More on Monkeys--see below on show and tell Friday

This is a picture of the original monkey my brother and I had as a child--my brother just sent me the picture--he still has it!!!!

Here is the little girl monkey I just finished (using a wool boot sock (ladies) from Walmart.)
Here is a picture of the guy and girl I made together. I am debating on whether to stitch a mouth on the guy.

Show and Tell Friday

It is show and tell Friday at Kelli's at http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/

This is what I made tonight (Thursday)--I used to have a sock monkey when I was a child, and my brother had a sock elephant.--so these sock toys bring back many memories. These two sites give good directions on how to make sock monkeys :

http://www.craftbits.com/viewProject.do?projectID=1104 and http://breezeb.tripod.com/crafts/sockmonkey.html I am not done with this--I have to do the eyes --which I plan on stitching since Rhianwen, out grandchild, is so young. For older kids you can use buttons for the eyes. I also think I will crochet a little red vest. After I was finishing up this guy, my husband and I felt that we needed to have our own monkeys----we could take them with us on trips and take pictures of them in various places---I don't know why--but I just have to have one for myself!! Childhood memories I guess!! You can get socks from this site : http://www.sockcompany.com/or.html

Alive

I like what Irenaeus says, "The glory of God is a person fully alive."

Yancey responds, "Christians are not perfect, by any means, but they can be people made fully alive."

I love those thoughts--and am thankful for prayer and the beauty of Christian fellowship--especially of Christians from all walks of life--the beauty in diversity yet unity because of the central core--Christ himself.

I love this prayer: "Turn every evil design of the devil into sanctifying schemes of love. Deliver us from his deceptions. Keep the beauty of Christ clear in the eyes of our heart."

life

Life is so full of ups and downs. Struggles , darkness, and beauty. The fallen nature of this world, this creation, but the beauty that still shines through. This week has provided both.

This makes me think of Romans 8 : 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies"

Sin has affected all of creation....but thankfully His grace and beauty still shine in our midst. I can see much is learned both in affliction and in blessings. Muggeridge said about suffering

"everything that has truly enhanced and enlightened my existence, has been through affliction and not through happiness, whether pursued or attained. In other words, if it ever were to be possible to eliminate affliction from our earthly existence by means of some drug or other medical mumbo jumbo....the result would not be to make life delectable, but to make it too banal or trivial to be endurable."

On the other hand Piper says:

The sunbeams of blessing in our lives are bright in and of themselves. They also give light to the ground where we walk. But there is a higher purpose for these blessings. God means for us to do more than stand outside them and admire them for what they are. Even more, he means for us to walk into them and see the sun from which they come. If the beams are beautiful, the sun is even more beautiful. God's aim is not that we merely admire his gifts, but, even more, his glory."

I thank him for both the beauty and glory and the suffering and hardship---both teach me much--but what inward pain and a sense of that groaning of creation to be delivered as Romans says.

(picture by flickr)

happiness is pansies!!

Well I planted my pansies today--this pic is from flickr--but these are the colors I planted and how can you not be happy with these beautiful colors staring you in the face!! Pansies are such joyful little things.

I also put up our tree the earliest ever!! A few days before Christmas--but I wanted it up for my youngest sons return. The webcam doesn't really capture the colors very well--and it doesn't pick up the stuff in the depth of the tree either--so not very good pictures--the bulbs are pale green , pale blue, and inner ones which you can't see are in shades of blue and sliver glittery type. Looks funny without the lights--but the webcam wouldn't pick it up. The deer are actually a pale green.
This is where I placed the tree this year--it is a little one--but it takes up less room!

I finally have an angel at the top--bought it at our Saint Nick festival---handmade.

I love these blue stars from Martha Stewart---actually all the balls or bulbs--whatever you call them are from Martha Stewart!

So all this makes me content--to have my pansies in and tree up. Now I have to paint a bedroom and have Thanksgiving!! YES!

Sunday

Love this quote from a Mitford book : "When a man's wrapped up in himself, he makes a pretty small package."

that is so true and is something to ponder ;-) .



Thankful again for worship today---for the traditions of the Anglican faith--how they lift your heart to the Almighty in praise, how the liturgy causes you to examine your heart, confess your sins and seek His forgiveness. .....for the beauty of the congregation praying in unison, for the weekly Lord's Supper, for the beauty and strength of the pipe organ or for the early morning service of quiet worship---I am thankful how all of this links me to past generations of Christians who worshiped with many of these same prayers, .........thankful for the weak and the strong, and for the gifts of fellow believers---for their love. But mainly just so thankful for a place of worship!! A place to be in awe over an awesome God.

Show and Tell Friday

Kelly has her show and tell today --go here to participate : http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/

These are little wooden toys: they are circus toys! I bought these at antique shops in Vt. when I was a young teen. As you can see the elastic inside of them has been worn out and the faces are worn. The head of the clown is off actually and the elephant is missing 2 legs. I can not remember the history of these (maybe if I googled it!)--The clothes on the ring leader are not original --they were made when I purchased him since he was naked! I think these were made in New England somewhere and that there was an entire circus made of wood---They are so cool---I just love them!!