Quilt Therapy

Last minute Tammy struck again.  I promised to make a quilted prayer shawl for our retiring retired pastor (get that?!) as we were installing a new pastor yesterday at church.

But, dang, I was in the middle of a very good book!  So, Saturday night, I’d make a block, then read a chapter (or two)…head back to the sewing room and work on a couple more blocks, then go for another reading break.  I could have had the project finished by midnight – but, the book breaks were killing me!  hehe

Finally, by 2 am, I had it finished, pressed and almost ready to gift (with a couple of chapters in my book that I just could not keep my eyelids open for) - I needed the PC that was in our bedroom (with the hubster sleeping) to create the tag for the back, so I held off waking him up and made us nearly late for church on Sunday instead <blush>.

The three crosses represent Calvary and the two Jacob’s Ladder blocks show that our way to redemption and eternal life are there for the taking. 

All Pastor Don cared about was that it was “quilty.”

The presentation was made after the installation service and before we had lunch, and was a fun time.  First, my husband draped the prayer shawl around Pr. Don’s shoulders:

Then, our new pastor got up and draped the shawl around Pr. Don’s head:

And finally, a very happy pastor, pleased with his gift (which he invited me to make for him a few months ago):

I sent a note home with Pr. Don’s wife (in the blue in the photos) with a bit more explanation of what the blocks and the prayer shawl represented.  One of the things I mentioned in the note was that a number of hymns & songs were playing through my mind while I was putting it all together – such as The Old Rugged Cross, Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art and God is Great, Beer is Good and People are Crazy.

It was an enjoyable (though not for impatient children) insallation service and a fun ending to a LONG morning.  I was too tuckered out to tackle the grocery store, so we stopped for the essentials and then went home for a lovely Sunday afternoon nap.  Ahhhh, success can be humble and entertaining.

At the children’s sermon in church on Sunday, the gal doing to sermon asked for volunteers, and of course the son-man said he’d be her guinea pig.  He was actually *perfect* for the part!

The Armour of God is a passage from Ephesians 6:11:

(11) Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. (12) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (13) Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (14) Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, (15) and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. (16) In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (17) Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (18) And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

The young lady used household items to help show the kids how to arm themselves for God.  It was cute, funny and quite fitting for the son-man to use an umbrella as a sword!

I just love it when a children’s lesson is something they can relate to, with props and a visual to help them along their spiritual journey.

Remember when I sang the praises of the local library program’s summer reading fun, with the production from the Texas Storybook Theatre of Amelia Bedelia and the lesson on idioms?

Ever since then, there have been a number of instances where I’ll call the hubs (who is very literal) or one of the kids (usually non-literal) Amelia – they truly make the word IDIOM come to life!

But, none so hilarious as the exchange we had at lunch on Sunday.

Dad to DD#1:  “So, what is the cost of the school lunches?”

DD#1:  “$1.25 for K-3, $1.50 for 4-6 and $1.75 for 7-12.”

Dad:  “What’s the difference?”

DD#1:  “ummm, TWENTY FIVE CENTS!”

I laughed until the tears fell.  Lunch was delayed by 30 minutes because I couldn’t quit laughing.  The real question he should have asked was WHY the difference – but, my Amelia prodigy was just way quicker on the draw than her dad!  HAHA – it’s still funny!

I am so loved by so many, it’s hard for me to fathom…since I felt I grew up with just a little love from a select few.   Birthdays are difficult for me, not because I’m aging (that part actually makes me HAPPY, since I’ve lived about 10 years longer than my parents or brother did) — but, I get a little down that my parents & Mike aren’t here, to celebrate with me.

But, this year, I vowed to try to make it through the day and celebrate with my kids in a way that they would expect me to.  And I think I accomplished that goal!

First, was church.  I share by birthday with a sweet little girl at church, whose mom is the Praise Team director and the little girl is part of the Sacred Arts class that I assist with.  So, I made H. and I crowns to wear in church!

Then, the hubster dropped me off at the bookstore (MUCH needed and a gift card would have been something he’d have given me, if I’d have given him the money) and I shopped while the family went to the hardware store to stock up on softener salt. 

Of course, none of this happened without drama – DD#1 was totally embarrassed to be sitting by me with a CROWN on my head at church, so she sat as far away in the pew as possible.  Then, when they dropped me off at the bookstore, she said to her dad as they were driving away, “She’s not REALLY going to WEAR that into the store, is she?!”  He assured her that I was, and I did, and she just hid her face so no one would see her until the car was out of sight.  But, when they returned to pick me up, she was the FIRST one to ask what books I got and which ones SHE could read first!!

Then it was the normal Sunday activites …. unloading the car from my grocery run, getting the rest of the girls’ supply lists in their proper places, making lunch and NAP (ah, my favorite time of the day). 

While I was in my office checking emails after nap, the kids made me brownies, and I went home to the lovely smells of pure chocolate delight wafting throughout the house.  mmmmmmm

Mama Lu came down to the house and we had a right proper birthday celebration – one candle, that was a crayon candle, to commemorate not just my birthday but also the kid’s return to school (there’s a burn ban in our area, so JD was afraid to use more than one candle, hehe).  I received a number of loving cards in the mail, a moooootiful gift bag with cow items from my SIL & her family, a cake stand and a two-tiered cupcake stand that I’d asked for from Lu … and the gift of all gifts – an original oil painting from local renowned artist, Mary Zirkel!  You may remember me talking about DD#1 taking a class from Mary this summer?  Well, before she started, I told her that Mary painted the most gorgeous Texas Bluebonnets, and that I wanted DD#1 to learn how to paint so she could paint me some of those, too.  Of course, she didn’t listen to me (she painted what she wanted, which was perfectly lovely) but it seems that my darling daughter told Mary what I’d said, and Mary GAVE DD#1 one of her original paintings, as a gift for me, because DD#1 was the only one in the class to complete both projects!  I’m tickled as can be, not only because DD#1 was so successful and is a great artist herself, but because I am now the proud owner of a Mary Zirkel painting that I could never afford to purchase for myself!

It also must be said that I sat in the chair on Sunday evening and DEVOURED the first book that I’d purchased – read it from cover-to-cover.  Ohhhhhh, that was a fine ending to a lovely day!

And as is the tradition in this family, the celebration has continued.  Yesterday, I received money from a wonderful client and friend, as well as a gift certificate for more books!

Thanks for the love, everyone!  It feels so good all under!

Today was the day!  The girls got all gussied up (in their own way) and headed back to the school bus, for destination SCHOOL 2009-2010!

First Day of School August 24, 2009

DD#1 will be in high school, in the ninth grade.  DD#2 will be in the sixth grade and DD#1 is moving on up into the third grade.  Son-man was still in his jammies when Dad took this photo – which I thought was appropriate, since he was homeschooled – but, the dad-person didn’t think about it … I’ll get  a pix of him soon as he does his work from the comfort of the living room and our big, wonderful, outdoor learning environment!

Ahhhh, back to school schedule.  I’m already relaxed!

Funny about the son-man…I ran into a lady who was one of DD#1’s teachers in sixth grade at the store yesterday, and she just went on and on about how BRILLIANT our son was. 

The school had their open house yesterday, so we lugged the two younger daughter’s loot (aka supply list) over, because there’s no way they could have carried it on the bus.  DD#3 was as happy as could be and just wanted to sit in her classroom for the evening and pretend that school had already started.  The school is a conglomeration of buildings (not portables), and she gets to move up to the second building.

DD#2 said she wasn’t ready for school to start, but of all of them, I think she’s the one who is most ready to use her mind in a constructive way again.  They’ve changed the way they’re teaching the middle school, and now there will be four teachers (two are the ones she had last year for fifth grade) so that each teacher can focus on their specialties – as is the law in Texas for the public school system, one has to teach to the TAKS test.  I think this is good, though one of her teachers is questionable in my book.  But, we’ll see how it goes!  Sixth grade is one of the big milestones for the TAKS test, so she must do well (not that I have doubts, she did excellent last year on the tests).

DD#1 just wanted to hug everyone – students, previous teachers, new teachers.  Teacher’s pet?!  She’s ready for her mind to be challenged, too, and is a quality student as well.  She’ll complain a bit, but she’s pretty darned smart (commendable on 3 of 4 of her eighth grade TAKS tests and one question away from commendable on the fourth one), so we don’t worry too much about her academics.  But, she is moving up to the high school, so her social life will probably get more involved as she participates in some of those upper grade activities. 

DD#1 was measured for her cheer squad outfit, too – can I just say ADORABLE?  Imagine 20+ little first, second & third-graders, getting out on the football field during halftime and doing a routine!  Although I’m not athletic now, I was a cheerleader in Jr. High … and I (secretly) can’t wait to see these little ones having fun and cheering on our school at the football games!

As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt before the Lord along with all the other souls. 

Before each of us lay our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles; an angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that is our life. 
  
But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was. They were filled with giant holes. Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in every day life. I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all. 
  
I glanced around me. Nobody else had such squares. Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly  fortune. I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened. 
  
My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air. 
  
Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth.. The others rose, each in turn holding up their tapestries. So filled their lives had been. My angel looked upon me,and nodded for me to rise. 
   
My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn’t had all the earthly fortunes. I had love in my life, and laughter. But there had also been trials of illness, and wealth, and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it. I had to start over many times. I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again. I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life. I had often been held up to ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time  offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me. 
  
And now, I had to face the truth. My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was. 
  
 I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light.  An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the others who stared at me with wide eyes. 
  
 Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes,creating an image, the face of Christ. Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes. He said, ‘Every time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships, and My struggles. 
    
 Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you.
  
May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing Christ to shine through! 
  
God determines who  walks into our life …it’s up to you to decide whom you let walk away, whom you let stay, and whom you refuse to let go.

Author Unknown

At our little quilt group meeting last night, our lesson was taught by a lovely lady who has been around for a while

She makes handkerchief crazy quilts, and a number of our members wanted her to teach us how she did it.  She creates them all by hand, with the only thing sewn by machine is putting the top blocks together with sashing.  Mind you, the handkerchiefs usually have something embellished on them, and most have lovely edging…but, she adheres them to an underneath fabric by hand, with crazy quilting embroidery to fill in the blank spaces and to sew them to the background fabrics.  She made this one with 20″ hanky blocks and then 2″ (finished) sashing.

The resulting quilt is very beautiful, almost delicate to look at.  And those handkerchiefs sure bring back memories for me of my Gramma, when she’d come to our house and I’d want to be with her and help her do things like iron her handkerchiefs!

Of course, as she was talking about her techniques and telling us all about how she put them together, my mind was abuzz – I don’t have the time to make something like this by hand, but it sure would be fun to make it with a machine with a bunch of those fancy stitches that I rarely use!

And here’s a photo of some handkerchiefs and linen napkins that another member brought, laid out in practice for making a whole block:

When you have 3 girls, the bags are multiplied ten-fold!  I made this one on Saturday for DD#2, who had chosen the fabric two years ago:

But, she wasn’t sure she wanted one that tall, even though I’d modified the pattern from the original design.  Then Sunday, I whipped up this one:

And now, the indecision is unbearable.  As the two bags sat on the table last night, every so often she’d whine because she just could not choose one – perhaps I should give her both???  HAHAHAHA - NOT.

Then DD#3 decided she should get the one that DD#2 didn’t want…while DD#1 whined because I hadn’t made hers yet, even though she’d already made herself a lovely one. 

ARGH

I’m pretty sure I could make bags every single day, and these girls would argue, whine and beg for every single one of them! 

Whoa, we have a cat.  Not a feline cat, but a canine cat.  This wild thing really busts the moves at night (of course, just as we’re all up in a circle getting ready to say prayers), running through the house, terrorizing Phydeaux (who is a big lug when it comes to retaliating) and creating new race tracks to run around the furniture and through the rooms. 

Oh yeah.  Nascar at its finest, right here in our living room….including the roaring of the engines (which would be kids AND dogs).

And the minute I sit down in the recliner, she is on top of my like flies on…..well, you know.  And she doesn’t just jump up and sit down as my Tenny-dog did.  OH. NO.  She flies into my lap and climbs clear up to my head, licking and nipping all the way….until I finally pull her away from my body (those aren’t paw pads – I swear they have octopus suction cups on them!) and settle her into a comfy position for both of us.  She won’t stay there, of course, but she will eventually settle down if I pet her in just the right places — which changes daily. 

Then, she’ll stop for just a minute and hunker down and shout out some puppy barks for the son-man.  Have yet to figure out what that’s about, but she sure likes to bark at him!  hehe

Potty training still in full swing, though we’re down to just a few accidents in the house a day.  It sure helps having another dog around, to show a new pup the potty-train ropes!  Now, if we could just get her to stop chasing the bigger-than-she-is chickens as she runs down the deck, we’d be set!

But, that angelic face is enough to make you stop, drop and roll.  Those eyes!  Those ears!  The look she gives of total trust and glee that SHE is gifting YOU with her presence: