I Chronicles 17:26

Linda — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 06:24:00 GMT

You, Lord, are God! You have promised these good things to your servant. (1 Chronicles 17:26)

He has given me some good things during these last few days in Arizona. It all started on Friday, Feb. 17 at noon with the Quilters Club of America/Reap What You Sew Luncheon held at my church Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Scottsdale. We had a great turnout and I was able to introduce the QCA members that live in Phoenix to each other and to Reap What You Sew. RWYS is a large quilt group started 16 years ago that distributes approximately 2500 quilts to various charities (mostly children's) throughout the Phoenix metro area. About four years ago I started a small chapter at my church to help finish quilt tops that people made but didn't complete the quilt process. We had a lovely luncheon with twice baked potatoes, salads, fettucine, and desserts preceded by a devotion and singing "Bringing in the Quilts" to the tune of "Bringing in the Sheaves". We ended the program with a show and tell.

We were just finishing with cleaning the Fellowship Hall after all our guests had left. Another good thing came my way.

My brother Bill and his wife Gerry arrived from California. This was the first time I have met my brother. Bill is Daddy's middle son from his second marriage. My parents were divorced when I was 13 and I never saw Daddy again. I had a call from a California attorney back in 1980 telling me my father had passed away and that there were 3 boys ages 18 thru 13. I wanted to take them in and raise them. However, I was in an abusive marriage and my husband wouldn't hear of it. So all those years were lost and I always wondered what had happened to them. Finally last summer I gathered up the courage to start searching and found them! Turned out Robert (the oldest) lives near me and we have gotten together several times.

I have been able to spend a wonderful weekend with Bill and Gerry. He reminds me so much of Daddy. I now feel like I have a part of him returned to me. Bill is equally happy that we have met and has promised that we will stay in touch. He even has a nickname for me...Sunshine. No one has ever had a nickname for me. I'm so touched. I just remembered something...on the luggage tags I made, I put "You are my Sunshine". Think God had a hand in this?? I am so happy Bill and I had this weekend together and I was so sad when we parted this morning. We have friended each other on Facebook. I will be praying we will have many more get togethers. Here's Bill....

The third brother, Gary has not been receptive to meeting. Perhaps in time he will change his mind. I will continue to pray that he will have a change of heart.

Now I start preparing to return home to Ohio on Wednesday evening. I shipped out the last of the cartons of sewing supplies, gifts, finished projects, extra clothes, my birthday stash, LQS purchases, etc. this morning. Think of all the fabric I could have bought with the shipping costs!! It would almost be cheaper to rent an apartment here year round and just keep things here....well, not really. Traveling would be a lot easier tho.

Tomorrow I see the chiropractor and massage therapist for the last time. Wednesday Pastor is coming over to give me communion and I'll see my caregiver for the last time till next winter. My caregiver will be keeping in touch as she will be managing my care long distance with the help of an agency that we'll be talking to via phone on Monday. Well, I'll be at home with the agency rep and we'll be on the phone with my caregiver. We have managed to get some support systems in place to help me back home which is making me feel much more secure. It's been difficult managing my own health care when I'm not able to focus or feel overwhelmed most of the time. Should start to feel less stressed. Praise God!

Sing to him a new song...and shout for joy! (Psalm 33:3)

For when I am weak, then I am strong

Linda — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:16:00 GMT

2 Corinthians 12:10 ...For when I am weak, then I am strong.

I remembered those words last night. Why? I think I was actually listening to God for a change. I can be pretty "bullheaded" as Grandma Koller used to tell me. When I graduated from lay leadership training and became parish ministry assistant at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Scottsdale, I had to chose a verse from the Bible. The verse I chose was 2 Corinthians 12:9..."My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." There's that word "weak" again. But my favorite word "grace" is there too. Lately, I've been very weak...physically, mentally, spiritually. But last night and this morning I've realized that I have God's amazing grace and it is sufficient. So if I have God's sufficient grace, then I must be strong!! I've been told by more than one pastor that sometimes when we feel weakest in our faith, it's when we are the strongest in our faith. Thank you Lord Jesus for opening my eyes today. Thank you most of all for Your sufficient grace to make me strong when I am weak. Amen.

All my projects are just about complete that I have with me. I'm back to working on the wall hanging for our Precious Project. Maybe I can get if finished before I go home next week. Oh my, it's hard to believe I've been out here in Arizona for almost 3 months! I am so excited to be going home. I have shipped at least 6 cartons home containing f-a-b-r-i-c-s or things related to my favorite hobby. Bet you can't guess what that would be. I have 3 more cartons almost packed but are waiting till after the QCA/Reap What You Sew luncheon on Friday. I have some Show n Tell for the luncheon. After the luncheon I will have to pack it all up and ship it home.

Not to mention all the birthday stash from 2 birthday clubs. It was like Christmas!!! Thank you to all who sent the wonderful gifts. The fabrics are so beautiful. Tomorrow I will be buying for 2 people on the birthday lists. I'm going to 35th Ave. Shop with Maggie, Marlene and Sheri and then to lunch. It's my first outing other than doctors in almost 10 days. Yipee!! I'm free...well for a couple hours anyway. Then I have to stay in again until Friday. Still fighting the sore throat and still on antibiotics for a few more days. The doctor and my caregiver are trying to build up my energy so I can get on that train next Wednesday.

Also, I need energy because my brother Bill and his wife Jeri are coming from California to visit me this weekend. I'm thrilled because I've never met my brother. You see Bill is from Daddy's second marriage and they grew up in California. I didn't know of their existence until after Daddy passed away 20 years ago. It wasn't until last year that I was able to look up my brothers from that marriage. I now have 5 brothers total! Fortunately, I only grew up with 2 of them. Could you image growing up with 5 younger brothers? Two was bad enough!!! I really do love my brothers...really I do!

Happy Quilting this week! Hugs,

Linda

my.sewingroom's blog : fabric, show and tell

I Chronicles 17:26

For when I am weak, then I am strong