Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement Nature’s Example What fun to watch the giraffe family at our nearby zoo. The family is complete with Mamma, Daddy, a teenager, and a new youngster. There’s something stately about the way those tall, beautiful creatures walk or use their very long legs to lope over distances in elegant

Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement Resurrection Look what happened to this leaning, tangled tree I posted two weeks ago. It still leans, but tiny buds burst into leaves bringing evidence it is alive. The tree appears more attractive now that leaves conceal the tangled branches. Although it still leans, the tree offers welcome shade

Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement Easter What images does this word Easter bring to mind?  Bunnies, colorful dyed eggs, baskets full of artificial grass and chocolate candies? Or do you think of pictures of a man being beaten bloody, long heavy nails driven into His hands, and a crown of long sharp thrones jammed

Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement Bent and Tangled The tree looked dead. A passerby wouldn’t find it attractive. Its trunk leaned to the side. Its bare branches stabbed the air at odd angles to each other. A couple of taller branches looked stunted from some injury. Further away in the parking lot, other trees

Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement The Power of a Smile A smile is as valuable as medicine. A smile has the power to lift our spirits like a good antidepressant makes the user feel better. It carries us to pleasant places beyond the trouble at hand, like a tranquilizer. It lifts spirits and strengthens

Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement Rich in Friends Making a church central to your daily life offers one of the most amazing advantages to our existence. Churches offer the wonderful atmosphere that fosters lifelong, treasured friends. There is something amazing about how, when you are united in worship of God, when you pray together,

Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement Cousins As an only child my cousins were of great importance to me. Older cousins taught me a lot about getting along with others. Little eyes are constantly watching and absorbing helpful principals when exampled around them. Younger cousins gave me lots of opportunities to learn how to entertain

Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement Brainy Thoughts We consider our nutrition as we plan our menus. We exercise when we want to keep our muscles in shape. We try to go to bed early or take a nap when we feel tired. Do we ever consider how we are feeding our brain with our

Mary’s Monday Musing to Quilt Encouragement Our Thought Life “Thanks, Dad, for the deep bargain on these avocados.” I looked across the grocery store tomato display to see who was speaking. A lady, wearing her hair in a stylish top knot, bent over to pick up a bag of avocados, but no one else stood

Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement A Child’s Perspective The perspective of a three-year-old often delights us. Our precious three-year-old great grandchild recently visited us in our retirement community. She relished every moment of her time downstairs in the community indoor pool. Now she asks to return to “Mammy’s big house and swim in Mammy’s