NEW BABY PICTURES AND MORE ABOUT THE RUBY SLIPPER INCIDENT!

Here are some of the newest pictures of our "little girls!"--grandgirls, that is! Emma Rose holds her new baby sister, Sophia Truth! I think Sophia looks just like my own daughter did. She shares Rhiannon's birthday too! That's probably just a proud granny's opinion, but it just seemed when we compared baby pictures that there was a huge similarity! Emma looked just like her daddy's baby pictures!I guess she is thought to look alot like Kori's baby pictures as well from what I hear! We are so blessed! Sophia was the first baby born in our county in 2010! That makes her the county's first baby of the decade! A nice lady from the local paper came to the hospital and interviewed Kori and JT. We hurried Emma over to get photographed in the picture for the paper. It appeared on the front page the next day with a nice article. They even mentioned that I had a New Year's baby, but that we didn't win the prizes since we were the second birth that year and not the first (1984). I also had a great nephew that was born on January 3rd and was the New Year's baby at the hospital in his town. The article mentioned that Sophia was carrying on a family tradition!

Life has been really busy around here lately. While Sophia was in the hospital we kept Emma at our house. I was reminded how a 2 year old can alter your activities! I think alot about being young again and had the opportunity to relive some of the activities of my youth (taking care of toddlers) once again last week! I admit, I don't know how I did it back then! I took care of two little ones and kept a decently clean house, washed with a wringer washer, used cloth diapers, baked alot and did most things the hard way. Now I found that it took me, Rhiannon, my mom, and Clint just to keep everything in order with a good set of new appliances and conveniences! Wow, how times change! Could it be I'm just out of practice! Hats off to the young moms among us! Your job is a big one!

Just a few little news updates since I haven't posted in a while. Tomorrow night we are hosting at our church a sportsman's banquet complete with a wonderful speaker and lots of really nice door prizes. My husband has been organizing this event for months and we are at an attendance of about 94 men as it now stands! Most are from other churches, but this will be a huge event for us. I will be decorating the tables tomorrow, hopefully before the caterer gets there to set up the food. Our son and some friends will be acting as the "all guy" worship team for the big event. I have some interesting ideas for table decor and if I can pull it off in style, I'll post pictures on the next blog!

I hope you noticed the new picture I posted on my profile. It was taken during our trip to Tennessee. I kind of liked it and thought it would be a nice little change.

CHAPTER 8--THE RUBY SLIPPER INCIDENT

Last time I wrote I told you about the brown paper package that was handed to me by a lady who was from the church where we were ministering. I was back in our tiny, triangle shaped room when I decided to open the box. I read the little letter attached. It indicated the names and ages of this lady's children and declared this gift to be a "seed" gift. For those who may not understand seed-giving, it is the practice of believing that your giving plants a seed that will grow, produce, and be harvested according to your own needs. This lady was believing in faith that by giving her best gift she would be investing in someone and her own needs would then be supplied. It touched my heart to realize her sacrifice.

Now, I'd like to tell you that when I opened the box I was really fully aware of the significance of the gift, but still being in the throes of extreme tiredness, homesickness, and culture shock, I didn't catch the Lord's obvious intervention when I reached in and pulled out a very bright red pair of used ladies' high heels!!!!!!! My first words to Clint were, "What will I do with a pair of red dress shoes?" DUH!!!! Being no Cinderella, my wide feet probably would never have fit these shoes, I was thinking. Why didn't I see the hand of God intervening to touch me with assurance of my own return home? I don't think I even remembered my remark about needing a pair of ruby slippers! Well, we don't always make the connections that ought to be obvious. It reminded me to be a little easier on those Biblical characters that always seemed to be missing the obvious! BUT...there's more to the story....Blessings, LORI

A PROJECT FINISHING EFFORT!

FOR WHICH OF YOU INTENDING TO BUILD A TOWER, DOES NOT SIT DOWN FIRST AND COUNT THE COST, WHETHER HE HAS ENOUGH TO FINISH IT--LEST AFTER HE HAS LAID THE FOUNDATION, AND IS NOT ABLE TO FINISH, ALL WHO SEE IT BEGIN TO MOCK HIM, SAYING, 'THIS MAN BEGAN TO BUILD AND WAS NOT ABLE TO FINISH.' Luke 13:28-30

I realize these verses apply to much more than my needlework projects, but I was reminded of them in thinking of the need to finish some stuff I've started!

I am trying to learn to finish the things I start. Enjoying all kinds of needlework so much, it's hard not to try some new pattern or project even before the old ones are finished. Over the holidays (so far) I've gotten a few things "wrapped up." I started the back of the white cardigan I have been making for far too long! Also got the first yarn I spun all plied and put in skeins. You see that in the picture. I tatted a few crosses for bookmarks as well. The one pictured is an original pattern-a little filigree from the fingers!

It's a good discipline to finish what you start. I am trying to discipline myself in this area. As well as the projects I just mentioned, I finished a western shirt and vest for Clint. That was a Christmas gift I finished at the last minute! Also I put together a floor book complete with buttons, zippers, and buckles for Emma to play with. So lots of projects got finished just recently and wow, am I glad! Time to look forward to a new year AND the new addition that is soon to arrive--our new granddaughter--due any day! Will keep you posted.

THE RUBY SLIPPER INCIDENT-CHAPTER 6

In the last chapter, I told you about the day I felt the Lord spoke to me, trying to comfort me about my time in Africa. You would think that should have been enough for anyone. Though it helped, I still felt a little "jittery," and homesick. I remember one day standing in our little hotel room, maybe the same morning, I can't remember, and clicking my heels together and saying to Clint, "I wish I had a pair of those ruby slippers." This smart aleck remark was to let him know I was ready and anxious to return home. We had just moved into our new house only a few months before our trip and my thoughts were distracted by wishing I was home unpacking the boxes, fixing things up, etc. Also I was concerned about the kids. I was just really longing for home in a lot of ways.

He just smiled at me knowing I was referring to the incident where Dorothy clicked her heels together in The Wizard of OZ and instantly returned home! That was a favorite movie for me as a child. As the week wore on and we continued to work and fellowship with the people. I think I began to relax a bit more while still thinking alot about the everything back home.....and then something very interesting happened....there's more to this story....stay tuned! Blessings, LORI