One stitch at a time

My life is a quilt.  Each piece a different experience I am having here on Earth.  The pieces are all different shapes, sizes, and colors.  Some of the patterns are subtle, some are bold.  Some of the colors are boring, and some really catch your eye.  The stitching is a little wobbly in some places, and very deliberate and beautiful in others.  Some of the pieces are tiny, just snatches in time when I look back at them.  Others loom large, and powerful.  As each piece has been finished, and the last stitch sewn I have eagerly awaited the next piece of fabric.  I love looking for new patterns, and seeking to find just the right way to place the fabric into my quilt.  I have always enjoyed the anticipation of a new piece.  Some of the pieces I was thirilled with as soon as I got my hands on them, others I grew to love.  Some of the pieces I never came to love, and was thankful to be done with, but I treasured the variety they gave my quilt.  Sometimes I had a hard time placing those last stitches in, knowing I was almost done with that seam, and would soon need a new piece to work on.

Sometimes it takes a little distance to see the value a piece has in my quilt.   I look back at pieces I rushed through, see their beauty, and wish I had taken more time when placing my stitches.  Other pieces you love from the start.  From the first stitch to the last reluctant one, you love placing that fabric in your quilt, knowing it will always be a part of you.

Now, I'm placing the finishing stitches in another piece of my quilt, and it's hard.  Really hard.  I've seen the end of this seam coming for some time, and I thought I had the thread firmly in hand, and was ready to finish it beautifully.  And it's starting to wobble.  This piece is one of my favorites.  I love it.  It's been hard fabric to work with, unruly at times, and a joy at others.  I love the pattern, it's always changing, and the colors are unique and beautiful.  I don't think I'll ever find another piece of fabric quite like it.  I've learned more about quilts and fabric, colors and patterns than I ever have from another piece, and I feel like there is so much more I could learn, if only I could stretch the fabric a little more.  Yet I know stretching would distort it, and could ruin it all, and so I just keep stitching, one stitch at a time.

My quilt is different now with this piece in the design, and it's so much better!  It has so many more colors than I ever thought possible, and it's beautiful.  I don't want it to stop, I don't want it to change.  But it has to.  It's the nature of quilting.  You know as you begin to stitch each piece in place there will come a time when you place the last stitch.  Sometimes you can't wait to take that last stitch, and move on.  This isn't one of those times.  Yes, I know another piece of fabric will soon fall into my hands, and I will take care to do my best stitching, but it won't be this piece, the piece I love.  I don't know if I'll ever have another piece I love as much as this one.  Maybe that's the scariest part of all.  After the vibrancy of this fabric I fear the rest of the pieces will be dull and lifeless when placed on my quilt. Maybe we only get a few pieces this perfect for our quilts, and the rest we have to make as beautiful as we can.

I don't want to take one more stitch.  I don't think I can.  I know with each stitch I take I'm that much closer to my last stitch, and I really want to just wrap my quilt around me, and cry.  But I won't.  I will pick up my needle and keep quilting, one stitch at a time.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving friends and family!  I love this message, and if you haven't watched it yet, please take a moment and enjoy the Spirit of Thanksgiving!



If the video above isn't working click on the link below to view it on You Tube
Thanksgiving Message--In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

Boy Scout Camporee November 2009

Jeff has a new calling-as the Scoutmaster and 2nd Counselor in the Young Men's Presidency. He is used to going on the campouts, with 3 Boy Scouts in the family so far, so that's nothing new. This was his first one as the Scoutmaster, however, and it had a few surprises of it's own. Including the pouring rain, sheets, and buckets, and cats, and dogs kind of rain...on Friday night when they arrived. Luckily the campsite had a huge tin barn where all the boys attending the camporee could gather for fun and games on Friday evening. The rain was loud, but when is a gather with hundreds of 11-13 year old boys not loud?

The boys were taught to cook a "biscuit on a stick" and they thought it was very cool. Quinn is the one on the far right with brown sweatshirt, and red shirt. Tate is on the left with the gray hood, intent on cooking I'm sure.

Tate is the one under the leaves--how would you like to stay in this shelter?  I love the smile on the boy on the right's face--classic!

And Tate emerges in one piece!!! Hurrah!!

They arrived home late Saturday, safe, sound and almost dried out...no better outcome from a Scout campout can be hoped for!!

Tate's 12th Birthday

Tate turned 12 a couple of weeks ago, yes this is a little late! He wanted cupcakes, so I got to have fun decorating them. He only had one request-chocolate must be involved! So I made some "black" and white cupcakes and decorated to my heart's content. you can't really tell here, but the cupcakes form a huge "12." He was most excited to receive the priesthood, and be ordained a deacon. Couldn't wait to pass the the sacrament his first time, and go to Young Men's with Quinn (also a deacon). Tate is a wonderful boy, with a heart so soft, and full of love it's amazing. He's hilarious-loves to quote Brian Regan and get the room laughing. And smart, wow is this kid smart! His teachers are always telling me they are amazed at the pure intelligence he possesses, if only we could get him to use his powers for good-just kidding! He loves to speak in public, and is anxiously awaiting his turn to speak in Sacrament Meeting at church. Can this really be my kid??? I love you Tate!! you big marshmallow!!

Couldn't resist posting these two photos, this is Thane above, and he is really stylin! This is how he does his hair whenever I let him be in charge of it, guess it's time for a hair cut! Below is Quinn in the center, mugging for the camera, what else is new? Between him and Thane I couldn't get a decent shot of the whole family. But these are more fun than a decent shot anyways, right?

Veteran's Day 2009

Thane was able to be part of the colorguard for our 4th grader's Veteran's Day Assembly last week. It was a great assembly, brought tears to my eyes. Thane did a fantastic job narrating the flag ceremony (not sure what that's called???). And the other boys did a fabulous jop posting the colors. And the 4th graders, they sang their hearts out, it was fantastic! I am so thankful for our amazing country, and all the blessings we have because we live here. I am thankful for those who serve in the military, and their families who keep the home fires burning. Thank you!!

Humiliating or Humbling?

Today I did something I have been dreading. I tried to talk myself out of it. I can do it tomorrow, or maybe I should do it Friday. An evening might be a better time. Maybe if I don't think about it, it will go away, and I'll never have to do it. Maybe someone else will do it for me. Is there a way around, over, or under it?

Alas, there was no way but through it.

So, I gathered my courage, and I did it. And it hurt. It was awful. It was humiliating. At least, that's what I thought as it was happening, I never wanted to have to do it again. I hated every millisecond as I waded through the mire of the experience. Until I wondered, right in the midst of the thickest mire, is this humiliating, or humbling? What's the difference? Is it my pride that makes this humiliating? Is humiliation really that simple? Could it be that a desire to be better, to be perceived as more than we are, or maybe just more than the other person, leads to those awful feelings of humiliation? That humiliation is really just a symptom of pride, at least in this case?

I think so. I think my experience was actually humbling, not humiliating. To be humble is to be teachable, to be contrite, to be submissive to the Lord's will. To be humble is to learn. To be humble is to acknowledge all of those feelings, and learn from them.

I was humbled today, and I hope I remember. I hope I remember what it was to feel so inadequate. To feel such dependence on the Lord. To feel the comfort of the Lord as I reached for His help, and acknowledged that without it, I am nothing. To know that He heard me, as He always does. To feel peace. To feel humility.

"In The Spirit of Thanksgiving"

I love this video. It struck just the right note with me in this season of Thanksgiving and gratitude.





I am thankful for so many things, my family first and foremost, the gospel of Jesus Christ, our health, our home, our friends (who are really more like family), the weather this time of year, rain, the knowledge that our Father in Heaven is aware of each one of us and intimately knows our struggles and wants to help us, the opportunity I've had to serve in Primary for the past 3 1/2 years is one of my greatest blessings, and little things like warm slilppers on a chilly morning, hot apple cider, the sight of lettuce growing in my garden, I could go on.

What are you thankful for?