Quilting Popcorn

We started a Women's Bible study a few weeks back on the subject of "Change". The word itself is one that strikes fear in me to my very core. 

Why am I afraid of change? Is it because it pushes me out of what's comfortable or because it is something over which I have little to no control? Or, is it both? This subject has been brought front and center and has been dominating my thoughts for days. Comfortable is easy; so, what's wrong with easy? 

Just thinking about all the changes swirling around me every day sent me retreating to what's known and familiar; comfort food for the soul. I loaded up this scrappy coins quilt and pulled out an old favorite panto: "Popcorn". Somehow this seemed just right! How do you deal with all of the inevitable "changes"?

My husband has a Vince Lomabardi quote for almost every situation. He pulled this one out of thin air the other day:

I recall a former Pastor telling us, years ago, that "change is growth and growth is life". We all know what the opposite of life is, which directly implies that failure to change, or accept change, signals death. Perhaps not physical death, but death nonetheless. This week's session took change and the acceptance of change to some uplifting scripture verses and the promise that God is always the same; yesterday, today and tomorrow, He never changes! There's the hope! There's the comfort! Yes, change is inevitable and we each participate in changes every. single. day. I was just talking with a friend a few days ago about all the changes that have occurred in this town where we live over the last four and a half decades. We reminisced about favorite, long-ago closed, fabric stores and restaurants and jobs that we used to have. I suddenly realized that these changes didn't strike fear in my heart; no, not at all. These were changes that happened gradually over time, some were even changes that we'd initiated ourselves. It's only in the looking back that we can see how these changes happened and impacted us. 

I suppose that's where the fear comes in; it's the fear of change happening, fear of the unknown, that heightens alarm. Yet, when change and/or fear is viewed through the lens of God's Holy Word we can clearly see that we're never alone to live in fear. From John 14:27~ "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."  And so, fearlessly, I move forward into a ever changing world; and, some days, it just feels good and right to be quilting Popcorn!

Life is Good!

A Quick Escape

I'm back! Are these the largest doors that you've ever seen? They might be for me, where to do you think that these doors lead?  What's behind them? Think of animals marching two by two. Yes, Mr. Goodneedle and I made a winter escape to Kentucky and the Ark!

Built in Williamstown in 2016 to Biblical specifications the proportions of this Ark are every bit as awe-inspiring as you might think. There are three enormous decks to the ship which lead you through the "Ark Encounter", an incredibly interesting and personal experience recreating what life would have been like for Noah and his family during the flood, how they existed and how they cared for themselves and the animals.  

It was a unique and special time away. We drove from the ark to visit the Creation Museum in Petersburg, near Cincinnati; we had our first taste of winter weather and snow along the way. Those doors above also represents (to me) something more: a door to exit through, a step outside of this past year filled with quarantining, staying at home and fear. This quick escape was a step forward, in faith. There were NO crowds anywhere (keep in mind, it's January!) and all safety and health protocols were observed.

Compared to typical road trips that we take, this one was laid-back and relaxing. We didn't travel many miles each day and spent a lot of time just watching television and reading in our hotel rooms as we progressed. From the Creation Museum we headed south to Paducah and the National Quilt Museum.

This is what our afternoons and evenings looked like along the way. 

I finished binding a quilt, got reacquainted with counted cross-stich and read these two books. It was an extremely relaxing and luxurious time away, one that had been a very long time coming. But, naturally, all good things must come to an end; on Thursday it was back home and a return to our normal lives; back to laundry, cooking and cleaning. But, Dorothy was right: "there's no place like home!", that is most certainly true, it was wonderful to get away for a quick escape but it's always great to get back home again! 

Life is Good!

Up next: a post from the National Quilt Museum and a review 

of the cute quilt shops that we stopped at along our route.

Genesis 1:20

"And God said, "let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures"..."

In preparation for a youth Sunday School lesson on Creation tomorrow I was reminded of this wallhanging done back in 2006. This was my assigned Bible verse on which to create a piece for a mixed media art show at church at that time. This piece was auctioned off, my sweet mother-in-law bought it, and it hung over her desk in the kitchen for many years. It came back to me after her death and it's been hanging in the closet here ever since. I'll take it to class tomorrow for a visual aid. I tried out all sorts of techniques in the creation of this one!

Sometimes it's fun to look back on our work. Using improvisational piecing for the background, I fused cut-out fish from different printed fabrics to that, tacked some free-form cut "seaweed" and covered it all over with tulle to secure the looser elements before quilting it with wavy swirls and, finally, added glass bead bubbles over the surface. If memory serves I had a rough plan but changed, modified and embellished this as I went along, flying by the seat of my pants. We're going to talk about that in Sunday School tomorrow- creating. Certainly God had a plan for His Creation; we might think that we do too, rough or otherwise in whatever we create. My name might be on the back of this wallhanging but who is the true Creator here? What this lesson points out to me is that as God's divine creation, I can only share and do what He's designed me for. I'm never in control of the plan. Someone once said that "man makes plans, God laughs". What peace there is in the faith to know who's really in charge of the grand plan! 

Life is Good!

The Lost Is Found

How long do you search for a lost item before you give up? It most likely depends on how crucial to your daily routine the lost item might be. I lost this set of keys, two years ago. Car key, house keys (ours and a few select family members) and the usual plethora of shopper reward cards and a library card.  I searched high and low, as you might imagine. Knowing that the car key was on there narrowed the search field; I knew the keys were on the premises. Is there any single act that causes more frustration, or self-recrimination, than losing something important? I don't think that there is. Over time things can be replaced, one learns to adapt. And yet... do you ever give up hope? I don't. I held on to the belief that one day I might reach into a long forgotten pocket, or reach high onto an out-of-the-way shelf and my fingers would touch the misplaced prize. I never expected my husband to stroll into the sewing room with a clenched fist and a broad smile, deposit the key bundle onto a table and ask "are these what you've been looking for?" The relief I experienced was overwhelming. "Where?" was my only response. "In the glove compartment of my pick up truck!". Oh. I can't even piece that puzzle back together, but it's all okay; I have the keys once again! The car key and electronic key fob belong to the car we traded in to the dealership back in September (the car is still there and the dealership was happy to receive a spare key!). The reward cards I learned to live without (the stores have your phone number anyway!). My library card has been replaced, house keys have been remade. So, what I needed so desperately at one time I have learned to live without. Does that mean that my joy over the 'find' was at all diminished? Not. One. Bit. Think about the parable of the widow and the lost coin in Luke15: 8-10. There was much rejoicing at Chez Goodneedle over my found keys and yet God's joy over the return of a lost soul is so much more than we can ever even begin to fathom! Thank you, God, for your patience with me and the lessons that you teach me each and every day; if I only watch, wait and, indeed, learn from them. 

Life is Good!

On this, the fifth day of November, I am grateful 

for a spirit of perseverance; don't ever, ever, ever give up!

A Lowly Chunk of Snow

What a difference a week makes. Just seven days ago we awoke to a winter wonderland and were bracing for what was being touted as "snowmageddon" by the weather forecasters. We didn't get as much as we were prepared for but it was enough for slipping, siding and sledding; and... it was beautiful. Today, with the thermometer nudging fifty degrees, there are quickly melting souvenirs cast to and fro. And so, what lessons can be learned from a lowly chunk of snow such as this one?
* To everything there is a season, and a time to every matter under heaven. Ecclesiates 3:1  Nothing lasts forever, so enjoy (or endure) it while you can (or must). That goes for snow, small babies, Christmas cookies, pain and heartache. Tomorrow is another day, God willing, for every one of us.
*We're not in control. Nope, certainly not us: not the local weatherman, or the anchor man or anyone in government or politics, not the doctor, not even our smartest, most trusted and organized friend; only God is in control. All the forces of nature are in His control, this knowledge brings great joy to my heart and a smile to my lips. And yes, I was reminded of all of this today while pondering a lowly chunk of snow; thanks be to God!

Life is Good!

Editing As A Way Of Life

I love to edit my photos; rarely do I ever post a photo on this blog that hasn't been retouched in some way, making for a tidied-up version of the original snapshot. My favorite Picasa editing tools are "boost" (brightening), "focal zoom" (highlighting the subject) and "vignette" (isolating the central portion of the image by obscuring the periphary). Of course the basic editing tools are almost always used too: "crop" to center the image and "I'm feeling lucky" to enable the best color and contrast. Yesterday's Gospel reading was from the book of Luke, the 14th chapter; the parable where Jesus explains that one should never seek praise and recognition through a "seat of honor" at the table, but rather sit right away at a lower place and avoid being asked then to move down. We are reminded here that through humbling ourselves we are truly exalted. While we may think it best to appear "tidied-up" to the world around us...better, nicer, kinder, more generous; in actuality, an edited version of our true selves, we can never deceive our God. We can "boost", "zoom", "vignette", "crop" and "feel just as lucky" as we choose through our words and actions but, if they're not authentic, we are no more genuine than the perched bird in the PicMonkeyed photo above. God knows us just as we are, the unedited version of our sinful warts-and-all selves, and loves us anyway. The next time I use editing tools on my photos I am going to think about another tool available to me: "undo". When I  make an unwanted change I can immediately erase it with "undo"; likewise, God grants little old me unlimited "undos" for every single one of my sins through His loving grace and forgiveness; what a humbling and welcome reassurance that is!

Life is Good!