Four Japan Blocks

One of my neighbors is a public defender. She’s one of the smartest, most compassionate people I know. I have a lot of friends who are nurses, and a lot more who are school teachers. I don’t believe any of these women chose their careers because they hoped for money, power or fame. In fact, I’m pretty sure they decided to become teachers, nurses and public defenders because they wanted to live in a world where children get a good education, where the hurt and sick are comforted, and where the accused have the right to legal counsel. There are men in all these fields, but it’s been my experience that most women tend to chose positions for reasons that have very little to do with the size of the paycheck. No one’s offered to pay me to be a homemaker. I just wanted my kids to grow up in a home that has one. 

Four Cotton Reels

There was a time when my purse was full of little slips of paper. If I had a question about anything I’d jot it down and save it until I could get to the library and look up the answer. When I had room I kept a set of Encyclopedia Britannica and a Funk & Wagnalls (no, I’m not kidding) for questions that couldn’t wait for a library trip. Then I bought a desktop and installed Encarta. Suddenly there were answers to my questions at my fingertips – as soon as the computer booted up. How far away is the moon? Which animal has the longest gestational period? What’s the recipe for bouillabaisse? Google just announced this year’s most common searches. Apparently in 2017 people wondered about the latest hurricane, the newest iPhone, the men accused of inappropriate behavior, and the girl engaged to Prince Harry. I didn’t Google any of these. I must be out of touch.

Japan

This is the primary block in the Quilt Etc. free block-of-the-month for December, made exactly the way the directions indicate. It wasn’t remarkably difficult to assemble: just eight rectangles – six white and two brown – each with a covered corner triangle at one end. But the finished product seems to me to be weird and awkward; completely lacking in grace and balance. As soon as I got my block kit home, I tried looking up the pattern in my books and on the Internet. I never found it. The nearest match was https://mombowe.blogspot.com/2017/12/windy-city.html which I made and posted a little more than a week ago. I decided to give this block another chance this week, to see if my opinion of it would improve. It hasn’t, but you’re free to like it if you choose. I’ve learned (and keep on learning) that there are as many ways to see a thing as there are eyes looking at it. 

Cotton Reel

I teach fifteen half-hour long piano lessons every week. When a student walks in the first words out of my mouth are usually, “How did your week go?” I guess I’m hoping to hear they found time to practice, that they fixed the fingering problem in their recital piece, or that they did their theory assignment. Instead, I usually hear about how stressed their parents are, especially at this time of year. I get it, I really do. You want everything about Christmas to be perfect: the decorations, the food, the parties, the presents. But there’s only so much time and energy and money to go around. When Christmas is over, the kids won’t remember how many toys they got. They’ll remember time spent with you. Skip the elf on the shelf and watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas together, with popcorn. Bake cookies together or build a fort out of sofa cushions. Make memories. They’re cheaper. They’re priceless.

Four Coral Courts

The story of Hanukkah dates back to the year 167 BC, when Israel was being oppressed by Greek-Syrians. Practicing Judaism was forbidden, and the Jewish temple was defiled with pigs’ blood. A priest’s son named Maccabee led a revolt, taking back their city and their temple. When the temple was rededicated there was only enough oil to light the lamp one night, but somehow it burned for eight days and nights. That’s why the Festival of the Lights takes eight days to celebrate. Last year Hanukkah began on Christmas Eve, and next year it will begin December 2. Today is the first day of Hanukkah this year. You might celebrate by playing dreidl or by eating something fried in oil, like jelly donuts or potato latkes. Other traditional Hanukkah foods include brisket, short ribs, challah, and noodle kugel. 

Four Ex

“My brothers and sisters, we are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness—be they family members, friends, acquaintances, or strangers. We are the Lord’s hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us. That service to which all of us have been called is the service of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are the Lord’s hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us. That service to which all of us have been called is the service of the Lord Jesus Christ.” – President Thomas S. Monson

Coral Court Friendship Star

 It was still dark and cold (21 degrees Fahrenheit/-6 Celsius) Thursday morning when the firetrucks began to gather in the mall parking lot. There were dozens of vehicles, carrying more than a hundred firefighters from all over northern Utah. I caught a glimpse of them as the sun began to creep over the eastern mountains. My first thought was, “Oh, no! Is our mall burning?” But the trucks weren’t there because of a local tragedy. They were headed to the California to help battle the raging wildfires there. It’s sobering to think that these people are going toward danger, putting their lives on the line to save other peoples’ malls, other peoples’ homes, and other peoples’ lives. There’s a very good chance they won’t be back until nearly Christmas. I’m amazed and grateful that there are such selfless people in the world. And I pray they’ll all be safely home soon.