Ah the joys of the modern age! I can sew at the speed of light compared to hand sewing. That is if my machine will cooperate with me. I have been sewing all evening and not a misstep anywhere! It is truly amazing. Yesterday, however, I sewed for 10 minutes and had to take every seam out and resew just to take it out all over again. I'm not sure where the difference is. It boggles my mind!
I am attempting to sew a large quantity of products for my business in order to build up my inventory. I am planning to begin sales imminently, hopefully on a large scale. I am working on a blog, Etsy store, and a Facebook page to use as advertising and sales tools. I am also hoping to attempt selling at a farmer's market probably in Medicine Hat for the summer and in Edmonton in the fall. I have been able to do quite a bit of work despite the problems with a temperamental sewing machine!
Thus my love-hate relationship with my sewing machine! I couldn't work with out it but some days it won't work with me! Thank God for the times when it does work and I can get lots done!
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Thoughts of late...
Jesus I Come by William T. Sleeper
Out of my bondage sorrow and night,
Jesus, I come, Jesus I come.
Into Thy freedom, gladness and light
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of my sickness into Thy health,
Out of my want and into Thy wealth,
Out of my sin and into Thy-self
Jesus I come to Thee.
Out of my shameful failure and loss,
Jesus I come, Jesus I come;
Into the glorious gain of Thy cross
Jesus, I come to Thee;
Out of earth's sorrows into Thy balm,
Out of life's storms and into Thy calm,
Out of distress to jubilant psalm,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of unrest and arrogant pride,
Jesus, I come, Jesus I come;
Into Thy blessed will to abide,
Jesus, I come to Thee;
Out of myself to dwell in Thy love
Out of despair into raptures above,
Upward for aye on the wings like a dove,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
I was practicing this song on the piano today and realized that this song speaks to exactly what I need to be doing right now. My life is in a rut and I need to make the decision to crawl out of my self-pity and despair and cling to the freedom that I have in Christ. Unfortunately, it seems to be something that I will have to do everyday. Or more to the point...every time I feel discouraged and stuck in a rut. God help me to remember that when I feel least like doing it! It is time to take charge of my life.
Out of my bondage sorrow and night,
Jesus, I come, Jesus I come.
Into Thy freedom, gladness and light
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of my sickness into Thy health,
Out of my want and into Thy wealth,
Out of my sin and into Thy-self
Jesus I come to Thee.
Out of my shameful failure and loss,
Jesus I come, Jesus I come;
Into the glorious gain of Thy cross
Jesus, I come to Thee;
Out of earth's sorrows into Thy balm,
Out of life's storms and into Thy calm,
Out of distress to jubilant psalm,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of unrest and arrogant pride,
Jesus, I come, Jesus I come;
Into Thy blessed will to abide,
Jesus, I come to Thee;
Out of myself to dwell in Thy love
Out of despair into raptures above,
Upward for aye on the wings like a dove,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
I was practicing this song on the piano today and realized that this song speaks to exactly what I need to be doing right now. My life is in a rut and I need to make the decision to crawl out of my self-pity and despair and cling to the freedom that I have in Christ. Unfortunately, it seems to be something that I will have to do everyday. Or more to the point...every time I feel discouraged and stuck in a rut. God help me to remember that when I feel least like doing it! It is time to take charge of my life.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Softly and Tenderly by Sara Evans
Softly and Tenderly by Sara Evans (with Rachel Hauck) is a story about an average woman whose average life is thrown into turmoil with a single piece of information. Jade Benson is the proud owner of two successful shops, happily married to a successful lawyer, and has finally moved beyond her past into a promising future. So she thinks. However, in one fell swoop her life is turned upside down when she learns that her husband has an illegitimate son conceived one week before their wedding. Jade is thrown into an adventure that has her questioning very aspect of her life, past and present, including her relationship with God.
When reading this book I was moved and responded to the character of Jade Benson in many of her struggles. She is a real character with real struggles that are similar to those of many women. She deals with these struggles in a way that is true to life and they come to resolution in a way that leaves the reader satisfied and not skeptical. One of the few complaints that I had about this book was that it refers to events in the previous book too often. As a reader who had not read the first book in the series, it was hard at times to understand what was being referred to because I did not have background information discussed in the first book. However, I still enjoyed the book and it actually made me want to read the first book in order to understand more fully the second. So I suppose that would be a positive affirmation for the author!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
When reading this book I was moved and responded to the character of Jade Benson in many of her struggles. She is a real character with real struggles that are similar to those of many women. She deals with these struggles in a way that is true to life and they come to resolution in a way that leaves the reader satisfied and not skeptical. One of the few complaints that I had about this book was that it refers to events in the previous book too often. As a reader who had not read the first book in the series, it was hard at times to understand what was being referred to because I did not have background information discussed in the first book. However, I still enjoyed the book and it actually made me want to read the first book in order to understand more fully the second. So I suppose that would be a positive affirmation for the author!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
"Living with Confidence in a Chaotic World" by Dr. David Jeremiah
The subtitle of this book quite accurately describes the purpose of the book. “What on Earth Should We Do Now?” This book describes ten principles that should drive our lives in this 21st century. The author describes the chaos of the world around us and directs our attention to ten Biblical principles for living confidently in the world. Dr. David Jeremiah uses key examples from history and current events to illustrate his points which draws the reader into the book as if it were a storybook. It is written in a casual style that allows the reader to feel as if they are speaking with the author in a one-on-one conversation. This book challenged me to live with an eternity focused mindset. The principles mentioned in the book are simple but profound, the type of principles that it takes a few minutes to read and understand, but a lifetime to master. He speaks of staying committed, consistent, and centered on Christ. I was challenged and convicted by the words of Jesus that were echoed throughout this book. I would recommend this book to anyone who is serious about following Christ or interested in what being a Christian is about. A great read that will change your life and give you a new perspective on who you are and what you are doing here on this earth.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Diagnosis
Well, I know have an official diagnosis of sorts. Its complicated but they want to do more testing and stuff. Basically I have diabetes and now get to start the journey of revamping my life to deal with this disease. Its tough some days. Especially when I am craving a sour cream glazed donut or French fries. But I am getting through. I am learning to read labels even more than I already did. I was always a healthy eater but now I need to really cut back on fat and sugar which is a challenge. It means that I can eat hardly any processed foods/fast food/dessert, etc. Not that I ate a lot of any of those things but the occasional Jr bacon cheeseburger from Wendy's is a pretty important part of my diet! =)
I have been doing some more work on my new project and have discovered that its very hard to make brownies taste delicious without using fat. However, I have discovered some sweet muffins that are really good for you with no fat (besides a few almonds). Stay tuned for the recipe. I will also be putting up a new recipe for a pasta sauce containing vegetables, chicken, cheese, and no fat beyond the cheese. Here's a tip for you: when trying to cut back on fat try using a nonstick frying pan to cook and don't add oil or butter to the pan. Most things will cook fine without added fat. If it seems too dry you can add a bit of stock or water to help it cook.
I have been doing some more work on my new project and have discovered that its very hard to make brownies taste delicious without using fat. However, I have discovered some sweet muffins that are really good for you with no fat (besides a few almonds). Stay tuned for the recipe. I will also be putting up a new recipe for a pasta sauce containing vegetables, chicken, cheese, and no fat beyond the cheese. Here's a tip for you: when trying to cut back on fat try using a nonstick frying pan to cook and don't add oil or butter to the pan. Most things will cook fine without added fat. If it seems too dry you can add a bit of stock or water to help it cook.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
My Newest Project
My new project came to me in a stroke of brilliance today...I was baking cranberry orange muffins and realized that perhaps I can use this frustrating time of uncertainty and sickness to my benefit.
You see, recently I have discovered that I may have diabetes and honestly, I've been quite upset about it. I feel as if my life has taken a strange and frightening turn and I'm not exactly sure what to do about it. I have not been officially diagnosed yet but it seems like that is the right direction to go in. On the one hand it makes me a bit relieved. After four years of undiagnosed illness, a possible resolution to that struggle seems quite desirable. Diabetes, although a disheartening thought, is still a manageable disease that when treated should allow me a relatively normal life. However, it also scares me to death! You are not supposed to be sick like this in your twenties. It seems so foreign and makes me feel so old to be staring diabetes in the face. This is my struggle and my conflict of the last few weeks. It has been worrying me to the point where I can't sleep at night and can't accomplish much in the daytime. This post is my written decision to put my stress to rest.
I came to a conclusion today that could potentially give me a project that would make my struggle into something positive in my life. I have decided to put together a collection of recipes that are healthy and delicious. Food that is low/non fat and low sugar so that people with special health concerns can still eat food that tastes good. Who knows at this point how far this project will go but at this point I am just experimenting.
Tonight I made three dozen cranberry orange muffins. Each batch was slightly different. I used whole wheat flour instead of white, added yogurt and cut out fat, added extra fiber and less sugar. Interestingly, the ones without the fat were the best tasting ones! My husband was sure not complaining about having lots of muffins around! =)
Life is full of twists and turns and the more I live, the more I learn that you need to be able to adapt your perspective and life goals based on the constantly changing nature of life. It reminds me of the leaves in the fall. One day it is summer and the leaves are green and fresh and the next day its fall and the leaves are turning golden and they are different than the summer leaves. This change seems like a death but really it is an essential change that prepares for a new season. I pray that I can view life and the change which accompanies it with this perspective.
You see, recently I have discovered that I may have diabetes and honestly, I've been quite upset about it. I feel as if my life has taken a strange and frightening turn and I'm not exactly sure what to do about it. I have not been officially diagnosed yet but it seems like that is the right direction to go in. On the one hand it makes me a bit relieved. After four years of undiagnosed illness, a possible resolution to that struggle seems quite desirable. Diabetes, although a disheartening thought, is still a manageable disease that when treated should allow me a relatively normal life. However, it also scares me to death! You are not supposed to be sick like this in your twenties. It seems so foreign and makes me feel so old to be staring diabetes in the face. This is my struggle and my conflict of the last few weeks. It has been worrying me to the point where I can't sleep at night and can't accomplish much in the daytime. This post is my written decision to put my stress to rest.
I came to a conclusion today that could potentially give me a project that would make my struggle into something positive in my life. I have decided to put together a collection of recipes that are healthy and delicious. Food that is low/non fat and low sugar so that people with special health concerns can still eat food that tastes good. Who knows at this point how far this project will go but at this point I am just experimenting.
Tonight I made three dozen cranberry orange muffins. Each batch was slightly different. I used whole wheat flour instead of white, added yogurt and cut out fat, added extra fiber and less sugar. Interestingly, the ones without the fat were the best tasting ones! My husband was sure not complaining about having lots of muffins around! =)
Life is full of twists and turns and the more I live, the more I learn that you need to be able to adapt your perspective and life goals based on the constantly changing nature of life. It reminds me of the leaves in the fall. One day it is summer and the leaves are green and fresh and the next day its fall and the leaves are turning golden and they are different than the summer leaves. This change seems like a death but really it is an essential change that prepares for a new season. I pray that I can view life and the change which accompanies it with this perspective.
Monday, September 6, 2010
BookReview: "Popes and Bankers: A Cultural History of Credit and Debt, From Aristotle to AIG" By Jack Cashill
I was a bit skeptical when I began this book. I am not very knowledgeable in financial history but found this book to be a big surprise. The author, Jack Cashill, managed to keep me interested in the topic and it turned out to be quite entertaining.It is a fascinating study on the topic even for the novice financial scholar.
One of the best things about this book was the way it tied many different historical periods and people. Cashill draws from many different areas of history to present as complete as possible a picture of credit and debt from present time to as far back as Dante and similar historical figures. I was previously unaware of the connections that many historical events or people had to the topic of credit and debt. Along with the historical details, the book is filled with shrewd observations on current events.
When I began reading this book, I was expecting to trudge through and end with a minimal understanding of the topic. However, I found myself excited to read more and acquired a much better understanding. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more about credit and debt.
One of the best things about this book was the way it tied many different historical periods and people. Cashill draws from many different areas of history to present as complete as possible a picture of credit and debt from present time to as far back as Dante and similar historical figures. I was previously unaware of the connections that many historical events or people had to the topic of credit and debt. Along with the historical details, the book is filled with shrewd observations on current events.
When I began reading this book, I was expecting to trudge through and end with a minimal understanding of the topic. However, I found myself excited to read more and acquired a much better understanding. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more about credit and debt.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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