Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Christmas 2013

Christmas  - a season that I have always loved & looked forward too. Shopping, baking, preparing my family's favourite foods, decorating every room in my house, taking a drive around town to look at the Christmas lights, family gatherings, carols. Celebrating with family & friends the real reason for the season. Reading the story of the Babe born in a manger. This year, most of the things I love about Christmas just don't have the same appeal as they have had in the past. Our family circle is broken. There will be two empty spots around the dinner table. This year we will celebrate being together, celebrate a life spared, celebrate each other, celebrate the Babe born 2000 years ago who gave His life so we may live, celebrate that in the midst of our sorrow, He gives comfort through the prayers of so many people who are still upholding us in prayer.  Christmas will have a different flavour  this year.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Finally - A Quilt Post!

 I have not done a quilt post in a long while so here are some pictures of a quilt I've just finished. 

 It is for my granddaughter, Carly.

 The quilt size is 84 x62.

 Carly chose this backing about a year & a half ago when she was in a fabric shop with me & this fabric with the shoes on it caught her eye & she begged me to buy it for her. She has not forgotten about it as she has asked me about it.

 It has her name on it with the date & who the quilt is from.

 She really loves cats - she has 8 - so I searched for cat prints.

My prayer for Carly is that she will use her talents to bring joy to whoever she is in contact with, that she will grow up to serve her Lord wherever her path may go,  & that the Lord's protective Hand will be on her.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Doell Family Christmas

 I hosted my family Christmas on Saturday, December 14th. We had a wonderful time of visiting, eating & laughter. The above picture is my sister, Edna & her husband with her gift of potholders, pillow cases & a pillow.
 This is my sister, Carolyn & her husband displaying their gifts. Some how I missed taking a picture of my oldest sister. Sorry, Helen, I'll get a picture next time.

 This is my 97 year old mom, with her gift of a picture frame with photos of us 4 sisters with her.

                                                   My mom with 4 of my grandchildren.

My youngest son, Chris with my mom. He takes after his dad with not smiling for pictures!
 Two cousins joined us for the afternoon & supper. It was a very special day.

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Four Months

Four months. Four months since August 8th. Four months. I don't remember where I got this reading. I found it yesterday when I was cleaning up some papers. It's a photocopy from a page in a book called " Eyes to See." I don't know the author.


" If you are a child of God then you, too, can rest assured that He is authoring every line in the story of your life. He knows the pain & suffering which fills that page in the chapter you are currently living. He understands your desire to flip back the pages of a happier time or to move ahead quickly and even skip this painful chapter altogether. (Did not Jesus also cry out for His Father to remove the bitter cup He was about to drink?) To run from your sufferings, however, will cause you to miss the great comfort & peace God wants to give you and the contentment & character He longs to produce in you right now! Right where you are. Through your suffering, God will reveal life-transforming glimpses of Himself which you will never enjoy except through pain. He's washing your eyes with tears so that you may see more clearly! You may be weeping now but joy awaits you in the morning! And know this: Out of the same pen that is writing your story flows not only wisdom for the writing but rivers of grace for the living. Will you dare to believe?

Would you dare, would you dare to believe
That you still have a reason to sing?
Cause the pain that you've been feeling 
It can't compare to the joy that's coming!

So hold on, you've got to wait for the light.
Press on & just fight the good fight.
Cause the pain that you've been feeling,
It's just the dark before morning. 


Monday, December 2, 2013

Forever Connected


There is a very special meaning to the above picture. The young man on the right is Nolan. Nolan & his girlfriend were the first people at the accident scene on August 8th. Nolan made the 911 call. We first met Nolan & his girlfriend at Barry & Zach's memorial service. After the service, our son, Chris & Charlotte said to us that there was someone who wanted to meet Albert. Here stood this young couple with tears running down their faces & then they said to Albert -" We just had to meet you & to see that you are alive. "  They stood & just looked at Albert with such raw emotion in their faces.
Last evening we met Nolan again under happier circumstances. He was an actor in a comedy dinner theater  that we attended & we just needed to have our picture taken with him. He indeed is a very special young man to us.  In a terrible situation, he stayed & made a call. We are forever connected to him.