Author: Quilter

I find life lessons and sometimes the humor and/or hope in everyday events.

Sticky Words

QuilterLeave a comment

Words count for something. Especially out of the mouths of babes.

Through the years, I have accumulated a few treasured words from children. They are beyond cute, all the way to hilarious. I hope you find as much enjoyment as I have in them.

Our son, Jamie, just a toddler, repeated words he had heard me say on a regular basis.

“Alba rubba.”

I’ve never said that. It took me a few days to figure it out. Each time he said it, he was in the living room, running into his bedroom to get a toy. I realized he was saying ‘I’ll be right back.” The very words I told him as I left the apartment to go downstairs to our mailbox. He didn’t want me to worry he wasn’t returning, just as I didn’t want him to think I would never come back.

A few years later, at the ripe age of four, we were running a few errands.

“Momma look, a kenkeetiedkitchen!”

Can you imagine the thrill a little one would have at seeing the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant featured on the TV commercials? Oh, to be young and impressionable again.

Our daughter, Cindy, was equally impressed of things. She admired beautiful clothes when she saw them (Four-year-olds must become aware of their surroundings enough to comment.) A Bumblebee came to visit our flowers. The buzzing sound is so deep, I was petrified she would do something, prompting him to sting her. She stood still in admiration, “Oh, bee has a pretty dress!”

On a particular rainy day, Cindy mentioned we should probably take our “umberdella” with us. Indeed, we needed our umbrella.

Our youngest, Naomi, didn’t lack for memorable words either. As we sat at the dinner table, the family was trying to learn the books of the Bible. Micah was the one that caught her attention. “Do you think Micah ever went on a hikah?”

Of our three children, Naomi liked words the best. She could carry on a one-person conversation, never giving the four of us a chance to get a word in edgewise. Her father gave her food for thought.

“If you aren’t careful, you are going to run out of words.”

Pondering that for just a moment, she replied, “I’ll just use the same ones over again.”

Problem solved. Those memories stick with us to this day, as do the words. Dave and I continue to use them, even if we two are the only ones that understand what is said. They stick.

But it wasn’t just my children. Take Julianne for instance. He and his family were attending an open house at school when they encountered one of this former teachers.

“My goodness Julianne, you have grown a foot!”

Checking his feet and looking behind him, he responded, “No I haven’t.” I still laugh at that.

The most recent sticky words were relayed to me from Cindy, now a grandmother. My great-granddaughter, Rosie, is hot to get her ears pierced. Mom has been putting her off, so she decided to go to a higher authority, aka Nana. Surely she could make this happen.

Cindy shared the story of getting her own ears pierced way back when. It had been a hard sell to her mom (me) as well. My intent was to wait until she had reached the age of taking care of them herself. She ended her story with, but you should hear GG’s experience. (That is what the great grands call me) It involved an ice cube and a potato!

Rosie’s eyes grew wide, “That was back when everything was black and white!”

Ouch.

But truth doesn’t always hurt. Things are not black and white. You can count on the Good Book because its message never changes. God says he will never leave us or give up on us. Let that stick with you. No matter your past, it’s over and history to be learned from.

Instead, look ahead to what God can do in your life. It will only improve. Need I remind you he created the universe? Life will not become instantly easy, but he will make it bearable with a smattering of miracles to follow. Hes’ got this.

What Now?

QuilterLeave a comment

It ended on Valentines’ Day.

For the past month I have shared excerpts from a long-ago journal to my husband. Now that the man-made holiday is over we can be done and move on. That in no way means our showing love should be over and done with.

Many years down the road though, it may look different.

A (kind of) humorous side note. When things, anything, doesn’t do what I intended; I have a habit of saying, “It has a mind of its own and will do as it pleases. It never consulted me about this matter.” Case in point-these candles.

© jb katke

When I brought them home, they looked like a normal candle. You can see the center candle is green with white ones on each side. Upon being lit, initially they performed as I expected. Melted a little with the wick recessing deeper in the candle. With time and usage though, the picture changed. They melted down into the most interesting configurations. Not at all what I had expected.

The candles changed in ways I could never have anticipated.

Dave and I changed as time went by too. Our marriage doesn’t look like it did when we were newlyweds. Personalities we had not seen began to emerge. Life became interesting. It can make or break a relationship. To our good fortune and an ever-loving God, our marriage was enhanced by the nuances.

Going into this relationship of ours, we were, and continue to be, clueless how the future will unfold. Whatever…it’s all good.

© jb katke

Check out these candles now that they are lit and burned down even more. They are the same ones. That green candle now looks red.  How can that be? Your guess is as good as mine. Nonetheless, we enjoy them still. They are an unexpected surprise.

That is a good definition of life. An unexpected surprise. Things enter our lives that we could never have imagined. The only difference is life does not have a mind of its own.

It has a Lord of the Universe. While he created humans, we are not his puppets to be manipulated. Each individual has a mind of their own; to live however we wish. While we may not be in a desirable circumstance, everyone has the ability to shine, like these candles. One small flame of a candle can light up the darkest of places.

Person to person, one can make all the difference in the world to another. With Gods’ help, that is. His love doesn’t look like what we may expect, but it’s all good. An unexpected surprise.

Treasures of the Heart IV

QuilterLeave a comment

© jb katke

Here we are, the last of the four-part Treasures of the Heart series. If you have stuck with me, thank you! Maybe this is the first you noticed the series, if so, feel free to go back and read blogs I,II, and III.

The past blogs have covered Repairs, Acknowledgement, and the Spiritual. The final category that leapt out to me was Needs. We all have them, don’t we? Even feeling the need to be needed.

Within a marriage it is easy to think our partner is going to fulfill them all. Expectations can be a risky business, especially if they are not voiced.

“You needed my presence. Meeting with friends, sometimes conversations can get ‘sticky.’ Isn’t it nice that we can depend on each other? Each of us compensates for the weakness of the other. Being needed feels good, especially when accompanied with appreciation.”

There are such a vast array of needs that I feel inadequate addressing the subject. No one knows their needs better than you. That being said, I would feel remiss to overlook the obvious.

In these blogs I have been taking notations from a journal written from wife to husband. As you well know, husbands are not the only ones requiring acknowledgement, spiritual support and needs. So does the female species.

“Here I sit full of I don’t know what, confusion I guess. It doesn’t seem fair that God made women more flexible than men; to be the ones to adjust to the situation at hand. Do you suppose that God is teaching me how to wait by waiting on you? Maybe I don’t want to learn. It’s no fun when the outside world keeps us from coming together.”

The world was different when these quotes were originally penned. Womans’ Liberation was in its heyday. Considering females in the workforce not getting equal pay for equal work, it was time for their voice to be heard. Unfortunately, it took on a militant bend that only raised the ire of not just men, but ladies too. Where does the homemaker fit into that dynamic?

The stay-at-home moms, such as myself, didn’t fit in. The benefit of a husband providing living needs is glorious. But how can her worth be tallied? I won’t list off the various roles a mother wears; I’m certain that to hire out those tasks would cost a fortune. Men couldn’t afford to pay a wife! A certain few may have given their wife a spending allowance, making a woman feel demeaned. Isn’t it the children that get an allowance for doing chores?

Can you feel the angst?

My friend Rebeccas’ mantra is Words Matter. If acknowledgement is missing, one can lose hope for any change. Words are a good start and actions count too. Today is Valentines’ Day, let your spouse, male or female, feel the love. They need it. Singer Jackie DeShannon sings, What the World Needs Now is Love.

It’s a wonderful sentiment, but Gods’ love fills the bill. He has the to die for kind of love that gives purpose and meaning to our lives along with the strength to carry on.

Treasures of the Heart III

QuilterLeave a comment

 © jb katke

Are you still with me? I present to you my third installment of the four Treasures of the Heart series. Portions of this blog come direct from my heart as it is written in my husbands’ journal.

My previous blogs have covered Repairs and Acknowledgement. The next theme that ran consistent through the journal was Spiritual.

Todays’ words may be hard for some to swallow. They stem from a deep spiritual belief that I realize not everyone shares. To put faith in a loving God can be challenging if hard times are experienced. I get that.

When Dave and I married, we did not come from the same religious background. There is a name for that, ‘unequally yoked.’ As I write, I try not to use Christian lingo. But I will share it now because it might ring a bell in your own marital relationship.

Try to imagine two oxen yoked together plowing a field. It is crucial for them to be in step with each other or nothing will be accomplished. It is kind of like that in a marriage. If a husband and wife are not sharing the same goals, they are not working together. Harmony is nowhere to be seen.

Thankfully, in our situation, Dave and I had the same morals growing up. That helps. As the years went by, a series of confrontations occurred in Daves’ life that prompted a spiritual change. Those things don’t happen overnight, but when it does all becomes well in due time.

“Walking around our yard after the rain makes everything so beautiful. This is the day the Lord has made and I am rejoicing in it! I am so happy with what you & God have provided for me.”

I was seeing the everyday backyard with new eyes. Dave had planted some trees and they are growing beautifully. It takes time to grow a tree and likewise to apply a spiritual attitude. When I tuned into God, I was self-conscious to speak about it. So was Dave.

“I think it was a wonderful idea to include prayer requests when we say grace at the dinner table. It was probably difficult for you, but I admire the step you took in leading our family.”

I’m not gonna lie, it takes guts. All the more so if you have trials going on. The previous blog mentioned some issues at his workplace. Sometimes Daves’ job required travel to take further classes in machine maintenance. I never enjoyed his absence.

“I’ve prayed that you might feel Gods’ presence and draw on his power. I know he will keep you safe. You mentioned the possibility of this being a test for future job opportunities. Whatever comes of our future, I hope we can see God working things out.”

He did, we did. This was written later:

“Today I read Psalm 40. There was so much in it that I shouldn’t even try to put it in a nutshell. From it I got, Gods’ ear is opened to us, not to hide our faith, that evil seeks to destroy us-but will be brought to shame, and so much more. God has a plan for you, for us-we don’t have to get uptight over the power people have over you because God has even more power!”

This. As we sat together filling out a form for a job transfer. At best, all I can tell you is being God-conscious is an uncanny feeling. We may feel at the end of our rope, but take heart, God has this.

Until guilt came knocking at the door.

“Honey, you’re so tired tonight. You’ve had a tough two weeks and tonight was no better at Boys Brigade. I feel so guilty when these times happen because I’m reminded that I haven’t prayed for you enough. How can things go right when your mate isn’t doing her job at home? I have let you down. Sometimes I dream of us packing up and going somewhere far away, quit work, and just make woodworking projects and sewing things to sell. Having you home would feel like a daily vacation.”

It would be so easy to give up. Having a faith in God isn’t a religion. It’s a relationship that requires our part as well as God’s part. He has already done his, the rest is up to people to walk in step with his plan. There is that yoke thing again. God did his part by sending his son, Jesus, to earth; it’s what we celebrate at Christmas. Jesus brought a message of hope and a new way to live. By dying on the cross, he made open a way to live with him and God eternally, it’s what we celebrate at Easter.

Like any relationship, it takes two.

Treasures of the Heart II

QuilterLeave a comment

 © jb katke

This is the second of my four-part Treasures of the Heart series. These blogs stem from a long ago journal I gave to my husband.

Dave presented it to me as he was scouting for something else. Looking back, it must have been a difficult time in our life. All marriages have them. As I reread through the entries it brought home the importance of words. Spoken or written, makes no difference.

The first theme I noted was Repairs. Today I focus on another theme that came to my attention. Acknowledgement. We all have a need to be recognized, yes?

Of all the pages of affirmation I wrote, Acknowledgement carried the most entries. Words were even mentioned one day in particular.

“You’re talking more today, that makes me happy. I know you are recovering from the stress at work.”

Can a spouse understand working conditions? She can try.

“I realized you didn’t receive anything positive in your life. Not from work, not from the kids, not from me either. I am the only one that can change that.”

Let’s face it, the workforce does not hand out praise for doing the thing you were hired to do. Children cannot comprehend the adult world. Allies can be few and far between, a sensitive spouse can make all the difference in the world.

“My dear treasured husband, this has been a difficult week. Twice you had to deal with uncomfortable circumstances. Addressing them doesn’t come natural to you. But this is what I see, God is at work in your life, giving you the strength to face the moment.”

Even a bad example can be a good one. Having a boastful, arrogant boss who routinely takes credit for your work accomplishments is the epitome of frustration. Being on the receiving end of that provides you the know-how of what not to be.

You know how tough life can be.

“I can tell by your face.”

Home is all we have to let off steam.

As parents, Dave and I didn’t realize how our character impacted the kids. Twenty-twenty hindsight reveals all.

“Years ago Jamie told me he wanted to be a carpenter because that is what Dad and Jesus were. Today he reminded me of how much he looks up to you. The shed key was missing and he had to get newspapers delivered. Anger and frustration spilled over. Looking out the window I saw he was taking the lock off the door so he could get his bike. When I tried to stop him, his words were, ‘Mom, it’s what dad would do.’”

He thought it through-so like his father! I hope that made you as proud as it did me. This is how I wish to end today. Be an overcomer, it is possible with Gods’ help.

One more thing-our son has a career that requires problem solving, much like his father had so many years ago.

Treasures of the Heart I

QuilterLeave a comment

© jb katke

One would think living with a man for fifty plus years, a wife would know him.

Entering my quilt room, Dave handed me a small book.

“I remember that!”

The small brown tweed journal I used to document some sentiments to my man for a season of our life.

“I have been looking for my pictures of when I was in the Navy and found this in my personal box.”

“You have a personal box?”

“Yes, all the notes you wrote me in high school are there too.”

“What? You saved all those notes!” Note to self: Find that box and destroy all evidence of my youthful desires.

“I still haven’t found the pictures I want, but thought you might use this for a blog or something.”

Like any marital couple, we experienced some stuff. The entries were short-lived. I guess I either got too busy or the journal was put away in that Personal Box I never knew existed. Reading through that little journal from so long ago brings back some bittersweet memories.

Four categories ran consistent. Enough for me to share with you bit by bit. Each week I will reveal one of them. Keep in mind these words I share come from another realm than where we live today. The first category that came to my attention was Repairs.

 “When are away, things had a way of breaking down.”

Thankfully, upon his return Dave addressed the issue.

 “Thank you for the repairs you make in our home.” I also noted using his talents to work for extended family.”

Not all men are able to make reparations. We need to cut some slack if they are lacking in that department. However, my man was born to fix things. Dave has an inquisitive mind on how things work. He tells me in his childhood he often took things apart to better understand the inner workings.

Some of which were working just fine until his young hands got ahold of it. There was at least one instance of his putting things back together to never work again. At this time, I would like to address that child you may have today that does likewise. Try your best not to chastise the little one. A well-known publication touts, ‘Inquiring Minds Want to Know.’ It falls into the learning process.

A Lopsided View

QuilterLeave a comment

 © jb katke

Although the holidays are officially over, the house can look as lopsided as this picture.

All the décor of the season packed away, making our home look bare. Except one hides in plain view, to delay its slumber until next Christmas. It’s an unintended tradition of mine, to overlook packing away at least one of the objects. I’ll get to it, but don’t hold your breath.

My husband, Dave, and I have been swapping germs for the last four months. I’m not good at illness. Enough already. Feeling good is in the distant past. So long ago that we think back to our childhood. Okay, that is an exaggeration.

Returning to reality is hard to do. Am I the only one that needs a vacation after the holidays? A time out from the demands to go and do that come along Christmas, an escape from the germs that roam freely. Just a chance to breathe easy and be at peace with ones’ self.

Last week I showed you the finished product of an apron for my granddaughter. It felt good to get back in the quilt room. Quilts were what I did before this writing gig kicked in.

It brought me pleasure to create something beautiful that was useful too. Only my quilts generally were not beautiful, and rarely finished. Those that did reach completion were done with great relief, followed with the comment, “I won’t be making that again!”

I could breathe easy in the quilt room peacefully stitching fabric into designs. I used to say that time stops in the quilt room because I could lose myself in the pleasure it brings. Meals and housework took a back seat. Indeed, today time has stopped. The clock batteries ran out and I seldom enter the room anymore to worry about the time and how I shouldn’t be here.

Meals and housework continue to reside in the back seat because I haven’t been up to it. Have I ever been up to it? No. Some day I will get the ladder out and set that picture upright. Refer back to not holding your breath.

Another place to breathe easy is when I sit down to read God’s word. Have you ever read something that just impacts you to the core? If not, the Good Book is a great place to start. I enjoy reading of history, families of the past, and what to expect in the future. Even if you are into Sci-fi or talking animals, it literally has something for everyone. Royalty, family rivalries, you name it.

Each time, I come away with a peace that cannot be explained. The pages reveal that there is a reason and a plan for living. Inside you will read how much you and I are loved; I’m telling you it’s over the top and sets your life straight…no ladder needed.

Willow’s Apron

QuilterLeave a comment

© jb katke

I thought the Facebook post was kinda cool and so did my granddaughter Willow.

So much of what we read in social media can be taken with a grain of salt. The truth is questionable. But if you like what you read, you share it. That is what I did with a blurb I read some time back on aprons.

The post I speak of had a picture of an older lady wearing an apron. I connected with it as it reminded me of my grandma wearing her apron.

It was what women did back in the day. The post shared the various ways aprons were used. Things that never entered my mind, so it proved to be informational. Let’s see how many I can recall.

  • Drying tears. Young moms know children are capable of crying many times a day. It is a part of their life. An apron can mop them up.
  • A convenient carrier. One did not have to be a farmer to sport a chicken coop in the backyard. An apron was a handy carrier to bring those eggs in the house.
  • A hiding spot for timid little people. When a visitor came to the door, forget about introductions.
  • Temperature control. If a woman got the chills, wrap that apron over your arms. Or if standing over a hot stove got a bit much,  grab the corner of it to mop perspiration.
  • A gardening essential. During war time, Victory Gardens were the rage. Homeowners were growing their own vegetables to economize. To scoop their harvest in an apron was downright convenient.
  • Picking up fallen fruit. Those fortunate enough to have a few fruit trees experienced those that fell from the tree. The trusty apron was ready to pick them up.

Willow decided she needed an apron. I had nearly forgotten my promise to make her one until venturing into the sewing room. There was the pattern she selected waiting for me. My work was cut out for me.

It was a way of connection with her that thrilled me. How Willow uses her apron remains to be seen. The above uses are almost obsolete, her life looks different than way back then. Young people today are creative and will find a distinctive way making it every bit as useful.

Susanna Wesley found a unique use of her apron. Her children were told when mom has the apron over her head, do not disturb, she was in prayer. Google her for a powerful story.

We can look upon those old time uses to be ripe for picking up germs. Aside from washing hands before mealtime and washing behind your ears in the bath; concern for germs were unheard of. If anything, letting your system build up an immunity could be good for you.

No doubt I will get some flack for saying that. I come from the generation that made mud pies and took outside drinks from the garden hose. What more can I say but I lived to tell you, and deal with it?

A Fine Way

QuilterLeave a comment

This is a fine way to start a new year. Forget your routine.

Each Tuesday I have a blog posted for you to read. It’s always written ahead of time. Except for today. When you rise, it’s there for you to open. Here it is folks, better late, than never. Not that I have any wise words to share today. It’s just…

Sometimes life gets in the way.

It would be convenient to tell you there were so many returns to take care of in the gift department. Only that would not be the case here. My involvement of holiday festivities is not nearly as much as some folks. Same with the New Years parties.

I haven’t begun the putting away of the holiday décor yet. So that is not my problem.

No, I think it must have been the let-down of the season. All the demands of Christmas and New Years are over. The time has come to just sit down and relax. Enjoy the silence.

Pick away at the leftover snacks that none of us need to eat, but we do. Have that extra cup of coffee, take the book that has been neglected for the last few weeks and read. Take joy in having no place to go.

It is possible I over-indulged.

The grocery shopping can wait. The last few weeks I have only shopped for the necessity of the moment. The pantry needs restocking in the regular stuff-you know, the year-round things like salt and pepper. The stuff that adds spice to your daily life.

I was surprised to read the Good Book speaks of salt. While I have never experienced it, the book says it can lose its flavor. It draws an analogy of comparing the spice to people. With all the hubbub, we can lose our ‘flavor’ in life.

Maybe that is what happened to me. With all the commotion of the holidays, I lost my flavor for living. I needed a time out to just be. No more demands please. Take the time to refuel.

A good way to do that is picking up the Good Book, blow the dust off and read God’s word. It refreshes the mind-establishes the important things in life and gives the steam to keep on keeping on.

Life does go  on. Soon we will return to work, the kids will go back to school. Make the time to refuel, it is worth it.

A New Day Dawns

QuilterLeave a comment

© jb katke

We are days away from a new year.

That usually prompts my self-reflection. Looking back, I tend to give thought to what I have endured, what I have accomplished. How satisfied am I with self?

My Momma always said, “If you know what your problem is, you’ve got it half solved.”

Oh yeah?

Case in point. I had written a partial blog to share with you today. It needed editing and set forth to do so. Somehow I wound up with two files. In my effort to delete one of them, I found, no can do. I tried the other one. That did not work either. Only to learn, what I had deleted was the content, not the title. Of both.

Swell. I know just enough about computers to be dangerous. Use caution when tapping that delete button-learn from your mistakes. If you are one of my faithful followers that read my words regularly. Take a moment to stop here and be amazed I do not mess up more often.

All this to say, folks are quick to beat themselves up. It is so easy to do. No one knows me better than I know myself. Well, my mom and my husband, but they are biased. They love me.

This is where I must remind myself that our Creator knows me too. I am a piece of his work. So are you. Mankind was made in the image of God himself.

News flash, he too is biased. He loves what he created. He gifted us with a mind and will do as we please. Nothing pleases our Creator more than for us to seek out his wisdom.

Warning, this is gonna sound sexist. Have you ever driven with a male, lost in the drive, but refuses to look at a map or refer to the GPS? It does not come as second nature for a person to seek assistance. Just give him enough time and he can figure it out.

Another no can do effort. Consider our Creator as a GPS. The creator of the universe can guide and lead us in what direction to go, and much more. He thought so highly of his work (in progress) that he provided a way to live with him forever.

We just wrapped up the holiday of celebrating the earthly birth of his son, Jesus. He came and accomplished his mission. Providing a way to live forever with the Creator. You can read all about it in the Good Book. But…there is a hitch.

Picture in your mind a gated community. Not everyone has access to enter. Only those who belong. You do not allow just anyone entry into your house because they do not belong there. Neither does the Creator.

You may be asking how can a person belong in this forever life? He gives us the key in his book. He makes it accessible. It is a gift that you can accept or not, it is up to you. Ya gotta want it.

Happy New Year to a new you!