Christmas Gathering of Area Quilters

On the way to the quilt meeting......a barn catches the morning sun.

Our quilt group showing the pillow cases they sewed and donated to a children's  hospital.

After the meeting we were invited to one of the ladies' home for a Christmas luncheon.

Dishing up..a large pot of soup with other tasty foods. 

 

A decoration on the wall behind the oven

A big stuffed lion guarded the family gifts.

The sweet ladies.

Two of the happy ladies.

More of the ladies... getting their gifts.

Amy, Ana, and Alyssa on the stairs leading  to the second level.

Investigating the "Owl Babies" children's book.

In the car...I caught a picture of the home as we left.

 

CHRISTmas 2011

This is a Christmas tree decoration that I found in a second-hand store or a garage sale a year or two ago. 

 Someone made it and enjoyed it for a time and now we are

glad to have it among our ornaments.

The creativeness of mankind - God's creation - makes

me step back and marvel. 

 I love works of art such as this!

I love the idea of re-using Christmas cards

that are going to be discarded!

Thanksgiving All Year Long

“Christian thanksgiving is the life of Christ in the heart —  transforming the disposition and the whole character.

Thanksgiving must be wrought into the life as a habit—before it can become a fixed and permanent quality.

An occasional burst of praise, in the midst of years of complaining, is not what is required. Songs on rare, sunshiny days; and no songs when skies are cloudy—will not make a life of gratitude. The heart must learn to sing always.

This lesson is learned only when it becomes a habit which nothing can weaken. We must persist in being thankful.

When we can see no reason for praise—we must believe in the divine love and goodness, and sing in the darkness.

Thanksgiving has attained its rightful place in us, only when it is part of all our days and dominates all our experiences.”

J. R. Miller, 1912

Happy Mother's Day

 The top picture is of my mom
when she was young amongst some chickens.
The bottom picture is of her mom feeding some chickens.
 I'm posting them in remembrance of both for this Mother's Day.

Mother....enhancer and reflector

..the crown of your husband;  jewels of light to the children in your midst.

"An excellent wife is the crown 

of her husband, 

but she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones" (Proverbs 12:4).

.."Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:saying

"Many daughters have done well but You excel them all" (Proverbs 31:28-29).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This crown has been thought provoking 

for me to just sit and look at....

to think about its extravagant beauty and how it reflects the sun's rays. 

It is an overwhelming thought that the wife/mom is to be like this amazing 

piece of ornamentation;
not merely for its own beauty,

but to enhance her husband and reflect beauty to her children or those in her midst. 

I would like to be that crown;

each day of the year!

New Year's Day....

full moon ..in the northwest sky

 The calendar is different but the day seems a lot like yesterday.

a New Year's cake ...

spreading the topping..

There are new opportunities each and every day. ....

...make the most of them ... aim not to waste them!

Waste = To use, consume, spend, or expend thoughtlessly or carelessly.
antonyms of waste= save, rescue, reclaim, redeem, deliver... 

These are some things I am thinking about these days.

Christmas at our place..

 

I have wanted to put in an entry about Christmas that is now just a few days in the past.  This year it was snow-filled, cold and quiet;  yet as with all of them, to be cherished, valued and stored in the pages of our memories. If we take the "plate" that we are given and make the best of it, we can make each day a Christmas day ~ full of wonderful memories to be made and treasured. 

I am thankful for these "girl-gifts" near the tree that God gave to me; to this family.  As they stand there with those sweet smiles shining forth, I am reminded of the mercy that God has had towards me as yet another year comes to a close. 

Merry Christmas, merry days, and may many mercies come your way, while you make memories as this next year of days and moments revs its motor.

Don't waste any! As much as you can help it - don't miss any!