Blessed Beyond Compare

Before I begin the mad rush of cooking, I thought I would sit down and reflect just a bit on a few of the things I am so thankful for.

I'm grateful that I have always cherished my past and although many of my relatives are now gone, I continue to learn from their example. This quilt was made by my great-aunt when she was nine years old. She told me that she had used all of the scrap fabric that she could find and was short of what she needed to complete the quilt. So she made patterns and took them to school where she passed them out to her friends and asked if their mothers would contribute to the project. They did and she finished her quilt. Before she died, she gave the quilt to me. It keeps me warm on cold winter nights, my body as well as my soul. 

 A whole cloth quilt made by my great-grandmother. Plain and simple, but a workhorse nonetheless.

There is hidden treasure inside this quilt, another quilt, probably made by my great-great-grandmother. Nothing was ever wasted. Notice the beautiful stitching and how perfectly spaced it is.

A lingerie basket that my grandmother crocheted for me not long before she died. The top frame is an old embroidery hoop. She loved being able to make beautiful things and even more she loved to share.

The generosity that my great aunt experienced with her quilt, I have experienced with pillowcases given by so many of you..  

I'm so very grateful for my kind and loving husband who does everything he can to support all of my crazy ideas. He diligently worked in the cold yesterday to prepare the lines for the hanging of all of your pillowcases tomorrow.

Because of the wonderful people that I have been so blessed to have in my life, I have learned so many wonderful life lessons. My great-aunt taught me tenacity. My great-grandmother taught me to see the beauty in all things and all people, and that nothing should ever be wasted. I see my grandmother in so much of what I do and even how I go about accomplishing my tasks. Sometimes I will catch myself humming an old hymn and it's like she is here with me, she always hummed old hymns as she went about her daily chores. She taught me to create, she gave me my love for beautiful things and even more importantly, she taught me the joy of sharing. I have learned from so many of you that the world is full of loving and generous people.  My husband has given me the gift of unconditional love, security and support. It is because of these precious people, you, and others that I am who I am.
Earlier this week I received this note and I was overwhelmed by the generosity of the content.

Hi, Rhonda!

I've lurked your blog for quite awhile now, and must tell you that I adore you. You are one of the most positive, upbeat bloggers out there, and incredibly generous in all of what you do!!! You are certainly not a self-serving, "what's in it for ME" kind of lady, and your amazing kindness is, well, amazing! :-) 

 

Your Mary Bridge Pillowcase project is wonderful, in how you've pulled together so many in supporting a great cause. Seems sort of simple, to ask others to send cases, right? Yet, you have hung 986 pillowcases, each in their turn, and shown us photos. You have had your pilot friend do fly-overs to get aerial shots.

 

You have created so many fabulous tutorials, with your Sleeves on Saturdays. Tutorials which many others would charge for, yet you have chosen to share your drafting skills with all and sundry, free.  Your projects are fun and stylish, and your tutorials and thorough and accessible. I've done a couple of tutorials for a friend before, and it takes a LOT of time to do detailed teaching such as  you share!

 

Your Sunday reflections are *always* things which make me think, and often cause me to realize there are places in my life where I could make some positive changes, and perhaps extend myself to others.

 

Your  Sunday soups are gorgeous, and always sound so yummy! Again, sharing the recipe, letting us know where else we can find the link (Panera, for instance), and taking the photos - all take your time!!

 

Add to all these things the fact that you really do not *live* on your blog, but have a clearly busy, productive life, and I am just amazed at what you accomplish. Your generosity of spirit shines through all you do, and you are so clearly such a kind, giving person.  People like you are treasures. :-)

In each of the lovely accolades that were given to me, you can now see that they really do not belong to me, but to all of those who have so richly blessed my life. Monetarily, I was very poor as a child, but in what I was given, I was rich beyond compare. And the best part about these riches is that the more they are spent, the more I continue to have.