How Do I Love Thee

April is National Poetry Month.

Every Saturday in the month of April I am going to post a poem on my blog in honor of National Poetry Month. So far I have posted:

April 3 - The Lamb by William Blake

April 10 - The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

***

How Do I Love Thee?
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

A Birthday Sister

My little sister is nine! How time flies.

Happy Birthday, Bekah!

Bekah, me, and Kristin

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

How do people make it through life without a sister?
~Sara Corpening

A sister is a forever friend.
~Author Unknown

Blessed Assurance

Thanks to my dear friend Kate for bringing this hymn to my attention. Such beautiful words!

Blessed Assurance
by Fanny Crosby

Blessèd assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

Refrain

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Refrain

Perfect submission, all is at rest
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

Refrain

~~~

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.

Hebrews 10:21-22

National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month.

Every Saturday in the month of April I am going to post a poem on my blog in honor of National Poetry Month. So far I have posted:

April 3 - The Lamb by William Blake

***

The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Tutorial: How to Make a Yo-yo in 5 Easy Steps

Several years ago I learned how to make fabric yo-yos. They are easy to do (and learn) and I find that they are a nice project to do while watching a movie. I decided recently to make my own tutorial on how to make them.

1. Pick out some fabric. The nice thing about this project is that you can use fabric remnants. If you have just a little bit of a certain fabric left you can finish it up and it can be of some use. I have even used bits of old loved clothing. (see picture 1)

2. Take a round object and trace it only your chosen fabric. To make the traditional sized yo-yo (2 inches diameter when finished) use a CD for a pattern, but you can use a round juice glass and Bekah even tried using a spool one time to make a yo-yo you can see only using a magnifying glass. (Well, maybe not that small. :-) Turn your fabric to the wrong side and trace the circle with a pen or pencil. Then take your sewing scissors and cut the circle out. (see picture 1)

picture 1

3. Sewing the yo-yo. Keeping the wrong side of the circle facing upward, fold the edges of the circle down about ¼ inch (I judge with this) to touch the wrong side. Sew along the edge folding the fabric down as you go. (see picture 2)

picture 2

4. Gather the yo-yo in. When you have sewn the whole way around back to the starting point, gently pull the thread until there is only a tiny hole in the center of the fabric. (see picture 3)

picture 3

5. Knot the end. And VOILA! You’ve finished your first yo-yo! (see picture 4)

picture 4

Projects to do with your finished yo-yos.

• Quilts. Yo-yo quilts are beautiful but you have to really want one to have one to do this because it takes a gazillion yo-yos!
• Pillows. Pillows are much easier. Sew each yo-yo together and then onto a pillow cover or sew them right on it.
• Table scarf or runner. Sew the yo-yos together either tightly together so that there are only small holes in between (see picture 5) or loosely so that there are diamonds shaped holes in between (see picture 6).
• Sew them onto clothing. Make them flowers on shirts by adding stems and leaves. (Makes nice gifts for little girls.) Put them on shoes for a decorative touch. A bunch of three on your purse adds some spice.
• Coasters. By sewing small yo-yos around a big yo-yo you have created a cute coaster. (Thanks for the idea, Kristin! And for a set of my very own.)
• Christmas tree ornaments. By attaching some thread and tying a knot you have some perfect Christmas ornaments to go on the big tree or on a tabletop.
• Doll Pillows. These make perfect doll house people sized pillows for beds and chairs. Or use a dinner plate for a pattern and make a larger pillow.
• There are always new ideas. If you have an idea or project to do with yo-yos leave a comment telling what it is.
  

← picture 5

picture 6 ↓

(If you have any questions then please feel free to leave a comment telling me what your question is and I will do my best to answer it.)

Christ the Lord is Risen Today

A joyous Resurrection Sunday to my readers!

***

Christ the Lord Is Risen Today

stanzas 1-7 by Charles Wesley

stanzas 8-10 by Unknown

Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Lo! the Sun’s eclipse is over, Alleluia!
Lo! He sets in blood no more, Alleluia!

Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Alleluia!
Christ hath burst the gates of hell, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Hail, the Lord of earth and Heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail, the resurrection, thou, Alleluia!

King of glory, Soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, Thy power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing and thus to love, Alleluia!

Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!

But the pains that He endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation have procured, Alleluia!
Now above the sky He’s King, Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

***

The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, Who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said.’

Matthew 28:5-6

The Lamb

**The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!

-John 1:29**

***

The Lamb

by William Blake

Little Lamb, who made thee?

Dost thou know who made thee?

Gave thee life, and bid thee feed,

By the stream and o'er the mead;

Gave thee clothing of delight,

Softest clothing, woolly, bright;

Gave thee such a tender voice,

Making all the vales rejoice?

Little Lamb, who made thee?

Dost thou know who made thee?

Little Lamb, I'll tell thee,

Little Lamb, I'll tell thee.

He is called by thy name,

For He calls Himself a Lamb.

He is meek, and He is mild;

He became a little child.

I a child, and thou a lamb,

We are called by His name.

Little Lamb, God bless thee!

Little Lamb, God bless thee!