Faith, Trust and Breast Cancer: Yikes! My hands want to retire! Psalm 16:5, Fiber Fun, Literary Living

Hello There!

Welcome back! Thank you so much for dropping in. This week was a bit unusual because I actually spent way more time at my cutting table and at the sewing machine than doing handwork. Normally, my hands are happy to give me a couple of hours of slow stitching every day. Lately, though? There’s been a full-blown rebellion!

My hands have officially informed me that three factors are causing pain:

1. The Weather: It’s been raining nearly every day for two weeks. All this humidity has my joints demanding a part-time schedule.

2. Seniority: After years of slow stitching every single day, maybe my hands are wanting semi-retirement.

3. Extracurriculars: Between stitching, crocheting, writing handwritten cards to family and friends, and typing at the computer, they are tired.

Change is definitely coming. I’m going to need to rethink my slow stitching goals, my timelines, and how I can improve my hands' health. They are, after all, one of my most valuable tools. Over the last two weeks, I've rested them and been very cognicent of how long I slow stitch. These hands of mine have thoroughly enjoyed their custom spa treatment—CBD salves, Voltaren, and warm-water workouts every time we hand-wash dishes!

However, this is going to be a journey in finding a balance and the best way to take care of these precious hands of mine. If you would be so kind as to share your thoughts, any favorite tips or hand-soothing tricks, in the comments! My hands and I thank you in advance for sharing your experience.

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

(Acts 2:14–36)

A Miktama of David.

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

8I have setc the LORD always before me.

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,

nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.e

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

As I sat down to study for today’s devotion, three questions kept circling in my mind:

What is my cup?

What is my lot?

And what’s the difference between the two?

As I dug into my NIV Bible study notes as well as online references, I found much fascinating discussion about the symbolism of the 'cup' throughout Scripture. While a full deep-dive into biblical symbolism is definitely beyond what I set out to write today, I encourage you to read up on it if you get the chance—it's a great rabbit hole!

Looking at both Webster’s dictionary and the notes in my NIV Study Bible, the primary definition is so clear: a cup is simply a vessel used to offer refreshment. The commentator in my study Bible pointed out two beautiful pictures of this: first, how a gracious host uses a cup to offer refreshment to a guest.

The second picture is of the cup the Lord offers to the godly which is filled with blessings, salvation, and an inheritance. But Scripture also makes it clear that there is a cup of judgment reserved for the wicked.

In the end, each person gets to choose which cup they will drink from—and live with the consequences of that choice. It is such a significant decision, and as His servant, it's one I find myself making intentionally each and every day. I hope, if you haven't already, choose the cup the LORD lovingly offers you.

This was a bit of a heavy study,

so we'll take the week to ponder it and answer the question:

What is my lot?

Please know this:

You are loved.

You are not alone.

You are being lovingly prayed for.

The story behind

Have Your Way by Katy Nichole

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

I'm gently easing my hands back into hand sewing, by only stitching on Grandchild #3's ornament. Maybe I can even finish it!

1. Finish - Grandchild #3's ornament Not quite finished. As you can see by the comparisons, I did finish the Mama dinosaur’s head.

2. Focus

a. sandwich the Jalapeño Placemats and experiement with Kimberbell's Blue Tiles for machine quilting. Not done. I'm still stitching them together and need to press them. I overestimated the amount of fabric I would need, so it's a happy surprise to know I can make a few more placemats for our aunt! Maybe I can even make some hot pads and coasters/mug rugs!

b. appliqué FOF hexagons Done - kind of. I was unhappy with the original flowers, so I began anew. This time I used appliqué glue to baste them. So far, I like the results.

3. Prepare/make a kit - two baby quilts Not done. I do have one prepped from last year (Yikes!) and would like to prep another one for a baby coming in next month. The hardest part for me is done - picking the fabrics.

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

This Week's Goals

1. Finish - Grandchild #3's ornament

2. Focus

a. make progress on the placemats

3. Prepare/make a kit for the baby 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. One of my friends has trouble getting out, so we coordinate our sewing times and have our own little FaceTime sewing social! Last month I stitched every day. This first week of October was 6/7 days.

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 the free eBook I picked up this week from ereaderiq.com

I also checked out these audiobooks from Libby. Nancy Mehl is a faith-based author and I'm loving how she combines faith with her FBI suspense books! This series is pictured in order of publication.

I picked up these books from my local library!

I also picked up this book for the Latinx Book Club.

This Week's Review:

Highly Recommend

*****

In American history, few tragedies have been as consequential―and as enduringly misunderstood―as the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911. Long remembered as a turning point in the struggle for labor protections, Fire in the Heart of the City shows how the fire also helped transform another cornerstone of modern American life: the rise of modern charity.

Set in early twentieth-century New York, the book tells the extraordinary story of what happened when a catastrophic fire in Greenwich Village threw Adolph Ochs, the ambitious new publisher of the New York Times, and Rose Schneiderman, a defiant young labor organizer, into a momentous struggle over who should organize the city's response: a rising charity sector led by wealthy financiers and civic elites, or the reform-minded unions and activists of Lower Manhattan.

Drawing on newly released archival documents, interviews with the descendants of Times publisher Adolph Ochs and New York labor organizers, previously confidential reports, and long-overlooked private diaries and correspondence, historian and former journalist David Conrad-Pérez offers a striking new account of the disaster and its aftermath. He shows how a handful of charities on the brink of irrelevance were suddenly recast as New York's best answer to the social and economic conditions the fire laid bare―a watershed moment in the rise of modern charity and elite authority over social welfare in the United States.

In the months after the fire, the Times and its philanthropic allies joined forces to popularize the idea that social crises should be managed not by immigrant reformers, labor advocates, or neighborhood coalitions, but by a select class of elite and supposedly "scientific" charitable institutions. In doing so, they elevated a new language of expertise around poverty and public welfare that would leave a lasting mark on American civic life.A deeply researched and absorbing work of narrative history, Fire in the Heart of the City offers a major reinterpretation of one of the most important urban disasters in American history, revealing how a single catastrophe helped reshape not only the politics of labor, but also the moral and institutional foundations of modern American charity.

- Amazon

   I could relate deeply to David Conrad-Pérez’s Fire in the Heart of the City: The Triangle Shirtwaist Tragedy and the Origins of Modern Charity. My mother worked in a clothing factory, and many of the elitist attitudes held by those in power back then still exist today. The workers have no sway with major media outlets, so their voices are silenced; instead, as in 1911, the voices of the elite dominate the narrative. While I could use "politically correct" language in this review, I refuse to sugarcoat what happened to these immigrants or the aftermath that followed—and neither does Conrad-Pérez.
   Conrad-Pérez makes it clear that the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire was entirely preventable. Instead of correcting unsafe working conditions, the owners, Max Blanck and Isaac Harris, chose to lock the doors and exits, trapping the workers inside. Very few could escape via the elevator, and those who tried the stairwells found locked doors waiting for them. Consequently, 146 predominantly Jewish and Italian immigrants, trapped inside a burning building, had only two options: burn alive or jump from the windows. He doesn't hold back on what happened: those who jumped landed on fire hoses, tore through safety nets, or added to a growing pile of broken bodies—young women mostly aged between 14 and 23. They were beloved mothers, daughters, and wives, and many were the primary source of income for their families.
   The author makes a point to contrast the fate of the workers with that of the men responsible. The owners, who worked on the upper floors, managed to escape to the roof and were rescued safely. Through his research, Conrad-Pérez shows how they were indicted on manslaughter charges but ultimately acquitted. Sound familiar? Furthermore, he highlights the staggering financial injustice: while the owners paid a meager $75 per deceased employee to grieving families, their insurance company paid them $400 per casualty—meaning the owners actually turned a profit off the deaths of these broken families.
  Conrad-Pérez shows how deep the corruption really went. It was these same owners, alongside the publisher of The New York Times, Adolph Ochs, who dictated the public narrative and decided how best to assist the surviving families. As the author reveals, the families had no voice and no vote; the elitists made all the decisions. Conrad-Pérez demonstrates how these choices were based on junk science, ignorance, and class biases—and how the elite used their money and influence to establish profitable, so-called "charities" designed to maintain control and stifle protest. He also sheds light on the fact that many surviving immigrant workers were deported afterward.
   Ultimately, David Conrad-Pérez’s work would be a vital addition to required reading in our high schools and universities. In Fire in the Heart of the City, he has done what few before him managed to do: tell the truth about what happened and give a voice to the silenced.

Thank you to NetGalley, NYU Press, author David Conrad-Pérez, 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: What is your favorite thing about the shift from summer to fall? Oh LeeAnna! You found my happy place! I love the cooler temperatures, the changing colors, perusing all the back to school supplies, and I can finally enjoy my patio again!

I found these little bugs (?) in a spider web by my pond.