Monday, December 19, 2016

Words matter, and some lovely gifts...

I remember the first time I heard the phrase "LOVE is a verb". 

It changed the frequency with which I spoke the l-o-v-e word because I realised there's a lot of responsibility and weight behind those four little letters when you put them together and offer the LOVE verb to another person.

To say "I love you" requires an action on my part, a doing, a being - it requires a follow through, because it can't ever be a 
throw-away statement or an off-hand response or an automatic 'by rote' reply.

Telling a person you love them carries a great deal of responsibility to show that love. 
For example that can be how you treat them privately and publicly, how you speak to them or how you speak of them to others.
 Love, true love will be evident in our day to day behaviour towards those we have given these words as a promise.

This reminder is one I personally need quite often in a world where that dear LOVE word is too often thrown around like confetti and the other week when Dianne and Wendy visited I thought about it all over again.

In fact, a few more words made a place in my thoughts that day and they came from a beautiful kitchen towel Dianne had made for me. 


I'd never seen this fabric before and she told me it was a piece she had kept for something special, so imagine how very humbled I feel being the recipient of such a lovely gift of such significance.

The words meant a lot and I shall be pondering them for a while.
I kept thinking, "I'd like to be remembered this way".

As one who loved rightly...


...and lived a beautiful life.


Who cultivated a beautiful soul, humble (still working on that) and helped by her gracious Lord.


One who knew she was loved.



Already though, and above all, I can say with my whole heart that I believe in my God and I know He loves me.


I daresay this kitchen towel will never touch a dirty plate or handle a hot oven tray, but it shall hang in my kitchen, a reminder of who I'd like to be remembered as. 




There's been quite a bit of excitement about the pincushion I made Heather (this blog post) and questions as to 'where' is the stitchery pattern featured on the front...


The pattern is here in my shop, though it does not contain the wording 'you are my dear & treasured friend' so I'm popping it right below for you.

Just alternate click on the photo below and choose 'save image as' and you can save it to your computer and print it up in a word document. You can also alter the size to suit that way. I stitched "you are my dear" above the Prim Spin Posey stitchery, then "& treasured friend" under the Posey.




Some lovely gifts have arrived in the mail this past week. I am definitely feeling rather spoiled and cherished.

From my sweet friend Agueda in Spain, this exquisite hand crocheted lace which I shall only use on a very special project next year, and my very first ceramic thimble...



From dear Sherry in the USA, the most delicate tatted snowflake, which shall be hung on my Christmas tree...



...and from my dear, dear friend Fee, an assortment of special goodies she knew I'd love!


If you'd like to make Fee's Zipper Pouch or 2017 Fridge Magnet Calendar she has tutorials 
on her blog - isn't that wonderful? These are simply lovely and useful gifts.






I hope your week does not overwhelm you but offers pockets of peace and calm, moments of sheer delight and laughter.
I'll be winding down my blogging for the rest of the year, perhaps sharing a few sporadic posts here and there as the mood strikes, but I do intend relaxing more each day and relishing in these final moments of 2016 which will see Mr E and I celebrate 25 years of marriage on December 28th.


Breathe deep, give thanks, and enjoy your day,
hugs


15 comments:

Helen S said...

Firstly, thank you for all that you give us, your followers. Your belief in God is wonderful to see and I thank you for all the verses that you give me.
I would like to wish you and your husband a wonderful Wedding Anniversary, congratulations to you both.
Have a lovely and peaceful Christmas time.
Thank you,
Helen Stitt

Fee said...

You reap what you sow beautiful and you plant seeds of love wherever you go so of course you receive it back in abundance. "Love You" Fee xxxxxx

Doreen said...

I am very thankful that our paths crossed. May you enjoy Peaceful Blessings of this Christmas Season and a Joy-filled New Year with the foundation of His Truth, Peace and, most of all, Love.......with hugs...

Charity McAllister said...

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
1 Corinthians 13:13

Donna F said...

Jenny...you are a beautiful blessing. I am so encouraged and blessed by your thoughts and talents.
Happy anniversary to you and your Mr E.
Joyful blessings.

Guida said...

Lovely gifts for a lovely person. Happy Anniversary for the 28th, have a wonderful holiday time. Guida

Águeda said...

Dear Jenny: Your reflections on the word love are very accurate. Perhaps today the word love is used too quickly sometimes, too slowly others. We must dwell on its deep meaning: it is a verb.
Thank you for your thinks: it help me think too.

Happy Anniversary to you and your husband. 25 years together is a pretty figure.
I wish you a great number of quiet and happy days.

Thank you for everything. Hugs, and God bless you.

TerriSue said...

I wish more people read your blog just for the wisdom you share. Love, how that word is bantered around. I "love" this recipe, "love" this tutorial, "love" that picture, "love what you had to say, and on, and on, and on......When I leave a response to someone sometimes I feel that by saying I liked it they will think I didn't think much of it because I didn't LOVE it. How do you love the things people love?
What I appreciate is, love is a choice. Yesterday the woman who broke up with our son while pregnant with their child came over with Lexi Marie so she could have an early Christmas with Grandpa and Grandmama. Rebecca is doing a fantastic job bringing little Lexi up. Lexi IS loved beyond belief and as secure a little one I have seen. She is smart as a whip and knows things that her two older cousins from an intact home did not know at her age. Rebecca is always willing to bring her to our house whenever days are given to choose from and yesterday said she was willing to set up a permanent schedule again now that my back is not so critical. That means she will come to our house every two weeks so we may bask in Lexiness. When we correspond by email I always close with I love you. Their break up was not very nice. I know though that there are two sides to every story. Rebecca has not had much love in her life. I have chosen to love my granddaughter's mother. When I chose to do that it just got easier and easier. Rebecca's walls started to come down. Lexi has been the true winner. When they come over now the atmosphere in the house is one of love and acceptance and we are all relaxed. This all started when I started writing I love you. How could I write something like that and then say I loved a dress in the next sentence to Rebecca and have the first I love you mean anything.
Now you my dear Jenny. I have written many times that I loved you. That also is true. You started me back on my path of domesticity. You seem to always have the right scripture for me when I need it. You can be funny and witty. We share a deep love of embroidery. Finding your blog meant so much to me when I needed it the most. When I sign I love you, I mean it. Though we have never met perhaps one day we will this side of heaven...if not surely the other side. Isn't it amazing that the internet opened up the world for all of us. Here I am in Texas and I found you on the other side in Australia.

Susan said...

Yes, words matter and also the manner, tone, and/or spirit in which they are said matters. In the biblical Greek, there were several words for love that meant different things depending on which one you said (or wrote). Our English is limited in that we only have one word for love which has to cover everything. If one tries to substitute like for love, in my experience, people think I am not as enthusiastic about something.

Happy 25th Anniversary coming up soon. My hubby and I celebrated our 33rd this past July.

Anonymous said...

Happy anniversary! What a special year 25 is. =) I liked your reflections on the word love, as I agree with you completely. There are few to whom I've said the word, (though I'm guilty of loving things, too - but I really DO love them and think they are fabulous when I say so!) but it's always been heart-felt and meaningful when I do. Another word that involves doing is faith, I think. Faith is not passive. YOUR faith is very active. =) Thanks for sharing these thoughts and the present you received. The fabric is wonderful, and I think that's EXACTLY the kind of woman you are and will always be.

Ondrea said...

Congratulations on your wedding anniversary. LOve your ceramic thimble. I started collecting them a few years ago. I started out with 3 and before I knew it I had 100! Friends have sent them to me and given them to me from their travels in Australia and overseas.I have written each one down so I remember who they are from. My dad made me a rack to display them and now it is full. Last year was my first trip overseas and I brought about 30 back with me LOL. Such a beautiful tea towel! I know you will treasure it as it is a very special heartfelt gift.

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Happy Wedding Anniversary to you and your husband. May you have a most wonderful day together and a blessed New Year. I am so glad that I found your blog and enjoy the things you share! Thank you! Nancy

Createology said...

You are all those wonderful things Jenny Dear. Treasured gifts from special friends. You are very welcome for my little Needle Tatted Snowflake. Happy Anniversary to you and Mr. E. May you enjoy lots of Peace and Calm and a very Merry Christmas...

Sheryl said...

What very special generous gifts to be treasured. Happy Christmas.

Maria said...

Dear Jenny - gosh I have so many things I would to say but the first must be a massive thank you Jenny from a very grateful heart. The Lord has used your words of wisdom to really speak to my heart, especially of late, and there have been many tears - good tears, repentant tears, thankful tears - as I have reflected on your posts. I can truly say as a sister in Christ, that I love you and so appreciate you even though we have never met, and this side of heaven probably won't. But oh I shall look forward to that greeting in Heaven one day! But thank you too for the reminder not to be flippant with our words.
A very blessed and merry Christmas to you and Mr E Jenny - I am keeping you both in prayer for your move, the new job, and a lovely house to transform into a home. Cully May is totally adorable Jenny. Such a treasure. As always inspiration flows from seeing your beautiful patterns and I am planning on stitching some Post Cards from Heaven next year as gifts...and also very inspired to crochet a lovely piece of lace!
Blessings in abundance. XX