Encouragment

Looking ahead to the new year, I have stacks of fabrics waiting to become quilts.

I have oodles of spools of colorful thread.

The quilt possibilities are endless.

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves. ~Bill Vaughan

May you be an optimist in 2012. Happy New Year.

Light of the World

Today is the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. Tomorrow the daylight begins to lengthen every so slowly as the earth's tilt inches its way closer to the sun. Four of my quilts include a sun.

The World:
Good Morning:Arms of Love:24/7:
Since we're on the theme of light and it's almost Christmas I'm including a tribute to the birth of Christ, who said "I am the light of the world." Light of the world, You stepped down into darkness
Opened my eyes, let me see
Beauty that made this heart adore You
Hope of my life spent with You

King of all days
Oh, so highly exalted
Glorious in heaven above
Humbly You came to the earth You created
All for love's sake became poor

And here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me (written by Tim Hughes)

The annual tradition of decorating the house for Christmas is a time-consuming yet satisfying task. Right after Thanksgiving we crank up the Christmas music and get out the decorations. My husband puts up lights outside and places candles in each window while I decorate the tree and set out Christmas specific items accumulated over the years. Until New Year's Day, when it all goes back in storage, our eyes and memories are treated to something "new" around the house. The decor in my foyer features angels like the two pictured here. Sometimes the holidays are tinged with feelings of sadness or fear. While adding ornaments to the tree I experienced some of these emotions as I thought of family and friends no longer with us, and others living with insecurity due to health and financial concerns. But when I took out these Christmas angels I thought of this verse in the book of Luke,

"The angel appeared to the shepherds saying "Don't be afraid . . . I proclaim to you good news of great joy . . . today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you."