My Everything Quilt

December 9, Moriah turned 18! My baby! I remember when she was Claire's age, 1; seems like yesterday. Hannah and Connor got engaged December 14! What a happy couple! Don't know that I'm exactly ready to let her go, though. Then on Monday, December 16, Hannah graduated from college. It has been a very exciting month so far, to say the least!

"Prayer is always an open door. There is no predicament in which you cannot pray. If, like Jonah, you are at the bottom of the ocean and the weeds are wrapped around your head, you may still pray. If you are between the jaws of the lion, you may still pray. Prayer is a weapon that can be used in every position and every conflict. Do not look to the arm of flesh (2 Chr. 32:8), but look to the Lord your God." ~ Beside Still Waters

O changeless God, under the conviction of thy Spirit I learn that the more I do, the worse I am, the more I know, the less I know, the more holiness I have, the more sinful I am, the more I love, the more there is to love. O wretched man (woman) that I am! ~ The Valley of Vision

Loving this cooler weather. Fall is definitely in the air. The leaves are changing and falling to the ground, making piles of brown and orange and yellow. There is a crispness to the air that only comes in the fall. The Mist and All ~Dixie Wilson I like the fall, The mist and all. I like the night owl's Lonely call- And wailing sound Of wind around. I like the gray November day, And bare, dead boughs That coldly sway Against my pane. I like the rain. I like to sit And laugh at it- And tend My cozy fire a bit. I like the fall- The mist and all.-

September 11, 2001. The title to this entry is a song by Alan Jackson written after the events of 9/11. Where were you when you heard about the attack? Will you ever forget that day? I was actually still in bed when my daughter came to my room and told me that a plane had just crashed into the World Congress Center. What? Honey, that's physically not possible. Yes, Mom, it's true! So, I climb out of bed and go downstairs where the girls are watching TV. Sure enough, a plane had crashed into a building. Only, it's not the World Congress Center. It's the World Trade Center! Unbelievable! For the next few minutes as we watch and listen to the commentators on TV, not real sure themselves what is happening, all of a sudden another plane is spotted in the sky headed straight for the other World Trade Center tower. We watch, horrified, as this plane smashes into the tower and fire erupts, debris flying everywhere. This is bizarre to say the least. I was standing on my ...

It is just way too quiet around this house this morning! Rebekah is at work, Hannah is at work, and Moriah is at work (well, it is volunteer work, but she does have to work). Rebekah was able to get a job only a couple weeks after passing her state board exam. She did not get the job at Scottish Rite Children's Hospital like she thought she wanted. Her job is at a medical office complex. She will be doing a variety of jobs there. So far, she is enjoying learning all the new ways to use her nursing training. Hannah is in her last semester of college, an internship. She was able to find a place to do her internship that also wanted to hire her. So, she is being paid to do her internship! Nice! Today is her first day in her first job! David is home this week, but he does not make much noise doing his work. So, it is very quiet. I am still going through the schoolwork trying to clean out and declutter. I am making progress, but slow progress. I keep wanting the transition to happ...

"Destroy, O God, the dark guest within whose hidden presence makes my life a hell. Yet thou has not left me here without grace; the cross still stands and meets my needs in the deepest straits of the soul. I thank thee that my remembrance of it is like David's sight of Goliath's sword which preached forth thy deliverance. The memory of my great sins, my many temptations, my falls, bring afresh into my mind the remembrance of thy great help, of thy support from heaven, of the great grace that saved such a wretch as I am. There is no treasure so wonderful as that continuous experience of thy grace toward me which alone can subdue the risings of sin within: give me more of it." ~from The Valley of Vision

"His humble, grateful, confessional, and intercessory prayer life kept him in a close relationship with his Lord and drove every aspect of his private thoughts and public ministry." ~ John Newton-From Disgrace to Amazing Grace by Jonathan Aitken What a testimony! The book is a biography of Newton, not just the song "Amazing Grace." However, the true story of "Amazing Grace" told in the book is interesting, to say the least.

May the mind of Christ my Savior Live in me from day to day By His love and power controlling All I do and say May the Word of God dwell richly In my heart from hour to hour So that all may see I triumph Only through His power May the love of Jesus fill me As the waters fill the sea Him exalting, self abasing This is victory May I run the race before me Strong and brave to face the foe Looking only unto Jesus As I onward go ~Arthur Gould/Kate Wilkinson

Rebekah now has 2 degrees, Deborah has 1 and is married, Leah has a degree and is married, and Hannah will graduate college in December. Moriah will be a senior in high school in the fall, so my homeschooling days are basically over. Now it is finally time for the clean out of home school stuff. I saved every paper, and I mean every paper, my girls wrote on during their years of homeschool. I am not just talking research type papers, I am talking daily work, tests, learning to write, rewrites, book reports, schedules, you name it-if they wrote on it, I saved it. I have rather enjoyed it, to be honest.  Reliving those days through these papers I realized just how busy I really was then. I did a lot of work in those days! Teaching, planning, making up tests, grading papers, not to mention taking care of the ones not old enough for school. Then there was the housework, cooking, taking girls to gymnastics, or dance; the occasional field trips, doctors appointments (and with 5 ...

Sweet Claire is now one year old! My goodness, I thought the saying "time flies" was true when raising my own children, but watching these grandbabies grow up it is unbelievable how fast "time flies." Claire is such a precious little thing. She is just now taking those much anticipated first steps. She is also becoming more vocal these days! She lets you know she wants something, and now! It is so fun to watch Amelia with Claire. But I must admit sometimes I fear for the poor little thing! Amelia's love can sometimes be life-threatening, if you know what I mean! But it is very cute to see Amelia try to help Claire along, and Claire is trying her best to keep up! Happy Birthday, sweet Claire! This Gramma loves you very much, little Sugar Bug!

As I look at the cards my daughters gave me for Mother's Day, they are as different as my daughters. Mo goes for the one that is blatantly obvious and makes you chuckle because it is so true! Hannah's goal is to bring tears to my eyes; and she usually does! Deborah's is full of praiseworthy adjectives; it makes me think of her busy life! Rebekah likes her cards to be pretty; so her card spells out MOM in big, lacy pink letters! No matter what the cards look like or say, I know my daughters love me. I had been ill for the whole week leading up to Mother's Day. My girls waited on me, encouraged me to rest, cooked for me, went to the store for me; I did not have to lift a finger all week. Taking care of me all week was truly the best "Mother's Day" I could have received. I have been blessed to have such loving children. Each one has grown into a beautiful young lady, inside and out. I am so thankful to be called their mother.

In March, we celebrated the 85th birthday of my mother-in-law. She is one special lady. She does not like attention on herself, so the party was a  little stressful for her. However, once everyone sat down and she was able to visit with people one-on-one she was more comfortable. Deborah and I prepared the table decorations for the party (which was a joint effort between the family she works for, Dyches Construction, and us). We decided to go with a nostalgia theme. So, we went antiques shopping, of course. Shopping for the items we wanted was so fun for me. I found so many items that brought up memories of my own childhood and my grandparents. We also came across several items I still own! I guess some things are just timeless. Gran has gone through a lot the last several years. She is a breast cancer survivor, which is amazing! She has issues with her heart from time to time. She does take care of herself, though. She walks regularly with a neighbor. She has a healt...

I am reading a book by Elyse Fitzpatrick called Comforts from Romans . The more I read Romans the more I am totally amazed at our great God and the more I want to worship Him. From chapter 5: v. 6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. v.8-10 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Mind boggling! God in His infinite wisdom, provided a way for sinful man to be reconciled to Himself through the sacrificial death of His only Son, His perfectly obedient Son, His sinless Son. He poured out His wrath for sin on His beloved. Jesus, who has always been and will always be, who created mankind, humbled Himself, took on th...

"Gramma is my favorite." ~spoken by Miss Amelia Jane Parker, Thursday, March 14, 2013 Just in case anyone ever asks!

O great God of highest heav'n Occupy my lowly heart Own it all and reign supreme Conquer every rebel pow'r Let no vice or sin remain That resists Your holy war You have loved and purchased me Make me Yours forever more I was blinded by my sin Had no ears to hear Your voice Did not know Your love within Had no taste for heaven's joys Then Your Spirit gave me life Opened up Your word to me Through the gospel of Your Son Gave me endless hope and peace Help me now to live a life That's dependent on Your grace Keep my heart and guard my soul From the evils that I face You are worthy to be praised With my every thought and deed O great God of highest heav'n Glorify Your Name through me You are worthy to be praised With my every thought and deed O great God of highest heav'n Glorify Your Name through me ~Sovereign Grace Praise

Genesis 28:10-17      Then Jacob departed from Beersheba and went toward Haran. He came to a certain place and spent the night there, because the sun had set; and he took one of the stones of the place and put it under his head,and lay down in that place. He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have prom...

To set times for God to answer prayer is always wrong. He who gives has the right to choose the time of the gift. ~ Beside Still Waters

Parts of Isaiah 40 v.7 & 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people are grass.  The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. v. 12-14 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and marked off the heavens by the span, and calculated the dust of the earth by the measure, and weighed the mountains in a balance and the hills in a pair of scales? Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or as His counselor has informed Him? With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge and informed Him of the way of understanding? v. 18-26 To whom then will you liken  God? Or what likeness will you compare with Him? As for the idol, a craftsman casts it, a goldsmith plates it with gold, and a silversmith fashions chains of silver. He who is too impoverished for such an offering selects a tree that does not rot; ...

I will glory in my Redeemer, whose priceless blood has ransomed me. Mine was the sin that drove the bitter nails and hung Him on the judgment tree. I will glory in my Redeemer, who crushed the power of sin and death. My only Savior before the holy Judge, the Lamb Who is my righteousness, the Lamb Who is my righteousness. I will glory in my Redeemer. My life He bought, my love He owns. I have no longings for another; I'm satisfied with Him alone. I will glory in my Redeemer. His faithfulness, my standing place. Though foes are mighty and rush up on me; my feet are firm, held by His grace, my feet are firm, held by His grace. I will glory in my Redeemer, who carries me on eagle's wings. He crowns my life with loving-kindness,; His triumph song I'll ever sing. I will glory in my Redeemer, who waits for me at gates of gold; and when he calls me it will be paradise, His face forever to behold, His face forever to behold. ~Sovereign Grace Worship

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness; I dare not trust my sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand. When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace. In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil. On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand. His oath, His covenant, His blood, support me in the whelming flood. When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my Hope and Stay. On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand. When He shall come with trumpet sound, Oh may I then in Him be found. Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne. On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, All other ground ...

He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?~Romans 8:32 God, who is sufficiently concerned about me to send His Son to die on the cross of Calvary for me, is not going to let me down when any difficulty or temptation faces me. ~Walking with God Day by Day by Martyn Lloyd-Jones for February 4

My last child now has a driver's license. I knew this day would come, and it is a bit freeing for me, but... So many of the things in my life are coming to an end this year. I now have no more children that I have to teach to drive. First thing Moriah said when we got in the car after she passed her driver's test was that I am no longer in instructor mode, now I am in critique mode. As nice as that sounds, to me it is just another "last" I will be going through over the next few months.  Sure, it will be nice to have another person to send to the store for a few items when I don't want to get out. And it will be nice that she can take herself to dance and bring herself home instead of having to stop whatever I may be doing in order to make the run. I'm sure she will be glad not to have to rely on having someone be able to take her where she wants/needs to go. However, while her world is opening up for her, mine is going through another closing. I am reli...

Complete in Thee, no work of mine could take, oh Lord, the place of Thine.  Thy blood has pardon bought for me, and I shall stand complete in Thee. I'm justified, oh blessed thought, and sanctified, salvation wrought. Thy blood has pardon bought for me, and glorified, I, too, shall be. Complete in Thee, each need supplied, and no good thing to me denied. Since Thou my portion, Lord, will be, I ask no more, complete in Thee. I'm justified, oh blessed thought, and sanctified, salvation wrought. Thy blood has pardon bought for me, and glorified, I, too, shall be. Complete in Thee, no more to sin; Thy grace has conquered; reign within. Thy blood shall bid the tempter flee, and I shall stand complete in Thee. I'm justified, oh blessed thought, and sanctified, salvation wrought. Thy blood has pardon bought for me, and glorified, I, too, shall be. And when before the Judge shall stand, uncovered, ev'ry tribe and land; among the chosen I shall be, on Thy right hand,...

Here it is another new year. I do not usually make new year resolutions. I try to begin new habits, for the good, of course. But a long term resolution has never really worked out for me.  There are many things I would like to do differently. I would like to be a better mother and wife. I would like to devote more time to Bible study and prayer. I would like to spend more time with my friends. I would really like to get more scrapbook work done (I am several years behind!). I would love to spend more time with my grandbabies. So, when I look back on this year I hope some of these things took place. We'll see!