A New Sewing Machine Is Coming

I'm really excited.  A few weeks back we put a layway on a new sewing machine.  My straight stich finally broke.  It wasn't my favorite machine either, it had a side bobbin and kept getting stuck.  I thought I'd try it out again.  Well, it worked for awhile and then all went haywire and it started eating my material.  So off to the singer guy to fix and I'll be using it for womens' sewing projects at church. 

The picture above is one of my new machine. It's a Kenmore, but I'm told it's actually made by the Janome company.  I just couldn't afford a real expensive quilters machine so I chose this one because of it's ratings by quilters.  It has enough quilting stitches that I think it will be JUST fine for what I need.

My husband was talking to a 90 year old quilter who was his patient several months back and she said all she ever used was her singer straight stitch and she's made hundreds of quilts with it.  It's given me confidence that what I purchased is just enough for what I actually need and is within our budget.  Thank You to my husband for such a lovely gift which I should have by February.

I'm excited about new projects I have to accomplish.  Now if I can get a new camera I can actually show them to you.  Everthing in moderation, so please be patient with me when it comes to pictures.

Love to you all and Happy New Year!

The Promise Of Tomorrow

Tomorrow is Christmas, and for many who are grieving the loss of a loved one, it's a very trying and sad day. I'm sure there are several who don't celebrate because it's much too painful.

In our own grief I have come to a new conclusion.  I've heard it said that for those who believe in Jesus Christ,

"to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord" 2 Corinthians 5:8.

If you look in a concordance, to be absent from the body means to immigrate. To be present with the Lord means to be in ones HOMELAND.

Those who have passed on are at HOME.  This place here on earth is temporary and is NOT our real home.  What that means is that we are not walking AWAY from our loved ones but are moving forward to our Homeland. Our loved ones aren't behind us, their in our future!

Sure there is sadness in death of loved ones.  THEY leave US behind.  It is their time and sadly we grieve the hopes and dreams we had for them and with them.  In our own fleshy mind it's all over and the thought of that is all too much to bare.

Lets take a look at the HOPE though, of Christmas.  You see, Christmas isn't about the hubub of black friday, finding the deals, opening gifts or even the baking and preparing of meals.  As much as I LOVE gathering with our families, it's not even about that. 

We celebrate Christmas because the birth of a child, Jesus Christ, came into the world not just as a boy but as a SAVIOR.  We learn later that Jesus ministers to His followers and shares the Good News which is that through His birth, death, resurrection and ascention into heaven WE as believers will make it to Heaven. 

In the beginning of the fall of man when Adam and Eve took of the "tree of life" and committed us all to life on earth as sinners, mankind had to bring an offering. The sacrificing of a lamb so to sey.  To understand the gift, we must know that Jesus stood as replacement for mankind as the living sacrificial lamb for the sins and mistakes of the world.  By doing that, he bridged the gap between heaven and hell and thus God gave us the means if we believe in Christ's life, death, resurrection and ascention into heaven...that we will be able to live in Heaven eternally forever with Him.

With that said, when our loved ones pass they DON'T become angels as we would like to think.  Our loved ones are STILL the same spirit they were only their earthly bodies are here waiting for the coming of Jesus Christ in order to gain their new perfect form again.  I see my son as running in the garden with Jesus. He is the first in our family to be sitting with the likes of the disciples learning first hand Bible Stories while sitting at the foot of Jesus.  My son Jackson awaits OUR return.

In the meantime, God has a plan for our lives. To move forward and to live out our own purpose here on earth where I hope that I may be a light in the lives of others.

You see, because of the birth of Jesus Christ whom we celebrate tomorrow, we have ETERNAL LIFE and will one day see our loved ones as we bask in the joy of our Lord. There will be no more tears, there will be no more pain, there will be no more sickness or violence.  You'll find peace, joy , love and so much more.

I've learned that death is NOT something to be afraid of anymore because there is SO MUCH BEAUTY where we will be going.  There, God has a mansion with many rooms so that those who believe in Him will NOT parish but have eternal life.

If you know Him, be CONFIDENT that there is life beyond the "valleys" and "mountains" you climb. There is greater meaning and a new hope of life everlasting.

If you don't know Christ, please consider getting to know Him. 

Confess with your mouth that you sin and make mistakes.  Ask Jesus to come into your heart and transform you.  Then let Him know that you believe in His birth, the suffering He went through for your sins and the sins of others, that you believe He died and rose again to fullfill the promise written in the scriptures and lives today...but lives in YOU and your heart.  By doing this, you're assured a place in Heaven with those you love and find comfort in knowing your home here is temporary but will lead to something much much greater in Heaven. Let God guide your footsteps and show you your purpose here on earth as He molds you and gives you a testimony to share with the world, the Love of Jesus Christ.

I pray you find peace today, that you know the Love of Christ and may walk with Him forever In Jesus name...AMEN!
Merry Christmas!

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life". John 3:16

My Hearts Desire

As I sit here watching another year of "A Home For The Holidays" I sit here in tears waiting for the children I've been praying for almost 10 years.  I am so excited for Gods great plan as we hope for another pregnancy and long for the adoptions we have so long awaited.  You see, my children won't just be born of my body but have LONG since been born in my heart.

I've been praying for the birth moms of our children, knowing that somehow they will have to endure pain so that we will one day have our family all together.  It breaks my heart, but I am grateful to her.  I'm grateful that our children will be a part of our home and our hearts forever.  I also pray each day that the birth mother will know that God loves her and treasures her and that we promise we will take care of her children even while she can't.  It's a bitter sweet moment and my heart is filled with so many emotions.  I pray that wherever my kids are right now, that God watches over them and keeps them safe.  That He would keep them close to Him and that they would know mommy is waiting patiently.

I also continue to long for a healthy pregnancy.  An experience that while I didn't have because of an accidental series of events, I hope for in the future. 

Whichever path God chooses first, I'll be absolutely happy with.  In the meantime, I sit her and wait.  I pray for mountains to be moved, for resources to knock on our doors and windows and to use this life as a testimony to Gods great plan.

Tada!

So how do you like the new diggs?! I still have a few things to do, but for the most part it's ready.

Take a moment to read the "introduction" that can be found at the tab on top.  You'll find out how the creation of this blog came about in my head over a year ago.

This blog of course wouldn't be, if it weren't for two very kind KEY individuals.

1. Leah from Cutesie Blog Designs who was kind enough to put together my ideas into a design and
2. Lorie from Lorie's Noggin Blog for all these cute graphics you see.

These two women are the heart of my blogging design and for whom without, my ideas would have never happened. If your interested in a BEAUTIFUL new blog design or AWESOME graphics please take a look at their sites for more information.

You see, to just anyone, the Title Page looks like a regular graphic page.  To me, there is symbolism if you can just catch it, but to find it, you must know ME!

Through Lories gifted talent of combining her creative imagination to create a magical graphic masterpiece I was able to bring my dream blog to fruition.

With Leahs expertise in taking my ideas and the graphics, she was able to put them altogether and create EXACTLY what I wanted.

I have never met either woman, but am grateful to both who are such kind-hearted spirits in working with me to give me a great new place to jot down my thoughts.

Now I'll explain the meaning of the graphics.  I LOVE sheep and goats and chickens.  Anyone who knows me, knows I love them and  that I hope to have a small homestead one day to raise livestock and hopefully one day a houseload of children.

There is a mommy and daddy in the front having tea (another one of my favorite pastimes).  If there's one thing I love it's hosting a gathering with tea and coffee in hand.  It blesses my spirit to know that my house is alive with good conversation and plenty of food and tea/coffee to go around.

To the left of the screen you'll find a fence which represents the meanding of my broken heart and spirit.  Just under the arbor you'll find the little boy.  Notice he's not standing with mommy and daddy?  You'll notice just in the air are butterflys which are symbols of preterm losses.  That little boy represents our Jackson Jeffrey who while is with us in spirit, is no longer with us here on earth.  He's standing AWAY from us but each day we move forward, there's not one moment we don't think of him in some way.

In the back you'll find the house.  I am reminded of a home I once stayed at in Scarborough, North Yorkshire England. I miss it terribly and hope one day we'll get to visit again! 

To the side of the door you'll find two empty seats which represent the children we have so long waited for.  Those chairs represent the HOPE of a child/ren.

Don't forget the hearts in the windows.  I think we all know my heart has been broken, but with time God heals all wounds!

The backdrop is fall as are the pumpkins.  They represent October when Jackson Jeffrey was born and the season of which he passed away.  Fall is also our favorite season of the year so it makes sense that we represent the fall season.

For the page divider you'll see "you'll always be in my heart" with a lock and key as well as timeclock.  Obviousely many of you can guess the meaning in it.

Without Lories beautiful creativity and without Leah's persistance and artistry to put all this together and make it look good, I don't believe anyone would understand the meaning behind my idea's for Broken Heart, Mended Fences.

Thank You Leah for the time you put into this project and thank you Lorie for sharing your artistry with the world.