Starting Over

Some awesome clouds from this summer

Something happened this past year, I stopped sewing my liluga plushies and put "giving love away" on the back burner. It's as if some dark rain clouds appeared in my life and decided to stay a while.

I haven't been posting too much either.
Life just got busy plus I just don't have a whole lot of energy right now.

I know that being busy isn't an excuse to not show love to others. Nor is being tired. I may not have the time to sew a new batch of liluga's but I do have the time give love away in a different way.

So, away with the stormy clouds and in with some bright skies.

the same view of the sky, but clear blue with birds flying

I have been reading a couple of books recently that have reminded me that there are many ways to show love. One of them is called "Small Mercies" by Nancy Jo Sullivan. She talks about the little things we can do for others that make a big difference. Little things like meeting someone for a cup of coffee. There are so many things we can do, a phone call, a visit, a card with a personal note are just a few.

Another book I am reading is called "7" by Jen Hatmaker. The book is about fasting from excess in different areas of our life, such as food, clothing, money and media. In her book, she talks about how God calls us to love others by giving out of our excess to those in need.

When I think about my excess, I find my biggest area of excess is my long list of excuses for not giving love away to others. My attitude these days is also excessive. These two books have re-lit the fire to start giving love away again. There is no shortage of those in need, so it is just a matter of me getting started.

Today I made a phone call to a woman I know who is struggling through divorce and a new life on her own. I had asked her to coffee about four months ago and never followed up. Shame on me. She is a non-believer and needs to be shown true Christian love.

Today I am also starting to shed the excess in my attitude, which I can assure you, doesn't show much love to others. I will not complain, whine, demand or be grumpy. I will let others get the last word. I will not try to always be right. I will show mercy and grace in dealing with my family and friends. I will trust God to deal with others, as I trust Him to deal with me.

I will take this one day at a time.

How about you? Do you care to join me on this endeavor?

Relaxation

Lately, I have found hand embroidery to be very relaxing. It only requires a few supplies, it's cheap (wool is from an old scarf, hoop from the resale shop, threads  from my mother's stash from when she was young), I can embroider anywhere,  it's transportable and it doesn't take a long to complete a project.

I checked out a book by Aimee Ray called "Doodle Stitching" and was inspired to create the above piece.  I made it for my friend Karen for her birthday. It's just a little something, but made with a lot of love.

My New Dishes

Yesterday morning I went to a neighborhood garage sale with my friend Karen.  At the first sale, a lady was selling a set of ten dishes (dinner plate, salad plate and mug) for $10.  She also had a set of ten wineglasses for sale for $20.

Being that I am a dish-a-holic, I was immediately drawn to these, mostly because of the pattern.  My husband is from Mexico and we cook Mexican food often.  I thought these dishes would be perfect for us, because, as we all know, food tastes better on good looking dishes.

Karen and I were chatting with this lady and I was telling her how I love dishes and about my husband and how we love to cook.  I told her I would like to buy the set for $10.  As we were starting to pack them up, she said to me "I want to give you the wine glasses also.  I would rather give them away to someone who would use them and enjoy them then sell them to someone else".  Not only did she give me the ten wine glasses, she brought out seven more larger glasses that could be used for water and packed them up also.

Wow, that was a blessing and her act of kindness made my day.  What a great example of not holding on tightly to our possessions!

There are so many ways to give love away, and the neat thing about it is, having been blessed like this inspires me to bless others likewise.  It really does warm the heart to be the recipient of a gracious act, and it always warms the heart to be the one giving it away.

"And without question, the person who has the power to give a blessing is greater than the one who is blessed". Hebrews 7:7 NLT

Cut and Paste

This is a picture of a liluga I recently made, photographed, and then cut and paste onto a picture of my balcony during a snowstorm.  Kind of fun, isn't it?

Do you ever want to “cut and paste” yourself somewhere else?  I could easily cut and paste myself on warm sandy beach right now.  In the picture I would be sitting on my lawn chair under a big umbrella, reading a book and sipping a big glass of iced tea.  Oh, how I would just love to go away for a week or two and sit by the ocean and relax.  I could probably spend the whole day staring out at the ocean.  It sounds so peaceful! 

"Yes, each of you should remain as you were when God called you."  

1 Corinthians 7:20

The reality is, I am stuck in Illinois.  No cut and paste for me.  So I remain and seek to do what God has planned for me.  I recently made four new liluga's and gave one away to a friend from church who is going through a divorce.  Life is never easy, but we, as Christians, can at least be there to encourage each other and to help each other out.  Praise God we can do that wherever we are located.

Winters Here!

Bookmarks @ sewjamie.etsy.com

We finally got hit by winter yesterday.  It is now a winter wonderland outside, pretty to look at, but not fun to be out in!

My favorite thing to do on a cold winter day is to cuddle up with a good book and a good cup of coffee (very important!).  

I am currently reading three books, one on writing - "If You Want to Write" by Brenda Ueland.  I am absolutely loving this book so far.  It was originally written in 1938 and revised in 1987.  The author has a way of talking to the reader that makes me picture her as "granny" from The Beverly Hillbillies in my mind.  She says it like it is, but here perspective on writing is excellent.

Another is a novel I just started, "The Shack"  by William P. Young.  I have heard so much about this book in recent years and have finally gotten around to reading it.  So far, very good, but sad and tragic.  

Third, I am reading my Bible, but not for mass reading.  I am trying to focus more on smaller chunks of scripture and then meditating on it and writing about it.  Yesterday I read Job 40: 1-2 "Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? Or will you yield?  Do you - God's critic - have the answers?"  That gives me a lot to think about.  I know I do not have all the answers, even though sometimes I think I do!

I am also working on building up my etsy store (www.sewjamie.etsy.com), come visit me there.

Joy for 2012

Meet Norman the Bookmark

 Happy New Year to everyone!  We had a wonderful Christmas and I am ready for a new beginning.  As I think about the new year, the word JOY comes to mind.  JOY means “a very glad feeling; happiness; great pleasure, delight.”  I want to have a joyful, joy-filled year; not only as a follower of Christ, but in the work I do and especially with my family.   How do I do this?  Well,  I put together a few goals (I don’t like to call them “resolutions” because resolutions are hard to keep).  I know everyday won’t be easy, but I will earnestly work toward these goals.

Spiritually, I want to continue growing in love and joy towards God, others and myself.  The best way to do this is through reading the scriptures and through prayer, which I want to make a priority each day, not just something I do after I’ve gotten to everything else (the truth is, I never get to everything, even on the best days).  Also, I want to continue making and giving away my liluga’s.  I don’t think there will ever be a time when we don’t need to remind friends and family that they are loved and cared for.

 

“But you, dear friends, must continue to build your lives on the foundation of your holy faith.  And continue to pray as you are directed by the Holy Spirit.  Live in such a way that God’s love can bless you as your wait for the eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy is going to give you.”  Jude 20-21 NLT

As for my career and business,  I want to focus more on my writing and to start submitting devotions and articles to different publications.  My goal is complete one piece of writing a day, however, I’ll be happy if I get three done a week!

 In addition to that, I am in the process of developing a line of journal and Bible covers.   As an avid journal writer, I am having fun creating and sewing these.  I suppose you could take notes in a plain spiral notebook, but it is much more joyful to journal in a pretty book.  Add a hot cup of coffee (in your favorite mug) and a comfy chair and it’s the perfect setting for a time of reading and journaling.  I have several items listed at my web-store at Etsy.com (you can visit me there at www.sewjamie.etsy.com – visit often, I’ll be adding more items weekly). 

“My heart is overflowing with a beautiful thought!  I will write a lovely poem to the King, for I am as full of words as the speediest writer pouring out his story”.  Psalm 45:1  The Living Bible

For my family, I want to be more joyful, loving and peaceful towards my husband and the children.   Sounds easy, but it’s a big challenge for me, something I will have pray for and work at daily.

"You haven't done this before.  Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy."  John 16:24 NLT

I pray each of you has a blessed and joyful 2012!