A little while back my friend Gus told me there was a sweater pattern she had found that she absolutely adored and wondered if she could pay me to make it for her.
To me it seemed perfect timing because I was just thinking about asking her if she'd make a piece of art for me. She is a pastel artist & you can see her awesome work on her blog Joyous Touch Art Studio. She's done some pretty amazing cows that are just the cutest thing.
So, we agreed to employ the ol' barter method.
Exchanging skills with no money changing hands.
Win-win if you ask me.
So, to Pinterest we went to give her an idea of what sort of painting {er...pasteling?} I wanted.
I knew I wanted a cottage.
I started pinning oodles of old cottage paintings on our board
I love old pastoral scenes too so I made sure to mention that.
I was so very pleased with what she came up with!
I named it "Michelle's Cottage Dream" ^_^ complete with chickens & sheep & sunflowers. And a little creek with a bridge! I didn't even know I wanted that, but of course now I do. ;)
She took all the elements I love from those old paintings & added to them her own personal flair & cheery style which I so love. The size she made it is so charming as well. So very much like an antique pastoral scene. I couldn't be more pleased with it!
It was quite simple to follow & was knit mostly in the round. (Which was really nice because the finishing work is my least favorite part about knitting and there were very few seams to sew up!) I just love the style of this unique sweater & wouldn't mind making one for myself. Lol! I'll just add that to the list. ;P
I love the beautiful teal-ish green yarn she picked & the big red buttons! The pictures simply do not do the color justice.
Thinking back I think it may have been well over a year now since we first had this bright idea.
Wow, time flies.
All in all a very good trade me thinks. ^-^
{The 1st and 2nd photos were borrowed from Gus. Thanks girl!}
Hee hee, saying "hulloo" always makes me think of Winnie the Pooh ^-^, but I digress.
So, I've been doing well.
The Lord is good.
So good.
So faithful.
My life has been quite filled with good things.
Blessed.
That's what I am.
I kept meaning to get back on board with this blogging business.
Time just kept slipping away bit by bit.
Before I knew it months had passed.
It's a bit like jumping into a swinging jump rope.
Well, I mean, it's not like I'd get smacked in the face with a rope or anything, but still.
I think you catch my drift. ;)
Lately, I've been Instagramming a lot.
I'm kind of into making Bible verse or godly quote pictures such as the ones above.
And this...
Oh, and just to thoroughly confuse y'all my name on there is now miss_strawberry_shortgirl.
It's completely random.
Don't ask me why.
I just thought it would be fun to have a...well...fun name...just for fun. ;P
My mind can be so like a butterfly flitting from one pretty thing to the next.
I am trying to discipline this mind of mine more.
Dwelling on lovely things is good, indeed it's scriptural.
But I can't just stop there.
I'm trying to delve deeper.
To know.
To know Him.
More & more everyday.
The depths.
The riches.
Unfathomable.
But I'll do my best as far as He enables me.
No more scratch & sniff Christianity for this girl.
Nope.
He paid far too great a price to make me His.
Also, just lately I've been crocheting like a fiend.
(If fiends actually do crochet. Don't quote me on that...I'm not 100% sure.)
Having been an avid knitter for so many years I was skeptical as to whether crocheting was even a necessary skill for me to acquire. After all, just about anything crochet could do knit could do better, or so I thought.
I can see now why people are so in love with the craft.
It does work up so fast.
And ya just can't beat a classic granny square for that old fashioned kitschy charm.
I've heard people say crochet is easier than knitting, but that I don't see.
I think they're both easy once you get the hang of it.
There are definite pluses to both.
Oh, and I've just been spending as much time as is humanly possible with my babies & my sisters.
These truly are the good old days.
I know I will miss these days terribly when they're passed & gone.
So for now I cherish every moment that will soon be a memory.
I stare at their little faces to try to memorize them.
I always give them a sniff & a squeeze so I can always remember their smell & squishiness.
For it won't be long before they're all grown & patting me on the head.
As I said before...
blessed.
I'm blessed beyond measure.
Well, sorry about the barrage of pictures.
All of them shamelessly stolen from my Instagram feed.
Thank you for all the kind words from those of you wondering just where I'd got to.
"But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother's sister,
Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby,
He said to His mother, "Woman, behold, your son!"
Then He said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!"
From that hour the disciple took her into his own household."
{John 19:25b-27}
I read the beloved disciple's account of Jesus crucifixion earlier this week,
and I was simply stuck by this tender scene.
Looking down from that old rugged cross,
battered & bruised,
Christ the mighty Maker dying for man the creature's sin...
He saw His mother.
Even in His utter agony He thought,
so sweetly,
of her care.
What a wonderful Savior!
While He was suffering for her sins (& mine) He made provision for her earthly care.
In this I note His faithfulness.
As her first-born it was His responsibility to care for her needs.
He shirked none of the things the Father required of Him.
From the greatest to the smallest.
I also note His tender care & compassion.
Oh, how kind!
Perhaps, even at this moment the sword of Simeon's prophecy in Luke 2:35 was piercing her soul as she watched Him suffer that day.
What a comfort it must have been for her to know His love.
Take notice that He left her to the care of His beloved disciple.
He didn't just leave her to the care of His half brothers, James or Jude.
I read in a study note that, at this time, they did not yet believe.
He was surely even concerned for her spiritual well-being in placing her in a believing household.
I was just overwhelmed by this little morsel of goodness the Lord showed me from His word.
I am in awe over His tender care & concern for His own.
It is a good reminder too, in seeing John's example of obedience to Lord in this,
that if the Lord places in our care one of His own to treat them as just that - His loved one that we have been given the great privilege of caring for here on earth. Whether it be a little child or an aged parent or whatever. It's an honor & a privilege to serve Him in this way.
Of course, at this time of year my thoughts naturally gravitate back to His humble entrance into this sin-cursed world. As that Baby unlike any other.
Son of God & Son of Man.
The woman's Seed Who would crush the serpent's head.
So, of course, I have another song for ya. ;)
Cuz, that's just how my brain works.
I think I must think in song.
When we were kiddos my friends & I would play a game where someone would say a random word, and we would try to think of a song with that word in it. I think I was only stumped once. (That was before you could just google it too.) ;P
Music has just always been very dear to me.
I love to sing.
As a little girl a family rule was legislated just for me.
"No singing at the supper table" was the decree from Mom & Dad.
(Apparently they did NOT want me singing for my supper.)
I think music is very dear to God too though.
I'm so thankful that He has chosen it as a main means of praising Him.
Oh, how wonderful it is to sing praises to our Redeemer!
Just lately I've gotten kind of irritated with most "Christmas" music.
Sorry but Jingle Bells 75 different ways just doesn't cut it for me.
(That's not what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.)
I've been craving real CHRISTmas music.
I absolutely love all the Christmas hymns.
(Hark! The Herald, Joy to the World, all that good stuff.)
I've just recently discovered the Getty's Christmas album & I. am. in. love.
Here are songs of substance.
(And it doesn't hurt that they're Irish, I am a wee bit Irish myself. Lol!) ;)
I love every song on the album, but here is one of my faves.
I'm not making any of my Christmas gifts this year, but I do have a few knitting projects I've been working on. Hopefully I'll have some pics to share soon. Do you remember the vintage pixie hat I made for my niece, Annelise, last year? Well, she's naturally outgrown it so I made her another in a larger size. Thankfully, last year's version shan't go unused this year though, because my sister had another baby this year too! Yay for more babies! So, sweet baby Joel & Annelise can have matching hats of adorableness. ^_^ (RolyPolyJoely is that cutester in my profile pic.)
This old hymn has been on my mind the past couple days...
this verse in particular.
Last night I made this little picture of said verse...
and then I opened my Bible to read a little before bed.
I've been reading through the gospels again.
Want to guess what chapter I "happened" to be ready to read?
Luke 8
In this chapter is one of the records of Jesus rebuking the wind & waves.
(Don't you just love when the Lord causes these little "coincidences"?)
{Luke 8:22-25 NASB}
"Now on one of those days Jesus and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they launched out.
But as they were sailing along He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake, and they began to be swamped and to be in danger.
They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm.
And He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another,
“Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?”
Who indeed?
My Lord & my God.
He Who can calm the wind & surging waves can certainly calm my little heart.
Hearts are funny little things aren't they?
You can know something in your mind, but hearts are awful slow in getting the message.
I've just been pondering these verses & thoughts.
Nothing too deep or concrete to share...
just...
thinking.
I found this lovely rendition of this much loved hymn.
I've no idea who this gal is, and some extra words have been added.
I usually don't like when people add to old hymns
(I'm just not big on change. ;P )
but I don't think any harm has been done here. ;)
And now I'm going to sleep.
(Well...probably listen to this song a few times...but...)
I was afraid the words may have been running out...
in near panic I wrote that thought in the notebook I had been feverishly writing in.
I asked the Lord to continue to teach me.
He's taught me so many invaluable lessons.
He answered.
He gave me more words to write down.
Oh, I thought, but these are far too personal to share with anyone else.
So, I selfishly hoarded them to myself in my little book.
Old sins die hard.
I've always been selfish with my thoughts & words.
They are such a window into our very hearts, are they not?
After a couple days of selfish hoarding I had quite a hard day yesterday emotionally.
My flesh continued to wage war against me & what I know to be true.
I wondered why I couldn't just do a half-hearted attempt at Christianity as others seem to be able to do.
But then I was reminded that
I am not my own.
I am His.
He owns me.
He bought me with a price.
I am His & He is mine.
He loves me...with love as strong as death.
stronger than actually.
Last evening when I was so deep in the trenches of warfare against self
the Lord gave me Mr. Spurgeon's evening devotion from his book "Morning & Evening"
(a Christmas gift from Momma)
The text was
"Love is strong as death" Song of Solomon 8:6
Let me share it with you as it meant so very much to me.
"WHOSE love can this be which is as mighty as the conqueror of monarchs, the destroyer of the human race? Would it not sound like satire if it were applied to my poor, weak, and scarcely living love to Jesus my Lord? I do love Him, and perhaps by His grace, I could even die for Him, but as for my love in itself, it can scarcely endure a scoffing jest, much less a cruel death. Surely it is my Beloved's love which is here spoken of—the love of Jesus, the matchless lover of souls. His love was indeed stronger than the most terrible death, for it endured the trial of the cross triumphantly. It was a lingering death, but love survived the torment; a shameful death, but love despised the shame; a penal death, but love bore our iniquities; a forsaken, lonely death, from which the eternal Father hid His face, but love endured the curse, and gloried over all. Never such love, never such death. It was a desperate duel, but love bore the palm. What then, my heart? Hast thou no emotions excited within thee at the contemplation of such heavenly affection? Yes, my Lord, I long, I pant to feel Thy love flaming like a furnace within me. Come Thou Thyself and excite the ardour of my spirit.
"For every drop of crimson blood Thus shed to make me live, O wherefore, wherefore have not I A thousand lives to give?"
Why should I despair of loving Jesus with a love as strong as death? He deserves it: I desire it. The martyrs felt such love, and they were but flesh and blood, then why not I? They mourned their weakness, and yet out of weakness were made strong. Grace gave them all their unflinching constancy—there is the same grace for me. Jesus, lover of my soul, shed abroad such love, even Thy love in my heart, this evening."
~C.H. Spurgeon
Love so amazing.
Then I was also reminded that unfaithfulness does not go unpunished.
(I should know...)
And the longer you go on in unfaithfulness the worse the consequences will be.
And just because it seems that others are getting away with bad behavior doesn't mean that is so.
If you are the Lord's
you are just that
His.
And He will bring you back into His fold no matter what it takes.
Because He IS faithful.
Even when we are not.
"Oh, Love that will not let me go
I rest my weary soul in Thee
I give Thee back the life I owe..."
{Thank you Lord for not letting go of me in Your awesome love that passes knowledge.
Even if I think I'd like You to loosen Your grip...
thank You that You don't always give me what I think I want.
Draw me ever nearer, Sweet Lord.}
Another well beloved hymn comes to mind...
This is not the melody I'm used to hearing with this hymn,
but it is such a beautiful one that I immediately fell in love with it.
