Learning New Things

Ask and you shall receive! I know that is Biblical and sometimes it is just so hard to ask. As a parent I know how much I would truly love to give to my children. I would not wish for bad things to happen to them nor would I give them something to intentionally harm them. Doesn't the Heavenly Father have so much that he would desire to bless us with? I am trying on this journey through life to learn to walk a little closer to God as he is always there for me. It is I who neglects to seek this close walk. I become distracted, disheartened, and sometimes I forget that he is just a prayer away.

My brain went to this thought of ask and you shall receive as I was reading a Blog by an Etsy seller whose shop is called ennadoolf you can find this shop at www.ennadoolf.etsy.com I have been seeing these great displays of Etsy shops on blogs but did not know how to put this feature on my blog. I left a comment on her blog asking how this is done. Within a very short period of time she sent me a note that gave a complete helpful explanation to walk me through the steps of setting up this feature. Guess what? It worked! I think that for the most part people want to help eachother. I want to believe firmly that there is a lot of good in this world to be found. It isn't always easy to ask another for help. I'm just thankful that there are many good hearts who are willing to step in if we just ask. I guess I'll be working on that skill. And many thanks to ennadoolf!

Fire Treasury

This bright orange scarf made a Treasury on Etsy yesterday. I am on the Etsy Knitters Team and I will receive an email when there is a new Treasury that the team has items in. I always try to look these up so that I can leave a comment as an encouragement. It is so much fun for me to do this. As I was paging down to look at the entire Treasury....Surprise....my scarf was included in it! Happy dance! I tried to put the direct link in for you to see this. I don't know if my computer skills will be enough to accomplish this. Treasuries are only up for a limited number of days but if you have time try to give a peek at this because the person that put it together did such an outstanding job. All of the bright orange and red is really so beautiful to see. It reminds me of a gorgeous sunset.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=53596

If I Gained The World

This day has been such a mix of joys and sorrows. I've joined the world of Facebook and Twittering and I have been interested in the variety of contacts this brings. The familiar faces of friends and family that I don't see very often. This is definitely in the joy department! The chase of more followers and their tweets. Sorry, Larry and Ashton, I'm just not even tempted to keep up in this race though it does make for a time of fun distraction. There was a tweet today that led me to the blog of a grieving mother. Her son took his life about two weeks ago and she is blogging in an effort to work through the grief and to hopefully help others to not go through this type of tragic loss. The tweet about this blog was from a woman that attended the same church as the grieving family. One life lost is not just one life touched the sorrow builds out in rings like when a pebble is tossed into water. One life touching another, touching another. As a mother I can't help but think what if it was my child? My daughter walked a little too close to the fire during a recent bout of depression. Thankfully, I have been able to witness a healing that is none other than a miracle that happened during a time with her father and I and two dear Pastors named Scott and Dan who took the time to fervently pray over her. I'm not saying that the answer is always this simple, I know full well that there are times where counseling and or medication, or hospitalization is needed. It is a true neglect as a Christian if I assaulted with the pray and pull yourself together attitude! But likewise it would be a disservice to God if I did not share that I have been a witness that God does still deliver miracles and healing. While together with our daughter we were able to grieve with her about things that have happened in her past, to feel her pain as she struggles with a debilitating chronic illness and to laugh with her as the depression left her and the transformation on her face and the laughter that bubbled out of her was a true miracle that took place right before our eyes. The joy of the Holy Spirit working in her life!

Life is so full of joy and sorrow and the contrast today has been evident to me in so many ways. I was able to look at my grandson's photos as he is savoring his first bites of sweet potatoes with as much or possibly more ending up on his face than in his stomach. I laughed with joy as I was able to enlarge the photo and see that his hair is coming in about the same color as the sweet potatoes on his face. Yes, this definitely falls into the joy department!

I am a little weary tonight. I have been working a lot lately with both of my Etsy sites. I have had two more unexpected treasuries featuring my work. I am so delighted with this and I pray that it brings in sales. Yet as I work I find that I am focusing so much on this that sometimes it makes me feel very driven. And I feel the rush of excitement with the Treasuries and then the excitement of a sale which can be followed by many days of hearing nothing and no sales. Excitement/Disappointment all emotions. I had decided it was time tonight to stop working, to take a hot bath, read a good book, and listen to a new CD titled "The Longing" by Alberto and Kimberly Rivera. As I was reading my book titled "If I Gained the World" written by my new favorite author, Linda Nichols, I came upon the words of an old hymn.

"If I gained the world but lost the Savior,
Would my gain be worth the lifelong strife?
Are all earthly pleasures worth comparing
For a moment with a Christ-filled life?
Had I wealth and love in fullest measure,
And a name revered both far and near.
Yet no hope beyond, no harbor waiting
Where my storm-tossed vessel I could steer.
If I gained the world but lost the Savior
Who endured the cross and died for me,
Could then all the world afford a refuge
Whither in my anguish I might flee?"

That beautiful hymn will be the end to this day and accompany my thoughts as I fall asleep.

Treasury for Nanna's Knitting

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=52119

I opened up my Nanna's Knitting mail today and found to my delight that I have been included in a treasury! This is just so exciting for me. It is a pretty gloomy looking day weather wise today. But all sunshine inside from this joy!

Messy Life?

Last week as I was writing in this blog I asked if I could introduce you to the Savior of my messy life. Do you ever have that messy life feeling? I don't have it all together. Harmful words come out of my mouth sometimes that I just can't erase. Sometimes as I flip through the channels on TV there is the temptation to watch something that just has no place in my life. Some people annoy me and it seems just a little too hard to love my neighbor. You know the term the month is a little too long and the paycheck too short? When that happens I get anxious instead of turning it over to my Savior and allowing him to provide for me. And anger, bitterness, hanging onto something that I should have forgiven, yes that sometimes takes place in my heart and it should never be allowed to be there. Is your life ever making you weary? Is anxiety attacking at night as you sit and watch the news? Do you ever have that empty yearning feeling in your gut and you just can't figure out what it will take to make you feel whole? Believe me I know messy! Asking Jesus Christ into your life as your Savior does not keep life from giving you a few bumps as you journey through it, but he does give you a reason to get up in the morning, a true 24/7, 365 days a year guarantee for a lifetime plus the hereafter promise to cling to.

"Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. I was so foolish and ignorant-I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you. But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do." Psalm 73: 21-28

Yes, I know messy. But I also know and love a Savior that has promised never to leave me or forsake me. A Savior that loved me enough to suffer agonizing brutality and die hanging on a cross because he loved you and me enough to take our sins to that cross. If you feel the need for a Savior who will walk with you through this journey of a messy life, who will hold you close if anxiety tries to attack you late at night, who will give you a brand new start like jumping into the shower filthy and stepping out of it freshly clean. Then these are the steps that you can take to receive this. All you need to do is ask. Jesus will never force his way in.
1. Acknowledge that your life has an empty yearning inside and that you have sinned.
2. Ask Jesus into your life. Ask him to forgive your sins.
3. Believe that Jesus is true and trustworthy and that through his death on the cross and then
his resurrection he has given you a new life.
4. Thank him! It is time to celebrate!

First Treasury Selection

I am so excited this item was selected from my Jewelry shop to be in a Treasury. This is the first time one of my items has been chosen. So when I received the email message that this was chosen I did my happy dance. It was a very good feeling!

Chosen for my first Treasury

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=50204

I came home on Friday to an email message that told me that one of my jewelry items had been selected for a Treasury. I was so excited that I did a little happy dance. So I wanted to share this. I hope you enjoy!

EtsyKnitters’ Spring Scavenger Hunt

This week, I am so excited to announce the EtsyKnitters Team Spring Scavenger Hunt!

We have a grand total of 31 Etsy shops participating, each offering BOGO specials, discounts of 10-15-20% on purchases, and/or free shipping, and/or charitable donations from their sales!

The eye candy clues on the official Hunt page are worth the trip alone. Wow, it’s really an honor to be a member of such a creative & talented group of knitters! (Learn more about the EtsyKnitters team.)

The Spring Scavenger Hunt is a simple concept:

1. Find any 10 items in the EtsyKnitters’ stores, using the gallery of photo clues we’ve provided.
2. Send us the 10 item numbers matched with the Etsy store where you found them, using our easy online Entry Form.
3. You’ll get the “magic word” back by email!

Use that magic word with any order you place with these participating EtsyKnitters, and voila! You get tons of great deals on handmade, fiber-y goodness.

The Spring Scavenger Hunt promotion begins today, Friday April 3. Deadline for entries is Sunday, April 12. Your special discounts will be good for shopping throughout the Hunt, plus an additional week – until April 19. Click here for complete details.

Anyone interested in some fun and a chance to look at some beautiful items? Just follow the above and have a great time as you look for clues and find some great shopping deals.

Enjoy!

Etsy Knitters Spring Scavenger Hunt

If you are up for a little hunt. The Etsy Knitters Team is sponsoring a Spring Scavenger Hunt. Just click on the badge on the right and it should take you directly to the page to find the information that you will need to participate. Have fun!

Knitting Time

I have been busy working on my knitting for the past few weeks. I seem to need to have my fingers busy working as I watch TV or just as time to relax. Knitting has been known for years to be an anxiety reducer. I guess that is if everything with your project is going well with no dropped stitches or impossible instructions. Actually ripping out a project is sometimes a frustration helper. I had been making scarves to stay warm. Which actually is still needed here. But with Spring in mind I have started making frivolous fun flowers. Along with my jewelry shop I have a knitting shop called Nanna's Knitting. It is located at www.nannasknitting.etsy.com stop by to see what I have been busy with. The latest scarves are crocheted which isn't my first love, but it has provided a nice break for me. All of my projects are very simple nothing very involved but I enjoy making them and that is what is important.