Are You Running Yourself Ragged?

Imagine if you will for a moment a piece of cloth

woven with warp and weft.

Now carefully pick one thread from anywhere on the cloth

and give it a gentle tug.

You can make an unsightly loop or even pull 

the thread entirely from the cloth.

If you were to pick threads randomly from both sides wither and tither, 

you would end up with a pretty tattered and ratty

looking piece of cloth.

The cloth in this scenario is of course, our heart and soul,

our character, our physique, and our being.

Every person we encounter, task we tend to, errand we run, 

and decision we make are all tugs at the fabric of who we are.

Obviously some are menial and with a rub of the thumb

can be smoothed back into place.

Others require a bit more effort to work back into that even weave.

And yet others, well, we might just need a new thread

and our darning needle to repair.

Like anything, it's better to keep at things before they get to that point.

But it can be difficult.

We have demands being made of us at a rather alarming rate

if you think about it, and we don't even realize it.

In addition to the big ones: get to work on time, perform said duties,

kids to school, etc. there are thousands of others.

Car- fill me with gas or I won't run.

Phone- answer me or I'll keep ringing.

Critters and garden- water (feed) me or I'll die and won't feed you.

grocery clerk- pay me or you can't have your items.

Most of these are just understood, but they are still a tug.

They are not necessarily bad or harmful, but when too many 

rain upon us at once, we can be left

'hanging on by a thread.'

Equally important is the fact that we need time to be alone with ourselves

and keep our souls smooth.

There are times when we don't want to go anywhere or talk to anyone.

Time alone at home talking and listening to God and just being

seems necessary.

I think He made the seasons the way they are for a reason.

Just about the time we have run ourselves ragged,

the days start getting a little shorter and

the nights longer and colder.

It seems to go against mainstream society,

but He is almost pushing us back inside come evening-time saying,

"Rest up."

Like most children, we don't always listen as we should.

If this is where you are,

I would like this post to serve as that gentle voice that says,

"It's okay.  Take a breath."

Take a few moments to smooth out those little loops and

remember winter will be here soon, and we'll have more time

to spend with that darning needle.

Until next time,

Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches

Autumn Checklist

What a beautiful and busy time of year.

As we are pulling in and processing the tail end of the garden produce,

the leaves are changing, and Mother Nature is preparing for a change.

Isn't it peculiar how when the temperature begins to dip down to chilly

at night our nesting instincts kick in and give us 

that little boost of energy we need?

I'm not sure if we are ever really 100% ready for that first snow.

We always seem to forget something.

I am notorious for leaving hoses out until the snowfalls.

Then I have to go out and try to make sure they are drained

and put away while it's snowing on me.

Since I work best from a list and I know quite a few others

who share this same 'quirk,' 

I thought it might be a nice thing to share.

Of course, depending upon where you live and your situation,

your list might look a little different.

This might contain an item or two you forgot to add.

And if there's something on your list that you don't see here,

please share in a comment.

This is meant to help all of us.

In No Particular Order:

* Take stock of pantry~ What do you have in abundance, and what are you short on?

* Critter Feed~ Weather it's bunnies or beef, do you have enough feed (or a dependable source,) tank heaters, power  cords, anything needed for birthing (which will always be 2 AM of the coldest week of the year.)

* Heat Source~ Is the wood in? Propane tank filled? If electric or gas, do you keep a back up source?  Is your chimney clean?

* Equipment~ Lawnmowers, weed-eaters, chainsaws and any other form of small engine should be serviced before storing it for winter.  Why are we so good at this for our cars but not for smaller items?  My small engine repairman suggests using "seafoam" so that's what we use.  I don't know if there are other similar products of different brands.

* Tools~ From hammers and screwdrivers to pitch forks and wheelbarrows, how are the handles?  Is the metal clean?  Are they where they belong?

* Garden~ Put the garden to bed or plant your winter crop depending on where you live.

* Hoses!~ Geesh, I almost forgot to even put it on the list.  Drain, coil, and put them away.

* Blankets and Winter Clothes~ I don't store seasonal clothes, but if you do, you might locate, air out, iron if necessary, and ready them for wearing.  I like to either hang my blankets that have been folded up all summer on the line for an hour or two or give them a tumble in the dryer.

* Automobiles~ Have an emergency kit in each rig.  Check your tire pressure and the condition of the tires, antifreeze, fluids, wipers, etc.

*House~ Check windows and doors.  Are they sealing properly?   Are the leaves off the roof and gutters clean?  Do you wrap certain pipes for winter?

* Barns, Sheds, Fences and Gates~ In good repair? Is there a broken board that would be easier to fix now?

* Christmas~ Don't shoot!  I put this here, because if there are certain gifts you are making, you probably don't want to put it off until Dec. 1st to get started.

* MOST IMPORTANT~ How's your fire pit? Don't forget to take time to observe the beauty around you, jump in the leaves, roast a marshmallow and drink some hot chocolate or apple cider.  If you make it through even a portion of these things, you're ahead of the game.

Is here something you do each fall that's not listed here?

Let us know.

Until next time,
Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches