I haven't posted anything in for so long ... My life has twisted and turned - inside out at times - since my last post!  My oldest daughter, Caitlin, nearly died from an angry cancerous tumor bleeding out in her esophagus in January of 2011.  Her progress through treatments, surgeries, and more treatments was covered in the Caitlin Updates blog listed  in my blog.  She is doing much better, growing lovely curly hair, gardening, and working to build back her strength.  She is still unable to go back to full time nursing but hopes to be able to work part time soon.  She loves to write her thoughts and share pictures at her blog,   wisteriamelody.blogspot.com  
During this same time frame I lost my father, my husband lost his business, and then fell from a ladder, shattering his wrist!  Surgery and months of rehab later, he was able to go to school for his CDL and is now driving a truck. 
As for me, aside from trying to care for my family and keep up with my teaching job, I have continued to to meet with fellow fabric artists!  I have way more ideas than time to create them, but always have 2 or 3 quilting projects in the works!  At the moment they include a "cobweb" in jewel tones for my bed, a rain forest throw for my classroom - a panel I am hand quilting, and a snail "prayer quilt" in brights for a child in need.
My project at the moment, however, is to transform my son's old room into a sewing room.  Today I pack away the old toys and books and putty holes where basket ball posters and stuffed animal shelves used to hang :(!   Tomorrow I paint the walls "soft cream" - a pale, buttery yellow! 

Meditations on Mark

Meditations on Mark

Has God asked you to do something for Him that you don’t know how to do? Is there a task before you that seems impossible to complete? Maybe He has given you the idea for a ministry that you have no idea how to carry out. Maybe you have a wounded relationship that needs to be repaired, forgiven and reconciled, but you can’t muster the strength or even the will to begin. Maybe your current financial circumstances hold you captive, preventing the carrying out of good intentions in your heart. Or perhaps you find yourself in all three of these categories at once!

Should you sit at home, so to speak, and wait for your circumstances, your abilities, or feelings to change before going out to do God’s biddings? Listen to this story. You’ve heard it before, I’m sure.

It’s early on a Sunday morning, just as the sun is inching its way up over the eastern hills. Three ladies carrying aromatic bundles in their arms hurry as they trudge along a rocky pathway. They have good intentions in their hearts, a task they have a burden to carry out, one which seems impossible. But they are not waiting at home. Hurry along with them so you can catch the discussion.

“Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?”

"I don't know, but we'll think of something, I hope! Anyway, lets keep going"!

"We already bought the spices. We may as well try. Hurry up! It's already getting warm!"

Luke tells us that Mary Magdalene, Salome, and Mary the mother of James had purchased their spices Saturday night. They knew the stone was too heavy for them to move, but they went shopping anyway. They know the huge bolder in front of the Master’s burial place won’t budge, let alone move enough for them to squeeze by, even with all three of them pushing. But still they have gotten up early and are headed to the tomb.

Foolish? Maybe. I’m sure they all had other needs clamoring for the money spent on burial spices. And no doubt they could have used some extra sleep this morning. After all, it has been a very exhausting couple of days. There’s nothing like sleeping in on a cool spring morning to refresh one’s outlook!

But not these ladies. They have a burning desire to do something, and even that impassible rock can’t keep them from trying. So they keep climbing, wondering as they go. And, would you believe it? As they round the last bend in the path they all gasp at once. And you do, too. For, as you look up, you all see that the stone, which is “very LARGE,” has already been rolled away!

You remember how it goes. The angel tells them not to be alarmed. He gives them a message to relay to the disciples – you know, those guys who are too frightened to come out of the upper room long enough to help the ladies! And there’s the amazing news that Jesus isn’t even in the tomb any more! That the spices won’t be needed, because He is alive!

Wow! How much better to be the bearers of good news than to embalm a corpse, even that of a very dear Friend?! Could it be that when we strike out in faith to accomplish the thing God has put in our hearts that He has already rolled away the stone? That He has an even better plan than we could ever imagine? That the end results will be beyond our wildest expectations? And even when there aren’t fantastic results, or maybe no apparent results at all, could it be that one day we’ll see what now is veiled and be overwhelmed by how God used our feeble attempts for His glory and purpose?

How does the old saying go? “God’s biddings are His enablings?” Take a minute to reread the story in Mark 16:1 – 7. Then start climbing the rocky path in your life. Or push on with renewed energy from wherever you are along that path. He IS alive, and the stone has already been moved!

Woodland Lace

Lion or Lamb?

If March comes in like a lion it goes out like a lamb - and vice versa, right? So what is a March 1st snow storm that dumps 3 inches of white fluff on Alabama daffodils - lion or lamb? I noticed how peaceful and quite it made everything, how like lambs' wool the puffs of snow on each twig were, ... and the Lamb of God came to mind. As I wandered the yard with my camera I couldn't help humming "...now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow... " And then I thought of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. I want the strength of the Lion in my life, but also the gentle ways of the Lamb. Maybe during the

month of March I can borrow a little of both.

Shaila's class quilt sold at the senior benefit auction last night - for $825! We were very pleased! It was purchased by the parents of the senior class president. They plan to bring it back to display on graduation weekend for the students to find their own hand prints, take photos in front of, etc. What fun!
Last night was also the talent show at GCA. Shaila and a friend sang the "Flower Duet" in French. It was very lovely!

Last night I hosted the GCA Chamber Singers. We had wall to wall sleeping bags and a perpetual line to the bathroom! There were 8 teens, including two of mine, the director and her 5 young children, and the bus driver. We had lots of food, laughter, and music. I decided the best acoustics in the house were in the kitchen - the sound just floated up the high ceiling and down again - right where I was doing dishes! Eight voices can make an amazing sound in such a small place! Their concert at church this morning was centered on our hope of Heaven. What a precious promise - "I will come again and receive you unto myself..." Even so, come! Come to the Home where there is plenty of room, impeccable acoustics, and unending music! I can't wait!