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Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Birthday Blessings

Yesterday was my birthday...and most of my birthdays, comparatively, seem to be pretty unique... They are usually filled with a combobulation of joy, fun, and...well, some big "whack!" God is or wants to teach me...
I thought this year would be different...and in a way, it was.

My siblings always spoil me...in fact, sometimes, I feel sorry for some of my other siblings at their birthdays, seeing how much I am lavished on mine...though, I am quickly told that it must have something to do with their just trying to reciprocate....whatever.

Anyway, this year, being my 20th, I was especially spoiled and blessed, above my imagination. My parents decided to get me my own sewing machine! I grew up mainly using my mom's Bernina 1090 S (which was a fantastic machine), and after many hours of careful research, I decided on the Bernina 750 Quilter's Edition....talk about a gem!!!
With this user-friendly machine, the sky is truly the limit. Not only does it have almost 900 stitches/patterns on it, including the regular sewing stitches,  decorative stitches/patterns, but also has the quilting stitches and some embroidery patterns! It also has a 9mm stitch width capability, and an incredible 10" throat space (to the right of the needle)! The free arm is extended, and it has a USB port for importing/exporting your own patterns. That is only the tip of the iceberg, talking nothing about the BSR (Stitch Regulator), dual feed, color touch screen, memory, automatic buttonhole, etc. etc. =)

I really excited to get back into sewing after a nearly 2 year siesta from almost all creative work (because of my medical/mission work and intense work/study schedule), and I count this machine as a very special part of my trousseau, which will last me a life time. Look for my future projects!!
Rachel gave me a Gerber F.A.S.T Draw Knife (which I love!), and an adorable baby outfit (for my hope chest) that I was drooling over at Walmart last month...Just love that girl!!
Samuel gave me a beautiful necklace--a "faceless" angel, as he calls it, with a heart for the body! Isn't that precious?! I just love it, because it brings the gold into it, which is supposedly my best metal color...
David and Samuel, the wonderful brothers they are, decided to make me little Firework Spinners and "Bangs", which they lit off last night...those were pretty fun!!
And, a bunch of my other siblings gave me funds for Belize..(a post coming later).

My parents and I also purchased me another doppler, to replace the one that I left in the Pilipina Bukid (and gifted to my friend and aspiring midwife-Jemil) when I came home early. This one is the one I fell in love with at the Mercy Clinic, and so I am quite excited to have it for future use.
Our cousins are here, and so we had a lot of fun swimming in the lake--even with the 100F weather, it was a little cooler than we expected, but we soon adjusted.. ;-)

I am really excited to see what God has for this next year, and can rest in the following verses:
The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
~ Job 1:21 ~

For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
~ Proverbs 2:6 ~

We can trust Him through all times life, even during the storms. Praise You Yahweh!!

8 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday Sarah! I hope you have a wonderful year filled with new adventures with God.

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    1. Thank you Elanee!! It already is! Wow, it's been forever since we've seen you all!!! I'd love to hear what you're doing now!!

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  2. Happiest of belated birthdays to you!
    Neat post Sarah-- I loved all the details of the gifts! Especially about the knife, dopler, and baby dress! =D. May you be blessed every day of this coming year, even through the hard times may God give you a peace that passes understanding, and great joy for the journey!!
    Love in Christ, and a big birthday hug to you!
    ~M <3

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    1. Hey Mallory! Thanks!! :)
      God is so good, and I know He will be with me each and every day of this new adventure He has me on--this next phase of LIFE!! :)
      God bless you!! <3

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  3. Hi Sarah,
    I picked "anonymous" because I didn't know most of the other choices.
    It sounds like you had an awesome birthday. I hope this next year is full of blessings.
    You spoke of your "trouseau". Probably spelled incorrectly. Are you engaged?
    Your sewing machine sounds great. Among other things, my daddy gave me a very simple sewing machine when I got married. I made clothes for myself and two daughters for years.
    We are here permanently. I hope. It's going to take some time for my brain to adapt. Mark retired on June 28. We were able to sell our condo in six hours. God was in that whole transaction. Friends came to help pack, and other friends took most of the furniture. We spent most of our last evening with our pastor's family. And, shed some tears. We're missing them alot. We closed on the sale July 2, and then headed for Sheridan and spent that night with our daughter. Then got here a bit after 2 AM July 4. We went to bed and slept most of the day. Now we have boxes everywhere in the house.
    Having two houses going for eleven yrs means a lot of duplications.
    Again, happy birthday month. :-)

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    1. Hey!! It's good to hear from you!! You can also put your name/url (minus the url ;p) on it if you want.

      I've seen you all moving in...drop by sometime!! It'll be so much fun to have such close neighbors, minus my grandparents already. :)

      Yes, my Trousseau..no, I'm not engaged, but I pick things up along the way to prepare for that "one day", and so my sewing machine got added. :)
      My parents gave each of us girls Hope Chests on our 12th birthday, and we sure fun making things (or sometimes buying things) for our future home, if God so wills.

      I guess ya'll could have a garage sale? :)

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    2. Hey Sarah,

      we're so glad to be home. our little condo in Colorado was half the size of this little house. had we known we were going to be there for eleven yrs, we would have gotten a much bigger place. it was impossible to have house guests there. i have mentioned having a garage sale several times. but you're the first to agree with me. for sure it won't be this summer. we'll wait until most of the boxes are unpacked. some have been packed since the move in january 2000.

      now the house is full of boxes again. but we left paths to the beds. David and Emma are our guests part of every other weekend.

      were you one of the girls doing some target practice one day this week? days don't mean much anymore. so we don't remember what day it was. we're just glad it was a pistol, and nota rifle. if any of you come to calibrate rifles, let us know. rifles make a terrible noise in our house. the first shot sends our hearts racing.

      the dogs are liking all the room to run around in. they like to get out on the deck.it can't be for long during daylight. they are easily sun burned.

      how many alpacas live with y'all now? they sure are cute. we can't see them from our house.

      how are your grandparents doing. this must be quite a change from the bush of Alaska.

      i hope the weddings go smoothly, and the knots stay tied many years.

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