Thursday November 10, 2011

 

 

Is There a Benefit to Blessing Others?

I was listening to Focus on the Family on Tuesday morning while driving home from Curves. The speaker was talking about blessing and encouraging our family and friends. It grabbed my attention, as I am a great believer in the value and power of blessing and encouragement.

 

 

The speaker’s words were challenging me about the time I drove by our niece’s house and saw this sign. The quilts are for a quilt auction owned by my sister and her husband.

I immediately prayed, “Lord, bless them today.”

I hadn’t driven more than a few yards when I heard a quiet, inner voice say, “Stop and tell them what you did.” I argued with myself saying, “They will think I’m crazy.”

I argued with the inner voice for about a quarter of a mile before giving up, knowing that I would regret not going back. I turned around in a church parking lot and went back to Karen’s place where I knew Nancy and her three oldest daughters would be registering and measuring quilts.

 

 

They receive the quilts in a remodeled room on the second floor of their barn.

 

 

Of course they were a bit surprised to see me, and loved when I told them what I had just done.

 

 

Heidi (Amy’s daughter) and Karen receive quilt tops from a woman who drove in about the same time I arrived.

 

 

Karen is Marlin and Nancy’s oldest daughter. This barn is on the property that she and Larry own and live with their two children Travis and Ashlea.

 

 

This quilt top was on the table when I arrived.

 

 

A pretty quilt

 

 

A stack of quilts and quilt tops.

 

 

More quilts

 

 

Many of the quilts are shipped ahead of time and must also be prepared for the auction.

 

 

Another quilt top

 

 

Amy holding her baby Lindsey (5 1/2 months old) as she helps her mom measure a quilt top. Amy is the third daughter of Marlin and Nancy.

 

 

Nancy, my only sister, is almost ten years younger than me. There are two brothers between us in age.

She and Marlin have four daughters. You will meet Karen, Melissa, and Amy in this post. Their youngest daughter Chelsey was in school.

 

 

Amy, Lindsey, and Karen

 

 

Cute baby Lindsey

 

 

Her older sister, two-year-old Heidi

 

 

I thought you would enjoy seeing these turkeys that Amy made. I took a variety of angles so you can make your own if you want.

 

 

She found the recipe in a Taste of Home magazine/cookbook.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Melissa (Marlin and Nancy’s second daughter) preparing a quilt top.

 

 

After learning more about what happens on quilt receiving day, I headed home.

 

 

It was a beautiful day, so I spent a bit of time visiting their chickens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think they were hoping I had food for them.

 

 

I went home and spent the rest of the day in my office – putting the finishing touches to our fourth quarter newsletter, as well as setting up another staff persons newsletter.

 

 

Toward evening Nancy called and laughingly told me that she doesn’t know how many times during the day they said, “Alright Doris Jean, enough with the blessings!”

It seems they received more quilts, quilt tops, and quilted crafts than in any previous time!

~~~

Don’t you wonder how that happens? Would it have been different if I had not prayed. Did blessing their day change anything?

I don’t know, but I do know that if I had not listened to the inner voice that told me to turn around and tell them I prayed a blessing on their day, Nancy, her girls, and I would have missed out on something delightful that God was doing.

~~~

 

If any of the locals are interested in the auction, it is held at Liberty Fire Hall, 339 East Main Street, New Holland, PA.

This one will be held on Tuesday, November 15 – beginning at 9:00 a.m.

For more information go to their website: www.hometownequiltauction.com