God’s Embroidery
When I was a little boy, my mother used to embroider a great deal. I would sit at her knee and look up from the floor and ask what she was doing. She informed me that she was embroidering. I told her that it looked like a mess from where I was. As from the underside I watched her work within the boundaries of the little round hoop that she held in her hand, I complained to her that it sure looked messy from where I sat.
She would smile at me, look down and gently say, “My son, you go about your playing for a while, and when I am finished with my embroidering, I will put you on my knee and let you see it from my side.”
I would wonder why she was using some dark threads along with the bright ones and why they seemed so jumbled from my view. A few minutes would pass and then I would hear Mother’s voice say, “Son, come and sit on my knee.” This I did only to be surprised and thrilled to see a beautiful flower or a sunset. I could not believe it, because from underneath it looked so messy. Then Mother would say to me, “My son, from underneath it did look messy and jumbled, but you did not realize that there was a pre-drawn plan on the top. It was a design. I was only following it. Now look at it from my side and you will see what I was doing.”
Many times through the years I have looked up to my Heavenly Father and said, “Father, what are doing?” He has answered, “I am embroidering your life.” I say, “But it looks like a mess to me. It seems so jumbled. The threads seem so dark. Why can’t they all be bright?”
The Father seems to tell me, “‘My child, you go about your business of doing My business, and one day I will bring you to Heaven and put you on My knee and you will see the plan from My side.”
Submitted by IM4JESUS!
A friend of mine quoted this story in church and I was touched by it. I think each one of us struggles with the day to day stuff of life and I found comfort in this little story. Today's blog is all about finding comfort.
This was the view from my back yard to the east before sunset just after the latest snowstorm. I find comfort in nature. It reminds me that God is in charge and He knows what is best for me. He has created so many beautiful things for each of us to enjoy.
I find comfort from friends. My friend, Pam, could tell that I have been under a lot of stress lately and she gave me this cute little snowman. It's actually chocolate and caramel disguised as a snowman. Such a kind gesture! It's those little things that mean so much.
I find great comfort in quilts, quilting and visiting quilt shops. My friend, Linda, notified me on facebook that a new quilt shop opened up in Bountiful. It's called Quilter's Attic. I had to go and check it out. I loved the new, bright colored fabric. I loved the artistic displays. I loved the antiques throughout the store. I loved the friendly ladies working there. I find comfort through creativity.
You can see what a cute shop this is. Quilter's Attic will be having their Grand Opening this Saturday, March 1st. There will be lots of sales and demonstrations and classes and special guests!
So many of us find comfort in food and I'm no different. One of the most comforting foods is Chicken Noodle Soup. Homemade Noodles are so good and so easy to make.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Eight cups chicken broth 1
tsp. parsley
4-6 carrots, diced 2-3
cups chicken, cooked and cubed
1 onion, diced homemade
noodles
2 potatoes, diced salt
and pepper to taste
1 tsp. poultry seasoning 1
cup frozen peas
Add first six ingredients to a large pot. Simmer on low until vegetables are almost
soft. Add chicken and noodles and
continue to simmer for 20- 30 minutes.
Add peas and cook for 5 more minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Homemade
Noodles
1
beaten egg ½
tsp. salt
2
Tbsp. milk about
1 cup flour
Combine egg, milk and salt. Add enough flour to make a stiff dough. Roll very thin on floured surface; let stand
20 minutes (if you have time) and slice into ¼ inch strips. A pizza cutter works well. Let dry at least 2 hours. Drop into boiling soup or boiling salted
water and cook uncovered for 10 minutes.
Make in the morning and let dry all day to add to soup that night. Makes 3 cups cooked noodles.
I'm throwing in this recipe for Ranger Cookies just because. My son made these a few days ago. They're his favorite. He added white chocolate chips this time and left out the raisins and coconut.
Ranger
Cookies
1 ¼
C. flour ½
C. brown sugar
½
tsp. baking powder 1
egg
½
tsp. baking soda 1
tsp. vanilla
¼
tsp. salt 2
C. crisp rice cereal
½
C. butter or margarine 1
3 ½ oz. can flaked coconut
½
C. sugar 1
C. pitted dates, snipped, or raisins
Stir together flour, baking powder,
soda, and salt. In mixer bowl beat
butter for 30 seconds. Add sugars and
beat till fluffy. Add egg and vanilla;
beat well. Add dry ingredients to
beaten mixture, beating till well combined.
Stir in cereal, coconut, and dates or raisins. Drop from a teaspoon 2 inches apart onto an
ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375°
oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool about 1
minute before removing to a wire rack.
Makes 48.
Finally, I find comfort in reading a good book. I finished reading an Amish quilting novel last month. It did not disappoint. I wish I was more like the main character in this book.
