Weekly Word: Joy Comes in the Morning + Books, Stitches and Gratitude!

 

 

Hello there!

Thank you so much for stopping by!  I appreciate the time you spend here and hope you are blessed in some way!

Every day this week I've spent at least five to six hours visiting with friends and grandchildren.  We also experienced a major victory over cancer which I joyfully share in my Faith, Trust and Breast Cancer article. 

Monday's Strength. Scrappy Love. Pressing On. Book Date.

Monday's Strength:

Now that we've finished the verses from Until We Reach Home, I was wondering where to go from here.  For now, I want to share this verse that speaks of gratefulness.  

You see, we, my husband and I, had a COVID scare, but thankfully we both tested negative!   

As you can well imagine, it’s been hard to find time or even enough focus to blog or craft. 

Thoughtful Tuesday. To Do Tuesday.

Thoughtful Tuesday
As some of you may have noticed, I link up to several inspirational link-ups from which I discover deeply encouraging posts.  Soon I had a collection of these posts and Thoughtful Tuesday was born.  

I was surprised to see this next post in line for today - the timing is perfect.  


It's Inspired by the Abandoned Nest by June of Inspired by June.  June addresses the age old question:  Why don't we do what is good for us?  Why do we do what we know is bad for us?  It reminds me of this:

June's post inspired me to try and choose the good and healthy habit over the opposite.  Truth be told, I'm not always successful, but progress not perfection is the goal.  

June ends her post with an amazing exhortation:  Be gentle with ourselves as we begin to make better choices.  

Progress not perfection.

To Do Tuesday

1) Do a fabric pull for the new Y-seams Tumbling  Blocks prototype with my new Accuquilt Die.  Fingers crossed! Not Yet!

2)  Finish joining Row 3 of my afghan - the Maria's Blue Crayon Spring Granny Afghan Crochet. Not Yet!

3) Finish a pillow I started last year.  Not Yet!

4) Complete 13 Comfort Dolls.  I've made some progress on them!  Done!

There were actually more dolls, but I was blessed to be able to some to the ladies in my Cancer Care Group.  I think I even saw a man take one as well!  

No discrimination here - I'll be making some male dolls as well.  One question though - what would he wear?  How would I make easy pants for this dolls?  What would you do?  
What was truly a blessing was that my son-in-law (who hands hands the size of Texas) and three of my grandchildren helped stuff and make the dolls!

5) Contact the organizations to give out the drainage bags.  Not Yet!

This Week's List

1) Finish the Covered in Love squares.  

2) Finish a pillow I started last year.  

3) Contact the organizations to give out the drainage bags.  

4) Make progress on my afghan - the Maria's Blue Crayon Spring Granny Afghan Crochet. 

5) Do a fabric pull for the new Y-seams Tumbling  Blocks prototype with my new Accuquilt Die.  

 Onward and upward!

I hope you check out 

these fun link ups!  

To Do Tuesday @ Stitch All Things

Linky Tuesday @ Freemotion by the River

Here'a a new to me link-up:

Women Helping Women@ Teaching What is Good

Philipppians 4:21. To Do Tuesday on a Friday!

Philippians 4:21
Scripture

Observation
To greet all of God's people...so loving to let them know Paul is thinking of them.  Also, can you imagine the brothers and sisters who are with Paul, perhaps even listening as he may have dictated his letter?

I wonder if many of these had family who heard the greetings?  Greetings filled with love sent via the pages of a letter.  Beautiful.

Application
In this age of technology, we seem to be losing the art of letter writing.  Perhaps I need to pick it up again....

Also, I've noticed that whenever I'm on the phone with loved ones, especially my parents, we end our conversations sending greetings to everyone in our two homes - as well as saying, "I love you."  In fact, during my daily calls to Dad, "I love you," are the last words we say to each other.  Greetings filled with love.

Prayer
Father God, thank you for the word "greetings"!  I love envisioning Paul sending his greetings as well of those of the brothers and sisters who are with him.  I'm so grateful that I can still share greetings of love with my parents.  Thank you, Abba, for that gift.  Amen.

To Do Tuesday
Last Week's List 

1) Even though I'm working more this week, I think I'll be able to finish the second Tumbling Blocks prototype. This one is going much better!  Done!

2) Finish crocheting five blue and yellow flowers of the Maria's Blue Crayon Spring Granny Afghan Crochet ! I wonder if adding starting to join them is too much for my hands?  We'll see......  Done!

3) Use up the rest of the strings for the CIL blocks. Done!

4) Make progress on Prayer Shawl #7. This week our Cancer Care Group meets, so I'll be able to work on this one.  I usually reserve this project for this meeting night.  Done!

5) Pray my prayer and memorize Genesis 50:20a  A friend at church recommended using Post-It notes all around the house to memorize Scripture.  I'm going to try that.  LORD knows I have enough of them! Done!

This Week's List
Being that my last To Do Tuesday was 2 1/2 weeks ago - of course it got finished - thankfully!
Here's my new list which will be short because Tuesday is just around the corner!

1) Do a fabric pull for the new Y-seams Tumbling Blocks prototype with my new Accuquilt Die. 

2)  Finish joining Row 2 of the Maria's Blue Crayon Spring Granny Afghan Crochet.


3) Do a fabric pull for the new CIL block drive.  

4) Finish the Felt Nativity Calendar.

  I only need 3 more ornaments!

 I hope you check out these fun link ups!  

To Do Tuesday 

@ Stitch All Things

Can I Get a Whoop! Whoop!

@Confessions of a 

Fabric Addict 

Finished or Not Friday 

@ Busy Hands Quilts

Finish It Up Friday 

@ Crazy Mom Quilts

Crystal Twaddell’s

Fresh Market Friday 

Philippians 4:18 Part 1. To Do Tuesday. Tumbling Block Finish!

Philippians 4:18
Scripture

Observation

"amply supplied"...The gift from the Philippians left Paul amply supplied.

Application
I remember the first time my husband tithed.  Money was tight - very tight.  Pastor preached a sermon on tithing and it touched my husband's heart.  He dropped God's tithe into the offering plate and passed it onto me.

All I saw was diaper and grocery money in that plate.  How I wanted to pull it out!

But, thank God I didn't.
Ever since then, my husband has faithfully tithed and we have been "amply supplied".

If every person in church tithed, the church would also be "amply supplied" and could indeed address some of the social needs in our communities! 

But, alas, such is not the situation.

When we first started tithing, addmittedly, I was freaking out!  How would I feed my family?  buy diapers?  put gas in the car?

But, God was faithful and met our needs every month.

And now?  Thirty-one years later, we are still blessed beyond measure, "amply supplied" and still tithe.  

To God be the glory.

Prayer
Abba, I bet You remember how freaked out I was when my husband dropped that $100 bill in the offering plate on them morning he decided to begin tithing!  Yet, You have remained faithful to us all these years.

I pray, Abba, that others will also tithe, even if they start small and then increase their tithe.  I pray that they will know the blessing of Your care!

I pray our missionaries and churches will be "amply supplied" that Your work will be carried out!

Thank You, Abba, for taking care of us all these years.  You are so faithful and good to us!
Amen!

To Do Tuesday
Last week's list

1) Done.  Finish the Tumbling Blocks prototype.  My daughter quilted and bound it for me. Isn't her work lovely?  





I'm pretty disappointed with my piecing.  I used the strip method, but I'm sure my cutting was off.  I'm going to try again using Laura Nownes' instructions in her 2013 BOM Crafty class.  

I've also ordered the Accuquilt diamond die (#55040) and will try stitching this quilt using the Y-seam method.  I saw Dione Gardner-Stephen's tutorial at The Clever Chameleon.  

I'm determined to master this quilt!  I guess 2018 is my year of mastering the Tumbling Block quilt!  As always, I'm open to helpful suggestions! :)

2) Finish the first 10 squares of Maria's Blue Crayon Spring Granny Afghan Crochet Along!  Not quite finished, so it will be on this week's list.  

3) Pray my prayer and memorize Proverbs 19:23. Done! 

This week's list
1) Press fabric for another Tumbling Blocks prototype.  

2) Finish the first 10 squares of Maria's Blue Crayon Spring Granny Afghan Crochet Along!  

3) Make more CIL blocks.

4) Make progress on Prayer Shawl #7.






5) Pray my prayer and memorize Genesis 32:28

Linking up to:

To Do Tuesday @ Stitch All Things.

Linky Tuesday @ Freemotion by the River

Midweek Makers @ Quilt Fabrication

Becoming Press 

Hookin’ On Hump Day @

Petals to Picot

And

Moogly

OhScrap! @ Quilting is More Fun Than Housework

Can I Get a Whoop! Whoop!

@Confessions of a Fabric Addict 

Finishedor Not Friday @ Busy Hands Quilts

Finish It Up Friday@ Crazy Mom Quilts

Prayer for the week:

Philippians 4:17. Double Duty Table Topper. Tumbling Block Help Please.

Philippians 4:17
Scripture
Observation
Paul knows that God will bless those who give.  So do I.  I've lived it.  Yes, he certainly appreciates the gifts, the care and the thoughtfulness the Philippians showed him.  But, he knows that we can't "out-give" God.  


Application
You know, 
I see this verse about receiving gracefully.  
It's so easy 
to give, 
to be there when a loved one needs us,
to help a friend.

But what about 
when we 
are on the receiving end?  
Do we
receive gracefully and gratefully?  

Or do we feel "bad" 
about receiving?  
To be honest, I sometimes do.

But, I'll be learning.
Because others are blessed when they give - 
even to me.

I want my loved 
ones to be blessed by God, 
not just by me.
Then, their faith 
will be strengthened 
as they give.  

Just as mine has been.
That alone is a blessing in itself!

Prayer
Father, wow...such a huge life lesson from 17 words:  
Receive with grace
that others may be blessed.
Thank you, Abba!
Amen.

Double Duty Table Topper
When I saw this tutorial at 
Karen from Sister of the Great Divide, I was hooked!  It works wonderfully on my round table and, because I used a backing fabric that can be fall or Christmas, 

it saw me through the holidays!

Maybe I'll remember to make some for every season!

Thank you, Karen, for such a great tutorial!

Help, Please!
Ok.  I want to make my son a quilt.  I asked him to choose a pattern and he did:  the tumbling block quilt.  I loved his choice!  I found this tutorial and got to work.  

I did pretty good as you can see.  Here was part of it on my design board. 

I "kinda" noticed that some of my green parallelograms 

were cut a bit wonky, 

but ignored them.   

Friends, don't do that.

Your quilt will turn out like this:

hardly a point matching.

Now, I'm definitely determined.

I'm making another tumbling block baby quilt.

Yup.

Now I know:

1) be careful with cutting

2) be careful with color placement.

3) I will do this!  :)

To address the cutting issue:  

Yes, I must be more careful.  I wondered if my Accuquilt could rescue me....

I own an Accuquilt with various dies and the 9" Cube.  Surely there must be a combination of dies that would help make a tumbling block square?  

Any ideas?  I sure would appreciate any help you can offer!

Linking up to

Oh Scrap! @ Quilting is More Fun Than Housework

Can I Get a Whoop! Whoop!

@Confessions of a Fabric Addict 

Finished or Not Friday @ Busy Hands Quilts

Finish It Up Friday@ Crazy Mom Quilts