Mama Did Right

Over the course of the last few weeks, I've taken pictures of the different items I've either sewn, knitted or whatever. Today I stopped to take a look at them, REALLY look at them and see what a truly awesome gift my mother gave me......

She gave me the training, instruction, attention and encouragement to be able to make something with my own hands. She encouraged me to watch the details, the extra little something's that make things different, and to expect the best from myself. Mom taught all us girls that lesson, and it shows in the things all three of us do: quilting, card making, paper crafting, crocheting, knitting, sewing..... and the art of being resourceful. Even though mom was not a nature buff by any means, she knew how to use every color in God's rainbow to make the most phenomenal things, like quilts - her specialty later on in her life.

Today I'd have given anything to just TELL her how much she had influenced her daughters. I know I never told her while her mind was well enough to understand, but I'm asking Jesus to let her know - and that I love her.

When I say Sister, You Say....?

My thought process in analyzing the word "SISTER".

Those of you who are a sister, or have a sister can relate I'm sure. But while I was getting ready for work this morning, I pondered the word and its powerful meaning. Do you ever give it any thought? There are so many meanings and connotations to the word. Some observations I have made is that I have many sisters, of many types! Here goes.....

I have a sister, who is a sister-sister. You ask, "WHAT?" OK, the eldest (sorry Carole) sister has led a life of inspiration, love, motherhood, being a grandmother, a missionary and has now entered another chapter of her life being a Catholic nun. So not only is she my sister in the true sense of the word, but my Sister-Sister. Anyone else have that in their vocabulary?

Then I have a sister, who is my sis. My sis and I have become like peanut butter and jelly after a childhood of being opposing magnets. Because of this relationship flipping (kind of like a house) there comes a more endearing name - Sis. There is so much to talk about that taking the time to say a two syllable word 'sister' takes too long - there is so much else to say!!

Then there is the sista. These are my in-laws, a group of women that are not only family, but my friends who I love. There has to be some teasing involved knowing my in-laws, so they deserve the name sista because they are fun gals who enjoy MUCH "laughta". HA!!!

Then you have what you'd call a 'soul sister'.... I have one, but she has three sister names in my life. Not only is she my soul sister, she is my sister-from-another-mother (or sista-from-anutha-mutha) and my sister in Christ. As the kids would say, she is my BFFL. These sisters not only share your life, but they share something even deeper within you, and actually GET you.

Aren't we blessed to have sisters? To be sisters? To know sisters?

So when I say sister, you say......?