Update on my mom

Hi everyone! I received the most amazing blessing today. Some wonderful friends at Etsy put together a fundraiser in my honor, to try to get money for me to go see my mom again since she was diagnosed with terminal illness. I had no idea this was going on until halfway through and I didn't know the whole thing just that some kind folks were offering up percentages of their sales to donate to this fundraiser. This morning I got the money, and I was floored by the generosity of fellow Etsians, some I know and some I do not know. I can now plan to see my mom several times and not have to worry about the financial part. I am going to see her in two weeks, for Labor Day weekend which is when my dad's birthday is. She was SO excited when I told her I could definitely come! And I told her of my Etsy friends and their kind generosity and she was so touched and happy that I can come more than once. Just making my sweet Mommy so happy was the best feeling, and knowing that I am loved by my Etsy friends is amazing too. I want to thank ALL of you who donated time and money to this, and know that God is good. I pray He returns the blessing to you over and over. This made my day the best day yet since hearing the awful news about my wonderful mom. Thank you all so much. I love you all!

I AM WHO I AM

This has been saved in my files for awhile, I loved it when I read it and kept a hold of it. I'm going through a serious valley right now, my mom is laying in a hospital bed after finding out 2 days ago she has a brain tumor. She's having surgery Tuesday to remove it. She forgets a lot of stuff, she's not herself. We're all scared out of our wits and I'm terrified yet am leaning on God to take away my fear. He has my mom in His hands, and I can rest knowing that. This I AM WHO I AM spoke loudly to me today as I wait to get down to my mom and see her on Sunday morning. Waiting is so hard, she is three hours away and I want to see her whether she is all "there" or not. I will keep reading this throughout my day and remember who is in control. Prayers for my mom, Betty, are very appreciated. Whatever YOU are going through today or any day, look to Jesus for strength, comfort and whatever you need from Him. He is here.

I AM WHO I AM

Exodus 3:14
And God said to Moses, “I am who I am.”

Whatever your challenge is today, whether it is physical, emotional, financial or marital, the great I Am declares to you: “I am to you what you need Me to be.”

Do you need healing? He says, “I am the Lord who heals you. (Ex. 15:26) And as you believe Me, you will see your healing manifest thirty-fold, sixty-fold and a hundred fold.”

Are you groping in the dark, not knowing what to do? He says, “I am the light of the world. (John 8:12) When you walk in Me, you will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Are you looking for a way out of a bad situation? He says, “I am your deliverer. I will reach down from on high, take hold of you and draw you out of the deep waters.” (Ps. 18:2,16)

Are you wondering if there is more to life than merely existing from day to day? He says, “I am the resurrection and the life. (John 11:25) I came to give you life. And where there is life, there cannot be death. You will have life and life more abundantly.” (John 10:10)

Are you fearful of what is ahead of you? He says, “I am the good shepherd (John 10:11), who leads you to pastures of tender, green grass and waters of rest. You will not suffer lack. (Ps 23:1-3)

Are you confused by the opinions and reports of man? He says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last. (Rev. 1:11) I have the final word in your life. The doctors do not have the final word. The experts do not have the final word. I have the first word and the last word in your situation.”

My friend, do not be fearful of the problems you face. The great I Am declares to you, “Fear not! For I am what you need Me to be.”

Look what I just bought!

Lucy, of http://www.mummumscrafts.etsy.com makes the most wonderful mineral makeup. I have a few things by her and recently decided to buy this beautiful lip color. It's shiny and soft, and I can't wait to get it. Check out her shop, her prices are reasonable and the products are awesome.

See what I won?

Jacki of http://www.christiecottage.etsy.com had a blog contest to win a cute Raggedy Andy Fourth of July pin. I entered and was pleasantly surprised that I won one of them! He arrived by mail today and he is so adorable. I love entering blog contests, especially of people I know. I have purchased from Jacki on Etsy before, it was actually a Raggedy Andy pillow for my son. He is so cute and my son loves him.

Check out Jacki's shop, and her blog at http://www.christiecottage.blogspot.com.

Thanks Jacki!

Mineral Makeup from mummumscrafts on Etsy.

I love Lucy! Lucy of http://www.mummumscrafts.etsy.com that is! She makes mineral makeup and sells the brushes with it, and it is fabulous stuff. The mineral foundation powder covers well, hiding my summer freckles, which is great. The colors she has for eyes, cheeks and lips are awesome as well. I have several of them and tried some today and took some pics to show her. In this pic I'm wearing the TWILIGHT mineral eye color. It's a pretty silver color with metallic looking flecks. Very nice! In my other pics, I'm wearing the TWILIGHT on my eyes, and the LOVE 3-in-1 color on my cheeks and lips. And the medium mineral foundation on my face. The coverage is great, you can choose how much coverage you want, from light to full coverage. It stays on ALL DAY, even if I get my face wet... until I use soap and water to remove it at night. It's so great. Go check out her shop!

Featuring Tapestry316

Today's feature is on Tapestry316 on Etsy. You can find the link at the top of this post. The owner of this shop is Kathleen and she is a joy to know. We are co-members on a couple of Etsy groups, Handmade For Life and CAST team (Christian Artists Street Team). She's a very talented artist who does drawings and watercolors. My favorite is her horse paintings, they are so beautiful!
Here is part of her profile on Etsy:

{Life is a tapestry woven by our memories!

“When I grow up I want to be a cowgirl…” Ah, the stuff that makes up our childhood hopes and dreams!

Well, I don’t know if you would call me a cowgirl – but I did realize my childhood dream of having a horse. In fact I have two lovely equine companions, as well as a number of other four footed friends. I think my mom and dad saw all of that coming. I remember how well they coped with the caterpillar colony, the wall of fish tanks, the turtle in the back yard, and – well, you get the picture!

Another thing I remember from my childhood is being surrounded by family treasures. Heirlooms like our youth chair that has seen five generations of children’s little feet and hands or the brass fish bell that has been rung by chubby little fingers since the 1920’s.

And, now? Now it is time to share! Handmade, homemade, vintage, antique, arts, crafts – and unique combinations of all of those things – are what I have to offer. Come and see my shop where the past meets the present!

Want to know more about me and my artwork? Check out my blog:
http://tapestry316.blogspot.com

Please see my Shop Policies for more details on my shipping, returns, etc. Satisfaction is guaranteed – if you have any problems, let me know within thirty days for a full refund or exchange. Your items will be made in a smoke free home; however, I do have an occasional critter stroll through. If you have allergies and want details, let me know. I will use your Etsy address for shipping – please make sure all the information is correct! Sometimes I do use gently recycled packing materials. That saves me money, saves you money and keeps all that stuff out of the landfill!

I am pleased to be a member of the Christian Artist Street Team (CAST), ACEO Etsy Team (ACEtsy), Western Fine Art Street Team (teamwest), and the Whoa Horse Artists Group (Whoa Team). Be sure to check out their team pages for more information.}



I hope you'll check out her shop! Browse around to see the beauty that she creates, and maybe you'll find that one piece that will complete the decor in your home!

WORLDWIDE AUTISM AWARENESS DAY

Today is Worldwide Autism Awareness Day. Actually, this month of April is Autism Awareness Month as well. Why is this important? Because for one, the light of my life and my joy, my son Noah has autism. I've been fighting this fight for over 7 years now. Another reason, because 1 in 150 kids is being diagnosed with this condition. It NEEDS awareness, people have to find out the facts about it. Parents need to know the warning signs, because the earlier you see the signs, the better chance your child has of responding to treatments and therapies.

What IS autism?
Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others. Autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a "spectrum disorder" that affects individuals differently and to varying degrees. (Copied from the Autism Society of America's website).

My son Noah is on the severe side of the spectrum of autism. He has made huge progress and improvements the last couple of years, but there is still a long way to go. He finally started to talk after age 6, very simple one-word copying of words he heard. Now he can ask for what he wants, "banana please" is his favorite request. Most parents would think nothing of a child who says NO, but my son just found this word and he is almost 10. And he is using it properly, once even to answer a question.

This journey is full of sadness, for the child who may never be, for the "loss" of your child when you realize he doesn't communicate or look at you. The devastation of hearing the words, "your son (or daughter) has autism." Because you know, life will never be what you hoped it would be for your child. But then time goes on and the sadness lessens.

Some days we may cry off and on all day, because of stress or sometimes it hits you that your child is stuck inside his or her own head. Some days we get mad, because people in the store are staring and/or voicing their opinion about something they know nothing about. Sometimes I have to say, He has autism, he isn't just being a brat!

Then there are days (or moments) of joy. Us parents of children with autism find JOY in the milestones, no matter how "late" they reach them. It is the joy of knowing that he/she can do it, when doctors and others have said it would never happen. He or she lets you in just for a brief moment and you know you connected with your child. Those are the days we live for!

Thank you for reading about my journey with my son Noah. Please read the following websites for more information about autism.

http://www.autismweb.com/
http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer
http://www.autism.com/

and please check out this blog post about autism awareness day on a team blog I belong to:
http://handmadeforlife.blogspot.com/