On Wednesday’s we bite our tongues
or should I say fold our fingers
to stay Wordless.
Visit here to see what other folded fingers can say.
Wordless Wednesday — Big Dog Came to Visit
Today’s thought — Kinder
Grissabel and the computer close and personal.
Good Morning
My Daily Creed
Let me be a little kinder,
Let me be a little blinder
To the faults of those about me;
Let me praise a little more.
Let me be, when I am weary,
Just a little bit more cheery;
Let me serve a little better
those that I am striving for.
Let me be a little blinder
To the faults of those about me;
Let me praise a little more.
Let me be, when I am weary,
Just a little bit more cheery;
Let me serve a little better
those that I am striving for.
Let me be a little braver
When temptation bids me waver;
Let me strive a little harder to be all
that I should be.
Let me be a little meeker
With the brother that is weaker,
Let me think more of my neighbour
And a little less of me.
Author: Unknown
And let us consider one another
to provoke unto love and to good works: Hebrews 10:24
Trust God for your day. . . Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie
Scavenger Hunt Sunday for April 22, 2012
I really do know when it’s Sunday. Sometimes life just pushes activities in a different order, so on Wednesday I’m sharing my hunt.
Scavenger Hunt Sunday items:
Yellow,
On our drive home from family togetherness at Thanksgiving, we found yellow snow. I wasn’t able to take the picture I had in mind.
Something that Makes/Made You Smile,
Spring Lilacs always make me smile, as I remember picking bouquets as a teenager after helping my mom clean house on Saturdays.
Ancient or Antique,
This child’s rocking chair was my husband’s who isn’t really ancient or antique. It has a fabric strip woven seat painted red like the wood.
Splash
A triple fountain splashes all the day long.
In the Sun
You have to look closely. In the sun I found a snail’s trail loop on the sidewalk.
I join with many others here at Ashley’s to share our pictures.
My Knitting Heros — 3KCBWDAY3
Blog about someone in the fibre crafts who truly inspires you.
The first knitter that came to my mind was Elizabeth Zimmermann.
“Really, all you need to become a good knitter are wool, needles, hands, and slightly below-average intelligence. Of course superior intelligence, such as yours and mine, is an advantage.” ― Elizabeth Zimmermann, Knitting Without Tears: Basic Techniques and Easy-to-Follow Directions for Garments to Fit All Sizes
I have her books and 75% of the time I have one of the Surprise Baby Sweaters on my needles. I have also made the tomten sweater for a 6 year old. I love the simplicity of garter stitch.
Here is my daycare ‘grandchild’ wearing hers.
“Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn’t hurt the untroubled spirit either.”
― Elizabeth Zimmermann
Then there is the life and knitting adventures of the Yarn Harlot. Where would the knitting world be with out her wit. How often when reading her essays I find my self nodding, ‘yes.’
“SABLE- A common knitting acronym that stands for Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy.”
“Achieving the state of SABLE is not, as many people who live with these knitters believe, a reason to stop buying yarn, but for the knitter it is an indication to write a will, bequeathing the stash to an appropriate heir.” ― Stephanie Pearl-McPhee
.
At Knit’s End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much is my favorite book of hers.
Two of my daughters and I were able to take a sox knitting class with Stephanie, it was delightful. Her presentation, her practical knitting ways and wicked sense of humor made our hours with her fly by.
Sincere thanks to two beautiful ladies who have added so much enjoyment to my knitting life.
Today’s thought — Kindness
The Lilacs are blooming at Cozy Acres.
Good Morning
1 Corinthians 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind;
Kind Hearts
What is your kindness quotient? When was the last time you did
something kind for someone in your family–e.g., got a blanket, cleaned off the table, prepared the coffee–without being asked?
Think about your school or workplace. Which person is the most overlooked or avoided? A shy student? A grumpy employee? Maybe he doesn’t speak the language. Maybe she doesn’t fit in. Are you kind to this person?
Kind hearts are quietly kind. They let the car cut into traffic and the young mom with three kids move up in the checkout line. They pick up the neighbor’s trash can that rolled into the street. And they are especially kind at church. They understand that perhaps the neediest person they’ll meet all week is the one standing in the foyer or sitting in the row behind them in worship. Paul writes: “When we have the opportunity to help anyone, we should do it. But we should give special attention to those who are in the family of believers.” Galatians 6:10 NCV –Max Lucado, A Love Worth Giving
Galations 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Kindness isn’t listed among the Fruits of the Spirit, but I think it fits in real close to Gentleness.
Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Trust God for your day. . . Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie
Photo Challenge — 3KCBWDAY2
I love the way my yarn swift makes yarn cakes.
One day I turned a cake of yarn, my daughter spun, on its side.
Neapolitan Sundae
It looked just like a hay bale we saw in New Mexico.
About five and a half feet tall and complete arm span wide.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to spin all that hay into yarn?
Colour Lovers 3KCBWDAY1
I enjoy so much reading about what others, at all levels of expertise, are making; their successes and their froggings. So when I read about this Knit and Crochet Blog Week from a link; blogging every day about an activity I never have as much time for as I would like, seemed like fun. But I have read others blogs and comparing mine that voice of doubt yelled very loudly.
I’m just gonna ‘ put my fingers in my ears, hold my nose and dive in’.
Just for the fun of it!
Colour is one of our greatest expressions of ourselves when we choose to knit or crochet, so how do you choose what colours you buy and crochet or knit with.
GOLDEN YELLOW !
Not the bright sunny shiny yellow, but the muted golden shades.
I am drawn to it.
I love knitting with golden yellow.
I love the golden yellow of sunflowers.
I don’t wear golden yellow.
I try to hide in dark shades,
blue, black brown with a little red.
My knitted shawls are white, cream, brown, and
a silky wool purple I love.
Is it time I jumped into the world of colour?
Today’s thought — By Their Fruits
Good Afternoon,
Sunday morning’s text was this scripture. The main thought being the underlined portion.
2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? KJV
2Co 13:5 Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves [not Christ]. Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you–unless you are [counterfeits] disapproved on trial and rejected? Amplified Bible
This poem by an unknown author helps me to examine myself.
We should do so much in the years to come,
But what have we done today?
We shall give our gold in a princely sum,
But what did we give today?
We shall lift the heart and shall dry the tear,
We shall plant a hope in the place of hear,
We shall speak the words of love and cheer;
But what did we speak today?
We shall be so kind in the after while,
But what have we done today?
We shall bring to each lonely life a smile,
But what have we brought today?
We shall give the truth a far grander birth,
And to steadfast faith a much deeper worth,
We shall fee the hung’ring souls of earth;
But whom have we fed today?
We shall reap such joys in the by and by,
But what have we sown today?
We shall build us mansions up in the sky,
But what have we built today?
Oh, how sweet it is in fond dreams to bask,
But right here and now we must do our task,
Yes, this is the thing our souls must ask,
“Just what have we done today?”
Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Trust God for your day. . .Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie
Sunday Bible Reading — Joel 2:21-27
Joel 2:21-27
Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice:
for the LORD will do great things.
Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field:
for the pastures of the wilderness do spring,
for the tree beareth her fruit,
the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.
Be glad then, ye children of Zion,
and rejoice in the LORD your God:
for he hath given you the former rain moderately,
and he will cause to come down for you the rain,
the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
And the floors shall be full of wheat,
and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.
And I will restore to you the years
that the locust hath eaten,
the cankerworm,
and the caterpiller,
and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied,
and praise the name of the LORD your God,
that hath dealt wondrously with you:
and my people shall never be ashamed.
And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,
and that I am the LORD your God, and none else:
and my people shall never be ashamed.
Trust God for your day. . . Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie
Today’s thought — Bless my Enemies
It’s Lilac time at Cozy Acres.
Good Morning,
This morning checking my email; I opened Ann Voskamp’s Holy Experience post on how to love your enemies. I skimmed through most of it but had to stop and reread this portion:
“I knit and pray my own wandering version through of an old prayer for old pain:
Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.
Enemies have driven me into your embrace more than friends have.
Enemies have loosed me from earth more than friends have…
Enemies have made me a hunted animal, finding safer shelter than an unhunted animal does.
I found safest sanctuary in You…may too my enemies-made-grace.
I found greatest grace in You… may my enemies-made-grace find Your generous grace alive and radical in me.
I found fullest forgiveness in You… may my enemies-made-grace find faith and freedom in You and Your forgiveness working surprising ways in me.
The longer I walk with you, Lord, I find I have no enemies: only your gift of chisels etching me deep.
Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.”
I replaced the word ‘enemies’ with trials, hard places, sickness, mind battles and realized a fresh that bad things do have a purpose.
And that sometimes my enemy is me…………
Luke 6:27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
Luke 6:36 So be merciful (sympathetic, tender, responsive, and compassionate) even as your Father is [all these]. Amplied Bible
If you want to read her post, it’s here: http://www.aholyexperience.com/2012/04/how-to-love-your-enemies
Trust God for your day, ….Today
With my prayers; desiring yours, Leslie
Today’s thought — The Lord will be with you.
Good Morning,
I’m pondering two of my favorite chapters in the Bible showing the power of God.
2 Chronicles 20 tells of King Jehoshaphat calling upon God for help in the battle, his people were facing. He reminds God of God’s power. He acknowledges that he doesn’t know what to do, but that his eyes are upon God.
God reassures Jehoshaphat and the people telling them that the battle is His and exposing the enemy’s hiding place. As the people praise God “Praise God for His mercy endureth forever.” God causes havoc and complete defeat. The people gather the spoils from a a battle they didn’t fight.
2Ch 20:15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you
Mark 9:14-29 tells of the man who brought his son to the disciples for healing. They were unable to help the man and his child.
v. 22-24 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
In the Amplified Bible v 23-24 are phrased like this: “And Jesus said, [You say to Me], If You can do anything? [Why,] all things can be (are possible) to him who believes! At once the father of the boy gave [an eager, piercing, inarticulate] cry with tears, and he said, Lord, I believe! [Constantly] help my weakness of faith!”
How often I have felt as these; not knowing what to do and needing encouragement to keep believing.
Whatever situation you are facing this day; don’t give up on God. Keep your eyes on Him! Trust in His perfect plan!
Trust God for your day . . Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie
Today’s thought — Pray About Everything
Good Morning,
April 19, Thursday evening at church we are having a season of earnest prayer for longstanding health needs and burdens of the heart. I’ve started preparing my heart and mind for this special prayer meeting, meditating on the promises of God and His faithfulness to hear us when we pray.
an excerpt from Come Thirsty by Max Lucado
Want to worry less?
Then pray more.
Rather than look forward in fear, look upward in faith.
This command surprises no one.
Regarding prayer, the Bible never blushes.
Jesus taught people that “it was necessary for them to pray
consistently and never quit” (Luke 18:1 MSG).
Paul told believers, “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert
mind and a thankful heart” (Colossians 4:2 NLY)
James declared, “Are any among you suffering? they should keep
on praying about it (James 5:13 NLT)
Rather than worry about anything, “pray about everything.”
Everything?
Diaper changes and dates?
Business meetings and broken bathtubs?
Procrastinations and prognostications?
Pray about everything.
Call to me in times of trouble,
I will save and you will honor me.
Psalm 50:15
Trust God for your day, ….Today
With my prayers; desiring yours, Leslie
Are You Going to Eat THAT?
You are what you eat!
I eat to live, I don’t live to eat!
Sugar is bad for you.
Eat your vegetables!
Clean up your plate!
Three square(?) meals a day. . .
What to eat?
What not to eat?
What is really healthy?
What kind of pan is it cooked in?
Did that come in a CAN?
There has been a lot of talk around Cozy Acres about FOOD. I still don’t have it all figured out. I found a poem by Shel Silverstein and had to laugh at this example of the absurdity and extremes of food philosophies. (The poem was actually the reason I bought the book.)
Food?
I was settin’ at this restaurant
When the waiter came up and said, “What do you want?”
I looked at the menu–it looked so nice
Till he said, “Let me give you a little advice.”
He said, “Spaghetti and potatoes got too much starch,
Pork chops and sausage are bad for your heart.
There’s hormones in chicken and beef and veal.
Bowl of ravioli is a dead man’s meal.
Bread’s got preservatives, there’s nitrites in ham,
Artificial coloring in jellies and jam.
Say away from doughnuts, run away from pie,
Pepperoni pizza is a sure way to die.
Sugar’s gonna rot your teeth and make you put on wight.
Artificial sweetener’s got cyclamates,
Eggs are high cholesterol, too much fat in cheese.
Coffee ruins your kidneys and so do teas.
Fish got too much mercury, red meat is poison,
Salt’s gonna send your blood pressure risin’
Hot dogs and bologna got deadly red dyes.
Vegetables and fruits are sprayed with pesticides.”
So I said, “What can I eat that’s gonna make me last?”
He said, “A small drink of water in a sterilized glass.”
And then he stopped and he thought for a minute,
And said, “Never mind the water–there’s a carcinogens in it.”
So I got up from the table and walked out in the street,
Realizin’ there was absolutely nothing I could eat.
So I haven’t eaten for a month and I don’t feel too fine,
But I know that I’ll be healthy for a long, long time.
In everything give thanks. . .:)
Today’s thought — Yield
Good Morning,
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Romans 6:13, 16
God can do nothing with us if we do not yield. We recall a day of sightseeing in the palace of Genoa. We entered a room seemingly empty; bare wall, floors, and tables greeted us. Presently the guide led us across the room to the wall at the farther side. There we espied a niche in the wall. It was covered with a glass case. Behind the case was a magnificent violin, in perfect preservation–Pagamini’s favorite violin; the rich old Cremona upon which he loved most of all to display his marvelous skill. We gazed intently upon the superb instrument, with its warm rich tints, sinuous curves, and perfect model. And then we tried to imagine the wondrous strains the touch of the great master would bring forth if he were there in that quiet palace chamber. . .
Nay,, but this could not be! He could not possibly do so! For it was locked up against him! It gave the master no chance.
It is not how much do you have, but how much of yours does God have.
Present your members as instruments to God.To present means “to place near the hand of one.” Yielded, readable, usable–this gives God a chance.
Make it a real transaction!
God-yielded wills find the God planned life. James H. McConkey
Trust God for your day, ….Today
With my prayers; desiring yours, Leslie
Scavenger Hunt Sunday — April 15, 2012
Scavenger Hunt Sunday items:
Simple
Just the simple sighting of California Golden Poppies
lets me know spring is on its way.
Grain
Who would have thought that the corn planted last year in this garden area would have self-sown to surprise us in the spring.
Stitch
Saturday, April 14, I visited Foothill Quilters Guild Show, Auburn, CA.
I knew there I would find some spectacular stitches.
This quilt pattern is called Spools with feathered heart quilting.
Transportation and Foamy bubbles I found on my way home from the quilt show.
Transportation
I wanted to visit the Flower Farm Nursery. It was closed, boo.
I saw these cute strollers for future gardeners.
Foamy Bubbles
I spied a small pond with a duck.
I had to make a u-turn to see if something would work for my hunt,
instead, I found this series of falls.
I love the sounds and sights of water with foamy bubbles.
I’m joining Ashley at Scavenger Hunt Sunday.
Thoughts of Grace 