For those affected by the storm...

Good morning!

Last night as I watched the reports of wind pushing the ocean in on the east coast and as I saw the snow falling in the higher elevations from Kentucky to West Virginia, I was amazed at the awesome power that is in nature.  There is nothing we can do to stop it.   I saw this morning how the storm pushed the beach inland, taking out the first floors of homes, and then how the ocean rolled rocks from the ocean's edge up on to land and through buildings.    A lot of damage has been done, and more will be done and noticed as the water recedes and the winds die down.

I want to start today with a prayer for those who are affected by the storm.

Father, thank You for today, for the damage not being worse, though it is bad.  Thank you for guiding the leaders and emergency personnel to warn people and to help them get out of harms way.  I ask You to watch over all those who are having to work through the process of rescuing people, who have been trapped and for the trapped people I ask You to give them a sense of peace and calmness and continue to protect them.  I ask You to watch over the workers who will be cleaning up after the storm and those who will be getting things back into order and running.   Those who have been surprised with snow over night, I ask You to keep them safe and warm.  Please give the families of all those who are in the damaged areas, a sense of peace, trusting their loved ones are safe.  Father, we don't always understand why destruction by nature happens, but we know we are not alone.  You are there with us through it all.  I love You Lord and ask all these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Until we meet again, 

God bless and keep you,

Sonia

Leona's Quilting Adventure: Bloggy Giveaway...Happy October!

Leona's Quilting Adventure: Bloggy Giveaway...Happy October!: Happy Sunday! The new work week will soon be upon us. This month has been filled with fun surprises and I thought that an October Giveaway ...

Good News!!

Hi,

I've been carrying some burdens around for some time.

I want to thank all of my prayer warrior friends who have been praying and my Sister-n-Christ, Lichea, for taking the time for my daughter when she reached out to her.  This weekend a burden has been lifted and prayers have been answered.

My daughter, Audre, has accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior and will be baptized next Sunday!

Praise the Lord, Hallelujah, Amen!!

This evening, the youth department had a get-together for the youth and one of the youth leaders had this cake made for Audre in celebration of her new life in Christ.

Thanks Wanda!!

Some of you may wonder why I'm so happy about this news.   I'm happy because I know I will see my daughter in eternity at the end of our lives.  She will be praising the Lord with me.  Romans 8:38-39 for I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ our Lord.

We are all, everyone of us, sinners and without Jesus Christ in our lives we are separated from God forever.  Romans 3:23  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

However there is a remedy for being separated from God.

Jesus Christ, God's son, came to earth, took on form of man, grew up sinless, taught the Word of God, preached the Word of God, healed the sick, cast out demons, made the lame to walk, the mute to talk, the deaf to hear, and many more things.

He did all this until the time He was to be delivered for death.  He was arrested, scorned, beaten and spit upon.  He took it all, He didn't have to but He did.  He was nailed to a cross for punishment, though He was completely innocent.   When He was on that cross, He took on the sins of every man, woman and child that ever was or ever will be created.

He took on the sins of the world.

He cried out "Father why hast thou forsaken me?".  You see, God can not look upon sin.  So He turned away from His Son on the cross, as He was covered in yours, mine and every other person's sin.   John 3:16 for God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes will not die but have everlasting life.

Jesus Christ bore it all.  He did it for all of us, so that we have the opportunity to be forgiven of our sins.   All it takes is believing Jesus Christ died for you and asking Him to forgive you of your sins.  There is not a sin that is too bad or too black to be forgiven.  He died on the cross, He died with our sins.   He was buried.  But God raised Him from the dead, death was conquered, sin was defeated and forgiveness was given.  Because of that, we can now be forgiven of sin, and live a new life in Christ.

Do you believe?

Romans 10:9-10  that if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord" and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

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I took a picture of my tabby, Elvis, today.   

He was sitting under my piano bench and I think he looks like he needs to be put on a diet. :)

Speaking of "diets", tomorrow is our last weigh in at work for the "biggest loser", we have been doing for the past 12 weeks.

My team wants to lose at least 5 more pounds, but I must confess, I believe the scale we have been using is not accurate.  I think it was not meant to be used by 30 or more people, one right after another, each week.   Why?  Because I weighed on my scale here at home at the beginning and then have weighed again this past week, and my scale shows I have lost 7 pounds.  I also weighed on a scale out on the shop floor that is calibrated regularly and it also show me losing around 7 pounds.  However, according to the scale, we are using for the "biggest loser", I've only lost 1.4 pounds. (?)

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I leave with you this song.

God bless and keep you,
Sonia

Beautiful Day

Hello,

my day started out with the first frost of the year.


Later in the morning, my husband, daughter and I went up on the mountain to try to get pictures of the color change.   It's been awfully dry this year and we haven't had a lot of cool nights/warm days to get the colors quite to their peak yet, but we got a few pictures.   David took a couple of pictures of me and Audre too.

I truly enjoyed the time we spent up there.  It was a beautiful day.






After we got home, this evening I decided I needed to so something about the blocks I created for the block of the month.  I started them last October, but then when my dad was sick and in the hospital for a full month, and I got away from the quilting.   So they have sat there waiting on me to complete the rest.    Well I pulled them out today and after looking at the six blocks I completed, I must confess, I did not think the process out very well.

I essentially had three sets of blocks that coordinated but the sets did not coordinate with each other.   I decide to do the following with the blocks.

1. stitched up the beginning of a wall hanging with two of them, I still need to add borders.
2. made two decorative pot holders out of two.   
3. took one block and put it with two other blocks of a coordinating color to make it a vertical wall hanging, I will embellish it and add borders to it too.  

I still have a four-patch I'm not sure what I'll do with.  I will post pictures of them all when I get them done.

So, after explaining all of that, I will be removing the quilt block of the month tab.  I apologize for dropping the ball on that.   If you have made the blocks, I would love to see what you decide to do with them.

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Since we are beginning a new week, the last week of the month, I thought I share a photo I took today in regard to Halloween and all the spookiness that ties in to it.  :)

That's all I have for now.

Have a wonderful rest of the weekend!

God bless and keep you,
Sonia

That's My Girl!!

Last night my daughter was inducted into the National Honor Society.

Congratulations Audre!!

I tried to get a picture at the ceremony, but my phone didn't take a good picture.  So, I took one of her with her medal, paper and her dad, after we got home.

Here's a group picture I took with my phone at the ceremony.  Audre is in the black/white striped shirt.

Here are some pictures of her at the game this evening.

playing the snare

making a face

her normal pose

that's my girl!

group pic

tickled about something

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CHILLY!!!!!

I got chilly enough to break out my pink fuzzy socks.  Brr....

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Something I found funny....

Dr. Pepper

Do you think this person is new to the fast food line of work?

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Okay, I guess that's all I have tonight.

Until next time...

God bless and keep you,

Sonia

Beauty and Opportunity...

Hello,

More of the LORD'S beautiful work in the sky this evening.   I'm glad He likes color, aren't you?

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AN OPPORTUNITY

Check out Tyndale Rewards and get points toward rewards!!

http://www.tyndalerewards.com/signup/?pc=j6yb-omb0-cg04-ex6g

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AWANA

During council time in AWANA, this evening, the teacher gave an awesome analogy of sin.  She started out talking about yard work and how weeds will take over your yard if you don't take steps to keep them out.  

She then showed the children, how sin will take over, if you don't ask for forgiveness.  She took a strip of lime green tissue paper and when she gave an example of a sin, she placed it on her head or shoulders.  For example... "today I said something hateful to someone, well...they made me mad"... lime green strip goes on...."I was taking a test today, one I didn't study for... and looked on another girls paper and wrote the answer down"... another lime green strip... 

She continued with situations we have all found ourselves in at one time or another and added a strip of lime green tissue paper for each one.  The children were captivated.   She explained we must ask God for forgiveness of sins we commit and that there is no sin too big or too bad that God won't forgive.  He will forgive, if you confess your sin.  Then she shared with them how we should forgive others too.

The lesson brought back my morning Bible study.  It was in Matthew, chapter 18, about forgiving others.  The biblical true I got from it was just as God has forgiven me of my sin, I should forgive others.

It seems that's how it works... when God is trying to get a message across... you will hear or see that same thing from several different avenues.   Have you ever noticed that?

Here's wishing you terrific Thursday!

God bless and keep you,

Sonia

Tator Tots & Hush Puppies...

Hello!

While I wait for my tator tots and hush puppies to cook (yeah, I know it's not much of a supper, but its late), I thought I'd share a few pics with you.


This morning while walking in to work I took this picture.  It was an awesome way to start the day seeing God' beautiful work.

When I got into the office, this is what it looked like.

When I left the office this evening, this is what it looked like.

Here is a sunset, my daughter caught last night and that was a beautiful way to end the day.  :)

Well, my tots and puppies are done.   So until next time, have a wonderful Wednesday!

God bless and keep you,
Sonia

Broke out...

I finally broke out my fall decorations.

Here's what I've started with.

On my piano

just a little tucked away

my daughter made
this scarecrow door stop

I made this little guy from felt

old tom in the pumpkin patch

After I took down the patriotic quilt, I had hanging here, I realized I didn't have a Autumn quilt to hang.

That is something I'm going to have to remedy.   It will be a project for next year, as I'm running out of time this year.

Don't know what I will hang, for now though...

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Microsoft clip art

Have a wonderful rest of the weekend!!

God bless and keep you,

Sonia

Stretching the Budget

Hi,

if you are like most people in today's economy (I am), you are looking for frugal ways to stretch the budget.

Here are some ideas I thought were worth checking out.

This blog, One Income Family Living, has great grocery saving tips. Check it out at http://oneincomefamilyliving.blogspot.com/p/basic-grocery-saving-tips-and-ideas.html

Source: a-personaltouch.blogspot.com via Tara on Pinterest

Here's a cute gift idea around Christmas.

Source: sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net via Jen on Pinterest

Do you have old eyeglasses lying around?  Why not turn them into cute snowmen ornaments?





Do you have scrap yarn?  Why not make a pouch to hold ear buds, etc.?






There are lots of ideas, tips and guidelines for stretching your budget.   Do your research, learn to think outside the box and before you know it, you can make a few bucks go a long way.

I hope this helps!

God bless and keep you,
Sonia

PS check out the fun poll at the top of the page.

Last Rose of the Season & Remembering a Dust Storm

Hi,

you know what finger nail polish remover smells like?   Intensify that 10 times and that's what the office smelled like all day.  UGH!

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My daughter took these pics of my last red rose of the season, this afternoon.

I hear the leaves are changing color up on the mountain.  I hope to get some good pictures this weekend.

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Today, on the news, I learned there was dust storm in Oklahoma causing a pile up on the freeway.

I remember going through a dust storm, when I was a kid (1970's).

We lived out in western Kansas.  I, my sister and brothers were playing outside.  The winds were high, like they always seemed to be in Kansas.  My dad, was outside with us and he hollered "kids get inside quick!".  I asked what was wrong and he pointed to the west, and that's when I saw the wall of brown moving our way.   We all got in the house and my mom gave us each a rag to hold over our nose and mouth.  That storm hit and the winds picked up, so much we could feel it buffeting the house.  The dust crept into the house, through every slightest seam there might have been.

I'll never forget that day.

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Tuesday evening I attended the Logan County PieceMakers Quilt guild meeting.  We had a small group and only one show and tell.

This is one member's quilt top.   It was made by her great grandmother and completed in 1935.  It is made from silk ties.   Some of the silk has rotted out and she is clipping it out of the top, but keeping her great grandmother's embroidery work, and replacing the rotted pieces with silk ties her husband no longer uses.   I think it is a cool piece.

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Source: google.com via Robin on Pinterest

Don't forget to vote on my poll at the top right of the page.  :)

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Here's wishing you fabulous Friday!!

God bless and keep you,

Sonia

What it lacked in size...

Hi,

Do you remember the little cantaloupe that was found growing in a big pot outside?  

I got to taste that little jewel this morning.

note the size compared to the fork

What it lacked in size, it made up for in flavor.  I do believe it was one of the sweetest cantaloupes I've tasted.

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I don't know about you, but Christmas is one of my favorite holidays.  

How about a Christmas Ornament Swap! 

Check it out by clicking on the button below.

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Check out my Poll at the top of the page.
Please vote.

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Until next time,

God bless and keep you,

Sonia