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This week started out with joy....

I was able to sit through the service again this week at church. It has been difficult being anywhere that I needed to keep quiet. The fall allergies seem to go straight to my chest and I end up with this nagging and irritating cough that can be quite disturbing. But it has been a blessing to have an evening service, since mornings seem to be my worst time. Our Pastor preached from Romans 12 on forgiveness and shared about my ultimate hero Corrie ten Boom who was a survivor of the Holocaust. It was neat to hear again of one of her amazing stories of how the Lord had given her the strength to forgive those who had hurt her and her family so deeply. She always says that when the Lord asks her to do something really hard, He is also the one who supplies whatever she needs to do it. She is just the vessel that has to be willing to allow Him to work through. Well, I have been pondering this for awhile now and it seems like the sermon Sunday confirmed I should do this. I have wanted to start doing a post at least once a week called Coffee with Corrie. Her books have become so precious to me because her love for the Lord was so genuine. I just have not found to right words to express to impact she has had on my own faith in Jesus. So I thought, little bits may be a good way to start. So, hopefully next week when I am back from a trip to MN, I will begin my posts of Coffee with Corrie.

Then Monday morning I was blessed to start the day having coffee and going thrifting with a precious friend who has brought such healing to my own life, someone who has brought closure to a very lonely period in my life. A friend who has made me finally feel like I am home after having lived here for 8 years. Only the Lord could have orchestrated this friendship, and He has used it to awaken areas in my life that I had forgotten about and had almost begun to believe were unnecessary. It has been a friendship that has had the depth of a kindred faith in Jesus, but the laughter of just being girls, we have been able to share and be challenged as moms, and confide and relate as youth pastor's wives. It is a timely and precious gift from the Lord.

Monday evening brought more joy as Matt and I took Joslyn on a date. With having five kiddos-I have shared before, that we enjoy taking time out of the normal routines and" seventh heaven" to have the one on one time with each of our kids. We used to do dates that was just Matt and one of the kids or me and one of the kids because hiring a babysitter was just not something we could afford very often. But now with a child old enough to babysit, we have been able to begin taking each of the kids with both of us and that has been very fun! So Matt and i took Joslyn to see The Legend of the Guardians. We took her last night and I think there were maybe 5 cars in the parking lot-it was awesome! We told her we rented out the entire theater just for her(she knew we were kidding) But it felt pretty special to have the whole place to ourselves. Just the 3 of us in a mega 3D theater. the movie was magical and beautifully made and it fit Joslyn's personality.

After tucking her in and the other kiddos who were still awake when we returned home, I sat down to check a few things. And the week turned to sadness. The last day and a half I have spent much of my time reconnecting with old friends from college and sharing any updates I had received. A friend of Matt and I's from college was in a devastating accident with an over sized semi yesterday afternoon. The accident had shut down the highway in MN where it had taken place, for many hours. Kris had been airlifted to Mayo even though it was only 20 miles from where it had happened due to how critical time was for the injuries she had sustained. She was in surgery for over 8 hours before she was stable. Her injuries from what I have been told will require multiple reconstructive surgeries. Her sister Beth told me she is very broken and will have a long road to recovery. Kris and James have 5 young children the ages of our kiddos, I am sure this is very hard on them as well. But one thing that has just stirred my soul has been the countless amounts of old friends, family, and even more that do not even know them that have risen up in prayer for them.

BUT! She is alive,

it is a miracle,

and all of us are so very grateful that she is still here!

Praise the Lord!

And

the

week

turned

to

REJOICING again!

I am hoping I will be able to see her this weekend while at a conference in MN.

On a creative note, I have been working on some new designs for my mittens. I have a special order I am putting together. Sunday night after everyone was tucked in bed, I spent some time playing with colors and designs and here are some that I have come up with. I have only gotten the front panels finished thus far.

Now to bring them to life with picking out the contrasting colors for the palm and thumb and maybe some fun little surprises for the linings. My beloved linens are now going to have to share my attention with this crazy fascination with felted wool. No worries, my cutting mat with still have lines worn at the precious measurements of 18 and 22 inches for my bed linen fat quarter followers. I will remain loyal to the saving of as many reclaimed bed linens as possible-But I am also going to rescue wool sweaters too-I MUST! Haha.

Blessings to all of you this week-may the Lord bless each day and may you see His gifts and thank Him, He loves you enough to have died for YOU!