I'M JUST SAYING...

All scripture from the Authorized Version—KJV

“Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.” Deut 16:17

Some years ago I wrote several articles for a Christian woman’s magazine.
It may be of help to some to read these articles, which come from my own knowledge and experiences. Here I will give as I am able, according to the blessing of the Lord my God, which He has given me.

It Ought to be a Thankless Job

We have heard these words so many times that they have no meaning or impact anymore. Words have definite meaning and, unless used in local slang, that meaning remains constant.
Do we understand what we mean when we say: It-is-a-thankless-job? (I will not, at this time, consider the fact that the word we use so often—thanks—is to be given only to God—yes, yes, do a word study.)

Where is it written, or who has said that our jobs must have someone’s gratitude attached to them? Did you enter into marriage and motherhood because there was, always, going to be someone thanking you? Did you vow to ‘Love, Honour, and Obey’ so that your husband could thank you for it? Why must one insist upon having someone else ‘prop her up’?
I hear women complaining about their house chores, rearing their children, shopping, serving in the church, helping a relative in need, or just about anything that there is to be done. For example, there is a Mom who had taken her children all over the city for this and that lesson and activity when I had met her that day. After the greeting niceties she began to recite her itinerary for the day; with her youngest pulling her skirt toward the car, she continued to talk. At the end of the recitation she showed disappointment that I did not acknowledge or encourage her self-pity. As she turned to walk away she said, (you guessed it): “It is a thankless job.”

Then there is a Mom who homeschools her children, keeps her house and is always cheerful and much involved in her church. One day she helps with the mailing; another day she cleans the lounge cupboards. She and her husband are in the greeting committee. When she was invited to attend a Bible study, she refused saying that she had no time because of all the things she was already doing. Then she threw in (for all to hear): “It is a thankless job!”

There is, yet, another Mom who homeschools her children and keeps her house and garden. She seldom ‘goes anywhere’. Her teaching keeps her busy and the younger children require all of her spare time. When her husband gets home the dinner is ready and the house is spotless and neat. I heard her tell her best friend that even though her husband appreciates all that she does, her job ‘is a thankless job.’

I could tell you more stories that have been punctuated with the pathetic ‘it is a thankless job’; but, I am sure that you get the idea. The resounding complaint is the same.
Do you have this complaint, carefully guarded, in your heart? Indeed, if you never speak it, do you think it? This is self-pity and it is pride. Self-pity is debasing and pride is a sin. When doing what we are supposed to do, what have we profited? (“So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.” Luke 17:10) It is only after we have done more than the required that there may be appreciation and gratitude. I say there *may* be because we should never expect appreciation, gratitude or any kind of remuneration for what we do as wives and Moms.

Please read Luke 6:20-38 and apply it to your marriage and motherhood. These words of Jesus to His disciples—which includes you and me—are multipurpose, not just for Sunday morning, or when meeting adversity. Take God’s word off the sanctimonious shelf and live it already! We are His disciples and must live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4 and Luke 4:4—hey! Whaddayaknow.)

If we apply these words to our daily lives and toward husband and children we shall be blessed indeed! Things will begin to fall into place and to give us joy. I definitely believe that when I look for God’s hand in what I am doing, I do see it. What a joy! He is there with me, He sees what I do and is there when I do it. Remember…”As long as you did it to the least of these…you did it unto me.” (Matthew 25:40-45)

This morning my husband asked me to take his car in for repairs (something which I had not planned to do.) After he left for work, and when I was ready I left for the mechanic’s and arrived shortly after seven in the morning. Since I had no appointment, I came prepared to wait and wait I did.

There was a Mom there also, who had been waiting a couple of hours as I had. She had her little one with her, a boy of five. She played with him, all sorts of games, to keep him entertained. She read to him from the children’s books in the waiting room. She got him water and munchies from a dispenser; then she bounced him on her knees and chanted a sing-song-horsie-ride tune that ended, “he-falls-doooownnnn!”
I was amazed to observe that although she was bouncing quite enthusiastically, he was not holding on. When she stretched her feet forward vigorously for him to ‘fall down’ he only wrapped his feet around her calves and laughed, but did not ‘fall down’ and did not hang on!
This demonstrated to me how much he trusted his mom and how she must have, never, deceived him during his young life. He trusted her implicitly.
This mother was delighted to do the thing that moms do: patiently engrossing herself in the amusement and instruction of her child. Her countenance did not exhibit anything but satisfaction. I concluded that she was content for her actions brought her delight which was her reward.
I was glad for the unscheduled event. Would I have learned this lesson, and received such an encouraging blessing if I had not ran this errand for my husband?

My dear Sisters, make every effort to remold your thinking. See yourself as God sees you. “And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2) Imagine that! We no longer need to do what the world does. When we do renew our minds we are transformed. By this transformation we put to the test—that is—prove the will of God. We are given by God a way to test His will. Do you have any doubt about God’s will holding up? Think abut it! You may say that you do not know the will of God. Then I say to you, spend time with Him reading His word every day. This is how you know His will and renew your mind. We live in a corrupt world and if we are not cautious we begin to think as the world and to perform as the world.

A daily meeting time with the Lord is fundamental. It is said of Martin Luther, that he spent two hours daily reading Scripture and praying. If he had a difficult day ahead of him he then dedicated three or four hours to reading and prayer. Knowing that you will argue that he did not have ‘all these little ones’ and ‘all these chores’, etc. etc., let me remind you of Susanna Wesley (John and Charles’ mother.)
She wrote in her autobiography that when all her children had been born she was very busy—she had thirteen children. There was no place for her to get away by herself to pray and read the Scriptures. She had a full day, unlike most of us. She decided that since it was impossible to get away alone, she would have to do with that she had—which was an apron. She would sit on a chair and bring her apron up over her face and head and thus the children could not see her face. This tenacious woman taught her children that when they saw her sitting in this manner they could not speak to her, neither could they interrupt her in any way. In the privacy that the apron afforded her, she prayed for her husband, who was a hard man, and for her children whom she had to instruct by herself without her husband’s support. This method she employed for many years. The rest is history.

Did Susanna know the will of God? Did she pray for a bigger house? Or for extra hours in the day? She may have.
I know by her words that she prayed that her children would follow God and be used of Him. Did God answer her prayers? Indeed He did. Did she receive thanks from her husband? Again, by her own pen we know that he was ungrateful. The fruit of her life, however, has touched you and it has touched me. “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into they closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which seeth in secret; and they Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” (Matthew 6:6)

May God be praised and thanked for all those who do “thankless work” as unto Him.

"Wither therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God!” (I Corinthians 10:31)

In His hands, ^__^

Thank you (my) connection provider

Computers can be a pain...they can be a blessing...they are a blessing more often than they are a pain. But, when they are a pain, they are a huge pain. Not like labor, mind you; but more brain intensive than abdominal muscle work.

Long story short: Could not get on-line. Called my server, and traveled all over the world. Last stop California--thank you Lord. Spent more than 2.5 hours talking to them, 'trying' 1 million different windows, click here, click there, the modem blah, blah, blah. The router, not only blah, blah, blah, but also yaddah, yaddah, yaddah...oy vey, already!

They could not help me, BUT they identified the problem. Then, a couple of minutes on the phone with #5 and voila! here I am again. Passwords, modem, IPs, IDs, and even M&Ms.

'My' server people were extremely polite, kind, and knowledgeable--I appreciated that most of all.
Now after a brief crick in my neck and shoulder--from holding the phone and typing at the same time, all's well that ends well!

I'll leave you with this:

"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Dan 12:4

In His hands, ^__^

More gs finds, striped hat finished

I very much enjoy portraits of domestic life. The great painters of old caught the vignettes of daily living so exquisitely, that one can gaze upon any one of those portraits and be transported to that day and time.
Some people become tired of looking at these and sell them at garage sales, and I find some of them, bully for me!

Feeding the chickens

Knitting a sock

Wing chair that I have always wanted. After sitting in it for a few seconds, I offered the lady $20.00, she thought for a long time, and then took the money.

She had asked $30.00, a great buy at that price. It had lived in someone's touch-me-not room. It is pristeen. Now it lives in our family room-turned library. It is very comfortable. The winter knitting chair, now.

It goes well with my knitted afghan (our children gave me the yarn one year--it is king size)

I needlepointed the leopard many years ago. I still love it.

Now...the machine knitted cap for #3b. If you remember the flaw...I used it to be the fold up place--very convenient. I had to knit a couple more stripes, since it seemed too small.

Kirtchner stitch makes it look like a tube.
Another view.

And, one more view.

I sewed it along one side and rolled the other side. It did not look quite right until I folded the corners down and stitched them.

Last but not least. The back of the pink sweater for #2c. I had to hold it down with something...it is not blocked yet, and it wants to curl up.

Seeing that I have many other UFOs it is difficult to show you all of them. Sometimes I prefer knitting and other times sewing; sometimes crochet, and others embroidery; sometimes wool combing, others spinning.

You will see things while they are WIP and when they are finished.

It has been warmish again--rather it has been humid--over 80% humidity. One of our DD living in an arrid state misses the humidity, here is some humidity, just for you #1! i.e., clingy hair, damp garage floor, mosquitos, fruit flies, mouldy bread--after 2 days, etc., etc., etc.

Fans are going, and the gnats are falling into their trap. [some apple cider vinegar, a little water, and a couple of drops of dish liquid--they are attracted to the vinegar, and the detergent breaks the water tension--gnat gone!]

I'll leave you with this:

"But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach" Rom 10:8

In His hands, ^__^

Still...nothing from the pink sweater Brazilian lady

Maybe I should put a comment in her blog as well.

I have already started another type of sweater (done with the back)
I'll show you tomorrow. This one is for #2c...the one from the Brazilian blog will be for #4c, and if I don't get a response I'll have to go back to the drawing board.

Went to garage sales last weekend and got some useful goodies. I'll show you with the other stuff.

I'll leave you with this:


"Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words." Pro 23:9

In His hands, ^__^

Garage sale finds

Several years ago I walked into 'my' needlepoint shop and saw, on the wall behind the cash register, the most eye catching saying that I had seen in a long time. They had the canvas in the shop, but it was too expensive for me. I have been back to the store many times since, and the price has not gone down--in fact it has gone up.

Being the homemade housewife that I am [and having designed many needlepoint canvases before] I thought I could put pen to grid paper and replicate their canvas...well, I have that project, like, 4 millionth on my list of things to do--so it's been not, ever, on my mind--except when I go to the shop.

Yesterday, I stopped at 4 garage sales, 2 had nothing I wanted or needed. One had a bag of remnants of crochet thread for $1.00, and a bag of acrylic like yarn leftovers for .25c I could not pass them up. It is not that I needed the yarn, but it had a skein of crochet cotton that I can use, so I got it. The price was right.

Here they are, all pretty. You can see that most of them do not have too much cotton left. It will be just enough for a lacy edge.

Bag of yarn

The blue ball of yarn had 'something' inside, so I peeked. Under the beautiful blue, some pearl gray, not bad.

This sea green gem is a tightly wound WOOL...socks maybe? What a find!

This is the actual skein that I was after in this bag. Crochet cotton.

The last garage sale--YOU GUESSED IT--had the nice needlepoint saying on the chair next to the lady taking the money. I thought it was her back pillow [the chair was wrought iron] but, I thought, 'it does not hurt to ask'...sure enough it was one of the items that her friend had placed at the sale and she had to call her to find out how much she wanted for it. While the lady was calling her friend, an old elegant lady walked up and seeing the piece {which was made into a pillow} acted interested in it too.

All the while I was about to tell the elegant old lady that I had dibs on it, and she could not, even, look at it...but I displayed my dignity and smiled at the elegant old lady, politely; and with an air of condescension quickly turned to the garage lady.

She said, 'my friend wants $2.00 for it, is it too much?'...I had my hand in my wallet before I could say, 'not at all!' and handed her the $2.00 before she could tell her friend: 'she'll take it'

Good thing I was faster than the elegant old lady, and grabbed 'my' needlepoint piece in a flash!

This is a clever saying to have in such a shop. A shop owner must have come up with the idea.

I don't know where I'll put it...it is not a practical pillow...maybe I'll take it apart and frame it...then the project goes back to the 4 millionth place on the list...until then it will live in the front room somewhere...just decorative...a thing of beauty [I know, that is debatable]

I'll leave you with this:

"He hath made every thing beautiful in his time..." Ecc 3:11a

In His hands, ^__^

EZ's Baby Surprise sweater, and cord

The sweater

All the blue is one skein of worsted weight Bernat Super Soft (I think, already threw the sleeve away) and it was not enough, so I had to use an unknown skein of unknown contents in the only color that 'went' with the blue.

One sleeve appears and a front (EZ's instructions suggest making button holes on both bands, but I am not one to make extra work. So I figured which side was the 'boy's side' for button holes and went with it. Pardon me, EZ's family)

The knitting and arranging completed, now I'll sew the shoulders close and the buttons. Come back to see the finished thing. [almost forgot...this one is for 3f]

My very first CORD!

Had a little green wool, I thought it would look great with my little blue scissors. Diminished my bead stash by 3 beads. And, voila! it all goes together well.

I have always wanted to know how to make this cord, now, thanks to erleperle's August 24th post and yet another JoAnn's sale coupon....

I purchased this pretty little book of braids and cords.

The page that shows how to do it.

Very simple to do. I can hear all the little boys laughing 'because the lady did not know how to make this cord!' I think they learn to make this cord in Cubbies, or Eaglets, or whatever the first boyscouts are called.

It was very satisfying to make...and I thank erleperle for demonstrating the making of such a pretty one out of leather.

I'll leave you with this:

"And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. " Ecc 4:12

In His hands, ^__^

Ok, pies! and sunset

First the Ragullah that I make with the leftover pie crust. [sometimes called Rugulah, and/or Raghula]
You know, the regular stuff: A little butter, cinnamon and sugar...with a glass of milk, of course.
Berries pie: Cranberries, blackberries, blueberries, and red raspberries, with a can of condensed milk--I used Carnation brand.

This one is Dutch Appleberry. Mostly apples and the remnant of the berries.

This one is my 'much loved' Dutch Apple. I know they will bring much needed funds for the missionaries. Sometimes $25.00 each. (it's just that people want to give extra money to the fund)

Would you look at this sunset! Facing west into the last bands of Ike, and just 5 minutes before the sky was tomato red.

Like this...so breathtaking...so beautiful...so glorious...

Sweaters: *Everybody* is making and posting EZ's Baby Surprise jacket, here is the Knitters magazine Spring Issue, 14, from 1989

I'm working on one, but as easy it is to make I am continually counting stitches and rows. I will be making only this one.

That is too much effort for so little show...excuse me, that is my opinion. Give me tons of cables, fairisle, and lace, there is a bountiful reward with those.

Here is the page for the Adult Surprise.

I'll leave you with this:

[God] "Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's." Psa 103:5

In His hands, ^__^

Music...waaaayyy too annoying

I like the pieces that I chose but everytime I left the page and came back, the music started all over again.
It can be muted while on that page, but every time it would start again. I had those first 16 notes in my head all night. It is not so bad to have Handel's Water Music going around my head, but I choose not to have just a little piece of it.
By the way, our water department has Handel's Water Music for their 'while you wait for us to take your call' music.

On another note [no pun intended] I will be baking pies today. Our Missionary Fair is this weekend and they have a Pie Auction. Some ladies bake cookies, some bake cakes, some nut breads. They always ask 8 of us to bake pies--we make gooooood pies. I will be listening to Bruch's Scottish Fantasy while I bake.

Pie pictures later today or tomorrow.

I'll leave you with this:

"A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away" Ecc 3:6

In His hands, ^__^

Music for a while

from PLAYLIST...they did not have Concerto for flute and harp in A (allegro) by Bach--whaaaat!? The two listed do not work!
I considered posting the Soviet Union's (now Russia's) National Anthem...but it did not seem quite kosher, to do so. The melody is simply beautiful (don't know what the words are) I first heard it in the Hunt for Red October--yes, I have the 'edited' version--and I also have the dialogue mostly memorized. How many times did we watch it? At least ten (10) times. And the dialogue is not lyric, to say the least, but entertaining. It was recommended to us by our friend the Marine Corps B-Gen.
Digressing again, see what I mean?...The USSR's Anthem is just 'purdy Andy' check it out.

I shall see if it annoys me to have music all the time--tell me if it annoys you.

Some blogs have nice, peaceable musick, some have blearing, strident, shock-your-socks-right-off [and we knitters have lots of socks] kind of musick...

The pieces I chose are among my favourites.

We shall see how it goes.

I'll leave you with this:

"Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image" Dan 3:10

In His hands, ^__^

Attempting a baby sweater

This picture is temporarily borrowed from Tessituras. See the link below.

I just wrote an email to the blogger who posted the YouTube video of the sweater I want to knit. I hope she'll understand English. She is in Brazil, and all her posts are in Portuguese and all her comments are in Portuguese/Brazilian.

She has posted the stitch pattern but not how many stitches to c/o or the increases, or any of the directions on making the sweater.

I have already watched this video more than 10 times, freezing frames and counting...but something is not quite right. By the third yarn over increase row I have 496 sts. That cannot be right.

I am hoping she will get back to me. Or if any of you know how to make this sweater, you are welcome to help me--in English if possible.

I have been working on this for several days, and have had my attention plunged in getting this. Now I have to know how to do it...stubborn, I suppose.

I should learn how to post a video rather than give you the URL, but oh, well.

I'll leave you with this:

"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." Mat 21:22

In His hands, ^__^

Part II, Crochet, and first batch of bread in cool weather

You will have to scroll all the way down to see the sequin fabric.

I am a copy-cat. When Sunshine posted this book on her blog, I knew I had to have it. Then I forgot all about it. But...
When I went to Jo-Ann's for some black thread, I HAD to look in the yarn section, and sure enough, they had this book there...I had a 40% off coupon...the rest is history, as they say...there is more to come, 'cause they have two more 'Easy Edgings' books...maybe...next coupon sale...
Romanian Cord:
Does anybody remember Germantown wool from Brunswick? Well, I had part of a skein, an odd kind of green...leftover from something from long ago. I decided I needed to practice the Romanian cord and get it right. So, I did! with this Germantown...it is so soft...OK! I'm back. Here is a couple of feet of Romanian cord, and enough yarn to make a couple of yards. Then, I'll use it somewhere, for something...
The case for the hooks used to be a reading glass case, too pretty to dispose of, it has found its second job. The red background is the back of you-know-who's quilt panel. I was working on it a little while the bread was rising.

Bread:

This is the dough just placed in the bowl to rise. [It was so nice to mill the wonderful Kansas wheat and prepare the dough with Kansas honey, and Kansas butter...I am certain that your State's products are just as yummy...hmm]

Three hours later, the loaves are ready to rise.

One hour later, the bread is done. [30 minutes rising, 30 minutes baking]

A full view of the four loaves cooling on the rack.

Fabric:

Although it looks gray, the fabric is jet black. I placed the little piece of the braid on the edge as it is on the overjacket. (you may have to embiggen the picture)

You can see the fabric better but the camera's flash made it look lighter, and the sequins do not sparkle.
I have a lot to learn about taking pictures with the natural effect.

Well, that's all for today.

I'll leave you with this:

"Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it." Pro 8:10-11

In His hands, ^__^

Can we pretend Part I

Let's say this is a retro-post for this past weekend.

I spent last week and weekend sewing a beautiful formal overjacket and altering a dress for a friend who will be in a wedding this coming weekend.

There are no pictures because the bride does not want 'anything to leak out about the wedding'. However I have no strictures about describing the overjacket. It was a longish garment--almost to mid thigh. It was made of embroidered chiffon, and was edged with sequined braid cord.
The embroidered chiffon was sprinkled with embroidered sequins also. All in black. Exquisite.

My Mom did the cutting--so as to use the least amount of the pricy fabric, she is an expert in this. She did some of the assembling and the primary fitting. I did the original design and the actual construction and fittings.

The dress alteraltions consisted of simple fittings, and adding the same gorgeous sparkly braid to the neckline to bring the two garments together.

I do want to show you the fabric and the sparkly braid. Perhaps later.

Should be posting later today about mundane stuff, but wanted to share about the 'secret' sewing with you.

I'll leave you with this:

"I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk." Eze 16:10

In His hands, ^__^