Magnolias

I got this via email today, and wanted to share it with you all.
Get a tissue...........

Beautiful story (and message)

MAGNOLIAS..........By
Edna Ellison

I spent the week before my daughter's June wedding
Running last-minute trips to the caterer, florist, tuxedo
Shop, and the church about forty miles away.
As happy as I was that Patsy was marrying a good Christian
Young man, I felt laden with responsibilities as I watched

My budget dwindle
So many details, so many bills, and so little time. My son
Jack was away at college, but he said he would be there to
Walk his younger sister down the aisle, taking the place of
His dad who had died a few years before. He teased Patsy,
Saying he'd wanted to give her away since she was about
Three years old!
To save money, I gathered blossoms from several friends who
Had large magnolia trees. Their luscious, creamy-white
Blooms and slick green leaves would make beautiful
Arrangements against the rich dark wood inside the church.
After the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding, we
Banked the podium area and choir loft with magnolias. As we
Left just before midnight, I felt tired but satisfied this
Would be the best wedding any bride had ever had! The music,
The ceremony, the reception - and especially the flowers -
Would be remembered for years.
The big day arrived - the busiest day of my life - and
While her bridesmaids helped Patsy to dress, her fiance Tim
Walked with me to the sanctuary to do a final check. When we
Opened the door and felt a rush of hot air, I almost
Fainted; and then I saw them - all the beautiful white
Flowers were black. Funeral black. An electrical storm
During the night had knocked out the air conditioning
System, and on that hot summer day, the flowers had wilted
And died.
I panicked, knowing I didn't have time to drive back to
Our hometown, gather more flowers, and return in time for
The wedding. Tim turned to me. 'Edna, can you get more flowers?
I'll throw away these dead ones and put fresh flowers in
These arrangements.'
I mumbled, 'Sure,' as he be-bopped down the hall to
Put on his cuff links.
Alone in the large sanctuary, I looked up at the dark
Wooden beams in the arched ceiling. 'Lord,' I
Prayed, 'please help me. I don't know anyone in this
Town. Help me find someone willing to give me flowers - in a
Hurry!' I scurried out praying for four things: the
Blessing of white magnolias, courage to find them in an
Unfamiliar yard, safety from any dog that may bite my leg,
And a nice person who would not get out a shotgun when I
Asked to cut his tree to shreds.
As I left the church, I saw magnolia trees in the distance.
I approached a house...No dog in sight. I knocked on the
Door and an older man answered. So far so good. No
Shotgun. When I stated my plea the man beamed, 'I'd
Be happy to!' He climbed a stepladder
and cut large boughs and handed
Them down to me. Minutes later, as I lifted the last armload
Into my car trunk, I said, 'Sir, you've made the
Mother of a bride happy today.'
'No, Ma'am,' he said. 'You don't understand what's
happening here.'
'What?' I asked.
'You see, my wife of
sixty-seven years died on Monday.
On Tuesday I received friends at the funeral home, and on
Wednesday . . . He paused. I saw tears welling up in his

Eyes. 'On Wednesday I buried her.' He! Looked away.
'On Thursday most of my out-of-town relatives went back
Home, and on Friday - yesterday - my children left.'
I nodded.
'This morning,' he continued, 'I was sitting in
My den crying out loud. I miss her so much. For the last
Sixteen years, as her health got worse, she needed me. But
Now nobody needs me. This morning I cried, 'Who needs an
Eighty-six-year-old wore-out man? Nobody!' I began to
Cry louder. 'Nobody needs me!' About that time, you
Knocked, and said, 'Sir, I need you.'
I stood with my mouth open.
He asked, 'Are you an angel? The way the light shone
around your head into my dark living room...'
I assured him I was no angel.
He smiled. 'Do you know what I was thinking when I
handed you those magnolias?'
'No.'
'I decided I'm needed. My flowers are needed. Why,
I might have a flower ministry! I could give them to
everyone! Some caskets at the funeral home have no flowers.
People need flowers at times like that and I have lots of
them. They're all over the backyard! I can give them to
hospitals, churches - all sorts of places. You know what
I'm going to do? I'm going to serve the Lord until
the day He calls me home!'
I drove back to the church, filled with wonder. On
Patsy's wedding day, if anyone had asked me to encourage
someone who was hurting, I would have said, 'Forget it!
It's my only daughter's wedding, for goodness'
sake! There is no way I can minister to anyone today.'
But God found a way - Through dead flowers.
'Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's
the way it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the
difference.'
If you have missed knowing me, you have missed nothing.
If you have missed some of my e-mails, you may have missed a
laugh. But, if you have missed knowing my LORD and SAVIOR,
JESUS CHRIST, you have missed everything in the world.
May God's blessings be upon you.

THIS IS SO TRUE, BEING NEEDED IS SO UPLIFTING TO EACH OF US.


This story is far too beautiful not to send along its way to others
... And its's true.
"God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it
is usually through another person that he meets our
needs." Spencer W. Kimball


"Though our trials are diverse, there is one thing the
Lord expects of us no matter our difficulties and
sorrows: He expects us to press on." - Elder
Joseph B. Wirthlin

Today's Long Arm Work

Thought I would share the work I am doing on my niece, Kasey's wedding quilt.

It took me a bit to decide and design what I would do, since what I wanted to do would not work out given the size of the blocks on the quilt and the limitation of 18" on my longarm. So on the plan 2.

So I went in search of something to draw a nice heart with, and ended up with my scrapbooking templates. Using 2 different sizes, placing one inside the other and putting feathers around the outside. The pen I am using here has disappearing ink, it is so cool to be able to draw on the fabric and then it just goes away.















Since this quilt is set on point, we have half square triangles around the edges so this is the design for that area.
















The quilt has 3 boarders. The outside border has feathers, the 2nd border, meandering. Border #3 has a vine of leaves. As I advance the quilt to a new section I quilt 18" of each border on each side of the quilt, then do the center blocks.















Here you can see one of the half square triangles and one of the full squares. In the strip pieced squares and around the hearts is meandering. I do about 2 advances a day, by then it is time to stop for one reason or another. In this picture I have advance 4 times, with about 7 more to go.
One of the advances will fill in the stripped blocks with meandering and the other will include the hearts, feathers and meandering, both also including the border designs.

Remember to
click for a
better view.










So we are looking at about 4 more days on the long arm (it is so nice it is at home now, makes it so easy to go and work), then the binding and label.

Until later....God Bless

RR details

Sorry it has been so long since my last post, I keep getting distracted. We have been working on the studio , gardening, making jelly, etc.

My RR group is drawing to a close on this round. I have been working on Karrin's block, it is now on it's way home. Here are my additions.
On the lace I put the deep rust silk ribbon, tacking it down with french knots and beads.















then a buttonhole stitch with beads, along the cute hankie.















And around the center panel of pansies, variations on the buttonhole stitch (please click for a better look) and the little dragonfly button next to the pansies. It was a fun block to work on.
We will be taking the summer off, starting up again in the fall.















Next up, Tristan's tote, Leslie's quilt, Kasey and Jon's quilt.

About Quilt Drawing

I want to thank those who have sent comments.......

This is NOT for my family, but for a family who I found out about over on a friends blog.

If you would like to donate please follow the links in the post, I know this family
would appreciate the help and prayers.

Hugs and Blessings to you and yours