...to market, to market

Sorry it's been so long since posting..........time has been flying by at warp-speed, hence, my life has also been "flying by".........."as it were in a dream"..........I never understood those words until rather recently. I'm not sure I understand them now, but I'm beginning to think so.

HOWEVER!!!!......

Last Wednesday I had the exciting opportunity to attend "quilt market" in Salt Lake City........

...a crazy, run as fast as you can, see as much as you can, talk with as many people as you can, and (sometimes--spend as much money as you can) unbelievable time!!!!! I don't have any pictures because, unlike the first time I went--four years ago--I did not want to haul around my big camera. And sometimes people don't like you taking pictures of their booths............but, oh my...........I wish so badly I had taken a smaller one and had asked permission to take some pictures. It was like a two-day-long trunk show. (If you are asking, "what is a trunk show"..........it's when someone brings piles and piles of quilts and shows them to you.......glorious time!!!)  And besides that!!!!! You get to meet the designers of quilts and fabrics............celebrities of the quilt world!!!!!!! And this time I got to meet one--two--I've been wanting to meet badly for a few months now, anyway. I'm a little surprised at how my "tastes" have evolved. Really, the agony and the ecstasy is that I am continually adding to "the things I love". I haven't really crossed anything off the "I love..." list, but added to it!!!! this could be a real problem! Now, instead of 100 quilts I yearn to make, I have a few times that!!!! An amazing concept...........and one I hope to understand (and fulfill) sometime in the eternities! Oh my..........there are some exquisitly beautiful quilts and amazingly talented people in this world........ and like I said, I wish I had some pictures to share with you. I guess I kind of walked around a little dazed at where I was and what I was doing and who I was doing it with!!!!! I learned so much, experienced new things, had such a great time, and nearly wore out my feet........it was a little hard to come back to real life.........but NOW I have the opportunity to recreate some of what I saw........and learned about some tools to make it easier to accomplish!! I'M SO EXCITED!!! still..............

...the promise is sure

I sang with joy in church last Sunday..........

"Shrink not from you duty, however unpleasant,
But follow the Savior, your pattern and friend.
Our little afflictions, tho painful at present,
Ere long, with the righteous, in glory will end.

Be fixed in your purpose, for Satan will try you;
The weight of your calling he perfectly knows.
Your path may be thorny, but Jesus is nigh you;
His arm is sufficient, tho demons oppose."

                         --Hymns "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints"
                            no. 266, vs. 2 & 4
                            Text: Eliza R. Snow  (she is one of my very most favorite poets!!)

Last  night when Suzanne talked about things being "unfair" and that Father in Heaven did not "want the same thing she wanted" we talked for a bit about choices and short and long term goals and desires. What if He gave us what we want here and now at the expense of the hereafter??? That would be the tragedy! I'm so thankful He sees the end from the beginning! Then, if we can trust His ample and 'sufficient' arm the words of the third verse bring tears of gratitude: (the first part are not entirely applicable to our challenge, but the principle is true!!)-----

"What, tho, if the favor of Ahman possessing,
This world's bitter hate you are called to endure?
The angels are waiting to crown you with blessings!
Go forward, be faithful, the promise is sure."
                                  --Hymns, no. 266, vs. 3

I feel to shout from the housetops that I know "the promise is sure"!!!!! I pray that someday I will be given voice to adequately and joyously express my thoughts and feelings. I know He lives!!!   I know He loves us---each one!!!! I know He cannot and will not forsake us!!! And He is sufficient!!! --more than...........what then, with His help can we not do???? And Suzanne is learning.........just as we have prayed she would. And she is being taught from on high......I'm not privy to that teaching, but I see it's result and I am so thankful. She told me last night she is not as afraid..........though we are still sad. We wish it could be different............but! if we could see with a perfect, eternal perspective, I wonder....... could it be possible that we would choose just this?? I don't know.............but I do know His promises are sure and that "all will be well". And we will have a fullness of joy...........