It's Me Again

I finally made it to church yesterday. I missed 5 weeks because of this last bout with pneumonia. I still feel like if I were to cough really hard it would flare up all over again. That's been my history with pneumonia. But maybe aspiration pneumonia is different. I don't know. Anyway it sure felt good to be in church again. I felt extra righteous when I dropped 6 donation envelopes in the plate as it was passed around. I have to confess I was tempted to keep the money for the weeks that I didn't attend. With the added expense of hubby's teeth that was a very real temptation. And unlike one other time I didn't get the green light for keeping my donations so I had no choice but to drop it in the collection plate. But that money belongs to the Lord whether I attend or not. God is certainly due His fair share. (Actually His fair share is 100% of everything I have.) And the one time I did keep the money when I'd been absent the green light was bright and clear. I had no qualms about keeping the money and using it that time.

I had a good day knitting today. The charity afghan I volunteered to help make is coming along quite nicely. I went into the endeavor with the wrong attitude. God gave me this very task to do a little pruning in yours truly. Once I got the chip off my shoulder and realized that it is a privilege to be able to do something for charity, something without getting something back in return, things really began to turn around for me. For several days it seemed that every time I picked up the afghan to try and knit my portion of the piece I almost immediately messed up and couldn't find my way out of the mistake. I had to drive over to Kathleen's 3 times I think so that she could correct my mistakes so I could give it yet another try. But with the new attitude this morning of finding joy in giving without getting anything in return started my day off right. I knit for several hours (5 or 6) and only made one little mistake that I caught almost immediately so there was no major mess to clean up. I made big progress on it. And it was really a blessing to have had the opportunity to work on it. It still seems that it should be going faster but I keep plugging along. I have to take my panel to knitting class tomorrow night and give it back to the woman who initiated the project and she will have to finish it because I doubt I'll get it completely done by tomorrow night. But I will give up several more hours tomorrow. I've decided the entire project was a character building-exercise for me. Hopefully tomorrow will go faster.

I took some time this evening to work on my own project. A scarf for Christmas. And it's coming right on along too. But sad to say that I'm not going to have 3 skeins of mohair left after making this scarf. I had hoped to have 3 full skeins left over from the scarf so that I could use it for a Christmas present for GD (granddaughter) number 2. But I may have to buy yarn for what I thought I'd make her. I just don't know if 2 skeins will be enough to knit the shrug I picked out. Kayla would look so cute in it. And I want so much to think 2 skeins would be enough but I just don't know. Guess I could try and see what happens as I go along. But that would waste the yarn if it weren't enough for the entire piece. More thinking will be required on this note.

I had the Deacons' Meeting tonight at 5:00. I missed last month's meeting but they managed okay without me, lol. I had absolutely nothing to contribute to the agenda and I felt like I should have prepared something to share. But I got wrapped up in that afghan and before I knew it it was 5:00 and I had to hurry. So I just apologized for that. (Seems like I do a lot of apologizing lately.)

I'd like to get back to sewing tomorrow and I might squeeze in a couple hours. I haven't sewed since Thursday or Friday. Thursday I think. I still have two more placemats to make for DIL's Christmas present. Which just goes to remind me when we do our shopping next month to look for that focus fabric for her set. I have the other 2 cut out and ready for sewing as soon as I can find that fabric so I can buy 1/4 yard. I need just that little bit more, 9 inches, and hubby tried to get that fabric for me when he went over last week to see his dentist. But he couldn't find it. The thing is I know it's there. It probably got returned to the shelves and was stuck in an area other than where I suggested he look. Hubby can't find the remote when it's in his lap, either that or he's sitting on it so it was silly of me to ask him to go look at WalMart. It was a full bolt so I'm sure there will be plenty left next month. If not, then I guess DIL's will be a set for 4 instead of 6. But, hey, I think I told you this in my last post. Sorry. It gets to the point that I don't know who I told what to. Good thing I don't lie very often (almost never) or I'd never be able to keep my stories straight.

My book came in that I ordered from KnitPicks and it doesn't have all that many things in it that I'm going to want to try. I'm really disappointed. There were 101 items to knit and crochet and I will probably only make 4 or 5 things. The rest of them are either silly or ugly or beyond my expertise. And some of them I may make just for the fun of it. But I have absolutely no use for things like a teapot cozy or knitted barrette. Seems like someone could come up with more good ideas. I mean some of the things in that book aren't just ugly. They are ridiculous!

It's getting closer and closer to the time my GS (grandson) comes home on leave. I have really missed that little boy. Well, gee, I guess he's not so much a little boy any longer. But I am so proud of him for joining the Air Force. He wanted to be a firefighter and it was smart of him to take advantage of the education he would get in the military. I have his picture all ready to go down to the bulletin board at church. I just need to get his information typed up so they'll know who that handsome young man is in his dress blues. Can't wait for him to come home.

It was hot today but a few degrees cooler than a few days ago. But so far we haven't had the solid week of 110+ degree days we usually get every summer. Of course there's a lot of summer left to reach those highs. Hope we don't have them. Hubby and I just get miserable when it gets that hot. The evaporative cooler doesn't seem to do anything but circulate the air around on days when it gets that hot.

I am anxious to send Ginny (a blogging friend back in Virginia) her apron. I just need to pick up a padded envelope. But she's always sewing things for the kids but never anything for herself so I thought a little surprise in the mailbox might just make her day when it gets there. I just love her and her family. She's faithful to post a blog almost every day. And they're always wonderful. Lots and lots of pictures and great writing. I don't know how she manages to find the time to blog with her 5 children. Sewing too. She's going to go on a trip with a friend this week so there will be days when she doesn't post.

Well, I still hope to get more knitting done before I head to bed. But if I don't end this post I won't have time for it. I've run out of things to talk about tonight anyway. I just wanted to close by encouraging you to find some time alone with our Lord this week. Get out your Bible and read a chapter (or two) in your favorite book or epistle. Close your eyes and think on what you've just read. Does it up build you? Condemn you? Convict you? Bless you? Educate you? I could go on and on. But this is what is meant when we are told to meditate on God's Word. We are to take in nourishment from God's Word and dwell on how it applies to our individual lives. How blessed we are to have a Bible. Many people in this world don't have (or aren't allowed) to own a Bible. Make good use of your copy not just once in a while but every single day. God is so good to us. He takes such good care of us. He promises us things and then goes about bring them to fruition. What a glorious God we have. He asks so little of us. Basically the only thing He requires of us is our love and devotion. We see ourselves as we are. God sees us as we were meant to be. Remember to find the time to talk to Him often throughout your day. I really mean that. Talk to Him. When you're in the shower, talk to Him. When you're driving in your car, talk to Him. There are thousands of times every single day that we could and should talk to Him. We don't have to carry on a long conversation. One or two words is often enough. Just so we keep Him involved in our lives. When I knit and correct a mistake I always say "Thank You, Lord." There are quite literally thousands of bits of time in our day that we can (and should) commune with our God. Think of that. We get to actually speak to our God! And we can be assured that He hears our every utterance. Other gods can't hear or see or bless. Other gods aren't worthy of our time. But our God is worthy. In a million ways He is worthy. Let us praise Him and give Him thanks for all that he does for us. Thank Him for the mere fact that He wants us to communicate with Him. He longs to hear our voices. Be it requests, praise, or thanksgiving; He desires to have that kind of off-the-cuff fellowship with Him. The God of the universe is the God of all universes. And He is our God. Yours and mine. Praise Him now.