Last night I talked to a nice young couple about homeschooling. I don't think they are really serious about doing it. They want the results without the labor. They want their problems to go away, but they aren't willing to make the serious commitment.

I just read this very very good blog and hope you will take a minute to do so, too.

http://homeschoolblogger.com/camillaanderson/417415/?#c8

I don't know the lady who wrote this, but she is absolutely right. I hope I can find a way to tactfully share this with people...

I am primarily blogging here:

www.xanga.com/gloryquilts

But I may come up with something profound to say about homeschooling, so don't totally give up on me here.

For those of us who regard this season as a holy celebration, the secular hype and the politically correct avoidance of the word "Christmas" can be extremely irritating. I found this great quote from CS Lewis on my friend  Marcelyn's blog and am keeping it in mind this month:

A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell. ~ C.S. Lewis

It's still Christmas!

Have a blessed holy season!

God is so good!

Announcing the engagement of my son Brad to Renee Knight. Renee is a lovely girl, and she brings with her a precious bonus - 2 yo Alanna. In one weekend, I have gained a daughter and a granddaughter. How blessed I am!!

Most people just bring flowers to their hostess... Renee gave us a  9' tree!

I look at these pictures and I just want to sob all over my keyboard. I am so grateful for my family, for my happy son and for the gift of these girls.

Brrrrrr..............

We turned the heat on yesterday. Heat is so expensive that we put it off as long as possible.

The flannel sheets are on the beds and the storm windows are in place. Most of the windows need caulking, though, and we will probably cover them all with plastic. This is such a big house, with high ceilings,tall windows and wood floors... We have two furnaces - one for the upstairs and one on the main floor. The basement and the attic are unheated - we just use them for storage, laundry, the freezer, etc.

I have about 100# of pears in boxes on the porch, awaiting processing. They are DELICIOUS Bartlett pears, from the tree of some church family. The boys went over last weekend and picked them, but they weren't ready then. They are just right right now!

They aren't sprayed, so they are kind of small. Not many of them would be good to just pick up and eat, unless you cut them with a knife. I think I will probably just make them into pear sauce for now and freeze it in Ziploc bags. When I get back from Washington, I might make some Carmel Spice Pear Butter to give as Christmas gifts. That's a fussy recipe, so I am not going to bother with it now. It starts with browning 4 cups of sugar in a frying pan!
I finished the class samples for my Washington classes. You can see them here:

Chewelah 2006

Do take a look! I am pretty pleased with them.

I have been beating myself up about  procrastination, but you know... it was a really busy and stressful summer and fall. I probably could have done better, and next year I will try to spread them all out instead of sewing 13 quilts and 4 garments in three weeks. I do need more self-discipline when it comes to sewing. I don't understand it... I LOVE being there. I love teaching classes. I love the women who take the classes. I stay with my best friend. So why do I put off making the samples and planning the schedule??

I'm having attitude issues again about living in town. Going to church is the hardest. Well meaning people keep asking me, "So how are you liking living in town?" Usually it's someone who lives in town, so the response "It sucks." is not appropriate. The house is nice, though. Of course, for the past three weeks I have mostly stayed in my sewing room...

People liked him because he was enthusiastic and happy and friendly. If only more Christian men were like that! Think what a great Christian witness that would be...

If we lived our lives with that kind of open joy, bubbling over with excitement at the world God created for us, marvelling at the works of His hands, teaching others, willing to explore things we don't already know about, TALKING to people... wouldn't that be a powerful testimony?

He made most of us look drab and repressed. If only we Christians had half of Steve Irwin's joy and enthusiasm, we would indeed adorn the Gospel.