Knitting and Praying

Blog Moving...Please Join Me at My New Home

2007-03-28T10:16:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm relocating my blog. Please join me HERE. I've gone ahead and purchased a domain name and set the new blog up with WordPress. It's almost ready....just have to add a bit more.

Please take a moment to change your links if my blog is linked to your site. I know this is an inconvenience, but I'm working really hard to make the new site a much better blog and worth taking the time to change your links.

Thank You So Much!

Your Pal,

Shelly

Late Saturday Sky, Spring & More Tomorrow

2007-03-25T19:38:00.000-07:00

Saturday Sky

Click on the picture above and see it full-sized. Those are Purple Martins busily circling above. We have a very large Purple Martin colony that we host on our farm in central Oklahoma. We watch the *circle of life* renew and unfold every year with these beautiful South American visitors.

This is another picture of some of the Purple Martins soaring over one of the large, budding Maple trees near our home.

Purple Martins over-winter in Brazil and return to N. America early each year to abundant feeding grounds to nest and raise their young.

I'll be including additional pictures and probably some home movies from this season's nesting progress in the next few weeks.

Spring

Spring has sprung! All the bulbs have been blooming, fruit trees are covered with blossoms, the grass is green(ing), and color has returned to the landscape. Bugs are once again flying and ants are trying to find entry into every kitchen. Our Eastern Bluebirds have nests built and we're expecting the first eggs any day. What a wonderous season!

With all the wondrous return of life to dormant plants, the pollen has reached new highs. I'm thankful that the plants are regenerating and reproducing, but the pollen....especially cedar tree pollen, has had me coughing incessantly for over a month. Allergy pills, 3 cough suppressants, and steroids later....I am somewhat better. I will be thankful when the cedar pollen level drops below stellar levels and I can once again talk and move about without fearing a coughing attack and the negative results that can bring about.

Because of constant coughing, I couldn't visit with my knitting pals, couldn't talk on the phone, couldn't drive the car, and was thinking that surely this would help me ultimately develop abs of steel as the only *good* side effect of incessant hacking. Well, weeks later, I'm still coughing a bit....but no *abs of steel* have shown up yet. Evidently, I've coughed enough to ache from head to toe, but a flat tummy still eludes me. As my friend Rebecca always says, *Not Fair*!

My belated explanation for not blogging much this month is that I was coughing. Just coughing. All the time ... coughing. I'm actually surprised I didn't cough myself inside-out. With more serious health issues going on, you'd think coughing from allergies wouldn't even register with me. Well, I just couldn't *hack* it! ; )

More Tomorrow

I had more planned to post, but, well, I'm coughing AGAIN! I'll return tomorrow with more pictures and other stuff.

I pray for each of you and hope you have a very blessed upcoming week.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NIV

Psalm 51:10

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Job 11:18

You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.

Quick Post, Sockret Pal Socks On Their Way, & A Shawl For a Friend

2007-03-22T12:44:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted, but not without good reason. I'll explain in a later post.

I've actually done quite a bit of knitting and enjoyed every minute of it. I really enjoyed every moment of knitting a prayer/comfort shawl for my friend, Susan. I didn't take pictures of the shawl, but Susan has and you can see it HERE. It's knit with Knitpicks Swish Superwash Wool in the color Wisteria. The pattern is the Feather and Fan Triangle Shawl from the book Folk Shawls by Cheryl Oberle. I knit it a bit smaller than the full pattern....if full sized I think it would have swallowed Susan since she is petite. The wings of the shawl are quite long so that it may be crossed at the waist and tied behind the back to keep both hands free and no shawl in the way. Many people included their prayers, hugs, and good wishes for Susan as the shawl progressed. I hope she feels all of our hugs and prayers each time she sees or wears it.

I've also knitted some CIC socks for the bigger kids. I'll post pictures later.

And, I finished my Sockret Pal's hand knit socks. Rebecca will find out soon that I've been sending her goodies since last fall. It has been great fun. I hope she feels as good about what I've sent her as I've felt about how Sherry bestowed gifts upon me!

Here's a picture of the socks I knit for Rebecca. I used Opal Uni-Solid yarn in a very nice blue color....Rebecca's favorite color is blue. The pattern is the Eagle's Flight pattern by Megan Humphrey posted HERE at the PTYarn website.

I'll try to post pictures of the CIC socks and some Spring changes happening on our farm soon.

I pray that you have a wonderful day full of blessings! I also pray for your health, for caring and positive relationships with others, and a closer walk with our Heavenly Father every day.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NIV

Genesis 49:26

Your father's blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills.

Sockret Pal, Care Wool, Knitting, Dust & Thoughts

2007-02-27T14:42:00.000-08:00

Sockret Pal

My SockretPal, Sherry (Shayla), sent me her final wonderful package last week and finally revealed herself. She has definitely outdone herself!

Just look at the last box of goodies... : )

There's one package of wonderful Ghirardelli Chocolates missing. They were greatly enjoyed! : )

The handknit socks are beautiful, fit perfectly, and show exquisite knitting skill. I'm starting the book Sherry sent, *Knitting Yarns and Spinning Tales* today. There's also a small book entitled, *Blueberries From Heaven*, that I will be reading, too. I will truly enjoy the bird note cards (since I'm an avid birder) and very pretty papers and envelopes in the package. She also included White Hazelnut Chocolate Bath Salts! Have you ever heard of anything so wonderful? And, then there's the adorable little sheep holder with a great skein of beautiful blue Cashcotton inside. Also, girly stickies and a great little purse/pouch for my knitting accessories and dpn's.

Yes, she has sent everything that I would have chosen myself!

This is the first knitting swap that I have ever joined... and Sherry has made it absolutely wonderful! I just hope her pal has been equally as good to her as she was to me!

Thank You, Sherry! I look forward to keeping in touch and hope that we can meet in person some day.

Care Wool

Our Care Wool group has been busy... and productive. We're sending in a big box of hand knitted items to CIC headquarters this week. We still have many works in progress and will be mailing another box before the end of the bigger kid's challenge.

Here's the contents of our current box:

We enjoy knitting together each Sunday at Hastings in Norman, OK from 1:30 - 4:00 PM. You will find us in the Cafe area chatting and knitting every Sunday. Please join us. While our focus is charity knitting, *any* knitting is welcome.

Knitting

I've been quite busy with other knitting, too. I've completed a pair of socks from Socks That Rock/Bluemoon Fiber Arts lightweight yarn in the Lucy (Barkley) colorway. I really like this yarn!

Here are the socks just before finishing.

Front:

and Back:

Do you see the pattern extending from one sock to the other? This just amazed me! I knit both socks at once on one long circular needle from 2 balls of yarn that have been made from the single skein of Socks That Rock yarn. I did not try to match the pattern in any way. I just divided the skein in half by weighing the wound amount, until I had 2 equal weight balls of yarn. And, this is how it came out all on its own.

For these Toe-Up socks, I used Judy's Magic Cast On from Knitty, then followed Queen Kahuna's Toe-Up instructions, and finished with the Sewn Cast Off with Denise's slight modification.
Size 0 Addi Turbos of the 47" length were used on these 64 stitch socks.

These socks are a gift for our daughter, Amanda.

I've also finished an item for a friend. I'll post pictures after the gift has been received. :)

I've also finished a large sweater and a pair of larger red socks for CIC. They are pictured above in the CIC picture. I've got more CIC items on the needles now.

Dust

Yes, this is a picture of our most recent Saturday sky. I don't know if you can tell, but the sky is *full of dirt*. Yes, it is a mild Oklahoma dust storm. When you have sustained winds of 40 mph, with gusts up to 60 mph, the red dirt does get air born!

This picture was taken mid-day. I've been coughing and sneezing (allergies) since Saturday. Wonder why?

Thoughts

I haven't blogged much lately. I've just felt like someone has knocked the air out of me. I'm still struggling with the decision that my IL relatives made to have my grandmother *put down* like an animal. I will never understand, or in any way agree with their choice! My grandmother was old and confused at times. They chose for her to be *terminally sedated* rather than seek professional care for her in a care facility.

My grandmother had no idea that they would choose death for her when she signed a power-of-attorney over to my aunt, months earlier. She felt the power-of-attorney would be for used for possible legal matters or other necessary decisions for her care and protection. She had NO IDEA it was giving them the ability to choose death for her when it was absolutely unnecessary! She was awake, alert, eating well, and walking. When she became confused at times and had sporadic sleeping habits, they chose and requested a hospice to administer their *terminal sedation protocol* and have her dehydrated to death, rather than arrange for long-term care!

There are several more details being found each day. Medical details, inappropriate choices, financial irregularities with my grandmother's accounts...and much more. It is now being handled by others that have expertise in these areas. Those responsible will be, and are in the process of being held accountable by all appropriate avenues possible.

I have no idea how any person that participated in these choices can sleep with a single moment's peace...or, sleep at all.

Please pray for any other individuals that may be in the hands and care of hospice's that throw ethics out the window for a bottom-line *profit*.... and for those that may be in the hands of relatives that see the disabled or elderly as being in need of being *put down* slowly and tragically by dehydration.....which has less humane qualities or consideration than that provided for an old horse or an injured dog!

I have been overwhelmed with the tragedy of this, as has my sister and other family members. Please pray for justice in this situation and that those responsible are held accountable.

I find myself having to actively choose to concentrate and think on good things. Otherwise, the anger and grief would consume me. My anger is not only on what they *chose* and what the hospice *did*, but that they somehow think it is *acceptable*
and that they provided a *beautiful death* for my grandmother! The depth of their delusion, selfishness, sickness, and greed cannot be imagined.

Please pray with me about all these things.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NIV

Psalms 42:1

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.

Computer, Ice, Birds, Knitting, Life & Prayers

2007-01-17T21:57:00.000-08:00

Computer

Just when I thought I had survived the most recent computer crash, reloaded *everything*, retrieved everything possible and started again.....my computer promptly turned into an expensive book end!

So, not to be defeated, a new computer was ordered (by my wonderful husband, Kim) and I've spent the last 36 hrs. getting it - once again - *reloaded* and up and running with my preferences and programs. I did manage to get most of my important info. from my old hard drive .... quite a process and I considered that standing on my head might be necessary before the retrieval was complete....but the important things were saved!

I've restored all the old info. to my new computer and even salvaged my iTunes library, so once again, I hope my blood pressure returns to a near normal range. I have definitely come to realize that I rely on a computer far more than I ever thought possible, or possibly healthy. : )

We used to joke in our house that whenever Kim drove one of our vehicles very much it guaranteed the imminent demise of the air conditioner. Well, I'm beginning to rightfully earn that reputation with any computer that I use for any length of time. I'm hoping this new computer will break the cycle.

Ice

We are currently gripped in at least 2" of ice in every direction. Some areas are covered with much more than just 2 inches.

Living in a beautiful rural area definitely has advantages, but traveling in this type of weather isn't one of them. It is possible to step off our deck and, if you keep your balance, you can *slide* all the way to the barn (300 ft. away) without ever taking a step, literally. The only problem is that if you don't control the direction of your slide, you may end up ice skating on the front pond. And, then you have the terrible task of trying to figure out how to get back up the slope without the aid of a mountain climber's ax.

During our ONE attempt to get to the outside world last evening, our truck ended up in a BIG ditch about 1/4 mi. from home. It is now at the local body shop, in the queue of vehicles needing and waiting their turn for repairs. We are very thankful for car insurance. And, we're trying to stay home until the roads clear.... if we can hold out that long. Thankfully, we have food and power, and all the animals are warm, well fed and watered. But, all of us are beginning to show signs of cabin fever .... animals and humans alike.

Birds

The birds have been flocking at our bird feeders and heated bird bath. They have been a joy to watch! We are thankful to be able to keep their feeders full and their water fresh and warmed.

We've hosted some rare avian visitors, too!

Yes, it's a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. What a treat for a birder to have right outside the living room window! : )

I am awed at the ability for God's creatures to travel great distances and be able to return to their nesting sites each year, to survive weather extremes, and to raise families each season. I feel humbled to have them visit our farm and am grateful to offer them some food and unfrozen water.

A male Red-bellied Woodpecker is at the beginning of this post. He's a regular year round at our feeders. I feel I know him pretty well after having seen him daily for such a long time.

We've had several Harris's Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, Red-winged Blackbirds (females), European Starlings, Northern Cardinals, Blue Jays, American Goldfinches, House Finches, and many more. I may have binocular marks around my eyes and a smile frozen on my face from enjoying these flighted visitors the last several days!

Knitting

I've been able to complete quite a bit of knitting. Most recently I've completed Kimberly's Fair Isle mitten design. She wrote the pattern and I was lucky enough to get to test knit it for her. I ended up with these:

I used Cascade 220 in Turquoise Heather and a Natural/cream color. I haven't decided where these mittens will end up just yet, but I'm sure they will keep someone's hands very warm.

I've also completed a size 12 sweater for the children of CIC. I'll post pictures of it soon, and I have another planned.

I've also just got to add the border to the Mountain Peaks Shawl and it will be completed. It will also find a new home. : ) I'll be sure to post pictures when it is completed and blocked.

Life

I am familiar with struggles and joys of life. Loss is a part of life, just as births, and growing older. I, however, have never dealt with anything so cold and tragic as the events that led to the loss of my grandmother. I cannot understand how such horrendous decisions were made and carried out. I'll never understand how adults could choose that, and then watch it carried out.

My grandmother was not in a coma. She was *awake and alert*, talking, eating, and visiting. She had NO IDEA that she was being ultimately betrayed by her family members that held the power of attorney.

I thought I knew them. I thought they had a sense of right and wrong, morals that would stand in a difficult situation, and that they understood self-sacrifice for the benefit of another. Oh, how very wrong I was. How wrong my grandmother was in believing that, too. Bless her heart. I hope she never realized what they had chosen and were doing to her.

My sister found the following, and I would like to share it here:
*************************************************************

Just up the road from my home is a field with two horses in it.
From a distance, each looks like every other horse. But if you
stop your car or are walking by, you will notice something
quite amazing.

Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is
blind. His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has
made a good home for him. This alone is amazing. If nearby and
listening, you will hear the sound of a bell. Looking around
for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the
smaller horse in the field.

Attached to her halter is a small bell. It lets her blind
friend know where she is, so he can follow her. As you stand
and watch these two friends, you'll see how she is always
checking on him, and that he will listen for her bell and then
slowly walk to where she is, trusting that she will not lead him
astray.

When she returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, she
stops occasionally and looks back, making sure her friend isn't
too far behind to hear the bell.

Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away
just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or
challenges. God watches over us and even brings others into our
lives to help us when we are in need.

Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little
ringing bell of those who God places in our lives. Other times
we are the guide horse, helping others see.

Good friends are like this. You don't always see them, but you
know they are always there.

Please listen for my bell and I'll listen for yours.

~Author Unknown~
*******************************************************

Prayers

I pray for all those people who are sacrificially caring for someone that is dependent upon them. I pray for their love to be stronger than their desire for self enjoyment or monetary gain. I pray for the caregivers to get adequate rest, excellent support from friends and health care services that believe in LIFE, and the rewards of their decision to help another to be eternal.

I also pray for those that are ill or disabled to have their health restored, or to have continued love and comfort if their health continues to fail. And, I pray that they have the constant knowledge and reassurance of the never ending love of their Heavenly Father.

Please continue to pray for Susan. Her gamma knife procedure was postponed last week and will be done early the morning of Jan. 18th. Please pray for complete healing and total eradication of the cancer.

I'd also like to request continued prayers for Mackenzie. Her facial cancer has improved dramatically with her most recent treatments and the scheduled surgery has been moved up. She is doing amazingly well and for such a little girl, she is very strong and amazing everyone around her. Please continue to pray for her family, too.

I also pray for each of you. I pray that you have a very blessed year, and that the truly wonderful things of life be yours ... and that you realize the things that are truly important. And, I pray for you to walk closer with the Lord every single day and know how very special *you* are to him.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NIV

Luke 12:7

Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Matthew 10: 28-31

28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Psalms 107:1

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

More Coming Soon, Thank You, & Prayers

2007-01-10T09:19:00.000-08:00

More Coming Soon

Well, I've already got the great computer crash of '07 out of the way (at least I hope so)! So, I'll be posting again soon.

Thank You

I want to thank everyone for your prayers, support, comments, emails, and phone calls. You'll never know how very much they have meant to my sister and I. There have been days when it felt like we were hanging by a thin thread, and your support has helped sustain us all along this path.

Prayers

I want to request for everyone to join me in praying for Susan. Her brain tumor has returned at one site after just having had surgery for removal just before Thanksgiving. She will be having the gamma knife procedure tomorrow morning very early. Please pray for a gentle and *effective* procedure and for her complete healing. Also, pray for the Lord's comforting arms to surround and be felt by Susan tomorrow as the procedure is done.

Susan, we are all praying for you and want to know we will be holding you up in prayer during your procedure tomorrow.

Please Take Action

2006-12-30T20:10:00.000-08:00

Please Take Action

Please read the information HERE and HERE.

Feel free to leave comments by clicking on the colored *Comments* word below (just over to the right in the lines below my name).

Shelly

To Loyce, Al, and Sylvia .... a Reply to Your Comment

2006-12-29T16:52:00.000-08:00

To Loyce (Jody), Al, and Sylvia ... a Reply to Your Comment

I found your comment to be quite interesting, especially considering your confused and telling statement. (Please, for future reference, please make your comments under the current dated entry....not at a past entry date. There are places where comments can be made at each blog entry right at the bottom of each dated entry. Please read the comments after each post/dated entry.)

I will quote your comment here:

****************************************
"Anonymous said...

You have single handedly destroyed one of the most spiritual and healing services Medicare ever supported. Maybe you have better read those bible verses again - judge not lest ye be judged."
****************************************

What you do not understand is that Medicare DOES NOT support the type of *involuntary* euthanasia by dehydration which each of you imposed on an awake and alert person. It WAS NOT her choice! She had no idea that her trip to that hospital was for her life to be electively ended at your request! Just as you told us that her hospitalization (actually hospice suite admission for terminal sedation) was for medication adjustment and to check for electrolyte imbalances....you knew it was to be her last visit anywhere. YOU chose it and scheduled it.

It was each of *YOU* that *JUDGED* the quality of Granny's life to be unworthy of living. Who gave *YOU* that authority? What criteria did you use to justify your decision to terminate her life? Was it that she was going to finally use some of HER OWN money for her extended care? Did *YOU* want to keep that money for yourselves? Did *YOU* want to be free to travel to Scottsdale on a whim without a second thought of anyone else? Did you want to be able to go out with friends without worry of her care in an extended care facility? Did you decide it was time for her life to end because *YOU WERE TIRED OF BEING BOTHERED*?

Who perceived themselves to be the *JUDGES* of what life is worth living? Did you usurp God's authority and plan? Did you become weary of waiting for God to call Granny home, so *YOU* sent her to him? This WAS NOT HIS TIMING, NOR HIS CHOICE.

Not only did you decide and plan her death....an awake, ambulatory, talking, eating, laughing and conversing person....but you requested it and watched it happen in one of the the slowest and most tragic manners possible. *YOU WATCHED* them DEHYDRATE her to death...for TWO WEEKS! And you have the audacity to call that a spiritual and healing act????? God Help Us All! Where is your heart? Where is your sanity?

Each of you *KNEW* this wasn't RIGHT! That is why you lied about the purpose of the hospital admission. That is why you continued to lie to us at each phone call! Only when I had asked enough pointed questions to begin to understand what may be happening and voiced that, did you suddenly become angry and *oh so defensive*. If you thought what you were choosing was right, you wouldn't have lied to us. You would have been honest ... but, you knew.

What research did you do? Did you seek cousel with your preacher or clergy? Did you research how death actually occurs by dehydration? Did you research this hideous practice at all? Yet, you chose it and scheduled it...and watched it carried out on your own mother and grandmother! Are your hearts totally made of stone?

This action of choosing *terminal sedation* has only been a choice for the past few years. It is a new and often money-seeking venture for *some* hospices. You chose it for *YOUR* benefit, obviously... all the while trying to convince yourselves that it was for her benefit. I think your delusion will not keep you comfortable forever.

Today would have been Granny's birthday. She would also have enjoyed another Christmas with family, another big dinner, and time with loved ones. One more birthday would have been welcomed by her. You chose for her NOT TO BE ALLOWED THAT TIME. She was given Ativan when at home, and not at her request! Ativan has terrible side effects in even young, healthy adults. Her increase in confusion is almost certainly a response to the Ativan that was recommended by the hospice workers to be given to her. Then, in the hospice suite, she was repeatedly and frequently given morphine (although there was NO NEED for morphine) under her tongue to make her too sleepy to be able to drink or ask for a drink of water...and every time she did wake, water was refused and more morphine given....until she slowly dehydrated and organ systems shut down... until she died.

I don't know how you sleep....or how you go about any of your days knowing that you chose to have your mother/grandmother/mother-in-law INVOLUTNARILY EUTHANIZED! If you do a bit of internet research, you will see what the term *involuntary euthanasia* is a synonym for ... go take a look.

Me, judging? Not actually. I have reviewed and weighed the facts. These are FACTUAL events. No judgment necessary. It clearly states in the Bible, *THOU SHALL NOT KILL*. And, what was it that you chose to have happen to Granny? You chose for her life to be ended...at your own request. That is the simple indesputible FACT. YOU judged her life *unworthy*. YOU judged her to lack *your definition* of quality. YOU judged her to be too time consuming. YOU judged her to not be worth the expense of long term care options and that all long term care facilities to be unacceptable. YOU judged her and YOU sentenced her to death. YOU watched it happen. YOU knew she was having all fluids withheld...you agreed. YOU kept water from being given to a thirsty woman. And *YOU* have the gall to call this a spiritual and healing experience??? How deceived are you? How sick is your heart? How corrupt is your mind? Healing...for what or who?

Now, enjoy your partying or trips to the second home in Scottsdale, and your frequent vacations. Have your fun while you can. An accounting will ultimately be held before God by each of us for what we have done. And, this will not go unnoticed. You will have to answer for YOUR choice and YOUR judgments.

God forgive us all. When our society, and even our own relatives, see right as wrong...and wrong as right....what have we become?

This is being addressed in the present time by many more people than my sister and I. Those responsible will be addressed. You will see. Take a moment and educate yourselves, finally.

While I do not intend to *judge*, I will NOT sit idly by and go quietly about my business without standing up for the innocents and those that cannot defend themselves. I have become very active and will continue as long as I live. And, there are many more like me....and many to replace me when I am gone. We are instructed to protect those that are weak and to stand up to those that take advantage.

I would have never imagined that each of you were capable of this! It was convenient and solved your impatience issue and your need for personal freedom from responsibility and put a quick end to your wait...while sparing $ for you to add to your own accounts. I don't know or comprehend how you survive with the knowledge of what you have done.

I try to imagine that you were stressed, overtired, and succomed to the polished sales pitch of the hospice personnel. But, the fact that you watched it continue for 2 weeks and did NOT change your mind...continued to withold fluids... and became impatient when her death did not happen quickly enough .... well, only God can address that with you. I cannot. I cannot fathom or believe what you have done! Who gave *YOU* the right? How can you live with yourselves? My own heart has been ripped and torn by this. I realize that I didn't know any of you or realize what you were truly capable of doing! I would never have believed any of you were capable of this. How very, very weak you must be! Or, how completely selfish and self-serving! Or, possibly both! I do not know, nor will I ever understand.

I pray for God to help me with this. I pray for God to help each of you, too.

Shelly

NIV

I Timothy 1:9

We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,

KJV

Exodus 20:13

Thou shalt not kill.

Christmas Morning Sky, Merry Christmas to All, Comments, & Prayers

2006-12-26T10:08:00.000-08:00

Christmas Morning Sky

Early yesterday morning I went outside to get some pictures of the Christmas sky. Just one picture wouldn't do...so please enjoy the pictures that follow.

All these pictures of the Christmas morning sky were taken one after the other from our front deck. What a glorious sight to start Christmas day!

Merry Christmas to All

I hope that every one of you have had a marvelous Christmas. Beyond the hectic pace of packages, cooking, and getting together... I hope that the true meaning of Christmas was residing bountifully in your heart. I hope that there was wonderful times in the company of loved ones, good memories made, and relationships strengthened.

Gracie, one of our cats, found her own special place to cozy up after the packages were unwrapped.

All of our cats took turns trying out the newest and most sought after box of the day. : )

Comments

I've been emailed recently by some wondering how to leave comments to the posts on this blog. It's really simple. Just click on the colored word *Comments* at the bottom of each post. You can leave comments, or read comments that have been left by others, on the page that will come up by clicking the *comments* link. And, I always enjoy and appreciate any comments that you would like to share.

Prayers

I'd like to thank everyone for your prayers, thoughts, and good wishes concerning the loss of my grandmother. I appreciate each of them so very much and thanks do not seem sufficient. This has been tremendously difficult. My emotions have gone to almost every extreme imaginable. I am still working through it, and with the Lord's help, my sister and I will recover and will work tirelessly to see that this does not happen to others.

I can report that I received a phone call on Friday afternoon before Christmas that was one of the most important and encouraging things that has happened yet and has confirmed that this practice will be challenged and changed.

My prayers this week are for each of you to have a wonderful and bountifully blessed new year. I pray for good health for you, many friends, strengthened relationships, and a closer walk with our Heavenly Father every single day.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NIV

John 3:16
"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.

Psalm 119:50
My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.

Emerald Green, Sockret Pal, Knitting, Work Progress, & Prayers

2006-12-21T15:02:00.000-08:00

Emerald Green

Well, I did my first yarn crockpot dyeing a few days ago. The yarn is all dried, and I think I had beginner's luck. I was shooting for emerald green yarn....and, I think I ended up with *emerald green yarn*. : )

There's a slight variation in the saturation of the color, but I rather like that. Rather than a flat, solid color, I'd call this a *nearly* solid. This is destined to become a CIC sweater. There are 478 yards of *almost* bulky yarn. This started out as Cascade Ecological Wool in the platinum, natural color.

I really enjoyed dyeing this yarn and plan on doing more. Thanks to Susan F. and Susan B. for the inspiration.

Sockret Pal

The Sockret Pal Swap has been the first knitting swap that I have joined. And, I must say, I have loved every minute of it.

I have loved choosing items and putting together packages for my assigned pal on the *send to* end. And, my pal that has been assigned to send to me has totally overwhelmed me with her generosity and caring.

I received another box the day before yesterday. I apologize to my pal for just now getting a chance to blog about this wonderful box of goodies! My husband brought it inside and helped me get through the tape....then I just couldn't believe it as I opened each item and saw each wonderful item.

Just look....it took 2 pictures to get all the items pictured:

Thank you again to my wonderful sockret pal. I'll cast on the sock yarn soon. The decorations are going up in our home tonight! I love the crocheted snowflake! Each item is special and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I feel I have made a very special friend out there somewhere, even though I don't even know your name yet.

Knitting

I'm still knitting mittens for Mittens for Akkol. I've also got a child's size 12 orange, raglan sweater on the needles for the children of CIC.

I've also almost finished the 6 socks at once on one long, circular needle. I apologize for the delay. I will be placing updated photos as well as a video on how to manage the 6 yarns at once on my blog in the next several days. : )

Knitting is very therapeutic and the activity of knitting has helped me through some of the grief in dealing with my grandmother's death....and especially with the hideous manner in which it came. I can feel that something productive and tangible is coming from my overwhelming grief. And, it is clearing my mind somewhat and keeping me motivated to see that changes are made and to see that those that have done this are held accountable.

Work Progress

My sister and I are continuing, undaunted, in our pursuit of justice for our grandmother. We are also continuing in our efforts of making this practice known and seeing that it is made illegal.

To choose to have a person euthanized that is awake and alert, is in no pain, and that desires to live, only as a matter of *convenience* or as a *money saving* measure is horribly tragic! To choose death for someone, rather than long term care options is beyond my ability to comprehend.

I know this is a difficult topic. I know it makes many uncomfortable. But, it must be faced! I have truly found out which friends were willing to go beyond their comfort zone to speak out against this, to read the facts, to be willing to listen or ask questions to join in the effort to stop this happening to innocents by the choice of relatives or those in control...for convenience, or to save money, or to listen to and choose to follow in action the story of *sending someone off on a journey*.

Some hospices (not all, by any means) encourage, solicit and advertise this service! There is no peer review, no consults, no second opinions, no review committee to keep ethics in place. One family member or person with power of attorney, a doctor willing to write the orders, and a hospice staff that feels they are helping someone on a *beautiful journey* can do this to nearly anyone.

The wheels of justice will turn. It is underway.

I so wish my relatives that chose to euthanize my grandmother had consulted with the clergy of their church prior to making this decision and choosing to have this done. Why didn't they consult my sister, or I? It was kept secret from us....because I believe they knew we would have strongly disagreed and never accepted this as any type of option. I wish they had looked at THIS BOOK, or THIS BOOK, or THIS BOOK. They will now have to live with their decision for the rest of their lives. I cannot imagine living with that. I care about them, but I truly hate what they have done.

Please click on the colored links in the paragraph above to see each book. They each strongly address the issue of euthanasia ... especially euthanasia by choice of others and when it is NOT the choice of the person to be euthanized.

These books include the legal aspects, emotional aspects, and a Christian view of euthanasia. I have ordered all 3 and have 2 of them in my hands already. I highly recommend them for anyone with concerns about these practices. They are well researched and written with clarity of facts.

Also, please click on the small picture of my grandmother in the sidebar above to view more information about STOPPING Involuntary Euthanasia.

Additionally, did you realize that hospices are such big businesses that some are now listed on the NASDAQ? Look at THIS. (This is NOT the hospice that euthanized my grandmother, so please do not confuse it as such. I do not know the practices of this hospice organization. I just noticed they were a company with stock investors.)

Prayers

My prayers this week are for each of you to have a wonderful and blessed holiday season. I pray that you are drawn closer to the Lord every minute of every day. I pray for those that have been ill to have health and wellness in the new year. And, I pray for you to be blessed with a bounty of friends and family every day.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NIV

Ephesians 1:3
[ Spiritual Blessings in Christ ] Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

I Peter 1:3-4
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you,

Very Late Saturday Sky, A Graduate, Sockret Pal, Some Knitting, Thank You, Changes and Prayers

2006-12-17T15:10:00.000-08:00

A Very Late Saturday Sky

This Saturday Sky is from a Saturday in November. I thought it was beautiful and decided to finally post a picture of it today.

Beautiful, huh? ; )

A Graduate

Congratulations to our precious daughter, Amanda! She's completed her degree and graduated yesterday from Oklahoma State University. We are so very happy for her and proud of her accomplishments! It was a wonderful day to be with Amanda, her hubby Ryan, and our son, Zach. As parents, we were just about to pop with happiness for each of them! We are *beyond blessed*. : )

Here are some pics. of graduation day...

Amanda on the giant, big screen at Gallagher-Iba Arena about to receive her diploma -

Amanda waving to us up in the stands -

And, some knitting that helped me with being a nervous Mom at graduation -

Congratulations, Sweetie! : )

Sockret Pal

My dear Sockret Pal sent a box of goodies a couple of weeks ago. I apologize to my pal for not posting my *Thank You* earlier. The box was perfect and really touched my heart. Here's a picture:

I love the little yarn/sheep figurine. It brought a big smile to my face. There's also the wonderful book that I have started reading. The lotion is wonderful and perfect for keeping my hands soft while knitting in winter. The yarn is scrumptious, and the stickers are too cute. I already have plans for pictures to fill the little magnetic frames! Also, the little sheep card was wonderful.

Thank you so much dearest Sockret Pal. I felt the caring in your gift box and it has indeed touched my heart. I hope you have a wonderful and blessed holiday season. : )

Some Knitting

I've been knitting a bit. It has been very therapeutic, soothing, and satisfying to be knitting mittens for the children in orphanages in Akkol, Kazakhstan. I'm not finished yet....many yet to be done.

CIC's current challenge is to knit for a sister charity, Mittens for Akkol.

I've also started a large, orange Raglan sweater for the older kids of CIC. The next CIC challenge begins in January '07, this time focusing on items for the older children. Even though I'm a bit early for the next challenge, it makes for a good occasional break from mitten knitting.

And, today in the crockpot....

This is in our older crockpot that is no longer used for cooking food. Now, it's cooking yarn! The yarn was a natural white/platinum color when it was first placed in the dye bath. I just *winged it* and mixed blue and yellow dyes to make green....and green I got! I'll post pictures when it's finished.

Thank You

I don't know how to adequately express my thankfulness to my friends that have called, written, emailed and just spent time listening to and talking with me recently. I appreciate it more than you will ever know. *Thank You* to each of you ... so very, very much.

Changes

Whether for good, or bad, change is often difficult. Lately, the changes in our society and world that I see have left me overwhelmed and saddened.

I know it is easier for many to ignore the issues at hand...and to look the other way. But, honestly, we cannot afford the luxury of doing that! By looking away from the things that are difficult, you are giving your permission for them to contniue. By not taking a stand, you are indeed taking a stand, and giving your nod to those that are doing horrible things that they may continue.

The loss of my grandmother by relatives *choosing* euthanasia by terminal sedation and dehydration resulting in death is deplorable. This change in the activities of hospice organizations is alarming, tragic, completely unethical (in my opinion) and frightening. Please take a stand....this impacts each and every one of us...and our loved ones.

My sister and I continue our work to see that this practice is made illegal. I cannot go into details, but our efforts are continuing and will not stop.

I have been watching many events recently...and more societal *looking away* from the difficult issues alarms me. Jack Kevorkian was parolled this week and will be released from prison next June. The recent vote on the Child Pain Awareness Act was defeated (where women receiving abortions at 20 weeks or later in pregnancy would have been informed of the availability of anesthesia that could be administered to the baby in utero to prevent pain during an abortion) by THIS VOTE. Do you notice a vote that is very close to party lines? (Even though over 50% voted to pass this into law, the needed 2/3 majority was not met....and it did not become law.)

I do believe in personal freedom and a person's right to make decisions concerning their own body. However, when *another person's body* is involved, well, that's where I draw the line. When the elderly, or the young, or the handicapped cannot speak for themselves...or are not allowed to speak for themselves....and if we choose not to speak up for them, then the world is turning right into wrong and wrong into right...and we are allowing it!

Please, take time to look at the HARD and DIFFICULT issues. Don't pamper yourself and stay in your comfort zone! Educate yourself and SPEAK OUT....please. Yes, these are difficult issues. But, if ignored, everyone will lose eventually.

Prayers

My prayers this week are for hearts and eyes to be opened. I pray for courage and conviction for everyone to become informed and let your voice be heard by your legislators and law makers. I pray for softened hearts for those that have hardened their hearts to the needs of others and a strengthened relationship with the Lord for each of us.

I also pray for a blessed and Merry Christmas season for each of you.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NAS

Jeremiah 22:3

3'Thus says the LORD, "Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor Also do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place.

Good Bye to My Grandmother

2006-11-22T16:25:00.000-08:00

Good Bye to My Grandmother

Ollie S.
December 29, 1908 - November 20, 2006
I am sure she has been welcomed by the Heavenly Host and is now with her mother, her husband, her brothers and sisters, my little sister, and many of her friends. I know that she is enjoying the celebration of reunion with loved ones in the presence of our Heavenly Father and I look forward to being with her again.

27 Years, Why, & Prayers

2006-11-10T10:05:00.000-08:00

27 Years

Today is a milestone....a wonderful milestone! Today is our 27th Wedding Anniversary.

Kim and I met almost 28 years ago. At that time, I was definitely NOT interested in a relationship. I had been in *more* than a couple of bad relationships and decided that men were jerks, some just more so than others. I did, however, think he had the most beautiful brown eyes and wavy black hair that I had ever seen. I definitely thought he was a dreamboat! But, still a guy, which in my mind meant he was always looking to play games and work a plan.

Kim, on the other hand, was wondering why I was rather distant and not the usual female batting her eyelashes at him or trying to get his attention. I think this was a first for him. : )

As we became friends and saw each other frequently at group events, we began to know and understand each other. We talked frequently for hours, occasionally all night long. We once sat in my car in the church parking lot after an evening service, and talked until the sun came up the next morning....still in the car, still in the same parking space, just talking all night long.

We went to movies in groups of our friends, went to have pizza with pals, and waited quite a while before we ever went out on an official *date*.

We were close friends and both worried that dating might really mess that up. He called, we went to a movie and dinner on our own, and when he brought me to my home...we had hot chocolate. When I was walking past him into the kitchen to finish making the hot chocolate (pre microwave days!), he kissed me. WOW! What a kiss!!! If that was what kissing was, I had never really experienced being kissed before. Yes, literally, there were bells and rockets, I was dizzy, and melting on the spot!

I had already realized he wasn't a *typical male*. He was genuine, he had a tender heart, he didn't have polished words and *a plan*. Kim was stronger than any person that I had ever known (or still have ever known)....not in a physical strength way, but in his character, his heart, his caring, his beliefs, and his honesty. Kim's priorities are unwavering and he walked the walk...not just talk.

I fell for him like a ton of bricks. In spite of my best human efforts to be an independent female and charting my own course, he won my heart! And, I haven't regretted it for a single moment.

We have shared our faith, that we feel has kept us centered and on course. We have like priorities. We have shared wonderful times and tragedies, have experienced the birth of our two wonderful children, had good times and hard times. We've had times of plenty and times that things were sparse. We've had arguments and misunderstandings, but always followed that by asking for forgiveness, apologizing from our hearts, and ultimately been brought closer together.

What we have learned over the past 27 years is that each moment is precious and that our time may not be as long as we think. We have learned that selflessness in a marriage guarantees the best for both. When each partner puts the other partner's needs ahead of their own, nobody can lose. (However, if both partners aren't fully in sync with this...one will be the ultimate doormat and the other will constantly take advantage, or it will be a destructive battle of wills if both want to be first...so it must be the priority for both.)We have both stood by each other in times of severe sickness and have loved and valued each other all the more.

We feel confident that the Lord brought us together. I will never be able to express enough thanks to our Heavenly Father for Kim, my most precious earthly blessing. And, I will never be able to thank Kim enough for introducing himself to me, becoming my friend, risking going on a date with me, that first incredible kiss, being a wonderful and outstanding Dad to our children, being with me every day for the past 27 years...laughing with me, forgiving me when I mess up, lovingly steering me back on course when I get confused, for holding me when my heart breaks, for being my very best friend, the best husband I could ever imagine and a man of God.

I love you, Kim...words are not enough...my heart is totally and completely yours!

Why?

WARNING...some adult content follows and may be difficult to read. If you choose to read, please read to the end.

I have been asked on occasion *why* my blog is as it is. Why do I pray? Why do I blog about prayers, why am I open about my faith, why do I feel everything is something the Lord would care about? Do I ever consider to think that some may not want my prayers? Why is faith in the Lord such a big part of my life? Don't I think it is judgmental to pray for others or offer to pray? Do I think I am better than others?

I can honestly share with you that these questions crush my heart. However, I can understand them and will do my very best to answer. Please read on and don't stop here...you will learn much more about me and hopefully understand me a bit better. I will be blatantly and painfully open and honest. I am NOT what you probably think and I want you to know that. This will be quite lengthy, but you will understand why as you read on.

I wasn't always a Christian. I wasn't brought up in church. I wasn't the apple of my parent's eyes. I wasn't a cherished child. In fact, I was born as a burden to two very unhappy people. I would hope for a hug or attention from a Dad that would too frequently come home in a drunken stupor, if he came home at all. I would hope for a hug or approval from a mother that would slap or hit rather than be bothered. My parents had terrible fights....physical fights and verbal fights. My sister and I witnessed our father hit our mother so hard that her head went through the sheetrock of the wall of our living room. My father threatened to break my arm, as he held it over his bent leg like a stick, if my mother did not return to the house from the yard. Upon her return, the fight grew to the point of extremes. I was blamed for his abuse. I was too slow to not let him grab my arm.

I received punishment for causing their fighting.

Our mother's daily mantra was *if I had another kid, I'd kill it.* We believed it.

This wasn't an isolated incident. This was our life until my sister and I went to live with our grandparents. I love remembering those days. Being held and rocked by my grandmother. Being teased by my grandfather.

My parents divorced. We returned to live with our mother. She soon remarried. She and our stepfather became very successful in business ... money and material posessions were their goal.

I began physical self harm and painful behaviors by the time I was in 4th grade. Somehow, it provided relief for my anger, my self hatred, and my pain...by inflicting greater pain on myself that I felt I abundantly deserved. I cut myself and stuck needles and pins in my scalp. I hid my behavior and if anything was noticed, it was ignored by adults around me.

They fought and argued. We were blamed. We were beaten when our mother had a bad day or a temper flare, which was often. I was chased down the street by an angry parent wielding scissors, and had a butcher knife held to me with threats of being *gutted*, only to be rescued by another family member.

We all left that home by the time we were 17. All, being my sister and I, my step brother, and my half brother. We left a huge home that was excessive in riches of money and material items, but void of love, caring, respect, or humanity. As we each left, we were told to never expect to return. We were on our own and they were celebrating.

I'm not sharing this to solicit sympathy, it's just fact. I am only sharing this as background for understanding some of my subsequent actions and decisions, not as an excuse, but rather my reasoning, or lack thereof.

At 17, before I graduated highschool, I married the first young man that I had ever dated. I needed an escape from the abuse, although I thought I was *in love* at the time. I successfully jumped from the frying pan into the fire.

Abuse abounded. Neither of us had the maturity, understanding, or teaching to have a healthy or caring relationship. I did have the blessing of going to school. However, before graduation from nursing school, we divorced. I was 20, divorced, an RN...and facing new challenges and trying to cope on my own without direction.

I excelled at my work. I learned quickly and easily and it was *natural* for me. I was an excellent nurse, but I didn't have a clue about my own life. My biological father was slowly dying from alcoholism and diabetes and frequently told me that he needed a *real* daughter. My mother and stepfather continued amassing wealth and fighting, and still blaming me for their every unhappiness. And, I believed them.

I craved acceptance. I wanted to have parents that cared, that protected, that accepted, that knew how to love. I craved male acceptance. I wanted a father, I wanted to be special to someone, I wanted to be acceptable. I tried. I tried way too hard and way too much.

I found myself gladly selling myself short and compromising myself to any degree just to hear someone tell me they cared...knowing that it was a lie. Hearing a lie was better than not hearing any caring words at all.

I was involved in many relationships. Men were plentiful, but respect was non-existent...respect from them, or self respect for myself. They became quickly intimate, and were all empty. There was no caring, maybe occasionally a date or dinner, but rarely. I was craving acceptance and it was marked across my face. I was an easy mark and I tried to convince myself that this was how adult life worked. I tried to convince myself that I was *happy* with *casual* relationships. All the while, I was dying inside. I was running as fast as I could and only moving backward.

As I tired of the lies and the game and hoped for something different soon, I was approached by a colleague. He was different. He wanted a relationship, I thought. He was attentive, caring, always checking on me and taking me out....and, he was married. We spent much time together. I was intensely infatuated and thought *he* was the answer to everything.

In a nutshell, after a year, the relationship ended horribly. The pain I felt became unbearable. And, my guilt at causing pain to others ate at my heart and mind. My death became appealing and the focus of my thoughts...to relieve the pain. I had decided that I wasn't *tough enough* for life. That I didn't fit into the big scheme of things. I felt that even though I didn't know what death was like, it certainly couldn't be any worse than life as I knew it. And, that even though I had one area in which I excelled (my work), I felt I had harmed too many family, friends, and those I cared about most....and that others could much better utilize the oxygen that I breathed.

I was relieved. I had a plan. It was all going to be over. I would no longer be able to be a disappointment to others....or myself. This pain would end. I felt relief.

The day after I had made my decision and had my plan ready to go...all loose ends taken care of, paperwork neatly in order on my kitchen table, and a quick change of beneficiaries on my insurance at work....as I was leaving work, a nurse I did not know but had only been introduced to...approached me and asked me to come to her office for a couple of minutes to discuss a project. I followed her, she closed her office door, turned to me, looked me straight in the eyes and said....*Shelly, I know what's up. Please don't do this. Let me get help for you.*

Now I did not know this person, had never told anyone what I was planning, and had just completed another shift at work. I felt I had everything all wrapped up and that I was secretly and successfully taking care of things. How did she know? Who had figured out my plan? How had this happened?

At this point I had a choice....to deny everything and to continue home. Or, to accept an offer of help. It was up to me.

I was so shocked by her words that I couldn't hide my reaction of *how on earth did you know*. I was angry and also horrified that she had somehow *known*. Then I was totally broken to think that she actually cared enough to say something and take that risk. I basically fell apart in her office and found myself being hospitalized across town in a psych unit later that day.

I was barely 22 and felt I had lived at least 10 terrible lifetimes. I was hospitalized for more than 20 days in a locked unit. I had intense therapy. Some of it was helpful, but most left me feeling that I *couldn't do it*. I couldn't just convince myself I was happy, or cope my way to well-being. They did, however, keep me from harm and give me time to rethink and put things in a better perspective. Upon dismissal, I found my problems were still there, and now I had a huge medical bill to add to them. I felt that at the time of my hospital admission I had reached a bottom so low that I needed to look up to see the bottom...and if I had survived that, maybe I should give it another shot.

I ended the negative and life sucking relationships. I tried to positively *self talk*. I worked, and worked, and worked. I threw myself into my work. And still, the pain, grief and weakness from before were mounting rapidly. The holidays were approaching, and that seemed to make it worse.

Enter, Patti. I had gone to school with Patti. I worked with Patti. She was sweet, kind, and in my mind a bit of a goodie-two-shoes. I hate to admit it, but there were times that I felt sorry for Patti. She went to church all the time. She invited me to, of all things, Christian concerts. What??? She went to Bible studies. Poor little Patti, she sure didn't know how to do anything fun.I would find out I was wrong...totally wrong.

Patti and I worked as nurses together in the same unit. She asked if I would like to ride with her to our work Christmas party. So, I said OK. The day of the work party, as we're getting in Patti's car, she lets me know that she has a stop to make at a friend's house and that it won't take long. She told me that she was going to sing a couple of songs for his party and play her guitar, and then we would continue on to our work party. I said fine. I knew she played guitar and sang and I had nothing better to do...and, after all, she was driving.

We arrived at a home in NW OKC. She gets her guitar from the back and asks me to come inside with her. Well, rather than sitting in the dark in a car by myself, I agreed. We went inside and the rooms were FULL of people. People talking, laughing, having snacks and drinking...apple cider and hot chocolate. What? They were all our in our age range. Lots of young men, lots of young ladies. One of the young men asks everyone to have a seat and he begins talking. Well, it took me about 3 seconds to figure out that he was a *preacher*! Are you kidding me???? He was kind, very talkative, laughing, and encouraging everyone....and then began to talk a bit about being single or alone during the holidays. That got my interest. Then he introduced Patti. She went up front and began to play and sing.

I was sitting on the floor, trying to blend in and not be too obvious that I surely didn't belong in *this* group. And, boy was I going to let Patti have it when we got outside!

Patti sang a song, or two. She has a gentle, clear and very sweet voice. (I could listen to her all day.) Then she started singing another song. She looked at me as she sang. I don't remember the exact words, but they were words of watching a friend that she cared about and that she wanted to share with, but that wouldn't listen. Of the pain that she saw in her friend, of the broken heart she knew was inside, of the hard life that I had known and the longing for someone to care....of selling myself cheaply ... and how could she tell me that all along there was someone that cared. Someone that wouldn't let me down...someone that was more real than the people before me. Someone that didn't care what I had done, was wanting to show me *real*, unconditional love, and let me know I had a father all along. A father that could make wonderful things out of every bad thing, that all things would work for good, that could heal wounds, and restore hearts. She cried as she sang. I'm crying now as I'm typing.

Well, we never made it to our work Christmas party. We spent the evening with the group of what I had previously thought were square, Bible thumping, no fun geeks. I can honestly say I was totally wrong about them. I had never met such nice, fun, and loving friends that cared unconditionally. You could screw up and be forgiven. You weren't expected to be perfect or have impeccable manners. They accepted me and my baggage...and invited me to join in the journey to knowing and walking with our Heavenly Father closer, and helping each other up when we stumble and fall.

Nobody was pretending to be perfect...in fact, we were all totally imperfect. We had all been forgiven mightily. I *was never* and *will never* be perfect. I sure don't expect it of others.

I do wish that you would come to know your Heavenly Father as caring, forgiving, and loving. There is freedom in that. You don't have to *go it alone*.

What I perceived to be a harsh rule book of dos and don'ts, was actually a book of love letters He has sent to His children containing guidelines to protect them, keep them safe, and make the best of their lives and make them complete. Just as a loving parent instructs their child to stay out of the street, to not play with matches, or to not dive into unclear water....so our Father does for us. He wants us to avoid hurt, pain, or injury. He desires for us to have joy and fullness in our hearts. He regards us each as His children, equal in status and importance, equally forgiven, equally loved unconditionally.

So, when I offer to pray for someone, or spend time in prayer...it is certainly not in a *holier than thou* type of thought or stance. It is simply me, running to our Heavenly Father, and spending time communicating with Him...spending time with Him and asking Him to intervene on your behalf, to spare pain, to give you good things, to help you in any situation because, I care. He is able to intervene where I/we cannot. He can cause good to come from bad. He can hold up your heart and make it full in *any* circumstance.

Just as I cannot restore my grandmother's confused mind, heal my husband's deteriorating back or restore his heart to having a normal, healthy valve, nor can I protect my children from all pain, or spare my friends from hurtful things in life, I have a Father I can run to and He will listen. He can do these things. He answers...maybe not immediately, maybe not as we would wish, maybe He wants us to wait, but He does answer. He is faithful and always present. He is capable of doing what we cannot. Our responsibility is to draw closer to Him, allow Him to help us, and allow Him to teach us how to have true love and success.

Will I stop praying? No. Never. Do I feel superior somehow? Absolutely not. I am riddled with flaws and am fully aware of that fact. However, I'm asking Him to help me with those and I'm aksing your forgiveness if I have offended you in any way...and I will continue to try to be better so as not to offend you ever again...although still being very human....well, you see the problem.

You see, I am convinced that God put that nurse in my way the day I intended to give up. I'm also fully convinced that he put Patti with me to eventually *kidnap* me to a Christmas party and to lead me to another kind of life! : )
And, I'm sure that He has blessed my life with Kim, our children, my friends, our farm, .....

I'm not just going on emotion here. I have worked in medical research. I'm familiar with statistics. I attempt to keep up with scientific findings. There is proof to be seen if we look. I could not have *emotionally* produced true joy in my heart by my own doing. Even Kim couldn't do this for me. I could not have had a joyful 27 yr. marriage without the Lord's help. You may have, but certainly not me. And, I can truly say it has been a wonderful 27 years...not without trials and arguments, not without hard times, but also filled with fun, joy, love, commitment, and the blessings of our Heavenly Father...and I wouldn't trade 1 minute of the last 27 years with Kim for all the money in the world, lieterally. Nor, would I trade 1 minute of the almost 28 years of walking with my Heavenly Father for all the material gifts the world has to offer.

Friends, I've pretty much put it all out there today. I'm taking a risk. It's a risk I consider worth taking....because I care. If you choose to think I'm a nut, well, that's OK. I'm just trying to share my heart with you and there are risks in that. I don't want you to see me as something I'm not. I'm a real and flawed human being. I'm certainly in no position to judge anyone, nor do I intend to come across in that manner. I'm hoping that you will just accept me as me...kinda unconditionally. ;)

In closing, my prayer today is that you also have true Joy in your heart through our Heavenly Father. I pray that you accept His offer of unconditional love, cut yourself some slack and forgive yourself and others, accept His forgiveness, and let Him guide you as a loving parent to true joy and completeness and to finding your full potential of becoming the person He would have you be and knowing the life He has for you.

Have a wonderful weekend...

Your Friend,

Shelly

P.S. Knitting Content and regular blogging next time!

NIV

Psalm 121
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?

2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;

8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Ephesians 1:7
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace

Last Saturday's Sky, Little Hats, Little Socks, & Prayers

2006-11-06T13:04:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday's Sky

I did get a picture of the sky on Saturday and am finally getting it posted on Tuesday.

We finally had a wonderful and much needed rain on Saturday. We had a thunderstorm and enjoyed it thoroughly!

Little Hats

I've been making little hats for wee, little heads this weekend. I cast on at the SWAK Knit In Friday night and found these fast and easy to complete...and very good for the heart, too!

I didn't get to knit on Saturday, but Sunday was a very fruitful day for little hat knitting.

The pink daisy hat is from *Itty Bitty Hats* by Susan B. Anderson. I used various colors of Touche yarn.

The smaller baby hats are made in preemie and small newborn sizes. They are knit with Plymouth Dreambaby DK using the online pattern HERE. I made some simple modifications to the pattern to try some ribbing and the little knotted i-cord on the top.

I found that many baby hats can be made from a single skein of either of these yarns.

I'll be knitting more and sending some to the Metro OKC Knitter's Guild for use in local hospital nurseries and I'm also sending baby hats to support Caps To The Capital.

Knitting these little hats certainly warms my heart during the chilly, fall days. : )

Little Socks With A Little Progress

I did get a small bit of time to work on the 6 little socks on one long circular needle last Thursday evening at our local Sit 'N Stitch at Borders. I made a little progress while chatting and visiting with my knitting friends. We had a wonderful time!

As you can see, not much progress was made. But, fear not, this is my project for intense knitting this evening. I'm going to concentrate on knitting these little socks and hope to have them finished in the next couple of days.

Since I hadn't touched them this weekend, you will see much more progress in future pictures, I promise! : )

Prayers

This week my heart has been drawn to deepened prayer for the children of CIC and children in situations without adequate resources to have the opportunity to live, grow and thrive...and those without parents. Please join me in prayer for these little ones and that we may each find ways to help relieve these situations as much as possible.

I'm also drawn to pray for those that have adopted children and daily provide love and care for them...and have the joy of having children in their home. I pray that challenges will be overcome and that trust and love will replace fears and hurts.

And, I pray that each of us, as God's children, will accept His love and care and grow closer to Him each and every day.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NIV

John 16:21
A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.

Mark 9:37
"Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."

Mark 10:13-14
13 People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.
14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Afternoon Sky & Moon, Keeping Up, Knitting Experiment, Sockret Pal Goodies, & Prayers

2006-11-01T15:44:00.000-08:00

Wednesday Afternoon Sky & Moon

Once again, I've missed Saturday's Sky, but I'm providing this afternoon's sky complete with the moon.

Keeping Up

Well, I'm trying! I'm talking about keeping up with electronic innovations....or my attempts to do so.

Kim, my wonderful husband of almost 27 years (just a few more days) bought me a wonderful anniversary and birthday present ... an iPod Nano!

I've got it figured out, for the most part. : ) I'm finding that I'll probably be using it primarily for podcasts. Podcasts are rather like listening to recorded radio shows...and there are many great ones to be downloaded for listening! Knitting podcasts, i.e. Craft Borg, and podcasts of all areas of interest.

Music listening is nice, but my favorite use is for listening to Bible study podcasts, most of which I've found HERE and daily Bible readings found on iTunes that originate HERE. Also, the audiobooks found HERE are too wonderful to pass up.

A cup of hot chocolate or tea, my knitting, and my iPod Nano and I'm set for some quality time!

Knitting Experiment

In the past weeks I've been busily knitting small sweaters for CIC. However, after a time, I developed a bit of hand soreness and decided on a different knitting project for a week, or so.

I'd had this idea rambling around in my head for a few months. Actually, since Rosemary and I first started talking about starting CareWool. So, as a bit of a kickoff project for CareWool, and a personal challenge, this week I decided it was time to cast on and see if I could do it. *It* is this:

Yes, this is knitting *6* socks at once on one long circular needle. I have always knitted 2 socks at once on one long circular needle, so I wondered why I couldn't knit more at once if I had a long enough needle. The picture above is the result of this thought rumbling around in my mind for a few months. : )

I did have witnesses to the cast on. Two knitting friends, Rosemary and Kay, were laughing at me as I attmepted to cast on without too much of a tangle...and when I looked up, I had become a form of amusement for other Borders customers and got a few questions as to what I was doing. I persevered and was eventually successful at mastering all 6 cast ons in the correct sequence. (whew!)

I'm knitting these on a 60" size 5 US Addi Turbo needle and using Marguerite's Mini-Basketweave Toddler Socks pattern. If I can manage turning all the heels, I think I'll have it made! : )

I'll report updates on the progress of the 6 little socks regularly. If this captures your imagination, or perhaps inspires you to consider knitting for children that are in need, please read the CIC website, join in the CIC Knit Yahoo list, and/or join us at CareWool.

Sockret Pal Goodies!

I must say that I have an *incredible* Sockret Pal! Look at all the goodies that were waiting for me at our gate! : )

Do I have the very best Sockret Pal, or what?! I am spoiled rotten with this fantastic box of wonderful things!

The box had a scrumptious scent from the cute candle in the beautiful votive holder when I opened the package. Everything was wrapped in pink and red tissue paper with a cute note. There is a beautiful soft pink and chocolate skein of yarn. Also, included were a hand knit pot holder in happy colors, two packets of wonderful teas, a cute handled basket with red hearts, some yummy Crunch Stixx, and two great flavored tubes of Chap Stick.

My Pal is the *VERY BEST* and couldn't have picked things any more perfect for me! And, I think I have figured out where my Sockret Pal lives...just look at this:

My Pal slipped up....look, the package was shipped from *Somewhere, USA*! : )

Thank you so very much, Sockret Pal!

Prayers

My heart has been a bit heavy this week as my grandmother's condition continues to deteriorate. Her clear thinking has given way to confusion and finding humor in matters that she wouldn't normally find funny. She is losing control of more of her bodily movements and functions, but thankfully at this point, seems no longer depressed or worried.

I am so very thankful for her taking my sister and I and caring for us as her own when we were small. She gave us a safe haven in a very stormy time and was our one source of consistent caring and love.

I find myself going from periods of feeling joy for her many long years and remembering her rocking me when I was small and scared as she would sing hymns, to feeling heavy sadness at her impending loss. I remember being gleeful when she would come to visit once we were again living with our parents. I remember thinking the world would surely end when she left. And now, my sadness grows as her health declines and her mind is growing dim.

I am leaning on the arms of our Heavenly Father and know that she will be with Him soon. I am comforted to know that I will be with her again some day and that we will both be in the presence of our Heavenly Father. Indeed, what a day of rejoicing that will be!

Many prayers have been answered for Susan. Her surgery to remove two brain tumors went well and took less time than the doctors expected. She is recovering and will be spending some time in rehab to regain physical strength. Please continue your prayers for her.

My prayer for each of you is that you no longer have doubts or skepticism about the Lord. That you realize His unending love for you and that you desire to follow Him more closely every day.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NIV

I John 4:4, 9-10, 18

4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear

It's a Sunday Sky, Keeping Up, Book, & Prayer

2006-10-22T16:11:00.000-07:00

Sunday Sky

Yes, I know that I'm a member of the *Saturday* Sky group, but my picture is of today's Sunday sky. I tried to take a picture of the sky when I was out and about yesterday. I aimed the camera...and nothing. There was only an annoying beep. I then read on the camera screen that there was *NO CARD* in the camera. Yes, the card was at home ... and I wasn't.

So, today we have Sunday Sky!

I hope the Saturday Sky group will accept my humble apology. : )

This Sunday sky is clear, very blue, and very still. It's simply beautiful!

Keeping Up

I really enjoy keeping up with my online pals' blogs. As my favorite blogs grew in number, I was struggling to keep up with recent posts in a timely manner. While Bloglines is a great option, being a bit impatient in these matters, I choose to know immediately of updates when I'm online.

So, our son Zach helps me out again. He recommended Google Desktop. I got it downloaded, installed, and running in just minutes!

Google Desktop creates a sidebar on your computer screen with multiple features. The *Web Clips* feature allows you, by clicking on *Options*, to subscribe to all your favorite blogs and when they are updated, it shows immediately on your desktop sidebar under the Web Clips heading. How neat is that? : )

The sidebar can be minimized whenever you like, so no need to worry that it will constantly be up on your screen if you'd prefer otherwise.

Book

I'm planning on downloading a book from Audible soon.

The book is...

This book speaks to many scientific issues and is written by the medical geneticist that headed the Human Genome Project, and now heads the National Human Research Genome Institute, Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD. You can read more about Dr. Collins HERE.

Since I participated in medical research as an RN before becoming a stay at home wife, and currently as a patient in a medication research protocol, I have quite an interest in this book. And, as a Christian, I like to be prepared to answer any questions that may come my way.

Prayer

Please continue to pray daily for those facing challenges ... and for each other. My prayer is that we each grow closer to the Lord every day and learn to have joyful and thankful hearts no matter what our circumstances may be.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NIV

Romans 12:12
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Psalm 17:6
I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer.

Autumn, Knitting, Announcement, Cats & Prayers

2006-10-19T14:53:00.000-07:00

Autumn at our Farm

Autumn in Oklahoma seems more colorful than usual this year. Yesterday I took a brief walk in the back pasture and took some pictures of the wooded area near the back boundary of our farm.

Enjoy the pictures below of our fall colors.

and

Yesterday was a cloudy day, but the colors were still brilliant.

Knitting

I've just finished another little Raglan sweater for the children of CIC. This was a quick and easy knit using Lamb's Pride Bulky yarn.

This yarn is very thick and I'm sure it will keep a little child very warm. I know it kept me warm while it was on my lap during knitting. : )

I'll be mailing off my first box to CIC for the current knitting challenge that goes through November 30th. I'll be sending a second box later in the challenge.

ANNOUNCEMENT of CareWool

Rosemary and I have been working quietly for a few months on organizing a charity knitting group. We have a website that we would love you to visit and join ... www.CareWool.com .

Our goal is to encourage others in knitting for chairty, to join with friends of like minds and hearts for helping others, and to share in the process. We plan on having local monthly meetings, and for those that are too far away, you can participate online. We'll be linking blogs of members to the sidebar of CareWool so that we can get to know each other and keep up with each other's lives.

There are no fees or dues for Carewool. There's just lots of encouragement, ideas, fellowship and cheerleading for CIC/charity knitting. As a member, picture posting of items in progress, or completed, are welcomed and encouraged.

Please join us at CareWool.

Cats

Our cats have been posing this week, so I took pictures of a couple of them to share with you.

Here's Toby...

Toby is nearing the top cat position of our group of kitties.

And, here's Barkley posing with a cross stitch pattern that I am going to start soon. It looks just like him!

The pattern is titled *Tapestry Cat* by Teresa Wentzler.

Prayers

Please pray fervently for Susan. She will be having a major surgery this next week, on the 27th, to help battle her cancer again. Please pray for the Lord's loving arms to surround her and keep her safe, to give peace to her heart and mind, to care for her family, and to guide the neurosurgeon's hands.

Also, please continue to pray for Mackenzie and her family, Will and his family, and always for each other.

My prayer today is that we each have the Lord's peace in our minds and hearts, wisdom to do what is right, courage to choose against that which may harm others or ourselves, and to always be mindful to help someone else. And, of course, that we each grow stronger in our relationship with our Heavenly Father every day.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NIV

Galatians 4:10
You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!

Ecclesiastes 3:1
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

Ezra 8:23
So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.

Sky, Wood, Warmth, Paths, & Prayers

2006-10-15T16:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's Saturday Sky

Wood

Kim, my wonderful husband of almost 27 years, has been busy with his lathe the past week or two. He works with wood and his lathe when he's feeling well enough and his creativity and skill keeps growing. I'm so very proud of his talent and of his gentle and caring heart, strong convictions, and Christian commitment. He's been the biggest earthly blessing in my life...followed closely by our two children. The Lord's blessings truly cause my cup to runneth over.

Here are some of his recent nostepinnes that will be available for purchase in some of the local yarn shops soon.

Warmth

As our temps drop, and the Eastern European temps drop even further and more quickly, my CIC knitting has been on track. The current CIC list challenge for sweaters has me happily knitting children's sweaters.

I completed this sweater night before last.

Then I immediately cast on another.

I had planned on knitting 3 CIC sweaters for the current challenge, but I'm way ahead of my estimated knitting time, so I think I'll do more than just these three. The current sweater is being knit in Lamb's Pride Bulky and is knitting very quickly. The yarn is lucious and I plan on using it frequently.

Paths

The lessons learned on a farm from the animals are too numerous to count. I've always loved animals and welcomed their presence....even yearned for them when none were near. Thankfully, Kim loves animals, too.

Our dachshunds are very smart (well, most of the time). They know where the best hunting areas are, where to avoid stickers, they prefer to stay dry and avoid going out when it's raining, but love to jump in and lounge in their water bowls on hot days.

This year we have had an extended drought. Our dachshunds preferred paths are now very evident all over our farm. There's a well defined path around the house, to the barn, to the front pond, to the back pasture, to the garage, to their favorite shade trees, and anywhere else they choose to frequently venture.

Our dachsies conserve energy by taking their paths, which are always the most direct route and shortest distance to where they want to go. It is also the path of greatest safety .... sticker and burr free and best view of their surroundings. Also, they usually like to travel together.

A very important part of canine training and care is to teach them to *come* when called. This is essential for their safety and a requirement for any responsible canine owner. Especially since dachshunds are hounds, their natural instinct is to follow any scent trail or chase any perceived prey. A well trained dog will immediately stop what they are doing and come when called. They may not realize it is for their safety and protection, or because you love them, but it is absolutely essential. You wouldn't want them running into a busy street or scaring a child or chasing a rabbit until they were lost.

It is loving discipline and consistency that is required to get a dachshund, or any dog, to respond.

I'm really proud of these little ones:

And, they are always rewarded when they come promptly. : )

Seeing their many paths on our farm makes me consider my own path. I hope to faithfully follow any path the Lord places before me and I know that He will always accompany me along that path.

Prayers

I pray that we each will know the path the Lord would have us take. I pray that we will each faithfully walk that path and be a blessing to everyone we meet along the way. I pray that we can accept loving discipline when necessary, and that we always run to His loving arms when called.

I hope that you each have a wonderful upcoming week. I wish your path to be straight and sticker free ... and that you always find your way safely home.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NIV

Psalm 23:3
He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Psalm 25:4
Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths;

Proverbs 3:6
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Acts 2:28
You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.

Our Sky, Farm Animals, Knitting & Prayers

2006-10-07T16:23:00.000-07:00

Saturday Sky

Today's sky....

We're finally getting some cooler temps in central Oklahoma. Yesterday was in the 90's, so when we have temps that seem like fall is actually on its way, we're thrilled!

Farm Animals

One of the biggest benefits of living on a farm and having acres of room is the ability to have animals that have plenty of room to exercise and explore.

However, today we let a couple of the boys out of the back pasture to graze up front and this is where they went!

This is our boy, Redford, pretending he is a bird and eating from one of our ground bird feeders. He knows this isn't allowed....but, he tries anyway. He has a taste for sunflower seeds...which is NOT good for horses. So, we go out and move him and have to put away the bird feeders for a bit until we put the boys back in the back pasture this evening. (Please excuse the poor quality picture. It was taken through the screen of one of our front windows.)

We also enjoy our dachshunds!

Our dachshunds are loyal, loving, brave, and they *do not* realize they are small dogs. They love to be in the laps of their humans, or chasing away wildlife critters, or just lazing in the sun.

A couple of our boys have upcoming appts. with our vet for *testosterone adjustments*. Our vet is wonderful and I'm sure the boys will do well but we're not talking about it in front of them just yet. : )

Current Knitting

I've been knitting children's sweaters for CIC. I hope to knit many more for the current challenge of the CIC Yahoo Knit List which goes through Nov. 30th. (Please feel free to join the list and to join in our efforts!)

This past week Denise of the CIC list gave a link to a vendor for wool at an outstanding price. The vendor is The Sheep Shed Studio and the specials for Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride is HERE on Carol's Super Specials page.

I received my order 2 days after it was placed. Now that's service! The yarn is absolutely beautiful! Although some is listed as seconds, I could find nothing wrong with any of the skeins. All I can figure is that they must have incredibly rigid quality control at Brown Sheep. Here's a picture of my outstanding yarn purchase.

You can see that I wound two of the center pull skeins into center pull balls looking for any sign of flaws...and I've found none! I'm so pleased to have found this vendor. I will be able to stretch my CIC dollars even further. : )

I've also finished Chart #2 of the Mountain Peaks Shawl. I just need to complete Chart #3 and do the border charts and I'm finished. Blocking isn't that far away. Yippee!

Prayers

I'd like to request renewed prayers for Susan and Will. They both are battling cancer and are having physical struggles and weakness from the cancer treatments. Please pray for their complete return to health, bountiful blessings from family and friends, and the comfort of our Heavenly Father every moment of every day.

I also continue to pray for each of you. My prayer is that you will personally know the presence of the Lord in your life and have a continued growing and strengthening personal relationship with Him every hour of every day.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NIV

Psalm 36:5
Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.

Psalm 139:8
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

Psalm 91:4
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

A Quick & On Time Saturday Sky!

2006-09-30T13:35:00.000-07:00

Here's our sky in central Oklahoma today .....

Isn't it gorgeous? : )

I'm going to try to keep my Saturday Sky posts short and *on time* from this point forward. I hope that you are each having a wonderful Saturday Sky and a great day!

Your Friend,

Shelly

Also, be sure to read my regular post located below this one.

NIV

Psalm 36:5
Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.

Late Saturday Sky, On The Needles, and Barkley Bartholomew

2006-09-29T12:14:00.000-07:00

Well, it's Friday and I'm just now getting the picture of last Saturday's Sky posted. Amanda, our daughter, took the picture for me. Thank you, Apple Dumpling! : )

One of our greatest blessings was getting to move to our farm and enjoying the scenery, quietness, and wildlife. Farm life is busy and demanding, but we wouldn't have it any other way. My husband and I both have had careers in the medical field (me and RN for a very long time, my husband a nuclear medicine technologist) and there has been nothing better than having our farm to come home to after a strenuous day.

Here's a look out from one of the living room windows at our front yard taken a couple of years ago. It is still much the same.

The ducks are releases from Wildcare Foundation after successful rehab, as are some of the geese. The Canada Geese, however, are wild and they stop by for a visit and a meal frequently.

Currently On The Needles

I'm currently working on another little raglan pullover for CIC. It is being knitted in Cascade 220 in the color Tangerine Heather. The yarn was purchased from my favorite ebay seller Cedarville Landing Yarn. Thank you, Jane! She has great prices and outstanding service.

Additionally, I couldn't resist casting on for the Mountain Peaks Shawl from Mimknits. I'm using Jaggerspun Zephyr laceweight in the color Mushroom. I purchased this from Margaret at Gourmet Yarn Co. ...and I plan on getting more! : )

My double rolled mittens are currently stalled. The action of knitting in the roving has caused me to develop a wrist issue. When it calms down, I'll get them finished.

Lessons from Barkley Bartholomew

Here's Barkley...

This is just about as excited as Barkley gets. He can lounge and sleep during the most severe thunderstorm. He is calm when our dachshunds are inside and a little too interested in him. Nothing seems to get him upset or rattled. Although this is a Ragdoll breed characteristic, I think Barkley has calmness to spare! : )

I'm hoping that someday I can learn to be calm and still (at all times)in the Lord despite what's happening in my life. I don't want to become unaware and disinterested in what's happeing in the world at all. I want to stay active and participatory, but yet still have peace and rest in my heart and mind....that only our Heavenly Father provides.

Prayer Updates

Little Mackenzie is improving and undergoing treatment for her facial cancer. Please continue to pray for her and her family diligently.

My grandmother has improved physically, but her clarity of mind continues to deteriorate. Hospice is a great help. Please continue to pray for her to be as comfortable as possible in her final days...and for my family in IL that is caring for her.

I pray for each of you to have health, enjoyable days, to continue to help others, and to have the peace of the Lord in your heart and mind.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NIV

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Philippians 4:7
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Sockret Pal Information

2006-09-27T14:35:00.000-07:00

This is my first knitting/gifting exchange and I'm so ready to have loads of fun with this. I've got plans for my assigned partner already! And, here's the information for the person that has been assigned to me.

I'm really thrilled and can't wait to get to know both my partners on each end! Now, let's have fun!

The Questionerre

The basics:
How long have you been knitting? Actually, I've been knitting about 2 years.

Do you consider yourself a beginning sock knitter, an intermediate, or have you been doing this so long you could probably knit a pair in your sleep? I'd consider myself and intermediate to advanced sock knitter.

The measurements:
I wear a ladie's size 7 (US) shoe. Foot circumference is 8 inches.

(fiber related) Favorites:
What colors do you love? Nearly any color. I love blues, greens, reds, yellow....just any of them.
Do you prefer solids or variegated? Solids for textured patterns and varigated for simple patterns.
What fibers do you most love to knit with? Wool, alpaca, wool/silk blends, and just about any natural fiber.
Who do you consider your favorite yarn vendors? Regia Silk Wool, Opal, Socks That Rock, Barefoot Mountain Colors, etc.
What projects (other than socks, of course*S*) do you most enjoy knitting? Sweaters, socks, anything with lace.

(fiber related) Dislikes:
What fibers can you not stand to knit with? To wear? I find that I don't enjoy acrylic...either knitting with it or wearing it.
What colors would you never wear? The only color I don't wear near my face is orange. I just fade out to invisible when I wear orange.

The Tools:
Plastic or Metal? Bamboo or wood? I love my Denise Interchangable needles. I also enjoy Addi Turbos for sock knitting. And then I love Bamboo and wood needles, too!
Circs or Straights? Circs most frequently, but I do enjoy using my straights at times.
DPNs or Magic Loop? Either. I use Magic Loop most of the time, but find myself missing my DPN's and use them fairly regularly, too.
Are there any knitting accessories you don't have in your collection but would like?
I never have enough point protectors. I also love anything to do with little sheep. I never have enough of the zip top baggies on hand to hold my yarn and knitting when I need them. I love any little knitting gadgets or goodies.

The Extras:
Do you have a wish list? Not really.
Do you like sweet, sour or salty? I like them all!
Do you have any allergies your pal should know about? Smoke causes me problems.
Favorite scents? I love most scents. Citrus and cocoanut, some floral, and lots of food ... apple, pumpkin pie, etc.
Do you collect anything (other than yarn and knitting toys of course)? Dachshund things : ) Also, bird items...and just about any animal item. I also enjoy having nice notecards to send to friends and family.
When is your birthday? November 19th
Do you spin? Dye your own yarn? I'm learning to spin with a drop spindle. I haven't tried dying yarn yet, but I'm interested.
Your favorite author/band/vacation spot, anything you think will help your pal know you better...

My favorite vacation spot is right here on our farm! We have horses, cats, dogs, ducks, geese, and all types of wildlife. I enjoy anything nature related and autumn is my favorite season.

Most of my books are knitting books. I also enjoy good fiction and fantasy, mystery books, and writings of C. S. Lewis.

I enjoy classical music, Celtic music, and insturmental music of many types.

Basically, there isn't much that I don't enjoy or appreciate. : )

That's about it. If you have questions, please just let me know. And, I hope you're having a wonderful week!

Your Pal,

Shelly

Saturday Sky on Wednesday, Knitting, and Words

2006-09-20T17:06:00.000-07:00

Saturday Sky

I've been very excited to join the Saturday Sky webring. Folks all over the world just take a picture of the sky on Saturday in their area. The webring can be followed and you can enjoy the wonder and differences in the sky in each area.

Although the picture of the Saturday Sky over our farm in central Oklahoma is being posted on Wednesday, it *was* our view Saturday afternoon of the glorious sky from our vantage point. Enjoy! : )

Knitting News

My knitting has been focused on the current CIC challenge for sweaters for the children in Eastern European Orphanages. My first sweater (as seen below)for the current CIC Yahoo list knitting challenge is complete, and the 2nd is currently on my needles.

Last night Rosemary and I met at Barnes and Noble for some quality knitting time. Rosemary found some new books in the knitting section and brought them to our table. I was so fascinated by the book below and the information and stories inside that I knew quickly that it would be going home with me if it wasn't going home with Rosemary first.

Inside this book, are *5* pages dedicated to Children In Common and the story behind Karen Porter's (the founder of CIC) adoption of her sons and her continued commitment to the children still in the Eastern European orphanages.

Many other wonderful knitting charitable organizations are highlighted and detailed and several basic charity knitting patterns are included. With quality writing, binding, and photography, this book is excellent. I highly recommend it and it has definitely reignited the spark behind my charitable knitting.

The Double Rolled Mitten knitting also continues for the Knittin' Mittens knit along. Slowly but surely, progress is being made. I'm sure these mittens will be very warm, but the process is not easy for this continental style knitter. I'm still thinking that I can finish by the end of the month, hopefully.

Words

The past week has reminded me once again of the importance of words. Words can uplift the heavy hearted, encourage someone facing a task, relay our affection and caring, invite conversation and exchange, or *all too easily* cause pain, rejection, misinformation to go unchecked, relay prejudice, voice unfounded anger, and cause untold injury.

My prayer is that I can more closely be accountable for my words and use the power of my voice to build up, encourage, express kindness, or even discipline or disagreement in a caring and respectful manner. I pray that I always have the courage to ask forgiveness when I've spoken wrongly and the fortitude to admit my wrongs to those I may have harmed.

Although we enjoy talking casually and think it is just *chit chat*, we should be aware that it has more power to injure than we ever realize. And, I pray that I never use my voice out of the emotion of anger, but rather a measured voice of reason, fact, and fairness.

I also pray that I recognize and never back down from using my voice for someone being unfairly maligned.

Thank you for your prayers for my grandmother. She is resting much better this week.

I'll be praying for each of you and hope that you have a wonderful week and that every day you feel the Lord's presence more closely and that your walk with Him is stronger.

Your Friend,

Shelly

P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my Sis, Cheryl, yesterday the 19th!!!! Love YOU, Sis!

And, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Rosemary, Jeanell, and Vanessa tomorrow, the 21st!

NIV

Job 4:4
Your words have supported those who stumbled; you have strengthened faltering knees.

Job 6:10
Then I would still have this consolation— my joy in unrelenting pain— that I had not denied the words of the Holy One.

Psalm 19:14
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Proverbs 12:18
Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Proverbs 16:24
Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Proverbs 21:23
He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.

1 Peter 3:10
For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.

Farm Wonders and Thoughts

2006-09-12T16:25:00.000-07:00

Look what was enjoying our cooler weather outside today! I found these two skeins of sock yarn resting in our old Maple tree. On the left is a skein of Socks That Rock lightweight sock yarn in the *Lucy* colorway (but we don't call it Lucy here...it's the *Barkley* colorway) from Blue Moon Fiber Arts and on the right, a skein of Lucy Neatby's Celestial Merino Dream sock yarn in the Blue Vesuvius colorway. Both are yummy and more socks are in my knitting plans!

Speaking of Barkley, this is our Barkley Bartholo*mew*. He's our Ragdoll cat. He's a mitted sealpoint...and quite relaxed. See his favorite resting position below:

Yes, this is how Barkley likes to sleep....on his back in his favoirte chair with his head hanging off the edge and his front legs outstretched. Doesn't this look like you would wake up with the worst neck ache in the world? However, there isn't much that gets Barkley excited and this is his way of relaxing and catching some ZZZZZZZs. And, no, I didn't change this picture at all. This is Barkley's position almost every day when he's taking one of his MANY naps.

Our big Maple tree also had a blocked Trellis Scarf (pattern from the Spring '06 issue of Interweave Knits) to display.

The yarn is laceweight Jaggerspun Zephyr silk/wool in the color sage. This is lucious yarn and it was a fun, although lengthy (for me) knit. Thanks go to Rosemary for keeping me motivated!

This scarf is now winging its way north, courtesy of the USPS, as a gift. : )

Additionally, I'm working on knitting some mittens using a very old pattern and technique called *Double Rolled* mittens.

The cuffs went quickly. However, when the *double rolling* started with the merino wool roving being wound around the yarn at each stitch, let's just say I lost my pace. I do plan on having them completed by the end of the month and I was hoping our garden bunny would knit a few rows during our photo session, but so far, no such luck.

The pattern and technique for these mittens are found in Robin Hansen's book, "Favorite Mittens". I'm using sport weight, lavendar, Misti Alpaca and a 47", size 1, Addi Turbo circular needle using the magic loop technique and knitting both mittens at once. I'm participating in Canadian Shelley's Knittin' Mittens knit along.

I've also got a CIC children's sweater on the needles. Pictures will be posted soon!

Thoughts

When I was outside taking pictures today in our cooler weather and enjoying the fresh smells of the fall season, I couldn't help but notice the size of the huge tree in our yard. The tree's base is at least 12 feet in circumference.

I don't know the age of the tree. It was here long before this became our farm. We've watched many birds and other animals make this tree their temporary home and raise families here. It's branches hold many of our bird feeders and provide shade for the birdbath that is kept full with fresh water just below.

The tree has grown quite substantially this summer, in spite of our lengthy drought.

The past few weeks have been difficult with reports of continued war, the 5th anniversary of 9-11, the sudden and unexpected death of a wildlife conservationist, and the declining health of my dear grandmother.

At these times when it seems that the world moves too quickly and makes little if any sense, or maybe is too painful to bear, it is comforting to see such a strong example of God's creativity and provision.

The old tree can't produce the rain that it needs, or the sunshine it depends upon to produce food. It has no way of shielding itself from storms or harsh weather. But yet, it survives, grows, makes beautiful and intricate leaves, produces hundreds of little seeds each spring, and continues to stand strong.

I want to be more like the tree....just trusting .... and continuing to stand. I will continue to delight in God's vast creation and plan ... even when my heart breaks and I don't understand.

Prayer

Please pray for my grandmother, Ollie, who is almost 98 years old. She has become increasingly weak and is having mounting medical problems related to her age. Hospice has been called in to help as she lives her final days with my extended family in IL.
I covet your prayers for her to have peace of mind and heart in her final days and assurance in the Lord's salvation as she prepares to go home to be with Him. Also, please pray for all my dear relatives that are directly involved in her care. Thank you.

I appreciate each of you and hope that you are having a wonderful week and a closer walk with the Lord every day.

Your Friend,

Shelly

P.S. I want to give very special *THANKS* to Amanda and Kay for our great trip to Tulsa on Labor Day. What fun we had! : )

NIV

Colossians 2:2 & 3

2 My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Proverbs 3:5

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

Philippians 4:6-8

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

It's Been a Busy and Productive Time

2006-09-01T18:39:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks have rushed by. I didn't intend to neglect my blog, but it seemed that priorities kept pushing it back until the next day....repeatedly.

So, here I am trying to do a little *catching up* with what's been going on in Oklahoma at the Harris household.

I finished some knitting projects. YAY!

A Raglan Sweater for my hubby and the Trellis Scarf for my aunt. Both have yet to be blocked. Blocking is on the schedule for this weekend. I'll also post better pictures of each of these soon.

The sweater pattern is from the Knitting Pure and Simple pattern #991 and knit with Jo Sharp Aran Tweed yarn in the color *Ash*.

This Raglan sweater patter is worked top-down and totally solves the problem of holes at the underarms with this method. Needless to say, I was thrilled! It was a quick, enjoyable and effortless knit. Plus, the wonder of knitting with the Jo Sharp Aran Tweed yarn was delightful! I highly recommend this yarn.

I also completed Amanda's Ribby Cardi from ChicKnits. This is also a wonderful pattern and fun to knit. It knits quickly and is a very good pattern with several options for changes as you desire. I used Jo Sharp DK Tweed yarn in the colors Emporio and Paper Rose for the Ribby. The yarn is butter soft and perfect for next to the skin wear over shorter sleeves when it's cool outside.

Amanda wasn't thrilled during the photo session for this picture. It was only 108 F outside and she had just come inside to cool off. She was also sliding on the slick, hardwood floor. She was standing near the front door, but because of the arched door window shining behind her and turning her into a silhouette, I had her stand *lower*. She was leaning against the front door with her feet about 1 - 2 feet away from the base of the door....and sliding on the hardwood floor. I got tickled and she didn't think it was quite as funny. She loves her cardi, but prefers not to wear it when the temps are >100 outside. : )

I also won something! I guessed what KnitNana was knitting....and look what she sent to me in the mail. A beautiful, hand sewn checkbook cover from her business, Nana Sadie Rose. I love it! It is really a quality made item and I highly recommend her products. I'm sure I'll be ordering soon! Just check out this beauty below. : )

I've also had some fun shopping and I made a knitting find (as seen below).

I've read on several knitting blogs about how many wished there were better and less expensive stitch markers. Kay had requested access to the little marking bands used on her electric toothbrush set. Well, I think I found them....or at least their clones. The Goody brand latex bands look like the perfect knitting stitch markers to me. I'll report later with a review.

I have also committed to shopping for CIC needs whenever I find items of good quality and value during my routine shopping. I just pick up a few items when I'm at the store and put them in a cabinet. As I prepare packages of knitted items to send for the children and caregivers, I add some of the items to fill the box.

My latest shopping for CIC has been focused on health care items.

Previously, I've sent knitted items in boxes also containing educational items for the children along with art supplies.

I strongly encourage everyone to visit the CIC website. It will definitely touch your heart.

For the Birds

We've also released some avian graduates from WildCare recently at our farm. We love being a release site. Last year I helped rehab birds (specifically orphaned or injured baby insectivores) as an avian sub-permitee for WildCare. I sorely missed the baby birds this year, but health issues kept me from being able to help out this year.

However, we were able to continue participating with WildCare as a release site for successfully healed and rehabilitated animals. We recently had 4 young Purple Martins to release. Our colony had already left our site to gather at a premigratory roost in preparation for their migration to Brazil for winter.

The young Purple Martins are dependent upon adults to learn to feed. Since our colony of Martins had already left for the season, we played a recording of Purple Martins colony chatter and successfully called in several adult Purple Martins in just a matter of minutes.

More Purple Martins arrived.

The young Martins were successfully released in the company of several other Martins to care for and teach them until they were fully independent. : )

And, on the current knitting front

I'm currently working on a pair of simple cuffed and ribbed socks out of Opal Lollipop sock yarn in colorway #1010.

I've also joined my first knitting swap. I'm looking forward to having great fun with this. The swap is the Sock-ret Pal swap. If you are interested, please sign up!

And, I joined Shelley's (my friend from Canada) mitten knit along, Knittin' Mittens. Please join us if you have been thinking of mittens.

I have children's sweater patterns swimming in my head and decisions to make. I'll be casting on tonight for children's knitted sweaters for CIC. : )

Prayer Request

My good friend, Dave, called today. He shared with me about a young, 6-year-old girl named Mackenzie Woelbling of O'Fallon, MO. She is battling facial cancer. She has had previous radiation, chemo, and partial removal of her jaw. Now the cancer has returned and a miracle is needed. They plan to do repeated chemo and radiation at much higher dosages. Please pray for Mackenzie and her family. Additionally, her 29 year old father passed away recently from cancer. This family has been overwhelmed with illness, sadness and loss. Please pray for Mackenzie and her family every time you think of them.

Please have a wonderful weekend. I pray that you stay safe and are drawn closer to our Heavenly Father every day....and feel his love and care in your heart daily.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NIV

Psalm 77:14
You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.

Job 5:9
He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.

Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

I promise a big post in the morning!

2006-08-31T21:33:00.000-07:00

This month has been very busy, but also quite productive. I promise a big, long post with lots of pictures in the morning!

Your Friend,

Shelly

NIV

Ecclesiastes 7:9

Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.

Recent Events and Happy CIC Mailing

2006-07-31T19:08:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks have definitely been eventful. I'll start with the latest on the knitting front.

I've been doing my best to complete several pairs of socks for CIC. The current challenge is for children's socks, and these have been a joy to complete. They are knit with Cascade 220 Quatro using Marguerite's Mini Basketweave sock pattern. Again, huge thanks go to Marguerite for sharing her wonderful patterns for CIC knitting.

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (aka the Yarn Harlot) visited Oklahoma City. As anticipated, she was a joy to meet and fun to hear. (Special thanks to Gourmet Yarn Co. and Metro OKC Knitter's Guild for arranging Stephanie's visit to OKC.) Her books are funny and inspiring and I am now the lucky owner of a signed copy of *Knitting Rules*.

I was knitting socks for CIC at the time of her visit, and some of the little CIC socks ventured up to meet Stephanie in person. They were thrilled to meet her and will be telling the tale of their meeting to other socks for a very long time. : )

Here's a picture of Stephanie with three of the little CIC socks listening to her every word.

Today was mailing day for the CIC sock challenge. I was thrilled to send the 5 pairs that I had completed, along with some of the other items needed by CIC. Kim and I went to Wal-Mart and Hobby Lobby and stocked up on several items requested by CIC on their *items needed* page. Some of the items will be mailed later because of the current high temperatures (didn't want the crayons or modeling clay to melt en route), but many items made for a full box and a happy trip to the post office.

Honestly, if I've learned nothing else, the very best way to remedy being down in the dumps or feeling empty or useless inside....it is to freely and joyfully give to someone else.

Other News

In the near future a new cooperative endeavor will be announced. Stay tuned for the announcement soon.

Current Health Issues

I had another treatment last Thursday. I'm feeling much better now. I'd like to thank each of my friends and online pals for their prayers, well wishes, and kind words. So far, I'm not even running a fever like last time. Hooray! I think I'll be back to birding and even more knitting soon! : )

I pray that everyone has a wonderful week, good health, and hearts full of joy and contentment.

Your Friend,

Shelly

Amplified Bible

Matthew 10:42

42 And whoever gives to one of these little ones [in rank or influence] even a cup of cold water because he is My disciple, surely I declare to you, he shall not lose his reward.

Matthew 25:40

40 And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [[a]in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me.(A)

A Surprise and Knitting Goodness

2006-07-11T16:49:00.000-07:00

Just as Strudel and Doogie's last litter of Dachshund puppies was a bit of a surprise (of which there are only 2 left, one female and one male)... there has been another surprise brewing among local knitters. : )

Above, you see Rosemary working to finish up our group's surprise gift. A group of us had been secretly knitting on 12" X 12" squares to make a blanket for our dear friend, Susan. We've worked in secret for a few months and somehow managed to keep this news from Susan. We were finally able to present our gift of caring to Susan this past weekend (and sadly, I forgot my camera). She has been bravely battling breast cancer for over a year, and we are hoping that each time she sees or uses this blanket, that she realizes how much each of us care for her.

On the home front, I've been busily knitting on daughter Amanda's Ribby Cardi. She requested a sweater for her long bus commutes daily to OSU. Even though our temps have been soaring above 100 F, the OSU bus has very good air conditioning and she needs a sweater to prevent chilling. I am so happy to give her a hand knitted sweater from Mom. : )

At the last Gourmet Yarn Knit In, Rosemary took 1st place for the best dish with her guacamole recipe. Congrats Rosemary!

Nancy took 2nd place at the Gourmet Yarn Knit In with her lemon cake. Congrats Nancy!

I've also had a great time shopping the recent online sale at Sealed With A Kiss Yarn Shop in Guthrie, OK. I couldn't resist stocking up on yarns for CIC knitting and Metro OKC Knitting Guild charity knitting. I also found some great knitting book deals at a local book store and at Amazon.com. So, I'm set for some time and looking forward to knitting all of these skeins soon. (I didn't put all the skeins in the picture. So, I have really upped my charity knitting stash. Yay!)

Additionally, I've been working through Jacqueline Fee's *The Sweater Workshop* book. I'm learning new techniques and now better understanding basic sweater construction techniques and how to confidently make changes. I also found a Yahoo Group for this book with Jacqueline Fee as the host of the group. You can join the group here.

Caring and Prayer

I am so very thankful that as a knitter I can show my caring by knitting something special for someone. Whether they realize the time and concentration involved is irrelevant. For me, it is a tangible way of showing someone that they are special to me and I gladly give my time and attention to make something to keep them comfortable or warm.

Prayer is an even more powerful gift that I can give to those that I care for, no matter the time of day or night. By lifting them up in prayer to our Heavenly Father, many burdens may be lifted and many blessings bestowed.

Please continue to join me in prayer for Susan as she battles cancer and for Will as he battles lymphoma. I'm also requesting that you join in prayer for children without parents all over the world. I pray that they find loving homes and that they know that our Heavenly Father loves each of them dearly.

Have a wonderful week.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NIV

John 13:34
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

Romans 12:10
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Ephesians 4:2
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Hebrews 10:24
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

Progress and Choices

2006-06-18T18:48:00.000-07:00

It has been busy and the outside temperatures have only added to the difficulty of getting things done in a timely manner. When the temps. reach up to 103 F, I'm not very active outside. It's just too hot.

Progress

I've been knitting away, but sadly I've been frogging almost as much as I've knitted. It just seems to go that way occasionally. I'm choosing to view this as an educational period in my knitting.

I recently purchased the book, *The Sweater Workshop* by Jacqueline Fee. On my needles is the learning sampler of sweater knitting techniques. I hope to someday be able to just sit down, cast on, and knit up any sweater that I like without any pattern....just like Marguerite.

Another recent purchase is, *Itty-Bitty Hats* by Susan B. Anderson. Now this is definitely the happiest knitting book that I have every purchased. I can't wait to get started on these little treasures. If you haven't looked through this book, I highly recommend it and guarantee that it will bring a smile to your face.

Two of the puppies were adopted by Rosemary, Justin, and their precious children. I can rest easily knowing that the puppies are in an excellent home and well loved.

In a dedicated attempt to lose weight and get healthier, I joined Weight Watchers a couple of weeks ago. It's going well and it's made easier because Rosemary joined at the same time. We're Weight Watcher buddies and enjoy finding knitting time after the weekly meetings.

Exercise is the major emphasis in week 3 of the WW program. So, I'm starting out small and gradually increasing intensity and duration of the exercise. It's not easy just now, but I know it will improve soon. It has to!

My exercise routine indoors is rotating between quality time spent walking on the treadmill and using the eliptical. Both can produce an excellent workout. It does strike me as odd that I spend time really walking at the speed just before you need to run for quite some time, leave the machines exhausted, and haven't moved forward after all the effort. If I had been on the ground, I think I could have been at least 1/2 way to town rather than still in the house.

Choices

There are many times in my life when I've felt like I've been working my hardest to make headway, yet still staying in the same exact spot. Have you felt that way, too? In this situation, I usually just need to change my perspective of what I am measuring against to reflect progress, or lack thereof. Or, just choose a simple change of course. It usually comes down to making a choice, or *choosing to make a choice* to change things up.

My latest choice has been to spend more time in prayer and to enjoy the *joy* in life. I have found that particular things have been *getting on my nerves*, or simply robbing me of my joy. It seems to happen too easily lately. I want to blame either medications or menopause, but, I refuse to let myself be totally controlled by either of these! I want to become increasingly caring and non-judgmental....and reflective of myself before making an opinion about something or someone else. How can I honestly fault another of anything when I don't have all of me in perfect order yet?

I must concentrate on measuring my words and thoughts before speaking or sharing unwanted and unneeded opinions. I actively choose to *count my blessings daily*, sometimes hourly and not let the joy in my heart be stolen by difficult circumstances, harsh or hurtful words of others, seeking acceptance to a fault, negative feelings that my human self would hang onto, or hurts and anger from the past. All of these can deplete all the joy in my being all too easily.

So, I'm praying more. (By the way...exercise can be a great time of prayer, almost as good as knitting). I choose to actively work to lift up others and actively show that I care daily.

I'm not meaning that I don't take a stand on things, but it's OK if yours differ from mine and mine from yours. I enjoy having friends with differnces and unique thoughts and opinions. Just don't rain on the little guy, or take advantage of someone unfairly.... or then I guarantee that I *will* get in your face.

If your life is different than mine, or mine is very different from yours....well, that's OK. I hope the best for everyone and that they know the care and comfort and kind instruction of our Heavenly Father. And, I'm going to always attempt to be positive as we each walk our own path with Him (whether we realize it, or not).

Please take a moment to look at the many wonderful blessings in your life. Don't focus on the trials and hardships, or past angers or hurts. Protect your heart's joy...let it rise above your circumstances. Lift up others with a smile and a kind word. If I'm your friend, I may need that smile of yours next time I see you and it may make a big difference in my day. I'll promise to try to do the same for you!

Your Pal,

Shelly

P.S. The picture at the beginning of this post is of our cat, Molly. : )

John 8:7

7 However, when they persisted with their question, He raised Himself up and said, Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone ...

Psalm 28:7

7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

Psalm 19:8

8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

I'm Back In Action

2006-05-28T18:38:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm Back In Action

The past several weeks have been both busy and difficult. However, I am now happy to report that I'm back in action!

Since I've been away, our daughter and son-in-law have bought their first home and are almost completely settled, our puppies have grown like little weeds, the farm has turned completely green and now requires regular mowing, the blackberries have ripened, the Eastern Bluebirds, Carolina Wrens, and Purple Martins have laid eggs and babies have hatched, and I've continued knitting ... and even worked in an Intarsia knitting class at Sealed With A Kiss.

On the Knitting Front

My latest completed knitting projects included the 2 vests below for CIC.

The blue vest is from Kathleen Day's *Who Who Loves You Baby?* vest pattern. This pattern and more can be found at Fiona's Friends patterns. All these patterns were designed by Kathleen Day. Kathleen has been a big supporter of charity knitting efforts for many organizations and is a true inspiration. I have been blessed with being able to become online friends with Kathleen and enjoyed every minute of it. Please read more about her here. Kathleen, you keep me energized for CIC knitting!

Kay and I also enjoyed attending the Intarsia knitting class together at Sealed With A Kiss. Our instructor was Sherry Steuver, intarsia knitter extraordinaire. The class was wonderful....and intense. I think I need more practice before I would choose a complex intarsia pattern to knit. : )

Here's Sherry, our faithful and patient instructor:

My friend, Kay, (near) is really concentrating during our class and was avoiding having her picture taken...but, I finally caught her in a picture.

Puppy Update

Two of the female Dachshund puppies went home with their new parents today! Bev and Jim will make wonderful parents for the two girls. I believe they've named the girls *Allie and Kate*. Those are precious names for two precious little puppies!

Here's a picture of the two girls with their new parents:

We met Bev and Jim at a local Cracker Barrel restaurant for the puppy exchange. Since we live in a rural area and they weren't familiar with Norman, it made for a good meeting place....and afterward Kim and I enjoyed lunch. : )

At Home

I'm sorry I was absent for quite a few weeks. In all honesty, I was battling a severe depression that was caused by the lowering and discontinuation of the steroid dosages that were necessary. Evidently, since I was on an extremely high dosage of steroids
(necessitated by the investigational drug protocal in which I am participating), I had a side-effect of the lowered dosage that caused a severe and dark depression.

When the steroid dosage finally got very low, the depression subsided. All I can say is that I don't ever want to go there again! I am hopeful that the investigational drug will prove beneficial to many people, but I sure hope the high dose steroids don't remain a necessary part of the picture.

Another side effect of the high dose steroids has been a *significant* weight gain. We're talking almost 40 lbs.! And that's 40 lbs. I certainly *didn't* need. So, I'm happy to report that I'll be rejoining Weight Watchers this week! I'm excited and looking forward to getting back to healthy eating and cooking habits. I also enjoy the meetings and leaders...and Rosemary is going to join, too. We're going to be Weight Watcher buddies. : )

What I've Learned Lately

I have once again had it refreshed for me that *feelings* aren't what love is based upon. Love from our Heavenly Father, or from my husband, or from my family isn't based on my *feeling* of that love every moment. Their love is present by commitment, actions I may or may not see, and in their minds and hearts....whether I *feel it*, or not.

Our Heavenly Father is always present with unconditional love...whether we feel it, or not. We must trust, believe, and allow our hearts to be touched by the Lord, and others dear to us, even when we may occasionally fall into the pit of despair.

NIV
Psalm 5:11 & 12

11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

12 For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

Have a wonderful week, my friends.

Your Pal,

Shelly

2006-04-16T18:02:00.000-07:00

Easter on the Farm, Some Knitting Progress, and Thoughts

It has been a beautiful Easter day at our farm. It has been clear and very warm for this time of the year....in the low to mid 90's.

The Purple Martins have been busy with nest building and feeding. The Bluebirds have been busily tending their young, feeding and guarding, and being a living example of excellent parents.

In the photo above, you can see the father Bluebird guarding the entrance to the nestbox containing his 5 youngsters. They are pictured below.

The younger clutch of Bluebirds are also growing and doing very well, as seen below.

The reason that the picture of the younger Bluebirds is blurry, is because of their extremely protective parents. I must check this nestbox *very* quickly for the reason as seen below:

Yes, the parent Bluebirds are taking turns divebombing my head. (They've never made physical contact, but have come close enough to make me think that they would!) These Bluebird parents are constantly vigilent in providing for their young...just as our Heavenly Father cares for and watches out over us.

Some Knitting Progress

I haven't accomplished much knitting this past week, but have done a little. The Trellis Scarf is continuing to grow, slowly but surely. It has progressed slowly only because I haven't been feeling very well, but I'm improving...and my knitting needles are itching to get busy again. : )

Here's an updated picture of the Trellis Scarf:

Thoughts

In my nursing career I worked in several specialty areas. While working in a very large surgery department, I was blessed with working with a very talented and wise surgeon. Of the many things he shared with those of us that worked with him, I will always remember him advising us to never confuse *who we are* with *what we do*. He was encouraging each of us to not determine our own self worth basded upon our careers. He was preparing for retirement and sharing with us that we each had value far beyond what we did while working.

Many years later when I became quite ill and no longer able to continue working, I often remembered Dr. Hawley's words. It actually took me a few years to fully comprehend, understand, and realize our worth does not lie in our job performance. Our value is far beyond our own comprehension, and high enough that our Lord died for us, in our stead, so that we could have a direct relationship with our Heavenly Father. It isn't dependednt on our works. It is a free gift from the Lord...we only need to accept it.

I find that some of the most important things that we can *do* is to offer a smile, an encouraging word, a hug, a note, a prayer, a gift of friendship to someone with a heavy heart. This is what I appreciate most and what turns a heavy heart into a thankful and smiling heart.

My prayer for each of you this week is that you will know your worth and value in the Lord's eyes. And, that when the choice arises, that you will choose to follow Him and give freely of your smiles, hugs, and words of encouragement. Your heart will be blessed beyond measure. And, I am praying that you will understand the directions given by the Lord in his Word are not to be harsh or restricting, but rather as loving guidance and direction offered by a loving and caring parent that only wants the very best for His children. Just as we advise our own children to stay away from heat sources or busy streets, so He advises us through His Word...because He wants the very best for us and for us to be safe and avoid dangers.

Your Friend,

Shelly

P.S. I want to say a huge and heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone that commented, sent emails, or called this past week. You have blessed me bountifully and I am truly very thankful for each one of you.

The Bible passage that I'm sharing today was sent to me by my very dear online friend, Lois. Thank you so very much, Lois!

NIV

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore

2006-04-11T14:11:00.000-07:00

Puppies Growing, Bluebirds Hatching, Computer Working Again, A Bit of Struggling, and Prayer

Yes, the puppies are growing and doing extremely well! : ) I think we have found homes for 3, maybe 4 of them, already...and really good homes, too. They are just over a week old, so I'm hoping that we will have found really good homes for each of them by the time they are ready to adopt.

Strudel, dachshund mommy deluxe, is finally able to sleep all night long without needing to go outside. Yea! She seems happy and is now able to get more rest in between feedings of the 7 puppies.

In the next week we should begin to see some little eyes opening and start to tell which of the puppies will be smooth or long coated. They are adorable, indeed!

Eastern Bluebirds Hatching

The nestbox above has a clutch of 5 baby Eastern Bluebirds that hatched last week. This nestbox has extra predator protection with various guards. It is located near our front pond. It is a location that the Bluebirds love, but the nearness to the pond makes it necessary to protect it more than usual from predators.

The young Eastern Bluebirds are all doing great and growing rapidly. They are pictured below, although not all 5 of them showed their little smiles for the picture.

We have another clutch of Eastern Bluebird babies that began hatching yesterday afternoon (4-10-06). There is still one egg to hatch, so we will be watching for one additional arrival. They are so very tiny when they hatch that it is surely a miracle that they do so well. Their parents are very devoted and give their constant attention to their young. It is a bit risky looking inside the nestbox with Mom and Dad Bluebird divebombing my head! I make the nestbox inspections quick! : )

Below is an additional picture of the newest hatchlings. One of the little ones was asking to be fed so I closed the nestbox and let the parents get back to caring for their babies.

Computer Working Again Thanks to Zach

Yes, my computer went belly up, yet again! My *registry* died. And that wasn't the only problem. I finally caved and swallowed my techno pride (what a joke) and took my ailing and non-functioning computer to Zach. He successfully diagnosed, repaired, and resurrected my Dell Laptop. It was necessary to reinstall the Operating System and all my programs. Zach was able to save nearly every bit of my information. THANK YOU ZACH!

So, computer problems partially explain my most recent absence from regular posting.

Struggles

The other reason for my absence from regular posting has been health issues. I've been on steroid dosages that are extremely high for a human expected to continue to function in real life. These high dosages were necessitated by an investigational drug protocol in which I am participating.

High dosage steroids can do some very odd things and make life a bit unpleasant. Mood swings, night sweats, inability to sleep, incredible swelling (now we're talking Olympic level swelling of face and upper arms), high blood pressure, uncontrollable appetite and many other side effects. I haven't missed out on any of these.

I'm slowly having the steroid (Prednisone) dosage lowered, and am currently at an almost human dosage. The Prednisone is necessary to help offset the possible side effects of the study drug, Rituxan. I am hoping to be off of the Prednisone entirely by the end of summer. If not, I may have stretch marks on my ever-growing cheeks by then! : )

I'm doing my best to stay positive and not get discouraged when I have to add yet another medication....or when I catch a glance of myself in a mirror. As soon as I'm off the steroids, I'm running, not walking, to Weight Watchers! I had excellent success with Weight Watchers a couple of years ago, and now with the medications of late, I've gained it all back, and then some. I don't need to be a size 2 and look like an 18 year old, but somewhere less than the Michelin Man would be nice. : )

I don't mean to sound negative. I think I'm just really tired...and tired of being tired. I realize that I am blessed beyond measure and I know who holds the reins of my life. All I need to do is look out the windows at the greening trees, blooming flowers, and abundant wildlife....and my heart is filled with joy. I'm working on getting the rest of me to *catch up*. : )

Prayer

Please continue to pray for Susan and Will in the battles against cancer. I'd also ask this week that you pray for the children of CIC. These children have very little and your prayers may make a huge difference in their lives. Also, please consider donating in some way to the efforts of CIC.

I pray that you have a wonderful week that draws you closer to the Lord each day.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NIV

Romans 12: 11-13
11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

2006-04-02T17:07:00.000-07:00

Dachshund Puppies....Lots and Lots of Dachshund Puppies!

As you can see, Strudel is an excellent mother to her new litter of puppies. : )

The first puppy arrived at 11:45 PM last night. We continued to have puppies arrive about every 15 or 20 minutes until all *8* had been born. Yes, *8*!

Strudel did excellently throughout the deliveries. She welcomed the arrival of 4 black and tan boys and 4 black and tan girls.

I am very sad to report that one of the little males didn't make it. He was born with a severe cleft palate and passed away early this morning. We buried him today.

But, all the others are vigorous, nursing well, and doing great! Enjoy the pictures and I'll be posting regular updated pictures of their growth and progress.

Now I think I need another nap. : )

Have a wonderful upcoming week and you remain in my prayers always.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NIV

Job 12: 7 - 8
7 "But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; 8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you.

2006-04-01T13:50:00.000-08:00

Spring Is Springing, CIC Knitting, Puppies Any Minute, Charlie Update and Faith

Spring is appearing slowly but surely here on our farm in Oklahoma. You can see that more green is gradually appearing in the grass and trees. The very old and big Cottonwood tree in the back pasture (large tree in the background of above pic.) has buds that are beginning to become leaves. We've had some rain, but as you can see by the desperately low water level of our front pond, we need much more.

Our Eastern Bluebirds have been very busy and we have 2 complete nests already with the females each setting on eggs. One nestbox has a nest of 5 eggs and another has a completed nest with 4 eggs. We still have several nestboxes waiting for nestbuilding and eggs and I'm sure they will have activity soon.

I always enjoy this time of year. I'm sure I'll be mowing some time this week! Mowing or brushhogging with our tractor is almost as enjoyable for me as knitting. Of course, I'm speaking of a riding lawn mower. And brushhogging with our tractor in the pasture is a great way to spend a day...immediate gratification right behind you, being outside with nature and wildlife, and lots of fresh air.

CIC Knitting

I've finished and mailed my current CIC knitting projects for the challenge that we just completed yesterday. Our CIC Yahoo Group is now starting another challenge for children's vests and sweaters. I love knitting for this cause. If you would care to join in the effort and have a wonderful time while providing warmth for children without families, just join in the Yahoo group at the previous link or email me for more information.

I knitted my first top down, Raglan sweater from Ann Norling's pattern #53 (picture below). It was an enjoyable knit once I figured out that I was beginning with shaping of the back of the neck before knitting in the round. I was pleased with how the little sweater turned out and I hope that it is enjoyed by and provides warmth for the child that will be wearing it. I also say many prayers for the children as I knit these items.

I also completed 3 pairs of fingerless mitts for the caregivers of the children in the orphanages. The winter temperatures *inside* the orphanages are usually in the 40's (F). That's COLD! They have inadequate funding for sufficient heating and equipment to provide adequate heat. CIC is working toward making as many positive changes as possible at these orphanages to benefit the children and those that care for them.

Puppies Any Minute

Yes, we should have Dachshund puppies arriving any minute now. Strudel's temperature has dropped and she has been showing all the signs of delivery within the current 24 hr. period. We're trying our best to keep her as comfortable and calm as possible. And, we're trying to stay calm and comfortable, too. : ) We've been giving full time care to the canines at our home recently! I'll post pictures when the puppies have arrived.

Charlie Update

Charlie is doing very well. His sutures were removed on Wednesday. He seemed very happy to be relieved of the stitches from the left side of his face and eye area. He's adjusted remarkably well to having vision only on his right. He is a wonderful canine friend and we think he has come through this tragedy much better than we thought possible. We'd like to again say *Thank You* to everyone that expressed concern for Charlie.

Faith

It isn't easy when trials occur. I often find it most challenging when health challenges really challenge my ability to keep focused on things above and not on the latest physical issue. Side effects from medications have caused the increase or addition of other medicines...and the merry-go-round continues to spin in what seems to be a never ending circle. Or, so it seems from my earthly viewpoint on some days.

I'm sure you can relate even though it may be in a different area of life. Whether it is family relationship difficulties, health issues, financial challenges, or any other area that is keeping your focus on frustration, worry, or feelings of being overwhelmed; just remember who is actually in control. There is not a single event in our lives of which our Heavenly Father is not aware. We are not alone. We need not worry.

We should do what we can and leave the rest in His loving hands. And we should never forget to enjoy every day of our lives and see his handiwork everywhere we look if we keep our eyes open. : )

I'm praying that you have a wonderful week, that your concerns are given over to the Lord, and that you notice His loving care and creativity in many things this week ... and that they all bring a smile to your face and loving warmth to your heart.

Your Friend,

Shelly

P.S. I'm leaving you with this picture below of some of the Purple Martins coming in to their housing at our farm last evening. The skies fill with circling Martins just as the sun begins to set. It is beautiful and so very calming to watch them float on air currents against the blue sky background. These little ones remind me daily of God's wonderful creativity and love for all things He has created. : )

HCSB

Psalm 55:22
22 Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.

I Peter 5:6-7
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

2006-03-31T20:10:00.000-08:00

Updating in the Morning

I apologize for having been away for over a week. I have been a bit under the weather and just as I was rebounding, my computer was attacked by a Trojan/virus combo. It took almost an entire 48 hrs. to get my computer cleared of the problem. I could not have accomplished the fix without the help of Tech Support Guy.

I'll be doing a complete and updated post in the morning. I have missed everyone and have continued to have you in my prayers. I hope that you have been well and blessed each day.

Your Friend,

Shelly

2006-03-21T12:49:00.000-08:00

Knitting Progress, Spring on the Farm, Charlie, and Sight

I've made some knitting progress this past week even with a very busy schedule and not feeling quite up to par. The Trellis Scarf is growing and the 16 row lace repeats are coming along a little more quickly. I changed from bamboo needles to some wonderful Lantern Moon needles and the knitting seems to be smoother and sliding a bit easier along my needles.

I finished the 3rd pair of fingerless mitts for the caregivers of CIC and hope to complete one additional pair before mailing my package. I also hope to knit an additional child's vest or sweater from the Kiwi colored Cascade Eco Plus yarn in the upper right of the picture above.

I also have completed spinning and plying my *first skein* of chocolate colored Lincoln Lamb wool. It isn't perfect by any stretch, but I am pleased with my slowly improving efforts. I find spinning to be fun and quite relaxing, except when spinning in front of other spinners. I think I get stage fright and find myself dropping my drop spindle with more regularity and wanting to switch over to knitting right away. : )

Spring on the Farm

We've finally had a soaking rain for the first time in, literally, 6 months. This is such a blessing and hopefully will end our season of wild fires. The trees are leafing out, the Redbuds are showing their color, the peach tree is in full bloom, and the birds are singing and preparing to nest.

Generally Spring is the season for livestock babies on a farm. We aren't having any for this year. Well, at least we didn't think we were! It isn't exactly in the *livestock* category, but we have discovered that Doogie (our senior male, smooth coat, chocolate and tan Dachshund) and Strudel (our long haired, black and tan female Dachshund) had evidently maganed a secret rendevous. They have apparently managed a successful escape from their separate housing, a date (unbeknownst to us), and return to their separate housing areas sometime a few weeks ago. Just this past week it has become very obvious that Strudel and Doogie are going to be parents once again!

So, this Spring will not pass on our farm without the arrival of babies once again. Anyone interested in giving an excellent home to a Dachshund puppy in the not-too-distant future? : )

Charlie

Charlie had a return appointment to our vet this morning. He seems to be healing well and our vet is pleased. Charlie did have just a slight, low grade fever, so we are checking his temperature daily and reporting to our vet clinic. He continues on his antibiotics and is eating well.

Charlie is managing stairs without difficulty now and is very energetic. He even wants to play ball when we take him outside!

The plan is for Charlie's sutures to be removed next week. As long as we avoid any infection, Charlie should be *over the hump* in his recovery soon.

Charlie has been a real trooper. He has not attempted to rub or scratch at his sutures even without his Elizabethan collar. He is sleeping well now and seems to be adjusting to his sight limitations quickly.

I'd like to say a huge *Thank You* to everyone that has expressed concern for Charlie. We certainly appreciate it, and I'm sure Charlie appreciates it, too.

Sight

Witnessing Charlie adjust to the loss of his left eye has been both difficult and encouraging. I hated to know that he would never have vision from his left eye again and was concerned deeply for him. However, to see his acceptance, rapid adjustment and compensation for this loss has been uplifiting to my heavy heart.

As soon as Charlie was fully awake after his surgery, he began *feeling* his way on his left side by staying next to one of us. He would *feel* his way through the house slowly, moving right when objects brushed against his left side. The following day, Charlie began turning his head from side to side to check both directions frequently when moving about. By the second evening Charlie could bound the stairs on the deck in two strides and was obviously making accurate distance judgments even with monocular vision. By the third post-op day, Charlie was wanting to play ball.

While Charlie still looks like a rugged pirate that came out on the bad end of a duel, he seems happy, energetic, and looking forward to his next adventure. He seems to be maximizing his remaining sight and abilities rather than focusing solely on what he has lost. Oh, what we can learn from God's wonderful creatures.

We have such a wonderful gift of sight. How many of us have perfect vison but do not see?

My prayer this week is that each of us would have clear vision to see the truth of our Heavenly Father's love for us. I pray that we see His care and love for us in our daily activities and through each difficult time. I also pray that each of us grow closer to Him daily and grow stroger in our trust and faith in our Heavenly Father and are forever thankful for His sacrifice for us.

Also, please continue to pray fervently for Susan and Will as they continue their battles against cancer and undergo exhausting treatments.

Your Friend,

Shelly

P.S. The picture below was taken 2 years ago. The father Eastern Bluebird was teaching 2 of his young the location of our mealworm feeder and teaching them to enjoy its bounty. A caring father provides well for his children. : )

NIV
Proverbs 20:12
Ears that hear and eyes that see— the LORD has made them both.

Isaiah 32:3
Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen.

2006-03-16T07:23:00.000-08:00

Spring Break, Fiber Adventures, Farm Life and Trials

The last few days have been *something else*. We've had a 24 hr. visit with our wonderful daughter, Amanda. What a treat! I'm so very thankful for college Spring Breaks!

Fiber Adventures

I've been busy knitting more items for CIC and enjoying spinning on my Bosworth Midi Spindle with the Lincoln Lamb roving from Toni at The Fold. More knitting and fiber pictures will be posted soon.

And, we've had a very eventful week of ....

Farm Life

Living on a farm is both wonderful and, at times, very difficult. The animals are such a joy, but when one is injured or ill, it is very difficult. This has been the case at our farm this week.

Our *granddog*, Charlie, is currently living with us until our daughter and her husband move this coming June. Charlie is Amanda's dog...which makes him our Granddog. (We don't have grandchildren yet, so for now, the closest we have is Charlie!)

Amanda had only been with us about an hour when we let Charlie outside briefly. Just a few minutes later when we went to let him back inside we found him severely injured on the left side of his face. He had apparently been running outside when he hit something (maybe a low hanging branch or possibly some wire somewhere?) that left severe lacerations on the left side of his face. We rushed him to our vet where they immediately administered pain medication and started him on antibiotics. Yesterday they had to do surgery to remove his left eye since the lacerations had severely lacerated his cornea and left eye through the complete thickness of both. Last night we brought Charlie home along with his medications and I've been doing some semi-intensive care nursing caring for Charlie. Poor fellow....he looks so sad.

The left side of Charlie's face is shaved, swollen, and he has many large sutures. I hope that Charlie understands that we are doing our best to help him and keep him comfortable while he heals. I also hope he understands why we have to keep the Elizabethan collar (it looks like Charlie is has his head stuck in a megaphone) on him most of the time. It is necessary to keep him from scratching or pawing at his wounds and also provides him some protection from bumping his injury against anything. He hasn't adjusted yet to his limited vision and is frequently bumping into objects unseen on his left side.

Trials

I can think of many times in my life when I felt injured and had deep pain. I didn't always understand what had caused the pain, nor did I always understand the Lord's care and teaching during the time of recovery. But in hindsight, I see the care of our Heavenly Father is very evident and I am thankful for what I have learned and for stronger faith through each trial.

My prayer for each of us is that when times of trial or pain come into our lives, that we realize that the Lord is aware of our every need and will see us through any trial if we allow Him. We haven't been promised that everything would always be easy. But, we have been promised that God loves us with a never ending love and that He is *always* with us and will see us through every trial.

I pray that each of you have a wonderful upcoming weekend, contentment and joy in your heart, confidence and safety in knowing that our Heavenly Father is with you every moment and loves you unendingly, and strong faith even during times of trial.

Your Friend,

Shelly

P.S. I'm leaving you with a picure of our cat Barkley Bartholo*mew* relaxing in a knitted and felted kitty bed that I made for him. He's a big kitty and I almost made the kitty bed too small. Can you guess what I want to do with the combings from his coat? : )

NIV
James 1:2-6
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

2006-03-12T12:36:00.000-08:00

Spinning, Knitting, Nature and the Blessing of Friends

This has been a very busy spinning and knitting week. I've continued to make progress on the Trellis Scarf, added to my collection of fingerless mitts for the caregivers of CIC, made some saavy yarn and fiber purchases, met with knitting pals, have really got the hang of using my drop spindle, and even made a decision about which spinning wheel I hope to purchase one day in the future, and had a wonderful Bible study and prayer time in our ladie's Bible study group. What a week! : )

I've got to spend quality time with hubby and our son, Zach. Kim, DH, has been busy in his shop with his lathe and is creating many items of great beauty... and some are just for knitters! He also has plans on items for spinners, too. I've been gifting some of his items to local knitting friends...so keep your eyes open....you may find something for *you* soon!

Nature

Look closely at the picture above. If you look carefully at the far left side of the picture, you will notice a second Hummingbird. : ) This certainly isn't one of my best photos, but it speaks volumes to me. (You may need to click on the picture to enlarge the photo to see the second Hummingbird.)

I'm unsure if this is a Ruby-throated Hummingbird pair. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are notoriously territorial and will defend feeders in their territory fiercely. Their very high metabolism and energy needs requires them to feed approximately every 15 minutes. So, a good source of food (nectar feeder, flowering shrub, etc.) will be guarded with vigor. A continuous food supply is extremely important for parents raising young during the nesting season. Not only do they have their own very high nutritional requirements, but that of their young to meet, as well. Hummingbirds also require very large numbers of very small insects for adequate protein requirements. Hummingbirds do not live by nectar alone.

So, what is the lesson that these tiny ones are demonstrating? I see several.

1) Conserve your resources wisely
2) Tirelessly provide the necessities for family and young
3) Might is not equal to size
4) Dedication to a task often requires a lot of work and vigilence

Now as to their interpersonal skills, I think Ruby-throated Hummingbirds could improve a bit. : ) Thankfully, the Lord has gifted us with minds and hearts to *choose* to overcome our human nature to act like *bossy and aggressive R-t Hummingbirds*. We do not have to follow our natural or selfish impulses...we have a *choice*.

Please join me this week in praying to make the correct choices that are before each of us, so that we may help others, serve our purpose here and further the good work of the Lord....and to not be as a Hummingbird around others. : )

Friends

I have been blessed with many new friends in the past several weeks. Our knitting group is growing as well as friendships. This is a wonderful group of people, and I am so very thankful!

My online group of friends is also growing. And, my relationships with several of my family members are better than ever. What an incredible blessing! My cup truly runneth over.

My hope is that I can be a blessing to each of you, just as you have been so generously to me. I promise to be honest, to not take advantage, to always try to lift your heart, and be helpful whenever possible. I also hope to reflect our Heavenly Father's unconditional love and acceptance and pray that you walk closer with Him each day. I may dissappoint you, since I am human, but I promise to try never to do so with intent. And, I want each of you to know that I am thrilled and blessed to have each of you in my life. : )

I now leave you with a picture of one of our horses, Redford. He always loves playing with his ball and is a carefree fellow. I hope that we all have a *Redford* week! : )

And, please remember to pray for Susan and Will every day. Their battles with cancer continue and their treatments are taking a toll on their stamina. *We Love You* Susan and Will!

Thank you to all my friends, old and new.

Your Friend,

Shelly

HCSB
Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a difficult time.

III John 1:2
Dear friend, I pray that you may prosper in every way and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.

2006-03-09T10:35:00.000-08:00

Knitting Lace, Holes, Lifelines, and Trusting Faith

The Trellis Scarf from the current Spring 2006 issue of Interweave Knits is back on track. It is a delight to knit and great fun to watch the lace materialize from the ends of my needles. While this isn't a great *chit chat and knit* project, it is wonderful for quieter times when my counting isn't interrupted. My fever has almost gone now and my lace knitting is possible once again!

Lifelines

This picture shows (click to enlarge the picture) that I'm using a knitting lifeline of a strand of quilting thread every 8 rows of the 16 row lace repeat. The lifeline is simply placed every 8th row by threading a strand of quilting thread onto a yarn needle and then running it through each of the stitches on the needle of every 8th row. The purpose of the lifeline is to keep from having to rip out (frog) all the way to the beginning if you find you have made an error in your knitting. When knitting lace, the frequency of yarn overs, knit 2 togethers, decreases, increases, etc. makes it nearly impossible to rip back and get the correct stitches on your needle again. When you have a lifeline in place, you only have to frog back to your lifeline and all your stitches are on the thread properly and ready to be placed on your needle. It is also important to remember which row each lifeline is in so that you can start again on the correct row. Honestly, I could *never* finish a lace knitting project without the use of a lifeline....or several lifelines! : )

On my Grandmother's Faroese shawl, I used superwash, fingering weight sock yarn as a lifeline. The quilting thread was too lightweight for the sport weight alpaca project. Also, superwash sock yarn prevented any type of felting or sticking to the long staple alpaca fibers. So, you may need to choose carefully what type of strand to use for your lifeline in your lace knitting project.

Holes

While knitting lace, it is actually a process of knitting *holes* in your knitting fabric. Without the holes, your knitting result would be a plain fabric, possibly textured with varied stitches, but none of the qualities, grace, and beauty of lace.

Lace knitting brings a beauty to knitting that is unparalleled with other techniques. It produces an intricate, beautiful, and delicate - yet very strong fabric. It seems almost impossible that such a delicate design filled with holes could produce such beauty and strength....much like our lives.

I know that my life has had *big* holes....holes that I thought would cripple me with pain, hurt and dissappointment. A very difficult childhood, failed relationships, multiple miscarriages when we were desperately wanting to have children, health problems, and more. These were each *holes* in my heart and life that, at the time, I feared would be leave me broken. However, when the Master is the knitter of our lives, those holes are used to make us stronger, transform us to a more caring individual, produce a beautiful and understanding life, and help us become more trusting in our Heavenly Father. He sees the design in progress and knows how it will be at completion. I have learned to give control to Him and total trust that He is the Master Designer and has each of our best interests in his hands. He promises to finish the work in our lives that he has started and I, for one, could not make it a day without Him...nor would I ever want to!

The difficulties in my life have given me a greater understanding of others, a more compassionate heart, and the blessing of keeping my priorities straight in this life. I can now truthfully be thankful for the lessons that I have learned through the *holes* in my life and honestly say, "it is well with my soul".

I had a very close friend that often commented, "You know Shelly, I don't know what heaven is going to be like....but it sure must be something....because sometimes this initiation is just the pits!" Gayle would always make me laugh when he said this and he would follow it up with a huge grin and a big hug. I miss Gayle and his wonderful outlook and trusting faith. And, I think he was quite right. : )

If you are in a *hole* in your life just now, please know that you are not alone. It isn't punishment, but just life. We can make a choice to not become hardenend or negative, to turn your cares over to the Lord, and let your friends come to your side. Each of us have these times and I will always be willing to help others when another hole is being knitted into the beautiful fabric of their lives. Remember, it is the end project that reflects all the work and beauty, attention to detail, and love put into every stitch. And, remember that our Heavenly Father is the lifeline of our lives....if we allow Him.

If given a choice, I choose to be knitted of lace. I don't want to be just a stockinette swatch, or garter stitch square. Although an intricate and deeply textured cable design is tempting, I'll still choose to have my life be lace when all is said and done. : )

Trusting Faith

It is such a privelege to know trusting faith without doubt or fear. As an example, I'd like to share a short video clip. This video is of 3 Eastern Phoebes that I successfully rehabbed last year as an avian subpermittee for WildCare. They were *soft released* and remained at our site for a few weeks. We continued to supplementally feed them several times daily until they were successfully independently feeding. You will see them coming to my wonderful husband for mealworms held up in the air from a hemostat. Enjoy! Now, this is a perfect example of trusting faith! Oh what we can learn from God's wonderful creations! : )

Click the link below to view the video:

Feeding Eastern Phoebes Post Soft Release

My prayer for each of you this week is for a wonderful upcoming weekend, health, a deep contentment in your heart, freedom from worries, and a deep and trusting faith in our Heavenly Father that will take you through any *holes* with grace, and to have flawless lace knitting.

Prayer

Please continue to pray for my dear friend Susan and our relative, Will. They are both battling cancer with incredible grace and courage and we need to pray for them always. I have also added links to the sidebar on the right to support The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and The Lymphoma and Leukemia Society. Please support these great organizations to help Susan and Will.

Also, my Granny, Ollie, (recipient of the Faroese shawl) is having difficulty breathing due to congestive heart failure. The physician has adjusted her medication today. Please pray for her to have comfort and ease of breathing and renewed health. Thank you so very much.

Your Friend,

Shelly

P.S. I'm leaving you with a cute picture and visual example of what we should do when the heat of life begins to get us down.
And, living water from our Heavenly Father is even better than a swimming pool. (Be sure to notice the little Carolina Chickadee hiding under the edge of the birdbath trying to avoid the splashing water.) : )

NKJV
Philippians 1:6
being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

John 4:10
10 Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."

2006-03-06T15:27:00.000-08:00

Migration, Knitting, Spinning, and Strength

As you can see from today's picture above, several Purple Martins have successfully migrated back from Brazil to our site this season. We currently have approximately 40 or 50 adult Martins back in residence with many more expected. Last year we hosted 76 breeding pairs and we hope to top that number this year! We fledged just over 300 young Purple Martins from our colony site last season.

What a joy to host these wonderful birds! For more information about the commitment and responsibility necessary to become a successful Purple Martin landlord, please visit the Purple Martin Conservation Association for information.

Knitting

Lace knitting on the Trellis Scarf from the Spring 2006 issue of Interweave Knits is back on track. I'll be posting an updated picture soon. This is really a delightful knit and I am enjoying watching the lace materialize from the ends of my bamboo needles.

I can also highly recommend JaggerSpun Zephyr Silk Wool laceweight yarn. As you can see, this past week I found a wonderful bargain on a 1 lb. cone of Zephyr in the Chanel color. I have great plans for this yarn. One of those projects will be a Faorese shawl from the book, *Stahman's Shawls and Scarves*. I just need to narrow down which beautiful pattern from the book to knit.

Spinning and Strength

You can see that progress is being made on spinning my Cormo roving (on the left) on my Bosworth Drop Spindle. I have Polly Garvey to thank for this....THANKS POLLY! I wish I could claim the beautiful, thin twisted fiber you see draped across the cone of Jaggerspun Zephyr Silk Wool (color Chanel) as my own, but Polly was helping me at a Knit In on Saturday and made this beautiful strand. Do you see the thicker and lumpier strands wrapped around the shaft of the spindle. Well, those are mine. I'm definitely not a natural spinner like my friend Polly, but I am stubborn and determined...which will hopefully work in my favor eventually. : )

It is amazing to realize the amount of skill and technique required to make fine yarn. Spinning the fibers is necessary for strength and stability. Too much spinning and the fibers will be hard and overspun, too little and the yarn strand will be weak and easily broken. It takes just the right amount of spin to make a fine quality, soft, and strong yarn that reveals its full beauty.

As I sat at a spinning meeting tonight, trying to learn the skill of spinning with a drop spindle and using Cormo fiber, I realized that we are each very similar to a fine fiber. If we are spun too tightly we can become brittle, inflexible, rigid, recoiling and overspun. Without enough structure or twist in our lives and we are prone to weakness, not able to reach our potential, and may easily find ourselves broken. So, how are we to know the right amount of *spin*, or twist, in our lives to provide our maximum strength and beauty?

I am convinced that it is only through the loving care and grace of our Heavenly Father, for each of us, that strengthens us and sustains us as our lives are *spun*. It is His hand that is the skilled spinner of our lives. He knows just what to provide for each of us with His love, direction, strength, and grace to reach our potential ... if we just stop trying to spin our lives ourselves, and choose to welcome and follow His loving direction.

I'm leaving you with a picture of one of the strongest examples of God's wonderful creation. The tiny Hummingbird also migrates thousands of miles each season, returning to its North American nesting territory across oceans and miles of rough terrain on tiny wings, to mate and raise their young. Who could imagine that something so very tiny could make such a journey twice each year?

True strength is not always as we imagine it should appear.

I pray for each of you to have a wonderful week of blessings, health, strength, a deep contentment and joy in your heart and a closer relationship with our Heavenly Father.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NKJV
Jeremiah 9:11-13
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

II Corinthians 12:9
And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

2006-03-03T10:34:00.000-08:00

Appearances, Perspective, Priorities, and Knitting

The picture above is of a juvenile male Northern Cardinal that lived on our farm a few years ago during his change into adulthood. He was a joy to watch mature. Much like the story, *The Ugly Duckling* he became the most beautiful adult male imaginable. However, during his molting phase, he was a sight to behold.

His lack of mature, adult male beauty (as seen here) never seemed to bother him in the least. He was confident when with other birds and seemed to be very comfortable in his own skin. Oh, what we could learn from this little fellow!

He was undaunted by his missing and mis-matched feathers. An incomplete tail never slowed him. His trust that *all was well* was obvious. Our Heavenly Father provides completely for each of these small creatures, so how much more does he desire to provide for and comfort us....if we will only believe and accept that provision and comfort.

The worldly obsession with how we look, what size we are, where we live, how we dress, what our status or job may be, are all methods by which our confidence and trust are sapped to depletion, if we allow it. I, for one, when faced with these traps, will choose to refuse to allow this to rob joy from my day or peace from my heart. I hope that you will join me in doing the same.

Several years ago when diagnosis of a chronic health problem changed our lives, we made many new choices. We sold our nice home in town, purchased the farm land of our dreams, and moved out to our *little mobile house on the priairie*. : ) We have never regretted it for a single moment.

Our children had acres to enjoy, fishing in our *back yard*, plenty of safe room to run and play, wildlife to enjoy, and the luxury of having pets and farm animals to care for and watch grow.

My husband and I have had long walks in our back pasture, seen deer drinking at our ponds, and enjoyed wildlife families that we have come to recognize and know over the years. What have we missed by not striving to have the biggest house, the fanciest car, or living in an exclusive neighborhood? Nothing. We have gained more than we can count!

Another example is of our white goose that was released at our site after rehabilitation from an injury. After successful rehabilitation at WildCare she was released at our site with only one eye intact. She was fully accepted by the other geese and helped by each of them. It was of no consequence to any of her friends or suitors that she had only one eye. She seems to be unaware of any limitations and thrives in her group of friends.

I am currently on high dose corticosteroids as part of a medical treatment protocol. One of the side effects of steroids is weight gain and especially facial roundness. I am getting chubby cheeks that are record setting. I choose to see this change as having power cheeks and *all the better to help me smile bigger*. : ) It is not easy to see yourself looking differently in the mirror every day. However, any day that I can enjoy friends, family, knitting, and wildlife outside our windows is a wonderful day. I choose to fill my days with activities to encourage others. And, nothing lifts my own heart like knitting or making something for someone else!

My prayer today is that each of you know that you are just fine *as you are*. You don't need to measure up to anyone's standard or the world's view of *pretty*. Your heart and mind is what creates true beauty and is beauty that is ever-lasting. And, please remember that our Heavenly Father loves you unendingly.

Knitting

I'm hoping to post an update soon on the Trellis Scarf and more completed fingerless mitts for the caregivers of CIC. Progress has been slow because of a continued fever.

I've also been spinning some on my Bosworth Drop Spindle. This is a fun treat! Although I'm doing some great thick Cormo, the consistency sure isn't where I hope it will be someday. I'll keep practicing!

Prayers

Thank you so much to everyone that joins me in praying for Susan and Will. Both Susan and Will are currently battling cancer. Please lift them in prayer often and pray that they always feel the comfort and unconditional love of our Lord and each of their family and friends. We Love YOU Susan and Will!

Your Friend,

Shelly

NAS
Mark 8:36
"For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?

I leave you with the following cute picture. You will see that even a juvenile Ruby-throated Hummingbird can have a *bad feather* day! : )

2006-03-01T14:35:00.000-08:00

Incredible Bravery, Provisions, Soaring, and Knitting

Every year on our farm I learn great lessons from our wildlife friends. I consider it a great privelege to be in an area to view these incredible creatures and watch their interactions. I find it comforting to see how they survive on what is supplied from above, choose mates, raise families, and show such incredible bravery and dedication to their mates and young. If I am ever in need of encouragement, inspiration, or a reminder of our Heavenly Father's creativity and love, all I need do is look out any window.

The picture above is of a parent Purple Martin from last season attempting to drive away a Great White Egret that the Martin considered as being *too close* to its young. Now is that bravery, or what? The Egret is approximately 4 feet tall. The Purple Martin has a body weight of only a few ounces. How great is the desire to protect family for the Purple Martin? How much is the Martin willing to sacrifice for the life of those for which it cares?

My prayer today is that you know in your heart that there are those that care at least this much and more for you. And, that you will know that our Heavenly Father cares so very much more for you. His protection, provision, and love are unending.

Even the smallest birds survive winter and await the return of Spring to nest again. Seeing these little ones thrive is always a boost to my heart, and a reminder that the Lord provides well for his creation. : )

We are thrilled to provide feeders filled with seed, mealworms, fruit, suet, nuts and peanut butter. We enjoy serving meals to our wildlife visitors and enjoy their company at a closer range.

Today we have at least 25 Purple Martins back in residence at our colony site. They soar overhead effortlessly, feeding, visiting, and singing, then *dropping* in for a landing by folding their wings in and doing a vertical drop...opening their wings just in time to glide into their chosen cavity. I'm sure watching these acrobats come in for the evening is excellent for relaxing and calming...and reducing blood pressure, too.

Knitting

I haven't been as productive in knitting this week as I had hoped. I've had a fever since last Wednesday's treatment. This is a normal reaction and it should subside soon. I'm definitely ready to cool down. : )

I knitted quite a bit on the Trellis Scarf...only to be followed by frogging the exact amount that I knitted. I have come to the realization that I am unable to knit lace with a fever. I don't know why. I only know that it doesn't work.

I've started a second pair of fingerless mitts for the CIC caregivers and have 2 more planned. The two childrens vests, pair of felted clogs, and fingerless mitts will be mailed in the near future.

My husband has been busy with his lathe turning more nostepinnes. I have plans for them! : )

Our mail person has also been great this week. I received my *Stahman's Shawls and Scarves* from Patternworks and have joined a Faroese Shawl Knit-Along. The knit-along goes with this book. I'm sure this shawl will be an excellent knit. The book is great and I am looking forward to casting on.

My hope is that each of you have a very good week, lots of joy, lots of laughter, and knowing deeply in your heart that you are cared for beyond measure by family, friends, and most importantly, by our Heavenly Father.

Your Friend,

Shelly

KJV
Mark 10:45
For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

John 4:14
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

2006-02-26T13:43:00.000-08:00

Spring, Purple Martins Return, Bluebird Courtship, Shawl Update, Trellis Scarf and Prayer

Our first Purple Martins have returned from Brazil to our colony site for the Spring nesting season. It is *always* a thrill when the first of the season returns! It is mind boggling to realize these small and beautiful creatures migrate thousands of miles annually to return to *our yard* to nest each season. They are a joy to behold and a true gift from above. Ah, knitting and birdwatching...what could be better? : )

Our Eastern Bluebirds are also actively seeking mates and preparing for housekeeping. They are singing and the males are *wing waving* at the females from atop their chosen houses. You can see that the males are doing their best to attract a female by singing, waving their wings, and preening their feathers....just like men. : )

Here's a picture of my beautiful Granny, Ollie, in IL wearing her new shawl. Isn't she pretty? She's a very young 97 years old! She is currently living with my cousin in IL who has a huge heart and her family has welcomed Granny into their home. They even built Granny her own new bedroom and have her favorite chair next to their fireplace for Granny to enjoy. *Thank You* Sylvia and Bill! And, *thank you* to each of your wonderful children for helping and caring for Granny so very well.

As you can see, the Faroese shawl stays on her shoulders while she walks with her walker. The shoulder shaping makes the difference and makes an excellent choice for a steady and wearable shawl. Since I can't be there to give Granny hugs just now, I hope that she knows that this shawl is doing the hugging for me. : )

Above is a picture of one of my current knitting projects, the Trellis Scarf from the current issue of Interweave Knits magazine. This is a delightful knit. I plan on making the sage color scarf for my mother-in-law, Loraine. I'm also going to knit this scarf for my sister, Cheryl (love you, Sis), in the color Cinnabar...or *red*! Cheryl loves bright colors, and I think this red will look great on her. And, red will go well with her lively personality and beautiful coloring. : )

Updates for Prayer Requests

Remember Will, the young, family man that I had been reporting on concerning a liver tumor and possible cancer? This week there is an update, although the removed tumor was not cancerous, they have diagnosed lymphoma now...or, cancer of the lymph system. He will be seeing the oncologist this week and a treatment plan will be devised. Please remember Will, his wife, and their 3 children in your prayers.

Also, please remember my friend Susan in your prayers. Susan is battling a recurrence of cancer bravely and with unbelievable grace. She is an inspiration to everyone that has met her and we all care about her deeply.

*On a side note, Susan and I are both currently on high dose steroids as part of our differing medical treatments. We've started the Chubby Cheek Club! If you would also care to be a charter member, feel free to join in. We think we're setting a fashion trend for the Spring season...smiling, happy, knitting, and enjoying having *power cheeks*! : )

It encourages my heart this week to realize that if the Lord can make it possible for small birds to travel thousands of miles, across oceans and land, to return to the same yard and colony site for nesting each year, that He is certainly well beyond *able* to care deeply for each of us, His children, and tend to each detail of our hearts and lives. There is *no* situation or concern in our lives of which He is not aware. My constant prayer is for our Heavenly Father to hold Will and Susan closely as they have treatment and return to complete health soon.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NAS
Matthew 18:18-20
18 Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

2006-02-24T11:20:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the Delay, Hands, and Potato Soup

I'm sorry I've been away for a few days. I've missed everyone. I really did try to post a couple of nights ago, but Blogger and my computer were not communicating well so it didn't materialize.

I've had a very busy week. I have some ongoing medical issues that have sidelined me a bit this week, but I'm getting back into form now. : )

Hands

Earlier in the week, my dear husband took me out to eat. I was at the salad bar, peering through the sneeze guard, when it struck me that there were so many different hands in view. Older hands, younger hands, large and small hands, hands of different textures and colors. From this vantage point, I was unable to see any faces connected to any hands...just hands.

I started wondering what the work of each of these hands had been, was, or was going to be? Where had these hands been in their lifetime? How many joys and hardships had they known? What was the mission of each of these hands? Where did each person's heart and mind direct their hands to go?

Hands are an incredible gift. They have incredible power...to comfort others, to caress the face of a loved one, to hug a friend, to pet an animal, to feel the finest fibers, to lift in praise, to create a work of art, make a repair to a home, or to make a phone call or send an email to someone that you miss.

I'm making it my personal goal this week to keep my hands busy with good things, and to express my thankfulness to the Lord for the gift of our hands. Would you care to join me?

Fingerless Mitts for CIC Caregivers

This is the first of a pair of fingerless mitts for the caregivers of CIC. This is a free online pattern posted here by Dawn Adcock. These are quick and easy to knit and are very stretchy to accomodate a variety of hand and forearm sizes. I hope to complete the second of this pair today.

Potato Soup

I'm posting the recipe for my favorite Potato Soup. This recipe was shared with me several years ago by a very good friend, Kathy Drennan. Thanks Kathy!

I'm hoping that Rebecca will be able to enjoy this soup soon since she is recovering from dental surgery.

Ingredients -

6 to 8 Idaho Gold Potatoes (Russets are fine if you prefer) chopped in small pieces with peels *left on*
3 large, peeled, and chopped carrots
1 medium yellow onion diced/chopped
2 or 3 diced/chopped stalks of celery
2 or 3 tbsp. butter or margarine
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Knorr Chicken Boullion - 2 or 3 cubes or tbsps. if using powder
6 to 8 cups of water
1 can evaporated milk

Fill a stew pan with the necessary water, amount depending on the number of potatoes you choose to use. Add Chicken Boullion cubes or powder and bring to boil. Add chopped carrots to boiling water and reduce to simmer. Add chopped onion and celery once carrots have become partially softened. Once vegetables are mostly softened, add chopped potatoes. Cover and simmer, stirring gently occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste. (Go very lightly on the salt since there is salt in the boullion.) Add the butter/margarine to the softened and simmering vegetables. Once all the vegetables are tender, turn off the heat. Only *after the heat has been turned off*, add the can of evaporated milk. Stir lightly and serve with crackers or your favorite bread.

This is outstanding comfort food. It takes only about 30 minutes to prepare and have ready to serve. It refrigerates well and is an easy heat and serve meal.

Enjoy!

I pray for everyone to have an excellent weekend, good health, a calm mind, a full and content heart, and joyfully busy hands.

Your Friend,

Shelly

P.S. I also did cast on for the Trellis Scarf from the current issue of Interweave Knits. This is a delightful knit! I'll post progress pictures soon.

NAS
Isaiah 64:8
But now, O LORD, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand.

2006-02-20T11:41:00.000-08:00

We Finally Got Mail!

Our mailperson didn't make it to our rural area on Saturday. Our weather was dreadful. I don't know if there were massive call-ins at the postal service, or possibly auto accidents, but I was concerned when, for the first time in over 10 years at our farm, the mail never came.

Today is a national holiday and no postal service was expected. So, how surprised was I when I looked out the front window and saw a package setting atop our mailbox? Stunned is a good description.

As you can see in the picture above, Toni of The Fold has certainly brightened my day! My Bosworth Midi spindle in *Oak* was in the box, along with *4* types of roving samples. : ) The rovings are lucious, literally! I have 1 ounce of CVM (I need to look up what CVM is) in a beautiful, golden - fawn color; 2 ounces of greyish-beige Corriedale, 1 ounce of wonderful off-white Cormo; and 1 ounce of very dark brown/almost black Lincoln Lamb. Toni has already got a leader started on my new spindle, now I just need to get out my Spindle Spinning book and get to work. : )

A Finished Object for CIC

In the picture below you can see that I also finished up a size 4 child's woolen vest for CIC. This is the same vest that I cast on last Thursday night at Borders. These are quick, easy, and fulfilling projects. I haven't washed and blocked it out yet, but I did want to get a picture of it up for those that might be considering joining in on the CIC knitting fun! I'll wash it in Eucalan and block it out this evening.

My next project for CIC will be to cast on some fingerless mitts for the caregivers this evening.

I do need to add a very good word for the 100% wool yarn that I used in knitting this CIC vest. It is Cascade Eco+. It is very soft, no knots, and a bulky weight yarn that is an excellent value. Our local yarn shops don't carry Cascade Eco+, so I have had a wonderful experience ordering this yarn from Cedarville Landing Yarn Shop on Ebay. I've also had only positive experiences ordering Cascade Ecological Wool from Mrs Knits Yarn Shop on Ebay. You might check their listings on Ebay. I highly recommend both of them.

You might notice another package of roving in the picture below. This was a gift from Jeanell of our Borders knitting group. *THANK YOU, Jeanell*. This is incredibly soft, white Merino from a local grower and another roving of an unknown sheep. I can barely wait to work with both of them. My husband is going to make Jeanell a nostepinne in exchange for her helping me learn to spin on a spindle. How wonderful other knitters are ... and husbands. They are the very best, in my opinion. : )

I hope that you are each having a wonderful day, enjoying friends and family, and staying warm. Now, I need to put on a pot of my favorite potato soup.

Your Friend,

Shelly

P.S. That is Toby's tail in the top picture. He's our tuxedo cat. He also likes to be in the middle of everything, all the time.

NKJV
Isaiah 40:28-31
28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

2006-02-19T08:55:00.000-08:00

The Faroese Shawl is Finished! : )

As you can see in the picture above, the *Yellow Shawl* (which I knit in lavender Misti Alpaca sport weight yarn) is completed. It is blocked and ready to package. I'll be sending it to my Grandmother in Illinois tomorrow morning!

This pattern, from the The Best of Knitter's Magazine Shawls and Scarves was filled with errors. I have never before encountered such a frustrating knitting experience. I have contacted the publishers several times and am still hoping for them to rework this pattern and correct the errors. The stitch counts after row 65 are *off* by 22 stitches....which can not be accurately corrected without trying to *figure out where* the shoulder shaping decreases should be placed. Prior to row 65, there are several chart errors, but these are very minor when compared to the problems encountered once you reach row 65!

Last week I was told by the XRX pattern support that they were working on a magazine deadline and would get back with me after the deadline on the pattern problems. I hope to hear from them this week. I think I have now regained my composure to be able to discuss the errors politely and kindly, so it may have been a very good thing that they were too busy last week. : )

This is a flawed and poorly written pattern as it is currently published. It took a big toll on any knitting confidence I had prior to starting, but I do feel quite a sense of accomplishment seeing it through to the end. And, I think I have a much better understanding of what makes a well written pattern....and of the shoulder shaping technique for Faroese shawls.

My grandmother is 97 and walks with a walker. A shawl that won't slip off of her small shoulders is very important. I hope that it keeps her warm and happy and that she knows that I love her each time she sees it and wears it! Since I can't be there in person to give her a hug, I'll be sending this shawl to do it for me. : )

Today is still very cold and we have several farm chores to tend to...and then I'll be back to knitting. The size 4 CIC vest is knitting up quickly and I think I may be able to finish it this evening. If so, I'll post another picture today!

Stay warm and have a wonderful day.

Your Friend,

Shelly

HCSB
Psalms 52:8
But I am like a flourishing olive tree in the house of God;
I trust in God's faithful love forever and ever.

2006-02-18T15:33:00.000-08:00

It's Cold Outside and Busy Inside!

We have very cold temps. in OK today! Thankfully, we've also had precipitation. Although our precipitation was in solid form, any amount is appreciated since we have been desperately dry with wildfires abounding.

The ground covered with ice has certainly brought lots of great birds to our many feeders. Although lighting outside was poor, and I was shooting through a window, I got a few pictures worth sharing of our feeder visitors today. Among our usual visitors were Dark-eyed Juncos, Harris's Sparrows, American Tree Sparrows, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, American Goldfinches, House Finches, Carolina Wrens, Downy Woodpeckers, Northern Cardinals, Grackles and Red-winged Blackbird females. We can't fill our feeders quickly enough to keep them all satisified.

The birds are also enjoying the heated birdbath. In this type of weather accessible and unfrozen water is equally important to adequate food supply.

I can get lost watching the birds. Their many colors and behaviors never cease to amaze me...and I am just amazed at God's creativity and imagination. : )

I did get my Grandmother's Faroese shawl soaked in Euclan, rinsed, and have put it out for blocking. It was almost too large to block out on the twin bed in the back bedroom, but I got it to *just fit*. I've tried several options for blocking the shoulder shaping...padding in that area, not padding in that area, etc. I finally decided to just let it block out naturally without padding. If it doesn't look OK when dry, I'll reblock.

I really love the way that Eucalan makes a finished garment smell fresh and sweet. The Alpaca is divinely soft and I'm anxious for the drying process to complete. Then I plan on wrapping in a good amount of tissue paper in a nice box and Priority mailing it to my Grandmother....hopefully on Monday!

Currently on my knitting needles is a size 4 woolen vest for CIC. These CIC vests are simple and quick to knit, and a balm to the heart of the knitter. There's just nothing better than knowing you're knitting an item for a child to stay warm and enjoy...and that many prayers are included in the stitching. I'll also be knitting some fingerless mitts for the caregivers of CIC soon. Many free patterns have been posted and shared on the CIC Yahoo List. Please consider joining. I promise you will enjoy every project and challenge. : )

A Praise Report -

I do have an update on a previous prayer request that I posted on my blog. A couple of weeks back I posted about a young family man named Will that had undergone an 11 hr. surgery for possible liver cancer. The pathology report came back this week, and Will does *NOT* have cancer. The tumor was benign! He is now home and recovering. Thank you sincerely to each of you that thought of, and prayed for, Will and his family.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Your Friend,

Shelly

HCSB
I John 3:16-20
16 This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has this world's goods and sees his brother in need but shuts off his compassion from him--how can God's love reside in him? 18 Little children, we must not love in word or speech, but in deed and truth; 19 that is how we will know we are of the truth, and will convince our hearts in His presence, 20 because if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts and knows all things.

2006-02-15T14:57:00.000-08:00

What use is a pattern? Do we need instructions...or want them?

If I was a much more experienced knitter than I am, I'm sure that pattern flaws wouldn't bother me nearly so much. However, since I am at an intermediate level (on a good day) and still learning new techniques and methods, I find a pattern very important to accomplish a larger project. Add to that the fact that the project is a *gift* and I am getting a bit beyond frustrated. : (

The XRX publishing support help has been helpful, but my last request for help was answered with a note that a magazine deadline was coming this week, so that they would get back with me and go over the pattern as soon as the deadline was passed. I understand deadlines, I understand accidental errors. However, in this instance this book was originally published in *1999*. Isn't that now *7* years? So, after a pattern has been published for *7* years, there are *still* uncorrected errors? Does this seem right?

Wasn't this pattern test knitted before release? Didn't the author of the pattern want to make sure that her efforts were published correctly? Aren't the publishers responsible to check their publications for accuracy in a timely manner?

Evidently this pattern for the *Yellow Shawl* was modified after the pictures of the completed shawl were taken. They decided to delete several of the decreases along the gusset. However, they left the *old, prior to modification* stitch counts in place. Now at row 91....the stitch count is off by several stitches! Yes, I can compensate by doing decreases in *hopefully* proper places in the shoulder shaping. But, why am I having to do this? I purchased the book for the patterns so that I may knit shawls and not have to figure out how to knit, or repair them, on my own at this point.

I'm sorry to sound negative, but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with disappointment in this book and the associated publisher.

I am certain this will work out and I will learn something from the process. I just didn't want it to be this hard when I was really *trying and wanting* to follow directions.

So, here I am with instructions in a pattern that I can't follow. This is quite a turn of events, as frequently I've found myself with instructions in life that were clear and caring....and then, of course, I didn't see the need, or want, to follow them.

Obviously, I am very *human*.

My prayer is that we each can see and gratefully accept those gentle, caring, and loving instructions the Lord gives us for our lives. He offers these as a loving parent wanting the best for, and caring for, His children. He knows our hearts, He knows every desire of our being, He knows what is best for each of us to reach our full potential and how to keep us safe.....and, He loves us most. Yes, my prayer is that we accept the Lord's unending love, encouragement, and caring instructions as we grow closer in our walk with Him....and that our knitting patterns are error free. : )

Your Friend,

Shelly

NCSB
Psalms 1:1-3
1 How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path of sinners, or join a group of mockers! 2 Instead, his delight is in the Lord's instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

Psalms 19:7
The instruction of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise.

P.S. Please allow me to leave you with a *proud parent* moment. The picture below is of our wonderful son, Zach, the night last fall that he received his Black Belt in Tai Kwon Do. : )

2006-02-13T14:53:00.000-08:00

Red Hot Sizzling Socks, Ongoing Shawl Saga, Spindle Spinning, and Hope

As you can see photographed above, I'm preparing to cast on for the Red Hot Sizzling Socks Knit-along. I've chosen Mountain Colours Barefoot yarn in the colorway Ruby River. This is beautiful and soft yarn and I will now try to choose just the right pattern for it.

I'm looking forward to adding sock knitting back into my current efforts. I am in need of a short break in shawl knitting and fighting a pattern that has had errors. : (

I have contacted the XRX publishers corrections support staff today with another problem found in the charted pattern. I hope to have a response soon. I am really looking forward to a completed and lovely shawl being in the mail to my grandmother for her to enjoy. : )

I'm branching out in my interests in fiber related activities. After last weeks spinning guild meeting, I have decided that I really want to learn to spin. I'll be beginning with spindle spinning. My husband asked that I order a Bosworth Spindle for my Valentine's Day gift! This man really knows how to keep his wife deleriously happy!

If spindle spinning goes well, I really hope to continue on and learn to spin with a spinning wheel some day. But, we'll see how it goes with a spindle first.

I hope that spindle spinning goes well....as a matter of fact, I hope that it goes wonderfully well. I realize that it may be difficult initially, but I am full of hope that it will become easier as I practice.

So much of our lives are enriched by the gift of hope...ideas have fledged, dreams realized, and civilizations founded and based on hope. The hope of something better, something more, and health and happiness for our fellow humans. The hope of health and happiness in this life for all is great, but the hope and promise of eternal life with our Heavenly Father is greater still. May we all live diligently helping others in this life, and also keep focused on the gift of grace from our Father above...of eternal life with Him.

I leave you with the picture below. A young Purple Martin female with her newly fledged young of 2005....and I'm certain that she is full of hope for the successful and full life for her young.

Your Friend,

Shelly

HCSB
Romans 15:13
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

2006-02-10T10:16:00.000-08:00

Shawl Growth, Nostepinnes, Borders Fun, and Trying to Understand

Shawl Report

I'm thrilled to report that the shawl for my grandmother is officially *half* knitted to completion. The knitting has gotten easier as the pattern has progressed, but I still have a couple of questions to have answered by XRX Publications pattern support.

The lavendar Misti Alpaca is absolutely lucious and a joy to knit. It is softer than you can imagine. It does shed a bit, but not any more than any long staple, very smooth and wonderful fiber. : )

Nostepinne

Also, please notice the *nostepinne* (or nostepinde) in the picture above. My kind, loving, and talented husband made this nostepinne for me on his lathe with his own hands. He's also made 2 other nostepinnes for me that are not pictured.

Nostepinnes are used for manually making center-pull balls of yarn from hanks. It is a very relaxing and quite quick activity, and I don't think I'll ever prefer a mechanical ball winder over his hand made nostepinnes.

Nostepinnes have been used for generations in Scandanavia and they traveled to the US in the 1980's with a knitting technique called twined knitting. In Scandanavia (and the US) men, young and old, carve or turn nostepinnes for their sweethearts...and to have something to do while their wives or girlfriends were off knitting.

Nope, no mechanical ball winder is in my future. I'll cherish every nostepinne that my husband creates for me. Also, I'd like to dispell the myth that a flat, cake type ball cannot be wound on a nostepinne. As you can see in the picture above, 2 hanks of Koigu have been wound into center pull cakes/balls on my nostepinne with ease. : )

Borders Fun

Last night was our weekly Thursday Sit N Stitch meeting at Borders. Our meetings are open to anyone that likes to knit, crochet, spindle, or any form of fiber craft. We have such fun stitching and chatting, comparing projects, petting yarn and fibers, and it is a great treat near the end of a busy week.

The picture of our Borders group is of just some of our members. I believe our group has grown to almost 30 members now! So, if you are in Norman, OK on a Thursday evening at 7 PM, come and join us at Borders.

Trying to Understand

This is a picture of Ellie, our senior Dachshund, and *my* sweetie. Ellie is a long-haired Dachshund, black and tan, with a small amount of dappling.

Ellie is in charge of our farm, or at least that is her impression. She keeps all the other dogs, cats, and critters of all sorts in line. : )

She is quiet, brave to a fault, very gentle and snuggly, and quite obsessed with searching for things underground. She loves to keep at least one large hole in progress at all times. And, she's very protective of her hole. She only allows the other dogs to watch from afar.

I understand that Dachshunds were bred to go after Badgers in holes beneath the ground, but we don't have any Badgers on our farm. And, we are evidently short on *holes* for her to search out...so, she makes her own.

Of all the holes that Ellie has dug over the years, she still has never found a single Badger. Yet, she continues as if she knows there is a Badger with the next paw push of dirt.

Ellie gets loads of exercise, tons of love, and has lots of animal friends. However, she remains committed to the search for her elusive Badger. As a result, during the warm and not-so-warm months, Ellie digs holes....and I fill holes. Ellie digs, I fill. Ellie digs... : )

I often wonder if the Lord looks down on me, when I get overly concerned about something, or worried and consumed with *making sure things work out* as *I* had planned....I wonder if He sees me as being obsessed with *digging holes* (figuratively speaking, of course). I pray to keep my mind clear and looking for guidance from above, so that my time is productive, that I'm keeping on track, and that I'm not just feverishly, *digging holes*.

I pray that each of you have a wonderful day, peace in your heart, and that we are each not distracted by the need to *dig holes*. : )

Your Friend,

Shelly

NLT
Hosea 6:3
Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know him! Then he will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring."

2006-02-07T21:25:00.000-08:00

Fun, New Friends, and Challenges

Today has been a delight. I've been with my hubby all day...and there's just nothing better. And, to add to our fun day, we had dinner out together, a quick trip to Borders, and the evening spent with new friends at the Norman Fiber League monthly meeting.

I, of course, went to admire the spinning wheels, drop spindles, fibers of all types, chat, and be with fiber loving friends. My husband went to admire the woodworking techniques and craftsmanship that is used in the making of spinning wheels and drop spindles. But, I did catch him petting both alpaca and Merino/silk roving, as well as Coopworth wool. : )

Hubby is a woodturner in his spare time and has already made me 3 nostepinnes. Now he is going to branch out into drop spindles, I believe. So, I think this was an evening very well spent.

The members of the Norman Fiber League were a delight! They answered our many questions, demonstrated several techniques, explained their wheels, and even let us attempt spindling while they encouraged us every step of the way. I think we even got some of the members to join us in our Thursday night Borders knitting group!

Below are some of the pictures that I took this evening at the Norman Fiber League monthly spinning guild meeting. Enjoy!

Challenges

When challenges come up in our life, what should we do? How should we react?

I believe it is the way we view these challenges that can make them possible to overcome...with grace, honesty, and even joy amidst tears. These challenges are *not* punishment from above, of that I am sure. But, I also believe how we choose to go forward, even if full of dread, is possible when we realize that no matter what happens we cannot be separated from the Lord. There is nothing that happens to us of which He is not fully aware and with us every step. While our challenges may not be removed, there will always be a way provided by our Heavenly Father so that we may be overcomers. We will not be given a greater burden than we can bear. And, a purpose will be served. We may not understand today, but someday it will become clear. Until then, hold fast His hand and know that it has been, and will always, be there.

My heart is content. My life is full and blessed. I will surely sleep good tonight and look forward to tomorrow (and Thurs. night knitting, too).

Your Friend,

Shelly

NLT
Romans 5:1-5
1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory. 3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us – they help us learn to endure. 4 And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. 5 And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

NKJV
Romans 8:37-39
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2006-02-05T13:40:00.000-08:00

A Road Trip, Persistence, and Patience

What a week this has been! I've had wonderful time with my husband, quality time with new friends, experienced a fun banquet with good friends and family, and had plenty of opportunities to be persistent in knitting....and patient, too!

Above is the picture of one of our sweet cats. This is Gracie, aka *the unknitter* or *frogger*. She is a joy and a kitty loaded with personality. I really feel her IQ eclipses mine by miles on most days. She sneaks into our bedroom in the late afternoon, then hides under the bed for hours, hoping to successfully wait until we've turned out the lights for the night...only to suddenly jump up on the bed and try to snuggle in between us for a long winter's nap. She isn't successful and is abruptly put out of the room, but that does not deter her from trying again, and again, and again.

Gracie is also as thrilled with yarn and fiber as I am. However, I like to knit the yarn... and Gracie's obsession is with *unkintting* the yarn. And, she likes nothing better than a good chew or two on the end of my knitting needles. My Addi Turbos are up to the assault, but my bamboos, wooden, and Denise needles are to be protected at all cost. Gracie is especially fond of bamboo double-pointed needles. This prompted my rapid change to Magic Loop technique on almost any circular project. So far, I'm winning on this battle front with Gracie! But, I won't count my chickens before they are hatched....the jury is still out on who will be the ultimate winner in this battle of wills. Gracie definitely tests my patience frequently, but I admire and even envy her persistence.

Friday evening, I had the pleasure of spending the evening with 4 of the other ladies from our Thursday night knitting group. We had a great time chatting on our way up to the SWAK Friday Night Knitting event. We were treated to Keely's marvelous cooking, fun chatting and getting to meet other knitters, some quality shopping time in a beautiful yarn shop, and hours of knitting together. We enjoyed the fun road trip and I only wish I drove a bus so that more could join in the fun!

Saturday evening was the WildCare Foundation Volunteer Appreciation Banquet. We were in great company with a room packed with others that care for our native wildlife creatures. Rondi presented an informative and interesting slide show with current statistics and numerous pictures of creatures cared for by WildCare over the last year. The dinner was outstanding. Tom had spent the day smoking salmon and barbecuing ribs. And finally, we were treated to a narrated slide show by Nancy of the hurricane Katrina animal care and recovery efforts. It was indeed an awesome and touching evening.

We also got to spend some wonderful time with our daughter, Amanda, and her husband (our newest son!), Ryan. We couldn't be prouder as parents of these two. We have been blessed beyond measure with all of our children. We love you Zach, Amanda, and Ryan... more than we will ever be able to put into words.

Today I'm knitting on my grandmother's shawl while my sweet husband tries to control himself while watching the Super Bowl. I'm enjoying the shawl challenge. When I get to a *just knit all stitches* row, I am really enjoying thinking about what a wonderful week it has been....and daydreaming about the spinning guild meeting that we get to attend on this coming Tuesday. Be still my heart! : )

I've also had some quailty Bible study and prayer time. To have peace in your heart amidst trying or very difficult times is such a gift of the Lord. I would like to ask my online friends a special request for prayer. Please pray for Will, a young man with a family, that had an 11 hr. surgery just days ago at a major E. coast medical center for possible liver cancer. The biopsy results are pending. Also, please pray for a family that lost their oldest son (and brother) in Tulsa this week. The grief and pain of their unexpected loss is tremendous. And, as always, please pray for all the young men and women in service to our country that are in danger and pray for those that lead them.

I know that the Lord is fully aware of each of the above situations. I know that He loves his children - each of us - beyond our possibility to comprehend. My heart has been heavy for each of those mentioned above and I look forward to each opportunity for prayer and praise...and learning more through His word. I pray for health and healing for those mentioned, and that each of us may know that this life is our learning ground for the next life in the presence of the Lord.

I wish everyone a wonderful upcoming week.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NAS
Psalms 94:14, 17-19, 22
14 For the LORD will not abandon His people, Nor will He forsake His inheritance.

17 If the LORD had not been my help, My soul would soon have dwelt in {the abode of} silence. 18 If I should say, "My foot has slipped," Your lovingkindness, O LORD, will hold me up. 19 When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul.

22 But the LORD has been my stronghold, And my God the rock of my refuge.

2006-02-03T09:07:00.000-08:00

Progress, Diligence, and Joy

Can you see that my grandmother's shawl is growing? I finally passed the intimidation factor, and the shawl is growing as hoped! If I continue to get to prioritize the shawl in my knitting time, I hope to have it finished in the next week, or two. : )

I'm also considering knitting up some Opal Socks for my Granny in a matching lavendar/purple colorway. The color is from the Opal Rainforest collection and the colorway is called Fish. My Granny loves bright colors, sparkles, beads, glitter, rhinestones, all these things....and the *louder*, the better! I may add beads to the socks for her because she loves them so very much.

So, I'm glad to report that the shawl knitting is moving forward!

Personally, there is forward progress, as well. Our daughter will be coming to town this weekend (HOORAY!!!!) and we will be attending the WildCare Foundation Volunteer Banquet together...along with my wonderful hubby. Last year, I worked as an avian subpermittee and rehabbed ill or orphaned baby birds (primarily). I specialized in insectivores and some seed eaters. I hope to be able to do it again this season, but it will depend on if my doctors allow it this year. Rehab work is very rewarding, exhausting, and sometimes trying. I enjoyed working with Rondi and the staff of WildCare very much...they are indeed, the greatest. Please support WildCare with donations of time, financial support, donation of needed goods, or becoming a member. It is a wonderful, trustworthy, and dedicated group of folks that give their all in caring for orphaned or injured wildlife of all types.

I'll be posting pictures of some of my very small WildCare babies from last year in the near future. : )

I do have some special medical challenges coming up this next week, specifically Wednesday (Feb. 8th). For those of you that pray, or would care to send good thoughts our way, they would be accepted with special thanks.

I'm spending much quality time this week in Bible study, watching and listening to Worship Network TV (channel 62-3 for those of you that have local TV multicast access via DirecTV), knitting - both at home and with friends, and drinking up precious time with my husband and family.

For those that care to know a bit more about the upcoming challenge this week, just leave a comment of inquiry and I'll contact you by email.

On another topic, I've been reminded this week of the vast difference in experiencing happiness and joy. Happiness if often dependent upon circumstances in life, but joy is consistent in the heart of one that knows the Lord is with them every moment of every day. That His love never ends and that he is an ever present help in times of trouble. Yes, my heart is joyful!

I'll leave you today with a fun picture... fledgling Eastern Bluebirds cooling from the summer heat in 2003.

Your Friend,

Shelly

HCSB
Romans 8: 35 & 37-39
35 Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or anguish or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

37 No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!

2006-01-31T20:49:00.000-08:00

A New Picture and Progress

I'm starting off with a blurry, yet very special picture. This is a Painted Bunting adult male that spent the summer on our farm last year. They return each summer to eat at the feeders, raise their young in unknown nest locations, play in the various water features we have around the house, and make our summer a joy to behold. Although the picture was taken from quite a distance, through a window and screen, with less than optimum lighting, it is one of my favorites of these brightly feathered small birds.

I'll post a picture of female and immature Painted Buntings in a later post.

We are expecting the return of our Purple Martins to our colony site in just 2 or 3 weeks. Last year they returned on Feb. 21st, 2005. I'm sure I will be thrilled to see the return of the first Purple Martin of the season and hear their wonderful song.

Saturday morning I woke up to the singing of Bluebirds! They were everywhere. They were perched on nestboxes, fence posts, and even the mail box. The males were busy singing to the ladies and doing their *wing waving* to get female attention. I think it's a little early in the season, but they don't seem to think so at all.

And, yes, I have made quite a bit of progress on the never-ending shawl project. I got wonderful customer support from XRX book publishers once I contacted them...and I'm now cruising on the lavendar alpaca shawl! This has me smiling ear to ear. : )

I'm having a busy and hectic week this week. I spent over 1/2 the day on Monday having medical tests done in preparation for the administration of an investigational medication. I'm looking forward to possible benefits and providing information to others from my experience (via the health care professionals conducting the study), but the tests are a bit rigorous. It seems I'm at a health care facility nearly every day. This is in addition to those 50 year old, 50,000 mile check-up tests. (I'm glad I only have to turn 50 once!)

So, to balance all the medical hooplah out, I'm trying to have some quality prayer time, Bible study, and knitting with friends, too! Knitting will be Thursday night, as usual, at Borders with lots of friends. Friday evening we're all traveling to Guthrie for the Friday Night Knitting at SWAK. Then next Tuesday, the 7th, several of us are planning on attending the Spinning Guild meeting to see spinning demonstrations, various spinning wheels, and to ask questions to our hearts content.

I'll post a shawl progress picture later. In the meantime, enjoy the male Painted Bunting, and know that I'm praying for you, too.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NAS
Philippians 4:11 - 13
11...for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

2006-01-28T17:30:00.000-08:00

The Shawl Struggle Continues...

Are you tiring of variations of the same picture? Yes? Well, me too.

I've almost knitted back to the point where I had to *FROG* back to a lifeline in this shawl project. Now, as I approach charted row 5 again, your positive thoughts and prayers would be greatly appreciated. : )

I feel that if I can just make it through row 5, correctly, that I will be on my way to successfully knitting this alpaca shawl for my grandmother.

As you can see, I had the book chart enlarged, then colored the charted lines with colored book highlighters. This is my attempt to keep from accidentally changing the line that I am following on the chart. I find even with a ruler, sticky note, or other following implement, unless the lines to follow are of the same color when switching from one chart to the next, it is easy to follow the chart on the wrong row. So, I enjoyed coloring for a time this afternoon. I hope it helps. Otherwise, I may switch to coloring shawl charts....rather than attempting to knit them!

So, my goal for tonight is to complete charted row 5 successfully. Yep, I have stoop goals this Saturday evening. : ) I guess that I am refining my diligence and patience just now. And, for all of us, I hope I have a very different shawl progress picture to post soon.

Your Friend,

Shelly

P.S. I'm leaving you with a better picture to view. You will see a beautiful White-winged Dove that visited one of our feeders in 2004.

HCSB
Romans 12:11-12
11 Do not lack diligence; be fervent in spirit; serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer.

2006-01-27T13:37:00.000-08:00

Still moving, backwards possibly, but at least still moving...

Do you hear frogs in the background? Yes? Well, that is me frogging two of my latest knitting projects. And yes, I am so very thankful for lifelines!

I was making good progress on my grandmother's faroese shawl, when at the end of a very busy row, my stitch count was off by 2! Argh! At first I wanted to blame the chart, but alas, the problem was my own. So, frogging commenced back to the most recent lifeline. I keep trying to convince myself that this is *good experience* for me to reknit part of the pattern....but, really, for the 3rd time?

Then, there is my simple and mindless stockinette stitch socks, and yes, they are getting partially frogged as well. The frogs are having a hey day at our house today! I thought that since the socks were just mindless knitting that I would try a new heel. Yep, you guessed it, I messed it up. The first two stitches of every 3 of 4 rows are slipped purlwise. My problem was where I had my working yarn at the beginning of these particular rows...*not in the right place*. I managed to mess up the slipped stitch edging on one side of the heel flap! So, both heel flaps of the two socks are being *removed by frogging* today.

For those of you that may not be familiar with the work of frogs in knitting, it is when you have to undo, or unknit, some of your knitting by removing many rows of stitches. You *rip it* out...which sounds like *ribbit*, the sound that frogs make. Thus, the term *frogging*, or *rip it, rip it, rip it*. Frogging is one of the least favorite activities of any knitter, and you can include me as one of the knitters that really dislikes this activity.

I'm really hoping to make more progress on my grandmother's shawl. I'm putting almost everything else on hold in order to get this project completed. I would like to send her the shawl before summer!

I had planned to go to Borders last night and knit with all my pals in our knitting group. However, I felt really rotten a few hours before time to go. I'm blaming it on some medicine that I have to take. I took it with food to prevent stomach upset, but evidently my stomach didn't think it was sufficient to keep from getting all in a tither. So, next week I'll wait until *after* knitting fun to be medication compliant. Yep, I've learned my lesson on this situation.

I did make it to the public library this week and was excited to find that they had added several books to their knitting selection. Although most of the books were checked out, it was a delight to see all the new listings. The trip was not in vain. I think I checked out 6 or 7 books on *spinning*. I have been progressively being consumed with a desire to learn to spin various fibers into yarn. I've even been dreaming about it!

I think the lucious alpaca that I have been knitting with has really turned up the heat on my desire to learn to spin. I love the look of almost any spinning wheel, or even a drop spindle. I've been reading and trying to learn about the process, the terms, the history....it all appeals to me.

I was able to find a spinning guild in our area from the Interweave website. I made contact and we now have an invitation to attend the next spinning guild meeting! The spinning guild members are even going to bring their wheels so that we may see a selection of wheels, see demonstrations, and ask questions. How wonderful is this? I don't know if I'll be able to sleep much in anticipation of the spinning guild meeting on Feb. 7th. : )

I think I'll concentrate on the joy of new beginnings for the remainder of the day. I can *re-begin* on the troubled areas of my knitting projects, look forward to learning more and possibly beginning the adventure of learning to spin, and beginning the remainder of the afternoon with a better outlook on all of these things.

One of my favorite *beginnings* to remember is that of the arrival of our Dachshund puppies in 2004. This is the only litter of puppies that we have had on our farm. We don't plan on allowing it to happen again, but they were adorable and treasured. We still have 3 of the puppies, and the other 3 went to excellent homes. So, our current Dachshund count is *6* (Ellie, Doogie, Streudel, Montey, Moose, and Linus). We love these doggies! We also have Jake, my hubby's Australian Shepard. And, we have our grand-dog, Charlie. Charlie is our daughter's dog, but since she has newly married and is settling in to another semester away at college, we are babysitting our grand-dog this semester. Charlie is a lovable, mixed breed, charmer.

The picture was taken when the puppies were just 24 hours old. : )

Have a great weekend everyone!

Your friend,

Shelly

P.S. The baby birds in the last post were indeed baby Bluebirds from a previous nesting season. : )

NLT
Philippians 3:13-14
13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.

2006-01-24T18:56:00.000-08:00

About the Pictures

I've taken all the pictures that you see posted on my blog. I've used my trusty little Olympus and tried my best to get some pictures of life on our farm.

We have a Bluebird Trail, a Purple Martin colony, several nestboxes for various bird species, horses, dogs, cats, and various other critters (not all pets, some are wildlife visitors).

I haven't posted any pet pictures yet, but be prepared, you'll probably be begging me to stop once I get started.

All the pictures are copyrighted, so please don't copy/use them, or link to them, unless you have received written permission.

Have a great week and see today's real blog post below.

Your Friend,

Shelly

2006-01-24T17:03:00.000-08:00

Counting, Counting, and More Counting

I've been counting today. Counting in the car, counting in the house, counting in the store, counting while awake...and I'm sure I'll be counting in my sleep tonight. Next time I decide to make another shawl, *please* remind me how much counting and intense concentration is involved.

No shawl progress was made yesterday, nor was I able to attend our ladies Bible study. I was in bed most of the day with an intense headache. So, today I decided I'd make up for lost study and knitting time. Well...

The knitting on my grandmother's alpaca shawl was progressing slowly, but steadily, until I tried to knit at Border's with their choice of music playing in the background. Each row of the shawl has over 300 stitches at this point, and keeping count of all the yo's, k2tog's, ssk's, and other intricate stitches became quite a challenge for my ability to concentrate without becoming distracted. Before my stint of knitting on the Border's couch was completed, I was tempted to track down whomever selected the music (sounded like some poor lady yodeling *Lady of Spain*!) and see if they could find my *now missing* stitch! : (

After fretting for a couple of minutes and feeling faint (knitters will understand this feeling), I tinked back 1/2 of row 3 of the chart and found the error of my knitting ways. Thankfully, row 3 was corrected and completed, followed by row 4, and I'm now ready to proceed on to row 5 of the tiny and quite complex chart.

I'll definitely be bringing the shawl to Sit 'N' Stitch this Thursday night, but, I don't think I'll be able to work on it during our group. Well, I might if someone could loan me a *cone of silence* (remember this from *Get Smart*?) so that I could totally block out all noise and distractions and only hear myself counting...aloud, of course. Under these circumstances, I may be able to complete a row without having to repeat it; or to have a brown, paper bag handy for any possible hyperventilation episodes secondary to incorrect stitch counts at the end of a row! : )

I'm definitely using a lifeline in this project. And, I'm placing a new lifeline every other row. I do notwant to have to frog all the way back to the beginning if/when I make a mistake.

Does this remind you of life? It sure reminds me of how life goes. I'm so thankful that we don't have a *chart* of our life laid out before us to have to follow. I'm so relieved that we don't have to perfectly perform every tiny square exactly as written for us to have a worthy result in the end. I am so very thankful for our loving Heavenly Father and for His grace he freely gives. I'm thankful that we are not bound by having to follow the law as presented in the Old Testament, but rather to just accept the gift of his sacrifice and grace toward us to have an eternal relationship and life with Him. His faithfulness and forgiveness can remove our gravest mistakes and make all things brand new...no matter how many mistakes we have made. He is our ever present lifeline.

I'm going to spend the rest of the evening counting my many blessings and give the stitch counting a break. : )

Your Friend,

Shelly

KJV
Psalms 103:12
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

KJV
II Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

2006-01-22T17:45:00.000-08:00

Am I Making Progress?

I've got my Grandmother's shawl cast on....all 327 stitches today. I've even worked several rows. Does it look like I'm making progress? It is hard for me to tell at this point.

I am really enjoying working with the buttery soft alpaca. I have found that my Denise needles are a great match for working with this, not too slippery, and just the right points.

You can see the swatch for the shawl in the upper left corner of the picture. It worked out very well. I'll be using my blocking wires for the first time on the finished shawl.

This project has convinced me that I definitely need to work with alpaca again soon. I think I'm getting spoiled. : )

I've also been working on a pair of socks (as seen in the picture). They are a pair of nice, mindless, stockinette stitch socks...for relief from shawl stitch counting. The self-patterning Socka Colori color changes keep my interest, even though it is a mindless stitch pattern.

I think I'll be taking the shawl to our Sit 'N' Stitch group at Border's this Thursday. I may need the others of the group to help me keep count!

Now to the personal front -

If I had known that turning 50 also entailed all the 50,000 mile check-up exams within a few weeks, I think I would have chosen to stay 49. Actually, I am very thankful for all the fine physicians and medical facilities we have access to, but in addition to regular appointments, all the extras have me a bit on medical overload. My knitting has been making it to all the appointments lately, so I've definitely been doing my share of knitting in public.

Tomorrow we start our ladies Bible study. I'm really looking forward to having some quality time with friends, and spending time learning, discussing, and praying. We each have areas that are challenging us, and I hope this study benefits each of us and our relationship with our Heavenly Father.

Have a wonderful week, friends!

Shelly

HCSB
James 1:2-4
2. Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, 3. knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

2006-01-19T15:16:00.000-08:00

Decisions Made, Paperwork Done, Knit On!

I have finally made it *over the hump* and am making steady progress. I was delayed a day by a full schedule of appointments, but now that they are behind me, it is full steam ahead.

I finished the dreadful paperwork and it has been sent to all those that believe all this detail is necessary....for the 48th time. And, now I can breathe a sigh of relief, until they decide it is time for me to repeat the process and complete another heaping pile of paperwork again at their next whim. : (

I've also made some knitting decisions. YEA! I did it!

I will continue with my husband's Aran sweater with the FLAK group. I'm glad this group just gets installments on what to do every 2 weeks because it gives me time to do other knitting projects.

I'm also knitting a shawl for my grandmother. She's a quite young 97 year old that has recently relocated to IL. I hope she will enjoy a soft and warm, alpaca shawl to put around her shoulders in the cooler climate of IL. I found some beautiful sport weight, baby Alpaca today in a lovely lavender that I feel will make a beautiful shawl for her. I'm not going to make the shawl very large since she is small, and I don't want it to interfere with her sitting or walking. I hope she likes this beautiful and scrumptious Misti Alpaca in *lavendar* (she had told me earlier that she is tired of pink, so hopefully lavender isn't out, too).

I'm also continuing on some additional items for CIC.

Any knitting, other than the above, will just have to be in spare moments and are currently placed *on the back burner*. : )

Our Sit 'N' Stitch group meets again tonight at Borders. I really look forward to spending a couple of hours knitting, chatting, comparing patterns and projects with my new knitting and crocheting pals. We have a wonderful time and I'll try to get a couple of pictures of our group to post, if they agree.

Our ladies/friends Bible study group met today for an organizational meeting. We officially start on Monday afternoon. I'm surely looking forward to learning more in this group, praying together, discussing, learning together, and getting to spend time together. The Lord has blessed each of us bountifully and also brought us each through difficult times. I pray that we will each become more of what He would like for us to be through this study time.

I want to thank all of my online friends that have prayed for me to get through being overfaced. It certainly has made a difference. I want you to know that I will also be praying for each of you, my local and online friends, for whatever your needs or trials may be. Please feel free to contact me at any time. And, always feel free to leave a comment, too.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NAS
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

2006-01-16T12:55:00.000-08:00

Decisions and Paperwork ... Oh My!

Do you ever get stuck? I don't mean like physically stuck in the mud, but just stuck in decision making or just really dreading doing a particular task? Well, I do.

I'm currently stuck (or maybe overfaced is a better term) on 2 fronts.

First, an easy one, I'm stuck on appropriately dividing my time between knitting projects. I'm participating in the FLAK and hoping to knit a beautiful Aran sweater for my wonderful hubby. I'm also going to participate in the EZasPi group knitalong for the anniversary Pi shawl. I also have some ongoing socks, CIC knitting, and a few smaller projects. So, how to divide my time between these projects, without leaving any out, has me immobile presently. Argh!

Secondly, is a much tougher one for me...and that's the dreaded paperwork looming in a pile on the table. It really doesn't take that long to complete, but I just dread it terribly. It really makes no sense! I can probably have it completed in an hour or two, but you would think I have to climb Mt. Everest by the way I'm feeling inside. Argh, again! For me, paperwork is right up there with my dislike of housework. And, the paperwork that must be done today makes me feel quite helpless and vulnerable (see picture above).

I really don't understand. I've always loved being on the go, energetic, determined (even stubborn at times), self-motivated, and getting things *done*. However, put me in the house with a mop and broom, or at the table with medical forms and piles of other paperwork, or even several decisions to make about pleasant choices...and I freeze up like an old engine.

I just don't get it. I'd rather be in the barn cleaning stalls, outside doing yard work, on the tractor, repainting a room, or even replacing flooring...rather than doing paperwork of this type, or cleaning the bathroom. You know, I'd gladly rather come and help you clean your house, or do your paperwork, rather than do my own.

Anybody else feel like this? Ever?

I think I'll be concentrating today on the same verse from the Bible that I used earlier. I'll be praying, too (while plugging through the pile of paperwork).

Have a wonderful day everyone! I'm off to conquer those things that have effectively stopped me in my tracks today. And, I'm anxious to have some quiet time this evening to read and prepare for a Bible study that I'm going to be sharing with some girlfriends.
I hope that you are each having a wonderful week and that you don't get *stuck*, or overfaced, in your life. Please know that with Him, we can conquer any situation that tries to hold us back.

Your Friend,

Shelly

NAS
Phillipians 4:13
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

2006-01-14T10:50:00.000-08:00

Do You See the Potential?

One of my favorite yarn shops, Sealed With A Kiss in Guthrie, OK is having a wonderful, in-store SALE this weekend. Of course, I was there last night! The store was crowded with all ages. What could be better for a fiber lover than to be in the midst of fellow fiber enthusiasts, in a great store having a great sale, with freely provided home-made Chocolate Chip Cookies for the customers? Ahhh, what an absolute delight.

Isn't the sage Jaggerspun laceweight, 50% Merino & 50% Silk just stunning? What do you see that becoming? Me, I see a shawl. Not just any shawl. A beautiful shawl, probably a Fiddlesticks Knitting shawl design.

I aspire to someday being able to knit the Fiddlesticks Knitting design, the Garden Shawl. I don't think I'm quite ready for that one yet, but I'm working toward that. I'm a bit like the tortise, slow and steady progress to get to the goal. So, for now, I will choose a bit simpler design. But, in my heart and mind, I know I am working up to the Garden Shawl.

I know that each of us has *great potential* in our lives. We may not be great scholars, government leaders, highly public figures that have accomplished heroic deeds; but we each have unlimited potential to impact the lives of those around us.

I often wonder what the Lord sees as our individual potential. In His eyes, I'm certain that He sees great potential in each of us. He is there to encourage each of us, and desires each of us to know of his unending and steadfast love for us.

Please know how important and significant you are. Please join me in striving to see our individual potential through the Lord's eyes, rather than the limited vision of our own. We each have the ability and heart to care for others, give of our time and talents, and make a lasting, positive impact with our lives, before going home to be with the Lord in the next.

NAS
Phillipians 4:13
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

2006-01-12T09:12:00.000-08:00

A Gift Of Nature - A Gift of God

If you are looking forward to Spring's return and feeling that it may never arrive, hopefully this may encourage you.

Today I'm sharing some of my filming of *nature* at our farm. We have a large Purple Martin colony (another of my many passions/interests). I enjoy keeping a close eye on the colony and learning lessons from these beautiful and faithful travelers.

I have a small camera installed in some of our Purple Martin housing and have spent many hours of wonder and enjoyment watching, filming, and learning from these beautiful creatures.

Please enjoy the video clips of these devoted parents and their adorable young. You may also notice that the parents, especially the female, work diligently to knit, or weave, their nest together in preparation for their young. : )

(The pictures and video clips are from the 2004 and 2005 Purple Martin seasons.)

Click on links below to view individual movie files:
(It may take a bit of time for the movie file to download. Only the first movie clip has sound.)

Female Purple Martin Building Nest

2nd Purple Martin Baby Wriggling From Egg

Adult Male (Dad) Purple Martin Feeding 2 Day Old Hatchlings

Adult Female (Mom) Purple Martin Feeding Dragonfly to Young
I hope that you have enjoyed the pictures and video clips. I have many more, so let me know if you would like to see more pictures and videos of nature at our farm.

I'll have much more knitting content to post tomorrow. Our local, new, knitting group, Sit 'N" Stitch, is meeting at Border's tonight. What fun! : )

(Special thanks to *Susan* for starting our local group.)

GNT
Psalms 139:15
When my bones were being formed, carefully put together in my mother's womb, when I was growing there in secret, you knew that I was there—

2006-01-10T18:42:00.000-08:00

Sock Knitting Frustration & Treatment

I guess that I have slept one time too many since I last knit socks. I'm working on a pair for CIC and have ended up getting myself so twisted up and confused that I had to put them away last night...and I haven't had the courage to bring them back out again yet today. How can this happen?

Have any of you ever had this experience? I'm really hoping that I'm not the only one. Did the sock knitting part of my brain shrink
during one night's rest unbeknownst to me? YIKES!

Maybe the problem is that I'm knitting in a heavy worsted this time and not the usual lovely Opal sock yarn. That must be it, don't you think?

I usually knit 2 socks at once on one long circular needle. This
time, however, I'm only knitting one at a time since I didn't want
to split this huge ball of yarn into two separate balls. Maybe I
should just break out my double-pointed needles and continue from there.

I have no clue how I got so confused and twisted with this sock. So, what did I do to make myself feel better today before facing the dreaded sock tangle? Hubby took me on a date to a new (new for me) yarn shop! Of course I picked up a new ball of Opal in the Petticoat color. : ) We *DO* have a shop in OK with Opal. Hooray! I even treated myself to my first hank of Mountain Colors Hand Painted yarn and some Lantern Moon needles.

So, my advice to anyone that ever faces a similar sock knitting
dilemma....the successful treatment for self, sock-knitting doubt
and sock-knitting depression....*buy more sock yarn*! : )

Now I need to face my sock tangle from yesterday and try to figure
out what I did (or didn't do). If I get overwhelmed, I'll just talk
it over with my new Opal Petticoat and see what it has to say. I'll also refer to my sock knitting books, if need be.

This troubled sock knitting reminds me of many experiences in my life, both past and present. And, sometimes, how the Lord has just had to teach me the same lesson more than once. It reminds me of how many times I have messed up simple matters unknowingly. I am certainly thankful for His steadfast love for all his children and his patience with each of us, especially me when I have needed it most.

This is also the reason that I keep reading my Bible and praying. I find the direction, guidence, and comfort from the Lord to lead me and help me to untangle the things I have tangled, or allowed to become tangled, in my life.

I pray that each of us keep our knitting, and our lives, untangled. And, that we always remember that there is unconditional love and help for all of our tangles.

HCSB
Psalms 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble.

Your Friend,

Shelly

2006-01-08T19:53:00.000-08:00

Challenges, Change Points, and Trust

My life has recently seemed to be full of challenges and change points, which have again prompted me to continuously trust fully in our Heavenly Father. I have frequently been reminded of his tender care by the examples He has for us in nature and His creation.

It is always comforting to be able to look from a window and see the birds in the air and know that even each of them has a purpose, and is provided for by our Heavenly Father.

Matthew 6:26 (NKJV)-
"Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?"

Matthew 10:29-31 (NKJV)-
29 "Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will.
30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows."

So, why should I be concerned or give in to worry? My life has changed. I'm no longer a mom with children at home. My purpose is changing, and I want to keep up with the changes that are needed. I faced this challenge previously when illness took me away from my long time career as an RN. Now, I face the challenge again... the need to change and pursue the purpose of my life at this point. Although a bit stressful, change is exciting and necessary as we adapt. I want to be *on target* with being all that the Lord has for me to learn and accomplish.

I have enjoyed amateur photography of the birds on our farm. These pictures show clear examples of selflessness, excellent parenting, devotion to family, discipline, work ethic, being a good neighbor and helpful friend, and of God's love. I'll be periodically sharing some of my pictures. I hope they uplift you, too.

Knitting Challenges

This last year was the year of *socks* for me. I learned to knit socks and then found I couldn't quit! Socks can be addictive to many knitters...and I am definitely one of the afflicted. : )

Once I learned to knit socks on double-pointed needles, I became intrigued with the MagicLoop method. That grew into knitting 2 socks at the same time on one long circular needle.

I completed several pairs of socks, but only have pictures of 2 pairs partially complete. These socks were during my *beading* phase with socks. They were knit with Opal sock yarn in the Uni-Solid colors. The pattern was designed by Christina Coghill as the December '04 sock pattern for the Six Sox Knitalong Yahoo Group.

I find our life challenges are much like knitting socks. Once you agree to face the challenge, it will take you some place wonderful. The results will be well worth all your efforts. : )

2006-01-06T11:23:00.000-08:00

Where has the time gone? We're already 6 days into 2006!

Our beautiful daughter, Amanda, married her fiance, Ryan, on December 24, 2005. It was truly the most beautiful wedding that I have ever seen. I'll share pictures as soon as they are received from the photographer. I didn't expect to cry because I was so very happy for both of them, but I cried like a baby throughout the ceremony. It is a good thing that someone had the foresight to set a full box of Kleenex in the pew where all the parents were seated. I cried from joy and from wondering why time had passed so very quickly. Our wonderful baby girl was now an adult. I wouldn't want it any other way....I just wish that time would slow down a little for those special moments to linger.

Our son, Zachary, was the best man. What a handsome sight he is in a tux. And, what a wonderful, Christian young man, to boot.

As parents, we have been blessed beyond measure. With the formal addition of Ryan, we now have 3 children. Our hearts are full to overflowing. : )

On the recent knitting front, I can say that I am thankful that the Christmas knitting is finished. I made 5 winter hats, 4 snuggly, heat/cold packs for comfort of the recipients, cotton chenille flower washcloths, and a few more items. None of the items were very big, but with a wedding happening in the midst of the holidays, I had to keep it simple this season.

I'm currently knitting for CIC (socks, slippers, and vests) and also participating in the Follow the Leader Aran Knitalong, FLAK led by Janet Szabo. Both of these endeavors are fun and personally very rewarding.

I've just finished my cabled FLAK swatch as you can see. The sweater will be for my husband (we've been married almost 27 years) and he chose this heathered green color of Cascade 220. The color doesn't show very well in the picture, but it is a sage/olive green with heathered highlights of gold, rust, and even a little blue. It is gorgeous yarn to see and easy to work.

And here's a picture of my latest vest for CIC. Special *THANKS* for the pattern go to Marguerite for the Cozy In Cables vest.

2005-12-01T22:21:00.000-08:00

Decisions, decisions. I'm having such a difficult time dividing my knitting time between knitting items for the children of CIC (see the website here: http://www.childrenincommon.org ) and knitting for family and friends for the holidays. Anybody have advice?

Knitting Content -

The picture above is of a simple and quick knitting project for gifts for family or friends of my own very simplistic design. I cast on 48 stitches and knitted in the round, all stockinette stitch, then kitchener stitched the end closed. I used the lucious Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran yarn, which I absolutely love (one ball per heat/cold pack). I decided on simple and smooth stockinette stitch because I was afraid a textured stitch may cause discomfort if the heat/cold pack was used on some sensetive areas. I sewed a quick muslin bag of the appropriate size for the inside of the knit outer cover. I filled the muslin bag with just less than 1 lb. of organic, whole flax seeds from the local health food store. I placed the muslin bag filled with flax seed into the knitted cover and seamed the open end closed. Simple, quick, and heavenly when you have a headache or a neck ache.

*Heat for only 30 seconds at a time in the microwave, check, and heat for another 30 seconds if necessary until desired warmth is attained. Also, by storing the pack in the freezer, you will have a handy and comforting cold pack available at all times.

Back to Life -

Our daughter drove home this evening from college to meet with the florist about the final wedding floral selections. After her 90 mile drive, the florist had the evening off. Why did the north store schedule her for a Thursday evening meeting at the south store when the florist had the afternoon off.....and has had Thursday afternoons off for years? Well, I decided to have some mother/daughter time and took her out to eat for dinner. After enjoying salad, breadsticks and outstanding chicken fettucini, we were much more content. We decided the florist will be rescheduled and that there is still plenty of time to get everything arranged, literally.

We are so very thankful for all of our many blessings....even the chance to have repeat visits to the florist. : )

It's late, but I'm awake. So, I'm off to knit some more and keep prayers going up for all those in need as I knit. Good night.

Shelly

2005-11-30T21:49:00.000-08:00

Our new great-nephew arrived early this morning in Texas. He is wonderful, and his name is David. He weighed in at 8 lbs., 10 ozs. and is 20" long. We are thrilled! Mom, new baby David, Daddy, and brother and sister are all very happy and doing great. Children are truly a blessing to be cherished and we celebrate David's arrival. Happy Birthday, David.

Today has been filled with errands, knitting, a lunch date with my dear husband followed with a trip to Border's to check out the latest knitting books and magazines. Dear husband loves to spend time in the woodworking books section and sitting on the big couch reading his latest Tom Clancy novel. We love our Border's dates.

November 10th my husband and I celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary. What a wonder to have been so blessed to get to spend 26 years with him. I wouldn't trade a single minute with him for all the money in the world....really.

I finished the knitting portion of one of the knitted gifts I'm doing for Christmas. I've got a second almost finished. I'll post pictures with an explanation of these small gifts when I have all 4 of them completed.

I'm also knitting socks for the children of CIC (Children In Common). I also plan on doing some warm, woolen vests for the children, too. I hope to have several knitted articles completed for the next delivery to the orphanages.

I encourage everyone to take a moment and check out the CIC website. Please prayerfully consider donating or helping however you may be capable to these children in need.

Good night everyone. I've got knitting needles and warm wool calling.

2005-11-29T18:39:00.000-08:00

Knitting and Praying To begin, where to begin? This has been a very busy and eventful November. The holidays are approaching quickly, our daughter's wedding is on Christmas Eve, shopping needs to get done, there have been wedding showers to attend, and amidst the hub-bub, I turned *50*.

Yes, fifty! Wow, empowering....and a bit imposing. Where has the time gone? How did it pass so quickly? Have I learned even half of the lessons that were there for me to learn? Have I been a good student? What are my goals for this next year of life?

I have loads of questions, still. Somehow, I thought that when I reached this wonderful age that I would just know *more*. However, the more I learn, the more challenges and questions I find. My heart is very content, but I do not want to become complacent or inactive in seeing and meeting the needs of others in this world.

I'll post more soon. I must get some prayerful knitting done....the holidays are quickly approaching.

Shelly