tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67045630360665586112024-03-05T02:35:51.921-08:00Pickin' Up the PiecesTeresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.comBlogger239125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-2040941620986912772016-05-18T11:29:00.000-07:002016-05-18T11:29:34.556-07:00It is Finished!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We finished the Buffet this week and it was a bittersweet moment. We hung the final door and looked at each other in amazement. We had done the impossible! It seemed impossible when we started...but we just took it a small chunk at time and somehow over the last two months, between tutoring our grandson and all the doctor appointments and daily living, we got it done. We are both over the moon with the finished product. God has been so good to us as we went through the process. I prayed before the start of each working session to make it go well and for us to play nicely with each other. (lol...that was a 'biggee' since we are both leaders and each had different ideas of how it should be accomplished.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My husband said the nicest thing to me when it was done...He said I had been "invaluable" to the building of the buffet. WOW...that really made me feel good since I am not the wood worker in the family. As for him...he designed this from a glimmer of an idea of what I wanted. All I gave him was that glimmer and he ran with it. This will be a memory that we will always have together. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The next project will be the back splash tiles over the counters in the kitchen. They are on order and won't get here until the 30th. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today I am switching from Max to David Paul Tripp. He really spoke to me today and I just wanted to share it with everyone. It is a bit long but worth the read...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">From the book "New Morning Mercies", by David Paul Tripp.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Change is not found in defending our righteousness, </i></span><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">but in admitting our weakness and crying for help.</span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I wish I could say that this is not my struggle. I wish I could say that I've fully accepted the reality of my spiritual battle. I wish I could say that I am always thankful for the help God provides. I wish I could say that I am always open and approachable. I wish I could say these things, but sadly, I can't. When I'm approached about a wrong I've committed, I don't tend to say to the other person: "Thank you so much for confronting me. I know that I suffer from spiritual blindness and don't see myself accurately. Please keep rebuking me; I know it's a visible sign of God's love." No, there are two things that tend to be more natural for me as I feel my ears redden and my chest tighten. I first activate my internal defense system and mount arguments in my mind against the charge. Perhaps I was misunderstood. Maybe this is an invalid judgment of my motives. Perhaps what this person thought I did, I just didn't do. Then I work to erect arguments for my righteousness. I list all of the good, empirical evidence of the sin that still resides in my heart, but I am also defending righteousness that doesn't exist.<br /> Here's the sad part; in doing both of these things, I am devaluing the grace that is my only hope in life and death. To whatever extent I am able to convince myself that my sin isn't really sin -- that is, that my little wrongs do not really rise to the level of what Jesus died for -- I am not really that excited about grace. Why? Because I have convinced myself that I don't really need the rescue and forgiveness that grace offers. And to the degree that I am able to work myself into believing that I am righteous, I have less esteem for the perfect righteousness of Christ, which is the only righteousness with which I can stand before God.<br /> So I may have a crisp and clear theology of grace and I may be able to point to passages in God's Word that clearly preach that grace, but where the rubber meets the road in everyday life, self-righteousness stands in the way of that grace having functional and transformative value in my life. My defensiveness in the face of the confrontation of the body of Christ and the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit should fee from and stops me from running to the place where help is ever found.<br /> What about you? Have you really abandoned your righteousness? Does that make you run toward the grace of Jesus? Or will you defend today what Jesus died to destroy? Perhaps before you start confessing your sin you should first confess your righteousness.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">By Grace Alone...</span>Teresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-72789629111786582262016-05-11T22:00:00.001-07:002016-05-11T22:00:55.765-07:00Lost the Bubble!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So much has happened in the last couple of weeks with the kitchen and I haven't posted since the 25th so I actually had to go back and see where I was when I last posted. Sigh. They say the memory is the first thing to go and I honestly don't remember what the second thing is. Hmmm (old joke)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We ordered new counter tops to match the buffet we are making and they were installed last week. Here are some picks of the installation. It was a very interesting process. The guys were very efficient and got them all done within about 3 hours. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">First part of counter top installed. There was only one seam in the quartz and it was amazing to watch him with his tools and how he made it all look seamless.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I was pretty sure I would have to remove the tiles that matched the old counter tops and as soon as I saw them against the counter top, there was no question about it. A couple of days later, I ordered new stainless steel tiles and started removing the ones below.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">All 'wrong color' tiles removed. I still have a lot of cleanup and spackling to do here. Ugh. But honestly, it looks better already!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Just me looking at the workmanship of the quartz. I was amazed by the whole process. I would have liked to have watched them create each piece from scratch.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tom had a lot of fun looking under the counter to see how straight the facing on the buffet was. We were both amazed at how straight it came out. Yeah!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> This was how they handled the angled wall/corner and the two heights that I asked for because of the sink. They did a really good job cutting the angles on site.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is Hayden. He was the type A personality the got the one seam done so beautifully.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">OK, I had a little fun putting stuff on the buffet. So glad to get my bread maker off of the regular counter top.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The following pictures are after they completed the counter top install. The plumber hadn't come yet to put in the faucet/soap dispenser/water filter.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJGFplB5eWJPS6OpyFlt2t070-edH5rYwMb33fpM8Fvy8Kp8FoWNysa-7ln_c5lJ_6leM4XHpBPz-vmx1bUzzHklWWjmNbhY4ir1Nf10MTHgE282lIAxiiTIhF0EUGQa-R6J84iyoAseb/s1600/IMG_2065%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJGFplB5eWJPS6OpyFlt2t070-edH5rYwMb33fpM8Fvy8Kp8FoWNysa-7ln_c5lJ_6leM4XHpBPz-vmx1bUzzHklWWjmNbhY4ir1Nf10MTHgE282lIAxiiTIhF0EUGQa-R6J84iyoAseb/s400/IMG_2065%255B1%255D.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I found a few new decorations...:) It's kind of like buying curtains for a room and realizing you need new paint and furniture. ROTFL I am having a lot of fun with all this. Tom says now we'll probably have to paint the rest of the house. (He's right but I'll probably have to rest for a while after this room is done.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Another angle... </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNGRvGKwDCishpg_lFc0gL0QWbE7VqjUBd5KiSDpySjbhERmw2CJLRIH8XRJgWWxkDgbXt3Rs2Gfz6UV23B3rPiEVlMAEAfsrYSEB8amO31u89Xi3Jfa31tqT8miNgpA1kunqOZ3dp7_Vq/s1600/IMG_2067%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNGRvGKwDCishpg_lFc0gL0QWbE7VqjUBd5KiSDpySjbhERmw2CJLRIH8XRJgWWxkDgbXt3Rs2Gfz6UV23B3rPiEVlMAEAfsrYSEB8amO31u89Xi3Jfa31tqT8miNgpA1kunqOZ3dp7_Vq/s400/IMG_2067%255B1%255D.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As you can see, the faucets aren't installed yet. They are just resting in their holes because the installer had to make sure the holes were the right size.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKt5vZmCBeAyJwSlAHlsUISz1jAng3cH-7lcPhvFLSCphMU2iKfGcC3ga4fwZ8HLpPJPFFXMPCwkEHw3OrtqdJj3X6TjolvNdfcGiisdcb2gApPMvA-vgbNEI6wgswAvwZFLAbTQSrUtF/s1600/IMG_2068%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKt5vZmCBeAyJwSlAHlsUISz1jAng3cH-7lcPhvFLSCphMU2iKfGcC3ga4fwZ8HLpPJPFFXMPCwkEHw3OrtqdJj3X6TjolvNdfcGiisdcb2gApPMvA-vgbNEI6wgswAvwZFLAbTQSrUtF/s400/IMG_2068%255B1%255D.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, this last week we have also been working on getting the doors done in our spare time. The picture below is one of the six doors (dry clamped) to see how it is going to fit. We couldn't be happier. Now just 5 more doors and we will be done with this major project! Have I said how much we are loving retirement? :) :) :)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPZuvwvp9g6WpZY60k52R8HU42IK9OdO_q3XBmj9yt8I8B6JMNoRuNVGzxuqFhyphenhyphen9GjCSdw4BcljawevCMs8Eqj8J1x5JBFEIIQ3CAVHAYs_rl2-VOOBYpn0aU2UxdteyPl3gZ0vpGC6yD/s1600/IMG_2078%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPZuvwvp9g6WpZY60k52R8HU42IK9OdO_q3XBmj9yt8I8B6JMNoRuNVGzxuqFhyphenhyphen9GjCSdw4BcljawevCMs8Eqj8J1x5JBFEIIQ3CAVHAYs_rl2-VOOBYpn0aU2UxdteyPl3gZ0vpGC6yD/s640/IMG_2078%255B1%255D.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.3em;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Headline Story<br />By Max Lucado</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We love to know where we came from. We <em style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; -webkit-margin-end: 0px; -webkit-margin-start: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">need </em>to know where we came from. Knowing connects us, links us to something greater than we are.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That is why God wants you to know his story. Framed photos hang in his house and lively talks await you at his table. A scrapbook sits in his living room brimming with stories– stories about Bethlehem beginnings and manger miracles; enemy warfare in the wilderness and fishermen friends in Galilee. The stumbles of Peter and the stubbornness of Paul are all part of the story, but they are subplots to the central message of the <em style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; -webkit-margin-end: 0px; -webkit-margin-start: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">headline</em> story! John 3:16. . .“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life!”</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">God saves his people! God’s story. And we are a part of it!</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">By Grace Alone...</span></div>
<br />Teresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-75888416244161780382016-04-25T10:31:00.004-07:002016-04-25T10:31:49.250-07:00Painting...<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I love the new grays that are at Sherwin Williams right now. I also love their 40% off sale!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We got some paint for the kitchen Friday and I spent all day Saturday painting the breakfast nook. I did it in two shades. A lighter shade behind the buffet that we are (still) building and a slightly darker shade of the same family on the other three walls. Here are some pics.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ignore the mess in the buffet...I'm using it to hold all the painting stuff right now. lol</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We also got the stiles and rails jointed, planed, and cut for the doors. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now I have a lot of sanding to do! Twelve stiles and twelve rails...ugh. We have three to redo because the router took some bites out of them that it shouldn't have. I guess it was hungry. :)</span><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.3em;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sealed by God</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">By Max Lucado</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As a parent, when our children stumble, we don’t disown them. We may punish or reprimand, but cast them out of the family? We cannot. They are biologically connected to us. Those born with our DNA will die with it.</span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">God, our Father, engenders the same relationship with us. Upon salvation we become, as John 1:12 says, “children of God.” He alters our lineage, redefines our spiritual parenthood, and in doing so, secures our salvation. Paul says, “Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 1:13). And a soul sealed by God is safe! God paid too high a price to leave us unguarded.</span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Again, a reminder from Paul in Ephesians 4:30, “He has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.” What a difference this assurance makes!</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">By Grace Alone...</span></div>
Teresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-52574481752410997062016-04-19T18:36:00.002-07:002016-04-19T18:36:54.626-07:00Slowing Down<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We kind of took the weekend off. Other than installing the pull outs that we got when we were in Texas (during Christmas) and putting in the 45 degree angle brackets we didn't do anything pertaining to the cabinet. I also finished putting the oil on everything. The last items are the shelves, doors, and counter top. I played around with pots and pans to see if everything would fit. I got almost everything in that I wanted to. I may have to visit the container store again for a couple more pullouts. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here are the 45 degree angle brackets that we got installed this weekend.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Y_dAsVEbwq_jzcm0k6Sov9c05VjUziYpsDU6MfxwihChyTn20lGXHW3JGQRpm6fomUkp1fnTLHVOWczqrFOZD7YjXeidgagCg6SFMUfg1knySiY7H-jqlO92XaskdMvzssgsfwglVB3u/s1600/IMG_1961%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Y_dAsVEbwq_jzcm0k6Sov9c05VjUziYpsDU6MfxwihChyTn20lGXHW3JGQRpm6fomUkp1fnTLHVOWczqrFOZD7YjXeidgagCg6SFMUfg1knySiY7H-jqlO92XaskdMvzssgsfwglVB3u/s400/IMG_1961%255B1%255D.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is a sample of the quartz counter top we picked out. The paint colors are for the walls in the kitchen. (I'm using either the lightest or the next lightest for the walls and the other two colors will be used in a stencil I ordered. (To be shown after I finish it...no spoilers!) We have never had to paint any walls in this house since we bought it almost 9 years ago. The paint that the builder used was amazing and cleanable. (Sherwin Williams does paint right!) I'm ready for a change though. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I didn't finish this post yesterday, but we actually got the shelves finished today. We marked off everything on our 'list' that has been completed and the only thing left is the creation of the doors. I say "the only thing" but they will be the hardest thing of all. There are six of them and we are making them out of walnut which means that we have to joint and plane the wood before we can cut the pieces just like we did for the sides and the front facing. I think we are both dreading it because precision is key to making them. I can't tell you how many times on this project we have made the statement "Well, no one will see that!". LOL When something comes out perfect, we go, "Wow, can you believe that, it just fell into place." </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpjPq-inVayuAIKq4CKAp-1il911XuwxTRVqDxzF1E9TDuMIuHb9EtGMGJxoOUWSH8I0mTR6SVepah9s8Yz60Kp-jX7Ll8hEww-w86RGcyLaK-9tCMtozK98VKMg8vXuZpHGEIsn7EzUk/s1600/IMG_1969%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpjPq-inVayuAIKq4CKAp-1il911XuwxTRVqDxzF1E9TDuMIuHb9EtGMGJxoOUWSH8I0mTR6SVepah9s8Yz60Kp-jX7Ll8hEww-w86RGcyLaK-9tCMtozK98VKMg8vXuZpHGEIsn7EzUk/s400/IMG_1969%255B1%255D.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Your Part is to Trust</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">By Max Lucado</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Some of us have written our own Bible verse from Popular Opinion 1:1: “God helps those who help themselves.” We’ll fix ourselves, thank you. We’ll make up for our mistakes with contributions, our guilt with busyness. We’ll overcome our failures with hard work. We’ll find salvation the old-fashioned way…we’ll </span><em style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; -webkit-margin-end: 0px; -webkit-margin-start: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;">earn</em><span style="line-height: 24px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 24px;">it!</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Christ, in contrast, says to us; <em style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; -webkit-margin-end: 0px; -webkit-margin-start: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">your role is to trust. Trust me to do what you can’t. </em>By the way, you take similar steps of trust daily. You believe the chair will support you, so you set your weight on it. You trust the work of the light switch, so you flip it. You daily trust power you cannot see to do a work you cannot accomplish.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jesus invites you to do the same with him. But just him. Not another leader. Not even yourself. Just Christ. Look to Jesus…and believe!</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: black; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">By Grace Alone...</span></span></div>
Teresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-68284522490041694902016-04-15T17:18:00.002-07:002016-04-15T17:18:39.473-07:00Busy Week!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We got a lot done on the cabinet this week. God has kept our hands busy. Early in the week, we got the floors completed. (Shown in first two pictures) This gave some more stability to the cabinets but the real stability came whenever we got the back's cut and added on. Those cabinets are as solid as a rock now. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tongue and groove is absolutely the way to go when putting together a cabinet. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTI2FBshZFMCf5xeQi2kd0PkQfzB2Bod3rbBCS_pZLDgmvKSCxLWCkZxjaz0Yy1Rh_jRWpHNd3Lpi6awLjLhfKqCuv2PSYi7pUK0m47CfXPLeXMIniODIGtL3WepK5wwYSzXo2-DHbkKck/s1600/IMG_1945%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTI2FBshZFMCf5xeQi2kd0PkQfzB2Bod3rbBCS_pZLDgmvKSCxLWCkZxjaz0Yy1Rh_jRWpHNd3Lpi6awLjLhfKqCuv2PSYi7pUK0m47CfXPLeXMIniODIGtL3WepK5wwYSzXo2-DHbkKck/s400/IMG_1945%255B1%255D.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today we got the backs and the nail rails put on, as well as my slide out shelf cut, sanded, and installed. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1CdIgn1dfg0H1m6dKcu0SVCDBq9jZCBgMKbXSZ1K0In638IbAZmULPiZPaavv5a7knoAEDaHR9GWCXo9Crs0i3xk_bQ9ZeAfLTjMgoAUPuh5AnKhRCIFn5lHUny1DB7Vl2NnLwFdqTocN/s1600/IMG_1953%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1CdIgn1dfg0H1m6dKcu0SVCDBq9jZCBgMKbXSZ1K0In638IbAZmULPiZPaavv5a7knoAEDaHR9GWCXo9Crs0i3xk_bQ9ZeAfLTjMgoAUPuh5AnKhRCIFn5lHUny1DB7Vl2NnLwFdqTocN/s400/IMG_1953%255B1%255D.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We ordered the quartz top for it yesterday. It is called Alpina White but it has different shades of gray in it as well. I'm going to paint the wall behind the cabinet a light gray and put stencils of limbs of trees and birds across the wall. I ordered the stencil stuff last night also. I'll need to get that done before the top comes. Now all we lack on the cabinet is the shelves, 45 degree corner boards, and the doors. (The doors will take quite a while because we will be back to working with raw Walnut wood again.) We find ourselves stepping back and saying "Wow, did we really do this?" It seemed like an astronomical project when we started but taking it in small bits like we have has made it fun and relatively easy. (all bloodshed aside)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"A Simple Exercise</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Max Lucado</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do a simple exercise with me. Measure your life against just these four standards from the Ten Commandments:</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You must not steal. Have you ever stolen anything? A paper clip? A parking space? ... you thief.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You must not lie. Those who say they haven't - just did.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You must not commit adultery. Jesus said, "If you look at a woman with lust, you've committed adultery in your heart" (Matthew 5:28).</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You must not murder. Before you claim innocence, Jesus said "Anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder" (Matthew 5:22).</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus made his position clear: "Anyone whose life is not holy will never see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14). </span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So where does that leave us? It leaves us drawing hope from 1 Corinthians 15:3. Christ died for our sins - in place of - on behalf of! So, don't measure yourself by keeping commandments. Measure yourself by the cross."</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">By Grace Alone -</span></div>
Teresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-68694864582583087152016-04-10T18:26:00.000-07:002016-04-10T18:29:55.333-07:00A Purposeful LIfe<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I like to tell my husband that I am here to give his life purpose. He laughs and thinks to himself that he could use a little less purpose. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The cabinet is coming along nicely but it looks like the next week will be down time. Tom did some serious damage to one of his hands yesterday and then today he damaged the other hand on the router and it is damaged so badly that he needs to let it rest and heal. Both wounds bled profusely and one of them probably should have had stitches but he refused, being the tough guy he is, so he needs to be really careful and not break it open again. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I think I enjoy the woodworking a bit more than Tom. Don't get me wrong, he enjoys it as long as I'm not asking a million questions or if something goes a bit wrong...lol. I tend to want to know exactly what we are doing next. Step by step and if I don't understand it, I ask again. Poor Tom. I've never been one to learn anything halfway. Since there is so much that is 'directional' and I am 'directionally challenged' it makes it hard on him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here are the latest pictures. The bay walls are finally up! The cleats are in also. We got the kick panel done but have not installed it yet. That's about it for now.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDaF-8Tn2nYzklM2O7qI5oyb7fQYpLz0i223-LH8Mfeg1Xp6W0FbSmfeW6qkaJuDH_9blr7EFXolQHWGeqOHYYdAxXIKuZA2zqp7kEm8tVuRLbpUvre8ULFAtS6WTTazF_6yz5SECyRuZ7/s1600/IMG_1942%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDaF-8Tn2nYzklM2O7qI5oyb7fQYpLz0i223-LH8Mfeg1Xp6W0FbSmfeW6qkaJuDH_9blr7EFXolQHWGeqOHYYdAxXIKuZA2zqp7kEm8tVuRLbpUvre8ULFAtS6WTTazF_6yz5SECyRuZ7/s400/IMG_1942%255B1%255D.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">God's Love Will Not Let Go<br />By Max Lucado</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">George Matheson was a teenager when doctors told him he was going blind. He graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1861. By the time he finished graduate seminary studies, he was sightless. His fiance returned his engagement ring with a note. I cannot see my way clear to go through life bound by the chains of marriage to a blind man.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Matheson adapted to his sightless world but never quite recovered from his broken heart. He became a powerful and poetic pastor, led a full and inspiring life, turning to the unending love of God for comfort. And he penned these words:</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Oh love that wilt not let me go, I rest my weary soul in thee;<br />I give thee back the life I owe, that in thine ocean depths its flow may richer fuller be."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The love of people may come and go, but God's love will never leave you.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By Grace Alone -</span><br />
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<br />Teresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-62890924787956536622016-04-05T10:47:00.000-07:002016-04-05T10:47:00.253-07:00Getting Excited!<div class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's funny how you get excited as you start getting closer to some goal that you have set for yourself. We are definitely making progress on our creation of the cabinets for the breakfast nook. We now have a standing product. Very exciting stuff. We are actually amazed each time we see it because we can't believe we did it! My husband, Tom, is quite the designer. I tell him what I want and he spends months designing it so it is just right when we go to cut the pieces. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's funny how much time was spent on the end pieces (literally hours and hours of jointing, planing, cutting, sanding, oiling and waxing) and only one of them will be visible. That piece of furniture to the left will be removed and the cabinets will actually fit in that corner. So, this is where we are until this weekend when we have time to work some more on it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What Makes the Difference?</span></blockquote>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Max Lucado</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I once shared a class with a girl who got engaged. I don't remember much about the class except the hour was early and the teacher was dull. I don't even remember the girl's name. I do remember that she didn't stand out in the crowd. She was shy and not very confident. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One day, however, her hair changed and her outfit changed. Even her voice changed. She spoke with confidence. What made the difference? Simple. A young man she loved looked her squarely in the eye and said, "Come and spend forever with me." He proposed to her. His love for her convinced her she was worth loving. God's love can do the same. It can change us! The Bible says " God has loved you with an everlasting love; He has drawn you with loving-kindness." (Jeremiah 31:3). </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus can live without us -- But he doesn't want to! </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Grace Alone... </span>Teresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-83736847901624507672016-03-28T15:09:00.004-07:002016-03-28T15:09:37.196-07:00Jesus Was a CarpenterI had often wondered why Jesus was a carpenter. I think I get it now. He took something rough and imperfect and made it into something beautiful. Just like he has done with us. Our imperfections and the trials in our lives have made us more loving and beautiful internally, even if they haven't made us more beautiful on the outside. He loves us sins and all and His love molds us into something more beautiful than the rough spots that show on our skin.<br />
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We had this piece of wood that was really rough, and it was rough through and through...no matter how much we shaved off of it during the planing process. It was going to be one of the 'pretty cut' panels too so I was a little worried about it. Not too much, just a little. When it was completed, that flaw shone so beautifully and darker than the rest of the wood. I was so glad that we had used that particular piece for the 'pretty cut' part of the end. I don't know if you can tell from the picture below but the board on the left that is all oiled up, right in the very center where you see the swirls the most was the rough part. I had sanded it from 100 grit down to 12,000 grit and it shone like glass all over but the rough looking part still had little dips in it. The oil soaked into those dips and made it a very beautiful piece of wood. <br />
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When all the boards are put together to make the end of the cabinet, it will look like the picture below. The picture below is before sanding, waxing, or gluing together.<br />
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Last week was super busy taking care of our grandson while he was on spring break. We spent a lot of time doing make-up homework because he had been sick for two weeks. But Friday we finally left the house and went to the space and rocket center to have some fun. We captured a few pictures where he wasn't running all over the place (which was not easy...he is a very active child..lol).<br />
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We rode the 3G which spins you around and gets to going up to 3 G's, which at first feels pretty good because it feels like your compressed spine got totally uncompressed but then it feels like your spine is going to come apart when it gets up to 3G's. I was ready for it to end and decided that I am getting too old for fun like that...lol. <br />
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This week we are back to focusing on the cabinet and ready for the break from childcare. :) Tom has been calculating how much more wood we will be needing to get on Saturday at our special wood getting place and I sanded today.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.3em;">
A Tabulated List of Grace<br />By Max Lucado<br /><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A couple who resorted to do-it-yourself marriage counseling resolved to list each other’s faults and then read them aloud. The wife gave her list and he read: You snore; you eat in bed; the list continued. When the husband gave her his list, she smiled. He’d written his grievances, but next to each he’d written– <em style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; -webkit-margin-end: 0px; -webkit-margin-start: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">I forgive this</em>. The result was a tabulated list of grace.</span><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Imagine you are before the judgment seat of Christ. The book is opened and the reading begins—each sin, each deceit, each occasion of greed. But as soon as the infraction is read, grace is proclaimed. Jesus says, </span><em style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; -webkit-margin-end: 0px; -webkit-margin-start: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">I forgive this</em><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">. Registered forgiveness! No humiliation! No shame! Because in heaven you will be in your sinless state—happy to let God do in heaven what he did on earth. He will be </span><em style="-webkit-margin-after: 0px; -webkit-margin-before: 0px; -webkit-margin-end: 0px; -webkit-margin-start: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">honored</em><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">in your weakness!</span> </span></blockquote>
By Grace Alone...<br />
<br />Teresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-64962242933797927472016-03-19T11:06:00.000-07:002016-03-19T11:06:10.909-07:00More Cabinet BuildingOur day yesterday was extremely productive! I sanded the front face frame to a glowing sheen and Tom jointed, planed and cut almost all of the boards for one of the side panels. Below are some pictures of the completed fun. We really are having a blast with this! The final sanding on the front face was with 12,000 grit sand paper.<br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">"Jesus is Praying for You<br />By Max Lucado<br />While we wait for Christ's return, we can be encouraged because Jesus is praying for us! As recorded in Luke 22:31, Jesus says, "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to test all of you as a farmer sifts his wheat." Loose translation - Satan is gonna slap your faith like a farmer slaps wheat on the threshing floor!<br />You would expect Jesus' next words to be, <i>So get out of town!</i> But Jesus shows no panic. In verse 32, He says, "I have prayed that you will not lose your faith. Help your brothers be stronger when you come back to me."<br />Everything changes when Jesus prays for us. The devil may land a punch or two, but he never wins the fight. Jesus protected Peter, and Jesus is protecting you."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">By Grace Alone -</span></div>
Teresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-60390248115473604292016-03-17T19:11:00.001-07:002016-03-17T19:20:55.227-07:00God Keeps our Hands Busy<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We are really loving retirement. For the moment, cancer is leaving me alone. I couldn't be more thankful! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tom and I (ok, it might have been more me than Tom...) decided that we needed to work on a project together so we pulled all the walnut boards that we had bought last year out of the attic. The first board you see below has a lot of issues (too warped and bent to even think of straightening out with the jointer and planer) so we set it aside to be dealt with last. (If at all.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, what are we making? I've been begging for some cabinets for my breakfast nook area and Tom had already created the design to build them. When it is done, it will have 3 bays and, if all goes according to plan, it will be 104" Wide X 40" High. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The first thing we had to do (yeah, he let me play with the wood some too!) was cut the first pieces down to a general size and then run them through the jointer and the planer. Sounds like nothing, right? At the end of the first day (about 5 hours of work) we only had 3 'stiles' done. These stiles were each 2' wide by ~38" long. (When the final cut is made on them, they would only be 36.5" long) They looked so pitiful sitting by themselves on the blue moving mat. I didn't get a picture of that but we were like Jimmy Stewart in the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" when he is dancing around with two one dollar bills telling them to make babies. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The next day (about 3 days later, since we have other obligations to take care of also) we got the rest of the stiles and rails done for the front face frame. This was 7 pieces of wood cut, jointed, and planed in one day. We we VERY excited to see all those little pieces lying together. Below are the six rails completed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today, Tom used the router to put the grooves in for the floor and the corner pieces that go on the top front. After that, came the gluing and screwing together of the rails and stiles. We actually ALSO got the Front Face Frame put together. Below are some additional pictures of the process we went through today.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We just HAD to drag it into the kitchen and see how it was going to fit. :) Loving the variegated walnut colors. Can't wait to see how the doors come out. Raw wood is so fun to work with.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The "Max" for today is for my husband and I. I won't say that the 'building' of the front face frame was easy when we started the project but it developed into a rhythm of love. It has been years since we did a project together and we are both leaders so there is always a bit of pull and push in the beginning but <i><b>Love Bears All Things</b></i>. I love you, honey, and I'm so thankful to be here doing a project with you (and for your patience with me as you teach me about woodworking!).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Love Bears All Things<br />by Max Lucado</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Wouldn't it be great if love were like a cafeteria line? It would be easier. It would be neater. It would be painless and peaceful. But you know what? It wouldn't be love. Love doesn't accept just a few things. Love is willing to accept all things! In 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Paul says, "Love bears all thing, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." I envision the leathery-faced saint pausing in his dictation. Checking off his fingers, he reviews his list. Let's see...patience, kindness, envy, arrogance. We've mentioned rudeness, selfishness, and anger; forgiveness, evil, and truth. Have I covered all things? Ah, that's it--<b><i>all things</i></b>! Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Every single one!"</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By Grace Alone... </span><br />
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Teresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-3594378365154524032015-08-31T14:48:00.001-07:002015-08-31T14:48:48.312-07:00Cancer Part Deux<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As all good plans go...they are always subject to change. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It turned out I did not have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 Genetic Mutation. I, instead, have the FANCC genetic mutation which could be the cause for my breast cancer (as well as a myriad of other health issues I've had all my life). Unfortunately, Tricare doesn't recognize that mutation for the removal of the second breast so I kept one breast and they removed the other cancerous one. I opted against breast augmentation and instead decided to use a breast prosthesis. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How did the surgery go? Well, I was allergic to something and broke out in a rash all over my neck, lower face, and upper chest. The doctor thinks it might have been the tape the anesthesiologist used. I thought it might be the Ancef antibiotic but he doesn't want to take that off the table in case he needs to use it in the future. It was more painful that the actual 14 inch incision in my chest that wrapped around to my back until it cleared up two weeks later. It started as blisters and then itched me into craziness. Good distraction from the actual mastectomy I guess. lol.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After they took the tube out, I have developed a really nice seroma. (This is <span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">a pocket of clear </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serous_fluid" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Serous fluid">serous fluid</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> that sometimes develops in the body after </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surgery" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Surgery">surgery</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">. When small blood vessels are ruptured, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_plasma" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Blood plasma">blood plasma</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> can seep out; </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflammation" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Inflammation">inflammation</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> caused by dying injured cells also contributes to the fluid.</span>) We want to wait and see if my body will absorb the fluid as it should but it really is quite painful now that it is the size of a small breast sitting there on my chest muscle. I see the surgeon tomorrow and I may take on the risk of infection just to get the fluid out. (This is why it isn't recommended to drain them.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, all this is EXTREMELY boring but I wanted to put it in here so that I would remember it all if I ever got cancer in the other breast and had to go through this all over again. You know, like "what is normal and what isn't for my body". lol </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Everyone is so concerned about me psychologically losing a breast. Personally, I say GOOD RIDDANCE. That breast had provided me with nothing but worry for the last five years. Once this pain is gone, I am going to be a very very happy woman. I have no regrets for having lost the breast. I just see it as God's plan for my life. I don't need it to be a better person. I don't need to be happy. I don't need it to worship God. My husband loves me just as much without it as he did with it. Life is still GOOD. I am thankful for the opportunity God gave me to rid myself of current and all future cancers in that breast. Praise be to God...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Say Thank You</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Max Lucado</span><br />
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The Apostle Paul says, “Give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20).</div>
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You don’t have to name a child after God, but then again, you could. Or you could draft a letter listing all His blessings or write a song in His honor. You could sponsor an orphan or adopt a child just because God adopted you. The surest path out of a slump is marked by the road sign, “Thank you.”</div>
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But what of the disastrous days? Are you grateful then? Jesus was. “On the night when He was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it…” (1 Corinthians 11:23-24). Not often are the words <em>betrayed</em> and <em>thanks</em> in the same sentence, much less in the same heart. Anyone can thank God for the light. Jesus teaches us to thank God for the night!"</div>
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By Grace Alone -</div>
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Teresa</div>
Teresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-58294294210718975012015-07-14T14:49:00.000-07:002015-07-14T14:49:19.119-07:00The PLAN"As soon as you're diagnosed with breast cancer, you desperately try to figure out how it could have happened. You analyze your life a thousand times over, rack your brains searching for THE reason, beat your head against the wall, experience endless guilt. All you get is a headache. Drop it! Save your precious energy for your health and well-being." Maris Weiss, M.D.<br />
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I've be given the blessing of a second diagnosis of breast cancer. It's different this time. (I can say it is different after having the full diagnosis and being armed to the teeth with knowledge....I don't care what anyone says...knowledge is power.) I feel no fear this time. I felt nothing but fear last time. I felt like the cancer demons were nipping at my heels. This time...I have a 'PLAN'. <br />
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This isn't a recurrence of the last breast cancer. My body wanted to generate an entirely different kind since we found a way to beat the last one. Last time, it was Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. This time it is just measly Ductal Carinoma In Situ. All contained in the ductal region of the breast. Not even strong enough to break out yet. We can take our time and map out a real plan to conquer this one. So....here's the 'PLAN'.<br />
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Yesterday, we went to see the Breast Health Specialist at the Breast Center, Sandy Cross. She made several recommendations. I've added some of her recommendations to my 'PLAN'. Sandy felt because my body had generated two completely different types of breast cancer within a 4 year span that it would be a good idea (just in case I had a gene mutation that would continue to cause me to grow breast cancer over and over) to have a double mastectomy as opposed to a single mastectomy. She suggested I see a geneticist counselor. We have TIME to make these decisions with this type of cancer. <br />
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Today we went to see the Geneticist Counselor, Amy George, to talk about checking my genes for possible gene mutations. (Step 1 of the 'PLAN') She agreed that with two different types of breast cancer that it was a good idea to check. If I have a gene mutation, then I will have a double mastectomy, if I do not, we will do a single.<br />
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We also talked to my Cancer Doc, Dr. Waples. He talked to us about no chemo 'at this time' BUT if they found other invasive cancer cells when they do the biopsies on the breast tissue they remove, that I may need chemo after all. I am supposedly not allowed to get my hopes up about 'no chemo' yet. He also told us to keep our options open about reconstruction. He says they've come a long way with breast implants but does not recommend using body tissue to rebuild the breasts. He wants us to talk to a plastic surgeon and hear what they have to say.<br />
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Step 2 of the PLAN is to discuss options with Dr Sheppard our surgeon tomorrow. We're having a bit of trouble getting a good plastic surgeon that is in the tricare family. There are only three in the area and none of them are ones that my cancer doc recommends. We'll see what Dr. Sheppard says. Since we cannot have radiation a second time on the same breast, we know that we have to have a mastectomy on at least one breast.<br />
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Step 3 is either the implant surgery or just recovery. No radiation and hopefully, no chemotherapy. Doesn't really sound like I know the PLAN very well does it?<br />
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BUT, it sounds super simple, huh? It's nothing at all for my God to take care of. After all, it's all in God's PLAN, not mine. I'm just waiting to see where He takes me.<br />
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By Grace Alone...Teresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-90961826784229485292014-03-10T13:12:00.001-07:002014-03-10T13:12:54.509-07:00I'm just sayin'...I haven't visited here since September of last year and I don't really know why. <br />
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Life is still happening...in fact, it is rushing by like a raging river faster than I can catch the current. Fall turned into winter which is just about to leap into spring again. I watch Shadow growing old (she's almost 12 now and kind of lumbers around like she hurts when she walks and I want to tell her that I understand how she feels but somehow we tell these things to each other without words) and I look in the mirror and see the same thing in myself and it's OK. I'm OK with all that. Other people fight it. I don't...after fighting cancer, I wear my lines of age gratefully. (no, that word wasn't gracefully...lol..but gratefully) Ever thankful that God has given me more time with my family.<br />
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I guess I'm visiting this page because tomorrow is another of those mammogram visits and, no matter how many times I go there, they are terrifying to me. I know it's been 3 and a half years since the previous diagnosis but it doesn't stop the fear of having to go through all that over again. I mean, just imagine if every time you walked down a certain road, there was a bully ready to beat up on you, would you really want to walk down that road again? I'm thinking not. Mammograms are just big bullies to me. <br />
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I'm just sayin'...<br />
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By Grace Alone -<br />
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TeresaTeresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-64033302728080228682013-09-29T11:14:00.000-07:002013-09-29T11:14:21.725-07:00Been a While...But She's BAAACCCKKKYup, it's been a while....<br />
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Tom and I have been busy with redesigning the office. It was supposed to be HIS project. HIS hobby. Somehow, it became my project too. Well, actually, it was fun. <br />
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Truth be known, I started the project. <br />
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When we lived in Florida, we had a huge office. The office had two LARGE desks, desk chairs, two bookcases, and two file cabinets (as well as ourselves and Shadow) that fit in it. There were also two high back chairs for reading. It was sweet.<br />
<br />
When we moved to Alabama, we downsized a bit since we were no longer supporting a passel of children. (Whoo whoo!!) Well, along with the downsizing, came a smaller office. Hmmm...so, the office furniture no longer fit. We could get the two desks in and the file cabinets (and once again ourselves and Shadow) but none of the other stuff. We left it that way for about 6 years then all of a sudden I put on the brakes. I'd had enough. Too hard to clean, tired of bumping into each other, and no matter how I arranged it, it basically sucked. Ugh...there had to be a better way. So, I turned on my ultra huge chemo riddled brain and came up with the floating desk idea. I went online and saw these little tiny floating desks they were offering. No way was that gonna cut it for me. <br />
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The MAN needed to get out his power tools and come up with a ROOM SIZED floating desk for me. I knew he could do it. I had total faith in him. After all, I had the entire idea in my ultra huge chemo riddled brain. All he had to do was dive in there and get it out. (Good luck, honey!) <br />
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I gave him my general idea (nothing on the floor and everything attached to the wall) which I think he heard much like Charlie Brown's teacher talking and started off on his own track. He started researching brackets, drawing up designs, cutting up paper into dimensional layouts of the room until he had it just right. The he found the brackets he wanted. The big heavy duty kind where two of them can hold 1000 lbs. (What did he think we were going to do on this desk?????) He ordered 17 (SEVENTEEN) of these brackets to hold up this amazing desk that he was going to build. <br />
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I'm thinking...WOW...That's 8,500 pounds of STUFF we can load on that desk. Is that super cool, or what? We could put baby elephant bookends on the desk if we wanted to since the average baby elephant only weighs 250 lbs. (Stuffed of course...ewwww....) <br />
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In case you are interested, and I know you must be or you wouldn't still be reading this dribble that I am writing...here are some pictures of the process. Somehow, he got to do all the fun stuff with the power tools like measuring, sawing the pieces, and routering and I got to do all the drudgery like sanding, staining, and varnishing. (Now who has the big brain...looks like someone in this house is smarter than I am...)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29MggSLCUbkv00LAxDpT1yqg9Gc8TR7moYpmJKaqGi0n9ylxBepw6FVd7wbuG6rSOR4oCsOnVmH8A1WE9OqkhsNHGI-PW3BkYqSQnY70Uz8baBAEq5SVKx2-xe7meialPuQLnhha08zgz/s1600/9-Cleats.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29MggSLCUbkv00LAxDpT1yqg9Gc8TR7moYpmJKaqGi0n9ylxBepw6FVd7wbuG6rSOR4oCsOnVmH8A1WE9OqkhsNHGI-PW3BkYqSQnY70Uz8baBAEq5SVKx2-xe7meialPuQLnhha08zgz/s400/9-Cleats.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting with the Cleats</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh331QRT8aJLkRf3xbqyuswJoKTCY5sNMIO_q0io2B5sgvNNx5CHOwc7v2UdIksWlF6L3zDDI_ps1YqjfCnAKyWCGn3_aE9nMdGvDZ_Crnv4Zr19470EMqECQK516rleenvVg2RPSXRJZCr/s1600/18-Installing+Brackets.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh331QRT8aJLkRf3xbqyuswJoKTCY5sNMIO_q0io2B5sgvNNx5CHOwc7v2UdIksWlF6L3zDDI_ps1YqjfCnAKyWCGn3_aE9nMdGvDZ_Crnv4Zr19470EMqECQK516rleenvVg2RPSXRJZCr/s400/18-Installing+Brackets.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1000 pound Brackets are next. :)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-fzlOVxsblgjeF8Mby7j8WRAr9jpRNHQtDRNCoEqnTIaf_5IrYru48wmOnS81L3411t9OqAacAs4oy0LcrvAsZ8lca11nUKkq0NpGD_P0cSN1QZDxHqhvfsOlxiY_kpkY7KClzIE1VlTO/s1600/19-Our+First+Cut+Board+-+COOL.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-fzlOVxsblgjeF8Mby7j8WRAr9jpRNHQtDRNCoEqnTIaf_5IrYru48wmOnS81L3411t9OqAacAs4oy0LcrvAsZ8lca11nUKkq0NpGD_P0cSN1QZDxHqhvfsOlxiY_kpkY7KClzIE1VlTO/s400/19-Our+First+Cut+Board+-+COOL.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Board Cut</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsFuC6nk9zd-S7g_KglCIjPTGPpRu4sLEuGR3IPunc0VIF-b2yHTJJnMdurhHiie3fIs9b2PnHqCgO5JD-ejEsyYcDf_IfRTeuZOw1rd66MpvARkqwscU2szsdCe9voIV06Mgl4vHnVda/s1600/22-Closeup+of+Routered+Corner.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsFuC6nk9zd-S7g_KglCIjPTGPpRu4sLEuGR3IPunc0VIF-b2yHTJJnMdurhHiie3fIs9b2PnHqCgO5JD-ejEsyYcDf_IfRTeuZOw1rd66MpvARkqwscU2szsdCe9voIV06Mgl4vHnVda/s400/22-Closeup+of+Routered+Corner.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice Router Cut Made. :-)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLiD2nIdzkioJFg_IrHfy1y5xv4Bakos4dtPQ24AFmhdBcEjPqMoCy6HeKXbNkH9UUJqWu7IQp5EYHM8B6O8Qdt5kdyaEVZjgRPSQJl9JTezdlzk_t3lIJx2qiIEAexNPIGWpJkq14WJrc/s1600/28-Staining+and+Varnishing+the+bottoms.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLiD2nIdzkioJFg_IrHfy1y5xv4Bakos4dtPQ24AFmhdBcEjPqMoCy6HeKXbNkH9UUJqWu7IQp5EYHM8B6O8Qdt5kdyaEVZjgRPSQJl9JTezdlzk_t3lIJx2qiIEAexNPIGWpJkq14WJrc/s640/28-Staining+and+Varnishing+the+bottoms.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Staining the underside of the Desk</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDD2MlFT7OqGOhcyxn7yClPAK4sqroFb3LRThb5s3Midp3rYTq_j7WDkivYRHP5H4WS63bOv_PLRtH2ad1ydnCXk8_V-YvOSzAHQZeOicTdyj71c2gBjueojNop-Qc5iBCHWphs8Cg2FmF/s1600/29-Securing+Desktop+to+brackets.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDD2MlFT7OqGOhcyxn7yClPAK4sqroFb3LRThb5s3Midp3rYTq_j7WDkivYRHP5H4WS63bOv_PLRtH2ad1ydnCXk8_V-YvOSzAHQZeOicTdyj71c2gBjueojNop-Qc5iBCHWphs8Cg2FmF/s640/29-Securing+Desktop+to+brackets.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fastening Down the Desk</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5c7Ju01X872RUP9IohjuuUNwnFJ0F2NgOoHayh-HVIVahmq2dMnb2KhbMoxoh6nAOEkmQsrqICgcE9r7f5yWn8LC99sb1y70QLiQFb_q7Ul7tX9iM6a3KCvbaZY1DhZh1Q2ZtqhOXV9XG/s1600/32-Underside+view+after+it+was+fastened+down.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5c7Ju01X872RUP9IohjuuUNwnFJ0F2NgOoHayh-HVIVahmq2dMnb2KhbMoxoh6nAOEkmQsrqICgcE9r7f5yWn8LC99sb1y70QLiQFb_q7Ul7tX9iM6a3KCvbaZY1DhZh1Q2ZtqhOXV9XG/s640/32-Underside+view+after+it+was+fastened+down.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking at the Underside.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz5wRwiLo5TfAFB51-3i-8jn11hl0PRlXzzpTiwCbjDLgFvQGePQbjGXftvDp5aTFKM6ynDV5-7dK08pxlRgy6EL22TkAVZTawmjfX22suuU9urm_27NPtafI6spKivNzY8iTjcgW0ly0t/s1600/33-Another+picture+of+the+backsplash.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz5wRwiLo5TfAFB51-3i-8jn11hl0PRlXzzpTiwCbjDLgFvQGePQbjGXftvDp5aTFKM6ynDV5-7dK08pxlRgy6EL22TkAVZTawmjfX22suuU9urm_27NPtafI6spKivNzY8iTjcgW0ly0t/s640/33-Another+picture+of+the+backsplash.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Look at Backsplash</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-0b_qxYeMynRY03b2hfeCT7xbas5XGnRc-6pcsDsac0-pMihTM-KjemNDuXqvmOQkzrZ1mZJqMdQd2rOJcJ7RsWHEFd_moOU3P1hSHRY8L7E9VHHuBsP1_HUafVsbeILmnyNZAY7YHQz5/s1600/46-Second+Coat+Wiped+down.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-0b_qxYeMynRY03b2hfeCT7xbas5XGnRc-6pcsDsac0-pMihTM-KjemNDuXqvmOQkzrZ1mZJqMdQd2rOJcJ7RsWHEFd_moOU3P1hSHRY8L7E9VHHuBsP1_HUafVsbeILmnyNZAY7YHQz5/s640/46-Second+Coat+Wiped+down.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top Stained</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEoZD-UcVuSY6dABlZw5B9I31MD5dFJ1k1ARFmM9_Fj_ksU78zyrU8fsLtPMX6ZAT06uci06UjNObZkeMQGkRgbUs1HjZrLcgXaxQSOf3q-T340VcYPT0aQhjXM6vUet8REkAx7RsadbR0/s1600/59-Different+View+With+Grommets.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEoZD-UcVuSY6dABlZw5B9I31MD5dFJ1k1ARFmM9_Fj_ksU78zyrU8fsLtPMX6ZAT06uci06UjNObZkeMQGkRgbUs1HjZrLcgXaxQSOf3q-T340VcYPT0aQhjXM6vUet8REkAx7RsadbR0/s400/59-Different+View+With+Grommets.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grommets In Place</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-_BaiWIKMJC7ETVLf21qFVf3Q3o_YYIifNkiqwQjZGzaoSFUoWJrF6G1SLKmVv6pVq5vwIMH4-OkFqT0G0VUOPa-NK09ewumWz3p92XoRoCKI_cieqGdZMKcG9S-iooCeOnDgMJvoOc-/s1600/65-Complete.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-_BaiWIKMJC7ETVLf21qFVf3Q3o_YYIifNkiqwQjZGzaoSFUoWJrF6G1SLKmVv6pVq5vwIMH4-OkFqT0G0VUOPa-NK09ewumWz3p92XoRoCKI_cieqGdZMKcG9S-iooCeOnDgMJvoOc-/s400/65-Complete.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Backsplash In Place</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMTY_jHiBaT1ffWF2K7GkO2hfcyI-olb2QUrn_SR8DlZ07zj6aAdc7dTsBJn2o-az1MuLCS7s0uC4heyqbugiEHrk22O4qZrXiHQLtO8WPhNzisVnFbjYr2ZM5WlcBZWym0zVwJX0GqhS2/s1600/70-Moved+In.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMTY_jHiBaT1ffWF2K7GkO2hfcyI-olb2QUrn_SR8DlZ07zj6aAdc7dTsBJn2o-az1MuLCS7s0uC4heyqbugiEHrk22O4qZrXiHQLtO8WPhNzisVnFbjYr2ZM5WlcBZWym0zVwJX0GqhS2/s400/70-Moved+In.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moved In...WHOO WHOO!!!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxY8Z9nNfef7xpwUlFfCHpj3VaQ2PDxfJ0yOzbXjBtMZ4UCeUxtSLjnWBYeCUrFlPldYfjS9z3y6bZI_ZW8z_tPsh72asjFr8oCWq19OSwznJvogA7P5-4JfLKWKmH0aPsCMSZiW3_l3MV/s1600/SAM_0151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxY8Z9nNfef7xpwUlFfCHpj3VaQ2PDxfJ0yOzbXjBtMZ4UCeUxtSLjnWBYeCUrFlPldYfjS9z3y6bZI_ZW8z_tPsh72asjFr8oCWq19OSwznJvogA7P5-4JfLKWKmH0aPsCMSZiW3_l3MV/s400/SAM_0151.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Pictures Hung<br />
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So, you might be asking, what's next? Well, He is going to make some kick panels to cover the brackets (that I get to sand, stain and varnish) and then some drawers (gotta have junk drawers) (that I get to sand, stain and varnish) You'll notice that there isn't anything on the walls ABOVE our computers...that is because I have other thoughts in my ultra huge chemo riddled brain for those walls. :)</div>
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By Grace Alone -</div>
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Teresa</div>
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Teresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-10815363045213510042013-07-06T06:51:00.001-07:002013-07-06T06:51:34.119-07:00Quiet Time Book LandAren't new friends fun?<br />
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I've made a new friend and she has ALL KINDS OF IDEAS on how to utilize my sewing skills. (She doesn't sew a stitch but is good at finding things for me to sew...LOL) She really is fun and she is stretching me beyond my current comfort zone. Her name is Sarah and to protect the innocent, I won't divulge her last name. We also work together.<br />
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She is a lot younger than I am but she is a kindred spirit. She likes to do crafty things but she also has two young children (ages 2 and 4.5). So we aren't exactly moving in the same dimension of this world. I am in the slow turtle part of the world...kind of relaxed and laid back...enjoying the lack of constant energy that kids bring into a house and she is thoroughly enjoying the constant energy. As it should be. <br />
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We do a lot of texting. She has helped me design and create these two (yes, I said TWO) Quiet Time books for her children. Each book ended up with 12 pages. I got to do lots of embroidery in them and she got to do some crocheting for things like flowers and apples that snap on. She did a lot of the cutting out of the small pieces (ugh...I hate that part) Lots of sewing (I LOVE that part). I'll see if I can post some pictures here so you can see some of the finished products.<br />
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Here were the two finished books. I am uploading a video of Ryan's finished pages. Avery's is pretty much the same as Ryan's with a few differences. She had Flowers instead of apples and a Jean skirt instead of overalls. She didn't have colors and shapes, she had cupcakes for counting. She also had a clock to learn to tell time but it was all feminine instead of having Woody in the middle of it. Here are the pictures that are different.<br />
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Each of the cupcakes have beads on them that equal the number on the cupcake holder. The cupcakes come out and can be mixed up and then she will need to match them back up by counting the beads.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwCI23PH39WIa1ZGpPKgrswgrcTmK1vrXqCsz1avrUv7tKzFIDRDaPFv3lI_A1WoDpNVsNaP0WiFfzgv38-qQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Enjoy the video. This was actually made to send to Sarah because she lives across town and we do everything virtually. I figure you can get a good laugh out of it too. </div>
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We started these books on May 25th and I finished them this morning. I'm not sure it is anything that I want to do again though. 8-) I am sure they will bring a lot of joy to both the kids and Sarah. She had one when she was a child which is what started the entire project. She says she is going to play with them as much as her kids. Too funny. She really is a character. <br />
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Here is a little Max for today:<br />
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"Put Your Trust In Him<br />
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By Max Lucado<br />
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How did Jesus endure the terror of the crucifixion? He went first to the Father with His fears. He modeled the words of Psalm 56:3, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”<strong> </strong>Do the same with your fears. Enter them—just don’t enter them alone. And while there, be honest. Pounding the ground is permitted. Tears are allowed.<br />
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“Take this cup,” Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemene. Give God your fears. Give God the number of the flight. Share the details of the job transfer. He has plenty of time. He also has plenty of compassion. He won’t tell you to “buck up” or “get tough.” He knows how you feel. That’s why we punctuate our prayers as Jesus did: “Father, if you’re willing. . .” Was God willing? Yes and no. He didn’t take away the cross of Christ, but He took away the fear. Who’s to say He won’t do the same for you?"<br />
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By Grace Alone -<br />
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TeresaTeresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-11540651558581010872013-04-28T08:21:00.001-07:002013-05-03T04:55:27.155-07:00Making MemoriesMy Mom and I sewed together on Skype yesterday. That is always fun. I like to spend a few hours on the weekend just sitting back and playing and chatting about nothing and everything. When we started our conversation this weekend I wasn't sure what I was going to do during it. Tom and I had just gotten back from the grocery store and Hobby Lobby. I needed some furniture for my sewing room to hold already cut pieces of cloth so they wouldn't get strewn all over the shelves with the cloth that wasn't cut yet. (Yeah, this has become a SERIOUS hobby.) Anyway, I started out cleaning up the furniture while we talked and then I started looking at the ironing board that was up against the wall and was comparing it to the new wall hanging that I had just gotten finished this week and hung up the night before. They really clashed. Started talking to my Mom about it and we decided that I probably had enough cloth left over from the border on the wall hanging to cover the ironing board so (to continue this run-on sentence) we sat there and designed it together. Even after she is gone, I will look at that ironing board and remember the good times we had laughing during the creation of that ironing board cover. :)<br />
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Here is the wall hanging and the finished matching ironing board cover. :)<br />
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The biggest challenge was Shadow wanting to play with the elastic while I was threading it through the binding on the cover. She's almost 11 years old and she's still such a kitten.<br />
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I got a REALLY good deal on one of the two pieces of furniture I got at Hobby Lobby. It was regularly $299. They had it marked down 30% to $209. It had a big gouge on the front of it and I thought...hmmm....I don't really care about the gouge since it is just going in my sewing room but I don't want to pay $200 for a gouged piece of furniture. So I called one of the clerks over and asked if I could get a deal on it. He said he'd ask the manager. The manager said I could get 50% off. I figured that just meant 20% more off which would make t $150 which was ok with me. But when I got up to the register, they gave me 50% MORE off of it so I ended up getting it for $105. Very cool. Here is a picture of the two new pieces for my sewing room. The big one is the one that I got the deal on. I actually paid $20 more for the smaller piece but it didn't have any flaws so that was ok. :)<br />
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Here is a little Max for today...I just love the ones about food. :) This one is a particularly good lesson for Tom and I since we are having a few battles with our neighbor right now. His kids like to put gum on our brick mailbox (easy to remove)...they don't mow their grass regularly (but they eventually mow it)...and their trash quite often blows into our yard (easy to pick up)...oh, it's the little things. Good lessons from God.<br />
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"Chocolate Ice Cream or Okra?<br />
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by Max Lucado<br />
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Jesus said: “The way you give to others is the way God will give to you.” (Luke 6:38).<br />
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It’s as if God sends you to purchase your neighbor’s groceries. “Whatever you get your neighbor, get also for yourself.” I’m crazy about double-chocolate ice cream, so I buy my neighbor double-chocolate ice cream. But suppose your neighbor’s trash blows into your yard. He’s in no rush—says he’ll get to it next week.<br />
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You’re just about to have a talk when God reminds you, “Time to go to the market and buy your neighbor’s groceries.” You march right past the double-chocolate ice cream toward the okra and rice. You drive back and drop the sack in the lap of your lazy, good-for-nothing neighbor. “Have a good dinner.”<br />
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The next time you go to your pantry, guess what you find? What will you be eating? Chocolate ice cream or okra? It’s up to you."<br />
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By Grace Alone -<br />
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TeresaTeresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-5272035716459621202013-04-19T07:21:00.000-07:002013-04-19T07:21:51.232-07:00Technological Whiz or Technological Ditz??I used to be a techology whiz.<br />
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Not sure what happened.<br />
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Now I find myself screaming at my iPad and wanting to throw it in the trash.<br />
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No, it isn't menopause.<br />
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I've just had one of those weeks.<br />
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Lately, I've had some password challenges. I'm sure everyone has these nowadays (that's a word, right?). I mean, we have to create passwords for different email accounts (yeah, I've got an email account for my apple id, an email account for my internet account that is tied to my cable, I used to have one that was tied to my old internet account with AT&T that we got rid of when we got our new internet account and that one was on our iPads, iPods, and iPhones. I was trying to change the iMessage on the iPad from the bellsouth.net account to my me.com account and it wasn't taking what I KNEW was the right password for the me.com account. (You followed all that, right?) I ended up handing it to Tom and saying "It's all yours." Turned out the iMessage doesn't even work on the iPad so no wonder the password wasn't working. Not sure why it worked with the bellsouth account to begin with. Who knows. Another of life's mysteries.<br />
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Side Note: At last count, I had about 168 different passwords in my password database. Yeah, kinda extreme, but I'm a complicated gal.<br />
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I got froggie and decided to go to google + with my comments on my blog. AFTER I did that I saw that it said that I would lose all my previous comments when I did so. WHAT??? I have so FEW comments. I CHERISH all my comments. Oh well. A technical HIT again. It turns out that it isn't as bad as I thought. I can't see the comments in the stats but I can still see them on the individual blog entries. More cumbersome, but all is not lost. (Whew)<br />
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The new med the doctor put me on for the migraines is doing really well. No migraines in the past week. I adjusted to one a day and started on two a day today. Back to feeling fuzzy but I am sure that will straighten out after a week just like the one a day did. I REALLY like not having a headache. <br />
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Here is some Max for today:<br />
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"The Fire that Consumes You<br />
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By Max Lucado<br />
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God will speak to you differently than He will speak to others. Just because God spoke to Moses through a burning bush doesn’t mean we should all sit next to a bush waiting for God to speak. No, God reveals His heart personally to each person. We learn His will as we take up residence in His house and seek to listen to him every single day.<br />
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Want to know God’s will for your life? Then answer the question: What ignites your heart? Forgotten orphans? Untouched nations? The inner city? What is the fire that consumes you? Mark it down. Jesus comes to set you on fire and he will speak to you. The fire of your heart is the light of your path. Fan it at your own delight. Blow it. Stir it. Nourish it. Disregard it at your own expense! Your delight is God’s message to you!<br />
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God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing. Ephesians 2:10"<br />
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By Grace Alone -<br />
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TeresaTeresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-35940118437318755212013-04-13T08:32:00.002-07:002013-04-13T08:41:00.089-07:00Three Cookie DaysThis really is a big deal for a cancer survivor...<br />
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Yeah, I'm gonna talk a little about cancer again today. I try not to go here anymore but this is like celebrating a birthday. :) It's definitely a three cookie day!<br />
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I am TWO YEARS (count them) TWO YEARS past my last radiation treatment. I just had my 2 year checkup with my medical oncologyst and everything is going well except for some migraines that I have been having.<br />
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So, now I'm on a new and exciting (not) med. I was having migraines just like these BC (before cancer). After chemo, I didn't have them anymore but a couple of months ago, they decided to start visiting again just like old friends. (I did not invite them and they are definitely not 'best' friends'. HA.)<br />
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The new med is Topromax which was initially released for epilepsy but they found that it stops migraines in their tracks before they get started so I'm willing to give it a try. I've been on it for two days and the first day, a headache was acting like it was going to start but today, nothing. So far, so good.<br />
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The good news is that all my blood work is NORMAL again also. My white count is all the way up to 5.1 which is amazing for me. My platelets are normal for the first time, my BUN is within the normal range. Anyway, without boring you totally to death, let's just say that they all look really good for the first time in two years. We've been exercising again which I know is a good thing. (Probably what is causing the headaches...LOL)<br />
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Off of cancer and back to sewing...lol. A WAY more fun subject.<br />
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I did finish some curtains to match a quilt hanging in my bathroom. Here is a picture of that.<br />
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Yes, this was actually the wall hanging from my office. I took the one I had made for the bathroom and took it to the office because I wanted to make the invisible hanger for this one and the other one ended up matching my office better and I had a lot of matching material to this one for making curtains so I did a switcheroo. This one matched the bathroom quite nicely too. 8-) It has taken me almost 6 years to decide what to do with that window. I'm such a procrastinator. sigh. </div>
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I also made curtains for the guest bedroom so that it would be homey when Mom came down to visit. </div>
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Here is a pic of the curtains. I made them out of some of the material that I had left over from the monstrosity quilt material. 8-) The color of the walls is correct in the picture below and the color of the walls in the picture above is incorrect. I took the picture of the bathroom with my iPhone and the picture below with a real camera. The walls are actually the same color in the two rooms...lol. </div>
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I ran across these neat little magnetic curtain tie backs that are holding the curtains open. I wasn't sure if I was going to like them or not but I like them more and more each time I see them. It's such a simple concept. It is two metal leaves with magnets inside of them and a metal wire running between them. You put one leaf on the back and one on the front of the curtain and they snap together to hold them in place. I'm sure when Roman spends the night, he'll have a lot of fun rearranging them. HA!</div>
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That is about all I've been up to lately. Here is some Max for today. Cancer was all vegetables, but I'm definitely having three cookie days lately. <br />
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"Three Cookie Days<br />
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By Max Lucado<br />
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Every day, God prepares for us a plate of experiences. Some days are “three cookie days.” Many are not! Sometimes our plate has nothing but vegetables, twenty-four hours of celery, carrots, and squash. Apparently God knows we need some strength, and though the portion may be hard to swallow, isn’t it for our own good? All are important and all are from God. Romans 8:28 says, “We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love Him.”<br />
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The next time your plate has a portion you find hard to swallow, talk to God about it. Jesus did. In the garden of Gethsemane His Father handed Him a cup of suffering so sour, so vile, that Jesus handed it back to heaven.<br />
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“My Father,” He prayed, “if it is possible may this cup be taken from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” (Mark 14:36)."<br />
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By Grace Alone -<br />
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TeresaTeresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-73604466033861128842013-03-26T05:27:00.000-07:002013-03-26T05:28:51.523-07:00Really Just a HobbyI am thinking more and more about sewing for money after I retire. I love to do it so why not make money at it? I don't want to do things like alterations or making clothes (ugh)...I just want to be creative. I feel like I have all this creativity just bursting to get out of me. I don't know that I have a natural talent but I am seeing great strides of improvement with each quilt that I do. Practice makes perfect and all that...<br />
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This all started just a year ago. Tom bought me a small machine that did sewing and embroidery. I made some <a href="http://tnt-teresa.blogspot.com/2012/05/valance-complete.html" target="_blank">window dressings </a>and then moved on to <a href="http://tnt-teresa.blogspot.com/2012/06/quilt-finished.html" target="_blank">a quilt</a>. I quilckly realized that I needed a machine with a bigger opening for quilting so we went shopping at our local Sew 'n Vac store and found a Brother Quattro 2 for a healthy price but I swear the thing dances for me. Every time I use it, I find new features to it that make me go 'WOW'.<br />
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I got all excited about the machine and thought up a very complicated quilt design with embroidery on every other square and a log cabin design for the alternate squares. Green being the major color for the embroidery matching the green in the log cabin on one row and then the next row would be burgundy. I got 11 rows done with 9 squares across and said to myself "ENOUGH". Too much work. It wasn't fun anymore so I put it away. As I said in another posting...it was a <a href="http://tnt-teresa.blogspot.com/2013/03/monstrosity.html" target="_blank">monstrosity</a>. So, about 3 months later, I pulled it out and rounded the corners and finished it with binding. All right...I have to be honest here...When I decided to pack it away, I had just seen a flaw two rows up from where I was. I couldn't fathom ripping out all those seams and fixing it. One of the embroidered designs was going in the wrong direction. YES I'M A LITTLE OCD. But, even with that mistake, I really like the way the quilt came out.<br />
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Then, for Christmas, he bought me some quilting design software that allows me to create my own designs and print out templates for each piece that needs to be cut out. I created an <a href="http://tnt-teresa.blogspot.com/2013_02_17_archive.html" target="_blank">optical illusion quilt hanging</a> from that software over Christmas and realized that the possiblity of creating is endless. <br />
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My boss asked me to turn his T-shirts into a <a href="http://tnt-teresa.blogspot.com/2013/02/t-shirt-quilt.html" target="_blank">T-shirt quilt</a> and he PAID me 250 dollars when it was done. I mean...he actually paid me. I had told him not to pay me because he loaned us his trailer to help move the kids out but he insisted. (I wanted to give him an out in case he didn't really like it.) BUT he really loved it. I was astonished. Of course, that just fed the beast and flattered me to no end. Can't hardly get my head into the house now. I got brave enough now to make my Mom a quilted wall hanging for her birthday. (Since she doesn't read my blog anymore, I'm pretty safe putting this out there) Sent a picture of it to my sister and now she would like one for Christmas. I did some very intricate quilting on the wall hanging. I'll probably make myself one also. Each year we always give each other something that we have ourselves so that we have like items. Not really sure how that got started.<br />
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Anyway, everyone wants to do what they love for a living. If I knew how to market what I do, it would be great. I could easily sew for 12 hours a day with no problem. I'd probably lose touch with reality though which wouldn't be good. Tom might move out and I wouldn't even know it. I'd end up in the twilight zone just sewing away.<br />
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I want to get better at free motion quilting. They make it look so easy in the how-to videos and when I try it, my free motion looks like someone with epilepsy was doing it. I know I know...practice, practice, practice. I've ordered some templates and a pouce pad so that I can just follow some lines on the quilt when I do the quilting part. I'm afraid that will be the best I can do. I will continue to practice the free motion quilting but I'm not sure I'll ever get good enough at it.<br />
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I understand the joke now about "Whoever dies with the most cloth wins". Cloth and I are having a love affair. I just keep stocking up on my favorite colors when they are released from Connecting Threads. This is an awesome site that have amazing quilting material. Good thick material at very low prices. No, I'm not advertising for them...just sayin'.<br />
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I guess the bottom like is that it is really just a hobby but I would love to make money at it. 8-)<br />
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OK, enough about sewing...here is some Max for you today.<br />
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"Get Ready For a Surprise<br />
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By Max Lucado<br />
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Have you got God figured out? Get ready, you may be in for a surprise. Hear the rocks meant for the body of the adulterous woman drop to the ground. Listen as Jesus invites a death-row convict to ride with Him to the Kingdom in the front seat of the limo. Listen as the Messiah whispers to the Samaritan woman, “I who speak to you am He.” And listen to the surprise as Mary’s name is spoken by a man she had buried.<br />
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God appearing in the strangest of places. Doing the strangest of things. Stretching smiles where there had hung only frowns. Hanging a bright star in a dark sky. Many more knees will bow. And many more seekers will celebrate.<br />
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“For no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him!” (1 Corinthians 2:9)"<br />
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By Grace Alone -<br />
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TeresaTeresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-81768461752503768792013-03-16T10:36:00.000-07:002013-03-16T10:36:50.051-07:00MonstrositySometimes, I get myself in over my head (and way over my patience level) with sewing. (How else am I going to improve though if I don't try new things?) I had this great idea last fall (<a href="http://tnt-teresa.blogspot.com/2012/09/reflections.html" target="_blank">Here is the link to the thought process on the creation of this quilt monstrosity.</a>) to design this quilt that had embroidery all over it as well as squares that were pieced together. It was fun for about 10 minutes and then it became a monstrous amount of work. Being the person that I am (all type A personality) I forged on with it.<br />
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I worked on it from September until about December and then I folded it up and packed it away until BJ and family got out of the house because it really was consuming too much of my time. Oh, AND, I had found a flaw right in the middle of the quilt. I had turned one of the embroidery pieces in the wrong direction which pretty much ruined it for me. (Yeah, more Type A personality going on.) I had already sewn two rows past that mistake and there was no way I was going back and taking all that stitching out. (I tend to quilt as I go with each row so that it isn't so bulky when I am quilting.) <br />
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I finished a project last weekend and then found myself fingering the material on the monstrosity quilt. I HATE to have unfinished projects cluttering up the back of my mind so I pulled it back out.<br />
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Here is a picture of the wall hanging I finished for the bathroom last weekend....it really did come out perfect! I think I even impressed Tom with this one. I am improving in my skills all the time and for the most part having a blast with it!<br />
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You can see that I even tried a little free motion quilting on the center squares on this one. I am still nervous about doing that and I need to practice a LOT more. 8-)<br />
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So, back to the monstrosity story...<br />
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I pulled it out and laid it across the twin in the guest bedroom and realized that I had done enough on it to have it be an additional blanket for that bed. I finished the quilting process on the last two rows, put the binding on it and wala...it is finished. It has a lot of minor flaws (all giving it character of course...ha ha ha) and one major one that if you look closely, you can see in a couple of these pictures...<br />
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It adds some color to the white bedspread in there. I might make some curtains for that room out of the burgundy flowered material I had left over. (I had a LOT of that material left over.) Not sure why I bought so much of that one...probably just liked it.<br />
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The quilt had 99 squares by the time I was finished with it and for those that know BJ...in his words...'tas enuf.<br />
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Here is some Max for today...kinda fits in with my theme (in a very loose way...lol) I like to think I took something that I thought was a failure three months ago and took another look at it and finished it.<br />
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"What's Done is Done<br />
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By Max Lucado<br />
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What do you do with your failures? Could you do it all over again, you’d do it differently. You’d be more patient. You’d control your tongue. You’d finish what you started. You’d get married first. But as many times as you tell yourself, “What’s done is done,” what you did can’t be undone.<br />
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That’s part of what the apostle Paul meant when he said, “The wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23). He didn’t say, “The wages of sin is a bad mood.” Or “The wages of sin is a hard day.” Read it again. “The wages of sin is death.” Sin is fatal.<br />
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What do you do? Don’t we all long for a father who will love us? A father who cares for us in spite of our failures? We have that kind of a father. A father whose grace is strongest when our devotion is weakest. Your failures are <em>not</em> fatal, my friend!"<br />
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By Grace Alone -<br />
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Teresa<br />
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<br />Teresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-43741807639215966572013-03-06T05:22:00.001-08:002013-03-06T05:22:23.456-08:00Is Heaven for Me?Busy busy weekend. We went truck shopping and found a beautiful new Tacoma for Tom. It is a Magnetic Gray Metallic. We got there at 1:00 (had an appointment) and were driving away with it by 3:30. We got a great deal on the trade-in for his 2008 Tacoma. This will probably be our retirement truck. We still need to get a hard tonneau cover for it though. He's found the one he wanted and has ordered it.<br />
The rest of the weekend was spent chatting with my Mom, cleaning house, sewing, and resting.<br />
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Roman's birthday is on Saturday and we're going to do a cake, eat out, and then I got them tickets to the hockey game for Saturday night. Yeah, we don't do hockey but they really enjoy it and I get the tickets free through Boeing so it makes for a perfect end to his birthday. <br />
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I gave the finished t-shirt quilt to my boss and he really seemed to love it. It is a good feeling to make people happy with quilts. I understand why my Mom enjoys doing it so much!<br />
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My next project is another wall hanging. One of the walls over the tub in my bathroom is totally bare. (I"m never in a hurry for decorating...I have the rest of my life and it makes it fun along the way to decorate instead of killing myself when we first move into a house. Ok, so it's been 5 and a half years since we moved in and I still have blank walls. Big deal..it's my house...lol) I've designed the pattern I want for in there, cut the cloth and I laid it out to see how it would look. The binding will be made out of the darkest gray color. I am having a ton of fun with the design software Tom got me for Christmas. 8-)<br />
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I've been reading a book that was written by Amber Myers called "The Swimmer's Assistant". Amber is the one that does the Whispering Writer Blog. (You can connect to that blog over on the right in my "Blogs I enjoy reading" section.) The book is every bit as funny as the Stephanie Plum series books. In fact, in some ways, I'd say it was funnier. If you like funny books, you can get this one on Amazon for .99 in Kindle format. It is a LONG book too...not just a little short one like most of them are today. And no, I don't personally know the writer...I just read her blog a lot when I was going through chemo to keep my spirits up. She is as humorous in real life as she is with her books.</div>
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Here is a little Max for today.</div>
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"Is Heaven for Me?</div>
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By Max Lucado</div>
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My friend Joy teaches children in an inner city church. Her class is a lively group of nine-year-olds. There’s one exception—a timid girl named Barbara. Her difficult home life had left her afraid and insecure. She never spoke. Never. Always present. Always listening. Always speechless. Until the day Joy talked about heaven—about seeing God. About tearless eyes and deathless lives. Barbara raised her hand. “Mrs. Joy? Is heaven for girls like me?”</div>
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I would’ve given a thousand sunsets to have seen Jesus’ face as this tiny prayer reached His throne. A prayer to do what God does best: To take a pebble and kill a Goliath. To take a peasant boy’s lunch and fed a multitude. To take three spikes and a wooden beam and make them the hope of humanity. To take the common and make it spectacular!"</div>
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By Grace Alone -<br />
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Teresa<br />
Teresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-49293751275749015382013-02-25T06:05:00.000-08:002013-02-25T06:08:38.711-08:00T-Shirt QuiltI've been working on a quilt for my boss. He ran marathons and 2K runs a lot when he was younger. He had to have his hip replaced in 2005 and he ran for one more year and then decided the hip and running just didn't work out so well. Anyway...long story short, he wanted me to turn all of his t-shirts from the runs into a t-shirt quilt. I'd never done a T-shirt quilt before but I was sure that I probably could do it. I'm not one to give up on a challenge. :)<br />
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It is one thing to make a quilt out of material that you could easily replace...kinda scary when you are doing it with non-replaceable t-shirts. In fact, I had kind of a scary moment when I accidentally cut off a corner of one of the t-shirt squares. I repaired it and it is hardly noticeable now (I doubt he will ever see it) but at the time I had a few choice words to say about the error. (Note to self: keep the table cleaned off when cutting. ARGHHHH.)<br />
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I found the secret to making a t-shirt quilt is in the interfacing that you back the t-shirt squares in. The interfacing keeps the squares from stretching all out of shape when you are sewing them together or quilting them.<br />
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Here is a picture of the quilt without the binding. I'll be binding it next weekend.<br />
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We are heading Friday to find Tom a new truck. This will be his retirement vehicle. He had a red truck before this gray one that he has. He says he wants another red one. The Tacoma comes in a very pretty Barcelona Red. I'm trying to decide whether to trade in my car and his truck when we go to pick it out. He drives me everywhere but I hate to give up the independence in case I want or need to drive.<br />
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Here is some Max for today:<br />
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"Whispering Thoughts<br />
by Max Lucado<br />
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Reporter Dan Rather once asked Mother Teresa. “What do you say to God when you pray?” Mother Teresa answered quietly, “I listen.” Taken aback, Rather tried again, “Well then, what does God say?” Mother Teresa smiled, “He listens.”<br />
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Why don’t you give God your listening thoughts. Just whisper to him, “Am I in your will, Lord?” “Am I pleasing you, Lord?” By the time your life is over, you’ll have spent six months at stoplights, a year and half looking for lost stuff—double that in my case, and a whopping five years standing in lines. Why don’t you give these moments to God? By giving God your whispering thoughts, the common becomes uncommon. Simple phrases such as, “Thank you, Father,” and “You are my resting place, Jesus,” can turn a commute into a pilgrimage. You needn’t leave your office or kneel in your kitchen. Just pray where you are. Give God your whispering thoughts."<br />
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By Grace Alone -<br />
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Teresa<br />
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<br />Teresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-58486545420443210132013-02-22T12:43:00.000-08:002013-02-22T12:43:03.001-08:00Where have I been??OK, so I've been a bit busy for the last four months. Shoot me.<br />
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So many holidays, so much family time. (It's been amazing!) I've made several quilts, helped my son and his family move out of our house and into their new one. (Yeah for all of us...lol) They now have a very beautiful newly built home that should last them a lifetime. No, surprisingly, I don't have any pictures of it yet. How odd is that? Didn't even think to take pictures...maybe I will this weekend. <br />
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Well, maybe not this weekend. We still need to tear apart the trampoline and get it moved over there and they have some stuff in the storage unit that still needs to be moved to their house so I probably won't have time then either.<br />
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I'll give them a chance to settle in and get it decorated the way they want to before I start flashing the camera all over the place. HA!<br />
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I connected with my very first best friend during the last month. That was amazing...it's probably been almost 45 years (ahem..yeah...wow...that long) since we were connected and it has really been fun to catch up. I hope to stay connected with her as time goes on. She has some physical challenges (don't we all!) but she is one tough lady with a sweet heart.<br />
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I have given my house a good spring cleaning and reorganization since the kids moved out. I even have my own sewing room now. While they were here I had used our formal dining area as a sewing room....hated all the mess out in the middle of everything but I couldn't give up sewing...lol.<br />
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I'm currently working on a T-Shirt quilt for my boss. Yeah, it's a bit nerve wracking to be sewing for my boss....AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.<br />
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Here is a very poor picture of a wall quilt I made over the holidays. Tom got me some quilt designing software and this is the first thing I designed. I had a lot of fun making it and what is really cool is that the software even spits out the templates for the pieces that you have to cut. I made it to hang on one of my office walls at work because the calendar that was up there had been put up by the janitor and he put these huge holes in the wall and the calendar wasn't being replaced. So....I had to get creative. 8-)<br />
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We also bought a couple of bicycles in the last month. We had gotten our grandson a bike for Christmas but he didn't have anyone to ride with so we thought we would make great riding pals for him. We used to enjoy riding bikes so we thought since we didn't have our treadmill room while they were here we would take up biking again. WOW, was that hard. The first time we went out our legs felt like weak pitiful old rubber. We are slowly (EVER SO SLOWLY) building back up those muscles. We live out in the country so it is a great place to ride the bikes. <br />
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Well, here's some Max for today...very interesting perspective:<br />
<br />"What if?<br />
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What if, for one day, Jesus were to become you? Waking up in your bed, walking in your shoes, assuming your schedule? With one exception—nothing about your life changes. Not your circumstances. Your schedule. Your problems. Only one change occurs! His priorities govern your actions. His love directs your behavior.<br />
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What would you be like? Would people notice a change? What about the less fortunate? Would you treat them the same? And your friends? Would they detect more joy?<br />
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Pause and think about your schedule. Obligations. Engagements. Appointments. Would anything change? Keep working on this for a moment. Adjust the lens of your imagination until you have a clear picture of Jesus leading your life. Then frame the image. What you see is what God wants. He wants you to “think and act like Christ Jesus.” God wants you to be just like Jesus!<br />
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“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)."<br />
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By Grace Alone -<br />
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Teresa<br />
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Teresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-21808270420864696942012-10-16T05:08:00.000-07:002012-10-16T05:08:31.646-07:00This and That...Trying to decide if there is really anything to blog about. <br />
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I don't have any pictures to post. Not as much fun without pictures.<br />
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Nobody is sick in the house this week. Hurrah!! I ended up with the flu last week. Yeah, that pretty much sucked. I stayed home from work for a couple of days just lying in bed and sleeping through it. I had fun everytime Tom came in the room I would imitate Roman and cry "I'm dying...I think I'm gonna die." It made him laugh every time. Oh wait...I guess I didn't tell that story on one of my blogs. Roman was sick the weekend before I got sick and at one point we heard him back in the bedroom crying and screaming at the top of his lungs, "I'm dying...I think I'm gonna die." Ok, maybe it loses something in the translation but neither of us had ever heard a child say they were going to die when they had a cold or flu. He is very dramatic about everything. <br />
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I went to the oncologyst and we talked about the cancer meds that I quit taking a couple of months ago because of bone and joint pain. (I know EXACTLY how it is going to feel when I get about 20 years older...) He gave me a new script for Tomoxifin. Side effects from that one sound really yummy. More weight gain, embolisms, stroke, etc. Nice. Can't wait. (Yeah, yeah...that is heavy sarcasm you hear.) Of course, he swears there is no bone or joint pain with it. We'll see.<br />
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He's doing a pet scan to make sure the cough I have isn't anything to worry about. I'll be doing that on the 23rd and then going back on the 25th to see if there are any concerns from it.<br />
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Roman is making great grades on his school work. He is working really hard. His Mom had bought him a Spongebob umbrella and the kids made fun of him at school yesterday. Is six REALLY too old to like Spongebob Squarepants? It seems like the perfect age for it to me...kids are just mean.<br />
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Work is busy as usual. I had a 'meet and greet' with one of the guys from home office in St. Louis yesterday. He was diagnosed and treated for Stage 4 melanoma eight years ago. He is a walking miracle. I am daily thankful for the strides we have made in getting rid of cancer cells. God is so good all the time. 8-)<br />
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Here is a a little Max for today...amen and amen...<br />
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"Not Just Mercy, But Grace<br />
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By Max Lucado<br />
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We are poor, spiritually for sure; monetarily, perhaps. We’ve buried our dreams, desires, and aspirations. Like the mother with Lupus or the businessman in the unemployment line, we’re out of options.<br />
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Yet Christ approached us “while we were yet sinners!” “Will you cover us?” we asked him, and Grace smiled.<br />
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Not just mercy, mind you, but grace. Grace goes beyond mercy. Mercy gave the prodigal son a second chance. Grace threw him a party. Mercy prompted the Samaritan to bandage the wounds of the victim. Grace prompted him to leave his credit card as payment for the victim’s care. Mercy forgave the thief on the cross. Grace escorted him into paradise.<br />
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Mercy pardons us. Grace woos and weds us. Grace does this. God does this. Grace is God walking into your world with a sparkle in his eye and an offer that’s hard to resist!<br />
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“Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:4-5″"<br />
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By Grace Alone -<br />
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Teresa<br />
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Teresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704563036066558611.post-10131096047286177852012-10-07T06:05:00.004-07:002012-10-07T06:05:48.290-07:00Changing of the SeasonI always feel a bit melancholy when summer turns to fall. I looked out the kitchen window this morning and this is what I saw.<br />
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Now, I'll admit, the sun isn't up yet and, even when it comes up completely, it will be overcast but it really matched my mood this morning. The leaves are beginning to fall off of the trees and I know that before long, the trees will be bare and that will be the view for several months while the world goes into the dormant winter state. The air has turned crisp and cool and I have already turned the heat on to knock the chill out of the air. <br />
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It's funny, even though the leaves are falling off the trees, the roses are still generating new leaves. I haven't fertilized in probably six weeks so I must have fertilized to late in the summer. They are still really pretty and I stand amazed that they survived me and the drought this year. 8-)<br />
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I have been able to avoid all doctors for the last six months and, I have to admit, it has been wonderful! Next Wednesday I have to go see my oncologist for my six month check up. (Which will generate other appointments such as mammograms and probably a pet scan). Hopefully, all the diagnostics that they insist on doing will come back clean and I can go on for another six months without any more doctors. 8-)<br />
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Sometimes, I get so caught up in life that I forget how precious this time with BJ, Madora, and Roman is. Sometimes, I find myself screaming internally, give me just five minutes without the noise and bustle that their family brings into the house. Max has some wonderful words of wisdom about how I should be dealing with this. I mean, I never let them know that I feel that way but does being Christ-like mean that we don't have those feelings or that we don't show them? 8-}<br />
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"Piranha Hour<br />
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By Max Lucado<br />
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We used to call 5:00 p.m. the “piranha hour.” It was that time of day when our girls all wanted a piece of mom at the same time. And I, the ever-loving, ever-sensitive husband, wanted Denalyn to drop everything and talk to me about my day. When is your piranha hour? When do people in your world demand much and offer little?<br />
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Jesus teaches us how to live through them successfully. When hands extended and voices demanded, Jesus responded with love. He did so because the code within him disarmed the clock.<br />
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The code is worth noting: “People are precious.” He gave sight to eyes that would lust. He healed hands that would kill. Many of those he healed would never say “thank you” but he healed them anyway. <br />
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God’s goodness is spurred by His nature—not by our worthiness. He knows the value of people!<br />
<em></em><br />
<em>“…but the crowds learned about [what Jesus was doing] and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing. Luke 9:11″"</em><br />
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<em>By Grace Alone -</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>Teresa</em><br />
Teresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14335176178032255578noreply@blogger.com5