10 Commandments

   It's common knowledge right, the 10 commandments. "Can you name them"? "Can you name one, say the 4th"? "um, well..."

   To my horror I recently realized that I didn't know them. I set out together with my husband to learn them straight away. I'm not very disciplined with in myself so I'm taking the easy route and learning them simplistically first. Then I'll learn the actual verses. Here's how I did it:

  

    I am using hand gestures as a sort of memory trick. There are many ways to learn the 10 commandments in this manner. I suggest you view many and take from each one the gesture that makes the idea stick for you. Since my camera batteries are dead at the moment I'll just write them out and trust that you'll be enthusiastic enough about God's word to seek out videos on your own. It really did only take about 15 minutes or less for me to get this. 

1- There is only one God

(index finger pointing upward)

2- no idols

(use both index fingers bending one as if it's bowing to the other)

3 - Don't take the Lord's name in vain

(use the standard finger gesture for the number 3 it also forms the letter 'W' - for the word 'word' cover your lips with these 3 fingers to remind yourself not to use your lips)

4- keep the Sabbath holy

(use the first 2 fingers on each hand pointing them downward to suggest a chair or bed to rest on bringing to mind that God rested on the 7th day)

5 - Honor your father and mother

(keeping one of your hands flat fingers together make a downward swoop with your hand as if spanking a child, I remembered this one first because it was so cute)

6 - don't murder

(hold up one hand, fingers apart these fingers represent people. Point your index finger of your other hand at these 5 'people' indicating shooting them. *remember not to use your thumb as a trigger for your finger gun because having 7 fingers raised may throw off your commandment order and make things difficult to keep straight*)

7 - no adultery

(hold up 5 fingers on one hand again representing multiple spouses. hold up 2 fingers on the other hand  representing a proper husband and wife)

8- don't steal

(hold up all of your 8 fingers tucking in your thumbs. The idea is that in some countries they still cut off your thumbs for theft)

9- don't lie

(hold up four fingers of one hand and lay the entire other hand on an "air Bible" as if being sworn in for court)

10 - don't covet

(using both hands make a grabbing gesture into the air)

Exodus 20 KJV:
2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
13 Thou shalt not kill.
14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15 Thou shalt not steal.
16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. 

OR

Deuteronomy 5 KJV

 ¹And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.
 ²The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.
 ³The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.
 ⁴The LORD talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire,
 ⁵(I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to shew you the word of the LORD: for ye were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount;) saying,
 ⁶I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
 ⁷Thou shalt have none other gods before me.
 ⁸Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:
 ⁹Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,
 ¹⁰And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
 ¹¹Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
 ¹²Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.
 ¹³Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:
 ¹⁴But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.
 ¹⁵And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.
 ¹⁶Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
 ¹⁷Thou shalt not kill.
 ¹⁸Neither shalt thou commit adultery.
 ¹⁹Neither shalt thou steal.
 ²⁰Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.
 ²¹Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's.
 ²²These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.

Duck and more...

First let me say that I"m really sorry for not having posted in so long. Then let's dive right in...

   Another project I've started is a set of dish towels for a certain birthday gift. It was a request so that really makes me feel good! I can't show you those because the person who is getting them reads my blog *cough* (Mom) *cough*.

 
   In other news, We have had this awful cold that has been circulating. It's really hit us at a bad time because  Sparrow needs to have an MRI of her spine and she can't have the anesthesia if she has a cold. The MRI is needed to check on some changes she has had to her Sacral dimple. They need to check to make sure she doesn't have a tethered cord cysts or any other things that may cause her problems. We are trusting God in this just the same as we always have.
   A few weekends ago we were able to enjoy some fellowship with our dear friends in the Myrtle Beach area. It's so refreshing to just get away sometimes! Now we are eagerly awaiting a visit from family as soon as we are healthy enough to receive visitors. In the mean time I'll be cleaning and stitching.

   I'll leave you with this thought from 1 Timothy 6:6 "godliness with contentment is great gain"

Apparently someone has stolen my pictures from here and used them elsewhere.  So, I have deleted them from my blog. If you see them on Pinterest just pass them over. 

Christmas 2011 Follow Up

  Christmas seems to go so fast once it is here! I wanted to do a quick follow up on the embroidery projects that I did Above is the finished piece that was in the original photo. I gave it to my dear Mother-in-law. She is such a dear lady and I am blessed to have her in my life! Last but never least in any way, these 2 were for my Mom and Stepdad. Nope, your eyes are not tricking you! My 2 Dad’s have the same design (and I love it so much I am now making myself one in shades of pink!) Each is in colors that I felt represented each man. I loved stitching these.

    Finally we come to my Mom’s. My Mom loves Lily of the valley, and Chrysanthemum’s (did you learn how to spell that word from Anne of Green Gables too?) and all manner of growing things. But I really wanted to give her Lily of the Valley because she loves them. As I type this I just happened to think of one that may have been better yet, I’ll have to work on that for another project! These little flowers were fighting me to be created but I couldn’t let it go. After several (6 I think) false starts, I did it! I was having trouble with the bell shape of the flower not lending itself well to satin stitch in such a tiny, tiny area. But I refused to give her less that the best, after all she is my mother and she deserves the best! (Love you,Mom)

Giving more

I want to give more. Do you ever feel that way? I want to give more of my time and full attention to my family. I want to give more of my time and effort to serving God. I want to give my crafts more time. I want to give my house the cleaning attention it needs. I want to give so much more attention to making my body healthy so that I can give more of all these things that I want to give more of! ; One thing at a time, yet all at the same time. So that means I need to prioritize my everything better, and that seems so overwhelming and so I just sit and pretend it all away or daydream about it while I tread water, right? I want to encourage you today - fight back! I love that you took the time to visit but get off of here and make your house smell wonderfully clean by doing a load of laundry. then polish your dishes. Those dishes that have stuff stuck on them because you made food to nourish your family. Clean, polish, scrub, sparkle and shine! Nope it doesn't have to be perfect but then nothing but Christ is perfect. Let me also encourage you to pray as you go about doing things. Pray for the one who ate off the dish you are rinsing, slept in the bed that you are making, will wear the jeans you are folding... I have one more trick for the day - learn a new way of doing something and try it out. (why not origami fold a towel for your bathroom) or do the same thing you always do but in a different order. In other words; change things up for yourself. In fact if you can, inspire yourself with a new batch of cleaning supplies! Since it's so close to Christmas may I also add that a new batch of cleaning supplies is one of my sister's favorite gifts to receive! I'm guessing she is not the only one so if you have a lady (or gentleman) on your list that you are unsure of what to get them, why not fill up a new scrub bucket or supply organizer with some wonderful encouraging cleaning supplies! you are giving more! Giving more time to serving my family, giving more time to creativity, giving more time to homemaking, and most of all giving more time to serving God who is so worthy!<

hustle and bustle

As the Christmas season draws closer and closer I find that all I want to do is be quiet.
I want to enjoy all the Christ honoring movies and plays that I can watch or attend. I want that visual reminder. I want to stay all day in His word. But I have gifts to finish making and wrapping and sending. I find that I really love praying for the person that is to receive the gift that I'm creating at any particular moment. I like to think about them and their future, our relationship. I haven't bought a Christmas present in a mall for, well I don't know how long since. I like it that way. I like hand made things in a Christmas tree. I like house decorations that remind us to reflect on the birth of Christ. These are the things that I love, how about you?What touches you at Christmas time? How do you get away from the hustle and bustle?