Some Things to Share

It has been one of those days - up early and out the door - running all day long. Consequently....I don't have a proper post for today. There are however, a couple of new and interesting things happening that I am eager to share with you.

Perhaps you've noticed the lovely Victorian lady in my sidebar. She came from Tonia's blog, Study in Brown. Tonia has decided to resurrect a club she formed years ago. I think if you go here and read what she has in mind, you will be delighted.













Over at Culture Smith, Cheryl is looking for innovative ideas on simplifying life. I am sure that most of you have things you would like to share. Every Saturday she will provide a place to share ideas. Who of us couldn't use a little help in simplifying our lives? I could use quite a bit of it to tell the truth. My days seem to just rush by at breakneck speed. I want to slow things down and savor the moments.














There is one more thing I'd like to share with you. I imagine that by now nearly everyone knows about Ann Voskamp's book. If you've ever read her blog, A Holy Experience, you know what a gifted writer she is. I have just begun reading "a thousand gifts." Some have described it as life-changing,and I don't think they exaggerate. I recommend it with all my heart. There will even be a Bloom Book Club beginning this sunday with videos of Ann discussing her book.



Blessings,
Linda

"When We All Get To Heaven":

This gentle-looking woman is Eliza Edmunds Hewitt. She was born on June 28, 1851 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she lived her entire life. After graduating as valedictorian of the Girl's Normal School, she became a public school teacher.

It was while she was teaching that she suffered a severe spinal injury. One of the students is said to have hit her with a piece of slate. The injury was so severe her doctor put her in a body cast, and she spent many long months confined to her bed.

It was during this time that she studied English literature and began writing hymns. She eventually recovered but was a semi-invalid all of her life. It never dampened her bright spirit. Rather it deepened her faith and her walk with the Lord.

Eliza died on April 24, 1920.

Among the many hymns she wrote is this one:

When We All Get To Heaven
Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,
Sing His mercy and His grace.
In the mansions bright and blessèd
He’ll prepare for us a place.

Refrain:

When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!

While we walk the pilgrim pathway,
Clouds will overspread the sky;
But when traveling days are over,
Not a shadow, not a sigh.

Refrain

Let us then be true and faithful,
Trusting, serving every day;
Just one glimpse of Him in glory
Will the toils of life repay.

Refrain

Onward to the prize before us!
Soon His beauty we'll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open,
We shall tread the streets of gold.

Refrain

Such a glorious hymn of hope and encouragement, written during a time of pain and suffering. It was a joy to learn just a little bit about this dear lady.

Blessings,
Linda

Five Minute Friday - Women

I am joining Lisa-Jo today for her "Five Minute Friday".
Ready, set, go:

The difference between men and women was never more apparent than during a conversation I was having with my husband. He had been talking for weeks about the great guy he was working with. He would fill me in each evening on all the things they were doing at work and how enjoyable it was working with him.

One evening I asked if the guy was married. He just gave me a blank look. "Does he have children?" More crickets chirping....
I couldn't believe he had spent all that time with this man and didn't know anything personal about him.

I think of my own interactions with other women and see the wide gulf that separates we girls from the boys. I don't think it takes more than a few minutes before we know each others marital status. We exchange information about children and by the time the conversation is coming to a close we have begun to share on a deeper level.

I have come away from conversations with women I have just met casually and will probably never see again with more information than my husband gleaned in weeks of working with his friend.

Stop

Five minutes go by so quickly!

picture: me and my precious friends

Blessings,
Linda

When

When the noise rains
all around me,
Lead me beside quiet waters
that I might hear Your voice.

When worry and anxiety
bow me low,
Lift my spirits
with words of promise.

When discouragement clouds my view
for lack of worldly praise,
Draw my eyes to Your face
that I might see true worth.

When the circumstances
beat me down,
Hide me in the shelter
of Your wings.

When my steps grow weary
and I think I can't go on
Carry me, cradle me
in Your strong arms.

When my heart beats wild
with fear and doubt,
Still the throbbing
with the gift of faith.

"For You are my hiding place
You protect me from trouble
You surround me with songs of victory."*

*Psalm 32:7

linking to One Stop Poetry and to Emily's imperfect prose

Blessings,
Linda

Slowing Down

My Aunt Fannie introduced me to knitting when I was just a little girl. I have loved it ever since. There is something about it that soothes my spirit. I find that if I set it aside for any length of time, I am eventually drawn back to it - longing to feel the needles in my hands.

Some time last year I discovered that there is another style of knitting. Aunt Fannie taught me to knit English Style, but there is also Continental Style. Some of the other bloggers knit that way and said they found it to be much faster. Hmmm...faster. I decided to give it a try.

I printed out instructions, but found it difficult to teach my fingers to do something new. I decided to visit you-tube to see if there were any helpful videos, which of course there were. It is much easier for me to learn something new if I can see it. Before long I was knitting Continental Style and just zipping right along.

I was in the process of knitting a sweater (just as quickly as I could), when I took a good hard look at my knitting. The stitches looked strange. They were no longer uniform and neat; they were uneven and rather messy looking. It seems I had traded fast for quality.

I kept looking at those stitches and finally could stand it no longer. I ripped out all the work I had done and went back to knitting English Style - the one that was comfortable for me. It is true it takes a bit longer, but the finished product was so much more satisfying.

I realized something else as I began knitting all over again - it was the process I enjoyed. It didn't have to be accomplished quickly. I got that sense of peace when I took my time and relaxed as stitch after stitch eventually formed something special.

It is what I am trying to do with every area of my life as I think about "Quiet" this year. To step back and slow down and savor the moments. I miss so much when my life is hurried - running from one thing to the next with little time to even think about what I'm doing. I know it is necessary sometimes, but surely there are moments to be savored. Conversations with loved ones, reading a book, doing things around the house, reading posts and leaving thoughtful comments... so many moments that can slip through my fingers when I am anxious to get through them so I can get on to the next thing.

Quiet my heart Lord and help me to savor the moments.

Blessings,
Linda

Happy Birthday Dad

Today is my Dad's 91st birthday.

He brings such joy and "spice" to our lives. We love you Dad.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Blessings,
Linda

Cherish the Moments

We have always been close. She is, aside from my husband, my best friend - the first one I call with good news, with the hard things, when I need wisdom, or just to talk. She always has time; she always has.

I drew the little rocking chair, the one with the colorful little patchwork quilt she made for Dad hanging over the back, up close to the armchair where she sits surrounded by the things she loves to do. We had two little baskets on the footstool between us - baskets filled with a rainbow assortment of tatting thread.

"Just look through them and take as many as you want. I'll never use them all up." It's the sort of thing she says often lately. She is beginning to give away some of her treasured things. "I want to give them to the ones I know will appreciate them." she says with her dear smile.

For my birthday she gave me a dozen of her little antique salt cellars to add to my collection. Little glass eye wash cups went to my daughter on her birthday. I carried a bag filled with yarn, ribbons, and an assortment of trinkets to the grandchildren on our last visit. We take these gifts of the heart reluctantly, knowing what they foretell.

So we bent our heads over the little baskets filled with thread and talked about nothing significant. We laughed and remembered, and in my mind's eye I stepped back and imprinted the moment on my heart. I want to cherish it. I don't want to ever forget how precious these moments are or get so busy I rush by them.

More and more often I greet the day with a pray of thanks that I have just this one. I don't know how many more there will be, but I have this one precious day. I want to live it well and gather its moments to my heart.

Blessings,
Linda

linking to Emily's imperfect prose

picture: me and Mom