Grace is all around us.

“What we fail to realize is that grace is more than our destination, it is the journey itself, manifested in each breath and with each step we take.  Grace surrounds us, whirls about us like the wind, falls on us like rain.  Grace sustains us on our journeys, no matter how perilous they may be and, make no mistake, they are all perilous.  We need not hope for grace, we merely need to open our eyes to its abundance.  Grace is all around us, not just in the hopeful future but in the miracle of now.   Richard Paul Evans in The Road to Grace   p. 232

Grace is all around us.  It is in every step of our journey.  I know this to be true.  And yet I don't always see that grace with every step I take.  The "tasks" of the day can act as blinders.  I am thankful for the moments of time where I am able to stop, to be somewhat still, and open my eyes to the grace that is all around me.  And I need to remind myself to try to do so more often.

Here are some of the signs of grace I've seen around me.

1379) birds eating seeds from one of my trees

1380) finishing stages of a quilt for my sister

1381) blue sky

1382) blankets of snow

1383) sunshine

1384) feeling organized

1385) meeting mini-goals

1386) dinner out with friends

1387) a little bird coming close to me, and resting on a branch while I was out on a walk

1388) finding my scarf!

1389) finishing a bag

1390) being able to bless a young mom with the bag

1391) reconnecting with friends at a baby shower

1392) encouragement and love from my school community

1393) trying out new recipes - curry pumpkin soup and pan-fried quinoa cakes

1394) enjoying the flavours of these foods

1395) wide variety of foods God created for us

1396) a warm home

1397) a safe and trusty vehicle

1398) seeing growth in students

1399 - 1413) the sights of a day in a winter wonderland

 

Reminder to Be Still

I took advantage of seeing the sun this afternoon - and using that boost to convince myself that going for a walk was a good idea.  Normally that's not so hard, but it's been gray and cloudy here for the last while and we're so not used to that.  We delight in our sunny skies.  So today I chose to delight in the moments of blue.  And it was a true gift.

I headed down to a park that I frequent often when walking on weekends.  I almost had to stop in my tracks, because the first thing I saw reminded me to be still.  Here's what it was.

There was a pool of still water set off from the river flowing by.  I've seen it a multitude of times.  But I never really noticed it this way before.  It's part of the same river.  It's the same water.  Just separated by a few stones that are slightly higher than the rest.  And the still part can reflect clear images.  I'm reminded yet again of my need to step out of the flowing water and into the still portion so that I can reflect.  And while inward reflection on life isn't really my forte, I do want to reflect God to the people in my life.  So I need to take the time to be still.  

This fits with the sermon I heard in church this morning.  I must admit that I had to talk myself into going this morning.  The idea of another peaceful day at home was pretty inviting.  But I went.  And I'm glad I did.  The sermon was on God as our Shepherd, based on Ezekiel 34.  The final challenge involved looking at the verbs for the ways that God shepherds us.  We were to choose one and then think about what our response would be to that verb this week.  The one I chose was God talking to us.  Which means my response should be to listen.  It's hard to listen without being still.  So - I will attempt to take time to step out of the river and into the calm so that I can be still and listen.

Part of being still is to take the time to see the gifts of God in my life.  So my list goes on...

1354) peace-filled weekend

1355) hugs from children

1356) being encouraged regarding giftings from God

1357) movie night with friends

1358) activities that feed my soul, like...

1359) reading

1360) creating/sewing

1361) walking and seeing God in the details in the woods

1362 - 1378) the details in photographic form  (Some of these are similar to previous photos, but I firmly believe that we can be delighted again and again by the beauty around us.  And not only can we be repeatedly delighted, but I believe we should be!)

Quilt Festival

I've been enjoying seeing the quilts shown by the multitude of creative individuals from oh, so man places.  Once again, I've added to my list of "oooh, I want to try that."  (As yet, an unwritten list, so it doesn't feel quite so daunting.

I knew which quilt I wanted to put in.  And then I read the requirements.  The one I wanted to put in is not finished.  It's still at the quilter's home, so it'll have to wait until next time.  Choice #2 is also at the quilter's.  So, it's on to choice number three.  Fortunately, I actually managed to finish quite a few quilts this year.  

So, here it is.  My entry for the quilt festival.  I love this quilt.  I made it with material bought on a FART (Fabric Acquisition Road Trip - can't take credit for the acronym) with friends.  The trip was attempted in March one year.  We were stymied by bad winter weather and didn't make our destination.  (Still had a delightful trip with friends and managed to find some fabric.)  We tried again in the summer and managed to make it to the Eureka Quilt Show.  We had a fabulous time.  I already had the charm pack for this line (Moda - Collections for a Cause - Tradition) and I picked up the layercake and jellyroll on the trip.  These were turned into a scruffy throw quilt made with a tutorial I found at Moda Bake Shop (Scruffily Quilt).  

This quilt makes me smile every time I see it.  It reminds me of my special times with friends.  And it reminds me of how playing with fabric makes every day better.

Quilt stats:

size - 60 inches by 60 inches

quilted by Devon Lavigne of Prairie Quilt Mercantile (soon to be called Prairie Now)

best categories: throw quilt and professionally quilted quilt

Be sure to check out the other quilts at the festival!  (Hopefully you'll be brought to the festival if you click on the top of this link.)

Gold?

"All gold does not glitter."  (Richard Paul Evans in The Road to Grace - p. 139)

I read these words this afternoon.  They struck a chord with me.  We live in a world that honours glitter and glitz.  We live in a world that honours those who "stand out" in particular ways.  And I think that this causes us to miss out on a lot of gold.  That is such a shame.  God has created so much gold in His world. We just need to stop and look to see it.  That's a daily challenge for me.

Here is some of the gold I've seen in my life lately.

1336) playing with fabric - cutting out a quilt top
1337) the sensation of anticipation and delight at the prospect of beginning a new project
1338) the surprise of running into a friend
1339) a very productive afternoon of errands
1340) getting a stack of "heavy" marking done
1341) parent volunteers!
1342) positive comments on a lesson observed by an administrator (and the lesson was first thing Monday after an extra long break - 5 days)
1343) insights and information shared by students after research time
1344) the beauty of frost on trees and leaves
1345) peanut butter and chocolate
1346) beauty in changing seasons (even if the snow is a tad on the early side)
1347)

 1348)

 1349)

 1350)

1351)

1352) Saturday morning quilting with friends
1353) people who stand up for what is right

quiet days

Today was a quiet day.  The first one in a long time.  And it was good. I needed to "be still and know" again. 

Church was good.  Thought-provoking as we are in a series of sermons on the idols we can put in our lives.  Sad how it is so easy to take something that is good, something that God blesses us with, and turn it into something that takes the place of God.

As I looked over e-mail, I saw one about an art show.  So I headed out to feast my eyes and feed my soul by looking at the creativity of others.  There were a couple that spoke to me - and I seriously considered bringing one home to be a regular inspiration to me.  But I wasn't sure I loved them enough.  And maybe that's okay.  I have plenty of "stuff" and perhaps I should only add more "stuff" that makes my soul happy or serves a specific purpose.  

I spent a little time rereading Mitch Albom's Tuesdays with Morrie.  It's a good reminder about what is important in life.  Among the bits that spoke to me today are:
    1) "I give myself a good cry if I need it.  But then I concentrate on all the good things still in my life."  p. 57
    2) "Remember what I said about finding a meaningful life?  I wrote it down, but now I can recite it.  Devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourelf to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning."  p. 127
    3) "Each night, when I go to sleep, I die.  And the next morning, when I wake up, I am reborn."  quote from Mahatma Gandhi on page 129
    4) "Once you start running, I said, it's hard to slow yourself down."  p. 136
    5) "What we take, we must replenish."  p. 141
    6) "In the beginning of life, when we are infants, we need others to survive, right?  And at the end of life, when you get like me, you need others to survive, right?"  His voice dropped to a whisper.  "But here's the secret: in between, we need others as well."  p. 157
    7) "What's wrong with being number 2?"  p. 159

I also took time to concentrate on some of the good things in my life....and thus, my list of gifts continues.

1301) progressive lenses (even though I don't love them yet)
1302) teachers' convention
1303) milestones in life
1304) hugs from children
1305) visiting my grandma
1306) dinners with family
1307) walks in the fall - and hearing the water and seeing the colours and feeling the sunshine
1308) colours of fall juxtaposed with brilliant blue sky
1309) colours of fall juxtaposed with fresh white snow
1310) the passion people have for causes
1311) ringroads
1312) catching up with people
1313) short conversations - but meaningful ones
1314) learning new things
1315) being re-inspired
1316) messages of love and encouragement
1317) attending quilt shows with friends
1318) meeting a "new" young boy from Africa
1319) watching a friend enjoy this young boy, her grandson
1320) knowing roads well enough to have a plan B when snags in travel are encountered
1321) dreams
1322) passions
1323) hope for the future
1324) books
1325) staying with my parents
1326) encouraging my sister
1327) being able to laugh despite circumstances
1328) sitting around a fire with friends
1329) harvesting carrots
1330) beautiful neighbourhoods
1331) art show - and the work of a favourite artist
1332) the process of finding fabrics that create beauty together
1333) the delight of my nieces when I see them
1334) the gift of music as it feeds the soul
1335) the simplicity and depth of symbolism of stones and water

Celebrating fall!

Fall has been absolutely delightful this year.  And I've managed to be able to stop, look, and wonder quite a bit as I've tried to drink it all in.

My list of gifts continues - with pictures of what I have tried to drink in and absorb.  God is so good.

1270) fabulous fall weather and colours
1271) a day with friends at Forget Me Not Pond
1272) a day with friends at a pond in the foothills
1273) muskrats in the pond
1274) bubbling springs in a foothills pond
1275) walks with friends
1276) solitary walks enjoying the sights and sounds of fall
1277)

1278)

1279) 

1280)

1281)

1282)

1283)

1284)

1285)

1286)

1287)

1288)

1289)

1290)

1291)

1292) the sound of the wind...

1293) ...in the rustling grasses

1294)... in the trembling leaves on the trees

1295) ...in the leaves tumbling across my path

1296) church lunch outside - with good company

1297) harvesting kale

1298) picking sweetpeas on Sept. 30th!

1299) crunching through leaves

1300) the smell of fall

Gathering

Time to gather again.  Time to gather memories and make note of the gifts that I have received.  Gifts from God.  Gifts that bring peace and joy to my life.

The idea of gathering comes from a line in a book I read recently.  "We all sow weeds along with with the flowers.  Gather the flowers and give the weeds to God.  He does amazing things with our messes."  A Time to Gather by Sally John and Gary Smalley  (p. 31)

I realize that this doesn't totally mean what I'm using it for.  But the idea of focussing on the positive is what I want to cultivate.  Too often I can dwell on the negative - things I didn't do right, things I wanted to do but didn't get to, etc.  By focussing on the positive, on the flowers instead of the weeds, I believe I can see/experience God more deeply.  (That doesn't mean that I don't have to try to mend things that need mending.  It just means that I want to shake some of my tendencies to brood on the weeds.)

So, here I go - gathering the flowers of my life.

1185) picnic with KM at Big Hill Springs
1186) spending time with my oldest niece
1187) helping this niece make her first quilt
1188) her delight in her success
1189) "sewing" time with friends
1190) cool evening air
1191) chatting with neighbours
1192) the sweet smell of sweet peas
1193) refreshing water
1194) sitting around a fire with my sister and one of our nieces
1195) sitting by a fire with a friend
1196) enjoying a cup of chai tea with the paper on a relaxed summer morning
1197) reconnecting with friends after a time away
1198) watching a family celebrate their mother together
1199) chatting with neighbours
1200) watching children play in a pool in their backyard - the boy running and leaping into the water
1201) visiting my grandma with my brother and a sister
1202) time with family in Edmonton
1203) time with the a sister and her family at their acreage
1204) the rugged beauty of tree stumps juxtaposed with green algae covered water and fresh yellow flowers
1205) shopping with E and finding fabric for a quilt for her
1206) a little yellow bird in the tree in my front yard
1207) good walks with a sister
1208) playing multi-generational games of croquet and bocce ball in the backyard
1209) meeting a dear friend's fiancé
1210) apple raspberry crisp
1211) finding my iPad charger
1212) a walk with JR
1213) getting things in place for a new school year
1214) dinner and movie with SB
1215) finding good deals on new clothes
1216) fresh corn on the cob
1217) sounds of summer
1218) squirrel chattering in the forest
1219) wind rustling in the leaves
1220) water burbling over rocks
1221) words like burbling
1222) celebrating communion at church
1223) the aroma of sweet peas
1224) hawk at the side of the road
1225) warm sun on my back
1226) hawk soaring overhead
1227) a fresh pedicure
1228) having my legs and feet massaged
1229) coming home to a surprise gift and letter from a friend I haven't heard from in a long time
1230) golden morning light
1231) delightfully rich fall colours
1232) yellow leaves against brilliant blue sky
1233) sweet peas!
1234) afternoons off
1235) sitting and reading on my step on a fall morning... or afternoon
1236) garden fresh carrots
1237) spontaneity
1238) hugs from children
1239) encouragement
1240) inspiring words
1241) being able to encourage someone else
1242) laughter
1243) climbing a hill and looking over a prairie scene
1244) the warmth of the fall sun
1245) meeting a goal
1246) time with friends
1247) seeing a friend look happier than I've seen her recently
1248) a new BBQ
1249) a friend who helped me put the BBQ together
1250) drains that do their job - which is to drain
1251) clean sheets with the delicious aroma of drying in the sun
1252) developing relationships with new students
1253) watching my students interact with younger students
1254) brilliant red sun rising on delightful fall days
1255) making new connections with students
1256) dinner theatre in Rosebud - Tuesdays with Morrie
1257) bed and breakfast in Rosebud
1258) delightful breakfast company at B and B
1259) morning walk in Rosebud
1260) climbing a hill
1261) looking out over the prairies from the hilltop - river, farms, fall colours - PEACE
1262) parent volunteers on field trips
1263) conversation on a drive to Vulcan
1264) attending an art show
1265) the delight on the artist's face when she saw that we came
1266) impromptu tea invitation
1267) being able to at least pop by
1268) sweet peas still blooming at the end of September
1269) delightful little park in Strathmore