Slow Stitching - July 2025 - Week 3

I have belonged to bible study groups as a participant and a leader.

I was a leader in women's ministries at church for many years. This lead to organizing events, contributing at meetings, offering creative and practical help to create community for women.

I attended night school for many years and full time studies for a year where I met new people every year and made friends.

I organized a women's group which met in our homes to create community and support for women. It was called Welcome to my Kitchen.  It was a wonderful time. The pandemic put it on hold and it has not returned in that form.I loved it.

Bible Study - Thank You

I have been participating in this Grace is Greater bible study for the last few weeks.  It has been nice to take a study instead of leading one.

We get together, share a meal then we watch the video and break into small groups to discuss the lesson. 

We have 4 leaders who have volunteered to facilitate the discussion.


I made a card for the lady who has been leading my group.   You will see that I used left over kits from my class on Tuesday. 

I made this one in the tall orientation which is the versatility of some of the kits I put together.

I added a Stampin Up Itty Bitty greeting adhered with 3D foam tape.

I will add a few cards as a small gift for her time to prepare and lead this study.

Here is another card made with corner rounded squares that I used earlier this week.

I used warm tone designer paper squares which were adhered to the lines printed on the greetign layer.

I adhered that layer to a brown card.

Fruit of the Spirit Bible Study

Today is the final day of our Fruit of the Spirit Bible Study by Sherri Harris.  I have been following the bible study from a scrapbooking study I did in 2010. 

It's been a little rocky as we have had to cancel a couple of times due to weather and my illness.

We studied 2 per session, met from 9:30 - 11:00 am and generally some of us had lunch together afterward.

We have been 7 ladies sharing about these qualities that God grows in us when we cooperate with Him.  These ladies have been well engaged and participatory in the sessions.  We have shared of our challenges and joys.  We have gotten to know ourselves and each other a bit better. 

It has been a great privilege to facilitate this study.




I found a printable to give to the ladies today as a reminder of our time together.   It was designed by Sara D. and you can find it here.

 


Feb 14 - Cancelled for Snow
Session 1 - Living a Fruitful Life & Love - Feb 21
Feb 28 - Cancelled due to my being sick
Session 2 - Joy and Peace - Mar 07
Session 3 - Patience and Kindness - Mar 14
Session 4 - Goodness and Faithfulness - Mar 21
Session 5 - Gentleness and Self Control - Mar 28

Recent Photos

This is a great cup of green tea.  It does not look green but I read in a book recently that the color depends on when it is picked in the year.

This is Jasmine Dragon Pearls green tea which is hand rolled and on the pricey side.  It was a gift from a friend.

I brewed the tea for my photo shoot for my 2019 Tea Pot Calendar which will come out later this year.








This is the book on my night stand this week.  Of course, Maeve is one of my favorite authors and this book covers several incidents that I am familiar with from other books.  I don't know how she kept all the stories and characters straight.

In this book, the story is told from Clara's point of view which is  new character for me.

I am enjoying it and will be done to swap it out at Welcome to my Kitchen next week.

My bible study material is ready to go.  It is on the Fruit of the Spirit and starts next Wednesday which is Feb 14 Valentine's Day.

I am looking forward to having at least 5 ladies attending as we explore how God works in our lives to grow Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Gentleness, Faithfulness, Goodness, and Self Control.

Are any of you following "This is Us" TV series?  I have watched it from the beginning and on a special Super Bowl episode we find out how Jack died.  He has been dead since the first episode but with flash backs I have come to really love this character.  He is such a good person with the best heart.   There will be a couple more episodes until it goes in hiatus till the fall.  I have convinced several friends to watching it.  I understand the first season is now on Netflicks.

Well sewing projects don't always work out the way you plan them on paper.  I did a sample of the pattern I posted here but it did not go as planned so I made some adjustments.

I now have made several sets of these and I am happy with them.  The fleece is tricky to get consistent stitching in the zigzag but I can live with it.

I am sharing with
Jann who hosts Share Your Cup #283 at Daily Cup with Mrs. Olson

Friends Sharing Tea hosted by Bernideen

Tuesday Cuppa Tea hosted by Ruth

One Thousand Gifts - Session 1 - Attitude of Gratitude

I started leading this bible study tonight - One Thousand Gifts Bible Study - A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp.
Nine of us met tonight to share and learn.
I look forward to a time of slowing down, being intentional, checking my attitude and increasing my gratitude.


Session 1 - Attitude of Gratitude

Can I write down the gifts I have been blessed with?  Can I do every day till I have counted 1000 then continue? When I start to intentionally look in my life for blessings I find them everywhere.  When I write them down the invisible becomes visible.  Providing me a place I can go back to in difficult times to remember how blessed I am.

One point I picked up this session was giving thanks is the other side of prayer. Sometimes prayer becomes a list of my needs but a gratitude journal becomes the list of blessings I have received.

We started our gratitude journals tonight and one of my blessings - Friends and Family.

One Thousdand Gifts - Session 5 - Empty to Fill

This is week five in this bible study - One Thousand Gifts - A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp.  I look forward to a time of slowing down, being intentional, checking my attitude and increasing my gratefulness. The video is very well done with wonderful images. There was good attendance.

Session 5 - Empty to Fill

Ann this week talks about an experience she had with a man during a youth group event she was chaperoning.  It took place in downtown Toronto at a mission where the group of young people were going to do some outreach.  The man had lived a hard life but wanted to be a blessing.  Sometimes we limit our view based on appearance, circumstance or our own history. Ann comes to understand that when she counted blessings she received that was one half of the miracle.  She could also be the gift to someone else.

We should allow the blessing to flow through us not get stuck with us.  We have been blessed with talents, opportunities, resources, time, energy, and love to share that with others. 














As you see blessings everyday write them down in your journal but also look for the opportunities to bless.


What can I give?

• a spot in traffic
• a smile
• a kind word
• a meal                            
• a hug
• a card
• a call
• a prayer

This was our last lesson for this bible study.  The group was a blessing.  I spent time with 8 incredible ladies.  Thank you for the privilege of leading.  Some of the ladies took me out for fish and chips which was really nice and we had very good time.

I created a small reminder of our time together that they can place in their journals, stick on the fridge or bathroom mirror, or place in a small frame. I hope they will see it often and lessons learned will be brought to mind again.

One Thousand Gifts - Session 3 - All is Grace

This is week three in this bible study - One Thousand Gifts - A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp.  I look forward to a time of slowing down, being intentional, checking my attitude and increasing my gratefulness. The video is very well done with wonderful images. There was good attendance.






Session Three - All is Grace

This week Ann talks about an experience with 2 of her boys.  One of the boys has been disrespectful to the other and she is angry at the behavior of the boy.   After practicing Eucharisteo for a while she chooses to practice it in the situation.  It feels unfamiliar, but she does it anyway. Give Thanks when you would rather lash out.  In a few minutes, heart rates slow, tempers cool, arms uncross, hearts soften and a tender moment is be shared between mother and son.  A blessing received by each.

We will have valley and mountain top experiences.  Can we see God's grace in all of them?

If we look deep enough in the hard places of our lives we will see God's hand on it. 

One Thousdand Gifts - Session 2 - Grace in the Moment

This is week two in this bible study - One Thousand Gifts - A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp.  I look forward to a time of slowing down, being intentional, checking my attitude and increasing my gratefulness. The video is very well done with wonderful images. There was good attendance.

Session 2 - Grace in the Moment
This week Ann talked about accepting the hard things along with the easy things in life with the same open hand.
Thanksgiving for all that come provides grace in the hard moments.

She talks of a friend who could not think of a single advantage of always being in a hurry but many regrets to many broken and missed moments due to haste.

Live in the moment where time slows and God is present and you are paying it your full attention.

Habits can free you!

Those who keep a gratitude journals experience.
1.  Absence of stress
2. Progress toward personal goals
3. Higher levels of determination and energy
4. Feel closer in their relationships
5. Increase their happiness by 25%


I want some of that!  How about you?

One Thousdand Gifts - Session 1 - Attitude of Gratitude

I started leading this bible study today - One Thousand Gifts - A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp.  I have seven ladies registered and I look forward to a time of slowing down, being intentional, checking my attitude and increasing my gratefulness. The video is very well done with wonderful images.

Session 1 - Attitude of Gratitude
The book was the result of a challenge to Ann from a friend to write down 1000 gifts.  Joy came in the writing down - in the naming the invisible became visible. 

One of the images from the video that resonated with me was the act of making bread. In this session Ann is making bread.  I really enjoyed that imagery as my mother makes bread every week so it is a comforting reminder of love for me.

We are encouraged to live with our hands wide open and not close fisted.

Gifts in my life:

1. Family
2. Friends, Fellowship
3. Time
4. Health
5. A desire to be useful

Check out this 100 day calendar where you can start writing your your blessings.  Take the dare.  Start today!

Be Present for Christmas - Lesson 6 - God With Us

This week the lesson focus is God With Us - It's the story of Joseph.
This week we make a twig ornament because every Christmas tree is shadowed by a Cross tree.  I collected the twigs this summer on my walks in the park.  I applied a bit of hot glue to tack down the cross piece then tied the join with red string in a crisscross pattern.   Once tied off at the back I applied a bit of hot glue along the back of the back piece to keep the string aligned and make the ornament hang straight.  I added a nice scroll ornament hanger.
Joseph is given the privilege of naming the Baby.  The angel says you will name Him - Jesus - the Lord Saves - God is With Us. The God who loves us and likes us and isn't merely 50% or 73.2% for us, but the God who is always, unequivocally, 100% for us - the God who likes us, the God who is so for us that He is the God that chooses to be with us.

I'm selecting my lessons from The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp.  The book provides 24 lessons for each day of Advent of which I have chosen 7 for this class.  We will have readings, questions, discussion, and an activity each week.