So here I sit on a Saturday morning writing my Friday Reflection...better late than never. Ken is in the kitchen fixing a new pot roast recipe for me.  Love my man who jumps in with both feet in the kitchen every once in awhile.  Many of my friends take this time of year to share what they are thankful for.  It is fun reading what they write and seeing some things in a new way.  So here is my list for this week:
-A husband who is a willing cook and clean
-A son who called me from afar just to talk
-A son who lets me be a goof with his girlfriend
-Cold fronts that let me know fall is really on the way
-A kitten who loves to snuggle when I come home
-Cold medicine that stops a cough
-Ibuprofren (Advil)
-My friends at the Alumni Office for sharing sunshine and warmth with me
-The Peace that only God can give to breaking hearts
-Cat toys to occupy crazy kittah moments
-The trash man who faithfully removes those stinky things in my kitchen from the premises
-Electric blankets


New on my site this week:
Continuing my way through Psalm 119.  Taking it in slowly has allowed me to see Christ in this Psalm like never before.  
Confessions of a Tree Hugger
When the Fog Clears
Making a Choice
A Runner's Heart

And on the quilting front.  A certain quilt I have been working on will soon be in its new home and I will be able to show you the finished product.  In the meantime I have enjoyed finding free patterns to share and joining in my first quilt along.

Thursday Freebies are of the autumn variety this week.
Week One's assignment in the Quilt Along is completed  

And below are some bonuses just for you:

Pat Sloan shared the Selvage Christmas Tree tutorial on her facebook page today.  One of the comments just cracked me up.  "My husband: sweetie, why are you digging through the trash can? Me: because I saw this cute Christmas tree on facebook and I need my salvage edges back! Husband: why don't we just go buy you some salvage edges?"  I really need to start saving my selvages to make some of the cute things I have been seeing lately.  Have any of you used selvages in your projects?  I would love to hear about it and really love to see a photo. (maybe even have you do a guest tutorial for us!)

These tutorials are from last year, so the giveaway is no longer going on.

Cheers!
Deb

If I had to pick a theme for this week it would be based on Philippians 1:9-11 from yesterday and Colossians 4:5-6, "Conduct yourselves with wisdom towards outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.  Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person." (NASB)

I like to think it a sign that my love is abounding more and more that I am becoming more concerned about how I interact with the rest of the world, and how my interactions reflect on God.  With the political climate in this country there has come a lot of ugly talk, from those on both sides.  Neither likes to admit it about themselves, but is quick to point it out in others.  I see the same thing happening in the church in this country.  
My son reminded me of something that happened to him while he was studying abroad in Australia.  A person on the street offered him a Bible.  He refused it with a "no thank you," as he has all the Bibles he needs and thought it better to give it to someone who needed one.  Immediately he was loudly barraged with how he is going to hell and needs to confess his sin and... well it left him with a bitter taste in his mouth for Christians.  This from a young man who has an amazing heart for the Lord.  Imagine how a non-believer would feel.  
I experienced a similar thing this week, and how the tone changed once they realized they were speaking to another Christian.  Why was it okay to be ugly when they did not know who I was?  Is this really how we treat the outside world?  Those verses in Colossians are spinning in my head and heart.  In the midst of this I came across two wonderful posts from some fellow bloggers that are challenging me in the area of how I relate, not just to those who differ politically, but also those within the church with whom I may disagree.

Learning to Love your Haters- Courtney over on Good Morning Girls, where I first learned about the SOAP method of Bible study by-the-way, has written a very good post.  

For You It's Sin, For Me It's Service -Tim Challis provided me with another good challenge.  How easy it is to see the speck in someone else's eye and neglect the ugly plank in my own.  Great piece of satire here that gets us to take a serious look inside.

And now to share some things I have loved about this week.  



Matthew and Dr. Miller arrive in Nicaragua to take part in dedicating a new telescope.  Always good to hear your son has arrived at his destinations safely and is having a great time.  Judging from his Facebook posts to me I think the boy is enjoying his VIP treatment.

Free quilt pattern from Pam Bono.  I am not sure if the link on the left for the pattern will work if you are not an American Quilters Society member.

New fabric arrivals in my studio make me happy.  
The Rainbow Batiks on top will eventually end up in a Lone Star quilt- my challenge goal for myself this year is to learn to make one.

The Blues were a gift to myself .  
I just could not pass up the coupon
 from one of my favorite quilt shops in Texas 
for $10 off a $25 purchase on Valentines day.  

Bright spots in my quilt studio, thanks to some thoughtful friends

And finally; enjoying the first tastes of asparagus for the year

Click here for my Roasted Asparagus recipe.







Happy Friday!
Deb