Literature – whether fiction or nonfiction – can change one’s mood.
A good story can become the cornerstone of a great day.
The Cornerstone of a Great Day
Category Archives: Saith Me…
Saith Me… Purpose and Joy
I have found “giving up” to be really hard work and terribly difficult to achieve.
I am not making light of the desire, just the opposite. The desire is often very intense, but giving up seems to simply be much harder than finding joy or purpose. When joy seems elusive, I look for purpose. Purpose usually leads me to joy.
Saith Me: Together
Whether we are a tortoise or a hare, the journey can be better if we travel together.
Simplistic, yes I know, but true in most cases when the parties are willing to embrace each other’s weaknesses as well as each other’s strengths.
Choosing our companions wisely is certainly key to success. Also key to success is recognizing our traveling companion today may not be our companion for the entire journey.
Seldom is the journey, or life, a smooth, straight path. Even when we know where we want to go, and have a map to guide us, we will encounter obstacles that may cause us to detour seeking an uncharted way to our destination.
Having trusted companions can help us navigate the detours; and if we should get lost, those companions will prevent us from feeling the despair of solitude.
Saith Me… The Solution is Simple
When the knowledge others possess makes you feel foolish, the solution is to seek knowledge. To rail against those with knowledge might make you feel temporally better, but the world will now know you are as foolish as you feel.
A Message to My Followers
Will the words fail me? Will the joy fade away? Or will I once again find a path forward?
Despite today being the anniversary of one of the happiest days of my mother’s heart, I awoke with a dread similar to one I have had before. Only this time the dread was deeper and more weighty. It is one thing for the hopeful to follow the path to sorrow when the path is shrouded and obscured. Yet, when the light shines brightly on the path, illuminating the danger signs in glaring clarity, it is a dreaded thing to witness.
I seek joy through creative pursuits, and I seek to share that joy with others. It is my hope that in some small way I can inspire others to seek their own joy.
In my efforts, whether through blog or vlog, I try my best to focus on the universal language of joy. Today, in the light of so much chaos, I finally feel the unshakable need to be clear about something I believe many (or at least those closely following) will have discerned. I use the word joy with great understanding that it is a word intertwined Christ.
I use it as a synonym for Christ, and for love, and for grace.
I view it as an eternal condition – this joy of which I speak, and I see it as being a common language.
I believe it is a condition and a language that supersedes the religions of man. For all of mankind can experience it, and seek it, and receive it regardless of the customs they follow.
I use JOY for this very reason – it bridges the gaps of culture. For while I connect it to Christ, others need not do so if that is their choice. It doesn’t change the eternal and universal nature of it.
Sorrow has gripped me, has made my heart weep, but I will cling to my quest for joy – and in doing so, I will hopefully be able to continue to have something to blog and vlog about.
A November 2024 Thought
Pilate gave the people the opportunity to set Jesus free – the prophesized savior, a man who taught love.
Yet when given the choice, they instead chose a traitor, one imprisoned for sedition and murder. They chose to condemn unto death the very hope they had been taught to seek, and instead they chose another. (Luke 23)
History shows us, time-and-time again, that people will choose unwisely. Choosing a path of love, charity, and kindness takes work. It also can require us to do what the wealthy young man could not do – follow Christ. (Mathew 19:21-22).
When faced with a choice, people will more often than not choose a snake-oil cure rather than a path to real health.
Keeping Our Mojo while Pursuing Success
In a world were the pressure for perfection is ever present, the quest for success can overwhelm us, thus causing our creative mojo to get lost somewhere along the journey. This is often the case when we are creating to meet the demand of others, but it can also be the case when we are creating for ourselves. The scale we use to measure success, sadly, is seldom one we create ourselves, thereby placing us at the risk of becoming overwhelmed when our efforts fall short of an unrealistic norm.
As creators, or makers to use another term commonly used in social media, we rely on our creative mojo to keep our inspiration flowing and our ideas vibrant. Our ability to keep creating often relies heavily on our feelings of accomplishment, and therefore how we determine success is instrumental in our ability to create.
In my video today, I ponder the notion of success and the question of whether my latest project is a success. I determine success is achieved when three criteria are met – functionality, structural-soundness, and joy. We are makers not machines. Variables in our creative efforts are part of what makes our product unique and desirable. When we hold onto this knowledge, we can better keep hold of our mojo even as we pursue success.
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This week I have three English Paper Piecing blocks to share.
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Sometimes We Need a Map
In quilting, much like in life, the path we travel often lacks complexity; a routine can be followed that will keep us on course. Other times, we need help a map can offer. This week’s English Paper Piecing block, Morning Frost, reflects the complexity that has settled into my life this season. On the surface, it looks simple. Yet without the map guiding me, the subtle differences threatened to trip me up and make the task more difficult than necessary. Taking the time to make a map, or a set of steps to follow, preserved the easy and joy of the journey.
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You can download this week’s block with this link.
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Also, be sure to check out this week’s podcast to hear more about the Christmas Tree Saga of 2023 and more.
The Color Makes a Difference: Harvest Star
One of the first things a quilter learns when researching or designing a patchwork block is that color makes all the difference. Sometimes, the placement of light and dark fabric will change the overall look, and even the name of the block can be different because of the choices. In this week’s block, designing with three high contrast, warm colors created a star that was reminiscent of a yearly wheat harvest. Changing the fabric choices to a Christmas theme created a different look all-together. Since I am working on a vintage fabric quilt, I chose fabrics with less contrast, but still high impact because of the cream background. Whatever you choose, this pinwheel star is perfect for any season or palette.
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This Week’s English Paper Piecing Block
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Saith Me… Perspective
Imperfection fades away, replaced by snuggly comfort.
In the crafting world, the stress created by seeking perfection is offset by a simple 3-foot rule. Whatever is not noticeable from 3 feet away should not cause the maker angst. While this rule is not always as effective as one might hope, when it comes to quilting, there is an additional rule that usually covers all but the most egregious flaws. The comfort rule.
If the quilt provides comfort, then the quilt needs only be structurally sound to be perfect.
Sometimes in life, we lose perspective, focusing too much on imperfections rather than on purpose.
“What is the purpose of what we do?” “What is the goal we hope to achieve?”
There will always be situations where perfection must be the purpose, but those situations rarely extend beyond life-saving, safety-critical, or technology-focused tasks. In most cases, seeking perfection is a goal but not the purpose of the endeavor.
When we focus the purpose of our task, imperfections fade away to be replaced by the comfort a good perspective on life provides.
Pithy Ponderings 