Don't Be a Heelot! See This Blog for Instructions and 'Meet John Doe' (1941) Such Greatness for the Holiday Season...

Oh how I remember the first time I saw this movie, it was 21 years ago as I lay on the couch with our youngest, my newborn baby girl Rebecca, just arriving from the Birth Center after a 24 hour labor...Oh what a lovely eve upon returning home with our precious baby that was.  So you see this movie has such special meaning to me.

This movie is another Frank Capra movie great.  When I say great, I mean greatness..  Total Greatness.  Capra Greatness.   Look up Capra's bio and see, the man had his ducks in a row on many things plus he came from the same Italian village my grandpa Oddo came from.  How can I not love that?  : )



You Can't Kill John Doe:


Timely words from the clip that stand for today just as yesterday...

Why your type's as old as history, if you can't lay your dirty fingers on a decent idea and twist it and squeeze it and stuff it in your own pocket you slap it down...like dogs , if you can't eat something you bury it!

...the meek can only inherit the earth when the John Does start loving their neighbors.

Wake up John Doe you're the hope of the world!


Who's Gonna Get'im?   The HEELOTS!  Beware of the HEELOTS!   Listen closely for instructions!  Because..."When They got ya,. you got no more chance then a road rabbit!"


I think we get the picture right?  Let's keep it simple, K.I.S.S.  Keep it simple sweeties. : )  Thoughtfulness?  Yes, by all means.  Excess, greed and materialism?  No thank you.

It's bigger than your ambitions, It's bigger than all the furs and bracelets in the world...


(spoiler alert)  Closing Scene, almost untouchable in Greatness.  Check it out at 3:41...The real and original John Doe is spoken of here in true Capraesque fashion that I so admire and adore.

A very distraught Stanwyck appears...

Oh John, if it's worth dying for it's worth living for...Oh please John, Oh...Oh, please, please God help me...

John, John, look at me, you want to be honest don't you?  Well you don't have to die to keep the John Doe ideal alive, Someone already died for that once, the first John Doe, and He's kept that idea alive for nearly 2000 years, it was He who kept it alive in them, and He'll go on keeping it alive forever and always.  For every John Doe Movement these men kill, a new one will be born!  

That's why those bells are ringing John!  They're callling to us!  ...Not to give up but to keep on fighting... Don't you see darling?  This is no time to give up...



Would you like to see the greatness in entirety?   I hope so. : )  Enjoy and see the greatness before you turn into a HEELOT this Holiday Season.  Merry Christmas!

'Meet John Doe'  (1941)  in entirety:


Remember what Stanwyck says in the closing clip...   The original John Doe 2000 years ago...He died for mankind.

The Little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay...   Oh so much to say I do...Just so much to say...

Your friend in the Forest...    Merry Christmas Loves.   ~Amelia

"Wake up John Doe you're the hope of the world!"

"Don't you see darling?  This is no time to give up."

 
Photo by Robert Stock

Forget Cliques. Real Community, It's Under Our Very Noses

 

I learned a long, long time ago not to complain about not having what I think are 'friends'.

Often I remind myself of this in what could be lonely minutes the girls are away, Jem is at work and I sit in this weird but off-the-wall gorgeous season of life, living in the beautiful Forest here.  As beautiful as the Forest Cathedral is, I have found the people in various communities as a whole to be hard as nails.  But.  It's everywhere really, the concrete jungle of the burbs is no better, people are prejudiced these days all across the board, many women are just plain envious.  It's been that way since the beginning of time.  Think Eve and her nature.  It's everywhere, and it always has been.  I remember times as a filled-out little girl in ballet, dancing a solo, other moms snubbing my mom, angry that my mom's brunette baby had a solo.  Yep, it's always been there.  The earlier we learn to contend with jealousy and envy the better.  My ballet teacher back then told my mom so.  (She was right.)

I'm so thankful my mother was independent in this respect.  A content woman, both my mom and dad were content.  Our sweet old fashioned and modest home was paid for, car and truck were paid for and we used them in peace, out of debt.  Our sensible vehicles were paid for with cash and driven til they could be driven no more and that was good.  We didn't buy new vehicles just because we needed a change.  How shallow would that have been?  Why would I want my identity to be in a vehicle?  Good food and generosity coupled with love were mostly served.   To heck with the rest.  My parents would be the first to help the needy because they could.  Very rarely was my mom blabbing on the phone, I never heard my mom calling a friend to gossip.  Ever.  She minded her own business.   Yes she did.

I could go on and on dear readers but I think you get the picture...Many of us see the smallness even here in blogging.

Last Sunday I sat in a precious church where old fashioned hymns are sang and great sermons are preached but there was a problem.  All over the little church, minutes before the service, there were groups of several blabbing among themselves, in one case, the symptom of gossiping was there.  They were so into their little worlds that not only did they not bother to look up at us, but there were also several other isolated women as well also feeling the chill from the open-doored frigidaires throughout.  We see the same scenario in many institutions these days.  We must remember this is how Jesus was also treated.

You know what?  Next time this happens I will remove my backside from the pew and go to the other few that are also alone surviving the chill and I will introduce myself.  Perhaps I will be accepted, perhaps I will not.   My husband tells me we have a 'look' they don't like unless they are truly Christians, perhaps from that glorious WWII generation or perhaps a true Christ follower with babes at home.  It's kind of funny, in the burbs we were looked upon as too homie.  In the the wee towns and villages we are pegged city-people or outsiders.  I half-laugh...shaking my head.

I read the article linked at the bottom of the page this morning and it hits the spot of temptation in so many, and it's this very attitude that makes us miss the real sweethearts out there.   The lovelies...

Close your eyes, open them, our blessings are under our nose.  Look at our children, whether they are one day old whether they are thirty-one...Are we able to cook family dinners and bless our homes?  Let's thank God for it.  Thank God for quiet times. : ) Would we want any other?

 

Other forgotten places where sweethearts dwell?

For me, the nursing home visitation is soon, ....  thank you Jesus for those beautiful lovelies.  Yes indeed.  True roses in this plastic world...Don't forget the grocery store..many hidden gems (saints) roam there too just waiting for a smile and a kind, heartfelt, hello.  You would be surprised what can bleed out of precious saints wounds...We hold the healing balm.  In healing others, many times, our wounds are healed.

 


Following is the article link over at Ann Voskamp's blog, get yourself some coffee and enjoy,  maybe there is someone who needs a hello?  Maybe the real roses are under your very nose, in your own home?

How to Get Over Cliques and Get Real Community


"The quest of the Inner Ring will break your hearts unless you break it."  ~C.S. Lewis  Memorial Lecture at King's College, University of London. 1944

Black and White Photography by Robert Stock

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) ..More Frank Capra Greatness

He's a guy that's wholesome and fresh...To us, he looks like a freak...

He's got goodness Mabel.  Do you know what that is?  No, of course you don't , we've forgotten, we're too busy being smart-alecs....Too busy in crazy competition for nothing.




If you haven't checked into Frank Capra movies you are missing some wholesome greatness of a better time.   

I say let's bring it back, why not...why not.  That is what we do in our family, we bring it back right here.  Why not.  We at least try to obtain a higher standard of a sweet home that honors God.

Why in the world do we want to buy into this culture layin' down? 

We can be that culture of goodness to the world.  It's so much more refreshing!  So much more Peaceful...

Fix your thoughts on things that are true and honorable and right and pure and lovely and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise...  ~Phillipians 4:8b


Check out Frank Capra, he was from the same Italian, Sicilian village as my grandpa.  In fact, my Italian grandpa's family name as a neighbor is mentioned in one of the Capra biographies...Capra and my grandfather were both around the same age. To me, when I see photos of Frank Capra, he bears a slight resemblance to my Grandfather... My Grandpa Oddo was one of the sweetest best natured fellas around... I miss him.  At this holiday season I especially miss him, my Grandma and my step-Daddy Al.  I miss so many precious, sweet loved ones who are with God now.

Remembering these precious loved ones make me long for those Capra times...thoughts and hopes.  With God though... we can be those Capra times right in our own homes!  Why not?

Praying for our country and the Church.  

Gotta love that Capra...

When we see this movie, who will we see as Mr. Deeds?   Will it be us?  I hope so.  (big smile). 

May we follow Goodness, Justice and Mercy all the days of our lives...  To heck with the rest...as my Grandma Oddo would have said...

Will we be that guy or gal that's wholesome and fresh? 

Must See: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

I wouldn't give you two cents for all your fancy rules if behind them they didn't have a little bit of plain ordinary everyday kindness and a little looking out for the other fella too...thats pretty important all that...   
~Spoken by Mr. Smith played by Jimmy Stewart on the floor of the Senate.



Good evening dear Readers, our family has been watching this movie classic with Jimmy Stewart, Jean Arthur, Beulah Bondi and other great actors directed by Frank Capra.

I have such a burning in my heart when I see this movie!...Perhaps you will too when you view this classic movie great!

In the movie we see the same twisted attitudes and hearts that are just as present today in many places and institutions as yesterday.

Oh me oh my!  Such fabulous quotes by courageous Mr. Smith!  

Another place, another time but very much the same today in many places where it ought not be as I'm sure you will agree.

You will see Mr. Smith reading out of the Bible as he fillibusters...Such a fantastic movie!  So great.

I hope you and your family will also enjoy and be inspired by this movie classic great!

So Much to Share and Say, Projects, my Heart, Finds, Let's have a Cuppa?

Beloved Father, help me to expect you as I travel the ordinary road of life.  I am not asking for sensational experiences.  Fellowship with me through my everyday work and service, and be my companion when I take an ordinary journey.  And let my humble life be transformed by Your presence.  

Some Christians think they must always be on the mountaintop of extraordinary joy and revelation, but this is not God's way.  Those high spiritual times and wonderful communication with the unseen world are *not* promised to us, but a daily life of communion with Him *is*.  And it is enough for us, for He will give us those times of exceptional revelation if it is the right thing for us.

Excerpt from today's devotional; Streams in the Desert, 366 Daily Devotional Readings by L.B. Cowman.


Good Morning Friends and Dear Readers, I thought I would treat myself to a nice blog of a 'Show n Tell' style today, I love sharing treats with y'all...  Kinda fun, and realness will be included as always from this artist and lover of home, my little family and the Father who makes my Life so possible, so real and gives me any creativity I have.  He gives me Hope and helps me cope with those heavy loads that come from the outside and try to wreck my soul.

Sometimes I have to just grab hold of myself and say:

Now Self, stop it.  Get hold of yourself.  Okay, a few women with insider ignorant smalltown (fearful of what?  I do not know) mentality dissed you.  Self, you must remember, for every dodie that swanned by you there are several lovelies.  Self?   So what if that loved one out there has once again disappointed?   God WATCHES FROM AFAR.  ....None of it is Eternal.  Make your Life the beautiful thing it is intended to be!  Count those blessings!


That is one beautiful thing about knowing the Father and having an infp personality; money doesn't impress, cliques do not impress, name brands do not impress and small town mentality is just ignorant. Suburban gossips are ridiculous.  It really doesn't mean much to me although the smallness is stunning at times... and the shallowness of Vanity Fair to me is akin to 'The Emporor's New Clothes'.  I bet you also agree if you read here for the right reasons.

There have been days gone past when I quietly, in a whisper to my step-dad Al who has gone to be with the Lord.... (I do that sometimes when things are troublesome) just as I do Mrs. Blount my old confidant' and friend.. also with the Father now.  Why did they have to leave us I do not know...   The conversation goes like this:  Why did you have to go?! What am I to do?!  Why can't you be here?!  If you were here you would know just what to do, what to say and be such a presence of comfort... oh what a gift you were!  

God sends signs through these times....  If you don't believe me, that is a pity, don't be a scoffer.

I'm also amazed in bewildering times how God places us in the deep, quiet, depth of the sea...where nothing is disturbed... like a graceful little fish swimming quietly...peacefully with the Father.

... sips coffee


Sometimes I see Christ in people.  He is there if we look.

Here is an example:  Hubs, Janie and I were at an order-at-the-counter little restaurant in smalltown, a darling young man with dark hair and eyes, looks at me for my order, I notice his arms filled with tattoos.  He speaks with a kind voice and I ask if they have veggie burgers for crazy people like me.  He looks at me for a second with kind, large dark brown eyes.  And with a soft, kind, sweet voice says... You're not crazy....... And actually you are the second person to request them recently...  I smile appreciatively and suggest to him a good brand to order...  Just that kindness shown from the young man with the large brown eyes with that kind, soft voice...Yes that was Jesus with skin on to me.  

..........

Another sip of coffee...

I rather enjoy being 53 years of age, yes I do.   I know myself and I do what I like and I don't participate in what I don't like...  Now I realize things that bothered me since I was a little one were for a reason.   That conscience alert and heartfelt care was from the Father.

My husband and I get each other most all of the time and enjoy being with each other...When we don't get each other?  We can playfully knock each other in the head, roll our eyes and go on with a hug or two...  Our four daughters are blossoming in their lives.  Grace is attending art school part-time and as I see her go through the door with her huge, huge! Half her size! ...Art pad under her arm, I smile.  She is an extension of me.  It's neat.  God has given that Life, that abundant life through my daughters in so many special ways and hopefully we have fed the sweet sensitive things of the Father in them, through them and may it shine to others now...

May it shine and may God be Glorified...

  

Joycie our secondborn with Mo-Mo our precious kittlet.  Studying hard in court reporting school.  Photo by our youngest daughter, Grace.  We have quite the menagerie of animals here...God's sweet little and large creatures in our care.


Janie, our firstborn, a counselor at a pro-life clinic at a banquet here with a real WWII bombardier and his precious wife the other day, our vets, real heroes. I hope we appreciate them.   I also pray there will once again be bluebirds over the White Cliffs of Dover.  Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio?  Joltin' Joe has left and gone away...


Zuzu, last Christmas.  Working for a campaign scheduling events for the candidate.  The fragrance of a courtship with a godly guy is wafting... : )

 
Grace, our baby girl... resident photographer, artschool student getting to know a young man who loves the Lord.  : )

Jem, my sweetheart, on a lazy day of sorts...doing work at home....

Me.  Yesterday and today.


This is how I do my hair on most days...hairband I made myself out of an unused black jersey t, tied in the back. Hair clipped up.  Gives an illusion of short hair but I have the luxury of letting my hair down when I want too.


What I've been up to...

Sewing Art!

Simplicity 4881 
This pattern is my easy-breezy go-to standby, it goes with casual or elegant material.  The belt I made covers the elastic waist in case I tuck my top in.

  Loved this flannel... What I was going to use for pillowcases I decided to use on a skirt!   Much more fun!   I ordered this delightful flannel from Fabric.com.  I love that site!   I also enjoy Hobby Lobby and Walmart as well.  They are all three reputable companies for sewing materials.

My girls looked at me skeptically when I told them I was making this material into a Muffie skirt. (Muffie is our little beige mini schitzu...he looks like this little bear)  Why not wear the material?   I will wear it to shop in and have fun with it.  I'll sport it with a navy turtleneck and boots, tights...maybe a fitted denim jacket. We shall see.

...........

I also have grown to LOVE this pattern lately as well!  New Look 6843

I use view A.  I have the older version of the pattern and it's fine...and it's less expensive many times.

This pattern has helped me with my zipper skills!   Now I put that back zipper in like a boss! lol  (No, they are never perfect but who cares) ; ) 

I make this skirt 6 to 10 inches longer then the pattern.   The 10 inch longer version is great.  I can go with hose or without.  It is a tea length on me and uses 2 yards of fabric.  I used a dressie fabric I had on hand and had almost tossed out after an epic fail on a dress.  The slippery fabric behaved fine for this skirt and we shook hands. It may be used for dress-up with my black Audrey Hepburn turtleneck or with various tops I already have for less dressy datenights; black, navy, white, perhaps a burgundy scarf etc. and my signature cardigans of course.


  Both of these skirts were made 10 inches longer to make that pretty ballerina length worn with ankle strap ballet flats.  So fun.  So feminine.  So comfortable.  No geisha girl heels for me anymore. 

Love this green, I bought this from Walmart and it was around $2.77 per yd.?   It's the poly/cotton broadcloth, it doesn't wrinkle easily and I think that's pretty good.  It goes with several tops and cardigans, beige, black, navy.

The above skirts remind my girls and I of these gals's skirts and this glorious time period!  Enjoy!


 Come on, admit it...That made ya smile. : )

..............

I have also done some serious Franken-sewing!

I used this for the top:  New Look 6262 or 0981 (Use the exact measurements, err larger on this one ladies, runs way small!) Measure your pattern pieces!  They are not playing on the measurements here ladies!  No ease!!!  at . all.    I also had to add an inch to heighten the neckline plus the sleeves run small so went with the largest sleeve.

I used this for the bottom:  McCalls 6503.  The pleated bottom.  I added inches to  make it a comfortable length.

A tie belt from a fave tie belt as a pattern was also added.  I used grey broadcloth I had on hand for the dress.  I'm thinking this will be a versatile little dress with different colors and prints of belts, plus layering possibilities!



 Mar decorates so cute for the fall!  If it was up to me? ...it may not happen. ; )

...................

...another sip of coffee and a break to turn my music on: 

 and other music I have been enjoying?  This. Is. So. Beautiful as well as the movie!

..refill on that coffee...

and my favorite fall candle burning now?

 

The *large* jar of this is only $5  and it works just as well as expensive brands!  Mulled Cider.  Greatness... oh yes.  A great Walmart find I've used for more than several years.

.......

And what are you cooking Mrs. Amelia?

Cooking Tonight?

Well I will perform some more art in the kitchen here this evening with several bags of frozen asparagus, making a light sauce with fresh garlic, olive oil, fresh tomatoes and jarred artichoke hearts...plenty of basil, some beans here and there.  Over gluten free pasta over course!  Bellisima!

........................

I'll close with a shot this morning of our elderly little fur angel,  Guisseppe:

 

He has lost most of his sight, I don't know if you remember his eye trauma last winter but it was quite a scare.   I have to keep a close eye on this little man...He goes outside and will become lost in the Forest, his eyes also need treatments more than once a day...Isn't he so adorable though?   When I care for Guisseppe, I think of the Father and how He cares for me.
.............

  Better run now....I have enjoyed sharing coffee with you. The Father cares for you and me!  Oh how He loves you and me!   Don't give up, this world is nutso I know..   But don't give up.

That is one of the main reasons I write this blog, to share Life and to encourage.

You are loved...   Amelia, the last child in the woods, signing off from the Forest Cathedral. 

Black and white photography stills by Robert Stock

Oh Saints...Let us Remember Lot's Wife. Just Give me Jesus...

Below are the words of saints shared in love and humility. I share them with you now not in legalism, but in the Spirit of Christ as food for thought in a time when the deception of the enemy of our souls grows daily more subtle and powerful leading up to the great deception that precedes the return of our Lord. I pray these various thoughts from other brothers and sisters will be a blessing.
-sermondindex.net

"As you sit down to watch TV, count the minutes. How long until you hear the first swear word, how long before the first sexual joke, how long until a violent act takes place, or how long until a child shows clear disrespect to a parent? Probably not too long! Start watching for these things, and you will be amazed. Analyze the humor in a show. Often it centers on foul language, sexuality, or disrespect or rebellion, and the limit is always being pushed."

- Karl Graustein


"As we think about consistency, let me just emphasize the whole area of entertainment, and the kind of entertainment that you approve for yourself and for your children.

You as a mom (and dads as well) are responsible to make sure that your children are being protected. Particularly as younger children; before they know how to discern right from wrong, you’re responsible to help them make those choices.

Entertainment is an area today where we are so influenced in subtle ways by a culture that is contrary to God’s ways. It’s more subtle because we laugh at entertainment; we’re amused by entertainment. It’s fun, so we don’t think of how dangerous some of what we’re being exposed to might be in its philosophy, in its behavior, in what it’s promoting as a worldview."

- Nancy Leigh DeMoss



"Statistics show that the average child living at home in America watches at least twenty-eight hours of television each week. (For some kids, the total is much higher.) Programming that targets young people is often the very worst at deliberately glamorizing sin. By the time most young people graduate from high school, they have been overexposed to the grossest kinds of evil through 'entertainment' media in mind-numbing ways—so that nothing seems particularly appalling anymore. After all, drug use, immorality, violence, and profanity are standard fare on television. When a whole generation has been raised on a steady diet of that stuff, it's no wonder that sin no longer seems exceedingly sinful to them."

- John MacArthur


"When we sit in front of sights, images and messages that are the opposite of God’s Kingdom, we allow our minds to be subtly manipulated by the voices of darkness, whether we realize it or not....

But it’s not just movies and T.V. that has us in its controlling vice. It’s an overall pre-occupation with pop-culture. Music artists, professional athletes, and movie stars claim far more of our applause and attention than Jesus Christ does...

Idols are not just golden statues that people bow down to in ornate temples. An idol is anything that claims our attention and affection above Christ. Most of us verbally declare that Jesus Christ is more important to us than our fetish for music or movies. But what does our life say? Where do we spend the best hours of our day? What do we turn to for enjoyment and comfort?

Tauler wrote,
A pure heart is one to which all that is not of God is strange and jarring.

Pop-culture floods our minds and senses with things that are not of God. But for most of us, the glamorized sin that surrounds us is not strange and jarring. It’s normal and accepted. In fact, we go out of our way to enjoy and participate in it. We even spend a huge amount of our time and money on it. And we allow it to capture our mind, emotion, and attention. Christ makes it clear that we cannot love both Him and the things that charm and ravish this world. We cannot be dazzled by the images of pop-culture and captivated by the King of all kings:

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world." (I John 2:15-16 NKJV)

"Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." (James 4:4)

...Does God stand up and cheer over American Idol? Does He smile with delight over the new Twilight movie? Does He get excited about the latest Cold Play album? Or does He grieve over our distracted, wandering, divided hearts?"

- Leslie Ludy


"Today, there is a whole generation... laughing at things that ought to make them weep, and not a few of them will suffer shipwreck, and some—the loss of their souls. Let the indiscriminate viewer beware."

- R. Kent Hughes


"Do nothing unworthy of Him who represents you in heaven, and whom you represent on earth. He is faithful to you; be you so to Him. Let men know what a Lord and Master you serve. Be His witnesses; be His mirrors; be His living epistles. Let Him speak through you to the world. Let your life tell your fellow-men what He is, and what He is to you. Speak well of Him to men, as He speaks well of you to God. He has honoured you by giving you His name; He has blessed you by conferring on you sonship, and royalty, and an eternal heritage: see that you do justice to His love, and magnify His greatness. . .Be true to Him who loved you, and washed you from your sins in His own blood."

- Horatius Bonar

For the complete thread see:   HERE , SermonIndex.net  ..a most valuable resource in our time!   

I hope all are doing well.  I've been under the weather and that's okay.  God is here, He speaks to our hearts in these times, He loves us so!  

Let us not be deceived, we are seeing more and more blogs that are totally omitting the Father. I'm wondering if they are worried about offending, or about numbers on their blogs?   Oh dear me!  In this time of troubles let's be that Blessed Hope for others.  Let us not forget our precious Jesus.

 Remember Lot's wife...The love of the world...and all that goes with that. ...Nothingness.
 
(photo by Robert Stock)

Let's remember Lot's Wife and not ever forget about our precious Jesus.  You can have all this world...just give me Jesus.  This song sure puts things in perspective...Please be blessed!

So Great. WWII Hero at our Grocery, They are the Greatest. Ever.

Recently our daughter, Joycie and I were at the grocery in smalltown.  Who does Joycie spy but a WWII vet!  We spot these heroes by their hats many times...  I see her over there listening to this precious man and his sweet wife...I scoot on over...This man was sooooo precious.  This gracious man tells of the battles he fought and how the people back home are heroes to him for their sacrifices.

This is the kind of thing that makes me proud.  It makes me proud for what our country was and what I hope for it to be again.  This country had a healthy fear of God during those WWII years from what I see and study.  God bless our present vets as well, how they must feel at times.

It makes me proud that our daughters caught the most important lessons in homeschooling; to respect and honor those who fought for us; it goes along with loving others as ourselves, being kind, being grateful and thankful.  Christ-like. 

These are our heroes.  These are the ones my girls would get autographs from when they were little in their little handmade booklets made by sweet little hands of red construction paper with artfully placed patriotic stickers on the covers, titles carefully printed in crayon and marker by those wee hands on those covers.  So many times the look on these elderly gentleman's faces when approached by our little girls were that of quiet surprise for they have felt forgotten.


This precious man wept openly, tears streaming down his face as he tells us he saw a battleship blown up with fellow soldiers in it...He tells us how he'll never forget.  He looks at our faces with stoic blue eyes and tells us many American bones are on foreign soil.

This precious man is 91 years old and doing wonderfully as well as his lovely wife.  They raised nine children together without hand-out and his wife tells me that now-a-days people can't even raise one.  Yes ma'am.
 

Joycie tells me just now as I show her these photos taken:

"They are all leaving us now...We have to be them now..."   

We have to be them now....    Yes ma'am.

Closing now from the Forest Cathedral this most poignant August afternoon...

Thinking of my dad who this gentleman at the store so reminded me of...  This is my mom and dad circa...around 1954.   Yes ma'am.   My dad is now 84 years young along with my mom.


My mom and dad 1954.

P.S. A taped segment of the late  Louis Zamperini was on Haven of Rest radio broadcast today, part II will be tomorrow. Check him out, another one of our great heroes.  Books have been written on him, he is a follower of Christ and has an amazing testimony at every angle.  Mr. Zamperini just went to be with the Lord July 2, at the age of 97.  Our family started listening to the best selling book about him, "Unbroken" on tape, truly amazing.  EDIT: Do be aware that there are several places in the book that may not be appropriate for young children or youth.

Kindness versus Control and a Big-Bag for you to Make

Do you ever wonder what happened to kindness?  Wouldn't it be so nice if women and men too would be kind to one another?  A place where women would accept others for who they are instead of running through a series of sizing-up?   A sweet place of please come have coffee, my house is a wreck...I'm a creative mess like my daddy but you won't care right?   And that person really doesn't care?  Or how about...I can help you with this or that, no strings attached!  No control involved! If you don't use my 'recommend' that is quite alright, I'm just glad to help!  Or a place where Hey, the more the merrier!  Or how about the other party responding to a decline...Oh, you need quiet time, no problem, I'm an infp (highly sensitive easily tired-out) personality (maybe they are not) but they still say...No biggy, I totally understand!   Let me know when ya get the druthers. : )...   You get the big picture right?  

Jesus said:  Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love the neighbour as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.   Matthew 22:37-40

I have to say my mom is really good on this, she is a very neat person in her housekeeping even at 84 years of age, and yes, still a sweet pretty girl.  She is a trained artist and even her artwork style from the late 40s when she was a glamor girl in the city art school all the way from a little town has neat and clean lines, perfectly proportioned...My mom accepts that I'm more like my daddy.  My dad, an artist also, ...and a bit sloppy, but he can write a good ol' salty editorial and has spoken publically more then several times plus being on city council in younger years... You would never catch my mom writing an article or speaking publicly.  We are all different right?  To make a long story short?  My mom can come over and my home may be hideous on a certain day.  She doesn't care!  ...and I know she doesn't care!  She loves me unconditionally!   

One day when Becs was a newborn here in the country, a sweet fellow mommy from Germany who came to visit said boldly when I apologized for my home not being neat... 

She looked at me straight-faced and looked into my eyes saying
...I think people here (America) are too much like that...
  
Wow.  Was she correct!   I always remember her like it was yesterday saying that and we still see she and her Italian husband on certain days!

You may ask:  But what do you do to stay afloat?  First things first.  

Supper needs to be done.  First things first!  Hubs tshirts need to be washed and dried. (that may not mean being put up that day either!)  But they were clean! First things first!  The rest can wait.  In homeschooling?  I often had to put my blinders on to dishes in the sink, My children's schooling came first!  First things first!  : )   I try to enlist flylady.net to help me when possible.  She does.  So in my book?  A loving happy home, a hot supper for our family to eat together, cozy and clean tshirts for hubs not to mention clean toilets... That's a simple recipe for this girl!  First things first!  And don't forget creative time too!  Even if it's just ten minutes!  So ultimately?  Perfectionism is out the door! 


This article by Ann Voskamp really hit some heart strings with me...Oh how needed today!

How Women Can Stop Judging Each Other:  A Movement of Key Women 
 
 
I know the above women, do you?  They read others' emails over the phone to each other...They have secret unspoken groups where others are forbidden.  Oftentimes...Sadly....Their daughters or sons mirror the same behavior, hurting others far more deeply then they could ever comprehend or ever know.  Now we have the event of the automated public invitations...I have found the same pressure of judgemental- control-issue-behavior even on those!  Some fear disapproval for allowing their 'yes' to be 'yes' and their 'no' to be 'no'.   Gee Willikins!




Do you  know these gals?  Often you will see them at various get-togethers or shindigs.  You'll see the victim, perhaps one of our loved ones.. and the snide looks behind the backs... We know, because we ourselves have been the victim.  I remember being so horrified at the remark of an older woman whispering to me once...Look at Nancy's shoes... I remember being in my 20s and consciously not smiling at her remark.  Nancy's sin?  Wearing out of "style" chunky heel shoes.  Nancy was a happy go lucky middle aged woman, comfortable in her own skin and I think that's pretty good.

Yes, many of us have experienced these kinds of women.  Whether relatives or acquaintances we know them.

Ann's article above covers judgment of our homes and I really think it will be an encouragement! : )

Yes, we can feel like this poor gal in the bucket many times...


But lets me and you be that Key Woman! If that means standing alone so be it! We'll be blameless and a lot happier me thinks even if we are standing alone!  God knows just how to send other Key Women our way, why it may be someone at the grocery!  It may be a precious angel who needs encouragement...I just ran into a precious, precious older widow at the store who recently lost her son in an accident.   Yes, Lord.  Let me be that Key Woman.   And Lord?  Please let my creative messes minister to others... Let my messiness be a sign of Mercy and Grace to others. 

Let's remember too, those who are so critical of others are many times very miserable people.

Live, Laugh, Love,  ...Pray Hard and SMILE.

Make'm wonder what makes us so darn happy. ; )

Christ is the Key.  We must remember how Jesus was treated and by whom.  (I know y'all know that).   But you have to admit, it's a mighty good reminder, yes indeedie!

...................................................................................................

I'll close with a neat Big-Bag I made our daughters one Christmas.

Don't ya just love this retro material?   Becs just throws this giant pillowcase size bag over her shoulder and away to the gym she goes!  (Bias tape through two openings in the casings at the top of the bag.)  The two openings help the weight distribute more evenly.

I've been sewing a lot lately, I hope one day to post pics.  Pics are my nemesis it seems...I don't really care for selfies and I hate bugging my family to take the pics...(usually we're all scooting out the door when I wear my creations!)...and don't even get me into loading the dad-blasted things! 

Y'all do take care now... Until the next time...    amelia 

I also hope to just write some remembrances of my youth and childhood in the future. Pics or no pics. : )

Black and White photos are by Robert Stock.

A Movie and Music Great we are Enjoying...Oh 40s How I Love You...

Show N Tell Time!

I would like to share these goodies our family has enjoyed these past several weeks:

Nominated for FOUR Oscars and other wins as well:

Ernie Pyle's story of...  The Story of G.I. Joe (1945)



This movie stars a loveable Robert Mitchum playing one of the most heartwarming characters ever, a loveable but strong ...gentle leader.  Throughout the movie (beginning to the very end) you will see a precious little white dog with our soldiers...Oh my.  If this movie doesn't touch your heart nothing will.  Our entire family loved this movie great.  Our children, our youth need to see these movies.  The real deal folks....the real deal.  (Check out the history of this poignant movie for yourself).   Very interesting...  Enjoy.

And what is a Monday without some great music????

This should put a nice little zip in your doo-da!  We are loving this song...So. Great.

'The Lady's in Love With You' by Glenn Miller



I like to dance around the house to this music...great stuff for balancing a laundry basket and cookin' dinner.  So. Fun.  Our daughter, Marianna called attention to the greatness of this song on one of my Glenn Miller cds...  So glad!

Here's some of the cute lyrics that open the song...I typed'm as fast as I could...so they probably are not exact but you will get the drift of the cuteness here...

It starts with wowee music, then whistling then dialogue with Tex Benecke and Glenn Miller: 

Hello there Texas what you say?  I'd like to bend your ear if you're goin' my way...  Okay Glenn what's worrying you?.... Tell me the story and I'll see what I can do.  ...Well I've got a gal whose a real killer-diller but I'm not so sure she's interested in Mr. Miller....  Don't you know how to go about finding out?  No. You tell me Texas.  

Soooo cute!  The music is fantastic.  We get a real kick out of it!

No one else is going to make our homes a haven but us.  We have the freedom to enter or not enter into the present culture.

I choose to keep things wholesome.  Why not?  : )

..and trust me, our daughters are ages 20 to 31 now, it doesn't hurt them a bit to live in a purposely wholesome home.  I can't believe I even have to type that (shaking my head).  Most young people who know and have been around the real thing will certainly know a counterfeit when they see it.  Trust me. 

What have I been up to?  Sewing.  Sewing.  Cooking.  Cooking.  Nothing like it...  If we don't create for ourselves who will?   The Father gives the greatest ideas, He is the Master Creator.

There is such freedom in sewing, if you don't know how, it's great to learn!  I'm having such a great time sewing simple dresses etc.!  Let's teach our girls and guys to learn too.  I loved to hear of a soldier friend who made his own quilt and took it to war with him...not to mention making an outfit for his sister for Christmas.  No, he's a big manly guy.  From what I see, a godly guy too.

Our girls?   Oh working and doing and doing and working.  Laughing, pondering... One day at a time.

We found a sweet little church we are visiting, it's tucked away in a little country village out of a system of sorts, it's nice.  We shall see what we shall see.  We must remember, we are the Church. 

Today at the Forest Cathedral I may start to cut out a dress if I have time after my home blessing tour. (cleaning my bathrooms!)  lol  (Flylady.net is a great resource)

For supper?   Well....Don't quite know yet.   I'll see what I get the druthers to make later.

Love comes while we rest against

 our Father's chest.  

Joy comes when we catch the 

rhythms of His heart.

Peace comes when we live in harmony with those rhythms.  

-Ken Gire

One thing the Father is showing me whether the day contains bathing doglets, sewing, cooking...sending a card to my dad...Listen to the heartbeat of the Father.  It's not my list, it's His list.  His yoke is easy and His burden is light...

I am trying to take His rest.  I'm my own worst critic, the creative mess I am...I just need to do what the Father is whispering....His way is best.  We can't go wrong like that, right? : )

-Amelia

A Recent Sunrise over the Pond at the Forest Cathedral

Sewin' up a Storm, and Show N Tell on a Sentimental Journey

I'm sitting here listening to Glenn Miller, so neat I think.

I love the time period of Glenn Miller don't you?

Thought I'd pop in and say hey, let you know of a fun outing and rumors of Mrs. Amelia sewing like a mad artist mom. : )

I also would like to say thank you to the sweet friends who posted comments on the last blog.  That was very nice and made me feel better on things...For some reason I'm not feeling the urge to blog, I guess because it's not as social as xanga once was and I feel like I'm blogging to ?.  I don't know, the twilight zone?  But then you never know who the Father has listening in the twilight zone. 

And blogging friends, those who posted sweet comments on the last, I think, I know you will agree.   I've been observing culture intensely lately, (I'm an observer of lots of things) I also observe sewing blogs to get ideas and learn.. I see a lot of stuff on some of those blogs.  You know..... stuff.  Sometimes what people write or say blows my mind.  So why would those folks want to follow me back?  (smiling, grimacing, giggling turning into a half (painful smile)...like this:  :/ 

Jem and I have been married 34 years now and time sure has flown!   Our girls are so busy, it's very difficult to get them in a pic together and I know those of you who I call friend would like to know how they are.  They are good!  But busy. 

Here's one example,  last month all four daughters were out at the Republican convention as delegates.  So.  That leaves Jem and I to make mischief.

Here's a field trip we went on while the girls were away.

I'm also going to include one of my homemade 60s shifts!  I've been getting into the 60s styles a bit of late.  Sometimes I do a sewing fusion of 40s and 60s mixed.  Go figure.

Here we go...

Me & Jem 34 yrs ago

 Me, now in my new shift I made on our 34th anniversary weekend!  Jem and I were getting ready to make some mischief going on a day field trip.  We had a blast by the way as you will see.

I used the Colette, Laurel pattern. I really  like the way the pattern fits.  I really like the way Colette explains things in her pattern booklets too!  (I nixed the zipper on this one)  Nice!  By the way..these beige flats are so versatile.  They are comfie, they are dexiflex from Payless. I add an insole for an arch but I know the padding is plenty for most.

The print I thought was so cute. I think black and yellow is so reminiscent of that Mary Tyler Moore and Rhoda era.  The time period reminds me of when I was a little girl in a good way when my Uncle Bennie got married.  My girls and I love most of those old Mary Tyler Moore shows.  I think Lea and Marianna, our oldest daughters relate well to the opening pilot where the doc decides he's not ready for marriage after making Mary wait for him to finish med school etc.  That idiot.  

Okay, now on we go...

 

Here is Jem as we arrived at our destination that day.  This is an old restored battleship used in D-Day. Tours are given.  Fantastic.  (Where are our girls to take our pic together?!) : )  Alas, this happens when our little girls are big girls now...

Magnificent.

The grounds are absolutely gorgeous.  The feel of things were from another time in our country, perhaps the 40s or 50s?  A very wholesome time.

 Look at that sky...

An adorable vet visiting.  Was he on this ship during WWII?  The D-day Invasion?  If you know me hardly at all, you know I love our vets.  When our big girls were little girls they each kept a little handmade booklet out of construction paper and decorated the booklet themselves.  Whenever we would run into a vet, like this...Our little girls would ask them to sign their booklet.  Such good memories of our adventures when they were little.

 Did you know Louie Zamperini died yesterday? Oh my, he will be sorely missed.  Check the book out, "Unbroken".  Our fam listened to part of it on tape several weeks ago. Fantastic.  Louie Zamperini has quite a testimony.  I had bought the book for Jem one year for Christmas, we checked the book out on tape from our library recently and our entire fam including my 84 year old mom are spellbound by the Zamperini story!  HIghly recommend.

This restroom pavilion is very ornate, carvings, a large open area in the middle to separate ladies and gentlemen... awesome. Very, very old.  Lovely.  From another time.  I'm staying in that sweet culture.  Will you join me? : )

 Such a lovely day.

So that's a portion of an update from the mad sewing artist mom.

What happens when the scissorhands mom tires of a shirt and tries to update it.  I get a bit radical. I did save the buttons. 

A retro, vintage silk scarf I sported with Jem one night.

My little sewing machine serves me well. Just a simple, most basic little model from Walmart online delivered to my door for $50. more then several years ago.

Well, this is a newsletter of sorts...Just a slice, there's lots more, Imax D-day doc, museum visits, many more sewing projects, feeding chickens etc.

Life moves on. I'm at a little bit of a weird age of 53.  The Father is good though and He gently leads me through this journey.  I'm definitely not part of this popular culture and never have been, it's nothing new. : )

Signing off from the Forest Cathedral.  

What did you make for supper?  I made my Grandma Oddo's pasta gravy over pasta, pizza bread with artichokes, Italian veggies. It turned out rather nicely! 

Amelia