Kitchen Table Memories

My friend Michele came by last week so I could help her build a facebook page for her blog Living Our Days.  Michele says of her new facebook page and this photo -

"Here's where it all began - at a kitchen table,
like so many wonderful things."

She's speaking of my kitchen table shown above. As I reflected on this photo, I was in awe of all it represented by itself. A print of a famous painting (The Angelus) given to me by my mother. It depicts a peasant couple praying, which serves as a reminder to be thankful for what I have. A pair of pilgrims given to me by my friend Vee as we both have ancestors who came to this country on the Mayflower. My "fruit of the Spirit" bowl given to me by my friend Judy ~ and of course the obvious work in progress over cups of coffee that grew cold before we finished them.

It's so much more than just a table with hand-me-down yellow country chairs, popping against the dark purple fall tablecloth (a thrift store treasure). It's a place where memories are made.

Being a pastor's wife and living in the church parsonage, my kitchen table gets a lot of use. If my table could talk, it would remind me of all the family meals we've eaten there; the times of crafting with grandchildren and friends; the blog posts written; the people we've prayed with; conversations over the endless cups of coffee or tea; friendships formed; bibles studies; weddings planned; babies announced; laughter and tears.

As Michele and I got down to business on our laptops, we shared our knowledge with one another, we laughed a lot (well..I laughed a lot - she's really funny), and we prayed. I learned she likes black coffee (she's a minimalist, I am not). We had a good time, and accomplished much. We made a memory.

Michele recently reviewed the book "The Life Giving Table" by Sally Clarkson, and talked about her own "life giving" table where she and her husband raised and schooled, four boys. 

You can find Michele on Facebook here: Living Our Days
This blog, Little Birdie Blessings is on Facebook here: Little Birdie Blessings

Thanks for visiting, reading, subscribing and commenting on my blog. You're the reason I keep writing. Have a blessed day.

Standing in the Need of Prayer

Dear Friends, I come today, asking prayer for my friend Vee and her husband. Vee blogs at A Haven for Vee and after a few years of corresponding we met at my home last summer.  

Here's Vee's account of our visit with lots of pictures:
Meeting Abby & Bill
Here's my account of our visit;
A Sweet Reunion

Vee's husband and best friend John is critically ill and she has been by his bedside. Here are some of her own words written this past Sunday, 5/22/16. 

Vee: Today I have seen the hand of God in everything. One miracle after another.. . . . .John is in cardiac care after suffering a tear in his aorta. He was airlifted to a major medical center where he was in surgery for six hours this afternoon and evening. If you are a praying person, I covet your prayers for him. We know that he is a blessed man for having been in the right places at the right times with the right people able to help. When I can, I'll provide an update.

I find it remarkable that despite being in the midst of devastating circumstances, Vee sees the "hand of God in everything, one miracle after another". 

You can read more of her post here -
Lilacs Will Bloom Again

So many, standing in the need of prayer - one of my readers is mourning the loss of her adult daughter to cancer. Others in my circle of family and friends standing in the need of prayer. Tomorrow is not promised for any of us, young or old. Trusting in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, is a promise that is real, and one I cling to.

Are you unsure of your eternal destination? Here is a post I previously shared numerous years ago, some words my husband spoke at the funeral of a childhood friend. ETERNAL DESTINATION

That one post has been viewed more than any other I've written on my blog - over 25,000 times. It baffles my mind, but God is bigger than blogger and certainly bigger than me. If He has a message to get out, it's going to get out there.

Thank you for praying. Look around you, to your circle of family and friends, who is standing in the need of prayer? Pray for them, pray with them. 

A Sweet Reunion

My friend Vee blogs at A Haven for Vee. I'm not sure exactly when we started corresponding but we became fast friends even though we hadn't met. We had lots in common such as: we both lived in Maine, had grandsons of similar ages, we enjoyed sewing, vintage items, our husband's had similar personalities and we all shared the Christian faith.

We occasionally talked about meeting, but being the procrastinator that I am, it was Vee who actually initiated the contact.  Bear in mind, it is a whole two hours to get here to there or there to here. A date was set to meet. We invited them to our home, the church parsonage for a lobster feed. I didn't realize until later that Vee was a little nervous about the whole lobster experience. John on the other hand was not.

We texted back and forth as they made the trip here, as I prepared to answer one of her texts, they pulled into the driveway.  It was really happening, I was meeting my dear friend face to face for the first time. If you follow Vee's blog at all, you know she's not one to post a lot of selfies of herself, neither am I. It was a sweet reunion. John and my hubby Bill hit it off right away as we knew they would. They had lots to talk about. I think Vee was restraining herself with her camera, while she was here, but the pictures she got were good.

After the lobster feed, tour of our church, impromptu visit by my daughter and her boys, we toured the town and ended up at a local lighthouse. Vee and I collected rocks and shells while the men-folk talked some more. We came back to our house for some dessert and coffee, the day was over, it was time for them to leave. I didn't want them to go, we still had things to talk about. I was sad as they pulled away but so very thankful we had that special time together. Vee and I will get together again along with the men folk. I am very appreciative that God put it on Vee's heart to take the initiative to visit. I'll always treasure that day in August, 2015. You can read all about this day from Vee's perspective here: A Haven for Vee, Meeting Abby & Bill

Thanks for visiting today.

Sharing Gifts

When people take the time and care
to make the presents they give,
they put into the gifts not only the materials needed,
  but also a part of themselves.
~ Tasha Tudor ~

Dainty detailed pincushion made for me by Vee

Do you make things?  Do you like to give?  My sister Elizabeth makes beautiful quilts and gives them as gifts. My sister Debbie makes elaborate doll clothes and dresses for her granddaughter.  My mother I'm sure has lost count of all the dresses she made for us over the years.  My daughter Bethany makes beautiful bird's nest pendants to give as gifts.  My step-daughter Erin is a designer and recently has been making stuffed animals to give to all the new babies in our family.  

I enjoy sewing and other forms of crafting.  I take great pleasure in giving away the things I make.  I recently received handmade gifts from some blogging friends and would like to share them with you.
My friend Vee who blogs at A Haven for Vee (currently on a blogging vacation), made the delightful blue pincushion for me, shown above.  I love the tiny star doily (handmade by her), and the little teacup button in the middle.  She also made the lovely tea towels, shown below.  If you look closely, the tan towel has a row of various fabrics sewn together to make a strip.  I say delightful!!!  Thank you dear Vee.  I appreciate your friendship and your thoughtful gifts.  

If you'd like to peek at a gift I sent Vee, you can check it out **here**
Vee has various sewing posts and tutorials on her blog.  You can find them **here**.   Vee is on a blogging vacation, I do miss her and hope she comes back soon (no pressure Vee, enjoy your rest).

The Enchanting Rose

My blogging friend Stephanie from The Enchanting Rose, made me these delightful pillows shown above.  I love all the details, especially the bird's wing which was up-cycled from a doily.  If you'd like to see how she made them, you can visit Stephanie **here**.  Stephanie has a lot of sewing tutorials on her blog as well.  Thank you sweet Stephanie.

Both of these dear ladies have a gift for not only sewing, but putting their heart into the gifts they are making.  They are also gifted with putting fabrics and accessories together, making the perfect project in a type of collage format.

If you sew, knit, crochet, bake, paint ... whatever it is you do, we each have our own unique style.  Never be afraid to give something you've made to another for fear of it not being good enough.

Altered Art Plate by Melissa @ Piney Rose Designs

The vintage altered art plate, shown above was made for me by my friend Melissa at Piney Rose Designs.  I just love all the little details she put into it.  The lace trim, music background, roses, scripture, and the beautiful woman.  One of Melissa's projects was recently featured at The Graphics Fairy.  You can find it **here**.  Thank you Melissa and congratulations on being featured so prominently.  

The photo above is the view of our church from my sewing room.  I think it's a delightful view and I feel very blessed to have such a lovely space.  More on that later.  

Happiness doesn't result from what we get,
but from what we give. 

Dr. Ben Carson

Thank you ladies for your generosity.  It warms my heart.  Blessings to all of you on this September weekend.

Vintage Birthday Freebies

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.
Philippians 1:3

Hello my friends.  Since spring seems to be a time of lots of birthdays, I thought I'd share some birthday freebies with you.  These are pre 1915 postcards from my collection.  I'm even including some birthday word art in png format.  I hope you enjoy them.  

If you're looking for this week's Scripture Thursday linky party, you can find it here.  SCRIPTURE THURSDAY    There's still time to link a project you've made that has scripture from the Bible.   

Drop a comment and let me know if you like them.  I think they're darling.  Feel free to pin as well.  I want you to know each and every comment is read and appreciated, as well as the emails.  I am not able to respond to them all, but am blessed and encouraged by all of them.  Your response has a huge impact on the reason Little Birdie Blessings keeps on keepin' on.  You are all very dear to me.

Free Images ~ Friends ~ and a Verse to Remember

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily,
as to the Lord, and not unto men.
Colossians 3:23

Okay... is this Victorian trade card not the most adorable thing you've seen in a long time.  When I saw it, the verse at the top of this post came to mind immediately.   This little girl may not be very happy about her chores, but we're reminded in Colossians 3:23 that WHATEVER we do, do it  HEARTILY for the Lord.

Webster's 1828 dictionary defines the word HEARTILY as:

from the heart
with all the heart
with sincerity

with zeal
actively

vigorously
eagerly
freely

Are you getting the picture?  I am, and certainly this post is as much for me as any of my readers.  To help me visually remember this verse, I've added it to this sweet Victorian card as a reminder that whatever I do, is for the Lord.  

My friend Pat who faithfully attends a Bible study I have in my home, is an avid reader of my blog and always has an encouraging word.  She knows that vintage images are near and dear to me and surprised me not long ago with a stack of THE sweetest Victorian cards.   When she gave them to me, she said I can't wait to see what you do with them.  The sweet graphic above comes from Pat's gift to me.   

My friend Pat ~  a woman after God's own Heart

Pat knows what it's like to heartily work for the Lord.  She graciously, tenderly, compassionately, and unselfishly cares every day and night for her husband who suffers from dementia.   She is a very giving person and opens her home once a week to a sewing group.  She knits socks (I have 2 pairs) and gives them away, makes jam, cans veggies from her garden, tends flowers, is a prayer warrior and loves the Lord with all her heart.   I am thankful that she is part of my life, one of God's blessings to me.  

Have a wonderful weekend my friends.  I'm delighted that you've stopped by to visit.   

Free Scripture Art ~ Greater Love

Greater love hath no man than this,
that a man lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:13

 

This scripture graphic was made using my own antique image
and a graphic from Lilac & Lavender

Here is the scripture image without the border.  Free for you. 

There's still time to add your project to this week's Scripture Thursday Linky Party.  Click below to see the post.

Scripture Thursday Linky Party #16 ~ Amazing Grace

Thank you for stopping by today.

Scripture Thursday ~ Love One Another

If God so loved us,
we ought also to love one another.
1 John 4:11

Scripture graphic for you

The Bible is filled with verses about God’s love for us.  In one of last week’s posts, I mentioned these scriptures about God’s love for us.

He knows the number of hairs on your head
But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Luke 12:7
 
He knows every tear you shed and stores them in a bottle
Thou tellest my wanderings:
 put thou my tears into thy bottle:
are they not in thy book?
Psalm 56:8

His thoughts toward you outnumber the grains of sand
How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God!
how great is the sum of them! If I should count them,
they are more in number than the sand…
Psalm 139:17-18

Free Digital Scripture Graphic I made with vintage images

 

These last few weeks, I have had an outpouring of love from my friends and family.  They have showed their love to me in ways that were ordinary to them, but cumulatively proved to be extraordinary to me.  

 

It’s not my birthday, I didn’t have surgery, and I haven’t gone through any serious event, just normal days.  The people in my life have shown their love to me in various ways that are unique to each of them.  

The gift of handmade gifts 
The gift of time
The gift of words
The gift of passing on their treasures to me  

 

The gift of real letters in the mail
The gift of prayers
The gift of laughter together
The gift of encouragement

I’m touched by their kindness and realize that God is blessing me beyond measure through the people around me.  In doing so, he’s showing me that he loves me more than I can comprehend.  I want to be that kind of person that God uses to bless someone, that they would feel his love through me, just like I’ve received. 

There’s a hymn titled Make Me a Blessing that came to mind as I wrote this, here are some of the lyrics:

  

Give as 'twas given to you in your need;

Love as the Master loved you;
Be to the helpless a helper indeed;
Unto your mission be true.


Make me a blessing,
Make me a blessing,
Out of my life
May Jesus shine;
Make me a blessing, O savior, I pray,
Make me a blessing to someone today.

Free vintage scripture graphic

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  I’d love to hear from you, leave me a comment and let me know the ways people around you have shown their love.  The images included in this post are free to you.  Please do not sell the actual image or include in digital collage sheets for sale.   You may link back to me if you use on your blog but it’s not necessary.

Thanks for stopping by today. 

So Thankful for my Friends

You show that you are a letter from Christ,
the result of our ministry,
written not with ink
but with the Spirit of the living God,
not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 

2 Corinthians 3:3 (NIV)

I came across this scripture recently, and I just love it. 

It reminds me that I'm richly blessed with friends.

Friends that God has given me

Friends that are written on the tablet of my heart

In order to have friends.......

                      one need to be a friend.

That means giving of your time when necessary,

sharing, caring, offering encouraging words
and praying for your friends.  

Philippians 2:3 says,  

Do nothing out of selfish ambition 

or vain conceit, but in humility

consider others better than yourselves.

Place more value on your friend's needs than your own.  

 

My heart is full this week,

full of JOY that I've received from my friends. 
The JOY arrived from various friends in various forms
and is written on the tablet of my heart.

Thanks for stopping by.  I've included some free vintage images in this post for you.   Enjoy!

 

Thankful for My Friends ~ Scripture Thursday

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers.
Ephesians 1:16

Do you have special people in your life that you’re thankful for? I sure do! Outside of being thankful and grateful for my family, I have special friends that the Lord has brought into my life. I am very grateful for them. We do things to help each other and compliment each other in areas where one is weak and the other stronger. I can think of many times my friends have gone out of their way to help me just because they wanted to.

I have received surprise packages in the mail, had my flower garden weeded, meals brought at just the right moment, handmade cards, just because gifts, bouquets of flowers from their personal gardens, the gift of time which is very precious to me. The most treasured gift that I can give my friends and they can give me is prayer. I am very grateful when I know my friends are praying for me, and likewise they are grateful for my prayers. I like this poem below by Helen Steiner Rice about friends.

People need people and friends need friends,
and we all need love, for a full life depends..
not on vast riches, or great acclaim,
not on success or on worldly fame,
but just in knowing that someone cares
and holds us close in their
thoughts and prayers.
Helen Steiner Rice

Thanks for stopping by today my friends.  I'm grateful for each and every one of you.   Have a blessed day.

A Little of This and a Little of That

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Share with God’s people who are in need.
Practice hospitality. 
Romans 12:12-13

Thanks for all your kind comments while I took my mini blog vacation. 

It's early morning for me at this moment, and I'm thankful for the coolness this morning brings.  Our little corner of the world in Maine yesterday hit 100 degrees.  Not something we are used to at all.  Very few homes have air conditioners and if they do it's just one room.  We persevered through it.

I visited my friend Sheila this week who has THE most beautiful flower gardens.  While I relaxed at her little cottage by the sea, I watched as she clipped a snip of this and a snippet of that and transformed it into this beautiful bouquet for me.

 

Beautiful Bouquet from  Sheila's Garden

I received the most delightful package awhile ago from my friend Esther at Shoregirl's Creations.  I used many of the items before I photographed it because I was so taken with all the little treasures inside.  Tons of embossed butterflies, tissue paper flowers, tiny scrollwork flowers, die cut flowers, paper buttons, wallpaper with a vintage look, lace, a rubber stamp.  I was so pleased to get it.  She thoughtfully prepared it just for me with colors she knew I'd enjoy.  Thank you sweet Esther.

Goodie Package from my friend Esther

This next image which is free for you, is a piece of vintage fabric that I scanned.  The bright colors reminded me of summer.  Hope you enjoy it.

Free Background ~ Vintage Fabric

 

 

This next free graphic comes to you from the pages of one of my antique children's books of nursery rhymes.  Here's Miss Little Bo Peep for you.  Don't forget to click on each image for a larger size. 

Free Graphic ~ Little Bo Peep

Awhile ago I was experimenting scanning flowers.  Here's a daisy for you, one of my experiments.  I edited the photo in Picasa using the focal black & white feature.  I made just the center have color.  Easy to do!  

Free Daisy ~ From Me to You

One of my most favorite things to do is to collect shells.  I usually look for the white ones, and one of the beaches I go to has a bountiful supply of them.  I have multiple glass jars filled with the shells.  Here's a close up photo I took of one of my jars.  I changed the photo to sepia-tone.  Hope you enjoy it.

Free Image for You ~ Shells in Antique Jar

My friend Judy got back from vacation yesterday and brought me the most delightful vintage postcards.  They will be shared with you at some point.  One of them has sweet little birds that is just waiting for me to transform it.  I have such thoughtful friends.  I am blessed indeed.  Thank you Judy.

Have a wonderful weekend my friends.  Thank you again for all your kind comments.  I am so appreciative of each and every one.

Just Because

And let us consider how we may spur one another on

toward love and good deeds.  

Hebrews 10:24

Free Vintage Image

I had a surprise at my door yesterday.  My friend, who lives on an island, sent her husband to deliver a gift to me.  It's not my birthday, she sent it "just because".   It was packaged beautifully and contained the most wonderful handmade gift I could ever receive from her.  It was unique, one of a kind, she had made it just for me, and it came straight from her heart.  It is something I'll always treasure.  

Free Vintage Image with Scripture

Have you ever given a "just because" gift?  I received a package in the mail from Australia and it contained the most beautiful handmade tag and card from my dear sweet online friend Linda.  She also included another surprise which she knew I'd love.  Look at the card, how the little tag says "just because".  What makes this so interesting is that she re-cycled the bird sticker that was on a package I sent her.  Linda makes THE most beautiful cards - you can visit her blog here: Lovely Linda's Craft Central

"Just Because" gifts from Linda

Handmade gifts are always special because they come from the heart.  Do you have a friend you could do a little something special for "just because"?  Perhaps a hand written note instead of an email, flowers from your garden, a handmade bookmark. 

Free Vintage Image

Here are a few more sweet images I'm sharing with you today from my collection of vintage postcards.  Don't forget to check out details on my  

Friday Blog Giveaway for a chance to win a darling pack of note-cards. Another winner will be drawn this evening.

Free Vintage Birthday Postcard

Free Vintage Image of children.

Have a wonderful weekend my friends.  I hope you enjoyed today's post and it inspired you to do something special for one or more of your friends.