"Hats Off" To My Inspiration...

Once a month,

Usually on a Thursday morning...

My 93 year old parents would eat their breakfast

 and  then head for the hospital...

Dad...to the coumadin clinic

to get his blood checked...

And mama...to the maternity ward...

To deliver more knitted hats.

You see, mama loved to

knit sweet little hats 

for all the newborn babies...

And even at 93 years old...

she could finish a hat a day

most days...

Two weeks ago today...

after a brief illness...

Mama went home to be with the Lord...

Perhaps...at another time...

I will write more about this incredible lady...

whose smile lit up my whole world...

But for now...the hurt is too close...

Dad gave me mama's knitting bag...

The one I had made for her years ago...

Inside was the last infant hat she was working on...

So...how could I not honor this amazing woman

who taught me so much...

except to pick up her stitches

and carry on her tradition...

"Her children arise up, and call her blessed; 

her husband also, and he praiseth her.

Many daughters have done virtuously,

 but thou excellest them all..."

Proverbs 31: 28-29 

The oldest and the youngest...

Because We're Family...

Yesterday...

A beautiful morning in the harbor...

Just the perfect day for an overnight trip...

to attend a girls' high school basketball game...

Joshua and Daniel arose early

and set out on their 6 + hour journey

across two states...

Why, you ask???

Because we're family.

My grandniece, Hannah,

was playing in the Vermont 

Girls' Basketball High School 

Championship game...

Hannah is in green...she's a point guard...

Her dad, Shawn, is the coach...

And Josh and Dan wanted to be there...

The opposing team was an amazing group 

of young ladies...

They had not lost a game in the past 4 years

including the state championships...

 

Hannah's team was ranked #10 

at the end of the season 

with 11 wins and 11 losses...

Just to make it this far

was an incredible accomplishment

for these determined young ladies...

And Joshua and Daniel had to be there

to support and encourage their cousin...

Joshua, cousin Noah, and Daniel...Comet Strong!

Because that's what families do...

How important is it for us to remember, however,

that although we belong to a biological family

that we should love and support...

Those of us who profess the name of Christ

as our Lord and Saviour

also belong to another family...

And we need to be there for that family

as well...

There are so many wonderful ways

we can support our other "family"...

A meal for someone feeling poorly...

Help with a project around the home...

A visit to someone who lives alone...

and most importantly...

keeping family members in our  daily prayers...

Hannah's team played an incredible game...

And were proud to accept the 2nd place trophy...

Because they had played "as a family..." 

 " As we have therefore opportunity, 

let us do good unto all men, 

especially unto them who are of the household of faith..."

Galatians 6:10

 

Iron Sharpens Iron...

They said you could see forever from the top!

 My sons get together several times a week...

taking walks...hanging out...

encouraging and supporting each another
in the things of the Lord...

courtesy of TripAdvisor

Yesterday was a gorgeous day here in Maine...

So they hiked Mt. Battie...

Just to talk...

Iron Sharpening Iron.

courtesy of TripAdvisor

Speaking of iron...

I was at home catching up on some ironing

when I noticed that my iron really could

use a cleaning.

Using a 1/4 cup white vinegar in the water reserve

and then steaming it out always does the trick for me!

I like using distilled water in my iron...

After that, I noticed that my ironing board cover

had really seen better days...

I'm quite embarrassed to show it to you! (smile)

Looks like it was time for a new one!

So easy to make...

I just picked out two pieces of fabric 

from my "stash..."

I placed one of the pieces of fabric

on the floor, turned the ironing board

upside down, and traced around the 

edge with a marker...

I cut about 3 inches larger than the tracing...

I then placed this piece on top of the other piece,
right sides together,
and cut the second piece.

With right sides together I pinned the 

material and then sewed around it

using a 1/2 inch seam allowance 

and leaving about 3 inches for turning...

I planned to leave the current pad on

the ironing board as padding...

If I hadn't I would have cut a piece

of batting the same size and sandwiched

it with the other 2 pieces...

I turned the cover right sides out...

Pressed it and then top stitched close to 

the edge of the pad...being careful not

to stitch over the opening!

I then stitched another line about a 1/2 inch

from the top stitching...

Taking my bodkin...

(which is such a handy dandy tool!) 

I fed some leftover twine I had through

the casing I had made...

Ta Da! 

I put in on the board...

Pulled the strings tightly...

and tied them!

I just love the proverb that speaks of

"iron sharpening iron..."

I always find that gathering together with friends and family 
in the Lord’s name is such a wonderful blessing. 
The Lord Himself promised this means of grace...

 ^"For where two or three are gathered together in My name, 
I am there in the midst of them.”
Matthew 18:20

We also discover in the book of Malachi
 that the Lord is among and listening to those
who fear Him ...
and to those who talk together
about the things of God...

 "Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another,
And the Lord listened and heard them..."
Malachi 3:16 

How wonderful to know
that when we "sharpen" one another
in Christian fellowship...
God is listening...and it pleases Him...
and brings Him glory...


courtesy of TripAdvisor

  ^"Iron sharpeneth iron; 
so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend..."
Proverbs 27:17