Knitting The Scarf

     Just so you'll know I'm serious..... I got another six inches done tonight on the red and white scarf. Funny about knitting. Even though I do ONLY plain and simple, no-thinking-required knit stitch, every piece is different.

• Well, yes: I use different size needles sometimes.
• And, yes: I use different yarn.
• Yes: I don't always have an even-same-as-before tension.

But, there is more. Something lyrical about knitting. I choose a length of thread and before I know it... my hands have created something warm and pretty and full of prayers.
     Sometimes I knit a happy piece and I knit along in a kind of sing-song style. Like the first scarf I ever made. It was last year and I made it for my first great niece. I loved the images of that adorable, prissy, five-year-old floating around my mind as I knitted.

     Then sometimes the knitting is heavy. And my stitches are tight. I pray hard and my brow wrinkles with each stitch. I made this scarf modeled by my own Dear Heart last January. 
 

       I hurried. I rushed. I knitted instead of cleaning and the laundry piled up. The stitches were tight, my heart heavy. The scarf was for my friend's Soul Mate. Even though it was only my third scarf, I  finished it in less than two weeks and quickly mailed it off.

     It arrived too late. But, Jana tells me she still sleeps with it every night.

      I'm pouring a lot of extra love into this current scarf. The red and white colors fill me with hope. I'm trying to sing my prayers and keep my stitches loose.

     Please pray for me as I work on this labor of love and thanksgiving.

 In the love of our Master,

~~ Liz ~~

For a Special Teacher

      I began a new knitting project tonight. I am knitting together two skeins of yarn, one red and one white.
      My grandson's favorite junior high teacher retired and I want her to have something special because she helped guide him through that impossible sixth grade year and loved him anyway! Then she embellished his existing love of books, authors, language, and reading in an endearing and enduring way.
      Red and white are the colors of our local schools.
      I'm using the new # 13 needles my step-daughter gave me when we were yarn shopping together. She inspired me to take up knitting a year ago during one of her visit's.
      Red and white are also the colors of scarlet sins that are washed white as snow by Jesus Christ.
      You can see this scarf will be special and I promise I will pray deep, abiding prayers in every single stitch.
      I'll post a photo when it is finished.
You are loved, Nancy!
      ~~Liz~~

Changes Keep Changing

Am I the one who recently blogged about how much I HATE change? Probably so, because I definitely and absolutely insist that things MUST STAY familiar--stationary, fixed, unmoving, THE SAME.

*sigh* In these volatile silver years, I'm finding that life is upside down most of the time. (RT: another meaning of "volatile" is unpredictable .... AND explosive. Nuff said on that rabbit trail!)
          So I went along with necessary changes, learned to navigate Blogspot, and moved my blog to this delightful free Blogspot. Then I learned more and set up web pages at a free (!!) Yola Site. Not bad for a senior of the seniors!
          *double sigh* Then I decided that the names of the blog and the web did not properly explain their angles nor their content and neither was in keeping with my questionable place in life.
Dear Heart tells me that sometimes I think too much. Could be.
At any rate.
          I've changed the names of BOTH this NEW blog and the NEW web site. (And you think YOU are confused!!)

Now, let's see if I can get this straight.

My blog--this place where we are sharing right now-- used to be called something about writing aroung a kitchen table. NO, I am not giving up writing. I'm just redefining the direction of my writing. THUS: http://mywritingchairs.blogspot.com/ is official.

Next, my web site was ALL about my writing and was aptly named something about Liz writes (of all places) in Texas. Yes, I still write in Texas--WHERE ELSE??? And the web still contains a lot about my writing, my publications, my words..not one word of which would have happened without my wonderful family. I noticed, that most of the words and pictures centered around that wonderful family.

       SO http://www.welcometoourhill.yolasite.com        was born. Check it out... tomorrow I'll post a story about my Marine son when he was five years old.

       My brain and my files are brimming over with things to share with you on this blog. I've discovered fun new blogs by amazing young women and been deeply blessed. I've found fun recipes along with herb and writing and cooking hints, and lots and lots of prayers and praises I'm eager to share.
         ***The immediate prayer as I type these words on Thursday afternoon, September 23 is for one of my bestest writing friends. Tonight, Sally is speaking to the Abilene Writers Guild about how to write award-winning, publishable, meaningful, and beautiful poetry. My friend loves the Lord, her family, writing poetry, and making friends. Father, Bless my friend as she speaks and bless her words that she will serve You beautifully.)***
     And, while praying for Sally, I am reminded of Moses. Remember when he told God, well, if You won't bless Your people, I'm staying behind with them. (Author's paraphrase). I'm going to go back and study that confrotation...seems to me it has some lesson about the power of praying for each other.

         In the meantime, if you are still reading, I hope you feel loved and special. I love you for taking time to visit my blog -- but guess what? Jesus KNOWS you by name and loves you so much He gave EVERYTHING to protect you. 

~~Liz~~

Old Glory Waves On

Sunday, September 9, 2001 was a blessed and beautiful day for me. I spent it with my brother, his wife, their three grown sons, my daughter, and my grandson. My "little brother" was ordained into the ministry that morning. A truly joyous day for our family.
Funny that I have absolutely NO memory of the evening of Monday, September 10, 2001.
But, along with almost every other American, I can describe in minute detail my personal life on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001.

Where were you?
      Living an ordinary life in a small, quiet, Texas hill country community away from any kind of city hustle-bustle. Our biggest excitement usually centered around a horse getting rambunctious during our annual county fair.

What were you doing?
      I was in my bedroom, dressing for work, listening to a sermon on the Christian radio station.

How did you hear?
      The radio station broke into the sermon to report that a plane had flown into the World Trade Center in New York City. I immediately switched on the television and saw the second plane go into the second tower.

Who was the first person you called?
     Without thinking, I called my daughter-in-law at Bremerton Naval Station in Washington state. Her husband, my son, was the Gunny Sergeant in charge of a small detachment of U. S. Marines guarding nuclear weapons stored on shore by the U.S. Navy and I knew my daughter-in-law was at home with their one year old daughter. She was asleep and had not heard the news. It would be several hours before she heard from her husband because he, of course, was already on high alert and lock-down.
Do you remember the rest of that day? Write me. Tell me about your day. About your fears. Describe your actions. I'll only post it with your permission. And you MAY change names.
    I have a long story about that day but the short version is that all members of our immediate families were not in harm's way on that horrendous day nine years ago and my Marine son subsequently made two deployments to Iraq--returning home safely from both.
Tomorrow, Dear Heart and I are going on a short, day-trip with a few friends from our community. Late in the afternoon, we'll travel by bus to a near-by lake, float around enjoying a dinner prepared by someone else, and return home refreshed and relaxed.

     Tomorrow, our home flag will fly at half-mast until noon, I will wear a flag scarf on our outing, and think about this brave country that is still one nation under God and I will pray for His mercy.

Later, we'll talk about our September 12ths.

Standing Firm,

          Liz

Changes Don't Stay the Same

     I've never liked change and I've always had to live with change....lots and lots of changes and I try to roll with the punches. :-) Don't you know: change can HURT. But, I admit that some can be fun.
     I am in a struggle to rearrange and renew and cut costs on my web appearance. (Don't you just love that phrase???)
     And in so doing, I am creating even more changes and confusion for myself. I am not ready to give up!
     I'm getting--supposed to already HAVE but it doesn't register yet--a new domain name for my yola site so it will be easier to type, find, and locate. http://www.lizwritesintexas.com/ Don't worry about remembering the title, I'll remind you. Believe me, you DON'T want the details; it is a cyberspace jungle. Especially for us older models.
    I do love Blog spot and am learning to navigate it very well. There are many features that are old-lady-user-friendly. BUT I'm going to change this name. I discovered quite by accident (???) today that there is another very active blog spot blog with a very similar name (http://kitchentablewriters.blogspot.com/ ) She is a writer from England. At the first glance, she seemed to have a fun blog. Since I don't like plagiarism in any of its ugly faces and she had it first, I'm on a search for a new name.
     Please believe me that I will notify you! I'm finding lots of interesting ways to attract readers and notify friends.
     I don't have the bugs worked out yet, but I'm working on The Silver Hair Gold Fingers (with Red Nails) Wrinkled Writers Who Pray spot. HEY!!! We ARE still viable, you know!
     I love all of you who pop in from time to time.
      And all shall be well if I can just remember that my God said: Even to your old age I will be the same, and even to your graying years I will bear you. (Isaiah 46:4)
             Blessings,

Liz