Philippians 1:12 (Part 1). Big Stitch, Slow Stitch

Philippians 1:12 (Part 1) 

Scripture:

Observation:
Paul wants them to know something.  When someone tells me, “I want you to know…” my ears perk up.  What does he want them to know? 

That his imprisonment,

his suffering has served to advance the gospel!

But how has his trial served to advance the gospel?

It has to be his attitude. 

His manner of being.

And God did provide an encourager in the form of Timothy.

Now, all along I thought he was in prison – in a dungeon.

But my NIV Study Bible notes tell me that this time he was under house arrest in his own rental home when he wrote Philippians.  At first this homebody thought, “That’s not so bad.” 

But wait!  This is Paul we’re talking about.  I don’t imagine him enjoying being home all the time.  He could only share the gospel if people came to him!  He was completely out of control of his ability to minister!  He was placed in a position where he couldn’t go to those he knew need Christ more than ever. 

He had to wait for them to come to him.

Application:
Sound familiar?

Yup.

Is God not in the same position?

He will not force His way into our lives.

He waits, standing at the door knocking

Waiting

For

You

For

Me

To

Open

The

Door.

Are you ready to admit your need? 

Am I ready to admit my need?

Prayer:
Oh yes!  Come in My LORD, do please come in!

http://www.sheryllmonique.com/2012/07/the-visual-verse-revelation-320.html

Big Stitch, Slow Stitch
I've finally realized something.
I forgot that Sundays, my Slow Stitching days, were going to be dedicated to working on my Grandmother's Flower Garden.  I started other slow stitching projects and they replaced my Grandmother's Flower Garden.  

So, my other slow stitching projects will be worked on during the week!  Also, I have so many hand stitching projects that a few will now become machine stitched.  

Like my dot your i's quilt and my Quilty 365.

Dot Your i's 

Quilty 365

Around the House Stitching Club

My Around the House Stitching Club also seems to have fallen off the radar and I know why.  It's all hand stitched so it only make sense to want to hand quilt it.  But I've never hand quilted before.  In comes Big Stitch Coasters from Carolyn Friedlander at Sew Mama Sew!  

http://www.sewmamasew.com/2014/08/big-stitch-coasters-from-carolyn-friedlander-why-sew-slow/

It seems like a quick little project to practice hand quilting.  Mine will be square and I've decided to use these Christmas fabrics.  The green prints will be the front and the red will be the back!  

  
Being that I have another cold, these will be a perfect project to work on today and tomorrow - along with sewing the label on the baby quilt and crocheting the circles for the border of Baby M2's afghan! Pics of these projects coming soon!

I'm linking up to 
Oh Scraps!
Needle and Thread Thursdays.  

Dear Friend,
This is my truth!

"In Box". Philippians 1:11 (Part 2)

"Inbox"

I decided to use an old fashioned tool from my teaching days - the inbox - for my smaller pieced sewing projects.  I have high hopes!

The label for the baby quilt.

The pieces for the Drunkard's Path.

        The pieces for my Dot Your I's quilt.

Circles from my Quilty 365 that are waiting patiently to be sewn up!

I'm linking up to Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication.

Philippians 1:11 (Part 2)

I remember singing a song that said to count the cost of serving Jesus.  I asked my five-year-old daughter, “What do you think the cost is of serving Christ?” 

She responded, “It’s free!  Just give Him your heart!”

Out of them mouth of babes.

My son surprises me with the wisdom that comes out of his mouth. Sometimes I can only stare at him in awe.

Amazing.

Back to the fruit of righteousness and the God Wink I promised you!

My righteousness comes from Jesus Christ.  And my life’s purpose is to glorify and praise God.

Be it

sharing my sewing projects and feelings about them,

understanding a painful past,

surviving cancer,

wondering if I’ll have a reoccurrence,

ministering to my family,

sinning and repenting,

my life’s purpose is to glorify and praise God in my heart and with my life.

That’s all I can do.

I can learn from the wonderful people who share their own wisdom and expertise in sewing and life. Yes, Sweetie, that's you!

I can understand and forgive.

I can celebrate surviving cancer.

I can place my future in God’s hands and live each day to the fullest.

I can minister to my family and back off when they need me to.  (Remember discernment? 

I can remember I am but a sinner saved by grace –

and boy does that keep me humble – I hope! 

Prayer:

http://evamarieeversonssouthernvoice.blogspot.com/2013/09/reflections-of-southern-life.html

who credited

https://theprojectbyjudy.wordpress.com/2012/04/29/god-wink-2/

Here’s a God Wink:

I lost my journaling Bible.

Can’t find it anywhere.

So I’m using my old Bible that I’ve had since 1989.

Guess what?

There was a note in there written by Philippians 1:3 – 11.

Here it is:

“For my son and daughter as they embark on their new lives. May 2003”

In May of 2003 my baby boy got married.

In May of 2003 my daughter graduated high school and left for Okinawa, Japan for – was it two or three months?

Thirteen years ago this was my prayer for them.  
And this is my prayer for them still.

And this is my prayer for you. Yes, you.

And this is my prayer for me 
and everyone else I love.

³I thank my God every time I remember you. ⁴In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy ⁵because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, ⁶being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

⁷It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. ⁸God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

⁹And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, ¹⁰so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, ¹¹filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Dear Friends,

This is my truth.

Missed You All! Friday Link Ups. Philippians 1:10 (Part 1) UPDATE 9/17/16

Missed You All!

I know I've been quiet the last week.  My husband and I had the great privilege of attending the 2016 Cancer Retreat in Alburquerque, NM!  

http://www.cancerservicesnm.org/programs/retreat.php

It was a wonderful weekend filled with informative seminars, entertainment, delicious meals and entertainment!  This is a free retreat offered to cancer patients, survivors and their families. It's a time of learning, resting and meeting other compassionate, loving volunteers, survivors and patients.  I met some wonderful people and we are still in contact.  I believe we will be lifelong friends!

The seminars varied in subjects:  

from just being diagnosed to thriving after treatment, 

from updates in the latest treatments to alternative medicine.  

There was also an "Ask the Expert" session as well as an opportunity to meet with a dietitian and counselor.  

There were representatives from all kinds of agencies to help dealing with legal issues, learning how to find valid and informative internet sites to learn more about cancer.  

It was an amazing opportunity!  I'll forever be grateful we attended!  

Quilting Progress

A ton of progress has been made on the baby quilt!  My daughter quilted it for me and did a great job!  She has only quilted smallish items, so this was a first!

Have I mentioned that I joined the Quilty 365?  Here are my first two blocks.  The one with text is from the backing fabric my granddaughter is using for the quit she's making for her big brother.  The Dia de los Muertos fabric is my background fabric for the $7.50 Club.  

Here are two more additions to my "dot your i's" quilt.  These are made with scraps from the $7.50 Club.  

Doesn't this pouch look lovely by my waterfall?  My daughter made if for me some time ago.  It was the perfect size to hold my slow stitching projects on our trip to Albuquerque!  Of course, I just had to show you my pond and waterfall!  :)

I'm linking up to Moving It Forward Monday, To Do Tuesday, Midweek Makers, Needle and Thread Thursday, Can I Get A Whoop Whoop?, Finished or Not Fridays and finally, Oh Scrap!   

Can you tell I missed my linky parties this week?  I really missed seeing what everyone is up to this week!  My online friends inspire and teach me so much!  I usually end up pinning many of their ideas!  

Philippians 1:10
Prelude

Wow!  Verse 9 was deep, wasn’t it?  I absolutely love how God is taking me on this “slow boat” through Philippians! 

Somewhere online I read about a Bible study method where one reads the same passage eight time a day for eight days.  I wish I could remember where I read this!  I searched online and on my Bible Study  and Faith Building boards on Pinterest, to no avail.  If you happen to know the blogger who wrote about this or find it, please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due!  Thank you!  

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1361627/Cant-names-faces-remember-left-thingamabob-Should-taking-memory-pill.html

UPDATE:  9/17/16
Thank you Angie from A Quilting Reader's Garden for letting me know where I saw this method!  (Please see comments below!)  Angie let me know it was from Gail Burton Purath's 1-Minute Bible Love Notes!  How funny since I subscribe to these wonderfully encouraging emails!  I highly recommend you not only check out her page, but subscribe to her emails as well!  

http://biblelovenotes.blogspot.com/2012/08/dwelling.html

Thank you, Angie and Gail!

 Either way, this method of reading and studying truly blessed me!  I found questions popping into my mind with every reading!  Then, the last few days, the LORD whispered, “OK, we’re done; now start a deeper study and then share what I’ve taught you.”

This method is one of the many that He’s grown me in grace and forgiveness.  God is good!

I begin with prayer, inviting God into this time, then I

Read the same passage

Eight times a day

For eight days!

Philippians 10 (Part 1)

⁹And this is my prayer:

that your love may abound more and more

in knowledge and depth of insight,

¹⁰so that you may

be able to discern what is best and

may be pure and blameless

for the day of Christ,

¹¹filled with the fruit of righteousness

that comes through Jesus Christ —

to the glory and praise of God.

As we learned in verse nine, Paul prayed 

for 

the Philippians’ love to grow more and more.  

He wanted it to be based on understanding the true nature of Christ.  Consequently, 

I am realizing 

my love is becoming more gentle, accepting and 

Christ-like.  

Hallelujah! 

http://quotesgram.com/hallelujah-funny-quotes/

Verse 10 then discusses the purposes of having such love. 

1)       Discernment

2)       Purity.

While Verse 11 states these further purposes:

3)       Filled with righteousness

4)       Glorify God.

Let’s look at verse 10 today.

What is discernment?  What is purity?

So that this post doesn’t end up being a mini book, I’ll pause now and continue our study tomorrow.  See you then!

http://www.imagenescool.com/imagen/4249

Dear Friend, this is my truth!

Quilting Fun! Philippians 1:9 -11(Part 2)

Quilting Fun!
I got my $7.50 block done!  Yea!

This month I chose to fussy cut the skull heads and I really like how it came out!

With the scraps I added two more circles to my "Dot Your I's" quilt!

Plus, I've almost finished the last row for Baby M2's afghan!  One more square needs a border, then I begin to join to the afghan!  

I'm linking up to the Midweek Makers and Oh Scrap!


Philippians 1:9 -11(Part 2)

In times past, I would use Bible commentaries to for a deeper study of Scripture.  For this study however, I am simply using my NIV Study Bible to include the notes in it, an online dictionary, my prayers for insight and wisdom, the Amplified Bible, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. 

I am not a Bible Scholar in the least,

I am simply

a woman seeking after God’s own heart and voice and

praying to be a blessing to  

even one other person. 

Maybe that person is you.  J

So, let’s begin today’s verse!

Scripture:

NIV

Amplified https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+18%3A9&version=AMP

9 And this is my prayer:                   that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,  10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,  11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ— to the glory and praise of God.

9 And this I pray, that your love may abound more and more [displaying itself in greater depth] in real knowledge and in practical insight,  10 so that you may learn to recognize and treasure what is excellent [identifying the best, and distinguishing moral differences], and that you may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ [actually living lives that lead others away from sin]; 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God [so that His glory may be both revealed and recognized].

Observation:

I’m stuck on the word, “abound.”  What does it really mean?  According to Webster’s Online Dictionary, it means,

“to be present in large numbers or in great quantity : 

be prevalent”

So, Paul is praying for their love to abound “more and more”…..which tells me the Philippians have a great deal of love already.  This thought is confirmed by verses 3-8:

³ I thank my God every time I remember you. ⁴In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy ⁵because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, ⁶being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

⁷It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. ⁸God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Now, from what I know of Paul, he is straight forward kind of guy – he tells it like it is, calls it how he sees it, you know the type. Though I believe this was his nature, this verse tells me God encouraged him to speak without fear. 

So, I believe Paul recognized that the Philippians already had a lot of love in their hearts……..he just wanted it more….well…..deeper.

He wanted it

to have more depth,

to be based on knowledge

and insight. 

As I continue this study tomorrow, I am excited!  Imagine - to have our love based not on emotion alone, but on knowledge and insight!  :)

Dear Friend, 

This is my truth.