Honoring My Dad's Life

Rev. Richard Leonard Brown (November 16, 2012)

Reverend Richard Leonard Brown, 90, of Kansas City, MO, went to meet his Lord and Savior on November 16^th, 2012.　

He was born on December 24, 1921 to Clyde and Gertrude (Graham) Brown in Waltham, Massachusetts, he spent his childhood in the West Newberry area where he graduated from Melrose High School. He attended a year of business classes from the University of MA before joining the U.S. Army after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He served his country as a 1^st Lieutenant and Infantry Unit Commander, Company A, 307 Infantry, 77^th Division. He fought in the Pacific, Guam, Philippines, Okinawa, and Occupation of Japan. He was recognized with the following military honors: Asiatic Pacific Medal with the Bronze Arrowhead, the WWII Victory Medal, The American Service Medal, 2 Purple Hearts, Bronze Star with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Philippine Liberation Medal.

He was honorably discharged after V-J Day 1945. On December 27 1942, taking a leave of absence, following Officer Training, he was united in marriage to Adalene (“Ann”) Ruscilla Cook of Stoneham, MA.

On release from active duty he settled with wife and first three children in Newton, Massachusetts where in 1950, he accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. He worked for the Salvation Army, taught Accounting classes while attending Providence Bible College, earning his BA degree. He responded to God’s call to become a Baptist Minister. He became Pastor and was ordained at Curtis Corner Baptist Church, Peace Dale, RI. He later served as Pastor of West Roxbury Baptist Church in Roxbury, MA, Rushford Baptist Church in Rushford, NY, Christian Fellowship Baptist Church in Amherst, NY, and Dennison Corners Community Church, in Mohawk, NY.  Following these years, he became Chaplain to the Syracuse Rescue Mission, Syracuse, NY and also served as Associate Pastor to DeWitt Community Church in Dewitt, NY.　 Upon retirement in 1992, he moved to Smithville, Missouri, where he and his wife continued in ministry to local churches, to the Independent Baptist Association, and as volunteers with Source of Light Mission. His wife Ann passed away on February 6, 2006.

Those that knew him best also knew that he was proud to have served his country, humbled and changed by the Grace of God, honored to be called into Christian Ministry, blessed with a loving wife and family, excited and enthused any time he could be together in fellowship with his loving family of Christian Saints, and a dedicated disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, anxious to witness that “Jesus Paid It All – All To Him I Owe”!"Dick” is survived by his eight children, twenty-seven grandchildren, and 31 great-grandchildren.　
Private family services, Hixson-Klein Funeral Home, Gower
In lieu of flowers, donations to Gideon’s International PO BOX 140800 Nashville, TN 37212-0800

FNSI Accomplishment

The evening was full of "Dad activity" because he seems to need more and more attention as the sun descends the horizon, but I was able to simply pick up my needle between calls from his bed and accomplish more than I expected.
I am so glad I chose a relaxing project for my FNSI.

10 in square completed!

I completed my 10" square REDWORK of wild daisies and began the 5"square of four-petaled flowers.
Not bad for an evening, I think!

I absolutely love the contrast of garnet embroidery thread against white cotton in REDWORK! I am anxious to assemble my Notions Keeper and tuck it away for a gift!

My Plans for my FRIDAY NIGHT SEW IN

Drawn pattern for REDWORK

Encouraged by a fellow-blogger, the last Friday night of each month is dedicated to a SEW-IN. I have hopes tonight to accomplish the REDWORD for a Quilted Notions Keeper I am making. Although the photo is light, I think you can see my pattern is daisies and will all be sewn with the embroidery back-stitch. (check back later for a finished look)

My evening hopefully will find me relaxing in my living room recliner, while my weary body rests from my ambitious Fall cleaning. Yup, I've already begun to prepare for the Holidays. A smile is pasted on my face because my oven is cleaned, the cabinets dusted, the cans organized, and even the main walls are dusted down from cobwebs and summer dust.

Fabric Choices

Book Photo of Inner Keeper

It's also been a wearily stressful week in my efforts to care for my elderly Dad. He collapsed over the weekend, and by Monday morning, he was so weak he was taken to Hospice House for symptom management. Although, nurses and technicians took over the heavy work, I stayed at the House with him and emotionally worked through all that would be required now for his care. I happily announce that he is resting in his own bed now, and we've had a couple of more peaceful days. Thank you for all your prayers on his behalf and for my concerns.

So, my friends, please join me tonight in FNSI (http://www.handmadebyheidi.blogspot.com/#)!
Have fun...and let me know what you accomplished on this wonderful nippy Autumn evening!

Credit for my inspiration of a Notion Keeper was found in the book REDWORK with a TWIST by Pat Sloan. My camera captured a photo in my purchased book for your pleasure. 
Pat's blog site is: http://patsloan.typepad.com/quiltershome/contactq.html

Wow! I did it!

Well, the sandwich was ready, the feed dog down, the darning foot attached, the lines drawn on each 4.5" square, and the machine's tension checked.

Now it was time to make the first LOOP!
Practice showed me that I could do it, but this was the real thing...a quilt I wanted my sister to have!

With bated breath, I stepped on my foot control and moved my hands in a steady rate, like I had practiced over and over! One figure 8, turn the quilt and finish the loop with another figure 8!
It was done...and it really looked like it was supposed to look! Wow!

I did it! I really can free motion quilt...and it looks cute!
Oh, thank you, Eva Larkin, for your wonderful book and your encouragement to newbies like me!  

Dreams Become a Gift of Love

Since my last post, I've been wearing out the pages of Free-Motion Quilting Made Easy! I read, re-read the techniques Eva Larkin suggests. Then, I draw them in a journal or practice on 12" squares, which I've divided into 4.5" sewing areas! These activities have convinced me that practice does indeed make machine quilting easier. I won't hesitate to put many 12" squares under my needle before I feel comfortable with most of the book's free motion quilting designs. It has really helped me to think and quilt one small space at a time. My hands are beginning to move in a habitual sway now, which is so encouraging.
I have many more white practice squares, but my projects are need some attention, too!

As I care for my elderly Dad with my Hospice team, my heavy heart waits for updates on a very sick older sister. Knowing how hard it must be to only look at hospital colors and feel their stiffness, I fill my head with dreams which someday, hopefully, surrounds this queen of a lady with beauty and softness. Earlier this summer, I heard of a simple need she had, so I made several moisture proof mats for her hospital bed and couch. Just as I finished and had them ready to package, I was asked to hold on to them. She had fallen several times, alerting medical, and causing a period of observation in the hospital.

It seems she is struggling again with the symptoms of her 27 year old battle with brain cancer.

So, while I wait for the mats to be summoned, I've filled more spare time to add another dream to the package. With the leftover stash of pastel colored flannel fabrics, I cut 5 inch squares and assembled them. My hope is to use the techniques I've learned from the Free Motion Quilting book to quilt a soft feminine throw for the times she sits in her wheelchair or recliner.
Today, I finished the top of this little throw. I used 505 to baste  and sandwich it. This morning, I drew the horizontal and vertical lines in each block as Eva did. This quilting will remain quite simple, but hopefully, I've practiced some easy curves of the LOOP well enough to apply them to these squares.


Dear readers, please pray for my sweet older sister who now needs wisdom and endurance for the very basic necessities of life. Pray that she conquers the spirit of fear and allows her heart to rest in her Heavenly Father's Everlasting Arms as He upholds her and gives her the strength for the days ahead.
Thank you.

She thinks...."I can do it!"

I recently found a real treasure while browsing the shelves in a Used Book Store. With real desires to learn the perfection of quilting by machine, I was excited to find this simply written book of instructions. Showing simple steps for understanding, practice and guidance, I saw possibilities for improving my quilting abilities!
Focusing on the sewing machine, Eva starts with the very basics of tension and stitch appearance. She also instructed me to check my machine for cleanliness, needle condition and size, and thread weight. The date of the last really good cleaning and tune-up assured me that a little check for dust would make my machine ready for practice! With a little brush, lint and dust disappeared from the little pockets of the bobbin case just under the cover plate.

Without much effort, I am learning little tidbits that improve the whole experience of machine quilting.

 Besides the instructions, there are little boxes to highlight suggestions and exercises to encourage practice on each instruction. There is a list of supplies for readiness, plus Eva's favorite products are suggested with tips for what she has found works for her. She encourages a readiness for practice sessions, with 4.5" squares drawn on 12" square sandwiches. I've made a special drawer for these close to my sewing machine hoping that if these squares are at my finger tips, I will be encouraged in many hours of practice before I attempt a large quilt.

Eva encourages drawing the intended designs several times before attempting to quilt them. I bought a graft-papered notebook and carry it around for my leisure moments of drawing and practicing all the designs she inserted in her wonderful book!

The most vital message I carry away each time I read or practice the exercises in this book is: "I can do it!" 
Eva takes every effort to show how easy beautiful quilting can be when the large project is measured in small increments of beautiful stitching within the control of 2 hands being very close to the needle.

My first attempts show a real need for practice. My goal is to give a practice hour each day of sewing with the goal toward the improvement my quilting and stitching by machine.

And I'm seeing ongoing progress and improvement, convincing me over and over again that...
         "I can do it!"
             maybe you can, too!

My favorite movie

                                            There's nothing better than a positive outlook on life! 

To teach a child to find gladness in every situation should be the goal of each parent, teacher, and friend. How different our world would be if raising "POLLYANNA" children was an adult concerted effort in our culture! 

I believe we would see improvement in schools and neighborhoods. Child play areas would be safer and there would be a drop in crime, drugs, and a huge decline in gangs! 

Rather than "what's in it for me?", we would again enjoy the innocent gleam in bright expectant eyes reminding us of that adorable "loving and unselfish attitude that sees good in people, circumstances, and even disappointments"! 

May you find at least one person today that gives you this smile of goodness and peace!