Book Club with Friends

This morning I was able to take a break from work related things and join my friends for book club. Didn't Teresa, the scrap booking pro, do a wonderful job of enhancing the picture?  A nearby gentleman  kindly agreed to take several snapshots while we were meeting at Caribou Coffee.

We caught each other up with our personal affairs after a lengthy time of sharing and eventually moved on to discussing the story of Bathsheba and King David.

King David was a man whose heart was after God, but he did make several decisions that cost him significant consequences, ones that he had to endure the remainder of his life. Can you imagine the amount of pain and heartache David suffered after the death of 3 sons and a daughter that was raped by one of his sons? David and Bathsheba repented and God blessed them with a Godly son, King Solomon, who followed King David's kingship. Israel under Solomon's reign had many years of peace.

Bathsheba was not accepted among the people of Israel. She was always being referred to as the woman who had an adulterous affair with King David and as the wife of Uriah, even though Uriah had been purposely killed by a command David having him placed on the front lines in battle. She lived a lonely life for many many years. Yet she kept her strong faith in God regardless that no mercy or grace was ever shown to her by her own family, other people within the king's palace or with the Israelites. Can you imagine having that kind of strength?  But as often said when there is nothing else to hold unto around you the only thing left is God.

Both David and Bathsheba were forgiven and used by God to serve his purpose. When Solomon became king of Israel, finally Bathsheba was accepted by the people of Israel and was now called by her name. How painful it must have been for Bathsheba not to be called by her name but what relief to finally be acknowledged!  What a wonderful story of redemption. Christ was to follow in David's and Bathsheba's lineage.

On a another note. . .

I saw this wonderful new idea on how to use Jelly Rolls for making a great looking quilt.



Isn't that a fun quilt to make?

Laughter that Lightens the Load

This evening I received and unexpected gift. It came from an online quilting friend, her screen name Coffeequilter, where we share our passion for quilting at Eons' Quilters Passion Group. She sent me a coffee cup icon gift with the following message:   

"Hey Patty, I just tagged Clair, we are going to share a cup of coffee and laugh till our bellies hurt (or I leak). God will look down on us and smile. We will then go face the world knowing all is well.  Hugs from Iowa, Lynn"

When I read the above the message I exploded in laughter. I know you as the reader are probably wondering why the above message would make me laugh. First I just have to say that the sheer silliness busted through the heaviness I have been enduring the past couple of weeks dealing with a difficult person with a very difficult decision that had to be made. No this is not relative to my marriage. I was surprised with the instant relief I felt after having a good belly laugh. I only wished that it could have happened in person where we could have shared actual hugs and heard each other laugh.  We made the best use of online tools that we have to at least be together in spirit which I will explain later. According to Marilyn Meberg of Women of Faith  laughter releases endorphins that make us instantly feel better. You know those same endorphins that are released after exercising that gives us a lift? They are the same ones.

The invitation above was extended to another person, her screen name NonieMcd, and me having a screen name JoanieinNC. With Nonie and me it is not difficult to know or remember what our real name is but with CoffieeQuilter you just have to remember her real name is Kathy. Well one of us did forget Kathy's real name. Thus started the behind the scenes conversation and an ongoing live in messages for all members to read of each other calling them by a name other than their own. No one else seemed to notice and no one said anything until I came along and asked what is it with Jamie, Jane and Tarzan? Tarzan was a real giveaway that something was happening behind the scenes.

I believe what prompted Coffeequilter to extend an invitation was due to my response to her message. In a message Kathy was explaining what a day looked like for her. She raises cows and lives on a farm with her husband. Now let me explain that those cows are Kathy's babies and she is the farmer while her husband's full time job is driving a truck across the states. The sheer busyness of her day working was a reprieve for the heaviness on her heart, her young daughter 40 years old with 5 children was undergoing a Gamma-knife radiation for a brain tumor for the second time that day.

My comment to her for that day was:
Coffeequilter or is it (Jamie, no I think it is Jane), I will keep Rebecca and her family in my prayers. Sounds as though you need to keep hands and mind busy during this season.


Thus the above was an invitation for us to share a cup of coffee and laugh until our bellies hurt (or leak). So I sent her a gift icon of a chocolate chip cookie and wrote: Well Tarzan I accept your offer to laugh our bellies off until the tears roll off of our face. I will bring the cookies, oh yes some chocolates too. Will Helen be joining us?

I also sent a cookie icon gift to Nonie: Hello Helen, I told Tarzan that I accepted the offer to enjoy a group belly laugh until the tears roll down our faces. I will bring the cookies and chocolates. Hugs from Patty.

I hope you have enjoyed my silliness for the day and that it might put a smile on your face. Have you met anyone special along the way of blogland that ended up being a friend that touched your life in a very special way?

Laughter is the best medicine Prov 17:22

China Cabinet Redo and Craftsy BOM

Today I finished recovering the inside of my cabinet. I wallpapered inside the cabinet with Waverly decorative fabric using wallpaper paste. My mother-in-law many years ago taught me how to cover the inside of my cabinet. I have been wanting to redo this for almost 15 years. Yep it is a UFO of a sort that is finished but not on my list. Prior to the Waverly it was covered in blue moire. It actually was a cotton print of moire. I had purchased cream moire to recover it but I didn't have enough yardage so I made a trip to Mary Jo's and purchased the Waverly fabric that was on sale for $3.99 a yard.

How do you like my combination of Depression glass with Waterford Crystal? My china is on the very top shelf which one set was my grandmother's and the other was my great grandmother's. I enjoyed washing all of those dishes last evening thinking about my family. I sure do miss them.

While pasting I sniffed in so much of the fumes I woke up with the worst headache that I had to take Advil and go back to bed until it subsided. It finally did so I finished the last shelf this morning and was finally able to clean my dining room. The rest of the day I worked in my garden planting flowers. It was a gorgeous day.

 March Craftsy Block of the Month

Amy Gibson at Craftsy has been demonstrating each month a new block technique. March was learning to foundation piece. If you have been following me you will know that this was not a new technique since ironically I just finished a quilt using the same identical pattern, the only difference is the finished block is smaller than the one I used to make my string scrappy quilt.

This is a fun block to make and I am looking forward to making the star foundation block, the 2nd March BOM and then on to complete April's BOM which features English Paper Piecing making hexies. 

Happy Quilting Everyone. I hope everyone is safe especially those of you living in Kansas where tornadoes have been coming with more to come. 

Updates in Pictures

Number 5 out of 12 Winter Twitters for a Redwork Quilt Project

Azalea Bush - Spring has Arrived!

Backyard Azaleas with Birdbath that Needs to be Cleaned!

Early Rose Blooming Before Lilies!

New Flooring Recently Installed - Love It! 

 No More White Carpet or Linoleum to Contend With!

A New Project - Lining China Cabinet 

(Really an Oak Country Like Cabinet) with New Fabric!

I have been meaning to do this for 15 years.

 I'm finally getting to it, especially since I had to empty the cabinet 

for my new wood flooring installation.

Wishing everyone a Happy Easter on Resurrection Sunday. 

May your day be joyful as you celebrate.