Gold Stars

Over the years, I've developed a habit that I now desperately want to change. 

Procrastination. 

Procrastination is not my friend.  It never comforts or inspires me. 

Procrastination muddles my mind and makes me think I'm doing too much and that I don't really have time to do the things I really want to do--the activities that I know, deep down in my soul, I should be doing. 

Procrastination steals our energy.  Instead of taking action, we use lots of energy just thinking of all the things we should be doing.  Having a busy, spinning brain makes you tired but doesn't really accomplish anything meaningful.

Procrastination is an enemy of all the good things that God has placed before us to do. 


One thing that seems to help in the battle against Procrastination is having a list and knowing the next thing that needs to be done. 

I scribble out my list at the top of each week's calendar.

I've gone one more than this.

I'm developing a list each week of tasks that need to be completed.  This list includes tasks related to our home, farm, family, and my creative endeavors....a list of things that really need to be done, but keep getting put off.

When I step up and complete one of these tasks, I give myself a "gold star".  (apparently my 1st grade teacher had it right all along!).  My grown up "gold stars" are shown on my calendar written in purple with a big check mark by them.  I also get to mark the task off my list, but I find that by writing it in purple and making a big deal out of it, I get an even bigger charge out of the accomplishment! 

"Gold Stars" being celebrated!

I started giving myself these "gold stars" a couple weeks ago.  I would find myself late in the day trying to do something on my list to be able to get a star.  It was such a great feeling to eek out a star for the day even if I squeaked it in just before retiring to bed!

This week I've noticed that Procrastination has even less of a hold on me.  I'm getting 2-3 gold stars per DAY!!  I'm becoming more productive!  I'm spending less energy thinking about what I should be doing, and more energy actually doing it! Hooray!!

Do you battle Procrastination??  Have you found ways to stand strong and become a Finisher of good works?  Please share!

Praising God today!!

many blessings,
pam

New Directions

I've been doing lots of thinking about the New Year.  Evaluating the activities of my life.  Figuring out what works and what doesn't.  I love January for all the hope and newness of it--January is bursting with possibilities!  I'm working on setting goals.  My husband and I have been setting goals each January for many years.  We find this habit to be very beneficial. 

While mulling around on the goal thing (goal-setting requires lots of mulling-around time for me!), I decided to reclaim a buried machine in my laundry room.  I've been doing some finishing work with bindings for the quilt ministry, so my electric machine is set up with the walking foot.  Switching feet and settings and thread when I need to piece something is certainly a do-able task, but really not necessary when I am blessed to have another machine!  Duh!

I should have taken a picture of the buried treasure when I started this little New Year's endeavor.  Here is the machine uncovered.  Hooray!

Singer 201.  Love this machine!!

Pulling back to give you a better view of the laundry / sewing / mudroom / animal supply room / milking supply room / canning closet / if you can't find a spot for it, put it in here-room....

Our laundry room gets a LOT of action!

And now to look at the adjoining dining space to see some of the offending clutter that was removed during the process:

Table full of stuff to be relocated.  More on the floor. 

I'm enjoying my 2-machine set up!  Hooray! 

Here is my other girl.  I love these old machines!  I sprung for some Aurifil quilting thread to use on this one and am in awe at the beautiful stitches.  :)

Sweet color, but don't be fooled--she's a workhorse!

So what are you doing with January and this whole new year that spreads before us? 
Are you changing directions with anything?  Or maybe just tweaking what you are already doing?
Will you learn a new skill?  Or change a habit?

Praising God each and every day!

many blessings,

pam

Another Finish!!

Sporting my new sweater vest!

Are those angels singing???  Probably just a joyful Christmas song spinning round my happy brain, but surely the celestial beings are at least a little happy about this finish!! 

I'm determined to become a Finisher like my friend Sarah.  She makes a list every week and finishes things.  It's a miracle....nothing short of a miracle, at least to a procrastinating non-finisher like me. 
But that's all changing.  I am transforming into the Joyful Finisher!

I'm still pinching myself that this vest is finished.  It has been lingering for well over a year just waiting for me to knit the button loops!  That's really embarrassing to admit, but I think that may be a piece of the mystery to my unfinished projects.  I get stuck--for a variety of reasons, but stuck none-the-less. Anyway, I didn't know how to knit the loops so instead of putting some effort into figuring that out, I put the whole thing away.  Once a project gets set aside with an issue, it's REALLY hard to pick it up and run with it again. 


This sweater vest has so much learning in it! 

**I spun the yarn from fleece that I blended.  It's bulky, but soft and a bit silky to touch.  Very warm!

**I learned to make cables!  Fun!

**First steek!  This was knit in the round and then cut down the front. 

cables run down the back

This pattern is in the book Handknitting with Meg Swanson (affiliate link to Amazon).  I bought a video by Meg that teaches the construction step-by-step.  I highly recommend the book and video for learning these techniques. 

I still need to block it and I think I'll add one more loop and button to the front (now that I know how!!).  I'm a happy camper!

I hope you are blessed with a finish this week, too!

Praising God in All Things!
pam


Linked to Kathy's Slow Stitching Sunday!

Friday Finish!

Prayer Quilt for Tommy and Tami

This quilt was finished and mailed a few weeks ago.
I've been wanting to share it here, but it was a little too painful.

This quilt was made through our church's prayer quilt ministry (which gets LOTS of support from quilters throughout the world!  God is so cool like that!) 

We received this gorgeous 25-patch quilt top by mail!!  (If you made this top, please wave your hand and take a little bow!--this is an awesome quilt top!! Thank you! Thank You! Thank You! for taking part in this ministry!)

I added borders and did the binding.  Sarah quilted it.  As a group we prayed over it.

Close-up of Prayer Quilt--has a snuggly flannel back.

The quilt was mailed to a precious friend of my husband to encourage and comfort him as he battles cancer.  My heart sings whenever I spend time helping with the Quilt Ministry, but it's still hard when the quilt is destined for someone dear to you.

I am Rejoicing in the Lord today! 
Thank You for blessing my life with the Quilt Ministry, Lord! 
Thank you for all the precious fellowship that occurs as we create these special quilts! 
Thank You for Your Love and Your Sweet Son Jesus!

I am richly blessed.

May your day be blessed as You Rejoice in the Lord!
pam



Linked to Confessions of a Fabric Addict. and
Crazy Mom Quilts

Chicken Therapy

Dorth (the chicken) is feeling a bit crummy!

Yes, this one is my kid....no doubt about it.

We traveled to see family last weekend.  The night before we returned I heard my sweet daughter say, "I miss my chickens!"

I totally understood the sentiment.  I went to bed that same night fretting over the cows even though I had stockpiled water and hay to meet their needs.  Let's just say there is peace for my soul when I get to check on them every day. 

Last night one of the chickens showed up with a respiratory infection.  She sounded raspy and one of her eyes looked kind of bubbly--like it was foaming (sorry if that was too much info!).  It was nearly dark, so I had to make a decision quickly.  (If you haven't been blessed with your own chickens, just know that they go to bed at dusk/dark regardless of what time that might occur.  So right now, they shut down at 5pm.  They climb into their coop, settle in a nest or on the roosting bar and call it a day until the sun shows up again.)

Anyway, I did some quick research to determine the best course with the sickly bird.  Some sources recommended that we do away with her to protect the rest of the flock.  I knew that wasn't the right path for us. 

We isolated her into her own little pen and secured a tarp over it since she would have to depend on her own body heat for warmth through the night.  I did a quick search to find which essential oils might help the situation.  I tapped into Jill's experience and mixed up some Melaleuca and Frankincense oil with a couple teaspoons of carrier oil.  Massaged a bit into the bottoms of the bird's feet (which she greatly appreciated, much like a human!)

This morning found the bird looking a bit better.  The raspy respirations had improved and so had the eyes!  Praise God!

And more good news, the other birds all look healthy this morning, too.  That's one of the big concerns with chickens that they will infect all their friends! (much like humans, again!)

We reapplied the Melaleuca / Frankincense oil combo to her feet in the morning and again a lunch.  Planning to keep her penned separately until all the symptoms clear.

The sun is out and we are having a gorgeous day.  While I was finishing up my chores, I found my daughter hanging out with the chickens.  She smiled and said, "Chickens are My Therapy!" 

Yes, she's definitely my kid!

may you be blessed with time for your "therapy" today, too!
pam


Praising God for All Things!!




Linked to Homestead Blog Hop!

Lots of Slow Stitching

I spent many hours traveling in the car this weekend.  Thankfully I had my favorite driver in the pilot position and I could stitch the hours away!

Made some more Garden Stars

I seem to like this squished setting better.

Somewhere along the line, I got a wild hair  to make some flower garden blocks (because, of course I NEED another project!)  I just couldn't resist playing with some of the leftover centers from the Garden Star project. 

Took a little detour with these cuties.

These flower garden blocks are quite a bit larger than this project.  I've always had a thing for Grandmother's Flower Garden quilts.  Hopefully I'll even finish one some day!

Still Praising God!
pam



Linked to Kathy's Slow Stitching.

Praise Him!

New Life

I gotta come clean.  I've had some really rough weeks recently.  I've hit some lows and I don't like being there.  I've had that lost, empty feeling.  Those that know me, know that I've been here before. 

I found myself crying a lot--actually, more like trying not to cry.  Trying to hold myself together and present a happy face for my family.  (Note to self...this approach never works....you already knew this, ya big dummy!)

I finally knew what I needed to do.  Tell some trusted friends about the struggle, the inner turmoil and sadness.  Ask them to pray.  Prayer works.  Opening up and sharing the pain helps.  I don't exactly know why it's so hard to get to this point, but I have to get to a really dark place before I can open my mouth and ask.  I just never want to burden other people with my pain, my struggle.  I don't ever want to make someone else feel this bad. 

I think this is predominately a spiritual struggle.  If the Enemy can stifle my spirit, he wins--he pulls me low and I struggle in all areas....managing my home and family, educating our children, ministering to others.  The Enemy wins when I become ineffective in all these areas.

He wins until I pull my depression out into the Light.  I share and receive healing prayers and love.  And of course my dear friends want to know why I didn't tell them sooner.  I sometimes wonder the same thing.

One dear friend reminded me that the Bible says that I am to Praise God in all things.  I am to Praise Him for Depression!  Let's just say that I had NOT been praising God for this struggle.  I had been praying fervently asking Him to take the struggle away or make me strong enough to walk through it, but I had forgotten about the praise.  My friend suggested that I Praise God for this out of my desire to obey Him.  I'm not telling Him that I love depression, just simply that I Praise Him and trust that He will see me through this to grow me and/or to bring glory to His Kingdom.  I can trust that He will use my pain.  I can trust that He will see me through this.  I can trust that He is purifying me. 

I am Praising God for my depression! 

Praising God changes everything about this struggle. 

Thank you, Patti, for reminding me to Praise Him.
Thank you, Dear Friends, for carrying me to Christ in prayer. 
Thank you, Craig, for helping me to cry.

Thank You, Lord, for not giving up on me even when I have to repeat these lessons over and over. 
Thank You for Your Patience, Love, Kindness, Peace.

I have depression. 
I am blessed.

much love,
pam


Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before Him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God
It is He who made us, and we are His;
We are His people, the sheep of His  pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving
and His courts with praise;
give thanks to Him and praise His name.

For the Lord is good and His love endures forever;
His faithfulness continues through all generations.
                               Psalm 100