Where are you? Yoo Hoo . . .Where are you?

I've been in a dry place lately.  Since we moved into this house, I have not been able to get my morning prayer routine going.  I've been walking in the mornings and I've talked to God sporadically during that time - in between planning my wardrobe purchases and thinking about what else I need to do to finish decorating the house.  (no, I haven't asked God's opinion about my wardrobe!!)   I've thanked God for the amazing stars and awesome moon and for the sunrises that I've seen.  I've been to Mouat Chapel several times to get on my knees.  I've pulled the chair cushion off the chair in the living room and knelt there to pray.  I've walked around our house and laid hands on the door frame and dining room table and sofa and prayed for our Tuesday night group.  BUT I haven't had that regular time with God everyday.  I've even said, "Where are you?  Are you there?" several times . . .and then I always remember the old saying, "God is still there, you are the one who moved."  Pretty cliche but seems to be true in my life.

This Tuesday night, Julie - one of our wonderful young adults - talked about her journal in our discussion.  Actually, she doesn't know this, but GOD spoke through Julie.  I have always kept a prayer journal.  I have not been lately.

Last night, I stopped at the store and bought a composition notebook (I wanted a pretty hardbound book but they didn't have any and I was too tired to go anywhere else!)  I bought two new pens.  (I had to have the right supplies!!)

So this morning, I got up at 5:00 and got dressed and walked my 1.8 mile route (it was COLD!).  I even tried to cut my walk short by telling God that I needed time to pray - don't you think he chuckled over that one!  I finished my walk and came inside.  I opened my Bible and read a chapter from Matthew and then I began to pray (and write!).  Peace descended upon me as I thanked God for numerous things.  I poured out my heart onto a piece of notebook paper.

I thank God that he is always there . . .and that he patiently waits for us.

Fall vacation project - finally completed!!

I don't sit still well.  I need to have a book to read or a project for my hands.  Usually when we go to the beach, I pack several projects.  One year I took all of my recipes and plastic sleeves and a giant binder and organized my recipes.  Last year, I took all the supplies and made the prayer vigil poster for an Emmaus Walk.  One year, I took lots of scrapbooking supplies and completed multiple lay-outs.  This year . . . I took no supplies.

What?  What?  No supplies?  What was I thinking?  I wasn't thinking.  Working five days a week is kicking my butt and I was so desperate for a vacation that I packed a bathing suit and some shorts and t-shirts and toiletries.  No craft supplies.

So . . .I realized after the first day that I was going to have to get a project.  I can only watch so much tv and I was already reading a lot while we were outside.  We went to Walmart and I purchased felt squares in fall colors, scissors, pins, needles, dmc floss in same colors as felt squares, and glittery letters.

This was my work space at the beach . . .and I also carried some supplies around the condo with me!  Oh - back to the glittery letters . . .what?  Well, I usually have patterns of some sort.  Laura, my daughter, can free-hand . . .I can't.  Since "Happy Fall Y'all" has lots of the same letters, I just bought some foam letters that you would stick on the wall or a poster and used those as my pattern.

I figured out the pattern of colors that I wanted to use and cut out all the letters.  I cut the felt squares in half and made an inverted "v" cut at the bottom to make the banner squares.  I then pinned the felt letter to the felt square and used a long running stitch in a coordinating color to sew on the letters.

I cut two tiny slits in the top of each square and ran an orange ribbon through to connect the banner.  I simply used thumb tacks to tack the ribbon to the bottom edge of the mantel.

Forgive this picture - I moved right as I snapped . . a simple white thumbtack under the edge of the mantel.

I had a lot of fun making this fall banner - I may need to go back and add an apostrophe to "y'all" - that may bother me!!