Travels and lessons

The Lord has been good to us.  He is always good, but through my human eyes sometimes I perceive Him as good when a desire is filled, or a trial has been put behind me..

Oh how faithless I am, but He is always faithful.

2015 was a huge year, so huge I hardly had time to chronicle it.  2016 started off with a trip to Florida and a much needed surgery for my husband… A trial and a gift..sometimes the trial shadowed the gift..

While we were gone my adopted mother fell, had emergency surgery, and is now in a nursing home, the very last place she ever wanted to be.  A trial, a sore trial, my heart breaks for her, but rejoices in her sweet spirit and her resignation to the Lord of her life..She continues to teach me as she goes through her trials..

Airboat ride with very generous friends..a desire of a life time..any one remember Flipper???  Time discovering with family..home education at it’s best…and time reconnecting with family..Joys..beauty..

The richness in life is contained in the relationships, in the giving of oneself to others..sharing your hearts, joys, sorrows, fears, victories..

Reminds me of a favorite hymn:

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word

what a glory He sheds on our way.

When we do His good will, He abides with us still and with ALL who will trust and obey..

The light of His word..

Love the Lord your God with all your heart soul mind and strength, and Love your neighbor as yourself..

I have always wanted to be accepted, to be loved no matter what..God loves me..and in giving love to others, I have received much much more than I have given..

The Love of the Father is manifested in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us..Such love..such love

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

first was from my heart, where His Spirit has graciously taken up residence, and the second is the actual, word for word, from the King James version of the Holy Bible.

I ramble..but that happens when I am filled with wonder..

 

 

Growing time..

On a cold April morning these men went on a journey..you can see how cold they are with their clenched hands and forced smiles 🙂

The crew of our family carpentry business..from left to right..laborer/apprentice, part time laborer/apprentice, right hand man, and chief..

chief, husband, and daddy..taking his eldest sons on a growing trip..

right hand man..already learned much before the trip, stretched in the areas of customer service, reading plans, ordering materials, getting the truck ready for a 12 hour trip, carrying all their tools needed..

Crew and support crew..So far they have been gone over a week.. we have been in contact by skype and this mother can see growth in her young men..So many life lessons..I hate to name a few because that would minimize the others..but I will jot a few down..responsibility, sacrifice, man’s provider role, flexibility, cheerfulness, …a weak representation..but a sampling..

They have been privileged to do a job on Nantucket Island, Mass.  This is a great privilege and I am reminded of the truth of God’s word in Proverbs 18:16..a man’s gift maketh a place for him.. And just seeing God’s hand in working out all the details, His ways are truly higher than our ways..

I stand in awe of Him.  The facet of the Lord, I am looking at in this time in my life is His practicality..He made us from dust..He knows our frame..He knows our physical needs..In today’s terms He is rather “crunchy” :-).. But oh, that does not diminish His glory, His power, His majesty, His holiness, His righteousness, oh no..it magnifies it in showing us how complete, total, perfect He is…

knowing all

seeing all

being over all

taking care of all

By His grace and mercy alone we live and move and have our being..may He use us for His glory..may we be content in the places He has set us..  so thankful for the knowledge that He is my Father..

P.S. spring babies at our house 🙂

Easter Finery

We had the privilege of singing in a sunrise service at a local community church yesterday..It was glorious to wake up get dressed and go sing praises to God and remember the resurrection of His son Jesus!  It was EARLY!!   We were there just before 6:00 a.m.

Spring is such a beautiful time to remember God’s faithfulness, His creation, His life giving power!  Grass is greening. Buds are ready to burst and the air is warming..We are thankful for His faithfulness to us in many ways..one being the coming of spring each year…..
The girls..they made the dresses..and Olivia made the crocheted flowers for their belts and their hair..
 The boys..men..plus our Choir director..Darius McBride..The girls and I we also made my dress last year..and Olivia helped me to crochet my little flower..

Our family..

I pray He makes us more aware and more thankful in every aspect of  our lives..  In Him we live and move and have our being..

He is the author and finisher of our faith..He alone is worthy to be praised, honored, and glorified..

A vacation..a retreat..a story..

This past January the Lord blessed our family with a vacation..I flew down to Florida with a friend and they followed on the weekend..We were able to be away from all the work at our house..with 2 family businesses and a little farmette.

We got to stay with my friend for a week, visit with my sister in law, and then a very dear retired couple offered us their condo for a few days..

 

It was so needed, our family had not been on vacation for 7 years!

Many of us were blessed with rest and relaxation..

 

but I wanted to record God’s blessing to me..

For many years, I have wanted to go on a retreat and just be alone with God..with finances and responsibilities that just has not been possible.

This was a retreat in a different kind of way..

The Lord allowed me to meet 2 very dear ladies..that both spoke into my life and were a source of reconnecting with some of my dormant heart desires..they both have very close walks with the Lord, and my walk has been a busy walk the last 7 years..

Another way He drew near was through the girl’s art teacher from Florida, who we got to visit with for a couple hours..a loving, peaceful, adoptive soul..She drew me in to the most ministering hug!!! God knows our every need..As a mama I get lots of hugs, but they are different..This hug was from my Father, my Daddy..and she touched me in the deep places of my heart with love and acceptance..no strings..no expectations..

Of course there was sun and warmth in the weather but God is my most urgent need..without Him life is empty and meaningless..I just wanted to Thank Him and to reminisce as the days are long and cold and my heart grows weary in the daily tasks and struggles..

The other night as I was awake in the middle of the night He reminded me with this verse in Galatians chapter 6 verse 9..  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

He is with those that seek Him, that call on Him, that NEED Him..Those who put their trust in Him will not be ashamed..

He is my Daddy and I am asking Him to teach me to trust Him more..

When I re-read Galatians as I write this I am moved to record that without Jesus’s sacrifice I could not say God is my Daddy..Oh Thank you Jesus for dying for me and making me able to call your Father, my Father..Thank you for adopting me..Thank you for accepting me..Thank you for promising that if I am not weary in well doing..I will reap if I faint not..Thank you for ALL your promises…..Thank you for hope…

Custom Sewing and reflection…

Almost 6 years ago..I started a sewing business..Over the last 27 years well, more..I have sewn here and there for family, friends and an occasional wedding..But in February 2009, I began making dresses to sell on e-bay..then etsy..then our own dedicated website..

Olivia and Victoria helped with little things like turning things inside out..running elastic and packaging.. Today, 6 years later, they are almost exclusively sewing and running a business that has grown each year..The Lord has given them a college education in the last 6 years..they have no written degrees but the amount of experience they have is astonishing..at least to me!!

In those 6 years we have designed, and sold our designs..but much of our work has been custom..people with idea’s coming to us and we have been able to make them a reality..That is very fun..it can also be stressful because we care so much that they get what they want..what they are envisioning..

Below are some photo’s of our latest custom order..A mama in Massachusetts has a precious daughter who she wants to keep covered and warm..her description was mod and modest :-).. The thing that is fun about this mama is she doesn’t have financial limitations..so she sent us 4 dresses and instructed us to make pants and a top to accent them..

The 4th dress’s pants and top are currently being sewn up..Her main instruction to me was “Chrissi, I want you and the girls to have fun”…this was freeing..as designing is so fun..

For one dress I got silk dupioni..a lovely fabric and we designed a little top and triple ruffle pants..I wanted the ruffles to show NO stitching..they turned out beautiful.. the top also showed minimal stitching..

 this was a great lesson in fine stitching for the girls…

 Red dress is not our creation..just ivory, silk dupioni accessories..

 This dress was the inspiration for the silk dupioni..it was to be worn at a wedding..

 These pants are made from a jaquard in gold tones..They were to go with the dress below which was more of an every day dress..our customer’s mother-in-law made the little red dress..she is from Pakistan..The way everything came together was so fun!

 It was relaxing to go outside the box of having to get orders done to being creative and blessing someone..Victoria made hairbows out of the gold jaquard to match this outfit..the mama was surprised..

As I reflect on these things it is a cause of gratefulness to the LORD for His faithfulness..He promises that if we are faithful in the little things  we will be faithful in much..My adult daughters and I are learning faithfulness in integrity in business and craftsmanship..Not so spiritual..but yet profoundly spiritual..

We are learning that you never arrive..we are always in a place to learn and grow..and that is a great lesson in humility..For our family..humility is a virtue..It is what our Savior has called us to.  The realization that He is the giver of gifts..We want Him to be glorified, we want his love to flow through our hearts and minds and fingers and to reach others, those who know Him and those who we hope will know Him someday…Jesus is the only one who makes our life worth living..He is our all in all..And He has provided this place for us and we are thankful..

Have a Blessed Christmas and Holiday season…do take time to reflect on His gifts to us..

Chrissi, Olivia, and Victoria….

A lesson..

Anyone in business or in life knows life is full of lessons…

We recently had a customer who gave us a negative feedback for not responding aggressively to a postal problem..The problem was we shipped priority mail on Monday, and the package did not arrive by Wednesday, it arrived on Friday of the same week.

We have shipping policies, and they state that after the package is dropped at the post office the responsibility for its delivery is out of our hands.

When she contacted us for help in locating her “late” package we tracked it and found the postal service sent it to another state but had redirected it to her state. We gave her this info and sent her the tracking number so she could look the progress of the package up for herself..She responded that she wasn’t implying it was our “responsibility” she was just reaching out for help.  And if the package didn’t arrive by Friday she would expect a full refund…

These were disturbing conversations and then the feedback today was disappointing..we were labeled apathetic towards helping her find her package…

The lesson?

Several have brought themselves to mind…

Always do your best..

Always tell the truth..

And the biggest lesson was..when I told my dear husband about her hurtful comments and feedback he reminded me..

“Chrissi, we need to pray that her business prospers and we need to ask God to give her the Main Thing…”

I love him for that..

What is the Main Thing you ask?

Jesus before the foundation of the earth submitting to His Father’s will and plan for our salvation…to come in time to this earth to make a way for our salvation.  He left His glorious home in heaven with His Father to come to earth, to live a perfect life and to die a spotless sacrifice to pay for our sinful imperfect lives..So WE could be with Him and His Matchless Father for all eternity and never have to die spiritually…

This life is short and a shadow of the life to come..

Why do we need to be saved?  Because we are all selfish and blind and sinful at heart…We may not be as bad as somebody else, but we, none of us can measure up to God’s glory and Holiness.

This Christmas Season my prayer is that along with that dissatisfied customer, we may all be given the gift of understanding the unspeakable gift The Father gave us in sending His son to “measure up” for us, since we can’t do it ourselves…And the understanding that to have Peace with God we have to admit our total inability and Jesus’s total ability to “measure up” for us..

Because that is the Main Thing..Peace with God through Jesus Christ, His son and our LORD..

I’m so thankful for a husband to remind me of that beautiful truth..

 

Miracle of Birth…

It was a very rewarding week.  Many ups and downs.  But Wednesday night I got to witness the birth of a baby girl!!

Actually it was Thursday morning.  For give me, I’m a little jet lagged 🙂

This time, I walked away sobered and humbled.  I have given birth 18 times if you consider my little ones that died young and were miscarried.

11 live births.  The humbling thing for me was this young mother, giving birth to her seventh child.  Was in great difficulty.  And she persevered and continued on and brought her child to birth.

We were calling on God for help, and He surely answered and gave her the grace she needed to keep on.

In my 11 births I had difficulties to be sure, one emergency C section thrown in.

But nothing like this dear child, I call her child because she is 20 years my junior, went through.

That was the humbling part.  Not to mention her courage.

The sobering part was tied closely to that.  Our bodies know how to do labor, God made them for that.

Everything works as planned with our bodies, but there are always different circumstances…size of baby, age of mother, number of births, too many circumstance or situations really to number.

We can’t really ever count on how a labor will go, we make our birth plans, we go on how our other births have gone…

But each child, each creation of God, is different …A new creation.  And they enter the birth canal in many ways.  And are born in many different ways..The best way to be ready for a birth is to be open to God’s plan.  Do what we need to do but go in to the labor with the understanding that this one has never happened before and will never happen again…

As I walked away from this birth experience I was sobered by how little in control we are.  The mother giving birth, the birthing coach, the mid wife, the husband…we are all human and God is over all and knows all.  That is a comforting thought If we can resign our idea that we are in control to Him:-)

I am so thankful He brought this mother to deliver her baby.  I am so thankful I got to be there on the other side of birth and see His handy-work…

The Miracle of Birth is a door to see the other miracles God does each day and minute…keeping us breathing, keeping our hearts pumping, keeping the earth spinning…Awesome thoughts…

Some of these thoughts are not new, some are very elementary, but some of us are still in the elementary school of life 🙂

Learning a new skill…

I’m learning a new skill…

Take life as it comes…

This is so foreign to me, but the Lord, through my health has ordained it.

Once upon a time there was a girl who took life by the horns and tamed it for her self.

At least she thought she did.  She ordered her world.  She was what my dear 92 year old friend calls a “go getter”.

One day the “go getter” got up and the go was gone!!!   But life was continuing to go on.

For the past 3 months that has been me.  Still running the house hold but a lot of times from a sitting position or laying.  Instead of leading the charge.

There have been times of activity.  Like my morning walk.  I go out early with one or two of my children and we talk and walk 2 miles.  Good for the heart and soul.   Some days that was it.

I have puttered in the garden.  Wednesdays I hang the laundry out.  Thursdays I cook dinner.

Our sewing business was very busy in March and April, then in May it dropped considerably and this month I would consider slow.  It is not bad, just slow.  As I consider this I see that March and April toasted me.  Not only did we sew, I taught some of the children’s school.  And managed the house hold.

For what ever reason my body didn’t hold up to this regime.  So, this week especially has been a humbling, not very pretty experience for myself and my husband and children.

Last Sunday was our  Sunday to sing at the nursing home.  I stayed home and rested.

Monday broke and after a long Sunday like that everyone was tired and grumpy to put it mildly 🙂

I am on Jury duty this week and next so the stress of wondering if they were going to call me in was pulling at my mind.

I looked at the books and we had 8 orders this week.  That is good, but so tame that it didn’t feel like a lot.  Excepting one that was a custom dress for a little girl with a feeding tube.  First time with the pattern made it a learning experience and it was slow going because I have been weak and very tired.

Yoke dress with matching headband

Rosette pin on collar

Last Monday, when our normal school was finished, normal being categorized as the main subjects completed and just my high school boys needing to finish their biology, and my middle school children are going to do 1/2 a math lesson all summer to keep sharp.   Normal school being finished I thought we could do some fiber art!  We have an embroidery machine and a quilt pattern for a beautiful “Prayer Garden” quilt.  So, we worked out our fabrics and our layout and the children and I have been stitching blocks, which we will sew together and then quilt.  The boys are all doing this also, as it involves a machine 🙂

So, those quilt blocks happened through the week.  I’ll do a post on it when it is done.

Friday we had a birthday party and the girls made these skirts for twin girls at our church…

As I am writing this I am embroidering the last of the blocks to make into the quilt.  It has been nice to be able to do something while my strength has been low.

This week seemed to happen to me instead of me planning it.   It is Saturday, I see that through mercy we have completed another week.  We are getting ready to enjoy the Sabbath.  One child  is showered, one is showering 9 to go.  Dinner is just about ready.  My husband will be home from his little Saturday job soon.  The little boys bath will be next and we’ll start getting our clothes ready to iron.

As I read over this to check for mistakes I see that the quilt blocks were a little much to put on us.  If I would have just let the children work at them a little at a time maybe over a month, it may have been more enjoyable.  But I see that I did drive that one.  The new skill of life happening isn’t easy to learn, but I know the sooner I learn it the more peaceful our home will be.

Lord, help me to receive life with thankfulness from your hands.  I want to learn to live for today, and not borrow from  tomorrow or moan over yesterday.  I am being very transparent here, my melancholy analyzing, has not been serving me this last few months, it has actually been doing me in!

If I can cast my cares on Him, because He cares for me and receive His sunshine or rain as in my best interest, because in truth it is in my best interest, because He loves me perfectly, I believe as my soul prospers in these truths, my body will begin to mend and prosper.  Cares, worries, and the might be’s are drying me up from the inside out.

Lord, forgive me for being blind to your truths and questioning your love for me in particular.  Somehow I believe you can love others so easily, but me??  I know in my mind you do, and I thank you for that, but in my heart, I really need you to make that real to me.

I know you hear and answer prayer.  Thank you.  Bless all your children.  Give them all a beautiful Sabbath day.  Help us to remember you and what your son Jesus did for us on that cross.  Make your love real to all our hearts.  Revive us and renew us!  Amen!

This is our garden, it takes each day as it comes…  my oldest son is our head gardener, he is making sure the plants are watered for tomorrow, it has been dry here.

Aren’t these snow pea blossoms beautiful?  The Bible says to consider the lilies how they grow, they don’t toil, and our heavenly Father cares more for us much more than them.  The same goes for  these sweet little pea blossoms.   Simple lessons, why so hard to learn and assimilate???

Sewing in all directions!…

We have been stretched the last month or so.

We have had a variety of different orders and requests and it is challenging.   I never have been one who can just keep doing the same thing over and over and over again 🙂   Of course excepting dishes, laundry, housecleaning and child-training.  Those are grand things, but sewing the same garment over and over just gets monotonous.

So here are some of our completed projects…

We designed these two lady bug pillow case dresses and bloomer sets.

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I have been itching to design a cotton classic night-gown.  We used our embroidery machine on this set.

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This was a simple white cotton night-gown I wanted to make that would be more affordable.

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My sister-in-law asked us to make a dress for her daughter’s graduation from high school.  She chose the bottom fabric and we hunted a vintage pattern up.  She wanted it to be the style of the dresses in the movie “The Help”.  We all pitched in on this one.  She received it over the weekend and it fits, Phew!  She lives in California.  We went totally by measurements.

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This little patriotic dress was something haunting me for a couple of years too.  It seemed the summer would always get here too fast and I’d miss my chance.

The little star is appliqued on and the star on the hair clip is the same applique. This dress is out to the photographer, I’m looking forward to seeing a little one in it.

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We finished our rug for our cutting table.  This is done by crocheting strips of fabric together.  I am working on a tutorial for this.

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These coordinating pieces were just sent out Yesterday.  Our first a line pinafores have gone out of stock due to availability of fabric.  I was pressed to get a new one designed and ready for sale.  This fabric is so great to work with.

It is a Michael Miller cotton couture and a Sandi Henderson print.  I made the pinafore fully reversible.  Two dresses in one.  The white peasant under dress is a staple for lengthening dresses that get too short or just for a country, meadow feel.  The ruffle bloomers and pants are just accessories for layering or season changes.  Some times the ideas just bombard.  My 92-year-old dear dear friend tells me she wishes I would just rest.  Oh how grand that would be!

I’m ready!  I have one or two more ideas gnawing.  I will try to get them out of my head and then turn my attention to finishing the school year, the home education convention, and gardening and canning, canning, canning 🙂

Remember, these are the results of 3 women and about a month of work.  I just didn’t have time to post this month.  So, all these projects are crammed into this post! 🙂

Look for our rug tutorial, maybe not too hard, still a lot to do around here 🙂

My Bible reading today was excellent a familiar Bible verse or set of verses, from Proverbs chapter 3

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

I’ve always just had verse 5 and 6 brought to my attention.  But today 7 and 8 were added to my understanding…I love how verse 7 is another way to say verses 5 and 6.  Makes me know God really wants me to get it.  And verse 8 is a beautiful promise.

Chrissi’s paraphrase:  If you trust, put all your confidence in, The Lord.  God Almighty, your creator, maker of heaven and earth.   The big guy upstairs who knows all that is or ever will be, If you trust Him.  You will have life in the very center of your being, Spiritually speaking and definitely some physically speaking.  As we all know stress and worry are the culprits behind many a sickness.

Well, I didn’t set out to preach but it all starts and goes back to God only wise who deserves all the credit for anything we do or think that is good or of worth.

A defining moment…

I’m in the middle of a defining moment.  I have been on my websites this morning checking business traffic and seeing if there is any sewing other than what I planned today…

I stopped by a woman’s site whose products came up next to mine in someone’s favorite items list.  Wow!  This woman is creative!  Her creations are colorful and beautiful.

The jealous bug tried to bite.  Then I read her about me section on her website.

She has one child and a boutique/shop, where by her hours, listed on her site..she spends 5 days a week.  She speaks of professionalism, careerism, and following her dreams.  She appears to be an extremely savvy business woman.

I am not going to let that jealous bug bite!  I have a career.  I am raising my children for the Lord.  I sew and design and create to help pay for braces, electric bills, and whatever else my husband needs help with, when his work load is not so great.

I am here as a helper to my husband and children, and to nurture them.

In my younger days I was all about career and climbing the corporate ladder, a regular animal for moving up and along.  Now I see the emptiness of that and the contrast of pouring my life into others.

The monetary remuneration for that is not so great, the recognition is not as free flowing as I was used to getting while in my career.  But, the lasting fruit, whoa!  Some day, and little bits right now, I will reap if I don’t get weary.

I was just at the doctor yesterday, I am not well.  He is going to help me but the process is going to be slow.  Some of the depression and fatigue problems, that I thought were in my head, are definitely coming from my body and many of them result from not getting built back up between childbirths.

Each one is worth what I am going through now!  They are a precious gift from God!  I thank Him for them!

The older one’s are all about helping mommy get better, little nurses and doctors 🙂

I am God’s precious child, I am a wife, I am a mother, my purpose is to be the best wife and mother I can be with God’s help.  Our sewing business is a tool to help us, not a master to own us.

Thank you Lord, for helping me to sort out this defining moment.