Encourage

These days seem long and hard. Social distancing has taken a toll that most of us never realized could affect us so deeply. The whole month of April has pressed down and left us away from friends and loved ones. I know it was hard for me, as my birthday went by with no acknowledgement. 

The truth is, we need people. My hubby and I love to have people over for dinner. But of course that has been put to the wayside. These are our people. The ones we love and lean on, walk along side with, in this journey called life. The people we trust with our darkest secrets and share our wildest dreams. 

How many people really open up when they are hurting? Yes, we can send a text or email to someone to keep in touch, but sometimes it is nice to get a note or letter in the mail. It's like a little visit. We need to encourage one another and send a word of comfort. It makes it more personal to think that someone took the time to write a word of encouragement and support.

Perhaps you know someone who is home bound, even before the stay at home order. Or a widow or widower who is facing these times alone.. Do you know, many people in nursing homes never have a visit from family members or friends? How sad is that?

Can I challenge you to find someone to encourage? Take a few minutes out of your day to bring sunshine to someone else? You may find your friends need a little more encouragement on an average day than they do on their birthdays.

Grace at Home

The story of the egg scale

 As we are sitting out these last days of Stay at Home, I thought I would share a story that I posted years ago on my Hospitality blog

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On a trip to South Carolina my daughter and I went to several antique shops. Between the two of us, we found several vintage thingies that we added to our collection of old stuff.

But for today, I wanted to share about something that I had never seen before. It was a vintage Farm Master Egg scale from Sears Roebuck & Co.

We first saw this scale in a little shop in Florence. I thought it was so interesting, but passed it up. At $12, it was more then my usual thrifty spending habits.

We picked up a few business cards at this particular shop, and headed out in search of more bargains. We landed at the Thieves Market, which was a huge warehouse, packed to the gills with stuff! And guess what? They also had a vintage Farm Master Egg scale. But the price was not $12. Oh No!! It was marked.......... $48! Whoa!

Now here was something that I had never seen before, and now I've run into it twice, with a $36 price difference. Boy, now I was wishing I had picked up this little gem.

With our prizes in hand, we headed back to the hotel for a night of rest, so we could venture out again the next day.

Georgetown SC is a historical landmark town. We've never visited there before, so we thought we would take a buzz through this little town. And low and behold, there was an Antique mall. Guess it wouldn't hurt to take a browse through.

And yes, of course you know what I am going to tell you. Here it was again! The Farm Master Egg scale. But wait! What's this?? What did you say the price was?? But it is in such poor condition!!

I called my daughter over to take a look. Surely my eyes were not seeing the price right. Oh, it is?? You mean to tell me this egg scale is..... it is.......

$78!!!!!

Auugghhhhhh!!!!!

Now I have been thrift hunting for a lonnngggg time, but I cannot ever remember finding something with such a huge (scalping) I mean difference. A difference of $66 from the first one that we saw!

So you know what we did?? Yep, we jumped in the car, and we drove back to Florence! We not only found the egg scale for $12.00, but my daughter found several other items while we were there.

So what is the moral of this story?

Buy it when you see it the first time :-)

A Gilded Lady

Elizabeth Camden has done it again. A Gilded Lady is the second book in the Hope and Glory series. And what an interesting story she has written.

The White House. Who doesn't become enthralled with the inner workings of the Presidents home. And in this story, Caroline Delacroix is secretary to First Lady Ida McKinley. She is classy, efficient, out spoken and strong. She is able to handle the irritability of Mrs. McKinley, and yet walks by her side as a calming voice to the anxious First Lady.

Nathaniel Trask is a most interesting character. He reluctantly hires on to protect the President, and his sense of duty carries him to provide security in the most dangerous situations. As we follow along with the President's tour of the country, and the tragedy that followed, I found it difficult to put the book down.

The blossoming of their relationship was a beautiful tale in itself. Camden has a way of using words and mind pictures that draw you into the story. She is a master story teller, with thorough research of history. Although Caroline and Nathaniel are fictional characters, you could almost imagine there certainly were some people that filled these positions.

I received a complimentary ebook copy from the publisher, through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Hands 2 Help Check In

Today is check in day with the Hands2Help challenge. I still need to quilt some of the tops, but here are some that I've been working on.

This one is quilted and I'm doing the last of the binding.

Happy Quilting!

Bread for the Journey

Mellow Yellow

I've been working on quilts for the Hands2 Help  Finishing up this one.

 Finished or Not Friday 
Brag About your Beauties
Can I Get A Whoop Whoop

A little kindness goes a long way

Wishing you a happy quilting day!

Hadley Beckett's Next Dish

I loved it!  Hadley Beckett's Next Dish was a delightful fun loving story about two chefs, competing for the prize. As you know many cooking shows are based on competition. And Oh what a ride this one is.

Hadley Beckett is smart and spunky. She wields a dessert dish like it was a sword. Making her way to the top, which is no easy feat for anyone, she proves she can win against one of the top chefs. When Max Cavanaugh pitches a fit after his loss, degrading Hadley along the way, he is relegated to 'anger management'. But Max wants a come back. Can Hadley trust the self absorbed bad boy? Pitched together for a once in a lifetime adventure, will Max's change be enough to win Hadley's trust.

Absolutely a great read. Entertaining, hilarious, totally enjoyable.I'm off to find other books by Bethany Turner.

I received a complimentary ebook copy from the publisher, through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Frozen

I've been working on quilts for Hands to Help but along the way I thought I would make a little quilt for my granddaughter.

She loves all things Disney, and when I found this Frozen fabric on clearance at Walmart, well, it was a no brainer.

I am going to piece the backing and quilt it up.

 Finished or Not Friday 
Brag About your Beauties
Can I Get A Whoop Whoop

How are you spending your days?

Ok so there is only so much quilting you can do, and then well, you need to do something else ;-) So let's do a run down.

Gardening

Reading

Baking

Cooking

Catching up on movies

Crafting

 

So tell me, how have you been spending your stay at home days?

Things we can change

In light of covid-19 stay home/stay safe, a dear home bound friend shared this with me and I wanted to share it with you.

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We are to exercise faith of our assignment, and go boldly forward.  Nehemiah 2:17-20

Things we can change and do -

• I encourage you to have hope for better results during this time.  Put scriptures up around the house that are encouraging and memorize them.
• Keep your favorite Christian radio station playing all day even if you can't hear it.  It seems to clean and clear the air. 
• Rest when you can both mentally and physically.
• Physically sit and do handwork or read; take a nap everyday during this time period.
• Mentally, get out of the house if just to drive in areas you like, or take long country drives.
• Keep life around you - such as planting living things or feeding living critters.
• Fill your days with ministering to others; plan your next day each evening; but, in the morning ask the Lord what He would like you to do that day.  Give it to Him and it might be what you planned, but it might not.  You will look back on the day and see God's work and how He involved you in it.  Eph 2:10; Jn 17:4
• Take pictures of pretty flowers, animals, etc., when walking in the neighborhood, and, send them out to your email list.  Not all people can get out and even walk in the neighborhood to see the beauty of nature.
• Think of ways you can encourage people who are frightened during this time...and a lot are, especially, those without the Lord.

Worry will not solve this problem, or any problem.  Look back through your book of remembrance and how the Lord has always solved your needs.  He will solve this one, too.  It is His responsibility.   🙂  It is our responsibility to let Him resolve it His way and in His time.  👍

Because we cannot change the outcome -

And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?  Matthew 6:27 NASB

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness,....  Matthew 6:33 NASB

So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.  Matthew 6:34 NASB

Happy Easter

“He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our sins; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”  Isaiah 53:5

Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world." (John 11:25-27)

"He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said" (Matt. 28:6)

May you rejoice in knowing that the Savior of this world lives.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

It's a free gift..........Have a blessed Easter

Before I Called You Mine

 

Before I Called You Mine is such a heartwarming story, one you will want to read.

Lauren Bailey has a heart to adopt an orphan from China. Being a single woman, a first grade school teacher, the stipulation in single parent adoption is she cannot marry before the adoption takes place. For several years she has been in the adoption process, but the wait is long and at certain times stressful. Adding to the stress, her family is dead set against it. When a little boy becomes available, she jumps at the chance to bring her son home. But all is not well, as a huge mistake takes place and things don't proceed as planned.

Enter one Joshua Avery. A quirky fun loving guy, who stirs something in Lauren that shes never experienced before. Their friendship soon becomes more, as Lauren's hopes of adoption fall by the wayside. Their relationship gets complicated when Lauren learns of a little girl, in need of heart surgery, becomes available. What will Lauren do? Will she sacrifice her God given desire to adopt? Will she lose Joshua because of it.

Nicole Deese has written an inspirational captivating story about international adoption, love, and forgiveness. It's beautifully written and one I would highly recommend.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are my honest opinion.

Amazng quilters!

 

Isn't it amazing to see how many quilters have stepped up to the plate to make masks? I commend each and every one of you. You have once again shown how compassionate and generous you all are.

I have contacted the ones who asked for the Batik fabric except for two. Sew Happy and Carline did not leave any contact information, so I am asking once again. If you would like to have a small portion of the batiks please leave your email or send me your mailing address. I will hold them until tomorrow or I will distribute with the others who requested. Thanks so much.

Happy Quilting!