Things I am Thankful For....

some things I am thankful for....

big fluffy snowflakes

crinkle french fries

Star Wars

biographies

parents

children

light switches

light bulbs

blankets

basketball games

good friends

computers

hot tea

flavored coffee

hot chocolate

marshmallows

popcorn

flushing toilets

ketchup

fluffy warm kitties

daughter singing Soft Kitty to herself at bedtime

Rainbows & Storms

This thought was going through my head several days ago, before the tragedy in Connecticut. I almost posted this the week before that happened.

 Just because there's a rainbow, it doesn't mean that the storm was a blessing. Just because there's a rainbow, it doesn't mean that the storm wasn't a tragedy. Just because I can be thankful for the rainbow, I don't have to be thankful for the storm. I am just not going to be thankful and happy about tragedies. Not even if a beautiful rainbow is the result.

I will and can be thankful for the rainbow, but I don't have to be happy about the storm. Storms can be bad and destructive. They can leave horrible devastation, and I am not going to be happy and thankful about that. I mean.....I am not happy that God destroyed the world with a flood. The flood was terrible. A lot of life on earth was destroyed. I still trust God, and I am happy about His promises, but there is a lot about Him that I just don't get.

 I am not happy and thankful about hurricanes and tornadoes, school shootings, parents and children dead too soon. I *know* that God will redeem any situation and bring good and blessing out of it. I will be happy and thankful for His promises and the rainbows. I hate the storms. I hate the tragedies. I hate the homes and families destroyed by hurricanes, mean people, tornadoes, school shootings. I am not happy about stolen children, raped women, warped minds who hate people.

We are all broken at some level. There are parts of all our lives that are full of storms, full of tragedy and heartbreak. I hate those parts of my life. My hope in this life is that I *know* I can count on my God to make rainbows and blessings out of my storms. I *know* He is the source of love and He brings love and hope into my life. I would be selfish if I didn't do my part to share hugs and encouragement from Him to people I meet.

(click the picture to find out how to photograph a rainbow)

Learn how to make Rainbow Toast here

To see a picture of beautiful rainbow hair, click here

Here is a crochet pattern for a lined zippered rainbow coin purse that I might make someday

Feeling Cozy

Sometime this fall, I decided to try to make a couple of the currently popular mug cozies. I soon found out that I preferred the kind that have a built in bottom on them. I listed a few on my etsy site, and for a while not much happened. Then one thing led to another, and I now I am getting to make lots and lots of cozies. Fun!! Here are a few pics of some that I've made since Thanksgiving.

Happy Birthday, Willa Cather!

Happy birthday to the great Willa Cather!!

“I like trees because they seem more resigned to the way they have to live than other things do. I feel as if this tree knows everything I ever think of when I sit here. When I come back to it, I never have to remind it of anything; I begin just where I left off.”
-- Willa Cather, O Pioneers!