A Christmas Present

I received an early Christmas present this year. I was hired for a full time position at a local church. I am an administrative assistant and will work with volunteers at the church, design media for rolling screens in the gathering area, design pamphlets and brochures, help with special events and other duties. This job seems custom built for my talents and gifts. I am so excited and thankful. I have been looking for a job for 6 weeks. I did some part-time and temporary work this last month, but I am so relieved to know that I am finally in a full time position. It is also wonderful that there is a great bunch of people on staff there.
I did not post last week so I do not have the second candle of the Advent Wreath. Last Sunday the pastor spoke about John the Baptist. John called us to action- "And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise." Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you." Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said to the, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.".... "So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people."
Luke 3:10-14, 18

"He has told you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justice, to love kindness,
And to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

Extend kindness this season to others. Have patience with the cashiers and busy shoppers in line to check out. Share your Christmas meal with a single person or someone who is facing the holiday alone. This is how John the Baptist told believers to prepare their hearts and lives for the coming King. This season calls us to share from our many blessings.
May your Christmas be full of love, family and friends.
On a knitting note, I was able to meet with our knitting ministry group last week. We knitted, visited and had some holiday snacks. It was good to be back with these ladies and to get back to doing some knitting again. I am sure that I will feel creative again and back into regular knit therapy.

Advent: A Time of Expectation.

We lit the first candle of Advent on Sunday. It is hard to believe that advent is upon us. It is a time of preparation- We prepare our homes for the holidays, we write Christmas cards, shop for the perfect gift, yet do we really prepare our hearts and lives for the coming King. I always loved Christmas as it brought a new season into my flower shop. Red velvet bows, pinecones and gold jingle bells appeared. Poinsettias and Norfolk Island pines waited to be dressed in reds and golds. Pine, Noble Fir and Incense Cedars arrived in boxes from northern states miles away from our South Texas shop. I decorated homes, churches and businesses, prepared holiday centerpieces and baked goods, and practiced the Christmas cantata at church. At times I felt too busy to enjoy the beauty that surrounded me. Christmas always rushed by so quickly that by January, I finally caught up with myself and felt that I had missed the holiday.
This year I find myself with a part-time job in search of something full-time. The house is fully decorated and I have been helping others to decorate for the season. I even made a fresh holiday arrangement for a chapel service. For the first time in years, my life is moving at a slower pace. Maybe this year I am called to slow down and seek the coming King. "Be still, and know that I am God" Psalm 46:10 or in another translation: "Cease striving and know that I am God". I will make a point this year to listen for the heavenly messengers heralding the good news of great joy. I will look for the star in the east that will lead me to the pressence of the King. I will draw near to that holy stable and experience the Love that came down for you and me. I want to listen, to see, to seek, and encounter all that this season promises. I am thankful for that perfect gift of love. I do not want to miss Him- Immanuel, God with Us. I want to honor Him and His birth. I want to encounter my Lord, who was born of a virgin, wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. That is the Christmas that I seek. The rest is just dressing and giftwrap for the King. I pray that you are blessed in the coming year and that you may feel God's love this Christmas.

September Travels

I am longing for the cooler weather of fall. Summer on the South Texas coast is too hot to inspire much knitting. I've picked up several projects, however I have not been disciplined enough to finish anything lately. Sock patterns keep beaconing me. I guess I will have to jump in an make a pair as soon as it cools off.
I have enjoyed being with my oldest son. I had an opportunity to go to New Orleans and visit my sister. I take walking tours during the day while she works and then we eat and play in the evenings and weekends. The highlight of last weekend was to the prayer labyrinth in Audubon Park. It was dedicated at Easter this year. It was a beautiful sunny morning. There were a few fallen leaves on the path and our shadows fell across the path and caught my eye. At times in our lives we walk through shadows and our paths are not clear, but we know that Christ leads us and is with us no matter how dark the path may seem. Then I would turn a bend on the labyrinth's path and the sun would sparkle on the beautiful stones. It reminded of times that blessings are plentiful and the path was well marked. I really enjoyed that walk. We sat in the benches that surrounded the labyrinth and enjoyed the park. The wind was pleasant and it was refreshing to be still and be with God.
Thus says the Lord,
"Stand by the ways and see and
ask for the ancient paths.
Where the good way is, and
walk in it;
And you shall find rest
for your souls." Jeremiah 6:16

Summertime

How did summer settle over us so quickly? It seems like we were just celebrating Father's Day and the Fourth of July. Now the heat and humidity battles with the A/C and we tend to stay indoors during the heat of the day. Thankfully, living on the coast brings the breeze off of the water, so we don't completely melt down when we go outside.
Unfortunately, the heat and humidity makes me neglect my knitting. I have a prayer shawl that has been languishing on my hope chest. Several other projects are being neglected as well. I have kept my knitting bag in the truck with me, however, I have not started anything in a month.
To make up for not working with yarn, I have done alot of knitting blog reading and window shopping at yarn sites. I have been in search of a beginning sock pattern and I am researching sock yarns. The Townsend Knit group has been very inspirational to me. That group has novice to expert knitters and I've learned alot from reading the daily posts.
Instead of knitting, I have been reading books and I have enjoyed being able to read uninterupted and really delve into the storylines. I have also been continuing my research and reading on labyrinth design. When I get a prolonged visit home, I plan to work on a portable canvas labyrinth that will be a present for a friend.
I hope everyone has some relief from the heat and that you can enjoy those "lazy, crazy, hazy days of summer"!

Fly Your Flag Today

Some of my favorites.

Flags are flying!

Happy Flag Day!





In remembrance of my Aunt Adele. Her birthday was Flag Day and she would tell us that everyone was flying their flags for her birthday. She was an excellent cook and was always bring us a special treat for our coke break at the flower shop.
I hope everyone had a chance to knit in public on June 10th. I knitted my way across 3 states. I worked on two different projects on the road from Arizona, New Mexico and Texas!!! Not a big public project, but I was seen by truckers and travelers on the road. I worked on a soft blue scarf and on a Trellis table runner. The Trellis project is destined for the altar at church. It has been a WIP for awhile now.
I haven't knitted much lately as I am trying to adjust to life on the road. However my knitting bag is along for the ride whenever the urge hits me. I have been reading alot of knitting blogs lately and catching up with reading my e-mails. I've really been tempted to try knitting socks. I just need to decide on a pattern and what yarn I want to use.
Cruising from West Texas to California.....
" I lift up my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." Psalm 121

Knit In Public Day Coming

I have been enjoying some time off from working. I have not been knitting much yet, but I have had plenty of time to catch up on reading my favorite knitting blogs!!
I came across a site that wants to spread the news about a world-wide Knit in Public Day. The big day will be June 10th. Help promote our craft, art and passion- Tell others about this upcoming day. See Confessions of a Knit-a-holic blogger site. I will be knitting where ever I will be that day.

Not very disciplined!

I can not believe that it is May and I have not posted since December. My youngest son had some medical problems last November and then he had a few more problems in February. I spent 3 weeks off of work. I did some knitting between hospital visits. Mostly scarves and belts- easy minid-less projects. I moved back to Texas to be near my boys. I hope to have more time now to work on projects. I want to learn to knit socks by the end of the year.