4th Sunday of Lent

Somehow, I lost it midweek. What happened?  Little by little I am coming back onto the Lenten track, but it is hard.  This has helped.

And so has meditating as I sew:

a RSC block

This block had me pulling out applique supplies. While they were out I finished prepping an Anna's Garden block I had started in February:
All I'd done before was the greenery.

Finished quilting
Bound
 
 Delivered.












Started the next Nearly Insane block enlargement:

+.95 yds -0.0 yds + 0.0 = .95 yds  de-stashed.  YTD: 36.93 yds

Blessings as we begin a new week of Lent.

The Hum of Angels

source: Natl Catholic Register
With a first name of Maria de los Angeles, a book about angels catches my attention.  That's what happened when I discovered The Hum of Angels by Scott McKnight while browsing a list of new releases in February.  This isn't a book proving that there are angels.  He takes that as a given since the Bible alone includes some three hundred references or allusions to angels (p. 15).  His subtitle, Listening for the Messengers of God Around Us, summarizes the topic well because Scott sets to help us become aware of them, what to look for, and how to look.

They are still among us today as God uses them to affect our lives.  I'll share with you one true incident (not mine) that a friend told me about when I mentioned I was reading this thoughtful and absorbing book.  Her aunt was going to Tennessee to visit a very sick relative, and out in the middle of the Southwestern desert her car broke down.  It was getting on toward evening and there was nothing around for miles. Traffic was nil.  She got out of her car, walking around it, and started to pray to God for help.  After a while she spotted the lights of a car approaching from the East.  The car stopped and a man got out of the car and asked if she needed help.  Once she told him, they opened the hood and he checked to see what the problem was. After tinkering under the hood for some mintes, he closed it and told her to try the engine.  She got in the car and did so, and it started.  She went to get out of the car to thank him. But no one was there, nor even the other car, not even a sign anyone had been there or on the highway as she looked both ways.


Scot McKnight is the author of more than fifty books, including The Jesus Creed and The Heaven Promise. A popular speaker at events such as Catalyst and Q Conference, Scot is professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary in Lombard, Illinois. His blog, Jesus Creed, experiences three million page views annually. He and his wife, Kris, live in the Chicago suburbs. @ScotMcKnight

received this book (published by WaterBrook, a division of  Penguin Random House from Blogging for Books for this review. 



3rd Sunday of Lent



  Friends, today we read the magnificent story from John’s Gospel about the woman at the well. The image of thirst is used throughout the Bible to speak of the human longing for God. At the height of the heat of the day, Jesus asks a Samaritan woman for a drink of water. We are on very holy ground for the whole of salvation is summed up here: our thirst for God meets God’s even more dramatic thirst for us. Augustine picked up on this in his commentary on the passage: “Jesus was thirsty for the woman’s faith.” At first, of course, the woman is put off. How could this Jewish man be asking me for a drink? Translate this into spiritual language: how could almighty God be thirsty for my faith and my attention? Jesus’ answer is magnificent: “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst.” We are built for union with God, and therefore we thirst for God with an infinite desire. What Jesus offers her is the life of grace, the divine life, God’s own self. That’s the only energy that can ever satisfy our infinite longing.  -- Bishop Barron

I'm just home from a silent retreat.  From Friday afternoon to Sunday noon we shared silence at the El Carmelo Retreat house in nearby Redlands.  It was a moving and deep experience.  Being silent for all those hours brought Jesus closer, and He wrapped us in a stillness and comfort that we all needed.  There were 37 of us all seeking solace from our busy lives for a little while.  It was very refreshing.  I was going to show you photos but my cell phone is acting up. Here's a view from their website out from the patio near the cafeteria -those orange trees in the forefront are in full bloom so we were immersed in the wonderful citrus perfume:


On the sewing front:  +3.89 destashed  YTD: 35.98 yds
The cats are back to one piece again.


I was going to add another border, but finally decided any I picked would detract from the cute kitties.  I'm thinking of  quilting motifs right now, and the spontaneous construction is calling to me again.

Just before I went on retreat I sandwiched the cats and Nearly Insane #2 for a baby.  I even started quilting it.
 I chose a motif from the fabric and added leaves to use in the large triangles.
Doing the last of the flowers now.  Then I'll meander the border.

I feel energized to continue my Lenten practices for the remaining half of the season.  Until next Sunday, blessings to all my readers and commentators.

2nd Sunday of Lent

I have been asked, "what is Lent?"  Here's a two minute answer.



I continue to pray for you my readers and commentators.

As I reflected and prayed last week I also sewed;

 -3.44 + 0.00 - .75 = -4.19    4.19 + 27.90= 32.09   YTD destash 3/12/17
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quilted, bound and delivered to St. Anne's:
Treadle baby quilt 

In the City baby Quilt
Used FMQ, walking foot and freezer paper quilting.

RSC Challenge block
Signs of Spring




Linking to Lyn's BOMs Away and other linky parties under my tab by same name.

1st Sunday of Lent

I thank you for your good wishes on my journey. I'm praying for you Irene, Rosa, Chantal, Margaret, Lady of the Manor, Muv, Miaismine, Kate, Susan, the Paz family, Libby, and Chris.  Blessing to you each day.  Any more?  The list is open.
Source

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 -.81 +2.00- 4.75 = -3.56    3.56 + 24.34 = 27.90   3/5/17 YTD destash

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2/24/2017  Yanicka won the fat quarter
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3/1/17 - the blocks are made

17 UFOs in 2017
-4 blocks + 4 blocks

Added a border. 


Blooming since before Christmas. Taken 3/2/17



See you next Sunday.


On This Day

For Lent I've decided not to give up anything, but instead to give more time to meditation, reflection and prayer - a kind of silent retreat. That will mean less time on the computer. I may post once in a while on a Sunday -we do not fast on the Lord's Day, most likely a silent message. Feel free to leave your own silent message or your prayer requests.  I'll add them and you to my prayers.  I'll be back Easter Monday.
"...for dust you are and to dust you will return." --Genesis 3:19


SAHRR Round 5 and 6

  Ready to show rounds 5 and 6. Actually, the prompt for 5 was make 4 of something. So I chose four patch, and actually since that made my q...