Number four: Watching others grow

This one might seem funny, but it is true. One of the best parts of the summer was watching other people grow in many different ways. One friend became pregnant over the summer and it seemed like she grew on a daily basis. Other people grew in other ways. Some grew in faith. Others in physical strength. Some  grew in knowledge. Some in kindness. Some people grew in leadership.

No matter how they grew, watching was fun and meaningful. Watching others make realizations or learning new things is always wonderful. Change is good and when we see it in others - we look back at our own lives and look for ways that we can grow too.

That is one of the coolest things to see. Person A is experiencing change and is growing in so many ways is being watched by Person B. Person B admires Person A and strives to grow too. This is what I enjoy watching!

Number three - Church and My Relationship with Jesus!

Oh rejoice! Rejoice rejoice rejoice! My heart cannot hold it all in. Life is wonderful and good and sweet!

So at the beginning of the summer, I was going to church with my aunt and her family. Not that it was horrible or anything, but it just was not for me. Worship was hard and the message was hard to relate to. Plus the service started at 8:30 in the morning!

One Sunday Katie and I decided to go to a later service and after that we were kinda laughing about church hopping. Then Katie suggested that we go to her old church in Lansing.

We made our plans and told her parents. The next Sunday we found ourselves at South! I have not been in a church that is so alive, so in love with Christ since Spring Arbor! It was amazing! Worship was wonderful and the messages spoke to my very soul! The best thing was that it really filled my spirit and helped me get through the stresses of the week.

Katie and I would be practically sobbing while we sang praises to Jesus. It was wonderful!

Meanwhile, furring the week, I was stressed beyond belief. The shop owner was out sick and I was doing my best to keep the shop together. My classes were challenging (I should probably say I was having issues with MY instructor, but I don't want to name names). I was having more trouble than I thought I should have been having writing my thesis. I missed home. I was not getting as much jewelry made as I had planned. I did not have a job for after my internship. I just felt like I was failing at life!

Crazy thought for a 24 year old right? But let me tell you, we feel them just the same. Like I told Katie, life is harder than they tell you.

So there I was, loving church, but not really growing closer to Jesus. That is when the pastor did a sermon on hesitant Christians. And I was like yeah! That is me!

That week, almost every night. I cried while I talked to Jesus. I needed to know why I was not trusting him with everything...I discovered that I was afraid of what he would do with me...as if his perfect will would be bad for me! Crazy, I know.

So that is when I decided that even if he wants me to go to some crazy bug infested, wild place with no flush toilets, that I would go. Do you know why? Well it is because I know that he will take care of me wherever he sends me. I finally trusted him with everything. I gave it all to him, I cannot and I do not want to be in charge of all the things in my life. There is too much for one person to deal with!

Why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we think that we can do better with our lives than Jesus can? Why do we worry when he is right next to us asking if he can help?

I don't really know why we do these things, but I do know that he will take anything we give him and he will do a better job than we can by ourselves.

Thank you Lord Jesus!! Master of all!! Praise your name forever!!! Amen!

Number Two - Work with Amazing women in a Fantastic Quilt Shop

This is a big one guys! Over the summer I worked at the Hen House. The Hen House is a quilt shop that has been open for over 30 years. A family friend owns the shop and was selected to be in the Spring Issue of Quilt Sampler magazine! This is a huge honor and has brought in tons of new customers.

As an intern, I was at the shop almost everyday, I did get a few days off. I worked Monday through Saturday 10 to 5:30. It was great. I was able to be really helpful and useful which is great!

A couple of weeks after I got thee, just as I was getting the hang of things...the shop owner got really sick and was out of the shop for basically the whole summer. So guess what...I ended up being the manager while she was out sick.

Now why would an inter who had only been in the shop a couple weeks become the manager? Well, it has to do with the way the other girls are scheduled at the shop.

Ronda works Monday's and Friday's.
Debbie works Tuesdays.
Linda works Wednesdays.
Carolyn works Thursdays.
Do you see the problem? None of them are there two days in a row! I was the only one that was there all the time!

Needles to say, I learned tons. I learned practical knowledge about running a shop. I learned about sewing, quilting, pressing vs. ironing, and reverse sewing.

All the ladies were really wonderful to work with and have all become very dear to me.

Wedding Jewels

Well, one of my good friends from school is getting married and she asked me to make the jewelry for the bridal party!! On Christmas Eve we went to the bead shop and bought the beads she wanted. Then I got everything finished up today. Thought you might like to see some pictures!

Here are all the bracelets and all the earrings.

The Bride's bracelet.

The Maid of Honor's bracelet.

A blurry shot of the Bride's earrings.

Brides' Maids earrings.

I also made a pair of matching earrings for the Bride's Mother and the Groom's Mother. It's all so exciting! This is my third wedding to do jewelry for and it is so fun!

Friends

So, I was talked into this whole blogging thing by my three of my friends. And I want to introduce you to all of the blogs I follow, as of right now.

First, I want to tell you about Hannah Gregus. This girl is amazing! 

Another fabulous person you need to know about is Katie Pick! This girl is so cool! I am super proud of her. Katie is an amazing author and I know that we will hear about her in the future. I have been reading her latest book and it is so great! Oh, and I made her jewelry for her prom:

 

I still have more friends to introduce you too and the next one is Casey Johnson. She is a great friend and a wonderful journalist. You should check out her blog!! Do IT!

hummm...I don't have an good pictures of her...so, instead of being a mean person and posting a picture of when she got her nose pierced...I just will not post a picture at all :(

 hehehe....Casey was really sad that I did not have a picture of her. So, she sent me one and here it is, just for you!

The next friend you need to meet is Katelynn Mayhew! She is just about the best friend I have here at school! I do not think she will mind if I post this picture of us, so here it is!

This was the result of our mud fight last year!