What I did this Week: well last week and a little this week

  Last week, I started a sewing project that I will probably look back on as a landmark achievement in my career as an amateur seamstress. Unless, that is, I become really good one day and work for Chanel, which is highly unlikely.

  I present, for your viewing pleasure, a Wonder Woman baby dress.

 

I needed to practice my applique skills, so I made a uniform for my night job.

 

 

 

 

What I did this Week: It was the Forth of July

  This past week has been busy and beautiful and broken. Here at its end I am having trouble remembering exactly how it started. One of the consequences of not journaling.

  Sunday morning found my family and I in Oklahoma. For the first time this year, all the cousins on my Dad's side were together. We had a lot of fun.

 

  Sunday afternoon found my family back in God's country with all my cousin's on my Mom's side of the family, also for the first time this year.

 

  Monday was the 4th of July. Shopping and picnicking happened.

 

   It is hard to say no to books.

 

  In the afternoon, some of us cousins decorated my oldest cousin's house. Because among family members, small acts of vandalism are tokens of affection.

 

   Tuesday I came home to find this masterpiece had come in the mail.

 

  Wednesday, I bought some patterns.

 

  Thursday, I tried out a new muffin recipe, and the results were pretty good.

 

  Yesterday, I got the lamest fortune with my takeout.

 

  Personally, this past week was good. It was really good. I got to spend time with people I love as well as get things accomplished. Nationally though, this past week has been horrible. It seems that every morning I woke to some new brokenness. I keep wanting the world to be better, and yet I live under the shadow of knowing it never really will be. This darkness may be a small and passing thing, but people are a part of this darkness, and it hurts to know that. This is going to sound silly, I needed to get that Switchfoot album when I did. It reminded pain is a part of life. It always will be. And yet pain is where God's goodness is the brightest. Its where His love is the loudest. The wound is where the light shines through.







Saved from the Monsters We Have Made

   

 

  Last week, I read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. To say the least, it was fascinating. All Victorian Gothic thrills aside, Shelley presents some interesting philosophical points in her famed novel.

  Victor Frankenstein, the story's protagonist, is a young scientist. In his studies, he becomes obsessed with the idea of creating life. So much so, that he devotes two years to the work of creating a being that becomes his ruin. At the end of his labors, Frankenstein is horrified by his work and abandons the creature he strived so long to make. Being a finite creation himself, Frankenstein is unable to govern his creation, first as it seeks his help and then again as it exacts vengeance upon him for refusing to assist it.

  When Frankenstein made his monster, he was appalled by it. In the end, he worked to destroy it as it wrought havoc and horror on his life and loved ones. Victor Frankenstein tried to play God, and in doing so, discovered his own limitations. He could not control the work of his own hands.  The physical strength and ugliness of his monster terrified Frankenstein. As an imperfect creator, the being he made in his own image was gruesome.

  God who made all life is a perfect Creator:  Holy, righteous, loving and benevolent. Mankind, the creatures He made in His image, are free-willed and are consequentially broken by their own doing, not by any miss-step of their Creator. Because of His holiness, God has every right and all the ability to destroy the broken and rebellious work of His hands. Yet He chooses not to. He chooses instead to save man.

  Man is far more evil than Frankenstein’s monster. Humanity does not seek the help of their Creator as Frankenstein’s monster sought his. Man rejects the benevolent Creator by who they exist and pursue their own lusts. They disobey the commands of God who made them. Still, God calls mankind to come to Him. He went so far as to give up the life of His Son to pay the due punishment for the sin man has committed.

  The monsters in men’s lives are the ones we have made. And unlike Frankenstein’s monster, we the created have a Maker who desires to lift us out of our wretchedness and destroy the monster’s we have made for ourselves.

What I did this Week: a graduation, promotion, and a reunion.

  This past week my the first week of summer vacation for my younger brothers. And it was a busy week.

  Monday I finished my cousin's graduation dress; which I would dare say is the greatest thing I have ever sewn.

 

  Wednesday, I decided to try this concoction after working out, and it was not bad.

 

  Thursday, most of my family and I drove up to Denton for my cousin's graduation. Her and one of my brothers recreated an old photo in the front yard. Sadly, I do not have the original, but the recreation is still funny.

 

  Then, in the evening, we went to her graduation.

 

  A body has to admit, we are a pretty super looking bunch. ;)

 

  On Friday, we drove to ALERT to my brother's promotion from Basic Training. After nine weeks of him being gone, it was great to see him again.

And so went my week!

 





What I did this Week: bookish

  This year my New Year's resolution is to read a book a week, as I believe I have stated before. In the past few weeks I have gotten behind, so this week I made a courageous effort to try and catch up. Maybe I should read some shorter book later so I can get ahead.

  Anyways, on Monday I made quite a bit of progress on my cousin's graduation dress.

 

 Tuesday, I finished Hamlet.

 

  Wednesday, I finished Riders of the Purple Sage.

 

  And Friday I started Amazing Grace by Eric Metaxas.

 
  Today I woke up early (for a Saturday) and made hash for breakfast, and it was good.

 

  This afternoon brought a lot more progress on my cousin's dress. Here is the inside of it. All that is left is for my to hem it and sew in a hook and eye.

 

And so went my week!

 

   Oh, and my favorite band just happened to announce the title of their upcoming album and release two new tracks. So I will leave you with 'Float' by Switchfoot.



What I did this Week: geek week

  Okay, maybe my week was not geeky so much as it was nerdy. Nerd does not rhyme with week though, and geek does.

 This Wednesday was Star Wars day, so I had a lot of fun telling people, "May the 4th be with you."

 

  Thursday, my Dad and I fixed the display on my laptop because it went out. That was geeky I guess.

 

  Friday, my brother Daniel and I went to see Captain America: Civil War. It was good, and it was intense.

 

   I also started working on my cousin's graduation dress. My cousins are nerds too.

 



  Finally, I made cinnamon rolls today because Mother's day is tomorrow. I will cook them in the morning.

 

And so went my week!

What I did this Week: summertime is maybe in the near future.

  Last week, our pool was made ready for swimming. Perhaps swimming on Sunday was not the best of ideas my siblings and I have had, but it was fun. Sixty-something degree water is great for about ten minutes, and at the end of the day, it makes for a great story.

 

  Monday, I made some Nutella brownies that turned out fudgy and delicious.

 

  



   Tuesday, I started this baby outfit that I worked on throughout the week.

 

  Friday, this awesome shirt I ordered last week came in the mail.

 

  Today, I was again reminded that when it comes to books, I have a problem. Half-Price Books furthers this problem. I have trouble leaving the store without buying multiple somethings. Pictured are today's purchases which consist of (from bottom to top) a classic, a western, a romance, and a bargain.

 

  With that, here is one of my brothers showcasing his athletic abilities.

 

And so went my week. I will leave you now with a single Switchfoot released in honor of their upcoming album.

What I did this Week: Spring Break

  This past week was spring break. At least it was for my little brothers who are still in school.

  To celebrate we had a Mario Cart marathon on Sunday night.

 

   Monday night, I tried my hand at  deep-dish pizza and it turned out pretty good.

 

  Tuesday night, my little brothers all got haircuts.

 

  Wednesday, we did a super nerdy thing for spring break and went to Half-Price Books and Barnes and Nobles.

 

  Thursday, my Dad and I took pictures of chemical plants on our photo safari and they actually turned out being pretty cool.

 

  Friday, we drove up to Big Sandy to drop one of my brothers off for basic training at ALERT. On the way up there, we stopped a really cool timber museum in Lufkin, TX.

 

 

  After dropping my brother off, the rest of my family and I set off for Denton to see our cousins for a short while. Today, us older cousins took the younger cousins to the park for a picnic.

 

   Close to the park was this really cool empty lot full of chairs bearing the title "Chairy Orchard." And as so many things end up being in my life, it was a great photo op.

 

 

  And finally, us older cousins went out for yogurt before my family went back home at the end of our spring break.

 

And so went my week!