Happy New Year

Wishing you much 

success, good health, joy 

and happy stitching

in 2019

Sunday---Precious Promises

To You

Reason for the Season

For God so loved the world

that He gave his one and

only Son,

that whoever believes

in Him shall not perish

but have

Eternal Life.

John 3:16

Reason for the Season

Glory to God 

in the

Highest Heaven,

and on earth

Peace

to those on whom

His favor rests.

Luke 2:14

Reason for the Season

This is Christmas:  not the tinsel,

not the giving and receiving,

not even the carols,

but the humble heart

that receives a new

the wonderous gift,

the Christ.

Frank McKibben

Reason for the Season

Therefore the Lord himself

will give you a sign.

Behold, a virgin shall

conceive and bear a son

and shall call his name

Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14

Reason for the Season

She will give birth to a Son,

and you are to give him

the name Jesus, 

because He will

save his people 

from their sins.

Matthew 1:21

Reason for the Season

Each of us is an Innkeeper

who decides if there

is room for Jesus!

Neal A. Maxwell

Reason for the Season

Let us go over to Bethlehem

and see this thing that

has happened, which the Lord

has made known to us.

Luke 2:15

Reason for the Season

The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

We have seen His glory,

the glory of the one and only Son,

who came from the Father,

full of Grace and Truth.

John 1:14

Reason for the Season

Christmas is not just a day,

an event to be observed

and speedily forgotten.

It is a Spirit 

which should permeate

every part of our lives.

William Parks

Reason for the Season

Mankind is a great,

an immense family...

This is proved by what we feel

in our hearts at Christmas.

Pope John XXIII

Reason for the Season

God never gives someone a Gift

they are not capable of receiving.

If He gives us a gift of 

Christmas,

it is because we all have

the ability to understand

and receive it.

Pope Francis

Reason for the Season

May the God of home fill you

with all Joy and Peace in believing,

so that by the 

power of the Holy Spirit 

you may abound in hope.

Romans 15:13

Reason for the Season

Every good gift 

and

every perfect gift is from 

above,

coming down from the 

Father of Lights 

with whom

there is no variation

or shadow due to change.

James 1:17

Reason for the Season

Your talent is God's

gift to you.

What you do with it is

your gift back to God.

Leo Buscaglia

Reason for the Season

At this Christmas when Christ comes,

will He find a warm heart?

Mark the season of Advent

by loving and serving

the others with God's own

love and concern.

Mother Teresa

Reason for the Season

When they saw the star,

they rejoiced exceedingly

with great Joy.

Matthew 2:10

Reason for the Season

For God so loved the world

that He gave His one and

only Son, that whoever believes

in Him shall not perish

but have eternal life.

John 3:16

Reason for the Season

This is Christmas:

not the tinsel,

not the giving and receiving,

not even the carols,

but the humble heart that receives

anew the wondrous gift,

the Christ.

Frank McKibben

Reason for the Season

Therefore the Lord himself will

give you a sign.

Behold, the virgin

shall conceive and

bear a son, and

shall call his name 

Immanuel

Isaiah 7:14

Reason for the Season

She will give Birth to a Son,

and you are to give him

the name Jesus,

because He will

save His people

from their sins.

Matthew 1:21

Reason for the Season

He was created of a Mother

whom He created.

He was carried by hands

that He formed.

He cried in the manger 

in wordless infancy.

He, the Word,

without whom all

Human Eloquence 

is mute.

Augustine

Reason for the Season

Let us go over to Bethlehem

and see this thing that

has happened, with the Lord

has made know to us.

Luke 2:15

Reason for the Season

The word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.

We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came for the Father, 

full or Grace and Truth.

John 1:14

Reason for the Season

Christmas is based on an exchange of gifts, the gift of God to man - His Unspeakable gift of His Son, and the gift of man to God - when we present our bodies a living sacrifice.

Vance Havner

Reason for the Season

Christmas is not just a day,

and event to be observed

and speedily forgotten

It is a spirit

which should permeate

every part of our lives.

William Parks

Reason for the Season

Bless us Lord, 

this Christmas, with Quietness of mind;

Teach us to be Patient

and 

always be Kind

Helen Steiner Rice

Reason for the Season

The giving of gifts is not something man invented.

 God started the giving spree when He game a gift beyond words, the unspeakable gift of His Son

Robert Flatt

Reason for the Season

Thanks be unto God

for his 

Unspeakable Gift

2 Corinthians 9:15

Happy Thanksgiving

As we all gather around the Thanksgiving table to enjoy our turkey and trimmings, many households will ask everyone to state what they are thankful for and the list begins.  Is it ok to say "I'm thankful for everything"?
 That's the way I feel this year.  The past year has been a difficult one for me and my family.  We have had many issues:  health, heart ache and loss. We have been given challenges that have made us grow spiritually and personally.  Life is interesting that way, through some of our most difficult dark times there is always the sunshine and a new understanding of our life's purpose.
 I'm thankful for this difficult year and for the promise of the new path in the years to come.  I'm thankful for a greater understanding and the calm that everything will work out.
So Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and Happy Quilting, too!!  and by the way, I don't know about you, but for me quilting helps to calm the spirit during hectic times.

Have a Great Day!

Reason for the Season

Once in our world, 

a stable had something in it that was bigger than 

our 

Whole World.

C. S. Lewis

Reason for the Season

Glory to God in the

Highest Heaven,

and on earth Peace

to those on whom His favor rests

Luke 2:14

Reason for the Season

Each of us is an Innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus!

Neal A. Maxwell

Reason for the Season

Each Sunday for many years now, I have been sharing a post entitled, Sunday Precious Promise, photo and Bible verse.  But, as the holiday season is upon us, beginning Thursday with Thanksgiving and I see the stores pushing us to buy for Christmas, which I believe started around Halloween.  I decided to change my Sunday Precious Promises to a daily reminder, Reason for the Season.  I hope you will join me as I focus on the true meaning of this season and the joy and hope it brings through out the year.

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of Love.

Hamilton Wright Mabie

Veterans Day

Thank you for your service

Sunday---Precious Promises

The Lord is my light and my

salvation;

I will fear no one.

The Lord protects me from all

danger;

I will never be afraid.

Psalms 27:1, Good News Bible

Tomorrow

Don't forget to 

Sunday--Precious Promises

Today we remember the saints who have gone before us.

May God give peace to those who mourn and comfort the grieving

Let us live in God's light found in Christ.

Amen

Sunday---Precious Promises

"But I tell you who hear me:

Love your enemies.

do good to those who hate you.

Bless those who curse you.

Pray for those who mistreat you."

Thank you Lord for instruction and 

guidance.

May our lives bless others

as we are blessed.

Amen

Luke 6:27-28, Good News Bible

Sunday---Precious Promises

The light shines in the darkness, 

and the darkness has never put it out.

John 1:5, Good News Bible

Where Does It All Come From--part 3

Well, it didn't take be long in the garage to realize that I was in over my head.  Things were way to big for me to handle by myself.  So, after a short talk with Son and the promise to help me in the next two weeks, I moved inside to my sewing/office room.  Much to my surprise, I'm going to get my tubs of fabric emptied and placed in wire storage drawers under my cutting table.  That will be a big plus to organizing this space.  I, also, share this space with toys.  Our 4 year old Grandson spends half of his time at our house (Dad is a single co-parent).  His bedroom and toy storage is on a different level than the family room (where all the activity seems to be)---sooooo the favorite toys seem to stay in that area and extras in front of my desk.  I downsized some of the toys (without my Grandson's knowledge--funny he doesn't miss them) and things are becoming more manageable in my little sewing/office space.
Today, I'm tackling that machine quilting project.  Wish me luck.  Happy Quilting !!

Where Does It All Come From--part 2

Today is work day for me and I don't know where to start.  The garage is a mess after the crazy Auction Company load up day on Saturday.  So I'm torn.  Should I work on organizing our side of the garage (Son will have all his tools in the other side) or work in my sewing room/office.  I'm leaning toward the garage.  One thing I have discovered in this downsizing project--once you get started, the more you see has to be done.  I'm figuring that if I get the garage organized, I might be able to check one area off my to do list before I get started on another.  Besides I'm sure my unwanted sewing items will end up in the garage, waiting to be disposed of either via auction or donation.  So, I'll need an organized storage space.  Never in my wildest dreams did I think we had so much stuff.
Hubby is the collector in the family, but I really didn't think it was this bad.  Overwhelming in fact.  The temps today are going to be in the low 60's, so this may be my last comfortable day to get in the garage.  Wish me luck as I continue my quest to have a cleaned out, organized, downsized home.

I have been doing some quilt making in between downsizing.  A little 30 x 30 inch wall hanging is ready for quilting.  I've tried some weaving of cloth within patchwork and applique. Not sure if this is going to work as the weaving is loose and needed lots of basting and pinning.  I'm anxious to get it secure with machine quilting stitches.  I'll add hand quilting as an accent.  I like where I'm going with this little art quilt, but not sure my techniques will work.  We'll see.  Happy Quilting!

Where Does It All Come From--part 1

Where does it all come from????  The downsizing process started at our house.  The starting point was the garage.  The storage spot of things I have no clue about.  I had packed up the items I knew--toys no longer used, decorations long forgotten and stuff I could box from the house that I no longer needed.  The rest belongs to hubby and son.  Here is where the story gets difficult.

Son is a hands on guy and for the past four years he has rented shop space for his stuff and to work from for his little business.  The owner of the property has decided to move in a different direction and is no longer going to rent space.  Can you guess where son's stuff is going?  Right--our garage!  Now mind you this is in the middle of the great downsizing project.  Hubby and I are rethinking the actual move portion of the downsizing, but the downsizing is still in full swing--those plans have not changed.  Our plans were to have the house ready for sale in the Spring.  We have some time to figure out exactly what we are going to do.

Back to the garage.  Son helped, a little, on the loading of unused items or duplicate items that will occur when all of his stuff arrives at the garage.  Hubby, helped a little-not much-on the decision making on what goes, but basically left it to me. Yesterday, the Auction Company came to load up the garage and they were "grumpy".  We have dealt with this Auction Company for years, through our collectibles business.  The woman owner has always been the pleasant one to communicate with, her hubby another story.  They are use to me being organized and have everything boxed and ready to go.  This trip was different, not as organized as they expected.

Both of my guys were gone--working.  So here I am trying to get as much on the truck as possible.  Multiple phone calls to the Son and Hubby to ask if this goes or that goes.  Son was saying get rid of everything because he has duplicates and "Dad doesn't use it anyway." and Hubby saying, "I hope you didn't sell...".

So I made the decisions with the mind set of --if the item is so wonderful, we'll just use the auction proceeds to buy another one.  Maybe not the best attitude in the world, but from my point of view the guys should have been more helpful and boxed up stuff when I asked multiple times before the Auction Company load up day.

We have an extremely large garage--oversized three-car.  Surly enough room for Son's stuff.    There is one positive note.  Son is bringing cabinets to hang on the walls.  I like that idea, as it will free up floor space and hide his stuff.

I just want it neat and tidy with room for one car.  I hope I'm not dreaming!?!?!?

Sunday---Precious Promises

You love him, although you have not seen him, 

and you believe in him, although you do not see him. 

So you rejoice with a great and glorious joy which words cannot express, 

because you are receiving the salvation of your souls, 

which is the purpose of your faith in him.

1 Peter 1:8-9, Good News Bible

Sunday---Precious Promises

Smiling faces make you happy, and good news make you feel better.

If you pay attention when you are corrected, you are wise.

If you refuse to learn, you are hurting yourself.

If you accept correction, you will become wiser.

Reverence for the Lord is an education in itself.

You must be humble before you can ever receive honors.

Proverbs 15:30-33, Good News Bible

Sunday---Precious Promises

The Lord is my protector;

he is my strong fortress

My God is protection, and with him

I am safe.

He protects me like a shield,

he defends me and keeps me safe.

Thank you Lord 

for your

protection and peace.

Amen

Psalm 18:2, Good News Bible

Sunday---Precious Promises

Even though you are so high above,

you care for the lowly,

and the proud cannot hide from

you.

Psalms 138:6, Good News Bible

Randy's Christmas Star Quilt

Each year my church quilting group, Lydia Circle, places a quilt up for Silent Auction at the annual church  Bazaar and Turkey Dinner.   It will have a label and be displayed in our entry for a few weeks ahead of the Bazaar for people to start bidding.   This year's quilt is special and I just finished the binding.
Randy's Christmas Star was a great pleasure for all of us to work on.  Randy was one of our quilter's.  She passed away a several months back and her children were going through her things. She was a avid quilter and a huge supply of quilting items, fabrics and projects.  The family gave Lydia Circle many boxes of items.  We sorted, gave some away, sold some and kept some.  I was just starting to organize our quilters to make a Christmas quilt for the annual Bazaar when we stumbled on to a quilt top that Randy started, but was not completed.  She had all the fabric needed for the quilt and we were able to complete the blocks and borders from that fabric.  Each block is different and all have a Christmas theme.  So, we created Randy's Christmas Star Quilt.  She would have been very pleased and honored to have her quilt auctioned off.  The proceeds from the sale of the quilt goes to support local charities and our church various missions.  Check out the great ideas at Off the Wall Friday

Happy Quilting Everyone!