Wednesday's Wealth

Okay. So I can't make up my mind. I guess Wednesday's Wealth is whatever I want it to be. First, it was going to be the little things in life that we tend to gloss over. Then it was going to be thrift store or yard sale finds that I could turn into treasure. Today, well, today it's totally different. Today when I got up and looked out the window, I saw a very different type of wealth. The kind that brings joy in the spring and summer.

I took this through the screen on the front door. It's only the 3rd time we've had snow this winter. At least where we are. And the two previous times were gone in an hour. This is going to be around for at least a day, I think, because it's now snowing again! My granddaughter went to school this morning and they sent her home saying that school was delayed for 2 hours because of the buses. My grandson got the same thing at his school. I'm sure it's because both schools use the same buses. So, we fed them cereal and gave them hot chocolate before sending them back out into the cold.

So what is the wealth associated with this picture, besides Halena's beautiful smile? The flowers that we will see in the spring and the fruits of summer! There are so many flowers that bloom here every year and they depend on the moisture that we get in the winter. And there are a lot of wild fruits that grow here that need that same water supply. So when I see the snow or rain, it doesn't depress me, it gladdens me. And that is my wealth today.

Remember, there are no shortcuts to any place worth going. And that includes the weather. We endure the wet so we can have the beautiful. Until next time,

Edit: Okay, so it made a liar out of me. This photo was taken in the afternoon. Look, ma, no snow!

I just thought it would last a day or two! It started raining and melted the snow!

Wednesday's Wealth

I've decided to make Wednesday's Wealth about recycling. It could be things I find at yard sales or thrift stores, or things that are made from stuff we normally throw away. And it could be something that I haven't used for a long time and just re-discovered or re-purposed! My family loves to go yard sale-ing/thrift store shopping, so I should have plenty of fodder for this feature. Especially now that the weather is getting nice and the yard sales and garage sales are starting up again.

My husband and son have gotten hooked on the TV show, Storage Wars, where people go to storage places and bid on the contents of storage units that are not paid for. They get some really good deals, and they also get some real duds. Well, there was a storage auction in Eagle Point last Sunday, so they went to see the action in person. Boy, were they disappointed! There were only 2 units up for auction and neither one looked like it had anything good in it. But they enjoyed the outing and got an idea of what really happens when there aren't any TV cameras watching.

Later that day, my son and his wife went to a couple of thrift stores and came home with a like-new Rival pasta machine! It has all the attachments but one, and it's in really good shape. It didn't have the measurers or the manual, but I went online and found a blog that gave me all the info I needed plus a recipe! So it's all good. Now, THAT's wealth. Brand new it cost $100 or more, so for $15, they got an excellent deal.

Isn't she pretty?

Up there on top of the fridge with the pasta maker, you can also see what I think is my last bottle of very expensive Asai Berry Juice, given to me by a good friend. If you haven't tasted asai juice, it is very strong! So I mix it with another juice, like apple or blueberry, and freeze it into popsicles. They are the best tasting popsicles, and they are totally good for you. Now that's free wealth, thanks to Shelley.

I want to leave you today with the promise of a new tutorial coming up, which I think you will really like, and this picture I snapped on the way home last week, coming down the freeway. I love it here in Oregon. Everything is so beautiful and the sunsets are gorgeous!

I hope you find joy in your world, too. Aesop said that gratitude is the sign of noble souls, so maybe I'm doing at least one thing right. Have a good day, and see you next time,

Wednesday's Wealth

This has been the hardest post I have ever written. It has taken me 4 hours! Maybe you will understand why by the time you get done reading it.

This week, I have been ruminating on the wealth of talents that the Lord has given me. He has blessed me in so many ways, and for this I am grateful. I was making a list for myself, so I could enumerate my blessings. I have a tendency, and I don't think I'm the only one, to forget the blessings that I'm not using at the time. And when someone asks me what I do, I often can't even remember!

One of the biggest blessings He gave me in my life, and one I will never forget, has been my mother.  She gave me my love of all things arts and crafts. I made my first ceramic fish when I was 3. She taught me to sew when I was 8, and she never stopped teaching me. When she got cancer, she taught me about courage in the face of formidable odds. She taught me how to face what ever life throws at you with acceptance and humor, and how to die with grace. She also taught me all my life not to brag or be boastful, so it's a very hard thing for me to be able to say, "I can do that and I can do it well." But today, I'm going to list the talents the Lord gave me, mostly via my mom, and I'm not going to feel guilty. I'm not meaning to brag, I'm just listing what I'm grateful for. And so here goes....

I am grateful that I can sew, knit and crochet. I can draw and paint. I can do woodworking (thanks, dad) and tole painting. I can make toys and purses and hats and wallets and aprons and all kinds of things. I can take an item and make a pattern for it, and most of the time I don't have to take it apart to do it. I did at one time make all my clothes and all my children's clothes, even jeans. I have made shoes, real ones, and  coats, suits, and underwear.  I can do almost any craft I put my mind to, and some I wish I couldn't. I read really well and love to do it. I helped write 3 volumes, each about 700 pages, on the history of a little town in Nevada called St. Thomas.  I can do upholstery and make curtains and drapes, which has come in handy many times. I can cook. I can follow a recipe for something I've never made and have it come out right. I was blessed with the ability to have babies. My mother had 8 miscarriages and lost one baby before she got me, and my oldest daughter lost 3 babies before she got her first, so I feel truly blessed. I know there are other blessings and talents, but I can't think of them right now.

Unfortunately, I am like most other human beings, and I just can't seem to be grateful all the time. Sometimes, I feel put-upon or taken advantage of when I really don't want to do something I'm asked to do. But I can honestly say, that doesn't happen very often. And that is because He also blessed me with a willing heart to go along with everything else. I LIKE to do things for others. I enjoy being so busy that I can hardly think straight. And it drives my husband crazy! When I have 16 projects all going at the same time, he's the one pulling his (hypothetical) hair out while I'm humming merrily along. Then when everything is done, I crash. But I still like it. Sometimes I get so caught up in the things I'm doing for others that I lose track of my own family, and that's not a good thing! Just ask them.

25 of my 26 biggest blessings!

Anyway, I feel the Lord has blessed me mightily, and I want to share. So now that I'm getting older and don't teach anymore, and don't drive anymore, I blog. I try to share some of what I know on this blog by creating tutorials for projects I like and think you might like, too. What do you all do? What blessings have you received that you share with others? How do you share? Leave a comment and let me know.

Now, after 4 hours, I am done. This is probably the most boring post I've written, along with being the hardest, and I'm sorry for that. I will try not to bore you ever again! Remember your blessings! Remember to thank the creator who gave them to you. You can feel His love when you use your talents, so say "Thank you." And remember this....anything is possible for two people, as long as one of them is God. Until next time,