PICTURES FROM OUR IOWA TRIP

The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain. She brings her food from afar. She is not afraid of snow for her household, For all her household is clothed with scarlet. Proverbs 31:11,14,and 21

Here are a few pics from our Iowa trip. I chose the verses from Proverbs because I felt they wrapped up some themes from the pictures. Picture number one is the "carrot canning operation" that my friend and I undertook! (She brings her food from afar!)These carrots came all the way from Michigan to Iowa! My friend is a true Proverbs 31 woman. She sees to it that nothing goes to waste around her household. She's very diligent to can and freeze lots of stuff for the winter and economize. It was a privilege to help her in this endeavor. We had a great time!

Picture number two was taken during the big blizzard. The winds howled all day long!

Third picture was taken along the interstate the day we drove home. Either this one or the next one was taken near Colona, Illinois. We are from COLON, Michigan!

The last "snow" picture reminds me of "Fields and Fences" because that's just what it is. I was trying to capture the lovely look that the new snowfall gave to the fields in the area. "She is not afraid of the snow, for all her household is clothed with scarlet."

The last picture is of me in the green dress--finished! This picture is taken in my living room. We arrived home safely on Thursday evening after joining the chaplaincy board in Indiana for supper. We just stopped on our way home and ate a nice meal with our fellow board members and still got home and all unpacked before 10:30 pm. That was pretty good!

While in Iowa I finished lots of projects. One was the green dress. Also finished plying all my original handspun yarn from the brown Corriedale. I finished a sampler on the way home, but decided to remove a few stitches. A quick few minutes some time will complete that. I also finished three tatted cross bookmarks and one side of the lace panel cardigan I've been knitting. It was a very productive trip for me!

The Lord's been showing me some really neat things this week as I took time to read and meditate on scriptural truths. The extra quiet time away from the normal routine was conducive to receiving some spiritual insight, I believe. I have a speaking engagement on Sunday--at our church! Pray for me if you think of it. Thanks for sharing my trip pictures. Blessings, LORI

BLIZZARD!

"Everyone arrived home safely, but what had started as a picturesque snowfall turned into a raging winter storm that continued for almost twenty-four hours dumping several feet of snow on the countryside." from "The Fields of May"

Oh, how I wish I could post some pictures! We are in a blizzard here in Iowa!We went to town (about 1 mile away) for lunch and other than that, I knitted all day. Finished one front half of the lace cardigan I've been making for years! We didn't get too much snow here where we are, but enough and then winds that are unbelievable, relentlessly gusting all day around 50 mph or more. We are hoping they quit soon so we can have decent travel back to Michigan tomorrow. Maybe if they are still coming out of the west we will be blown all the way home! The weather conditions prevented us from accepting an invitation to our friends' home tonight (40 miles from here) for pork loin sandwiches and a visit to their Wednesday evening services. I was really sorry we couldn't go. Most schools and many businesses were closed here today.

I guess our power went out today back home (no storm there yet) according to my daughter's report. I think this is the third time that's happened while we were out of state. This time it was for some unknown reason. Last year at this time an accident caused a huge gas line fire just 3 tenths mile from our house shortly after we left for Iowa. Rhiannon says she is getting tired of this scenario, since she's left home to deal with it! Thankfully the power came back on. I think the power was out when we were on our way home from Tennessee last spring as well. We considered not going home that night because of it, then it came back on. I guess we know when to leave town!

Tomorrow on the way home we will attend the Christmas dinner (in Indiana) for the chaplaincy ministry. I am anxious for that although it will mean wearing dress clothes all the way home from Iowa, oh well! Will post pictures of the blizzard and more when I get home. Blessings, LORI

FILIGREE FROM THE FIELDS

The lambs will provide your clothing, and the goats the price of a field...Proverbs 27:28

We are getting the first flakes and flurries of a winter storm here in Iowa! I headed out this morning to shop and meet a friend for lunch. I'm really glad I shopped first and not after lunch! It was really the safer option to head home after lunch!

I went to one of my favorite shops this morning. It is an antique shop that also has a yarn nook. I purchased a good amount of wonderful merino/silk wool to spin, (thus the title of this post--Filigree From the Fields--before wool becomes yarn it roams around in the field!) To think that something so beautiful as this merino was once in a "field" is interesting indeed! I intend to make a lace scarf or gloves knitted from this spun merino. That will be the "filigree from the field!" It is beautiful! I had a great conversation with the proprietresses too! What sweet ladies and such an enjoyable visit!

I hope you are having a wonderful day and will enjoy being home if you are getting caught in the snowstorm that is raging across the midwest today! Can't wait to publish pictures once again--pictures of our wonderful winter trip to Iowa!

SUNDAY ENCOURAGEMENTS

I sure wish I could show you the pictures of the lovely carrots I helped can yesterday! We did 21 quart and they looked so pretty in the jars! I drove all the way back from my friend's house alone, with no cell phone. I missed the exit I needed and had to turn around--a little scary out here where I don't really know my way around. But the Lord was with me and I got back just after dark. I really didn't want to be out several miles from where we're staying when I'm unfamiliar with the territory.

I am getting so much time to do projects while here--time I never seem to find at home! I spun last night and finished all the natural brown Corriedale roving that I had. Then I "plied" it, meaning that I twisted two strands together to make a 2-ply yarn. Got that all done with just a little brown left. I took the small bit of rose Corriedale I had spun and plied it to the rest of the brown making a bi-color that is lovely. Today I will start spinning more of the rose color. I may finish hemming the green dress as well.

It is "still" here today--very unusual. Hardly any wind. It will make my walking easier. I missed exercising yesterday and must get a walk in since we're eating too well!

Enjoyed visiting our friends' church this morning. We are getting to be "regulars" there from our many visits. I know so many now as friends and it's always good to greet the people. We went out to lunch with some dear friends from there after church and enjoyed a great time of fellowship over a very good meal.

I hope you had a really good Sunday, worshiping the Lord! The sermon we heard this morning was all about praising the Lord. It was very encouraging. A verse, Psalm 27:13 has been running through my mind for days. It says, "I would have lost heart unless I believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." Let me make a few comments on this verse. David was a man of praise. I believe his practice of entering into frequent, heartfelt praise enabled him to look beyond his circumstances to hope and believe that he would see God's goodness in the midst of the earth. It's like he is saying that he will see God's power yet in this life, not only waiting for heaven or eternity to experience God's greatness.David was a man ahead of his time. He was an Old Covenant saint who often experienced the Spirit of the Lord "upon" him. It was so different for the believer back then. The presence of the Spirit of the Lord did not indwell every believer like He does now. The Spirit came "upon" people from time to time. But David had a hope and faith that was different. He was called a man after God's own heart. I am sure this verse that he penned could be an encouragement to us today. With all the negative things that are going on in our day and age, (challenged economy, governmental issues, etc., etc.,) we could get very depressed. We need to believe that we will yet see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. I believe we do see His goodness every day if we will only be aware of it! Yet, we have hope for more and better things or we would "lose heart" as David described. Be encouraged by believing in the God of the Bible who longs to show His power on earth! Blessings from Iowa, LORI

FILIGREE THOUGHTS FROM THE PLAINS OF IOWA!

We made it to our destination in Iowa yesterday afternoon! We had a great trip and I hope to post more pics of our time here in the next few days, however our friend here says it's hard to post pictures on his computer, so we'll see. The Lord blessed us with a really good and safe trip. I slept quite a lot and then finished a couple of tatted crosses for Bible bookmarks while we rode. They make up so quickly and then I can sell them. I sold two last week. As well as quick to make, they are cheap to make as well. Very good item to sell!


I was just thrilled to learn that I could still sew while out here. My friend set up a really nice sewing machine for me. I brought the "green dress" along just in case I would have a chance to finish it. I had longed to wear it to the only Christmas party we are invited to. Next Thursday when we head home, we'll be stopping for supper in Indiana and joining the rest of the chaplaincy board for our annual dinner. Since Clint is the president of the board, we will make every effort to attend. One year we missed it due to being in Iowa and totally forgetting that we needed to be there!

The sewing went well last evening and before you know it, I was done with all but finishing details. I tried the dress on and realized I had forgotton in my "desinging" to add extra fullness to follow the curved back bodice I had re-drawn. I think I can fix it to look right and if not, it's not so bad that I can't wear it. I'll adjust the pattern on the next try. Ahhh,sewing! Ahhh,designing!

Because of the emphasis on dress design for the last few days, let me share a few verses with you that are tucked away in the Old Testament, seldom read, yet so powerful. "All the women who were gifted artisans spun yarn with their hands and brought what they had spun, of blue, purple, and scarlet, and fine linen. And all the women whose hearts stirred with wisdom spun yarn of goats' hair." Exodus 35:25-26 I love these verses for the obvious reason! I spin! Well, there are more in the next few chapters that speak of "gifted artisans" enable by the wisdom and Spirit of God to do works of great beauty for the tabernacle of God. Often as women (or people, in general) we tend to discount our contributions--things like sewing or craft making, thinking it's not really useable in the church. We wish we could sing or preach or whatever, when all the time the gifts of a seamstress or crafter or artist are an extension of the wisdom of the Lord for His service! The next time you embark on a craft project or some art project ask yourself how you can do the best possible job to glorify the Lord, knowing He has gifted you with talent! As a church, we need to begin once again to recognize and use the talents of the artisans in our midst. The world certainly rewards the artists, swallowing up their offerings and often distorting them for wordly pursuits. Shall we not "reclaim" art for the church? Think about it!

The weather that met us here was very cold and windy. It's a dry type of cold that we're not used to in Michigan. I'll be piling on the chapstick and mositurizers as well as trying to condition and control my hair while here! I notice it every year and the dryness has to be combatted. I love the open fields here and how you can see for quite a distance. The farms are so neat and pretty. I hope you are having a lovely week and will enjoy a great weekend filled with friends, family, and a trip to church! Blessings, LORI