Happy Easter!!

My guys trying to be serious and
hold the quilt up straight for me.

Hi Friends!
Yes, it's true---God is into wells for Africa because He showed up in a big, glorious way this past week! 

Last Sunday, we had raised $2,600 for the well.

Today the total is OVER $7,500!!!!!!!!
WAHOO!!!!!!!!!

So now you must be wondering why I'm not announcing the quilt winner. 

The reason is really good---I'm going through the last 115 donations to get everyone's entries into the drawing.  I'm taking my time to be sure that your name goes in the correct number of times.  I'm not complaining.  This is a really nice problem to have!! 

I am so thankful to all of you for listening to God's whisper and donating to this cause.

I am also very thankful for the part that Bonnie Hunter and her readers played in this effort.

Oh Happy Day!

I forced my sons into helping hold the quilt outside for a better picture yesterday. 
I've seen this quilt enough....my real motive was to see how much my sons have grown!

This picture was probably taken around 2009. 
I'm guessing I took this pic to try to convince myself
that someday I really would get it finished!! 

Ok...back to the entries. 

much love,

pam

Almost There!! Jump in NOW!!

Hi Friends!

Tomorrow is the big day. 
EASTER and the Living Water Quilt drawing. 

Bonnie Hunter really helped stir things up earlier this week. 
Thanks Bonnie---You're a dear.

I've got lots more to chat with you about and many assorted updates brewing, but for now I need to push on with this primary mission.  WATER FOR AFRICA!!

We are less than $1,300 away from hitting our $7,000 goal!! 

Why $7,000? 
When I was doing research on building a well, I found the cost of providing water to a community to range from $1,000 to $16,000 depending on what type of system would work for the situation and if there was already an infrastructure in place that just needed repairs. 

Somehow $7,000 kept popping into my head, so I went with it....even though my doubting Thomas side said it wasn't possible.  My faithful side (always in some sort of conflict with the doubting Thomas in me) knew that if this goal was accomplished it would most definitely be by God's Mighty Hand and not of my own doing.  It gives me chills just writing that. 

God is good all the time even when life deals us a rough hand.  He is mighty to save. 

May God do miraculous things in your life and in the life of your family this weekend.

Please take a moment and donate towards the well. 
Don't miss this opportunity to be a part of something wonderful.

many blessings,
pam

oops

Can you believe that March is nearly over?!
Life runs so fast.  I find myself always trying to slow it down, but to no avail.

I'm a bit rattled.  Had a wacky parking lot fender bender today....at a tax appointment, no less.  Geez!  I can't seem to pull my head back together.  But wait, the story gets better.  I might as well tell it and laugh instead of crying and scheduling a trip to therapy.  Here's how it went.
1.  tax appointment went much longer than expected.  It was near lunch time and I was a little scattered (turns out that was an understatement). 
2.  got into my car which was parked off an alleyway...backed up, careful to avoid the dumpster.
3.  oops....bumped into a trash can that was on the edge of the alley.  Hopped out to set it up. (being a good citizen and all)
4.  oh no....is that my van driving away from me?!
5.  turn around and run trying to catch van and step on brake peddle before it....oh no!...before it runs into my husband's truck (he's backing out of another spot!)
6.  I somehow get my leg in the van and step on the brake....oops again!  That was the gas....
7.  Loud crashing noise as I hit the tax attorneys beautiful new (parked) SUV and then ram full speed (good thing I found that "brake" huh?!) into the back of my husband's truck and run my bumper up onto the ball of the hitch.
8.  I YI YI!

Reasons to be incredibly thankful:
1.  No one was hurt.  Praise God!
2.  No one even yelled at me.  I guess they all knew I would start weeping (smart men that they were).
3.  All vehicles still run.  My van is hideous without a front bumper, but it got me home (where I really want to stay and hide for a month or ten).
4.  When I jumped back in the van (and missed the brake peddle), I did yank the steering wheel to the left and just grazed the tax guy's new SUV, leaving some scratches (an absolute gift from GOD!) Not that scratches are free, but we couldn't find any dents.  We'll see what the dealership says. 
5.  My dear husband has already started joking about the episode and making me laugh about it. 
6.  I've put my vehicle in "park" every other time I exited it today!
7.  God is good even when I'm a pitiful driver.
8.  My husband (being a very good driver) was able to hold the brake and keep his truck from ramming into another vehicle parked in the lot.
9.  I did not hit every vehicle in the lot, although it does appear that I was trying.

Hoping this little slow motion replay might make one of you laugh.  Seems like it could have been an I Love Lucy skit. 

keep smiling!
pam

Just a Prop

That's right.

The quilt give-away is just a prop.
It's purpose is to get your attention.
But the quilt is not what really matters in this story.

The real story is loving our neighbors, our fellow man, enough to help them. 
To share some of what we have to help bless them with a basic necessity of life...clean water.

Please donate $10 towards bringing clean water to a village in Africa.

If not You, then Who?

many blessings,
pam

Let us not become weary in doing good....     Galatians 6:9

Clutter Patrol

I have an ongoing struggle with Clutter.
I  r e a l l y  hate clutter, but apparently it loves me.
Clutter follows me everywhere. 

This week we are enjoying spring break....which means I have a bit more time without school-related tasks.

Sooooo I'm trying a new method.....

Pam's New Clutter Control Method!

Actually this week I'm trying to clear the horizontal surfaces around my home.  Not an easy task, let me tell you!  Requires lots of coffee and chocolate.  The kids look fearful. 

I've noticed that I have a bad habit of getting lots (and lots) of fabric and stuff out to play with and not putting it back away.  Eventually, there is no place left to work.  My MIL (she lives next door) is lobbying for a new craft building for us to house all our toys and crafty treasures.  I'm not really hip to that since our last house had lots more room and I was able to fill that up with creative chaos, too.  Even with more space, eventually you must face the inevitable and clean up after yourself!  DRAG!

What I really need is a quilt (or yarn) shop employee to come by once a week to tidy up.  They would start by asking me which 2 projects I was actually working on.  This, of course, would be a tough question....but I would force myself to make a decision.  Then she could put away all the other odds, ends, scraps, strings, rulers, gadgets, yardage, and bins that I had gotten out that week!  I would most likely have to leave the premises to avoid pawing through the storage tubs to pull out more fun stuff, thus undoing all her hard work.  I suggest that she start the visit with a dose of Excedrin. 

Oh well....never hurts to dream....

Back to shovel...

**************
Please tell us how you stay organized. 

Do you tidy up after yourself regularly? 

If yes, were you born like that (sounds like it could be a strange defect to me!) or did you learn it?

This skill was most likely learned in kindergarten, but I must have stayed home sick (or buried under clutter) that day!


many blessings,

pam

Pushing On

I've fretted and played with border choices for my tumbler quilt.

Here is what I was planning:

But when I pulled out my fabric to stamp and cut the half tumbler pieces for the first border, I accidentally used the pink fabric instead of the blue.

At one point today, my daughter had me convinced that I should remove the pink and put the blue on.
Thankfully, I returned to my senses before pulling out the seam ripper!

The pink will be JUST FINE! 

Do you ever unintentionally change your quilt plans??? 
Would love to hear about it and how it turned out.

************
Daylight Savings Time Change

I was planning to hush up and not complain about the recent time change. 
Actually, I will be quiet even though my internal time clock has been jarred.

I saw this on another blog.  A petition has been started to do away with the twice yearly time change.
The petition needs signatures to be considered.

You can see it here.

Potentially more effective than grumbling, though not quite as satisfying short-term!

************
The month is going fast.  Please take a moment and donate towards the well that we are building in Africa. 
The drawing for the Living Water Quilt takes place on March 31.


may your day be blessed.
pam

This and That

Daylight Savings time change today. 

I really don't like the time change, but am trying to keep a positive attitude so I won't go into that.

I'm actually waiting for the sun to come up so that I can go out and take care of the animals.

Enjoying the early morning quiet and a little stitching.  Figured out how to half my tumbler pieces (and mark for piecing) to create an inner border.  It's encouraging to see this little top come together.  I have a tendency to put projects away before adding borders (which makes me not want to bring them out again!)

Oops....just noticed that I'm using the wrong fabric for the inner border! 
Maybe I'm up a bit too early!

**********

Project 40

Here's a finish.  I love how graphic the variegated strips look in this lap blanket! 

Thanks again Strippers!


**********

Bob the Bottle Calf

Growing big and strong. 
We are still battling the umbilical infection. 
This infection necessitated yet another van ride to the vet about 3 weeks ago to incise and drain the abscess again.  Apparently abscesses can reach quite deep and are difficult to cure....(Bob and I can testify to that!)

**********


Praise Report!

I talked to my Dad recently on his birthday and HE WAS HAPPY!!!
This is a major answered prayer.  He has been so angry about being in the nursing home and life in general.
For him to have peace and even be enjoying the company of his roommate can only come from God! 
Yea God! Thank You for this blessing.

My Dad is still a bit confused but much of his memory has returned.  Another blessing.  Thank you all for your prayers and encouraging words.


**********

Living Water

Please donate $10 to help our "neighbors" in Africa have clean water. 
Learn more here.

There's still time to be included in the book drawing.


many blessings,
pam


Linking to Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching.

Clean Water and a Give-Away!

The Living Water Quilt
(previously known as Dad's Quilt)

The Living Water Quilt drawing is rapidly approaching!  Easter, March 31, is the big day!!

I've not mentioned it in a while because I really don't like asking for money.  Of course the money isn't for me, but I would much prefer to just give the money myself and not ask for your help. 
Admittedly our house is a bit cluttered and dirty at the moment, but even so, I haven't noticed any big piles of money lying around!  So here I am, asking....

First, I want to share some more about how all this started.

Has a book ever insisted that you read it?

That's what happened to me with the book "7" by Jen Hatmaker.  I was Christmas shopping at Lifeway, wandering the aisles, minding my own business.  This pushy book JUMPED into my basket.  I kept trying to reshelve it, knowing that I had plenty of reading material at home and that I was shopping for others, not myself. 

The book was determined. 

I  finally realized that I was supposed to read this book (I'm slow like that) and begrudgingly purchased it. 

As soon as I started reading, I knew the truth.  God was behind all this.  He wanted to stretch my  heart and my thinking.  He was using this book to make me a little uncomfortable with my own comfort.  Please know that Jen Hatmaker does not make you feel guilty in this book at all.  Her writing is fun and engaging.  But, that being said, God may step in and convict your heart of great sufferings in the world.  He may even want you to offer to help.  You'll most likely feel completely inadequate for the job.  I did.  I still do.  But God can take our humble, feeble attempts and use them for great good. 

Jen talks a little about the sufferings in Africa and some of the choices her family's church is making....like not paving the church parking lot and sending the money to help others instead.  Seven made the little wheels in my head start spinning. 

About the same time, my husband and I completed an Experiencing God class.  One segment of the class really touched me.  The question was something like,
"What is dear to you that you can put on the altar for God...for Him to use as He pleases?"
On the way home I knew the answer.  My quilting and handwork and crafty stuff.  I quietly told God that He could use my hobbies and love of stitching for anything that He chose...to please just let me know.

Days later, Project 40 developed.

THEN, As I finished the last hand stitches on Dad's Quilt, I sensed God's desire for this quilt to be used for a greater good--to raise awareness and funds to build a well and provide clean water for a community in Africa.

My Dad in 2011 having fun with grandchildren

A few other interesting tidbits that God has woven into this quilt story:

1. I would never have taken on this big of a hand quilting project except for a dear loved one.  I especially wanted to finish it this way for my Dad because he was a carpenter and did beautiful woodworking.  He would sand his special projects by hand until they felt soft and silky to the touch. 

2. The timing of finishing this quilt and the surprising twist that my Dad could not use a quilt this big.  And get this....when I was about 3/4 done with the quilting on this project, he told me that he didn't really care if it was hand quilted.  He suggested that I just send it to someone with one "of those big machines"! (he's lucky I didn't kill him right then!)

3. My Dad seems to have no memory of this king-size quilt project at all.  I wrestled long and hard about giving away his quilt, thinking it was like saying he would never possibly come home.  Mercifully, God gave me sweet clarity on this, too.  First, please know that my Dad has other quilts at the nursing home with him....It's not as if there he is deficient in Vitamin Q. 
And now that I know that the hand quilting part is not an issue with him, if he should be discharged, I will zip together a king-size quilt top so fast that my machine will start to sizzle with sparks of lightning!!  Then I will promptly drive it to a long-arm quilter!  :)



Oh my....I've been babbling on and on.  Grab some chocolate and a cup of tea if you're growing weary, I'm almost done!

So here is my plea.  Please donate $10 (or more) to Blood Water Mission and join this effort.  Together with God's help, mighty things can be accomplished!  We can share our resources with others and provide clean water to those in need. 

Each $10 donation puts your name in the drawing for the Living Water Quilt (previously known as Dad's Quilt).  Each $25 donation = 3 entries in the drawing. 

Please make your donation today!


One last thing.  I would like to give my copy of Seven to one of you.  Please leave a comment if you would like to be in that drawing. 


many blessings,
pam


May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us;
establish the work of our hands for us--
yes, establish the work of our hands.
                            Psalm 90: 17


fine print:  I have an affiliate account with Amazon, so if you make a purchase after clicking one of the Amazon links, I'll make a tiny commission.