Thursday, May 29, 2014

Serendipity













SERENDIPITY
Chance, fate, destiny, karma,

Whatever you want to call it, is the way I quilt.
Some quilters I know plan, and prepare, think and draw, plan again and go shopping. They worry and line up their colors—“How much do I need? What color goes with this? What if? Maybe I should? Or they start, toss and begin again in search of perfection.
I on the other hand, think, “That’s a cool block! Oh I love that fabric! I’ll take a half-yard. I’ll use it somewhere. I am still learning, still deciding, still practicing.
I have a bin of unrelated blocks, drawers full of half-yard cuts, rolls of many colors.
Serendipity was waiting to happen.
Two years ago I took a pile of black and white 2,1/2 inch strips sewn together and cut them on the diagonal.  I sewed them in blocks of four making diamonds and packed them away for New Mexico. This month they magically surfaced crying, “My turn! My turn!”
The top was finished except for a second border and laying across my sewing table when a couple came to give us an estimate for some work on the house.  My ever-proud husband shows off my work whenever he gets the chance. Seeing the black and white quilt top, she squealed and called to her husband, “My quilt! My quilt!
But can you make it a little bigger?” I spent the evening searching for just the right fabric which I knew had to be in my stash, somewhere.

I finished sewing the binding on today, and now we’ll see if she wants it. But whether she does or not I have a new friend.
Serendipity

Friday, May 9, 2014

Spring Into Action

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My sister and I are sharing goals this year. She called me in February to renew an activity we did many years ago. We each get to choose activities for six alternating months. These are things we use to do and have forgotten how or run out of time for. They are things one of us enjoys and hopes the other will learn to. They are things we always wanted to do but never got around to. My six were more selfish than hers were because that’s the kind of person she is. Hers include make 3 handmade cards and mail them to someone, Do twenty-five acts of service, one a day from December1, to December 25, make three handcrafted Christmas presents.
Even when she is having fun, she is helping others.

In the April 2014 conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, Ronald A. Rasband taught us,
“Reaching out to rescue one another, under any condition, is an eternal measure of love.

Often we are given the opportunity to help others in their time of need. As members of the Church, we each have the sacred responsibility “to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light,” “to mourn with those that mourn,” and to “lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.”
“Brothers and sisters, how grateful the Lord is for each and every one of you, for the countless hours and acts of service, whether large or small, you so generously and graciously give each day.
King Benjamin taught in the Book of Mormon, “When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.”
Focusing on serving our brothers and sisters can guide us to make divine decisions in our daily lives and prepares us to value and love what the Lord loves. In so doing, we witness by our very lives that we are His disciples. When we are engaged in His work, we feel His Spirit with us. We grow in testimony, faith, trust, and love.”


“… Never, never underestimate the spiritual value of doing temporal things well for those whom you serve.… Be their servants, and you will love them. And they will feel your love. And more important, they will
feel God’s love” --President Henry B. Eyring

In the words of a much loved hymn
“Then wake up and do something more…”

I hope this month that you will find someone who needs a little extra care… a little service…a little love.

Spring into action!