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I felt like baking bread today. My brother-in-law gave me a large bag of wheat flour Sunday night, so I put my bread machine to work today. I made two braided loaves, then made some cinnamon apple bread for breakfast tomorrow morning plus one large round loaf of bread for sandwiches. {Hmmm, is this the first item that’s been given to me since I began this journey? I think that it is!}

I took one of my loaves and gave it to a friend. I used the concept from Knit, Pray, Love of praying for the recipient while making the item, so I prayed while kneading and braiding.

Wonder what tomorrow will hold for me? I hope that you are being inspired on this journey with me. Praise and honor goes to the Father for all of these posts, He is my strength and encouragement!

Check out a friend’s blog, Money & Me, who is starting her 29-day challenge tomorrow, on the first of the month.

"Ten Words" hemp choker

Stop over and see what’s for sale. I’m on a short hiatus for special orders until the arm is healed. I can’t wait to get my hands back to working!

Sustainabilities

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Tonight is a regular study meeting and my usually mode of knitting while listening to teachings will be employed on my Knit, Pray, Love project~finally! Together with my daughter, we hope so send several nice children’s hats in.  I’m going slower than normal though, knitting with my non-dominate hand. It can be tricky! (We use looms, so it’s possible!) Still treating my fractured arm gingerly and my fingers and wrist tire very easily so I can’t knit for long. I think that it’s good exercise though, to get those ligaments and tendons used to the idea of working again. I will post a sample picture of our hats when we get done!

I had planned to spend some time working on my Knit, Pray, Love project but that didn’t pan out. I had a lengthy conversation with a dear friend, one that helped her and myself! Sometimes the best advice is the kind that you give to others, yet know that the words are meant for yourself as well.

I’m thankful that I was led to do this challenge. I’m discovering things about myself that I had shelved, or at least thought weren’t that important anymore. Rediscovery at it’s best.

Shavua tov! {have a good week!}

Most Sabbath afternoons you will find me enjoying a lengthy nap, solitude! The hubby is up to keep track of the little ones, and hopefully keep them somewhat quiet so I can actually sleep! Sometimes I read or listen to audio during this time, it’s really just become a relaxing alone time for me. Something I look forward to each weekend!

I gave up my long afternoon Sabbath nap for a family outing. It was the hubby’s idea. We scouted out a nice hiking trail, he took some pictures and we just enjoyed the outdoors and the majesty of creation. The children enjoyed the fresh air and exploring new trails. They quickly learned how to spot the trail markers and follow the path. Smart kids!

It was well worth it.

On the surface this challenge for me in this exercise is to let go of stuff, and not let stuff control me.  But there’s more to it. It’s about making myself available. Available to hear that still small voice directing me in what I need to do or say. It’s about searching out and getting rid of the garbage that clutters my life, my house, my soul. Ultimately it’s about a closer walk with the God of the Universe and walking out that pure faith. This is not about me, although “me” has to do it. I have to examine the things in my life, cull them and get organized both inside and out.

I lay in bed thinking again last night (this is a common practice for me…) about what I could give today and tomorrow. I had a wonderful thought and started a  plan. Then I got a phone call today that changed my plan! Although I still want to do the things that I have planned to prepare for tomorrow, I’m doing something different today for someone else. Someone that  wasn’t even in my thoughts last night. But I get to give them a gift, and it feels really good. Freeing. Something so very simple to me, yet very important to another.

I’m sure I’ll go through rough spots on this journey, I still have 25-27 days left! But the encouragement I feel right now is just wonderful.

Wont you join me in a Giving Challenge? Link up in the comments section if you’d like!

As I lay in bed last night, before sleep overtook me, I pondered what I should “give” for this second day. I didn’t have any specific material item in mind. Then I felt a gentle nudge from my little one who was fast asleep beside me…

About a week and a half ago I went ice skating, and I fell, and yes, cracked a bone. Ouch! So I had to have a splint put on. Big clunky thing keeping my arm bent at the elbow,  keeping me from picking up my sweet little one. Big clunky thing getting in the way of our waning nursing relationship. She’s showing less and less interest, I can tell time is getting close to the time she will self wean. All too often these past few weeks I have refused her when she asked to be held, or nursed, especially with the addition of my big, clunky splint. “Not right now, Mama’s busy”, “Mama can’t pick you up” or “in a couple of minutes when Mama gets done with this”… poor excuses that I’d heard myself say too frequently.

I knew what I needed to give away today, time. Time to sit and hold my little one. Time to enjoy her sweet little noises and quirky toddlerisms. I needed to set some time aside today just for her. {And I also needed to set some time aside for my other two children as well.} Time for simple snuggles and nothing else.

So today I gave away lap-time to my toddler. Had to step away from the computer. Shut down the Facebook. You know what? It was great! I loved every moment of course. I got something in return for giving. ♥

Knit, Pray, Love is about you giving an authentic expression of yourself as a follower of Jesus Christ to a mom or child in a CURE hospital. So we ask that you provide a personal message with each hat you send.

The idea is to make hats for children, infant through 12 years, that can be given to children in CURE hospitals around the world. It so happens that this collection is going to Afghanistan. Which we have been learning about in school.

Watch this video for more information!

If you want to participate:
Please ship your knit items post-marked by February 15, 2012

Day 1~Box of clothes and shoes

These are items that I needed to part with, some via donation, others via consignment. So I just decided to donate all of them.

Items can be big or little. You can donate your money or time. Sometimes you just need to give someone an extra measure of love. I’m anxious to see where this journey takes me, both in the physical and spiritual.

Want to join me? If you’ve decided to take this challenge and blog about it, link up here in the comments section. Share the goodness!

1. Capable of being sustained.
2. Capable of being continued with minimal long-term effect on the environment: sustainable agriculture.

Capable of being sustained. What is it that I am doing? Turning old discarded items into something useful. Is this sustainable? Yes, as long as there are people getting rid of their stuff, then it’s sustainable.  And in this culture, I don’t see an end in sight!

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Sustainabilities