Friday, September 26, 2008

Superman in training






I didn't take these, by the way. My boys like to use my camera when I'm not around and it's become routine for me to find random shots like these when I download pictures!

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Under Pressure

So today my 16 year old son comes in and asks if he can please take an institute class. You see, he's still in high school, but he's taking a couple of classes at the local junior college and he found out some of his friends are taking an institute class and they told him he ought to take it with them...

Well of course I said yes. I love that positive peer pressure!

Saturday, September 13, 2008

A Time to Sew...

I feel like I’ve been very absent from here lately. Yes, I’ve put a post one here and there, but nothing of much substance. I’ve been trying to write something meaningful, but my brain has not been responding. I could say I’ve been in a slump, but truth be told, I’m not really a writer. I’ve never been good at keeping a journal (well, except when I was in Junior High, and I’m not sure a page with “I Love ______” all over it constitutes a journal entry).

That said, I still love blogging. And I still love reading blogs. I’ve not commented much lately because my life has been hectic with the beginning of school. That, coupled with my much unorganized, slow nature has hindered me from doing a lot of things I love.

Like sewing, for instance. Tonight I took my girls shopping to get a few school supplies and sundry items for classes. Our first stop was the fabric store….oh, how I love the fabric store. I love to sew and quilt and it’s been ever so long since I’ve sat down to do a project. I wandered over to the quilting section and perused the quilting books and as I browsed through a few of them I began to feel this lonely, sad feeling in my heart. It took me a few minutes to understand why and then I realized it was because I miss sewing. I miss quilting. I miss my Best Friend. Just recently I rearranged some cupboards and bookshelves and the extra items that I wasn’t sure what to do with got plopped in the office/sewing room. I haven’t had a chance to go in and assess the damage (all I know is that I can’t even walk in there) so consequently I haven’t been able to even consider sewing.

Several years ago I read a book, and I can’t even remember the name of it, but it was at another time in my life when I felt like I had no time to do anything I loved. I felt guilty for even thinking of sewing, but if I wasn’t sewing I was miserable. This book helped me to understand something very important. The author reminded me that God wants us to be creative. He loves beauty, and to prove that we need only take a look around us. Psalm 19 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork."

I can’t walk by a rosebush without stopping. I have to examine the intricate petals, and of course I have to bury my nose in their blossoms. Gardenias are heavenly to me also, with their waxy petals and intoxicating scent. Another flower that has no scent, but which I absolutely love is the hydrangea. I love all the little flowers that make up one big snowball like blossom. They are so easy to grow and I love how they last several weeks after being cut. When they are in bloom I always have a vase of them on my table. Flowers make me so happy and I can’t imagine what the world would be like if God had been too busy (or too unorganized) to make flowers.

Tomorrow (or today rather) I have to work my last shift at Sunsplash, so alas, I won’t have a chance to do anything with the room until next week. But after looking wistfully at the quilting books today, I am not going to put it off any longer. Come hell or high water, next week I’m cleaning out my sewing room and then, by golly, I’m going to create.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Lessons from Elder Busche

A couple of years ago I read Yearning for the Living God, by F. Enzio Busche, which was one of the most inspiring books I had ever read. So imagine my delight when my sister-in-law sent me the following video: