hand joy

Pinstitching bands of light creamy yellow to a lavender dress.

After I had chosen this summer dress pattern by Wendy Schoen for Charlotte, I began the process of sewing it. Then I realized that it possessed a bodice band and a scalloped bottom hem band that needed to be appliqued onto the dress. Now allow me just a few moments of rambling to give you a little bit of sewing history about myself. About ten years ago I attended a class in machine appliqueing. From this class I came home with several badly stitched or half stitched items along with the realization that I did not possess a propensity for machine appliqueing. 

But hand sewing, now that is another matter altogether!  What joy leaped up when I discovered I would be pin stitching these bands onto the dress. Yes, it takes quite a bit of stitching, but how fun is that...

O, taste and see...

 I know I am slow at times. But after reading, here, that one could read the entire New Testament in one month by simply reading ten chapters a day, it was like a gigantic light bulb was illuminated in my head! I love the Holy Scriptures and enjoy reading the Bible every day. I am tempted to say I have the habit of reading it daily, but it truly is so much more than a habit; I think of it as my daily bread. I need His Word! I have been reading the Scripture Union Encounter reading schedule for quite  a number of years, which takes me through the Old Testament once and the New Testament twice in five years. It is a slower reading schedule, allowing me to chew on and meditate on the passages I read. I have had a tendency in the past to think of reading the Bible in one year as being a sort of marathon, just grazing without enough regurgitating, (sorry we are "sheep"after all.) 

But now I definitely am able to see the benefit of reading a greater number of chapters at one sitting, read within a shorter time lapse. As I am now reading the chapter's passages, my eyes read the words and the Holy Spirit reminds me of those specific readings as I go throughout my day; whatever I might be doing.

But it will take me two months to read the entire New Testament, because I sense a more realistic and successful undertaking in knowing that five chapters daily is doable in my life, especially regarding all the other readings I do in a day's time. I began this on March first and already I am reaping the sweetness and comfort of it.

"The whole Bible was given for this end, that you should both believe this doctrine and live in the comfort and sweetness of it."

John Bunyan 

Christian Behavior

Why don't you join me?

a mother of sons

I have several friends who have the wonderful significance of being the mothers of three sons. It seems like I heard a saying back when their sons were young that made me smile, "There is a special place in heaven for the mother of three boys." Since I only had two sons, I felt somewhat left out.

 Last Saturday I hosted a baby shower for the mother of five sons. 

Her newest male offspring arrived about six weeks ago.  Oohing and ahhing to beat the band reverberated from corner to corner of my house as this sweet soul was admired and passed around from willing arm to willing arm. There was food aplenty and a superfluous amount of boy presents, as well as a time set aside for prayer blessings and words of encouragement for the mother and her son.

 It was an age-old ritual of ladies of all ages coming together for the express purpose of celebrating a baby. 

Blues of the highest order.

...an hour into my morning

A Morning Journal Entry

...I am ensconced in a wicker chair in my sun room, every once in a while glancing around at the untidiness. George wrestles with things and scatters plant leaves and papers higgledy piggledy. I am wrapped in an ecru wrap against the morning's chill. My coffee cup is almost empty, there's more awaiting in the coffee pot in the kitchen. I read Joshua 6 this morning and I am preparing to pick up and read my daily Lenten devotional. The bird feeder has been restocked in sunflower seeds and I've made note that my husband needs to pick up another bag on his way home from work. 

Early riser that I am, I have a little trail of routine rituals that accompany my morning. This little jotting was done about an hour after I had risen from my warm bed. Maybe I will share some of those "firsties" at a later time.

On the 26 of this month two years ago, my father passed away. We were caring for him here in my home and the eternal shapings this allowed in our lives were manifold.  

history and mitts

 Forsooth, I will attempt not to show any more fingerless mitts... for a while anyway! Alas, my way                     of thinking was that someone "out there" might just enjoy this free pattern to knit, especially if mitts and cables are your present knitting fancy. They were knitted on straight needles and then sewn up. I decided not to add the thumb because I thought with the visual weight of the cabled mitts themselves, the knitted thumb would only add extra bulk.
These knits were included on a past yarnalong, but maybe some of you would appreciate seeing the finished product.

(My daughter, Rose graciously obliged to be my hand model wearing these mitts. )

If you are wanting a recommendation on a good book about church history, this is an excellent book by B.K. Kuniper. One thing I am noticing in Christian circles, as a whole, is that many adults do not have a thorough knowledge of church history. I have discovered that having a greater knowledge of the history of the church has only increased by understanding of the people in history that He has used to write His story. It all unfolds as you study the Scriptures and time periods. This book is easy to read and a great handbook to pick up and get clarification at any time. I have read bits of it while sitting by the pool during a hot summer day, traveling in the car, before bedtime, or while grabbing a few moments with my feet resting on a footstool in the afternoon. 

second Sunday in Lent

"Come to my help, O God; Lord, hurry to my rescue."

Psalm 70:1

It was innocent enough. Isn't it always? On the way home from church today Charlotte asked what we were having for dessert. Dessert? I am beginning to sense the tiniest oozing in the pit of my stomach about this time. I had made no plans for dessert. Didn't they realize I was fasting desserts/sweets this Lenten season? Surely they realized that the temptation of a dessert would hinder, and that it would be an easier road if I just left dessert off the day's menu?

 "There's an entire gallon of milk that could be made into ice cream in the extra refrigerator that will go bad soon if we don't use it", adds my level-headed, frugal husband.

I looked around at the hopeful faces dismayingly.

I asked Charlotte to pull out the Cuisinart ice cream freezer when we arrived home as I gathered the ingredients for the ice cream.

Lord, don't you know how weak I am?

 Don't you know how much I love soft vanilla ice cream, with strawberries?

The preparation and serving of a dessert at the end of our Sabbath meal is something everyone looks forward to at my house. After our Sunday dinner, dessert allows for more time to sit around the table as we celebrate Sundays. Usually, I will take time on Saturdays to plan and fix an extra special dessert that everyone will enjoy.

As I stirred the milk and cream I began to see clearly the joy in this act of abstaining from something my flesh truly looked forward too and enjoyed every Sunday. Yet this was another practical opportunity to turn outside myself and look at the cross, embracing the costly price He had paid for me. It wasn't legalism at all. This was a perfect opportunity to worship, though the comparison of what it had cost Him was mind boggling.

I am dependent on His grace. I am dependent on His help in all circumstances, no matter how small it might seem at the moment. Amid my moments of human frailty He is there to guide me.

Worship never tasted so sweet.

therefore, I knit and read

I knit. I read.

The very next words that spring into my mind are, "therefore, I am"; and I giggle. 

More appropriately, I am, therefore, I knit and read.

 Reading and knitting certainly have a rightful place in the rhythm of my days.

I knitted these mitts right before Christmas, when holly berries were center front on my mind.  It was a pleasing knit, probably due to the lushness of this yarn. Yet the little cabling that came forth from this pattern was rewarding too as I sat at the kitchen table and did school with Charlotte.

I love this book! Please allow me to say it again, I love this book! It is rich, and I prefer only taking little morsels at a time. I chew contemplatively on its substance, picking up the Bible and reading the scriptures for myself that Mr. Packer references throughout its pages. I want to be like the Bereans, "in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (Acts 17:11)

Ginny, of Small Things, is calling my name to be a part of her Yarn along this week. Come along too, it is always fun to spend a bit of time with fellow knitters and readers!

a taste of home

I like my meals to taste of home.

Grabbing a quick bite while out when time simply does not cooperate for the allowance of a cooked meal, is okay once in a while, in a pinch anyway. But home cooking should taste like home, and it should please, while filling and satisfying your belly and soul.

photo credit found here

It is a good thing to have a few easy standbys that are tried and true, especially when you take

 the few extra minutes to do the preparations.

Roasted Chicken 

3-4 lb chicken

2 stalks of celery

1 small onion

fresh parsley

whole grain mustard

herb de provence

 or any combination of dried herbs, 

dabs of softened butter

salt and pepper

Pat chicken dry and stuff the cavity of the chicken with celery and onion. Pull up the skin of the chicken and smear mustard with herbs all over the chicken.  Salt and pepper, then rub the softened butter all over the outside skin.

Tie the legs together.

Bake, uncovered at 325 degrees for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, until the meat gauge registers 165.

As you slip the chicken into the oven, you may take a few minutes to sit down and prop your feet up with a cup of tea and pray, or even spend the time reading a good book.

  

I have served this alongside a fresh green salad and consider it an ideal home prepared meal.

first Sunday in Lent

"The tradition of Lent - a forty-day sacrifice - is one way of mourning the death that sin has caused in our lives. As we see Jesus perfectly withstand Satan's temptation in the wilderness, we admit our own shortcomings, our own inadequate sacrifices. This period of 'giving up' has a profound way of recalling our desperate need for Jesus Christ."

Devotions For Lent

I am taking these days of the Lenten season to remember my desperate need for Jesus Christ. I am preparing my heart for the forthcoming Easter celebration with special times of reading His Word, repentance, prayer, fasting, and reflection.

"All God's plans have the mark of the cross on them, 

and all his plans have the death to self in them.

~E.M. Bounds

white rain

One, two, three, four, ....... ten, eleven, twelve cardinals outside my kitchen window, dining from the restocked bird feeders! I am presently sitting at the table eating a hot and spicy chicken sandwich. Snow is fingering down steadily and has been since about 6:45 this morning. It is a stark reminder of what my Saviour's death on the cross did for me; my sins were as scarlet, He washes them whiter than snow.

Yesterday, I was enjoying afternoon temperatures of around 60 degrees with warm sunshine and blue, cloudless skies. If the ground would have been colder today when the snow started to fall, we would have a blanket of white everywhere right now. Instead the snow is wet and melts as it hits the outside surfaces. But that does not in any way lessen its white rain beauty.

 Mr. Squirrel visits from time to time. He is quite plump.

And I am doing a little sewing today on Charlotte's Easter dress. The embroidery was completed last night as I listened to a few chapters of Good Wives  by Louisa May Alcott here, but I am wondering how I could have missed the fact that there was appliqueing that needed to be done on this dress?

I'll keep you posted.

a fine romance

One never can assume upon Valentines Day or how it might pan out in any given year. I gave up thinking I had it all figured out and could ever control the circumstances of any day, much less one smack dab in the middle of winter! There were so many things I wanted to do this year on Valentines Day that I didn't do, yet there were things I did manage to do that led to a delightful ending of a day designated as a one of romance.

The menu was planned several weeks ago. Other than the chocolate pots de creme that must chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before hand, the rest of the food took about 45 minutes of constant chopping, searing, sauteing, frying, stirring, and cooking.

If one word could sum up Valentines Day this year it would be rich.