US Holiday, part two

After a wonderful time in Texas, we were off to Branson, Missouri. We had rented an amazing house that could sleep 15, so we had plenty of room for friends and family to join us. It had a lovely view of Table Rock Lake and was close enough to town for easy access, but far enough away that it was quiet.




Branson, of course, is known for shows. Since it was not yet “the season” we could get amazing seats at any show we wanted to see. We saw a ventriloquist/magic show that was quite entertaining. We went to the Dixie Stampede and everyone loved the show.
Flower was not as excited about eating with her fingers—in fact she pretty much refused to eat the chicken unless I took it off the bone for her. Silly girl. We went on the Showboat and loved the ventriloquist who used live dogs instead of dummies.

Honestly, we could have gone to shows every night but chose to stay away several nights.

Dad, Dix and Amy joined us for a few days of the trip. We went to see Shoji with them. Totally entertaining show! And, if you ever go, be sure and check out the show rooms that double as toilets. Never have I seen anything like it!

Dix and Amy rode the slingshot.


And we just relaxed at the house.


We spent one day at Silver Dollar City with my Dad. The girls rode every ride that they were the right height. They both loved the swings most of all. Jewel also rode her first “big” roller coaster. I love the photo taken on the coaster because German had his eyes shut tight and Jewel was taking it all in (but for German's sake will not post it). We all loved watching the blacksmiths and glass blowers. The girls took a turn weaving baskets. Of course, the free samples of homemade fudge were also a hit.






We went up Inspiration Tower and toured Uncle Matt’s cabin.
We visited the fish hatchery.

We took the Duck Boat tour and the girls even drove the duck on the lake.




We played mini golf almost every day. Flower led the family in holes in one made (she made something like nine!). She did follow most of the one’s with a six or seven, but hey, she is only four. We all made at least one hole in one, so it was not totally embarrassing.



I did a little (okay, a lot) of shopping as well. One of the most fun days was meeting one of my *pretend* friends from a cross-stitch board I frequent. Now, she is an honest-to-goodness real friend. And we had a great time shopping at as well.


German and the girls went go-karting.


And German and I tried our hands at Segways.


We saw Al Roker and bought his BBQ cookbook--which so far has some great recipes in it.


And we were able to catch up with Uncle for a while before we caught our plane.


It was the perfect vacation with a wonderful mix of family, activity, and rest. I cannot wait to plan the next trip away with everyone.



I will have one more post about the trip coming, because German and I made a little side trip in the middle. Back soon.

(No) Stitchin' Post Saturday

Although I have a small finish to show you later, no Stitchin' Post Saturday today. I'm preparing for Jewel's birthday party, have houseguests from the US, attended a funeral of a lovely lady yesterday and am feeling rather scattered. More on all of that later, but for now, I have work to do! Have a blessed weekend!

US Holiday, Part One

For a wannabe writer who is a frequent traveler, you may have noticed I have been quite remiss about actually writing about traveling. My main excuse is that since we take close to a thousand pictures each trip, it takes some time to get it organized. But the real truth is, I am mainly just lazy. I have had the pics from our January trip ready to put into a post since the end of February, I just have not written the commentary. Anyhow, I will try to remedy that over the next few weeks. Realistically I should do the earlier trip first, but since I know family would really like to see the pictures from the April trip, I think I will prioritize it. It will take at least three posts to cover it, so bear with me.

Our April trip was our annual trek back to the States. Last year, after determining how wonderful it was to just go for an actual vacation and have family join us, we decided that is how we would always like to travel. The catch in that decision is that my mother is not physically able to travel, so we knew that at least part of the holiday needed to be spent in Texas with her. So we left here on Thursday to spend Easter weekend with family in Texas before traveling up to Branson, Missouri where family and friends were invited to come and join us for the remaining 12 days.

In Texas, we stay at my Dad’s house. We spend mornings with my Mom since that is her best time of day before she becomes to weary to talk and then spend afternoon and evenings with Dad. We had lovely visits all around. Being there Easter weekend meant that we were able to celebrate Easter with my mother at her church, as well as celebrate my Dad’s birthday.

Here are a few of the pictures from the weekend:



My *nephew* (step-brother’s son) celebrated his birthday that weekend with a Thomas the Train ride and party. Such fun!


The highlight for my girls is always the trip out to the farm to drive the tractor with Grandad!



Just a tad windy...


My Dad and his birthday cake


Some of my favorite people!


Auntie Namesake


Cousins


Reading to the Nieces and Nephews


Easter Dresses


Family on Easter


Grandma with the girls at church


I seem to not have taken a picture of *my* highlight of the trip (besides being with family of course). Dix’s dear friend cooked a Mexican feast for us one of the nights there. I would have happily brought her back to England with me just to cook that amazing food. (Unfortunately, she would not be able to get the ingredients here.) Anyhow, I learned that she is one of my faithful readers and I just wanted to say again how.much.I.totally.loved.every.bite. *sigh* *drool*

Monday morning came around very quickly, and it was time for us to fly to Tulsa and collect our rental car and drive to Branson. We left with fewer tears this trip, since we knew Dad, Dix and Amy were joining us in a few days. More on the Branson part of the trip soon.

In Other Words---Embracing Loneliness

“Rather than turn from loneliness, what if we turned toward it? Could it be that loneliness is not a curse but a gift? A gift from God?”
Max Lucado
Traveling Light: The Promise of Psalm 23

I do not do loneliness well. That is actually surprising because I do alone great. The introvert in me wants others to go away and leave me alone. Nevertheless, I do not like to be lonely. I like to know that there is someone to call on, be with, play with or talk with when I am ready to be with others. In spite of my not doing loneliness well, God seems to bring me to periods of loneliness often. Even when I do not immediately see it, I do think that it is often a gift.

For much of our time in England I had a time of loneliness. First, it was a new place, then I had a new baby, then another new baby and truly, there was not much time to develop the depth of friendships that I thought I needed. I came close more than once, but in the expat community, people move on and each time I was enjoying a blossoming friendship, she would move. Just when I was truly ready to throw my hands in the air and proclaim that I would always be lonely, God gave me a truly amazing friend. She was the first friend I had ever had that I talked with or texted every single day. We met to pray together. Our kids played together. We just fit together. We *got* each other in ways that I have not experienced before. It was heavenly to experience. Moreover, it was timely because I experienced some frustration in a situation where I needed not to be alone in my own thoughts. I needed a friend to tell me to “get a grip” and she told me that more than once. Then it happened. She moved. She did not just move, she moved somewhere that it is not possible to just give her a call or text her or even drop her note. Once again, I find myself “gifted” with loneliness.

And I do not like it. Not at all.

I have struggled against it. I have ranted and fussed and complained. I have prayed for this period not to be long.

I have done all of those things. But I have not embraced it. I have not turned toward it. I have not sought to see *God’s why* in this time. In the past, I can see the lonely times as gifts to allow me to get my footing, to learn new lessons and to trust in God. Why would this be any different? In truth, my walk with God has deepened in the past few months. I know that dependence on God is imperative at this time. Yet, part of the reason I believe that is because she sharpened that into me.
This quote is challenging me to turn toward what God is giving and embrace it. I will not venture that I am anywhere near there yet. I will seek it. God’s promise is that when we seek him, we will find him. For today, I will rest in that.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13

Father God help me to embrace each season you bring into my life. When it is a season of friendship, help me be a faithful friend. When it is a season of loneliness, help me to seek you and lean on you. Amen.

Patricia at Typing One-Handed is our hostess this week. Please visit the others and be blessed by their reflections on this quote.

August Goals

Wait! How is it already the 10th? Good intentions to post this on time, failed.

July goals revisited:
1. Complete Stargazer!--actually completed 8/6/09
2. Complete Bent Creek Season Row--Summer--50%
3. Finish 3 blocks for sampler quilt and pin top--no quilting
4. Finish revamping header and blog look (watch this space!)--YAY!!!
5. Meet a Cross Stitch Board friend for the first time! ;-)--bummer, didn't work out
6. Complete closet clean-out (have done mine and girls, need to do German's closet)--uhm...no

August goals:
1. Finish Bent Creek Season Row
2. Finish England block on NRR1
3. Spend time quilting anything
4. Celebrate as Jewel turns 7!
5. Enter current family tree information into updated program
6. Try again to get German's closet cleaned out
7. Complete planning for new school year
8. Plan a holiday

The Stitchin' Post---8 August 2009

Time for another Stitchin' Post!

Introducing.....Stargazer Complete!
She took 78 hours to stitch and bead.




I had always said that I would never do a Mirabilia design. Although beautiful, the beading seemed tedious and unnecessary to a cross-stitch design. Then this pattern came out about the same time we bought our telescope and became "stargazers." I made the comment on a stitching message board that this one might change my mind. Late the next week I received the pattern in the mail. I had been RAK'd by two dear friends. It has taken me a long time to get the motivation to start it. But I can honestly say, I have never enjoyed a pattern from start to finish as much as this one! And the pictures do not do it justice at all--the beads are an amazing, necessary part of this pattern! I've bought Fairy Moon as well and will eventually stitch it on the same fabric. I'm working on reversing the pattern so that the two will face each other. And I'm removing the wings, because I'm not a fan of fairies, but that means filling in the wing space with the star field behind.

Next week I should have another small finish, then it is back to an old WIP for completion before any new starts.

Thanks for coming by for Stitchin' Post Saturday. Let me know what you are working on in the comments. Have a fun-filled weekend. We are off to explore a maize maze. Hope we find our way out!

Marriage Monday, on a Tuesday--Speak Your Support

Want this button?

It is another Marriage Monday, again hosted by the lovely Chrysalis. This month, in honor of it still being summer, she states, “let’s keep it light and easy with an open topic about anything you want to write about marriage.”

I appreciate the thought. But right now, my summer is not light, nor easy. Work issues are not being resolved. Church issues are frustrating at best. Illness in extended family is worrying. Friends are struggling greatly. Light and easy are not parts of our vocabulary.

In spite of all that, I would venture that our marriage is probably stronger than it has ever been. When the stresses of life bear down, marital strength becomes more complex and more necessary. We have found that there is no one else to lean on during these times. We refuse to speak of our specific frustrations to others because that would only denigrate the character of others. It has long been my contention that spouses should always be the first and primary support of one another in times of trouble, sometimes you become the only support.

We have been in this spot for a while. Nevertheless, a few nights ago, German interjected into an unrelated conversation, “thanks for putting up with all my work junk.” He does not have to thank me. I would readily walk any path he needs to walk with him. But it was nice to hear it. Sometimes we need to hear that what we are doing makes a difference.

So, that is my encouragement to you this month. If you are not finding life “light and easy,” if you are experiencing more “worse” than “better,” if you are struggling and your spouse is struggling along with you, take a few moments to acknowledge that you see the sacrifice they are making. It could make all the difference in the world.

In Other Words--Daily Reliance is a Daily Choice

“Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done.”
C.S. Lewis

We cannot rest on what happened in the past in our Christian journey. It is not enough to say "I made a decision to follow Christ....twenty years ago" and have nothing else. Our testimony of faithfulness should be, must be, rich, alive, and relevant to now. If we are trusting in a decision years ago, we are missing out on relying on a living Savior now!

Jesus makes this clear. He says,

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."
Luke 9:23

It is a daily choice to rely on God. A daily choice to say, "I am not on the throne, you are." Yes, I know, that daily choice can be a difficult one. It can be especially hard during stressful times. But, the good news is, we don't have to make that choice accepting a total unknown. Scripture also reminds us,

"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, 'The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.'"
Lamentations 3:22-24

It is a perfect circle in our lives every day. We choose to rely on God. He gives us the mercy and grace to follow him and accept whatever might come. The next morning we repeat the process. Reliance on God is a result of recognizing his mercy in our life everyday.

Are you relying on God today? Have you purposely put today in his hands? I pray that you will, and that you will be aware of the mercy poured into your life because of that choice. Bless you!

Kathryn at Expectant Hearts is our hostess today. Please visit the others who are writing on this quote. I know you will be blessed.

Stitchin' Post Saturday

Here is the latest update on Stargazer, this time at 69 hours. I ran out of the antique beads with 50 to go, so the dress is not complete. The beads should arrive Monday. So next week I'll finish the dress and the face and start on the stars.



Thanks for looking!

In Other Words--Coming Out of the Darkness

“We are only what we are in the dark; all the rest is reputation. What God looks at is what we are in the dark- the imaginations of our minds, the thoughts of our heart, the habits of our bodies; these are the things that mark us in God’s sight. Character is what you are in the dark.
Oswald Chambers
My Utmost for His Highest

A loving wife....or a nag?

A patient homeschooling mom.....or one stop short of shrew?

Full of Bible knowledge....or skipping my quiet time, again?

A prayer warrior.....or someone who sometimes forgets to pray at all?

Faithful friend....or shallow and selfish?

Dependent on God....or totally self-absorbed?

In any given week, I am all of these characteristics. Holding it together in public view, and falling terribly, terribly short in private. But God sees in private. Even in public view, God sees the shallowness of my heart. And that is what He judges--the recesses of the worst of who I am. That is what He must condemn, for it is dark with sin. That is why He sent a Savior--not for the cleaned up version of me that I show the world. Not for my reputation. He sent a Savior for the ugly wretched sinner that lurks in the darkness. For that person, Jesus died. I am so thankful that He rescues that character from her darkness.

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12

Deborah at Chocolate and Coffee is our hostess today. Please join her to find other reflections on this quote.

Stitchin' Post Saturday--25 July 09

Another Saturday has come! Once again, my only project is Stargazer. I'd finish this piece this week if the family did not want clean clothes and food. *sigh* Responsibility before fun. I've completed over half the beading on the dress, so hope to finish that this week and maybe add a head (Jewel is quite concerned I'll forget to stitch her head, lol). Then that leaves beading all the stars in the sky.

Here she is at 68 hours:


What are you stitching this week? Hope you have a productive and content weekend. Blessings my friends.

In Other Words---So you want to go to Tarshish?

I'm so glad you joined us today for In Other Words! Mr. Linky has become quite temperamental, so I'm not using him anymore. Please leave your link to your post in the comments. I pray that you are blessed today!



It had been one of those weeks. You know, the kind of week that you are second-guessing all your life choices.

My friend arrived early for Bible Study. I was giving her the low-down of behavioural issues I had coped with this week. I ended by saying "I'm not sure they are learning anything!"

"Should you consider putting them in school?" she asked gently. "Not forever. But maybe they need to see how good they really have it here."

"I've thought about it more than once this week," I admitted. "I don't want to do it, but maybe..."

The doorbell rang and the rest of the ladies arrived for Bible Study. We sat down and began. One of the questions, which I had brushed over in preparation, jumped off the page:

Have you ever considered running to Tarshish when you know you should be going to Ninevah?

Everyone nodded sheepishly. Then the words poured out of my mouth before I ever thought about them, "No I won't put them in school when my Ninevah is to homeschool."

I had never thought if it in that light before. I always think of "going to Ninevah" as some huge evangelistic call. Running away to Tarshish always seemed like a blatant, in your face, I won't do it your way God, no way, no how!

But in that simple question, God got my attention. Right now, my main mission is to care for the little girls he entrusted to my care. For our family, a large part of that mission is home education. My Ninevah is to teach my kids myself. Tarshish, sending them off to school for the majority of the day, often sounds so much easier. It sounds like a little bit of heaven to have part of the day without little people in my space. It sounds like I could get so much more done (for God even!) if I wasn't doing school every day. Tarshish sounds good. But it leads to the belly of the big fish---sitting in muck, ineffective in life. Ninevah sounds hard but it leads to the revealing of God's grace in obedience.

What is your Ninevah? Does it look like more than you can manage? I hope so, because it is in the things that are more than we can manage that God's grace is evident! But are you afraid? Are you tempted to run away to Tarshish? Be careful, you don't know what the path of futility and ineffectiveness brings. It brought Jonah the belly of a big fish. One thing is for certain, running away usually brings unhappiness to us in the long run.

Don't run to Tarshish. Face Ninevah and see God's mercy!

But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish.
He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port.
After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.”
Jonah 1:3

Stitchin' Post Saturday--18 July 2009

More progress on Stargazer! Here she is at 61 hours. I started beading, never have beaded before but it is going fairly smoothly. Thanks for looking!


Please link to what you are working on in the comments. Have a blessed weekend!

I'm Hosting In Other Words on Tuesday!

Do you ever know the thing that God wants you to do, but you just don't want to go there? Need to speak to someone that makes you uncomfortable? Need to take on a ministry outside your favorite gifts? Need to travel when you want to just stay home? Does any of this make sense to you?

Can I get an 'Amen'?

Amen! Yeah, me too.

And we are not alone. Jonah was there with us.

But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish.
He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port.
After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.”
Jonah 1:3

Come join me on Tuesday, 21 July to read about one of my Tarshish moments and some of what God is teaching me. If you are willing to write and share one of your own Tarshish moments, I would love for you to join and link up with us on that day.

Have a blessed day! Focus on Ninevah, not on Tarshish.

In Other Words---In God We Trust...or do we?

You may have deduced, from some of my not-so-subtle allusions, that my church is about to/considering/pursuing decisions about entering into a building renovation programme. I'll be honest about where I stand: we should have done this years ago! Okay, maybe not years, but the vision and dream has been bubbling for a couple of years and the past few months have brought fruition--as well as brought derision and division. It is sad and disheartening at times. But it is also exciting to see the possibilities.

One of the most maddening statements that I heard leading up to the church presentation to get permission to do some initial surveys was this:

"We should not even present this to the church for a vote until you are sure you have 90% of the vote. If you don't have that, you shouldn't say anything yet."

And I wanted to scream back at the person, "Where is your faith in this?" I chose to smile and quietly say I disagreed, but that was only being polite. Really, if we can't proceed until we have gotten enough votes to ensure that we get our way, then we are not trusting God at all to be the giver of the dream or the provider for the dream. As it turns out, the leadership did present the vision. Ninety minutes of heated discussion later, where in my heart I was sure that the dream died here, the vote passed by a clear and standing majority. God moved in the decision.

Surveys are being conducted to give the architect info to provide real options. Of course, we have already heard the next non-trust question come up:

"Should we start anything until we have raised all the money needed for the project?"

Leadership is reminding folks that if God is leading, he will provide (although we are reminded he will provide from our own pockets to start). A committee is already looking at how to fund the project, if drawings are approved and planning permission obtained. Again, however, the issue is do we trust God to lead and provide or do we want to keep it within our visible means?

Personally, I can't wait to see what God is going to do. I am hopeful that what he is going to do is provide for a building that will minister to our growing youth programme and will be a bridge into the community. But if it isn't a building that he is giving a vision toward, I pray that what he will give us is a bigger vision and understanding of Himself. That growing sense of Who He Is is an amazing feat that only he can give.

“If all you ever attempt is that which you know you can do, or have the resources for how will you ever discover what He can do? ”
My Jesus is . . . Everything
by Anne Graham Lotz

Nina, of Mama's Little Treasures, is our hostess for In Other Words this week. Come and be blessed.

Stitchin' Post Saturday--11 July 2009

Another Stitchin' Post Saturday. Stargazer is still my only project. Here she is at 45 hours. Not as much time to stitch this week, and a few mistakes that had to be frogged, so didn't get to the beading part. Maybe next week.

Thanks for looking! Let me know what you are working on in the comments.

Blessings.....

Marriage Monday--Traveling with your Spouse

I love this Marriage Monday topic because it combines two of my favourite things--my husband and traveling!

My husband and I, surprisingly, travel very well together. I say surprisingly because our personality differences could easily lead to incompatibility in the travel department. But somehow we make it work to our advantage.

From our early dating days a great day out was choosing a direction and making a road trip to "whereever we end up" in that direction. We would pop in one of the traveling cds, grab a bag of sour gummy candy and away we would go. The occassional mishap would occur since he absolutely refuses to believe that any direction I give could possibly be correct--I have been known to mix up left and right a dozen or a hundred times. SatNav has all but eliminated that problem, lol.

Seeing the part of the world in which we live has always been a priority to us. In Washington that meant seeing as much of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and southwest Canada as possible. In Alabama we saw most of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and the Florida panhandle. Now in England that means seeing not only England and Scotland but as much of Europe as possible.

We have traveling together down to a routine. I do the packing. He works into the wee hours of the morning we are leaving trying to ensure that we won't be interrupted by the office while away. We try to travel early in the day while the girls are still agreeable and that gives us time to orient when we arrive. German likes to know as much about a place we are traveling as possible so our days are already planned. Although I am more apt to think a holiday is seeing what appears next to do, I have found that doing the research and the planning definitely makes for a less-stressed, more-fun German, so I do the research!

We like to balance days of historical or cultural attractions with days of doing very little of anything except resting and visiting. I think that is what I love most about traveling together, especially in the car, is that we have the most uninterrupted time together to talk, to dream or to just be quiet in each other's presence. That re-charges our relationship. I can't imagine not our life without the travel.

What about you? Do you enjoy traveling with your spouse? What is good or even not so good about those times? If you wish to join in the Marriage Monday fun, write your own post about traveling with your spouse and then link up via Christine at Fruit in Season.

Stitchin' Post Saturday--4 July 2009

Another Stargazer update! Here she is at 40 hours. Still loving this piece!



What are you stitching on or crafting? Share the link in the comments please. Have an incredible weekend!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY

Honduras

Those of you who read my blog know that I am not political here. (Those who know me in real life will differ with that statement). However, today on my blog I am going to make an exception and post politically.



You may have heard in mainline media about a coup taking place in Honduras. You have probably heard that the President was removed illegally and that our country has taken a strong stand against what is happening.



YOU WILL NOT HAVE HEARD THE WHOLE STORY (as if we can ever hear the whole story)!!!



Please visit this blog of someone who lives in Honduras and what they are really seeing.



Please visit this Wall Street Journal article for a different perspective than is being broadly portrayed.



PLEASE PRAY for the country and take note of what is happening. The reprucussions of a "president for life" are huge!



This weekend we will celebrate the freedoms we hold so strongly in America. Please pray for those freedoms to be upheld other places as well.



Now, back to a non-political blog status.

Thank you for reading!

Edited to add (3 July 2009): The past 36 hours or so has seen a more balanced picture (according to those who are in Honduras) being painted in mainstream media. For that they have expressed gratitude. Since I have friends who work as journalists I wanted to convey that as well. This is one of those reminders that we really must question how much details of a situation we are being told and what the bias may be. PLEASE keep praying, my friends there say that makes a considerable difference. Bless you!

Goals--July 2009

Revisit of June goals:
1. Complete 50% Stargazer--yes
2. Work on Bent Creek Season Row--Summer--no
3. Finish 3 blocks for sampler quilt and pin top--no
4. Prep T-shirts for T-shirt quilt--about 25% complete, will finish when weather turns cooler as most of these are in the loft!
5. Quilt Around the World quilt (already pinned)--didn't quilt at all during June
6. Complete closet clean-out (have done mine and girls, need to do German's closet)--uhmm...no

July 2009 goals:
1. Complete Stargazer!
2. Complete Bent Creek Season Row--Summer
3. Finish 3 blocks for sampler quilt and pin top
4. Finish revamping header and blog look (watch this space!)
5. Meet a Cross Stitch Board friend for the first time! ;-)
6. Complete closet clean-out (have done mine and girls, need to do German's closet)

In Other Words--This is Going to Hurt

“We’re not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us;
we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.”

~ C.S. Lewis

In my head I realize that many things that are worth achieving involve a level of pain or discomfort.

*That diet plan....requires the discomfort of not eating everything own's heart desires.
*A change of body shape...requires the pain of exercise.
*Even my really lovely auburn hair that I wasn't actually born with....requires the discomfort of sitting in the chair long enough to achieve it and often the pain of chemicals on my sensitive scalp.

You may say, those things are so trivial, so how about these?
* That great new job offer.....requires the pain of saying good bye in one location and the discomfort of making new friends somewhere else.
* Molding children's behavior to enable them to be independent young people...requires the pain of appropriate boundaries, consistently implemented.
* Living within the means of one salary so a parent can stay home...requires the discomfort of giving up "luxuries".

Growth and change involves some level of pain. I accept that in almost every area of my life. But my spiritual life...no so much. Somehow I still get it in my head that God will just "snap his fingers" and I will live the life he has destined for me in total bliss. Where does that thought come from? It certainly does not arrive from Scripture. In fact, Scripture tells me to expect pain and trouble!

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:34

A righteous man may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all
Psalm 34:19

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18

The closer and longer I walk with God, the more I understand the essence of this quote. I have a strong foundation of faith that tells me that God wants the best for me. I believe. I quote it. I attempt to live in the promise.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11

But I also have a stronger understanding that those promises are achieved through the painful refinement of my character. He makes me the person I need to be, not with a snap of his fingers but in the deliberate sanding away of rough character edges and the watchful firing of the refiners fire. I know that he will accomplish his best by getting rid of the things that reflect my worst. And that process is frequently painful.

But, so much of what is worth achieving is worth the pain. Refinement by the father is definitely worth the pain or discomfort. The results are for eternity.

Father, help me to see the pain of refinement as part of your best for me. Forgive my impatience when I want it accomplished quickly and painlessly. Allow me to see your hand and your comfort in those moments. Amen.

Join Jennifer at Scraps and Snippets for her take on this awesome quote and links to others who are participating.

Stitchin' Post Saturday--27 June 2009

Wow! Is it really Saturday again? This has been an awesome week for stitching. Nothing I love more than to sit with sun streaming through the windows (a rarity in England), watching Wimbledon and stitching. Perfect week.

Here is the progress on Stargazer. Have I mentioned how much I love this piece?! I should start beading toward the end of next week.


So, what are you working on? Add a link in the comments so we can come and oooh and aaah. Have a blessed weekend!

In Other Words--Order in the Chaos

“There was a time when [you fill in] defined my life and left me physically void, cocooned in a prison of fear. It stole my every hope and dream. But God’s love and His Word set my heart free. I learned that within the confines of God’s story, nothing had been stolen from me, rather everything was given to me. My life, which felt so out of control, was in reality in complete control – God’s control.”


~ Wendy Blight
Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner

Loni at Writing Canvas is our hostess for In Other Words this week. She has asked us to do something slightly different. She has asked us to fill in our own thing that we allowed to define us and leave us void before allowing God's love and Word to set us free. You will have to visit Loni's site to see what defined Ms. Blight's world, but I'll just say thankfully most of us will never have to walk a road as dark or rough as she has. If you have walked that same road, God is willing to bring you to healing of mind and spirit. And, whatever our road, the same God can deliver us!

Honestly I can think of things that people have tried to use to define me, but none that totally work for me in this quote. I could say that my miscarriages could have defined me (I know many people for whom that is a defining moment) but I was never left bereft of God during that time. Maybe it was a constant seeking of achievement, academic or professionally, that could have defined me. But then again, I see the clear thread of God through even the most diligent of pursuits for things that would not ultimately satisfy.

I think maybe it is because I was blessed to have met Jesus as Saviour when I was very young that I don't find the labels as defining me or keeping me from meeting God in the muck that life can be. Instead, I have always had a strong foundation of God's allowing me to be free as I surrender to His control in my life. I can remember a time, more than a dozen years ago now, when I felt life was out of control. A lovely Christian friend asked me where God was in my feelings. I answered "holding the chaos." That is what God does for me when I begin to feel out of control, he holds the chaos until I can see the order in it again.

That is what I need to always remember. Even when I can't see it, he is holding the chaos. Eventually I will see the order in his hands.

What have you allowed to define you? Where do you feel out of control? What do you need to surrender to his control? Let it go and let him make order of the chaos.

Please join Loni for a chance to win a copy of Wendy Blight's book, and to read what others are writing about the quote. Have a blessed day!

Stitchin' Post Satruday--20 June 2009

Another Saturday to share what we are working on needle or craft wise.

It's been a good week around here in terms of making some progress. I'm well on my way to prepping some t-shirts for a quilt. I finished binding a quilt and I got plenty of stitching in as well. Yay!

Here is the quilt that has been finished for ages, except for the binding. Now it is totally bound as well.


And, here is Stargazer at 17 hours. I'm totally loving this piece. Enjoying every stitch I make (and even those I have to frog *sigh*).


So, what are you working on? Please share a direct link in the comments!

In Other Words---I Call Him Lord

“We need to get to the point where we are tired of God just being a resident of our life
and make Him President of our life,
the Commander and Chief,
the One in charge.”

~ David Jeremiah

It is so easy for us to verbalize that God is leading our life, but then act as if we are the ones in control. I believe that the essence of this quote is that we need our words and our actions to line up. We need to surrender to God's control of our life. We need to follow him and him alone.

But I am hung up on the titles that Dr. Jeremiah attributes to God. President and Commander-in-Chief are titles that are given to someone elected to lead our country or a business for a specified period of time. In truth, I believe that is how we often treat God--as someone elected to lead for a specified period of time. We, by our actions, say "God why don't you make the decision of where I go to school, but I'll take over after that" or "God I'll let you choose my spouse but I'll choose how I submit" or "Thanks for providing the job, God, now I'll do the day-to-day." God never asked for only a specified part of my life. He asked for it all.

He didn't ask to be my President, he asked to be my Lord. The difference is subtle, but important. A review of definitions of both words show that they are both leaders over others. The difference is in where their authority lies. A president receives his or her authority by election or selection. A Lord receives authority by position, usually by birth. When I say that Jesus is Lord in my life I am acknowledging that he alone holds a place of power and leadership and that no one else can hold that power of position. It is not for a specified time; it is for eternity.

I agree with Dr. Jeremiah that I need to relinquish control of my life to my Saviour. I want to relinquish control as to my Lord forever and not just for a short period of time.

Karen at In Love W.I.T.H Jesus chose this challenging quote. Please visit to see what others are saying.

Flabbergasted!

It is not often that I am left speechless, but someone out there in blogsphere has rendered me just that.

This post of mine has been selected as Blog Post of the Day at The Rising Blogger.

I have no idea who nominated me, but thank you.

I'm honored.

The timing was a God-sent affirmation that I'm pursuing something that matters when I type out my thoughts into these posts.

And, the sweet words spoken in the announcement post must have been meant for someone else. But again, I thank you.

June Goal Post

June sure snuck up on me! Here is my goal post for June.

May, revisited: huge failure as far as these goals, only accomplised the second and seventh ones! But I had a great month going to London with German, a church retreat and engaging with friends who were moving away. The month was a success, the goals were misguided.

May Goals:
1. Complete 50% Stargazer (a new start! yay)--approx 20% complete
2. Finish Kristin's All About Me RR--done!
3. Work on Bent Creek Season Row--Summer
4. Finish 3 blocks for sampler quilt and pin top
5. Prep T-shirts for T-shirt quilt
6. Quilt Around the World quilt (already pinned)
7. Complete office reorganization--done!
8. Complete closet clean-out (have done mine and girls, need to do German's closet)

So, June goals will look very similar (imagine that!):
1. Complete 50% Stargazer
2. Work on Bent Creek Season Row--Summer
3. Finish 3 blocks for sampler quilt and pin top
4. Prep T-shirts for T-shirt quilt
5. Quilt Around the World quilt (already pinned)
6. Complete closet clean-out (have done mine and girls, need to do German's closet)

In Other Words--Safe or Wild?

What I believe is so magnificent, so glorious, that it is beyond finite comprehension. To believe that the universe was created by a purposeful, benign Creator is one thing. To believe that this Creator took on human vesture, accepted death and mortality, was tempted, betrayed, broken, and all for love of us, defies reason. It is so wild that it terrifies some Christians who try to dogmatize their fear by lashing out at other Christians, because tidy Christianity with all answers given is easier than one which reaches out to the wild wonder of God’s love, a love we don’t even have to earn.”


~ Madeleine L’Engle (emphasis mine)~

I've been observing a debate over the last few days. The issues are complex. The personalities are strong. And, even when they are debating whether or not they are lashing out, at times that is exactly what they are doing. Honestly, it is tiring to observe and I'm sure it is even more tiring inside the circle. But at the heart of what everyone is discussing is "how do we discuss difficult issues about Christianity and still keep people comfortable?"

I don't believe that you can.

And that is spoken from the heart of a people pleaser.

In order to grapple with the depths of what Christianity is all about, you have to get messy. This quote says that we can keep it tidy or we can experience the wildness of what God did for us. More and more in my life I see where I have tried to keep Christianity tidy. I have tried to tie it up in a pretty box with a pretty bow and make people comfortable. And I have wondered why my relationship with God becomes stale.

It is stale because I let it become stagnant and comfortable.

But the heart of Christianity was never comfortable. The heart of Christianity is that wild expression of love that took place on a cross at Calvary. It was not pretty. It was not cleaned up. And it most certainly was not comfortable. But it was exactly what I, along with every other sinner who has ever walked the face of this earth needed. It was a path to salvation.

Scott Krippayne sings in "Tell it Like it Is,"

If you wanna tell the truth
you gotta find someone who'll listen
then expect some opposition
'cause being honest is a risk
so i guess you'll have to choose
is the trouble you uncover
worth the freedom you discover
when you tell it like it is

Receiving salvation is as easy as believing Jesus is our way to heaven. But after that the Christian life is far from easy. It is a sacrifice to daily follow Jesus.
It takes real time and real devotion on our part to learn more of the way of Jesus. The truth is, real dialogue that grapples with what God did for us often leaves more questions that answers. We will never wake up one morning and realize that God has miraculously given us all the answers. He won't. Instead he wants us to learn his ways by walking with him, reading his word, interacting with other believers and serving others.

But when we have grappled with it, when we have embraced the wildness of God's love for us there is one thing that is certain--it is never stale.

When I was a kid, my mom went almost a year that she made all of our bread. Then one day, she put a plain loaf of white bread on the table. We all asked where the bread was. After eating fresh for so long, store bought tasted stale. That is how I want my walk with God to be. I want to experience the freshness and the depth of the relationship so intensely that the moment a counterfeit or safe Jesus is presented I want to detect it as stale. I don't want to ever embrace a stale faith again.

Are you experiencing the wildness of God's love? Take the risk. The rewards are amazing.

Father, thank you for loving me in such an amazing wild deep way that you were not willing to allow me to stay lost in sin. Thank you for Jesus' sacrifice that opens the way to a relationship with you. Thank you that he did not choose the comfortable over the necessary. Help me to abandon myself to the relationship with you. Alert me when someone is presenting a stale faith to me. Give me the courage to reject the safe and tidy for the wild and messy. And help me to show that depth of relationship to others. Amen.

Patricia is our hostess this week. Please come and be blessed.

Marriage Monday---Right for Each Other?

On paper, German and I are totally wrong for one another. Totally. Incompatible.

He the score-off-the-range extrovert who truly needs people around him all the time in order to regroup and re-energize. Me the score-off-the-range introvert who truly needs in the range 21 hours of alone time daily to re-energize. Incompatible.

He the quick to make a decision, easy to make judgments, thinker and me the let's mull it over a while, intuitive feeler. Incompatible.

He the Army brat who traveled the world and me who lived on the same plot of land (although changed houses at age 4) my whole life. Did I say incompatible?

On paper we are not right for one another.

But God does not deal with "on paper" statistics. And in God's economy, we are totally right for one another.

Because I can push him to learn to be content in the quiet and alone times. He can push me to be much more social. He can actually get us to the decision while I can share my intuition about how things may play out. My feeling tendencies balance his thinking. And he took this small town girl and gave her something she always wanted--the world. At the same time I was able to step to his side and be what he always needed--a wife that could support him no matter where in the world the job took him.

Does it matter that we appear to be complete opposites? No, that is exactly what makes us right for one another. Opposites can bring balance, and that is what we do for one another.

I'm so glad God didn't see the incompatibilities, but instead saw how we would complement one another! German is one of the greatest blessings I have ever received. My life would be incompatible without him.

Success in marriage isn't finding the right person, it's being the right person.

Join us at Christine's site Fruit in Season to hear more discussion on this awesome quote and how we are/are not "right" for one another.