How many quilts this year?

13+ years ago, I made my first quilt for a friend's son.  I don't even have a picture of it. But I remember making it. ....And my mom finishing it.  And I have never hand quilted since.

Since then, I cannot count the number of quilts I have made for my friends' kids.  Looking back, I have a few favorites.  The Brown Bear quilt for my oldest niece and the nautical quilt for my nephew. I made a commitment to myself years ago to make a quilt or afghan for all of my good friends' kids as they were born.  I have never regretted that commitment.

Nautical Eights

This spring, I reached a new stage in my life.  I made my first graduation quilt for my fake nephew.  As he is an Eagles fan and we have developed the tradition of watching the Redskins/Eagles game together whenever possible, his quilt was Eagles themed.  As odd as it is to make a graduation quilt (how am I that old?), it is also fun to see him off on the next stage of his life and see what God has in store.

Eagles Irish Chain

This next year,  I have two baby quilts and another graduation quilt to do.  I am excited about these 3 quilts.  I wonder if I will have anymore unexpected quilts on the horizon?

Renewed Blog

Two years ago, I created this blog.  Two years- a lot has happen.  There has been pain, hopes realized, hopes forsaken, relationships forged, relationships lost.  And above all, there has been JOY.

God is good.  In two years, I have seen God at work in my life,  And in this, I rejoice.  I want to renew my blog in the hopes that I will speak encouragement to myself and to others- even if the others is only one or two people.

Saturday, I rejoiced with a close friend over good news, renewed a friendship with a lifelong friend, and invested in my dear fake niece while making a cake and watching Doctor Who.  In all of this, I realized that God is good and and has given me precious relationships.  I am sure that the theme of the blog for the next months will be JOY through relationships.

My heart is filled with unspeakable JOY because of the relationships God has given me.

Cake making!

Living a joyful journey

Recently I converted most of my pictures in my kitchen to song quotes and went old school to find my quotes.  As I read through countless Keith Green, Rich Mullins, and Michael Card songs, the Michael Card song, Joy in the Journey really struck me.

"There is a joy in the journey. There is a light you can love all your days.  There is a wildness and wonder to life and a freedom for those who obey."  

I struggle with hopes and dreams that look to be unfulfilled.  I get lost in the busyness of life.  I become complacent in the day to day of life.   All of these things distract from the purpose of life, worship and honor of Jesus.  As I look at what my life is and what may or may not be, I am reminded this is my life.  This is my life where I CHOOSE joy.  I CHOOSE to love Jesus.  I CHOOSE to embrace the wildness and wonder of life and see where Jesus leads me.  I CHOOSE to obey Jesus despite the cost (however trivial or untrivial) to myself.   

This blog is a way to remind myself that I am on a wondrously joyful journey to honor my loving savior.  That my purpose in life is Jesus and not me.   And as Michael Card says in his song, all who see it (the joyful life of Christ), will find it.  May I find Jesus more deeply on my life journey.