THE NEW EWE

"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'"

Luke 15:4-6

April 9, 2025

LIFE IN THE FOLD

I've not done any sewing for the past several months. My niece is getting married next month, so I'm making her a quilt for a wedding present. I started on it a few weeks ago, then things got busy and I've not had time to work on it. This past Saturday, Jon had to work so I decided that it would be a good day to work on the quilt.

I had finished the first row of the quilt the first time I worked on it. This time I sewed the blocks for the second row. When I got ready to sew the two rows together, I realized that I had a big problem. I have no idea how this happened, but the first row was at least 2-3 inches longer than the second row. I don't know how I got the blocks off by so much! The seams didn't line up, so it's not as if I could just cut off the ends to make it work.

I scrapped those blocks and started all over again. To be honest, I wasn't all that thrilled about how the first quilt was coming together. I'm sure it would have been pretty once I got it completed, but it just wasn't what I had envisioned.

That's the thing about making a quilt, you never know for sure how it's going to turn out, until you begin putting the pieces together. There's something very satisfying about seeing it begin to take shape.... at least most of the time it is. Occasionally, I've had those mishaps where it just doesn't look good and the seams just don't match up well.... or it just doesn't look like what I had imagined in my mind.

Probably, the fact that I hadn't sewn for several months had something to do with the mistakes made when I started on my latest project. But even though I use all cotton fabric, there have been times when it seems that the fabric will stretch as I sew and it just doesn't go together well or lay right. And sometimes I just mess up when cutting the blocks or sewing them together.... it's all me!

I now have the quilt top finished and have it pinned together with the batting and backing, ready to begin the quilting. I truly think that it's going to end up being very pretty upon completion. We shall see!

This quilt is an example of how our life can sometimes be. We may think that we're starting out pretty well, then we end up messing up big time and it seems as if our life is in ruins. Perhaps we may feel as if nothing is salvageable and we no longer have any worth or value. We may even feel as if there is absolutely no purpose in our existence and wonder how anything good could ever come from our life again.

It's during those weak, low moments that Satan's lies will sound the loudest in our mind. It may even be something daily that you are being tempted to do, that you know is wrong, but you seem to continue making the same detrimental choices over and over again. But there is hope!

John 10:10 tells us, "The thief's (Satan) purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My (Jesus) purpose it to give them a rich and satisfying life." Another version says that Jesus came that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

I've had many nightmares where I'm being chased by someone who is either trying to hurt or kill me... or they are chasing someone whom I'm trying to protect. I'm running or hiding or making sure doors and windows are locked; trying to find a place of safety. There have been numerous different versions of that dream. I will wake up with my heart pounding!

In one of the last ones that I recently had, I began praying in my dream and immediately upon awakening, the above scripture came to mind. I truly believe that all of those nightmares have been spiritual attacks where Satan is trying to destroy me and my peace of mind, or my family, or someone close to me.

I recently had a conversation with a teenager who is struggling with a lot of issues. I asked, "When you hear that voice in the back of your head telling you to do bad things, is that God?" She answered no, that she knows that it is Satan. We talked about making choices and about consequences.

Then I read James 4:7 that says, "So humble (or submit) yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." I told her that each morning she needs to submit herself to God and ask for Him for help for the day. Then each time she hears that voice urging her to do bad things, to tell Satan, " No! I'm not going to listen to you anymore! I'm going to make good choices, so go away!!"

None of us are unredeemable! No matter how many times we mess up, God is able to make something beautiful from our lives.

In Jeremiah chapter 18, the Lord gave a message to Jeremiah. God told Jeremiah to go down to the potter's shop, so he did. Upon arrival, he found a potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. The Lord said, "O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to the clay? As the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand."

Even though this specific message that God gave to Jeremiah was to Israel, it can still apply to us today. We are each as clay in our Father's hands. Even when we don't turn out as He wants, He doesn't throw us away. There may be some crushing, so God can get rid of some things that are preventing us from being pliable in His hands; but He then will begin molding and shaping us into a usable vessel.

When I messed up on the quilt, I could have said, "Well, this is too much work! I'm just going to give up and go buy my niece a wedding gift. That would be much easier!" (And it would have been easier and less work for me!) But I wanted to do something meaningful and special for her, so it was worth going to the extra work and effort to accomplish that.

Know that God always thinks that you are well worth the effort! Don't ever give up on yourself and listen to the lies of the devil -- don't allow him to kill, steal and destroy your life and your relationship with Jesus. Submit yourself to God and allow Him to mold and shape you into the very best vessel that you can possibly be!

JON'S PERSPECTIVE:

There is quite a process to refining clay. It isn't always a simple matter of kneading it into a soft lump, then turning it into a work of art.

Depending on the clay, the potter might dry it out and grind it into a powder, or mix it with water till it is thin and runny. Either way, the next step is to sift out the bits that don't belong. Then add or remove water till it is back to the consistency of soft clay. The dry or wet method depends on the clay. In rare cases, it might take both methods to get it right.

The potter doesn't tell the clay what's about to happen. That might seem odd to point out, but it's important. At times, we go through a time of being dried out till we are dust, or soaked till we have no form left. Then we get sifted out. It isn't pleasant. And God doesn't tell us what is happening or why. But it is all to make us into something He can be proud of.

ON THE MENEWE:

Oreo Cheesecakes

Place liners in muffin tin. Set Oreo cookie on bottom of each muffin liner.

Beat together 3 packages of softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until just blended. Spoon mixture over each cookie.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, or until center is almost set.

Cool completely, then refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.

Drizzle melted Baker's chocolate and a dollop of Cool Whip over the top of each cookie.

THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER:

When my nephew's kids were young, they got a little Yorkshire puppy. They let the kids name her. The name his daughter, who was probably age 3 or 4 at that time, gave the puppy was Syrup the Pickle Pancake. They ended up calling the dog either Syrup or Syrup the Pickle.

They also had a few cows and calves, which they let the kids name. The only guidelines that they gave the kids were that they had to name them after herbs, in order to keep the names from becoming too ridiculous.

THOUGHT TO PONDER:

Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and the handcuffs of hatred.

It is a power that breaks the chains of bitterness and the shackles of selfishness.

- Corrie ten Boom

OUR HEARTFELT THANKS TO YOU:

We love you!

Loretta & Jon

http://www.graysheep.org