Happy Saturday

I managed to get around to changing my header photo.   Not a big deal to anyone but me but I really like the colors in this photo.  This is just one of the many potted plants my daughter and her boyfriend planted for me a few weeks ago.  I knew I wouldn’t ever get around to it and they so graciously volunteered.  Its kind of funny (not in haha way)  how the years have changed things.  I used to be able to actually go get the plants,  get the potting soil,  plant the plants, and water them in the same day.    Whoo hoo.   Not so much anymore.  But thats ok.   Acceptance is an ongoing process,   I do what I can.  There’s no use in spending a lot of time on ‘used to be’,  when I need to focus on what I can do today.

Anyway,  they did such a good job.

Here are a few more photos:  (Some of them may be blurry but I’m not going out there again. Not right now.)

 

Photos, No Crafty Stuff Today

Usually I post something about crafts/art but today I’m going to post some pictures that I took at this resale shop the day I went to pick up our taxes from the tax person.    I have to pass this shop everytime I go over there and always want to stop.  So I stopped.  It was a sort of rainy day and I couldn’t stay outside for long.   But I managed to get a few pictures, that I planned to use in an art project.  Haven’t gotten around to that part yet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tote Bag

My sister found some cool place mats recently.   She made a tote bag out of hers and of course that inspired me to make a tote bag out of mine.    I am enjoying learning how to sew.   Somehow I would rather learn how to make something from a book than listen to verbal instruction with nothing written.   Some people can listen to verbal instructions and they’ve got it.   I’ve got to have it written down to refer back to.  I’ve had my husband say “No!  Don’t write this.. just listen.”  Well, it doesn’t work that way for me.  It used to, but now not so much.  My MS won’t allow me to keep it in my brain.  If I’m worrying about something.. sure I can remember that.   I can remember our phone number from when I was 6 years old.    But if I’m learning something now, I gotta write that stuff down.

Anyway,  here’s some (not so hot ) pics of  my very own tote bag.  It wasn’t that wrinkley but its been sitting in a kitchen chair for about two weeks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Quilted” Wall Hanging

The other day,  I finished something.

I’m not sure what to call it.   Its definitely not a quilt.   I’ve been calling it a wall hanging.  I’m also calling it a first time.  I’m still not sure what to do with it.   But I had to make it.

I found the idea at

http://www.redpepperquilts.com/2012/04/postage-stamp-quilt-tutorial.html

The example on this website is perfect and for a full size bed.  Wow, its beautiful.   Mine only measures about 15 by 13 inches but what a good exercise it was.    I knew that I’d go crazy trying to get the squares perfect so I decided to wing it and see how it came out.

Here are some pictures of the results.    Oh yeah,  I hand-tied the corners of each square.  So thats why there are pictures of the back … and its not pretty.

How do you hang something like this?

 

 

Another random crochet project

Photos below are of another random crochet project   Its another baby/child afgan.    I’ve got a plan in the back of my head to give all the ones I’ve been making recently to someone that can use them.

 

Random crochet project.

In between sewing projects,  I’ve been working on using up all my yarn stash in my closet.    I’ve just completed the baby/child’s afghan below.    I didn’t have anyone in mind when I started it but it turns out that an acquaintance is using these colors for her nursery.  Yay!

I’m kinda proud of how this one turned out.

Wisdom from the craft store

Every once in a while I’ll meet someone that becomes an unexpected source of wisdom for me.

I have been going to a certain craft store for years and for most of that time she has been my cashier.    Of course we always exchanged the usual “How are you doing today?” ‘ s.   Every so often we’d talk a little more.  For example,   she shared with me that she has a new grandson.   She is so proud of her family.   One time,  she shared that she had been able to pay down a bunch of debt.   She wasn’t bragging,  she was just sayin’.

One day,  several months ago,  I stopped by to kill some time before meeting my husband for lunch.   And as usual,  I was limping along.    She and I had never talked about my MS or anything.   She wasn’t behind the counter that day and noticed my limping.    She called out to me to see how I was and asked about my leg.

Her name is Pamila and as I was explaining to her, she really listened.

I appreciated that but it was what she said to me that made a difference.   As we talked,  it became apparent that she is a Christian.   A strong Christian.

While we were talking, she asked me if I had given God my leg.  Now that is something I hadn’t considered before.  I’m a Christian but I had never thought to give my leg to God.    She wasn’t suggesting that I get a tattoo that said “God, this leg is yours!” or anything weird.    She was asking me if I had given my situation and my leg over to God for His use and for His Glory.

OK.   Its been hard to get those words out of my head.

I know that God can use any circumstance we find ourselves in for His purposes  But my leg?   This leg is a burden.  My MS has put me in a place where I don’t want to be.    I thought my life would be different than it is.   I have no idea exactly what my plans were but they weren’t this.   But this was in God’s plan.

An opportunity has come up for me and my husband to go on a mission trip with the youth group from our church.    I have been ‘on the fence’ about it since it came up.   It will involve a long bus ride and the kids will be doing some light construction.    There also might be an opportunity to work with Vacation Bible School.   I just don’t know how much use I will be to anyone.   I’m afraid I’ll get up there and have a flare – up like I did this past week.   That would be no fun.  I think its the fear of the unknown that makes me crazy and makes me want to stay home.

Well….  I had to go see what Pamila had to say.     She and I talked for a while (well,  not that long .. after all she was at work.)    She encouraged me to pray about the trip,  to pray over my leg and my MS.

She also mentioned that we “walk by faith, not by sight”.    I don’t know how it will be up there (its at the beach, so that’s cool) but I know that God will take care of me and my husband.    I just have to give my leg to Him.