Working The Material, One Stitch At A Time--

So far, during these dog days of summer, it has been busy, good busy but nonetheless busy.

I've been catching up with emails & phone calls with family & friends, & even had a much needed hair appointment on Wednesday. Yesterday we visited with our son's family. My husband & son did the golf thing, & I along with my two grandchildren went to see Toy Story 3 , of which we saw in 3D, & it was truly *excellent, a most definite if you're into animated make believe, of which our generation grew up with. The 3D was nice & all, but really not necessary to enjoy this movie, which gets thumbs up from this Nana, & my traveling "Peanut Gallery" too.

Today I need to put together a caring food item package, for a friend from our Sisterhood , who's dear mother passed away, earlier of this week. I will be going to her home this afternoon for a visit & I want to bring something that will comfort the heart. Sometimes putting together a food related item can be a stress, as I'm not much of a cook anymore & probably never was, but so many high end items that are already prepared can be readily obtained, so I need not ever stress over a food related topic again, for "food is sustenance, & therefore love, & love heals".

I just got off the phone a few minutes ago with my mother. We are planning an old fashioned family Barb-B-Q here next week, & we needed to firm up her traveling plans, as she lives an hour an a 1/2 away, & if the weather is good she wants to drive, but if we have thunder storms in the forecast I will be picking her up, for she's 83 now, & though she drives herself here there & everywhere, she prefers not to do so when there is a wet forecast, due to the windshield glare.

As we speak our 27 year old son is preparing for the Bar Exam. This is a stressful time for him, & all recent Law School Graduates. He's getting there, one page, one volume at a time, & even with a recent course to prepare for this exam, we know he is feeling the accumulated effects of all this stress. As a family we have always done what we can to nurture & support one an other's dreams. We know he will be successful with this & are prayerfully hopeful, yet also know that this is his journey, his path, his life, & it will happen "all in good time". We share in what he is feeling, yet will continue to remain positive & hopeful, & see a wide horizon.

I have made some good progress this week in an important creative endeavour of my own, for I finally have begun to put together a first time, rough draft, character sketch of a play that's been in the forefront of my mind. I had a bit of a set back the other day, with old molded thinking of asking myself, how will I get this work out there once it's done & in hand, but I let all those feelings wash over me, [it did wash for a while though] but did not let myself absorb the toxicity of holding on to doubtful thoughts & thinking, & instead, allowed the wave of possibilities to re enter my creative thinking process once again. For I so believe in the creativity that God has given me, which is a gift & as I continue on this road, my path in life, I too remind myself of the inspiring words of Pope John Paul, which I've often shared with my own family when they too have been facing doubt, to be--"Be not afraid".

*Amen*

{For God is with us Always.}

[In the above photo is a pair of favorite jeans I am patching. The blue topped rounded container, next to the rectangular sewing box, is a handmade pin cushion that my 27 year old son made & gave to me for Mothers Day, when he was 11 years old, in 1999. "Time does fly", take my word, it's all very true, & for a mother it can be, "one stitch at a time", too.]