The $10 Lesson

This is a post I am so happy to share with y'all.

I know at least a good majority of my readers here are good people 

so I know you'll "get it."

In order to share the lesson,

I have to share the story.

Several years ago my mom went through an awful treatment for skin cancer.

She had an equally awful reaction that was life altering for her.

The response of the doctors was,

"That only happens to .01% of people."

She was in pain for quite a while.

The chemical cures they prescribed for the reaction 

by trial and error only hurt her more.
I gave her some homemade lotion to try
which she uses to this day.

She can no longer go outside and has to wear long sleeved UV clothing 

even inside if the sun is shining.

It's been long enough now that we can harass her about being a vampire,

but at first it was devastating

for someone who lived outside and who's therapy was the garden.

Fast forward a few years.

We had a gentleman come into the shop a while back

asking for a fix on the frame of a neat old pickup he recently acquired.

MrLB told him what he would do to fix it and about how much it would be.

We had a big job we were working on and said to give us a call

and we would work it into the schedule in February 

which was fine with the gentleman.

Hubby was just mentioning a week or so ago, that the fella with the pickup never came back.

He said, "I told him how I'd fix it so he probably had someone else do it."

Within a day or two of that statement,

he came into the shop, only we hardly recognized him.

It was the first time he had been out of the house in nearly 3 weeks.

His face looked like it had been beat with knife grass - that grass that cuts.

He explained that he had been in for skin treatment and had a reaction.

Evidently he is also one of the .01%.

After chatting for a few minutes,

it was obvious he had been and was still in pain.

I've made my own lotion for some time now and had a small jar in my desk drawer.

I gave it to him to try.

He called the next day and said he didn't react to it,

and that it actually felt soothing especially to his ears which were particularly painful.

I made him a batch over the weekend and took it in Monday 

which was when he was picking up his pickup.

I put it in a clean peanutbutter jar so he could get his hand into it.

I don't sell the lotion.

It's a Rosemary Gladstar recipe not mine,

and I told him that.

He paid me $10 more than the cost of the ingredients.

I was fine with that - my time etc.

I told him he didn't even have to pay me.

Knowing the pain my mom went through,

I would have made it for him regardless.

Any "extra" money I get throughout the year, I save for quilt show in October.

So I put the money in my little stash.

Then comes the lesson portion ~

A friend who lives in another state lives on a fixed income.

She recently pulled $10 from one allotted fund

to add a little something extra to her granddaughter's birthday gift.

She will be discontinuing her internet soon because she doesn't have the extra money 

and internet is not a necessity.

She is wise with her pennies,

and I respect her for that.

I was only too glad to send that $10 to her with a little note.

As I see it, it's really for her granddaughter.

I know it's not millions but am hoping it helps or at least replaces it.

Today while I was at work,

a woman came in with a jar that held a $10 bill.

It was the gentleman's wife.

She wouldn't let me refuse it.

She said "He had a bee in his bonnet, and I was to have it."

She also said the last two nights he has been able to wear his cpap machine again 

so has been able to sleep and is beginning to feel better.

So I replaced the $10 in my stash.

The thing about all of this, which I already knew deep down

is that I would have made the lotion for him for free.

It made me feel good to be able to offer some sort of help.

It was also easy for me to send the $10 to my friend.

I didn't even think twice about that.

And when generosity feels good,

it's just right and is rewarded on multiple levels.

This really isn't about me,

but each and every one of us.

If we can find a way to give that we genuinely feel good about,

we receive a gift far greater and everyone wins.

I know that - have known that,

but I think it must be easy to get caught up in our daily grind and forget.

Please tell me I'm not the only one who forgets this at times.

So needless to say,

I'm so happy to be reminded of this lesson.

$10 may seem like a silly sum these days,

but it's sure been a valuable lesson.

I hope this little story can help you as well.

Whether we are on the giving or receiving end,

generousity and graditude are just plain good for the soul.

I think we've all been on both sides at one time or another 

which makes it even better.

Another Blessing

If you read the last post,

there was a blessing of the elder sort.

This morning, I encountered a blessing of a different sort.

Sometimes God graces us (ourselves) with blessing.

And sometimes just witnessing His grace towards others

is a blessing.

I have never tried to attach a video,

so I hope it works.

I will say it brought tears to my eyes,

and I have watched it several times already this morning.

Mr. LB would tell you I have an affinity for music.

The genre really isn't important.

If it's good, I can recognize it.

This is a great reason why I don't care what folks look like.

I don't care if they are skinny blonds.

That doesn't mean they can sing.

Likewise, if they are deemed "unattractive,"

that really doesn't matter to me.

I would rather listen than watch.

True music comes from within.
This is absolutely beautiful.

Wishing you all blessings:

Amira

(click on the link)

Until next time,

Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches

  

Wonder Woman

In my last post,

I told you I would introduce you

to our Dye Day hostess.

Her name is Arleta.

This amazing woman spins, weaves,

tans hides (about 8-10/yr.)

has two huge green houses

for her garden,

makes soap,

keeps bees,

and probably has an invisible jet 

in one of the barns.

She tore a hole in her apron.

Did that stop her - Nope!

Just grabbed a plastic bag and kept going.

Instead of Dye Days, 

she has also hosted 

Tanning Weekend.

Mr. LB was interested in that one.

Over the course of the day,

we discovered that my folks

are friends with her brother and sister-in-law.

It really is a small world.

She is 80 29 years young,

and just got back from a 12 day rendezvous.
(If you are not familiar with a rendezvous,
it's a group that is 'mountain man' style &
there are no campers, cel. phones, ipods, 
or anything modern allowed.
Cooking is done over an open fire,
they sleep in tents/teepees or such,
and are dressed in buckskins or dresses
of that time period.)

I could spend a month with her

and never stop learning.

She is a complete inspiration.
I truly hope I have the opportunity
to spend more time learning from her.
I also hope each person who reads this
~for whatever it is that speaks to your soul~
finds a person or people
as knowledgeable, skilled and generous
as Arleta.

People like her are real blessings
and I am thankful to have spent a day 
with her.

Until next time,
Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches

Little Blessing (Hidden in my Stash:?)

AKA: Shoefly part II

You may have noticed in the 

Shoefly part I

that there was 1 block missing.

I didn't have enough of 'that' scrap

to complete one more block.

I had just decided to make it bigger

and use another set of scraps.

Then I remembered!!!

(Gotta love when that rememberer kicks in)

I had the scrap that I took with me

to find the yellow fabric

still in my wallet.

It was perfect.

I was able to make the two other little squares

I needed to finish the block.

I figured at least then I could have the 'body'

all the same scrap & do something different

for boarders and binding.

Oh wait, but there's more:

Then I looked in my stash...

I had about a 3/4 yard chunk of it.

Woohoo!  I did my happy dance

and proceeded to add boarders and binding.

This is the first piece that I have actually

stacked the needle to hand quilt it.

Maybe I should be ashamed to admit that,

but I am happy I finally gave it a whirl.

I'm not very good at it, 

but was improving as I went along.

(Oops, I still need to iron away my lines - today is ironing day, so will include this.)

Then, just because I am a little warped,

I added one more little nuance. 

The finished piece measures 16.25" square,

and I had fun.

Until next time,
Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches