Wednesday, November 29, 2017

It's almost here....

Good evening all,

I hope your Thanksgiving was very special for you and your family.  I always enjoy spending time with my family, whether it's a holiday or not.  They are all very busy and I understand why I don't see them too often, but that's okay with me.  Just knowing that they're all okay and doing well is joy enough for me.

Well, December 1st. is almost upon us.  Just one more day left in November.  I did some gift wrapping today.  Actually, I'm almost finished.  I suppose my next endeavor will be to start addressing my hand created Christmas greeting cards.  I actually had them all finished by the end of October.  I think I created approximately sixty five cards.  I just love trying new designs and seeing how they turn out. 

I've been busy with my children's security blankets.  I have 36 of them completed as of now, and my husband will take them to a few hospitals in a week or so.  I also have 41 stuffed animals completed to hand out to hospitalized children, as well.  Each of the blankets have an animal, which is dressed, hand embroidered in the center of the blanket.  Here are some photos!





If you want to enjoy your Christmas Season, get started now!  Then at least one week before Christmas, you can just relax and enjoy your family get-to-gathers.  I hope the rest of your week goes well. May God bless each of you, always.
Susan


Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Happy Thanksgiving!

Good evening folks,

I hope your week is going well.  Thursday is the day that we all give thanks to God for all His many blessings.  You may be thinking:  what do I have to give thanks for?  Well you woke up this morning, didn't you?  If you're reading this, I know you did.  Did you have food to eat today?  Do you have a job to go to?  Do you have someone who cares about you?  Are you in pretty good health?  Do you have warm clothes to wear this winter?  Do you have clean water to drink?  And on and on.....

We all have so much to give thanks to God for.  I hope that on Thursday, you will stop and take a few minutes to realize all the many blessings you have now.  So many people get caught up in what they don't have and never take the time to think about all they do have. 

What's really important to you?  For me, it's my family and friends, after God, of course.  The many things we do are just that, things!  They aren't the important people in our lives.  So, on this Thanksgiving Day, please take time to consider someone else's life and how they have to live every day.  Someday, that could and may be you!

Happy Thanksgiving to each of you and may God always fill you with His Mercy and Compassion.
Susan

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Stress and Anxiety!

Hi folks,

How's your week going?  I hope it's not too bad for you.  I remember when I was younger, still working, raising children and was involved in other activities, how stress and anxiety would creep their heads into my life.  Actually, they still, from time to time.  I suppose that's true for all of us, no matter how old you are, or what your circumstances are at the present time.  Stress and anxieties are just a part of living!  I wish they weren't.

What do you do to try to control them?  As for me, I turn to God.  But, I will admit the anxieties return very fast.  There are many things about ourselves that we can control, but anxiety is not one of them.  I wish it was and I'm sure you do also.  I put my faith in God because He is the only one who can truly help me. 

Unfortunately, unless another person is in the exact same circumstances as you, no one else can understand what you're going through.  That is sad because many times what we need is to share with someone we love how we feel and we can't.  That's why I turn to God.  He's the only one who will listen to me and try to help me.  Fear is another feeling that we can't really control.  Perhaps you suffer from the fear of something.  Whether it's a legitimate fear or not, it exists for you and many times, no one else can understand that.  Many times, fear occurs for legitimate reasons that others can't understand.  They may think it's foolish, but it isn't to the person who suffers the fear.  It's very real.

I hope that if you are suffering from either of the above, that you have someone in your life who will be there for you and I also hope that you will turn to God for His help.  Don't be ashamed or embarrassed about being stressed, having anxieties and being afraid of something.  They are real feelings and are not just something fabricated. 

I know that with the Thanksgiving and Christmas Seasons approaching, many people experience one or more of the above.  You are not alone, even if others don't understand you!  These things are real to you. 

Have a good week and always turn to God for stability. 
Susan

Friday, November 10, 2017

It's Here!

Hi, folks,

I'm sure you know what I'm referring to in my title:  The weekend!   I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but here in South Central Pennsylvania, it's cold and windy.  With the wind chills, we are to drop down below freezing over night.  I guess that means that our heat will be on for quite a while now. 

I remember when we actually had a spring and fall, when during the spring we could turn off the central air and open the windows.  Then in the fall, we could turn off the heat and just be comfortable.  We don't have that happening much anymore.  I truly miss that!  How about you?

I can't believe that Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away, and you all know, that once we pass Thanksgiving, Christmas is almost upon us.  I have to say that I truly enjoy both of these seasons, especially the Christmas Season. 

Christmas is a very special time of year for me.  When I was a youngster, we lived on a small farm, and my parents didn't have much money, but they always made the Christmas season very special for me and my siblings.  Dad always put up a platform, which was painted white on the top, and Mom hooked rolls of paper, that were made to look like red bricks, around the two exposed sides of the platform. 

Nest, Dad would set the Christmas tree on the one end of the platform.  Then, we'd decorate the tree with some beautiful ornaments, which were very special to my folks.  We had plastic ice sickles which had a little hook on the top of them, for hanging them on the tree.  Of course, Mom always put tinsel on the tree, also.  She'd also put Angel Hair on our tree.  (If you've never heard of that, it's spun glass that feels like silk.  Mom would spread it all over our tree and when the lights were on, they cast shadows all through the angel hair.  It was a bit messy, but it was beautiful when the lights were turned on.)  FYI:  My husband and I still hang many of those same ornaments on our tree, as well as, some of the ice sickles.)

After the tree was all decorated, Dad would set up the train, which ran around the entire perimeter of the platform.  Then, Mom would set up the village and lastly, she'd spread green flakes that looked like grass and brown flakes for roads.  On top of that, she'd spread the artificial snow everywhere.  They even had small lights inserted into the houses making it look very realistic.  Us kids loved everything about Christmas at our home. 

You see, it wasn't so much about the gifts we got, it was about the birth of Jesus and the peace the season brought to us.  Mom always played Christmas music right after Thanksgiving, which we loved.  I suppose it's no surprise that I have always loved the Christmas Season, seeing how special my parents made the season for me and my siblings.  Of course, on Christmas morning, the three of us couldn't wait to go downstairs to see what Santa had left for us.  Compared to what a lot of kids get today, what we got was sparse, but we didn't truly care. 

I brought my three daughters up with those same Christmas traditions.  We, also, couldn't afford to spend much money on Christmas gifts, but that never seemed to spoil anything. 

As I am getting older, I am realizing, more and more, how much thanks I owe to my beloved Mom and Dad, for raising us the way they did.  Tradition has, and always will be, very important to me.  I was just thinking yesterday, how much I owe my Mom for sharing all her many, many creative abilities with me.  I am truly so thankful to her because with my life being what it is today, because of my chronic Congestive Heart Fairlure, if I couldn't create things for other people and especially children, I would surely be in a deep depression.  But, I stay busy, even if it is while I'm on the sofa with my feet up.  I truly have to give back for all the many, many blessings I've been given by God.

I hope your weekend is a good one.  Be safe and have some fun.  May God bless each of you and keep you safe, always.
Susan

Sunday, November 5, 2017

Sunday's News

Happy Sunday everyone,

I just found out about the shooting in Texas at a Baptist Church.  Twenty people were killed.  I have to ask this question every time something like this happens:  "What is happening in our world today?"  It seems that hatred and violence is taking over in, not just this country, but everywhere throughout the world. 

I have no idea how we stop these senseless killings from happening.  All I can do is to pray, asking God to help us all to start living according to His Divine plan. 

I will pray for all those families who lost loved ones today in Texas. 

Please take a few minutes to ask God to have Divine Mercy on every family who was involved in today's senseless killing. 

Well, it's back to work for most of you tomorrow, since it's Monday once again.  I hope your Monday goes well for you and everyone who works with you.  When you arrive at work in the morning, go in with a smile on your face and love in your heart, giving thanks to God that you have a job to go to every day.  Many folks can't find a job and therefore have no money coming in to feed their families.  So, if you have a job, thank God for your blessings. even though it's another Monday!

I hope your week is a good one with many blessings coming your way.
Susan