A Beautiful Quilt

I recently had a friend who is very dear to my heart stop by for a visit.  She brought me the gift of a beautiful quilt she had made for me.  Guess she had checked in with my mom to see what some of my favorite colors are.  I cried when I opened it, thinking of how many hours she spent making something so lovely just for me.

She lined the back with a soft fluffy material that makes it not just beautiful but so warm and cozy.  I am going to love snuggling up with this.

It has been quilted with this beautiful heart design that will always remind me that I have received a true gift of love from the heart.  

 God continues to show me day after day how much he loves me through my family and friends.

And for those of you who have been praying for me I want you to know that I am doing well.  I can now stand on my own and am walking with a walker.  I hope to soon be able to move to a cane.  The journey to recovery is long and hard but God is faithful. 

 May he bless you exceedingly.

A Picture Frame of Blessings

I was wheeling myself into the kitchen a couple of days ago when I looked up at the table and noticed this lovely scene.  It made me think of a perfectly framed picture of the blessings I have been receiving during my time of recovery.

 A vase filled with lovely yellow flowers brought by a friend who stopped by to spend the morning with me.

 A basket that was filled a few days before with a delicious meal of hot soup, fresh cornbread and love.  A beautiful devotional book too.

 The 1928 version of The Book of Common Prayer, a wonderful and thoughtful gift sent to me by my cousin who remembers my Anglican roots.

A gift of beauty for the eyes.

A gift lovingly prepared to nourish the body.

A gift of prayer to nourish the soul.

Eucharisteo

Amen

October Memories

 It's been pouring down rain all morning on this last day of a very wet and soggy month.  With almost 10 inches of rain, October 2016 is now officially the wettest October on record for the Northwest.  It's a perfect day for curling up with a cozy blanket and a warm cup of tea.  

This is my favorite blanket.  My mom made if for me.  She isn't really all that crafty, but a few years ago when it was all the rage to tie fleece material together to make blankets and pillows she made several for the grand kids and one for me.  It's my first choice when I want to be cozy and warm.  The teapot was a gift from my daughter, the book of blessings from the church library.  I want to prepare my heart for the month of November which starts tomorrow with All Saints Day.  I can start by remembering some the blessings of the past month.

~~~

1.  The Last Summer flowers clinging tenaciously to the vine in the fall storms.

 2.  Decorating for the autumn season.

 

And as October comes to a close, doing a little "tweeking" in anticipation of Thanksgiving.

 3.  Freshly baked muffins and women's retreats

 I needed to bring four dozen muffins for the women's fall retreat so I tried a couple of new recipes, one was pumpkin nut and the other Cinnamon Crumb.  They both turned out delicious and I added two new recipes to my cookbook.

At the lodge with some of the lovely ladies from our church.

 

4.   A Basket of fresh baked bread.

My sister-in-law passed through for one evening with two of my nieces.  They were on their way to Hawaii and had stopped to meet up with my mother who was going with them.  I cooked spaghetti for the whole family.  This was just the perfect month for baking and my daughter-in-law baked these wonderful bread twists to share.  Can't you just smell the heavenly aroma?  They tasted as good as they looked.

5.  Time with extended family.

Seeing my children with their cousins for even such a short visit was the best blessing of all.

 I will be glad and rejoice in thee;  I will 

sing praise to they name, Oh thou most high.

Psalm 9:2

 

Thankful Thursday 16 - A Summer rain

I sit reading in the early evening.  Dinner is over and the washing up is done.  All is quiet as I turn the pages. Gradually I become aware of an unexpected sound.  It's raindrops falling on the roof.  I close my book and walk over to the door to peer out, and as I watch the water falling from the sky I suddenly have this need to be outside savoring this moment.

Sitting in a chair under the tap tapping sounds on the roof of the gazebo I gaze around watching puddles form on the bricks as I take in the cool refreshment of a summer rain at the end of a hot and sultry day.  The air is redolent with the fresh earthy smells of water and dirt and newly cut trees... heaven!  Fat raindrops splash hundreds of ripples in growing pools of liquid.   How does one capture the moment in pictures?  I can't, so I must use words instead.

The rain gradually comes to a stop.  I continue to sit quietly.  The chimes softly ring to the sounds of water trickling down the gutters and dripping off the trees.  In the quiet, I hear a solitary bird begin calling to another as it flies overhead.  Branches wave in the cool gentle breeze.  Off in the distance is the murmur of voices as families begin to return outdoors in the summer evening.

At this moment in the gathering twilight, all seems right with the world, and I feel a sense of peace, gratitude, joy... Eucharisteo

Thankful Thursday #6

Between Christmas, New Year's Day, and an out-of-state trip there has been much to be thankful for over the past few weeks.

1. I am grateful for people who remain professional and courteous in airports when passengers are anxious and frustrated.  When our plane wasn't able to fly due to mechanical problems there were people ready to help get us booked onto another plane, provide hotel accommodations so we wouldn't have to spend the night in an airport and see that our luggage arrived at it's final destination and all with a friendly smile.  When you think that there were over a hundred people to be accommodated my hat is off to them all for their patience.

2.I am grateful for northwest sunshine and temperatures in the 30's and 40's.  After spending a week in the mid-west where a day with a high of 20 degrees seemed positively balmy compared to the below 0 temps of the day before I will never complain about Northwest winters again.

Here is the Investigator shivering in 3 degree temperatures in front of my brother's house.

3. I am grateful for being able to spend some really quality time with my brother and his family.

We ate lots of holiday goodies

Played games

Watched football games and just generally hung out together

 

As my niece said, it was a time of bliss.

I have always enjoyed spending time with my brother and his family but this trip will hold a special place in my heart.  Remembering the goodness of God in allowing us this time together.   Thanks be to God.

Thankful Thursday #4

With so many things going on my Thankful Thursday was started but finished very late.  Looking back of the past week, here are some of my favorites.

1.  Spending time with the kids at my school.  They are all so excited for the holidays.  Their unrestrained joy has kept me going day after day.  In spite of the bitter-sweetness of the season for me this year my heart lifted in genuine happiness today as I shared their laughter during our lessons today.  Praise God for his blessings.

2.  Two weeks of Christmas Break!  Time to relax (really? with shopping to finish, wrapping to be done, cookies to bake and Christmas meals to plan and prepare?)  OK. Time to make preparations for the birthday celebration coming on Christmas Day.  Then, time to relax.

3.  A chance to visit with out of town extended family last weekend.  We had a chance to see a play, do a little sight-seeing and just hang out together.  Every opportunity to share love with our families is a blessing from God to be remembered and savored.

4.  Just the little blessings of being able to get up in the mornings, have a cup of coffee or tea and read my Advent meditations in the quiet of the early day before going to work which is a blessing all of it's own.

5.  Opening and reading all the lovely Christmas cards and letters that have arrived.  It's the only time of the year that we really get letters in the mail.

 God is good all the time.