Lessons from the Lord...like a willow.

~Seems like for a long time now, I've been trying so hard to 'be strong'...to keep going. I had a particularly hard winter with my fibromyalgia...and looking back, I think I started worsening when my son had his first surgery at age 6 and had 3 months in a body cast. Thru out that, my husband , who works night turn was home a lot, I was homeschooling 2 children and had a 3 year old...it was a long winter. Then, my son got the cast off, and had another surgery 8 months later to remove hardware and had to recover from that. About 4 months later, my 4 year old daughter had to have surgery on her tonsils and adnoids....fast forward to this winter, when 9 months after her surgery....both of them came down with the whooping cough...lasting almost 10 weeks....it was another long winter.

All of this to say that I've noticed that ever since his first surgery, my health has declined and so has our home routine. I've been trying, Oh, how I've been trying (in my own strength) to just "do the next thing"....take care of everyone, keep it all going. I finally, a number of weeks ago, went forward for prayer, and a gentleman whom I didn't know prayed for me....then stopped and told me he sensed God telling him that I was a very strong woman....he had an image of a strong oak tree...but that God was telling him that I needed to be able to bend with the winds of adversity when they come...to rest and get re-nurtured from my source of life...my living water. I went home and cried and prayed and thought about this for weeks...and gradually, the mental depression and (ok, I'll call it what it is) self-pity started easing. I tried to remember to rest, but am still not very good at it. But, I am called back for living water again and again thru out my day now...short pauses just to breathe...talk to Him and rest in His arms for a few minutes.....breathe again, and go on.

Willow trees are my favorite type of tree and have been since I was a little girl. They need to be rooted near a water supply and are so supple and bend so gracefully in the wind....watching the way that they are tossed about in a storm is almost like watching a dance....they gracefully bend which ever way their Creator tosses them....and when the sun comes out (and it always does) they are straight and strong....still doing their graceful dance in the gentle breezes as well.

I want to be like the willow....dancing and rejoicing during the gentle breezes...always giving thanks to my Creator....and gracefully bending (not breaking) during the storms of life. I thank and praise God for sharing this with my friend from church....I love when I feel as if He is revealing a lesson just for me.....now to remember to heed it!

Have many more doctors appointments coming up....checking gallbladder specifically as well as adrenal fatigue....will be praying that my doctor can shed some light on these things....but am now praying for His plan to be revealed and what does He want me to do....and as I am learning to bend and to bow down and rest....I trust that He will always care for me and meet my needs. May God bless your day! ~Sue~

Book review: A Year without "Made in China"

~I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It made me be more aware of just how many things we have in the US that are imported from China...and how much "stuff" I can do without.

This family decided for one year to not buy anything new that was made in China....they would keep what they have, but not add any new purchases to it. There were, however, stipulations such as 'gifts'...that didn't "count"...ways to get around their self-imposed restrictions.

One of the things that stood out to me, was how much this family and many families in today's society consider shopping a 'family activity' or 'recreation'....I had forgotten until I read this book the lesson that I learned years ago when our finances were totally tight, not an extra penny left at payday.....I learned that if I didn't shop, I wouldn't spend. Simple concept, right? Well....with the advent of the internet, amazon.com and having anything you could want at your fingertips....you didn't have to leave the house to shop...that just made it even easier to spend money. It also made it easier not to know where your products origionated from. I couldn't look at the box or label and read "made in China" by ordering off of the internet.

One of the main ideas that I came away with from reading this book is (for our family) to go back to the "don't shop/don't spend" philosophy...and also to be very concious of the origen of our purchases and the value (and necessity) of what we purchase....

We've really committed to purchasing "re-purposed" clothing and necessities from thrift stores and from sharing with friends clothing and things that our children have outgrown. We are challanged to look at what we have and ask ourselves if we can "use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without"...as well as "what could we make this into?"....such as old t-shirts sewn into simple shopping bags...tablecloths re-made into bags or aprons.

I would recommend this book, if you need an eye opener as to the economics of importing from China....how American made is rare these days, and if you would like to be inspired to 're-purpose' and re-do in the good old American spirit of ingenuity! ~Sue~

Stash.....

This old 'chiffarobe' belonged to my grandmother and holds a special place in my heart...it also holds my fabric stash. (well, most of it...I have some more upstairs ) :) I ALMOST showed a picture of the inside, but until my wonderful husband puts shelves in it, I'm not sure what may fall out of it!



My yarn stash...(Meghan and Sara have their own stashes)...I have 2 bins of acrylic on the bottom, but have become rather a yarn snob lately and love the feel of natural yarns...wool or cotton, specifically.

And, as if I don't already have plenty of both...Meghan and I left the house before 8AM this morning to go to the annual Salvation Army Fabric/Yarn sale! (missed you this year, Dayna!) Now, I'm very glad it benefits a worthy charity, and when I can pick up the bargains that I have and use them to make gifts, and bless my family and others... it is even better!


My sleepy Meghan and I....once the doors opened, I didn't see her again until checkout...it is so crowded in there, I despaired of finding her again, made my way to check out and there she was! We were back home in time for her and Sara to be picked up by 3 friends for a morning of estate sales, then out to lunch for the 5 of them.

Some of my "finds":

8 balls of cotton yarn in a chocolate brown color....


A HUGE (I don't even know what to call it) amount of chenille yarn in a soft, sage green.....I can't even tell you how much is on here....but it is a huge amount for only $4!!!

This wool yarn from Italy in a soft cream color stole my heart...and I was able to get 19 balls!

8 balls of this brown, chunky wool yarn (also from Italy) for $2

Just a little bit (I am cutting down on purchasing fabric until I use up what I have...ok...I'm trying!) of Christmas fabric...enough patterns for 6 ornaments...and lots of yardage for Christmas aprons or Christmas quilts. I would like each of my children, when they 'leave the nest' to have a Christmas quilt of their own, at least one 'utility' quilt, a nice, large afghan, and they will also take all of 'their' Christmas ornaments as well to start them off. Each of the girls, as well, has an antique quilt put away for them to take with them.

OH! I also got this knitting needle case for free...and got 2 sets of circular needles in different sizes and 2 sets of 4 double pointed needles as well....I'm ready to learn socks! (maybe)

Another unexpected blessing was meeting my old friend, Linda as soon as we got there! This is the first year that Linda and I didn't make plans to meet there, and we met up at exactly the same time anyway...and got to catch up while waiting for it to open. Linda is a master quilter, and was instrumental in sharing her love of quilting with me.

~So....that is a little about my "stash"! LOL I am loving the saying "reduce, reuse, recycle" and now one of my favorite words is "re-purpose"...it is so nice to have what I need at home to either make gifts, to make things we need or to re-make things I already have into something useful. So...what is in your stash?

~Sue~

Quiet time fun...Tangrams!!!!

We have discovered Tangrams! I had forgotten we had some in a drawer, until we got another set today along with cool cards and a book to put together tons of different puzzles...the kids are loving them! (so am I!) I am feeling so blessed that the Lord is bringing activities into our lives that exercise the brain, are NON-ELECTRONIC, and are a lot of fun, too.

Anna and I had fun before dinner putting different puzzles together....for my 5 year old, having the solutions on one side allowed her to be challanged, but not frustrated if she couldn't quite get the puzzle....I love things like this!

Just another quiet time activity for my children to do to keep their hands busy and their minds occupied. Keep the suggestions coming! ~Sue~

One small change...moderation

One of my changes for this spring is moderation. I tend to be the type of person who is passionate about most things...rarely luke-warm...I am passionate about my Lord and Savior....my husband, children, family, home, simple living, hospitality, natural health and nutrition, fiber arts (crocheting, sewing, and now knitting)...you get the idea. So when I become interested in something, pray about it and feel the Lord's leading in that area, I usually throw myself (and my family) headlong into it! Such has been the case with green smoothies and raw food lately.

Needless to say, I have been experiencing some 'complications' with my health....that have really made me sick for over a month now. It wasn't until I went thru a few different tests, prayed about it and tonight was talking to a dear friend, when she suggested that maybe I was 'over-doing' it...and my body just couldn't digest/handle that much fiber at once...and I realized that I wasn't drinking enough water, either. (sigh)

I feel CLEARLY that the Lord is teaching me a valuable lesson thru all of this....trusting in Him, and moderation are the keys to health and life. Moderation not just in food (or juices), but in everything...activities outside the home, hospitality (I guess company for dinner 4-5 times in once month is a little too much on the budget), activities inside the home (computer, television, dvd's), exercise and hobbies....anything excessive is just not healthy.

So, in the coming months I will be trying very hard to prayerfully be aware of moderation...if life starts feeling like it is spinning out of control, I will cut down on activities. I will prayerfully weigh the menu choices for our family...balancing the proteins, whole grains AND greens/fruits. I've already started cutting down on computer time....and surprisingly for me, it has been harder than I thought! LOL

Praise God for His infinite wisdom and grace in my life! Any suggestions in moderation would be gratefully welcomed! Blessings! ~Sue~

Happy Easter!

Christos Voskres!!!! He is Risen!!!The above is a Slovak cloth beautifully embroidered stating "Christ is Risen" and created to cover a large basket filled with special food to be blessed for the Easter celebration feast.

I love tradtions! Sorry I haven't been posting much around here...not feeling very well, and trying to just live life as much as possible with Ron and my children.

We had a very special weekend! After one of my dearest friends invited me to the spa for her birthday to have pedicures and manicures together and to get a bite to eat afterward....how could I say no?! So Thusday evening was spent being pampered and relaxing...and especially visiting with a dear friend! Thanks, Steph!

Friday, I had a pretty nasty 2 1/2 hour procedure in the morning,but came home and make a small Easter dinner for our family...ham, kielbasi, potato salad and some veggies...then we all headed to South Hills Bible Chapel for their Good Friday service. Oh, my goodness...it was very solumn and yet passionate at the same time....very focused on our Lord. Then, we went upstairs, to a special "journey to the cross"....and each room represented Jesus steps to the cross....in one room there were real spikes and mallets, another one held real spices of frankincense and mir....one had a very realistic bloody cross , crown of thorns and robe....very powerful. Each of the children were mesmerized....as were we. The last room represented you, nailing your sins to the cross....with the invitation that anyone who would follow Jesus would pick up his cross and follow....and nail it to the cross. that was the most powerful for me...especially seeing my little ones understand, write down what they thought their sins were and nail them to the cross. I am so glad that we went!

Saturday, we celebrated Easter and my sister Pam's 40th birthday.....what fun! So glad the weather held, as we were all outside and the kids had so much fun! The food was fantastic, and there was so much of it...even the gigantic cake my mom made!

Sunday, we had a very nice church service with our great church familiy....came home, relaxed , made a quick salad and headed down to Ron's moms. It was so nice seeing nieces and nephews and cousins....all the little cousins play so nice together!

Now....back to busily productive! Not sure how often I'll be posting now that the weather is beautiful, and we're trying to get the spring cleaning done, switching sizes and seasons for Ronnie and Anna...finish up homeschooling papers and responsabilities for this year. Hope to have some more posts soon, though. Some days it is just too nice outside! LOL

May you all be very blessed!!!! ~Sue~

Lego love!

What fun! Lego's are a blast that has staying power! We've been really enjoying them around here, and I am continually amazed at what Ronnie can build with them.....we are always on the lookout for more! Now the fun is shared...

Who knew they had "girl" Lego's?! Anna is now playing with her Lego's everyday...I am so happy that it is something that she and her brother can share an interest in, help each other and yet....she can still have her "girly" pink ones. As they get older, it is getting a little harder to find things in common, and I feel so blessed that they are able to share this interest!

This is a police helecopter that Ronnie has built and bought with his own money...he is so proud of this, and he had it together in no time! Now, he is saving ($50!!!) for a Lego Indiana Jones Temple of Doom to build. He keeps asking for jobs to do to earn money..and we happily provide him with all the jobs he wants!

There is a Lego museum about 1 1/2 hours from here in Ohio that we are planning a family trip to. I don't know who is more excited, the little ones or us! Will have to post the website and pictures when we go. Happy building! ~Sue~

Endings and beginnings...

Finally finished the wedding gift I was making for our freinds...the afghan above. I thought it was finished....but then thought it wasn't quite big enough for two....or three, ( they will become 3 in September) so I just kept making it bigger until it looked the right size. Wanted it to be warm and cozy for snowy Pittsburgh, so small stitches were in order. Now...for new projects!

A knitted scarf....might have to 'frog' this one as I just learned how to pick up dropped stitches....might be practicing different knitting stitches on cotton dishcloths this summer....portable and good practice!


This knitted shawl is in the garter stitch and will eventually become....



This shawl from Maryjane's Farm Magazine. (my very favorite magazine!)

And, I think this will turn out to be one of my very favorite projects....love the color and it is so soft and fuzzy....another wedding present, this time for my wonderful niece who is getting married April 30th. With this chunky yarn and large hook it is working up rather quickly.



~I am finding that these projects are as much for me as for the recipient...I sometimes crave the feel of the yarn and wooden needles or hook in my hands...the repetition is soothing and at the same time, helps clarify my thoughts. For so many years, I felt as if my creativity had 'dried' up...and now....I am loving it again! So many projects, so little time! I am trying to teach my children that keeping their hands busy (even if it is lego building for Ronnie, or coloring for Anna) , even while watching a movie together, is being quietly productive...and that is a very good thing. Here is to the end of satisfying projects and the beginning of new creative times! ~Sue~