This Week's Verse: Mark 10:27

Textiles

I am a stitcher. I currently create counted cross stitch projects.

My stitching life began in first grade. Literally. For some reason our first grade teacher, Mrs. Betty Kerns taught all of us first graders to knit. I love to knit, but haven't picked up knitting needles in over thirty years. I keep meaning to take a refresher course and take it up again, but I have too many counted cross stitch patterns to make first.

I learned to embroider when I was nine years old. My maternal grandmother, Mae Ammerman taught me how. I loved to embroider. Especially with variegated threads!

My next foray into the needle arts was needlepoint. I enjoyed needle point throughout my teens and early twenties. This was accompanied by a brief obsession with latch hook (I have a box of latch hook projects I made and I can't bring myself to throw them out, but I really don't want to keep them. Any suggestions?)

Then I discovered counted cross stitch. I don't even remember how I came upon this craft. I was hooked. I've been cross stitching every since (except for the ten year break I took to raise my kids from 1990-2000).

I have also dabbled in quilting. I like to quilt, but since I use the hand piece, hand quilt method it's starting to be difficult. Because I have old eyes and old hands.

The one needle art that has eluded me is crochet. My grandmas (both of them) crocheted and tried to teach me how multiple times. My problem is that I stitch too tightly. No matter what, I could not relax the tension of my stitches. So I gave up.

Since I can't crochet, my mission in life is to rescue as many crochet doilies as is humanly possible at Goodwill, garage sales, estate sales and antique shops. I also pin crocheted items on Pinterest. A lot.

While I wish I could crochet, and I do occasionally think about giving it a try again, I can't get past the dozens of cross stitch patterns I need to stitch first. So, here are some photos of what I would crochet if I could crochet.

   

   

   

Official Three Month Photo

As you may remember, last month I whined a bit about my Official Photos with Blizzard. Nevertheless I decided to try again this month.

Such a handsome boy! I will be with him in a few weeks and I can't wait to hold him. I love you, Blizzard!

This Week's Verse: Psalm 31:24

This Week's Verse: 1 Corinthians 4:20

He is Risen!

The Crucifixion

I remember as a child wondering why the day Christ was crucified was called "Good Friday". What was good about it? Of course as I grew, I came to realize the the "good" is the hope of the resurrection. 

As we go about our busy lives today, let's pause to thank God for His Son Jesus. For His sacrifice on the cross. For the hope of the resurrection.

Luke 23:26-47 NIV

The Crucifixion of Jesus

26 As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then

“‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!”
    and to the hills, “Cover us!”’

31 For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”

36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”

38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.

39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

The Death of Jesus

44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”[e] When he had said this, he breathed his last.

47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” 48 When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. 49 But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.