Quilting a Gift

Yesterday I worked on a quilt.

It is a gift for a young man that I know.

The quilt is green, blue and tan.

It has squares that are intersected by bright strips of fabric. 

I stitched all of the ditches first. 

I used a decorative stitch.

This created squares on the back of the quilt.

Next I added squiggly lines that cross the squares.

It is a labor of love. 

I prayed for this young man as I quilted.

I had such a sense of peace as I worked on it.

I hope the quilt will provide him the same sense of peace.

Wrapped in God's Love

Quilting eases my mind.

It is a way to use my gifts to serve God.

A Confederate Flag quilt for a young man who has had a hard road.

Minkee on the back of the quilt so it is nice and warm.

Wild fabrics for a young man who lost his mom.

Place his mom's pajama shirt inside, so she is always near.

A variety of blocks for small hospital quilts.

Families who lose a child need something to hold.

Print pictures on fabric. Cut up clothes.

Memories of a loved one are captured in fabric.

I envision the quilts being a physical representation of God.

He is wrapping His arms around one of His children and comforting them.

I love Proverbs 31.

It speaks to me about how I am to serve God.

I love that it is so specific and accurate.

Proverbs 31

¹³ She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.

¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
²² She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.

²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
²⁶ She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

Time to Pray

Recently, I have had some people on my mind.

I always feel like God wants me to pray for someone

when they are on my mind.

A friend who lost a loved one.

Their heart is broken.

Dear God, please restore them.

A friend who is having trouble deciding what path to pursue.

What should I do?

Dear God, please provide them guidance.

A friend who could be in harm's way.

Keep your eyes open and your head down.

Dear God, please protect them.

A friend who does not have a good home life.

Someone has stepped in to help.

Dear God, please help this effort to be fruitful.

A friend who worries about their weight.

How do I Iook today?

Dear God, please help them feel confident.

A friend who struggles staying focused.

What was I doing? 

Dear God, please help them to make good decisions.

Dear God,

I lift up all of these friends and ask you to

provide just what they need, just when they need it.

I thank you for using me for your glory.

I thank you for allowing me to help others through prayer.

Amen.

The Dime Store

Over the weekend, I went to visit my two sisters.

My 4 year old nephew decided to come back home with me.
We also rescued two kittens who faced certain doom.

On Sunday morning, my sister packed his bag.
He packed a backpack full of toys.
We got his booster seat and bicycle.

We loaded everything up - kids, kittens, suitcases,
toys and headed home.
We stopped to visit some friends on the way home.

We finally arrived home, after a long drive.
We went swimming. The pool was perfect.
We ate spaghetti for supper.

He wanted to sleep on the couch bed.
Wow, he is so grown up now.
I made the couch bed out, and he went to sleep, while we watched tv.

He slept through the night. Unbelievable!
The next morning he was laying in bed,
watching tv and eating dry cereal.

"When are we going to Dooley's?"
My nephews love to go to the local dime store, Dooley's.
They like to buy cheap toys to play with while they are in town.

We got dressed and headed to Dooley's.
What to buy, what to buy?
A red sword! A dart gun with handcuffs. Don't forget the candy cigarettes.

We pay for the goodies and head to the car.
After we get in the car he says,
"OK, I am ready to go home now!!!!!"

Are you kidding me?  No.
Don't you want to swim some more? No.
Don't you want to play with the kittens? No.

I only came up here, so I could go to Dooley's.
I want to go home now, so I can have a sword fight with my brother.
Are you sure you don't want to stay until tomorrow? Yup.

I called my sister and told her.
She talked to him, but he could not be persuaded.
We picked a meeting place for the kid exchange.

I was so excited he was going to stay with me for "Four days".
He was so excited to go to Dooley's.
The whole trip lasted less that 24 hours!!!

The moral of this story is don't make yourself too important.
I thought he was coming to see me,
but the trip was really about a visit to the dime store for a new toy!!

Music

Time for new music.

Go to Itunes.

Country? Pop? New Age?

Country is so last week.

Brad Paisley has some funny songs.

Miranda Lambert is good, but already have it.

Toby Keith shakes his fist to the world.

No PC in his world.

So many artists that I do not know.

Next, what about pop?

Fall Out Boy? Thnks fr th mmrs is pretty good.

Paramore? - Misery Business sounds angry.

Lady Gaga gags me.

Marketing genius, maybe.

Weird, definitely.

Britney Spears turns my stomach.

She has clever lyrics if you like disgusting topics.

Not my cup of tea though.

Maybe some old music?

ABBA - Does your mother know?

Blondie - Call me.

Liver River Band - Lady, Time for a Cool Change.

Now this music is classic.

Oh wow, I am so old!!

New Age?

Emiliana Torrini - Jungle Drum.

My heart is beating like a jungle drum.

Sophie Hunger is pretty good.

Leave me with the Monkeys- sometimes I feel like that.

Headlights - caught in your headlights I had to close my eyes.

Today, what to buy today?

Something bluesy with a raspy voice.

I gravitate to women singers.

Neko Case. Who is that?

I like this sound. Bluesy, a little bit country, a little bit pop.

Winner, I have picked a winner.



Normal

A long time ago I realized that normal is hard.

Choosing to do the right thing time after time is difficult.

Everyone wants to be normal.
Not everyone wants to make the hard choices that normal requires.

You grow up in a house of yelling and screaming.
Do you yell and scream at your own kids?

You hang with people that drink and party.
Do you smoke weed? Do you drink when you should be studying?

You have a good job that pays pretty well.
Do you call in sick and use any excuse to get out of working?

You are married and sometimes it is difficult.
Do you work through the issues or get divorced?

You have small children at home.
Do you spend time with them or set them in front of the tv?

You have children in elementary school.
Do you help them with their spelling words and math homework?

Do you spend time sitting with the kids and talking about school?
Or do you enroll them in any and every activity so they will be "busy"?

You have kids in middle school.
Do you make them do their homework or let them go to a friend's house to play?

Do you take them out to dinner as a family on the night of the dance?
Or do you let them go to the dance because everyone else does?

Do you let them do their own schoolwork and sometimes fail?
Or do you do their hard projects for them?

You have young adults in high school.
Do you encourage them to try sports and new classes?

Do you attend their sporting events with food, water and encouragement?
Or do you send them off to sports events with no support?

Do you encourage them to get good grades by giving bonuses and rewards?
Or do you yell at them for bad grades?

Do you make them follow the house rules, even when they yell at you?
Or do you let them ride with that kid from school?

Do you cook healthy meals and sit down to eat?
Or do you run and get fast food and eat in the car?

I know normal is hard.
I chose to live a normal life a long time ago.

I found these Bible verse that support being "normal" or "ordinary"
What about you, are you willing to take the hard road for normal?

Acts 4:13
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

Job 1:5
When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.

 

Jeremiah 5:24
They do not say to themselves, ‘Let us fear the LORD our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’

Acts 10:2
He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

 

Acts 26:25
“I am not insane, most excellent Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable.

Paris Hilton and Sugar Cookies?

Mother's Day.

What would I like for a present?

Stop by Bealls and look around.

Oh look at this cool bag.

Black. Big. Huge patent leather rose.

This is it!

How much is this bag?

It is not for sale.

You must buy some perfume and the bag comes as a gift.

Oh, aren't they clever?

Paris Hilton perfume.

I am not sure about that.

Spray the perfumes on sample cards.

Smell, smell, smell.

Paris Hilton, Tease, Can Can.

Paris Hilton smells fruity.

Tease is less fruity but sweet.

Can Can smells like... cookies?

How can that be?

It has tones of brown sugar and vanilla.

Is sweet cookies a good scent for me?

I find it amusing that Paris Hilton has an old lady perfume.

Cookies? Vanilla? Really?

My new bag looks awesome and I smell good enough to eat.

Nellie

Oh what sweet memories.

Climbing the oak and mimosa trees.

Surveying our kingdom.

Feeding the chickens.

Gathering eggs from the rat infested chicken pen.

Feeding the rabbits.

Playing in the barn.

Discovering the "Santa" gifts.

Telling her there was a snake so she would not see.

Going to Dereck's barn and playing all day.

Getting grounded - "Do not leave this yard!"

Laughing because Dad was at work all day, how would he know?

Driving the truck while the men haul hay.

Driving the tractor in the hayfield.

Drinking Cokes under the big oak tree.

Mandatory early rising to burn brush.

Singing "Neighbors" really loud to annoy Dad.

Paybacks are hell!

The two of us building barb wire fence on leased property.

Grounded again, but this time we have to work.

It is so hot, but we have a visitor with cold drinks.

Going to college without her.

Finally she decides to go to A&M.

She reads "Rage of Angels" over and over.

Moving to San Antonio for my first job.

She is working in our home town at the local museum.

She is married, but it is not good.

Q asks me to marry him.

I ask her to be my Matron of Honor.

She, Katie and Joey sing "Amazing Grace" at the wedding.

Uh oh. She is getting a divorce.

Maybe she would want to live with us and watch the baby.

She could finish college.

Thank goodness, she says yes.

She moves in with us.

The baby is born. She is there for us.

She watches Avery during the day,

She goes to college at night.

We watch "Silk Stalkings" on Sunday nights with our Cafe Vienna!

Another baby girl.

She watches them and continues college.

Graduation is getting closer. 

A degree in Human Resources is right up her alley.

Help people by telling them what to do!!!

Move into condo. Get her first HR job.

She met a man she loves.

They get married at the Little Chapel.

It rains so much we lose electricity and have to go to a hotel to get ready. 

Lots of trips together.

Girl trips to Missouri.

The thrill of feeding cows is gone.

Canoe down the white river.

Oh no, the canoe flips.

Grab the camera before it is ruined.

Ride the rapids on life vests.

That is a killer our knees.

Katie racing down the river to get Colie's water shoe!

Lafayette Louisiana. Can you say seafood?

Blue Dog Cafe. Laughing til we cry.

Remember when Dereck used to kill mosquitoes on the school bus.

Eureka Springs. Charlie please stop crying. 

What a cute house. She gets the jacuzzi!!

Where will we eat? Aren't there any restaurants in this town?

A visit to  Carmel California.

Reading our novels by the remote controlled fire.

Coach purses that cheap? Unbelievable.

A quick trip to Texas for Avery's prom.

Aunt Donna, paint my toenails.

Aunt Donna, do you have waterproof mascara?

I love you and am so happy you are my sister.

I look forward to many more adventures.

Happy Birthday Sweet Nellie!