I do enjoy other pursuits then quilting. If you’ve read more then this post you know that I do needlepoint, but in addition to that I cross-stitch, tat, and knit.

Well, on these cold rainy days, I’ve spent more time knitting then quilting recently.  I do have something to show you, though.

I have finished all of the blocks for my quilt!  All I have to do now is sew the sashing and put it all together!

Well, I guess that’s all for now, right?

Oh!  You want to see a picture?  Well, if you insist…

This one wasn’t sewn yet, although I do assure you… It is done now!

I thought this was a really cool picture. :)

Our God is so big!  And He’s so good to me! I consider what my hands have made, and remember the One who made my hands from such worthless clay! I’ve taken some theology classes recently, and one of the units was on the Holy Spirit’s working in our life.  When you consider all that He has equipped us to do, it’s staggering.

My customary signature “Because of Him” shows this truth. I am who I am because of Him. He has brought people into my life and taken them out of my life for the purpose of molding my clay-like existence into a beautiful work of art that brings glory to the Master Craftsman. Without Him, all I would be is a lump of dirt. I’m humbled that He would take the time to notice me, an unworthy handmaid, humbled that He is choosing to mold me, that He wants me to be a beautiful piece of art.

Look at my quilt. All it is is pieces of cotton fabric, stitched together in (mostly) straight lines. I can attest to how long it takes inanimate objects to submit to my will to become beautiful. God consistently is working on this stubborn, headstrong lump of clay. I look at my life now, and see a tangled smouosh of what I think are good things and bad things. But I can also see His hand everywhere.  It’ll take a lifetime of being squished  and stretched in His hands.

I wonder what I’ll look like when the Potter declares me done and calls me home.

Because of Him,

Melissa

P.S. Congratulations to my big sister and soon to be big brother on their engagement this weekend!  :)

Actually I think I detest cutting in general… But rotary cutting in particular freaks me out.

There is so much pressure!!! You go to the fabric store, spend $50-$75 on the “perfect” fabric for the quilt you’re making, and since it’s so expensive, you only buy exactly what you need.  There enters the pressure. You have one chance… all it takes is the ruler slipping once, incorrectly measuring once, your little brother sneaking up behind you ONCE! and it’s all over… either your fabric bites the dust or your finger does. Or maybe even your headphone cords (well how else would little brother be able to sneak up on you?).

Yes, pressure enough to make your hands shake when you take a break. I’ve actually had nightmares about messing up my quilt. There is no “close enough” in quilting. In making a skirt, if you have to shorten it an inch or two because you don’t have enough fabric, chances are it won’t kill you.  If you’re off an inch or two in quilting, it skews the entire thing, or makes it impossible to complete the pattern.

So, after cutting 1,141 separate pieces… I have finished all the cutting for the new quilt. I’ll post more pictures with the color palate and pattern later.

But that brings to my mind a different topic. And no, it doesn’t have anything to do with quilting. Consider the following verse:

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.  Isaiah 26:3

For me, I gained a temporal peace of mind when I finished cutting out a piece of fabric. Doesn’t it seem ridiculous how anxious I got over something so (eternally) inconsequential? But what do other people get that worked up about? A job? A school bill? A child? A boyfriend? A house? A TV show? Yes, some of these issues are genuinely valid and I’m not promoting the idea that we should simply stop caring about things, but I wonder how many problems get worked into a position of obsession in our minds. If we are so focused on having everything perfectly worked out, then can we really say we have time to focus and mediate on God’s word? “Oh, what peace we often forfeit, Oh, what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer”  (What a Friend We Have In Jesus).  It is only through trusting in Him and keeping our mind stayed on Him that we can have true peace of mind.  Yes, things are going to happen.  But keeping your mind stayed on Him keeps those things from becoming all-consuming in your mind.

Because of Him,

Melissa

“But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly [is] plenteous, but the labourers [are] few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”  (Matthew 9:36-38) and “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and [then] cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.” ( John 4:35)

Have you ever wondered what Jesus could know just by looking at a person? He was God, and as such He had divine foreknowledge and omniscience.  If He knew everything, when He looked at a crowd of people, not only could He see the expressions of wonder, anger, acceptance, contentment, happiness, sadness as we in our human faculties can, but He could also see the intentions behind the faces. He knew if someone was faking listening to Him, He knew if someone was criticizing Him non-verbally, He knew if they were baffled by His words, He knew if they were truly believing what He said.

But He also knew exactly which ones would/already had accepted Him as their Messiah and Savior. Imagine going through life, looking at people and instantly knowing all the hurt they’ve gone through and knowing that they would never accept Christ as Savior unless someone told them. The New Testament speaks often of Christ being moved with compassion when He looked at people. Maybe I can’t get close to conceiving what He went through, but this view of people is life-altering. If you look at people not as the person who makes your coffee at Starbucks, not as the kid who rings up your groceries, not as the weirdo with the pink spiked hair and chains on their clothes, not as the annoying co-worker who is always slacking off, but as someone who needs Jesus. If you see them as people who are hurt and empty, as “Sheep without a shepherd…”

Who are we to decide that that person is not worth the effort to talk to? Who are we to get so busy, that we can’t take 10 minutes a day to pray for missionaries? Who are we to remain silent when given an opportunity?

I’ve recently spent a good deal of time in which I had opportunities by the dozens to present the gospel. It’s much harder now that I’m home, but this sheep has been so tenderized, I want more opportunities and I pray that they come soon.

Because of Him,

Melissa

It’s strange to look back on all the things I thought of as trials.God tends to bring us situations that make us look through different glasses at our life.

For the past 10 weeks, I’ve been living and working at a children’s camp. When I got here, I really didn’t expect to be stretched that much. I didn’t expect to learn. I didn’t expect to grow. I expected to coast through a summer of working in the kitchen in the hopes of next year being able to be a counselor.

I feel like a piece of rubber. I have been stretched. I have been slammed to the ground with bad news. I have been bounced up to the highest heights by being able to be a part of God’s work here. And I learned that God can use me in spite of how my day/week/year has been going.

During the first two weeks in staff training, our group got to experience an evening chapel in the style of the three different camps – Broken I (Juniors), Ikes Roost (Junior High), and Rivertown (Teens). The messages were aimed toward the staff with the goal of teaching and encouraging us. The Broken I message was on how big is our God.

He is so big. Tonight, find a spot to look at the stars. You can’t see them all, but God created everything you can see and everything you can’t. In Isaiah 40 it talk about God measuring the heavens with the span of His hand. My God is so big! . . . and He cares to look down to see the littlest problem you can bring before Him. He cares about the things that bring you joy. He cares enough to send His Son to die for you. Such great and marvelous condescension. I’ve never felt more small then when I’m working here. Christ died for me before I was born. The Great and Mighty God died for me. “How can I do less then give Him my best and live for Him completely?”

Praise the Lord that over 100 people have come to know Him as savior this summer. And praise Him for the life-altering decisions that have been made. There is still a week and a half left here. Pray that God will continue to use all the imperfect people who have the opportunity to serve here this summer to work His perfect plan.

Because of Him,

Melissa

Rejoice in the Lord

Ron Hamilton

God never moves without purpose or plan

When trying His servant and molding a man

Give thanks to the LORD, though your testing seems long,

In darkness, He giveth a song.

~

Oh rejoice in the Lord

He makes no mistakes

He knoweth the end of each path that I take.

For when I am tried

And purified

I shall come forth as gold

~

I could not see through the shadows ahead,

So I looked at the cross of my Savior instead.

I bowed to the will of the Master that day

Then peace came, and tears fled away.

~

Oh rejoice in the Lord

He makes no mistakes

He knoweth the end of each path that I take.

For when I am tried

And purified

I shall come forth as gold

~

Now I can see testing comes from above,

God strengthens His children, and purges in love.

My Father knows best, and I trust in His care;

Through purging more fruit I will bear.

~

Oh rejoice in the Lord

He makes no mistakes

He knoweth the end of each path that I take.

For when I am tried

And purified

I shall come forth as gold

I’ve posted a few times lately about God’s supremacy. But in all fairness, it seems like I’ve been having a pretty peachy keen life.  I guess God thought so too. Well, one thing I’ve been praying to learn this year is that God would teach me to depend on Him more. I didn’t really realize that that would mean loosing some very close friendships.  This week I spent a lot of time counseling and praying for my best friend. I’ve always been afraid of counseling. What if I say the wrong words? What if they get mad at me? What if I get so nervous, I can’t even talk?  Well, that was my whole problem…I, me my.  When the time came for me to talk to this friend, I couldn’t talk.  I can only say that God gave me the words to say.  That might sound like a cliche, or something only a pastor can say in his prayer, but if you’ve ever experienced it, it’s the coolest thing ever!  Now it didn’t turn out the way I had hoped. I did loose a friend because I decided to take a stand.  That has been really hard to deal with.  Even though I can now look back and know I said what I needed to say, I still sometimes struggle with the doubt.  I’m also loosing another friendship for a similar reason, though it hasn’t been so completely cut off.  I’ve discovered that two people who are very close to me lied to me, one admitted it and the other denied it.  I think that this, perhaps, is the most hurtful of all experiences I’ve been through this week.  But, you know what?  2 Corinthians 12:9 says “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”  I don’t know or understand why all this has happened to me, but I know that His plan is better for me than anything else I can want.

I thank the Lord for a wonderful Pastor who preaches straight from the Word. Recently his sermons have been about faith. You can listen to these sermons here.  http://www.tricityministries.org/tcbc/sermons/archive.jsp?view=series&seriesId=80

Because of Him,

Melissa

This week was one I was not looking forward to. My best friend is out of town, and they’re going to miss my birthday because of it. I’m tired of getting up early for work, even though I’m supposed to be on spring break. I woke up on Sunday, wishing I could think of an excuse to sleep in an extra 5 minutes… Yeah, it certainly looked like a bad start to a bad week.

But it didn’t end there. I thank the Lord for the blessing of a particularly faithful pastor at my church. His wife recently passed away, and yet he is still leading songs and standing at the pulpit. When I asked him a question after the evening service, he didn’t give me the short answer and brush me off. He took the time to explain to me exactly what I wanted to know. This is the first of this week’s little blessings.

But it didn’t end there either. Monday, my parents surprised me with a beautiful bouquet of Daffodils, which I showed you a picture of in my previous post. I thank God for loving parents who knew how much I love those flowers, and bought them for me “just because”. This is the second of this week’s little blessings.

And again, it didn’t end there. Tuesday was a particularly trying day at work. I had lots of naughty children and absolutely no help the entire time. At one point, several moms arrived at the same moment to pick up their children. One of the visiting moms, who I will probably never see again, took me by surprise by handing me five dollars. In the eight months I’ve had my job, never has anyone given me a tip. And there have been times I’ve wondered if the other moms even notice me. About half of them ignore me when I say hello or goodbye. This is one of Gods gifts to me. As it says in 1 Corinthians 15 ” forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. “

But the week is still not over! At home that same day, I found a beautiful bouquet of roses. :) Honestly, smiling is the only way I can think of to express how those flowers make me feel. This is the fourth blessing.

Is our God not a God of blessings? The week didn’t end there! Last night, I found out that I had aced a midterm that I was really worried about. This is His fifth blessing of the week.

I didn’t write all this to brag on myself, but there are so many things that God has blessed me with recently when I didn’t expect it. If you’ve ever wondered as I sometimes do, whether God is even there or cares, remember those days that it seemed as though everything went your way and realize that God had as much control then as He does every day of your life.

Because of Him,
Melissa

Who would’ve known that Joanns would pick this time of month to have a sale on quilting fabric? I really love shopping for just the right combination of colors and prints.  I just get so excited! But first you have to pick a pattern… One thing I love to do is visit the local library.  Most libraries nowadays have a little used book shop; and that’s where the treasures are.  There is a particular lady who lives near me who has donated an entire collection of quilting magazines – at the price of two for a quarter. Most of them are as old as me, but honestly, quilt patterns never go out of style. Techniques might fade in and out of favor (puff quilting seems to be almost non-existent right now), but classic patterns like Bears claw, or Ohio Star will always be around.  And I think that lesser know, but classic looking patterns will be just as popular in twenty years as they are now.  It was one of these patterns I picked.  It doesn’t have the 3d visual look as my previous quilt, and it’s mostly made of squares and triangles, something I’ve only worked with once.  But allow me to show you a picture, and you may decide for yourself whether it is a worthy goal or not. :)

The pattern is called “Duette” (I like the musically themed name. :) )

Taa-Daa! Now I need to use a magic wand to poof my fabric into perfect points and straight lines…

Speaking of fabric….  :)

*Sigh* I just love daffodils! :)

And the fabric’s nice too. ;)

Seriously, Daffodils are my favorite flowers. I love how they’re the first notice that Spring is on it’s way. They always start pushing their way up around the second week of March, but sadly, they never last longer then a few weeks.  I look forward to seeing them every year! Maybe someday I’ll live in a more mountainy enviroment where they last longer.

I suppose I should tell you about the other quilt I was making – the rose colored one. The top is finished, but I’m so terrified of actually quilting it, that I have set it aside for the time being. Maybe soon, I’ll pull it out and put it under the needle, but until I get over my fear of hurting it, it’ll sit quite nicely where it’s at.

Consider the lilies how they grow:

they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you,

that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field,

and to morrow is cast into the oven;

how much more [will he clothe] you, O ye of little faith?

~ Luke 12:27, 28 ~

Because of Him,

Melissa

Well with that out of the way, now I’ll tell you about what I actually made.  I designed a pattern for a place-mat a loooong tine ago.  It was another one of those creative afternoons.  I had found the pattern in a file folder that used to hold school papers (oops!), and so I put it in the file of things to do eventually, and promptly lost it again in my closet (who says dryers are evil theives? Closets are bigger!!!! ).   So, after much trial and tribulation, I present, for the first time ever on the web…

Poinsettia Pinwheels!

And, just because I haven’t posted in so long, I’m also including a picture of the quilting….

I still haven’t quite decided what to do with it, whether to sell it or keep it for my hope chest, or give it to a friend/relative for a present.

Well, that’s all I have for tonight. I’ll post more soon! I’ve got a ton of stuff to put here now! If only I had more time! Who wants to be on a computer when they could be quilting!

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that

believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

And whosoever liveth and believeth in me

shall never die. Believest thou this?

~ John 11:25, 25 ~

Because of Him,

Melissa

~

Lord, I Need You
(Ron Hamilton)

Sometimes when life seems gentle,
And blessings flood my way,
I turn my gaze away from you
And soon forget to pray.
But when the sky grows darker,
And courage turns to fear,
My anxious voice cries upward
With words you long to hear!

Lord, I need you!
When the sea of life is calm!
O Lord, I need you!
When the wind is blowing strong!
Whether trials come or cease,
Keep me always on my knees!
Lord, I need you!
Lord, I need you!

Lord, help me to remember,
I’m weak, but you are strong.
I cannot sing apart from you,
For, Lord, You are my song!
Although, I’m prone to wander,
And boast in all I do,
Lord, keep my eyes turned upward
So I depend on you!

Lord, I need you!
When the sea of life is calm!
O Lord, I need you!
When the wind is blowing strong!
Whether trials come or cease,
Keep me always on my knees!
Lord, I need you!
Lord, I need you

~

I love the word picture in the second verse. If we keep our eyes up, it’ll only be by the grace of God, that we don’t stumble and fall.

~

Psalm 4

Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me [when I was] in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. O ye sons of men, how long [will ye turn] my glory into shame? [how long] will ye love vanity, [and] seek after leasing? Selah. But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him. Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD. [There be] many that say, Who will shew us [any] good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time [that] their corn and their wine increased. I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

Well, now I best be getting off. We’re celebrating my sister’s birthday tonight. :)

Because of Him,
Melissa

It was was so much fun!  But more importantly, young people got to hear good preaching several times.  During the last hour, we had a campfire where all who wanted to could give testimonies of how God had changed their lives.  What struck me was how many teens said they had dedicated their lives to God.  That was the theme of the conference, but do you realize how much faith it takes to make that decision?  It means giving up your own perceived control of your life and trusting in His promises.  Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”  Most of us would think that if I’m in control of my life, I can do what’s best for me, and God’s just going to ruin everything!  God wants to give you something wonderful and your going to sit there trying your hardest to not be miserable by being in control.  Guess what?  You’re miserable because you can’t control anything!  But by trusting Him, it also means accepting that when something bad happens God is still in control and knows what’s best.  “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.” Romans 8:28.

So at the youth conference, it was mostly high schoolers who had made this decision.  I know that, based on the topic of this blog, that probably the majority of my readers are no longer in high school.  But do you have the faith to surrender your life, your plans, and your sense of control to God?

Jesus I Am Resting, Resting

Jean Piggot

Jesus, I am resting, resting,
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee,
And Thy beauty fills my soul,
For by Thy transforming power,
Thou hast made me whole.

Jesus, I am resting, resting,
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.

O, how great Thy loving kindness,
Vaster, broader than the sea!
O, how marvelous Thy goodness,
Lavished all on me!
Yes, I rest in Thee, Belovèd,
Know what wealth of grace is Thine,
Know Thy certainty of promise,
And have made it mine.

Jesus, I am resting, resting,
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.

Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,
I behold Thee as Thou art,
And Thy love, so pure, so changeless,
Satisfies my heart;
Satisfies its deepest longings,
Meets, supplies its every need,
Compasseth me round with blessings:
Thine is love indeed!

Jesus, I am resting, resting,
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.

Ever lift Thy face upon me
As I work and wait for Thee;
Resting ’neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus,
Earth’s dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father’s glory,
Sunshine of my Father’s face,
Keep me ever trusting, resting,
Fill me with Thy grace.

Jesus, I am resting, resting,
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.

Psalm 37

Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.

Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.

But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

The LORD shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.

The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.

Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.

The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.

They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.

The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.

For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.

Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.

For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.

The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.

The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.

The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.

The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.

I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.

Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.

But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.

But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.

And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.