wrote that the land the LORD gave to Joseph was in the midst of fellow believers and was in an community where they could practice their faith. Benson's commentary filled my heart with joy: "Thus may the true Christian say: Thou, that hast by promise made over thyself to me to be mine, wilt graciously make good what thou hast promised. Thou wilt not leave me nor forsake me, nor put it into the power of mine enemies to rob me of my happiness in communion with thee, while I cleave to thee with full purpose of heart; and while the life I live in the flesh is by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."
As a military wife (he's now retired), I lived in a few different places and had one tour in Okinawa. No matter where we lived, God gave us favor with "veteran" Christians who helped us grow in our faith. I was indeed praising Him who knows our heart for the wonderful places we lived! I understand that no one could hurt us, as God will never leave us or forsake us. Our lot is secure; we are in pleasant places enjoying a delightful inheritance! Imagine the word "delightful"!
I could not have written in better than it is described on BibleHub: Our inheritance in Christ is imperishable...unspoiled...unfading...reserved. Our inheritance is in Heaven where every tear will be wiped away and we will have joy unspeakable and full of glory to Him who created, guided, ministered, taught and loved us when we were but sinners! Please take a moment to follow the link in this paragraph and read the article. It'll only take a tiny bit of time. My heart is filled with joy and gratitude as I write this. Oh, precious Reader, be blessed today and always for He who loves you will never forget or forsake you!
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.
Last Week's List
1. Finish - Grandchild #3's ornament I added a bit of stitching to his ornament, but it's not quite finished. I need to add the outlining. Truth be told, I lost my magnifying glasses! :)
2. Focus
a. make progress on the placemats Done! I finished putting my set together as well as prepping the batting. as an experiment, I decided to go with Hobby Lobby's batting off the role. I normally buy packages of batting from our local quilt shop, but as an experiment, I decided to go with Hobby Lobby's batting off the role.
Last week the placemats were in pieces.
This week they're ready to be quilted.
3. Prepare/make a kit for the baby boy's quilt. I changed my mind on the fabric and will use this combination.
I also changed my mind on the pattern and return to one of my favorite patterns: The Disappearing Nine Patch. It makes a simple pattern look complicated and fun! Here's a sample of one I finished. The blocks went from this
Here's a tutorial on how I made it.
I had already cut and prepped this fabric for a girl's quilt. So, I'll stitch with the orignal pattern for her. Here is the fabric, pattern and book, Even More Quilts For B aby by Ursula Reikes. A friend generously gifted me this book when I was a beginner and I've really enjoyed the patterns Reikes offeres.
4. Be kind = Soft Deadlines - which are good for my mental health!
This Week's Goals
1. Finish Grandchild #3's ornament
2. Focus Jalapeño placemats
3. Prepare/make a kit for boy's quilt
4. 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 helps us to develop the habit of daily creativity. Yikes! I only stitched 5/7 days this week. I mainly worked on the placemats. I learned something very interesting: When I machine sew every day, this is what my sewing studio looks like:
If it's pristine, inspiration hides in a corner. LOL! It's fun having a creative mess! Who knew?
Week: 71% Month: 80%
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!
I did pick up this Bible from Amazon:
I also checked out these audiobooks from Libby.
This Week's Reviews:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highly Recommended!
Next Week's Review Migrant Heart: Essays About Things I Can't Forget by Reyna Grande is one of her most vulnerable books yet. In the beginning, I wasn't sure if I would finish it, but because I’ve enjoyed so many of her other books, I stuck with it—and I am so glad I did!
She opens her heart completely to describe the experience of living as an immigrant in the U.S. I learned even more about her life and the challenges she overcame as a woman, a Latina, an immigrant, a daughter, a mother, a student, and simply as a person. She went from entering the country as a nine-year-old immigrant to becoming the first in her family to graduate from college, eventually earning her Master of Fine Arts—the highest degree in her field.
The subtitle, Essays About Things I Can't Forget, hits the nail right on the head. We can all relate to moments and memories in our own lives that stick with us forever, but few of us would have the courage to share them so publicly. There is a very good reason her books are read on high school and university campuses across the country: she gives a voice to the unheard in a tone that is both forthright and gentle.
Highly Recommend. Here is her impressive bio.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highly Recommended!
I confess that whenever a book is about librarians, I know I'll be reading it! Why? Because librarians are on the front lines, fighting against book censorship, protecting free speech, and providing a safe haven for so many children and adults alike.
Meg Anderson’s The Memory of Borrowed Books is one of the most memorable stories I’ve had the honor of reading. Her love for libraries, librarians, and people shines through, showcasing how libraries are a vibrant heart in the communities blessed enough to have them. She also tackles a pressing social issue: a city’s decision to replace its local library with a commercial development aimed strictly at financial profit.
The hero of this book is, of course, a librarian named Claire Ashford. Claire is one of the select few invited into a hidden room that allows one to experience its stored memories. Add in a mysterious man, his best friend, a protective father, a power-hungry city council member, and Grace—an assistant librarian filled with plenty of sass!
Anderson artfully combines fantasy, romance, and insightful commentary on the true value libraries bring to our communities. I found myself cheering Claire on, laughing with Grace, and trying to unravel the mysteries of the hidden library. The characters courageously face their pain and embrace healing, and the author has a wonderful way of weaving hope into a story that perfectly balances fiction with the very real threats facing our public libraries today.
The Memory of Borrowed Books inspired me to reflect on how I can be even more active in supporting our local library. This book has just been released—be sure to mark your calendars for Meg Anderson’s next book coming in the fall of 2027!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highly Recommended!
Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, author Meg Anderson, for the gift of this ebook ARC. All opinions are my own.
FINDING JOY
LeeAnna's I Like on Thursdays at Not Afraid of Color helps me consistently find the joy in every life. This week's prompt is: Do you prefer cute funny Halloween decorations or scary haunted houses? I like the cute Halloween decorations others put up. We decorate for the fall season. To be honest, the last couple of years, I haven't decorated, but this will be the year to pull out my fall bin and surround our home with fall joy.
A couple of weeks ago, I shared my yarn crush: Malabrigo Archangel!
I've been perusing the internet for patterns and wow! Thanks to a newly discovered site, Daisy Cottage Designs, I have a pattern! For those of you who've mentioned you'd like to learn to crochet, her blog is filled with beginner friendly patterns!
Your comments are so appreciated!
I read each one and will respond by email.
You can also expect a visit from me as well!
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
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
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