Snow Day in Nashville! What Blessings!!!!

David Loved the Snow!!









What a great surprise, a very unexpected snow!

HE GIVES AND HE TAKES AWAY!

Well, SHABBY DENIM ROSE WEBSITE is no more but I will continue to blog as times goes on. I thank God for the time He gave me to try to sell my handmade items. I had so much fun!!! There is no greater feeling than being able to create something with your own hands. Afterall God put that creative power in us when He created us with His own hands.
I met so many wonderful people while having Shabby Denim Rose website, and got to even bless some soldiers now and then through the year, but that season is over.
We still wait patiently for God to give us another home after Ike hit, but this is truly another time in my life that I will have to Make a Quit from the Scraps of Life!! This time it is without sewing. It will be with my heart that I will have to capture the treasure of the scraps of life. I wonder at my age what is left, what is next for me? Only time will tell!!
HE SURELY GIVES AND TAKES AWAY, BUT MY HEART CHOOSES TO SAY BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD GOD!

I WILL PRAISE HIM IN THIS STORM!

Well, Hurricane Ike got our home, but he did not get our lives!! We went to Tennessee to be with our daughter during the storm when the Lord told us to leave.

A tree fell on my double wide mobile home right in the bedroom! We most likely would have been killed. Needless to say I was in a state of shock at first, but after all, all that I have belongs to the Lord anyway. I will go salvage all that I can and live with our daughter for awhile.

Although I do grieve some that I will not get to sew for months and won't be able to make my Marine a quilt this winter as planned, I will just go on and Praise Him because He had other plans for my life. This is just another "When life gives you scraps just make a quilt" in my life.

I will be able to live with my daughter and keep my little grandson for a few months while she works. So scraps again can be turned into blessings!!! My sweet grandbaby brings so much joy to our lives. I need those moments of joy through these moments of tears right now through this storm of my life.

So far as I have heard the Lord spared all of our neighbors, friend's,and children's lives and homes! So He is a good God!

Another Birthday deployed!

Well, this month my grandson has another birthday while deployed. This will be his 22nd. I miss him and all the fun birthday parties we used to have for him. I can hardly wait to do that again, but will have to wait another year.

My heart aches for our many heroes who serve our country while they spend their birthday in the Military oversees. Most our heroes begin at 18 or 19 years old and spend their 21st birthday guarding, suffering, or fighting all in the name of serving our country and families.

Most 21 years old celebrate their birthday here in the U.S. and so glad they finally made it to manhood. But these young heroes have been a man for years in their duties and responsibilities, and some will not even live to see their 21st birthday. I pray for them everyday and wish all could come home safe and sound. But I thank God for such heroes who kept our country free so that 21 year olds here can celebrate and have a good time and even have their own opinions.

I am in the process of making another quilt again this year for a winter Marine in Iraq. This time it is a female marine. Yes, our wonderful women serve too!!!!

This poem below was written by a Marine so I thought I would share in honor of our heroes:

THE MARINE

We all came together,Both young and old To fight for our freedom,To stand and be bold. In the midst of all evil,We stand our ground,And we protect our country From all terror around. Peace and not war,Is what some people say. But I'll give my life,So you can live the American way. I give you the rightTo talk of your peace.To stand in your groups,and protest in our streets. But still I fight on,I don't gripe I don't whine. I'm just one of the peopleWho is doing your time.. I'm harder than nails, Stronger than any machine.I'm the immortal soldier, I'm a U..S. MARINE! So stand in my shoes,And leave from your home. Fight for the people who hate you, With the protests they've shown. Fight for the stranger, Fight for the young. So they all may have, The greatest freedom you've won. Fight for the sick, Fight for the poor Fight for the cripple, Who lives next door. But when your time comes, Do what I've done.F or if you stand up for freedom, You'll stand when the fight's done By: Corporal Aaron M. Gilbert , US Marine CorpsUSS SAIPAN, PERSIAN GULF

Mission Finished!

Well, the quilt and bibs that I was making for the soldier's baby is finally done!

I created it especially for a Military baby as a gift for Dad to give to his 6 month old son for Christmas. He has never seen him and he wanted to give him something special. He asked if I would make one. Of course I was honored to give of my time and talent to do so.

So after much thought and searching for final material, I completed it. Every stitch that I made, I prayed for the soldier, child, and mom that soon they can be reunited again and God will keep them all safe. I hope this quilt brings some joy to this family in their time of absence from each other.

So off in the mail it goes very soon to be delivered to the baby.

Sometime soon, I hope that I can get another large quilt made again this year to mail to another soldier that is deployed like I did last year to help keep him warm for the winter. I am asking God who I need to make it for.

The Price Of Freedom

Happy 4th of July Everyone! I hope today you are enjoying the blessings of our freedom. Enjoy all the American fun like your watermelon, homemade ice cream and apple pie, grilled hamburgers etc, and fly that flag! We need to do it with a greatful heart before the politically correct people tell us someday that we can't because it might offend someone. Whatever you do, lets do it in honor of those who gave us this freedom and in honor of those defending our freedom now. Today I sew more cooling neckties for our soldiers.

Have you ever wondered what happened to those 56 signers of our Declaration of Independence? Here it is:

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War. They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated, but theysigned the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penaltywould be death if they were captured. Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his Ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags. Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward. Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton,Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton. At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt. Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months. John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. Some of us take these liberties so much for granted, but we shouldn't. So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.
Remember: freedom is never free! I truely thank God for the men or women who paid a price and still are! How about you? HAVE A GREAT DAY! CELEBRATE BEING AN AMERICAN ON THIS JULY 4TH FOR THOSE WHO PAID THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR THEIR SERVICE AND FOR THOSE WHO WISH THEY WERE HOME NOW CELEBRATING WITH THEIR FAMILY!

Missed one of my soldiers

I am trusting that everyone is enjoying the Summer so far! I just got back from a trip to visit my daughter's 3 dogs! My hubby and I kept them for a week while the family went on vacation to New York City. God gives us all kinds of opportunities to bless others!
I was sad though to find out that while I was gone, I missed meeting one of my special soldiers. He came to my church to meet me. He was home on leave from Iraq and wanted to come meet me in person and thank me for the quilt that I made him while he was in Iraq and mailed to him. He did tell my Pastor that he would return before he had to go back to his base because he had to meet me.
So now I am anxiously waiting each church service to see if he will walk in, although I don't even know yet what he looks like. His home town is 75 miles away. I guess in God's perfect timing, I will meet him. But it was such a blessing just to know that he wanted to meet me and to know that another one has made it back to U.S. safe!
Next week, I finish the rest of the cooling neckties for the soldiers, then I will begin to make another quilt.

Another month! Another Blessing!

Well, here it is another month gone. The weather is so hot here and only the first part of June!! It feels like mid-summer. Staying inside most of the day seems to be all we can do now since the humidity and heat is so bad. It isn't even Summer yet!
I am so thankful that I was blessed with a nice sewing machine that I have to keep me busy while inside. Last week, I spent several days dressing up and re-doing 2 of my denim shirts. I am still trying to find supplies to finish one of them.

Now I am in the middle of the project of making the Cooling NeckBands for the Troops. It is so hot for them right now, and I want to give them some relief.
I got a surprise email last week from one of my men that I had never met or even knew if he got any of my things that I sent him. I always sign everything I do as Mammaw Lillian. So I am Mammaw to many. It doesn't even matter if I never hear from them. I will just keep on doing it but I was so blessed to see that he was touched. It makes it all it worth while. I just wish that I could do for all the heroes out there. They are so special!
Here is the letter he sent me:

Mammaw Lillian,

I'm Alexander. Your husband met my mother at the post office while she was waiting to send me a package, and after that you started sending cookies and letters to me and my unit. I didn't get the opportunity to write you while I was there, but I wanted to send an e-mail now to let you know that you made a difference. My company knew who you were. We would share the cookies when they came in the mail. Your letters and packages made me happy. It's hard to describe what it's like over there. Sometimes it's hard to breathe because it feels like everything you know and care about, your life, is slipping away from you. Despite the similarities, the distance has a different quality than being out of sight and earshot of the people you love. You are away from them in both situations, but there's a kind of finality when you say 'goodbye' and go to war instead of work or home. After that, I tried to convince myself that they weren't already moving on, but I couldn't. You sent me more mail than most of my immediate family. You took the time to put packages together for me and my company. It kept our spirits high and helped remind me that there are still people that care enough about us to try to make things better. I'm grateful, and I'll never forget the time and effort you invested in me. Thank you. Be safe, Mammaw.

-Alexander

Scraps & Denim To the Rescue Again!

These last few days have been very rough on me since I got back home from my beach vacation with my 3 daughters and some of their family members. Daily I go look at the beach display that I made from the sand and shells that I got from the beach. It reminds me of the great feeling I had when I was with them. I miss them so much! I believe that a mothers heart is always with her children, no matter how old they get or how far away they live. You just don't feel normal until you are with them. It is so lonely and quiet here at home with just my husband and I.

It was also such a joy to spend a lot of time with my precious 16 month old grandson too and watch him enjoy all the new adventures of the beach and all. He is growing up fast and I want to seize every moment with him. I have grown grandsons also, and those younger years with them just went by too fast.

After a few days of feeling low and struggling trying to get back to a regular routine of life, I decided to get back into my sewing room today. The temperature has been around 100 degrees and so hot outside! Other than my prayer garden, my sewing room is another place of quiet for me and a time to talk to God while I sew. For a change, this time I decided to make something for myself. I needed a curtain for my sewing room entrance door, so I decided to create one with denim and scraps of course to match my website! (This is what I always tried to do all my life. If I needed something, instead of going to town to buy, I tried to create it! This day and time that is the wisest thing to do anyway).

It took me nearly all day to create what I wanted with all the embroidery on the denim pockets, but I think it is kind of cute. Since the material was reversable, on the other side I made a valance with 2 rose embroideried pockets on it. So, now it is a double curtain!!! It is functional and cute from both sides. It is nothing fancy but does serve the purpose and it is just my style! (Denim, Roses, and Lace). It goes also with my denim sewing room. I even embroideried the name Shabby Denim Rose on 2 pockets on the curtain.

So my sewing machine and denim brought me joy again, and God and I had a long talk today! Again I say, there is always beauty and joy in scraps in life!

Now that project is over, I hope to get to embroidery some roses etc on some of my old denim shirts soon, then it will look like I went shopping again!!!

Beach Fun!

Family Time

Today I think back over the years that went by so fast, and I praise God for all the blessings that He gave me in my 3 precious girls and now my precious son-in-laws and grandchildren. I was blessed with the greatest husband any woman could ask for, so I have been double blessed in life.

Our family is our best friends and we miss them terribly when they are not around. They have blessed us even now with this wonderful vacation to a beautiful beach.

I think over the years when our girls were little and about how we did not get to do much for them materially like we really wanted to. We didn't even take much of a vacation at all, but one thing we did was invest our time into them and tried to make what we did have seem like much and lots of fun . But most of all we directed them toward heaven through Jesus and to walk with God.

I read once that the greatest gift God can give you is your children, and the greatest responsibilty He puts in your hands is the care of their souls. When you are old then nothing else that you have ever done on this earth matters.

That is so true! The older I get the more I even realize it.

I have been a Assistant Bookkeeper at a Hospital, A Care minister at a church, a supervisior in a Christian School, and a friend and prayer warrior praying for everyones families. But the greatest position in my life was being a housewife and a mother and a grandmother, trying to instill the Word of God in them, and the things that really matter in life. I would not have traded the highest pay job in the world for it. It was trying at times, but it was worth it!

Snow or Sands?!!

This week, my husband and I were so blessed to have visited my family at a beautiful beach. I have never seen sand so white that it looked like snow and had the most wonderful feel to it. I was used to living near the coast all my life but never liked the beach at all until this week. This is a different beach. Watching my grandson play in the huge sandbox was a joy to me. Again the beauty of God's creations just amazes me. I enjoyed so much being with my 3 daughters, one son-in-law, and 2 granddaughters who just grew up too quickly. Sometimes I wish that I had of taken more time to smell those roses when they were in my hand.

Hope you are having a great week as you look around and see the Beauty of the Lord.

The small treasures of Life!

This morning as I sat outside watching the birds and enjoying my morning cup of coffee, I started thinking about lifes treasures and what stirs us! Some get excited over the great things that come their way, others over the small things. How many times have you picked up a penny or nickle on the ground and got excited and felt blessed, while others passed it by thinking "that is not worth anything this day ". It is nice they leave it there for those who really appreciate those things. I have found in life, when you appreciate the small things, God just keeps enlarging your territory! I have been blessed in life with the small things and I am thankful.

I wrote in my journal while sitting outside about my love for the denim scraps that I use to make my quilts. I enjoy doing those so much and just can hardly wait to start another one. Here lately with the rush of getting things done for Spring and Summer and getting ready for vacation, I had to set the scraps aside. It grieved me some to put away my sewing machine for awhile.

I want so much to make all my grandchildren a denim quilt before I die. I have 3 more left to do and seems like time is running out. I pray for strength and scraps everyday to be able to complete those plans.

I made a queen size denim quilt for a friend for a wedding gift once and wrote this note with it:

"Congratulations on your Wedding.
May God Bless you in this new journey in life
as you serve the Lord together.
Here is a special gift that I made you with lots of love.
It is a Love Quilt.
As you look at this scrap denim quilt let it always remind you that at times in the future life might throw you lots of scraps. Do not see it as waste, just thank God, make the best of it, and make a quilt with those scraps in life. That way you have gained a valuable possession. There is good in everything that comes your way.
Let it also remind you that in life you most likely will find flaws, and irregularities, but remember that everything can always be patched and mended by the Word and God.
Do not ever forget that Love never fails and it covers a multitude of things!"

Most people don't get excited over denim like I do. But there is just something about it that I love. Maybe it is because I never got to wear it as a child. I really don't know. Most people, woman or man have some type of denim items, but probably none have as many items of denim in their home as I do. I really don't know why I am so stirred. But I did discover that it makes the warmest quilts in the winter that I have. I love using mine all winter on my bed. Denim quilts also remind me of some things of life as I wrote in the note above. I think we need things in our life to help us remember to appreciate the small things in life and how pretty the scraps can become when it is put in the hands of the creator.

Hope you have a blessed day as you look around and appreciate the small treasures of life!

What A Blessing I got Today!!!

No I did not sell anything on my website!

I got up this morning and read my email and was so blessed!!! I recieved 2 emails from 2 soldiers from a whole platoon in Iraq that I had written and baked cookies for. I have never met them, but just know they need our encouragement.

One of the soldiers emailed to thank me and asked me if I could make and send to his wife a baby quilt. He is sad and so is she that he will not be home from Iraq for his son's birth soon. He wanted to do something special. Oh what a joy to give something back to someone who has sacrificed so much for our freedom! I am so thankful that I was chosen to do this to bless that precious family.

My desire for my website http://www.shabbydenimrose.com/ was to make money to help support our troops anyway. So maybe God is just going to let me bless them with my handmade items. His ways are above our ways!
I hope your day was as blessed as mine!

WHERE DOES THE TIME GO!

This month is nearly over and I have been so busy that I haven't even been sewing lately. I can't believe how fast the time flies! I thought when you got old, you had time to get bored!

My husband and I recently planted a veggie garden and watching it everyday for success. This was new to us last year, but my husband enjoyed it so much. He got so excited every time I asked him to get me some basil from the garden. He loved picking his small plum tomatoes and ate them nearly all as soon as he got inside. We had so many peppers we had to give some away. We are trying some new things this year, just for fun. I hope the garden does as well this year as last. We just depend on God. We have no experience much at all. My Mom and Dad did all that when they were alive. I should have watched them more. I always loved those wonderful veggies she gave us. There is just so much joy in working with plants and all. It is therapy for my husband, but I believe mine is the sewing and I miss it. But "there is a season for everything".

I yearn to get back sewing but it has to wait awhile because I have more cookies to bake now for the military. I have a special denim quilt planned and can hardly wait to start it.

Another quilt made!

Well, after a weeks visit to spend some time my daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughters out of town and playing awhile, I decided I better get back to work finishing my next quilt. Here it is!!! Unique and a good learning tool. It will teach a child his/her colors. I loved doing this because of all the bright colors. Babies need some brighter colors once in awhile. Grey was spelled Grey instead of Gray in the book that was preprinted so I had to embroidery that on the quilt. I learned from making this quilt that it could be spelled both ways!

This can be bought on my website www.shabbydenimrose.com

LEAVES, LEAVES EVERYWHERE!

Today I look outside again for the 4th day in a row and see my precious hubby working so hard to make our place beautiful. For weeks we have worked to get the leaves mulched, raked, or burned. It can be a chore, especially with the size we have, but with the downfall of having leaves to rake always comes the blessings. The wonderful oak trees that draw the birds!

This morning we sat outside on the back porch drinking our breakfast shake and listening to the many birds just singing so beautifully. It makes me wonder if they are singing the praises to our God. The beautiful sound of our waterfalls and the birds singing just makes all the work worthwhile. We were so blessed to finally have a place of our own after 41 years of marriage.

We sat still for awhile and watched the hummingbirds come to the one feeder we hung for the Spring. Then we saw one from probably last year trying to find the feeder on the porch where we hung it last Fall. We didn't hang it up this Spring. It amazes me how they know exactally where to go to the same spots from year to year. He just looked up to the place where it used to hang, then flew away when he saw it was gone!

Across the yard in a tree we saw a couple of bluebirds going in and out of their house. Then when the squirrel came near, the male bluebird took off attacking him. They work so hard guarding the nest to keep the pesty squirrels away. God has been so good to us to send bluebirds to our place. They don't come around much.

My daughter and son-in-law took my grandson to the zoo today. He was so excited to see the animals. I did that continually for my children. They always loved the zoo and seeing all the different kinds of animals.

All this reminds me of how wonderful the first Garden must have been on earth that God created for man. Yet, man was not please with what God gave, and it was all taken away from him because of disobedience.

Now, man still longs for that place of beauty that God meant for us to have. I can just imagine how beautiful the birds and animals were there and the awe of being in the presence of God!

So we just continue on, enjoying just a glimpse here on earth now of what God has prepared for us.

It is so hard to get back to sewing with all the beautiful things outside now that winter is over!!

Maybe the Lord and nature are calling!

Song of Solomon 2:10-12 "My beloved, spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For Lo the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land"

Time Out!!!

THE SEWING HAS TO WAIT.

I got up this morning ready to finish my next quilt to put on my website, then I looked outside at all my flower beds and I decided it will have to wait.

I planted flowers around my prayer garden building last week, and now they have grown so much since this picture was taken. So I am off the machine and out in the yard today. It is finally a beautiful nice comfortable day.

I get so amazed how beautiful the flowers look and grow in just one week. Soon my husband and I will put our hands to trying to grow vegetables in our big garden way out back.

Hope you are enjoying Spring as much as I do. Sewing is good for too cold, hot or rainy days, but the outside is calling me today. Signs of new life everywhere. A hummingbird came to my porch, and blue birds to our house we put up. God gives so much to enjoy.

I have got to get outside with my husband. He is raking leaves today and putting them in our compost pile.

Have a great Spring everyone!

Life's Scraps Turned Valuable

WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU SCRAPS, JUST MAKE A QUILT, THEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING VALUABLE

So many times I have thought of the blessings of scraps in our life that turn into things valuable. Sometimes we fail to see that they are there.

I was so blessed when my children were growing up to get scraps from my husbands aunt who sewed alot. I made some beautiful outfits for my girls just with those scraps.

When God gave me the idea back in the 60's & 70's to use denim and create with it, I loved it! In those days people discarded jeans with holes in them. I cut them up and made beautiful quilts that kept many people warm. I also made duffle bags, pillows, skirts, and anything else that I could think of.

In later years when I needed some income for an expense, I pulled everything out of my material closet and created lifesize dolls, and their clothes, and then sold them to pay that expense. I even sold them less than people said they were worth. It is so funny how you can take a worthless item and with our own hands help it to become valueable.

I remember back over the years as I loved, cared for, and prayed for many foster kids that others would have thought were worthless , that the touch of love and creative power made something beautiful out of them.

That is what God does with all of us. The creative touch of the Masters Hand makes us valuable.

So when things come my way that just seem like scraps in life, I try to see the end results and remember when Life Gives You Scraps, just make a Quilt.

EASTER TODAY AND YESTERDAYS

Easter Of yesterdays

Hello, most people call me Mammaw Lillian

Here I am starting my first blogs. I feel so blessed today on this celebration of resurrection day!

Today is Easter and it is so quiet around here. I had a great day in church, with a surprise visit from our oldest daughter and son-in-law. They walked into church and surprised me. My husband was a sneak! He knew all about them coming. After a lunch together and short visit they traveled back home to do their routine things of life. I was so touched that they traveled 2 hours to spend time with us. Our 2 other girls live too far for a trip.

Easter time at this age of my life is not like it used to be. I remember the days of fixing Easter baskets for all my precious girls, and later grandkids, baking sugar cookies with their handprints, and dyeing and hiding eggs over and over for them. When it rained, we hid them inside. I always made my girls their Easter Bonnets, dresses, and purses. I loved to sew all my life, as you can read from my website http://www.shabbydenimrose.com/ on the about me page. I enjoyed the creative power that the Lord put inside of me when He created me. We just never know what we can do until we try.

I have been blessed with such a wonderful family, but most of them are all adults now and live so far away. Thank God for the memories of sweet times when they were little. Those memories never leave us. Our little ones still bring us such joy as adults. We have invested into their lives in so many ways, and it feels so good to see that investment pay off when I watch each one of them.

We adore our youngest grandson now who is 14 months old. Since he lives 12 hours away from us, we just don't get to spend time with him much. I was so spoiled with my other grandchildren. I got to see them nearly everyday. Thank God for webcam so I can see him at least over the computer!

I am amazed at the inventions of today with computers and all the things you can do. But wouldn't it be nice, if we could invent something to let us go back to those years when our children were so tiny. In those days a lot of times we rushed through them so fast to get through the trials and we forgot to enjoy the journey. We blink our eyes and then it is over! Our kids are gone. That is why I told my daughters to enjoy where you are! It will be gone and you will wonder where did it go?

We have only one life to live, and only have this moment while it is here. When it is past it is gone! We must make it count. Just as I always said, we can always work, go to school, and do lots of things all our life, but we only have one chance to raise our kids and seed into them what God intended.

I am so glad that I invested time into my kids, and now in old age, I can do, work, play, and even sew and sell my handcrafts. Life has been good for me, and yes my children are my reward in old age!