All things come to an end

As I write this I am staying home for the 3rd day because of the flu. I am very determined to do something somewhat productive.
What am I saying? I have been very productive look at those matching pair of mittens ( and the sunshine coming to tell us winter will not go on forever!). Only me and my thumbs will know (oh and now all who read this) that one mitten"s thumb is shorter than the other.

And look at that hat and cowl (opposed to a cat and a howl (: ), yep I finished those too! now I don't feel so bad for three days of laying on the couch and watching Dr. who and pysche episodes.

And this rose is almost finished blooming ,but isn't it beautiful! No fake flower ever looked so good, that's why fresh flowers are so special : they die.. plain and simple if they lasted forever they wouldn't be as special.
I know theres something very profund and wise in this somewhere,but I'm going to let you figure it out on your own.

And wonders beyond wonders all the snow has melted.... it almost seems too soon. like it should hang on til the very end. The ground looks so bear , but hopeful that the green will return.
this sickness will end.
the winter will end.
everything will end in the world.
but God will always remain. beautiful and unchanging.
That's what I'm going to try to keep my mind on today .
as I slowly make my way back to the couch.

Made with LOVE

Kittens lose their mittens ....and so do I.
So extra mittens is never a problem. I finished the first mitten last night , hmm long cold winter evenings I'm sure is what made someone want to figure out how to create wool yarn tied into loopy knots .

I just noticed that I put the same colors of my mittens on the underpainting of my newest enterprise.
totally unintentional ,but interesting.

Today I'm at home ,and It's totally freezing outside . I'm not even sure how cold the windchill is. BUT something I do know is that everyone needs a little encouragement. Cards always encourage me . little personal notes that I can't quite seem to throw out.

I keep them in boxes in my closet and every once and awhile I pull them out and smile.
I hope these cards are box worthy for all the people who will recieve them this week.
I prayed over every one. God can use paper and glue isn't that crazy?

Last night I really enjoyed reading Phillipians with a couple of friends. Paul's love for people just seeps out of that book.
I seem to lack that I mostly think of myself, first thing in the morning : ME last thing at night:ME.
I want God to change that in me , first I want to think of HIM . to really really love HIM. Second I want to love what he loves
PEOPLE.
THis little prayer that paul prays for the Phillipians is what I want to pray for my dear friends.

Phil 1:9-11
And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and MORE in REAL knowledge and all Discernment,
so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be SINCERE and blameless until the day of Christ;
Having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of GOd.

So this Valentines Day I'm going to seek after REAL love.

Do Not Rush. Trust.

Keep a Quiet Heart
Today was snowday #2 and an unexpected day at home.
but somehow I felt at peace about that today,
and I didn't worry if I didn't get everything I wanted to get done done.
Today I did some more research on Candida ( a medical term not a Geographical location)

Last week I made the discovery of this wierd yeast that is okay in small doses,
but after large quantities of antibiotic can kinda take over your body.( yeah it sounded kinda scary to me too!) I've been having strange symptoms ever since my appendix burst in 2009. So to spare you all the many symptoms and to make a long story short.
I am now on a no sugar no carbs diet.
yes I said that right no carbs! Oh man! I love my bread!
But it is not the end of my life ,and today I have been discovering all the things I can eat.
All the meat I want, eggs, milk , yoghurt, all veggies, some fruits , some nuts, and ....okay that's about it.
Call me wierd ,but I decided out of all that long list of things to eat on my day off I would make........ liver and onions

It was actually quite delicous with a nice fresh green salad and avocados.
I am not going to die on this diet .I am by God's grace going to balance this nasty yeast.
and someday I will eat chocolate again....boo hoo I said the word I really shouldn't talk about that sweet dark goodness.

(by the way I also painted our basement bathroom red , thus the pictures of a red basement room.)
what I really wanted to share with everyone was this little blurb I read out of Elizabeth Elliot's book "keep a quiet heart"

"I think I find most help in trying to look on all the interruptions and hindrances to work that one has planned out for oneself as discipline, trials sent by God to help one against getting selfish over one's work. Then one can feel that perhaps one's true work- One's work for God -
consists in doing some trifling haphazard thing that has been thrown into one's day. It is not a waste of time, as one is tempted to think, it is the most important part of the work of the day- the part one can best offer to God. After such a hindrance, do not rush after the planned work; trust that the time to finish it will be given sometime, and keep a quiet heart about it."
Annie Keary, 1825-1879

That really encouraged and convicted me when I get all bent out of shape because I didn't get everything done that I wanted to
I am praying for a quiet heart in the future .

(Audrey claire keeping a quiet heart with uncle.)