Tag: Love

MANY BLESSINGS

This is the time of year when we look at the world with renewed gratitude for the blessings in our lives. I don’t know why we have to be reminded to be thankful when every day brings its own miracles and blessings. I think we spend so much time focusing our prayers on big blessings—like relief from pain, successful cancer treatment, healthy babies, the safety of our loved ones—that we forget to say thank you for all the mini blessings that we are surrounded by day in and day out.

I am hugely grateful for the medical miracles showered on my friends and my family and equally thankful for those who are now pain-free and wrapped in the arms of Jesus. But I’m focusing now on the many mini blessings I am gifted with.

  • A day when the mail is delivered before dark and it is everything that was scanned on informed delivery saying it was expected today.
  • Waking up next to my sweet husband of more than fifty years.
  • Lunch al fresco with a friend whose white count would allow visitors.
  • I am thankful the local Barnes and Noble carries all five of my books. If you will be in the area, I am doing a book signing on Saturday, Dec 13 Noon- 4 p.m. at the Tuscaloosa Barnes and Noble in Midtown. Stop for one of my books or just stop for a hug! Hope to see you there.
  • The enthusiasm of my thirteen year old great niece who wants to be an author when she is older. She really already is. I’m reading her story as it is born.
  • The arthritis in my fingers remaining at bay for me to knit socks, crochet baby blankets, spin colorful yarn, weave warm scarves, do needlework, and paint and put together tiny pieces for the buildings on my husband’s model railroad.
  • A positive letter from an unexpected source that brought tears to my eyes.
  • Lunch with friends who make time for us to continue decades of friendship.
  • A text message just saying I’m loved. I confess, sometimes it makes me pick up the phone to talk to the sender because no text message can replace the sound of a voice of someone you love.
  • A wonderful cardiac calcium score (4) after going through a difficult test.
  • Celebrating making another orbit around the sun.
  •  Scrapbooks and photo albums that let me relive so many of  the wonderful moments of my life.
  • Good books to read including one my great nephew shared with me that he had been percolating for several years—a stirring sci-fi fantasy. Can’t wait to see how it ends.
  • My readers—veteran followers and new. I love seeing a new name pop up on a review or a new follower. It’s always great when longtime readers and followers leave comments on my blog.
  • I love that I have readers who want to be early recipients of my latest work. One of those early readers is my husband whose lawyer training keeps my characters from doing anything that would land them in jail. Thank you all!

I’m sure there are many more mini blessings, but these are top of mind today. Take a moment to be thankful for not only the major miracle blessings in your life, but for all the little moments when positives rain down on you and make you smile.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. Enjoy!

And Then…

It seems that everyone is dealing with scary, difficult, and life-changing “stuff”. My prayer list grows longer every day. Loss of parents, children, spouses, friends. Cancer. Pneumonia. Stroke. Heart attack. Diseases I can’t even pronounce. Loss of mobility. Depression. Blood clots. Dementia. Fire. Flood. Accidents. Job loss. Contentious family relationships. Work-life balance. And a myriad of issues that may not seem major to someone on the outside looking in but are gut wrenching and heart breaking to the people slogging through them looking for daylight on the other side.

There is a real danger that when you’re being inundated by evil and ills of the world, you’ll miss the moments of total joy and pure bliss. Don’t let them be overshadowed by the bad. There are so many exquisite moments in life if you are looking for them. The talcum powder scent of a new baby. The gleeful face of a six year old bathed in the glow from birthday cake candles. The smile of someone who loves you. The sound of a friend’s voice long unheard. A hand holding yours as you cross the street. A new job you are passionate about. Mastering a new skill no one thought you could. Reaching a golden anniversary milestone. The aroma of supper wafting to you when you come in the back door. A letter from a friend you thought you’d lost. Discovering who you are. Realizing you are a child of a Creator who loves you always. Finding someone who believes in you.

Remember, there was a dark, difficult time ages ago when all seemed bleak and hopeless. Then…

UP FROM THE GRAVE HE AROSE

Happy Easter

The Gift of Family

The best gift I got was when my sister, Lori, was born. She was the first of my nine siblings. I love being part of a large and loving family. The second wonderful gift I got was when I married my husband and became part of his, then much smaller, family. Holidays are a time when I especially think about both of those amazing gifts of love.

When I married we began the tradition of one year with my family at Christmas and the next with my in-laws. As my siblings married, they fell into the same rotation so we could, hopefully, all be together at least every other year at Christmas. It worked well until my parents divorced. Initially, my mother moved to California, but once she came back to the Midwest, every other year split between Mother’s or Daddy’s. A little more complicated bookkeeping, but manageable. As grandchildren arrived, schedules became more unwieldy and some years we weren’t all together.

Since I’ve lost both my parents, my family focuses on summertime reunions to try to get together or the occasional Schnepper girl weekend somewhere warm in winter–but that is just siblings and spouses. The last time all my siblings were together was for a funeral years ago. In Canada. It makes me sad but time marches on and weaving together everyone’s schedules and managing within their means can be very hard.

My husband’s family started small and grew prolifically. He was the baby with only one brother and one sister–both much older. His sister has two married children and one grandchild. His brother had one son and two girls who are all married and have taken then Biblical directive to go forth and multiply quite seriously. Most of them live in or near the small town my husband grew up in. That fact makes orchestrating a gathering slightly easier but everyone still has to make the effort to come together.

Last week we celebrated an early Christmas at a Mexican restaurant with my husband’s family. We couldn’t find a free day for 100% of the target attendees but we did for most of them. People who had to work or conduct youth group managed to get together and visit with us before the main event. We so appreciated their efforts to see us while we were in town. We missed those who lived farther away but many of them had been home at Thanksgiving this year. There were thirty-eight of us for dinner. Lots of hugs. Lots of smiles. And Christmas joy at being together as a family. We were in a separate room off the main dining room so we could move around to talk. It was wonderful. Our Christmas celebration on the day will be just the two of us this year starting a new tradition.

I know that everyone can’t get to see their families at this blessed time of year. Distance, work, sickness, financial worries–all put up impediments to getting together. I hope you’ll consider making a family experience with the friends who are near or volunteer to help someone who is alone and share the love you have. Embrace the joy of the season and let it shine from your heart!

As Tiny Tim would say, “God bless us every one!” Merry Christmas to you! May the New Year bring you peace and happiness.

Made with Love

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When I shared the above picture of the scarves I wove to take to my family reunion in May, a friend suggested I should take them to Kentuck – an annual artisans’ fair each October held here – except for last year but they’re back on track now. She’s not the first person to tell me I could sell my handmade creations – whether it’s woven scarves, lacy baby blankets, cardigans and sweaters made from yarn I spun, shawls, lapghans, warm woolen socks, or dishcloths.

I keep busy creating beautiful things just for the people I love. There is something extremely satisfying about spinning yarn for a cardigan in the perfect shade of green to match my friend’s eyes or creating purple yarn my sister would love a sweater made from or crocheting a baby’s layette for a friend’s first grandchild. Half the joy of the creative process is knowing specifically who you are making something special for. The double bonus is that while I’m in full blown creation mode it stimulates characters and plot lines and dialogue that I’ll soon put to paper.

I have made things for people I’ve never met. Soft caps for preemie babies. Larger caps for chemo patients or the homeless. Pocket shawls and lapghans for shut ins. But I passed love into every stitch knowing it would be felt by the people who received those soft, comforting donations.

Somehow, I don’t think I would feel the same about rushing to produce things to be sold at a fair or a craft marketplace to people I don’t know. Of course, time is a factor too. I’ve been blessed with a large extended family – blood and in-laws – and many cherished friends. They keep my spinning wheel whirring, my loom beating, my knitting needles clicking and my crochet hooks in perpetual motion. And ideas flowing into pages of novels I hope to one day publish.

For now, I’ll continue to focus on things I make with love. Wishing you a day filled with love that wraps you in happiness. Enjoy!

P.S. if you haven’t received your wearable love from me yet, don’t dismay. I’m sure you’re on the list to receive something when you least expect it!