Dwayne thinks the fish are dying and the birds are falling out of the sky because I wasn't blogging for a few days. But, I am sure it's just a coincidence... right?

Give me audacity.
I need it to stand
in these robes
you've adorned for me.

Your enemy mocks me,
tells me I'm homely.
And some of your children
like I'm in Joseph's colors, scorn me.

But, you are good and right
to work this way.
So greatly your glory
is offset by clay.

So dress me.
Make me a spectacle
to powers that be.
Display your wisdom
through my simplicity.

I know I'm dark,
but you call me lovely.
So I'll stand for you.
I'll even fight,
if you'll teach me.

Only allow me to reflect your glory
and give me audacity.

- Veronica Boulden

How often are we
like that Pharisee
who thank God
for all we are
and see others
for what they are not
and remain unclean?

I wish it were easier
to be both humble and holy.
But, when the choice is
one or the other,
Jesus says it's better if we

Are like that tax collector
standing before God
without pride
aware only of our need
with sin so easy to see
but none the less
heading home
justified
completely.

-Veronica Boulden

While I was waiting for my friend to call me and tell me she was in labor, I had to do something with all my nervous energy. So, when I came upon this piece of fabric two days ago, I was inspired to make a baby blanket for Ebenezer at the last minute.

I have had this fabric for years and years, since before my kids were even born. I can't remember what I intended to do with it in the first place, if anything specific. I may have just bought it because it was so cute. (Don't laugh. I know a lot of seamstresses who have a hard time not buying adorable fabric, even if they have no idea when or how they will ever use it.)

Knowing my friend and her husband, it struck me as the perfect pattern for their little one. As I was making the blanket, I thought the only thing that might improve the print for them would be shotguns in the mix of outdoor gear. (My friend's husband is a NRA Instructor). And, that was really funny, because when my friend's husband studied the pattern after I gave them the blanket, he said the exact same thing in jest!

I had almost everything I needed for this project at the outset. I happened to have a piece of dark green flannel left over from a previous quilting project. It was large enough and a perfect color match for the back of the blanket. I also already had matching thread. The only thing I ended up needing to purchase was satin binding for the edges.

I washed the fabrics, dried them and ironed them out straight again. I used an old baby blanket of Norah's as a "pattern." I laid it out on top of the two fabrics and cut around the edges. Then, I put the two backsides together and stitched a zig zag stitch about half an inch in. Below, you can see the front side of the blanket, the soft, stretchy cotton and you can see the backside of the blanket, the softest side of the flannel piece.

Next, I laid the blanket into the binding and pinned and pinned and then pinned some more.

I watched this video to learn how to miter the corners. It was a really tedious process at times, especially with slippery satin.

Next, I got the idea of adding a few ribbon tags to the backside of the blanket. Babies love to suck on ribbon tags, don't they? But, I had already been to the fabric store for the satin binding and the clock was ticking, this baby was going to be born any minute! So, instead of going out again to buy ribbon, I went around the house, looking frantically for things that would work as tags in place of ribbon.

I did have some red and green stripped ribbon left over from our Christmas crafts this year. Remember our snow man ornament? I slipped two pieces of that under the unfinished seams and pinned them into place. Next, I found an old, red robe I can't fit into anymore. I used a section of that robe's straps as two more tags. Finally, I found a toy-sized canvas purse in Norah's dress up collection. It had red straps, so I used one of the straps for tags as well. Once everything was pinned in place, I used a zig zag stitch to finish and hold the binding (and the tags) onto the blanket.

And, while I thought I was making a gift for him, this photo of newborn Ebenezer sleeping under my handiwork ended up being a gift to my heart.

I helped my friend give birth to her beautiful baby boy, Ebenezer. What an incredible experience it was! I thought I would write about it here, since I write about everything else here so naturally. But, now that it's all over, I feel like it just isn't my story to tell. Suffice it to say that I am very impressed with the faith and strength and grace my friend showed through the entire process. I am humbled by the privilege I had of serving her and her husband, in their sharing such a sacred event with me. And, I am sure the experience will be one that inspires countless moments of worship and glory and pride and joy in my heart throughout the years when I remember it.

My friend Jessica is about to have a baby any day now! She's asked me to be her birthing partner (along with her husband, of course). So, I've got my scrubs ready, along with everything else. It's all laid out for when I get the call. She wants to have a natural birth, so I am studying up on my breathing techniques and comfort measures. I didn't even study this hard for my own natural births! Mostly, I just depended on my doulas to give me ideas for handling the pain. But, now that I am the doula, I really need to know my stuff! I am also praying constantly, meditating on Scripture and asking God to empower me to be a blessing to my friend. It's exciting. I can't wait to witness the miracle of birth from this perspective. I'll post pictures of her precious little baby Ebenezer or "Eben" when I have them.