From The Inside

"What if today you were just grateful for everything." Charlie Brown

There is so much to be grateful for today.  After 34 years of being a pastor....and almost 12 years at Hancock Church, today was Paul's last Sunday.  As of about noon....the Reverend Dr. Paul Shupe is finally retired. 

Our church has been closed to the congregation since last March because of the pandemic, but the ministers have continued to stream the services live from the empty sanctuary...and they never missed a beat. 

I've been watching right along on the Church YouTube channel...and I could work on my puzzle, stitch, or putter in my studio while I watched. Although I've missed sitting in church and seeing people....I've not minded watching from home.

Because it was Paul's last Sunday, I was able to sit in the sanctuary one last time and it was powerful and emotional.  And it was so interesting watch how the "behind the scenes" production happens...from inside the sanctuary.

Portions of the service are sometimes pre recorded and musical clips from past services are interjected into the service....it was always so nice to see familiar faces. The ministers can see what's happening on the monitor helping to get the the timing just right....and it was mind blowing to watch from the inside.

For reasons of safety, the worship staff has divided in half for most Sundays....but today the whole team was there keeping good physical distance.  It was wonderful to have them all together for this last service.

And....as the new moderator of the church, my dear friend Joan was there today too making it that much more special.

And the people said...AMEN!

Cup of Calm

A cup of calm showed up at our door today...and a whole basket of goodies from Hancock Church. 

Paul is in the final stretch at Hancock Church.  Earlier this evening there was a festive Zoom retirement celebration and tomorrow will be his last service.

This also showed up at our door from Hancock Church.....a beautiful succulent arrangement that will find a special home in Maine.  And we had dinner delivered too....no stone was left unturned.  Feelin' the love!

Gentle Reminders

Isn't it wonderful when on what seems like a hectic and busy day....you get gentle reminders that even on days like this....there's always joy.

My friend Dana posted on Instagram about her crazy morning getting her kids ready for school....and it made me chuckle.  She ended the post "sending love and strength for all the exhausting moments & praying we all are present enough to receive the joyful ones."  Just what I needed to hear.

When I got back to Lexington from Portland I found there was enough snow on the walk and around the garage to shovel. It was really cold and I wasn't looking forward to dealing with it.

But as I walked around the corner of the house....the view of the hazy winter sun framed by our large bare ginkgo made me stop in my tracks.  Suddenly the need to shovel seemed like a gift and I was present enough to receive the joy.

I also came home to heartfelt notes and cards from dear friends....got an uplifting text... and had a good pep talk on the phone....all reminding me how lucky I am to have such a loving support system.

Some days you have to look for joy....and other days it just falls in your lap when you need it most.

Break In The Day

"All you need is love....and a tiara.  And maybe a cookie."   Jane Lee Logan

A nice little break in the middle of my sorting day was taking Paul's mom Margie to get her first COVID vaccine.  The facility was well staffed and the process functioned like a well oiled machine.  Although we've been very careful and will continue to be....I will rest easier when she has that second dose just a month from now.  Spending time with her is one of my biggest joys.

I can't start a new puzzle at the condo until after the move....and I haven't had one going in Lexington for months because of the mess...so I'm living vicariously through Margie.  She has become as big of a puzzle lover as I am and she just finished a 750 piece one that I had gotten as a gift.  She's tried out several of my new ones...helping me look forward to them even more.  The colors in this one were amazing!

And speaking of gifts....I realized I never shared the beautiful custom puzzle the project group gave me. It's a photo collage of many of the projects we created at the church....it will be fun to do...and a great momento.

This is the image on the puzzle. Thank you project group!

Traveling Stars

This jar of paper stars has been sitting in the entryway by the back door in Lexington for almost 12 years...and just about everyone who comes into the house asked about them. 

They were made by my friend Adam as a gift when I moved to Madison years and years ago. I have quite a collection of Adam's stars and you can read about them here in this post: 

https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2015/01/star-collectionsurrounding-myself-with.html

Adam made the stars in Maine and they traveled to Wisconsin then landed in Massachusetts.  Now they're all packed up ready to get hand carried back where they started....home in Maine.     

How I Got There

I thought I would share a little about the process of making the JOY quilt for the church. Some images you've seen... a few are new.

Over the course of several weeks I cut and fused tiny scraps of batik fabrics onto a heavy piece of stabilizer...building and overlapping as I went along.  I didn't have much of a plan other than wanting one color to blend into the next and trying not to work too much in a straight line.

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When I got to the point I was satisfied I took it to church to audition it and discovered that the top angle was way off. Joan was a big help....she's good at figuring things out.

It was a little painful to just slice off such a big chunk of color....but it had to be done. (The lighting is terrible in this photo.)

Next it was time for topstitching....one of my favorite parts. I used a variegated thread and stitched a wavy grid pattern and it pulled everything together. Stitching changes everything.  Hmmm...have I said that before?

Time to audition the size of the lettering....again, Joan was a big help. I made the stencils on my computer and cut the letters out of black paper and pinned them on. I used strips of black paper paperclipped along the edge to audition the binding. I was a little hesitant about using black around the edge but as soon as Joan held it up I could tell it gave it a nice frame.  

I always thought the JOY would go horizontally following the angle like in the photo above....but in the end I decided to put it vertical....a little more unexpected. I used my favorite black hand dyed fabric by Vicki from Colorways for the letters and binding because it fuses so well. 

I included photos of it in the letter that went to the congregation this week and have gotten very nice feedback.  It may be months before they can see it in person....but when the doors are open again...they can look for joy.

New Beginnings

"Welcome the imperfection. Welcome the daily lessons. Welcome the stories that take decades to write. Welcome the slow steady growth. Welcome every little thing on the journey that brings you alive. Welcome the process of who you are becoming one breath at a time."  Morgan Harper Nichols

Many of you know that Paul's sister Liz collects images and photographs of people reading....and every year I make her a readers calendar for her birthday. I wrote about the most recent one here in this blog post: 

https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2020/09/another-reader-calendar.html

I'm always on the lookout....and I pause everytime I come across a reader and think of Liz. It's always good to pause for any reason.....it's good for your soul.  

When I got home from Wisconsin with my stack of postcards Angie had collected from my grandmother I found this one....and it was just perfect for Liz.  I set is aside to get it in the mail but it got lost in the shuffle. Then just a few days ago I found it again as I was cleaning and packing so it's finally on the way to Colorado.

And look who sent it to my grandmother...another Elizabeth!  

Liz recently lost her husband to a long term illness....and I just learned yesterday that she is retiring at the end of March.  She's had many layers of grief and joy and is about to start a whole new chapter in her life. So to paraphrase the post card..."May the dawn of every morn bring lasting joy to thee." 

"Welcome the process of who you are becoming."

Here's to new beginnings!

One Inch

My niece Holly and her family live in the UK and they did amazing things with just one inch of snow. Their creations stole my heart today.

Aras and Ayla's self portraits. 

Does it get any cuter than these little guys?

I guess it does!

Thanks Hikmet, Holly, Aras, and Ayla....you made my day!

Noticing Again

A photo of this paper tube project sits at the top of my blog.... I barely notice it anymore.  

The original has been hanging in the bathroom in Lexington....and I barely noticed it there either. But today it came down and it was nice to hold it in my hands and really look at it again. I don't know yet where it will hang at the condo....but it deserves a spot where I will notice it!

One day I'll go back to making these....I think they're fun!

I Spy Bernie!  If you don't know the story about this image of Bernie Sanders in his mittens from the inauguration...just google it.....or you can link to this article.  It's "just Bernie being Bernie."

Bernie is appearing everywhere all over the internet....and here he's enjoying the the pond at the condo.

Thank You Hancock!

"Cling to Joy: audacious and unbridled joy, that looks for light in everything, even in your waiting." Morgan Harper Nichols

I've shared a few glimpses of a fabric piece I've been working on....and it's finally hanging in its new home.

Back in 2015 our church went through a major renovation which included an elevator and an open center staircase with fabulous windows looking into the memorial garden.  There were two art niches built into the walls on two different landings of the stairway, and for the grand opening Joan and I made a tree quilt for one of them.  You can see and read about that here: https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-tree-quilt.html

But the second irregular shaped niche has been empty....until now.

As a token of my appreciation to Hancock Church I'm leaving a little piece of my joy. 

It may still be a while before the doors are open....but virtual Hancock Church continues to be vibrant and joyful...even while they're waiting.

The quilt is made up of hundreds of tiny pieces of fused batik fabrics and

I'll share a little about the process in another post.

It hangs in the niche in the upper landing of the stairwell where you access the balcony and the youth space. You get just a glimpse of it from the sanctuary level and I kind of like that's tucked out of the way....a somewhat literal reminder to always look for joy.

I wasn't prepared to have my photo taken on the day Joan and I installed it....but here I am in all my dishevelled glory. Thank you Hancock Church for inviting Paul and me to share in part of your journey. 

Cold and Colorful

"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who couldn't hear the music." Friedrich Nietzsche

Janet snapped this photo of Anita and me on our cold and colorful walk this morning.  The only thing that would have been better if you she were in it too.

"The Hill We Climb"

I was so moved by Amanda Gorman's poem "The Hill We Climb" recited at today's Presidential inauguration that I listened to it 3 times. If you haven't seen it I highly recommend you take a look....it will give you hope!  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz4YuEvJ3y4

Every line was powerful and beautiful....but here are a few of my favorites:

"One thing is certain, if we merge mercy with might and might with right, then love becomes our legacy and change our children's birthright."

"We will rebuild, reconcile and recover in every known nook of our nation, in every corner called our country our people diverse and beautiful will emerge battered and beautiful."

"When day comes, we step of of the shade aflame and unafraid. The new day blooms as we free it. For there is always light. If only we're brave enough to see it. If only we're brave enough to be it."

The puzzle gift I got from the Project Group a few days ago was wrapped in this paper.....bold and beautiful....just like Amanda Gorman.

Sidetracked

It's been full speed ahead with packing in Lexington...but over the past several days I've gotten a little sidetracked on one particular packing project.

It was time to take down my printers drawer on Sunday....and I always get a little sentimental when I handle these tiny treasures. Everything has a story. I want to tell you every single one...but I'll practice some restraint and just share a few....for now.

Here's that extra puzzle piece I mentioned a few days ago....sitting on top of Paul's Boy Scout water purification pills. 

Paul's dad carved this handsome gentleman.                                                        

Paul and I bought this printers drawer with wedding money and we picked up this is a small bar of handmade soap on one of our first adventures....almost 40 years ago. The fabric used to be bright blue.

We often looked for a little momento for the drawer or an ornament for the Christmas tree on our travels. I love when things are gathered over time.

I found this little statue in the garden....and the arrowhead on our family farm.

This wooden ruler belonged to my grandmother.....

...and it has a 1940 calendar on the back.

Is it weird to have saved a wisdom tooth....and my gallstones?  

Did I go too far? Too much information?

As I was placing things in a box....it got me thinking.  And that's not a good thing when I need to stay focused.  But I gave in and pulled everything out of the box and got to work arranging all my treasures.

Lots of stories sitting here on this piece of barn board from my family farm.

I let them all sit for a day....there were plenty of other things to pack.

Then yesterday I got re-sidetracked.  I had NO other choice....all the things that could needed to stand tall. And by the way....they're still sitting standing there. I'm guessing I'm not the only one who gets sidetracked.