Wednesday, September 30, 2009

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month

Last week I received so many blessings. (This has been a very unusual week for me, to say the least.) Linda K. of White Linen Lavender Field http://whitelinenlavenderfield.blogspot.com/ sent a lovely envelope filled to the brim with sweet Victorian lovelies to be used on "The Journals of Love" for persons dealing with cancer. Pretty pink/blue/cream tiny flowers with Cameo's and ribbons, jewels, French ribbon, a wooden spool laden-ed with trims and a handed stamp muslin banding. There was just so much I can not begin to tell you my favorite pieces. (Best of all was the love that she tucked inside.)
Look at the watch faces, buttons and precious mementos that I am so excited to use these on the "Journals of Love". The journals will be so very beautiful because they truly are filled with love. Carole from California sent me two packages of goodies last week then this week Linda K. sent me another. I have not had a second to make anything from Linda's beauties but they will be coming soon.
Here are a few journals that I made last night from the Carole goodies box. Carole, do you recognize the medallions on the fronts of most of the journals? They came from your generosity.
Cora, do you recognize some of the graphics are from you? http://clearlyvintage.blogspot.com/ Cora just sent me the most gorgeous clear "The Modern Women" stamp set to use wherever I can on the journals as well as the bookmarks that I am enclosing in each journal. Thank you, Cora for such a beautiful gesture. The stamps will get worn out from all of the use I will give them . I have decided to make some Journals of Love based around children. I know there are Mothers who will want to write notes and experiences that she went through waiting for her child to recover from cancer treatments. Here are three that I started working on. This will someday be a treasure for a recovered young person to read and reflect upon the miracles that went into making them well again.
I have a quick story to tell.
I won't go into details but a dear beading friend of mine, Deb, has recently lost her Father to suicide. He had colon cancer and it was flaring back up and he wanted to save her the pain of watching him become so helpless. She was her Daddy's girl and has been crushed by his death. Her Mother is under Hospice care and my friend has a huge cross to bare right now. She has joined a suicide counseling group to help her deal with it as she is healing. Today, I personally had the privilege of handing her a book to help her write out her feelings and thoughts during this time. The look in her eyes were so full of grief and how the overwhelming details are taking their tole. That look of appreciation, without words, made me so humbled and touched my heart so deeply that there are no words to express them. (One little act of love can make all the difference in the world to a hurting soul.)
Most of the journals will go to people I will never meet this side of heaven but if I toil over them, fill them with prayers & honest love then God will get the glory. I thank God for the opportunity to give this one special person a part of my love. That is reward enough for me.
I am blessed! Truly Blessed by this ministry. Therefore I know that I know the ones who have donated from their hearts will be blessed also. Thank you, Carole, Linda K. and Cora for helping with this ministry & may God richly bless you all!!
Your humbled servant,
Sharon

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh Dear Sharon~~
My eyes are full as I type this..Bless Deb's heart to have to lose so much..I know your journal will help her when she is able to use it.
You have one of the most giving hearts that I know By that chance encounter one year ago, I am honored to call you friend.

Love and Hugs,
~Lynn♥

Lorraine said...

This is such a touching story Sharon.

Sweet Old Vintage said...

Touching.....

Terry said...

Howdy Sharon
Well now if I can just clear the tears out of my eyes long enough to write I would say God bless you and yours abundantly.
Thank you for sharing your love ,grace and awesomness that is you !
Big Texas size hugs to you today .
May the Lord continue to work in your life and release all the many
things tht you are in need of and even those things that are so little that only you and He share in private prayers.
All my best to to you and thank you again for sharing your blessings .
The photos were fabulous .
Looking forward to more fantastic moments from your very gifted hands.
Happy Trails

a Bohemian Market said...

Sharon:
You, my Dear, are awesome!!!
The lovely goodies sent to you from Linda are so pretty and feminine. We are so blessed to be able to give and to receive from one another. That is the real life we live; sharing and caring for one another.
the Love Journals are so beautiful and yes, I recognize pieces : )
It makes me feel so special that you include me : )
I know the journals help and I am so glad you were able to give to your friend Deb. I cried reading her story. I was a Daddy's girl too so i can empathize with her hurt & pain : (
You are a breath of fresh air and such a joy to know such an unselfish person.
Big hugs & love
carole

The Feathered Nest said...

Sharon, you have indeed found your calling sweet friend!! What a wonderful ministry you have started, touching so many lives with your beautiful creations ~ I know your give of love must have comforted Deb more than you'll know. You truly are an angel!! hugs and love, Dawn

Heather ~Pretty Petals said...

Sharon, what a lovely gift you recieved... and what wonderful gifts the journals are. Such a wonderful gift to give. You are so thoughtful to participate.

I am so sorry for your friend and her loss... she is blessed to have such a caring friend as you.

The Jeweled Postcard said...

You ARE truely an angel! What wonderful things you do for others♥
I too wish we could have met in GA! Some day maybe we can. My son lives like 10 minutes from your favorite antique shop in Brazelton! One day last week the guys went to the big race and I found my way to do some shopping there and thought of you♥

((hugs)) candice

LuLu Kellogg said...

What a very touching story....you are so sweet to make these journals. You are an angel :)

Love,
LuLu~*xoxo

Thank you so much for the birthday wishes!

sashagirl said...

Hi Sharon, this is my first visit to your blog, I found you through Heather @ Pretty Petals. The story you shared of your friend has touched my heart, too. I am sitting here in tears as I type this. One of my son's friends committed suicide last year, it is one of the most heart breaking things we have ever gone through. I talk with this child's Mother quite often and let her know we love her and are thinking of her. What a wonderful gift to give a beautiful journal to a friend who is carrying so much on their shoulders. I will be making a journal for my friend and I know it will be perfect for her! Thank you so much for the inspiration. I can tell by what little I have seen of your blog that you are a beautiful, loving and caring lady. I am so glad to meet you. We just never know when or where we may encounter an angel ;) !
(((hugs)))
Milli (sashagirl on flickr)

Lori said...

Sharon, your journals are such a labor of love...and it is wonderful of you to do this for people you will never meet...how nice that you were able to help your friend...i hope that writing about her loss will help her heal from it...we had a suicide in our family, and it is a very hard thing to deal with...

Debra@CommonGround said...

Dear Sharon, what a joy and blessing to find your blog. You are such a loving artist and friend to so many women. What a wonderful thing to do for those in a great time of need. Thank you so much for coming by and for your lovely comments, but it's me that's grateful to find you!
Blessings, and hope you are having a wonderful weekend!
Debra

Lisa said...

I had such a great time getting to know you at the show last night, Sharon. What a wonderful ministry you have. Glory to God! What a blessing these journals must be to the cancer patients!

Charlene said...

Sharon I hadn't heard from you in awhile so I thought I would pop over & see what was going on in your world. And it is lovelies!!!! How beautiful your journals are! And great that so many have donated goodies to help. Keep up the work girls!!!! Cancer is indeed a MONSTER!!!!! I had double mastectomies in 2005 & am cancer FREEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Deborah said...

Sharon, you received some lovely gifts and I am looking forward to seeing what you make with them. I am glad you got the cards from my Etsy shop as well. I am sorry to hear about Deb's loss. I can just imagine what she is going through. She is blessed to have the love of a friend like you.

Anonymous said...

Such lovelies to have received to make your healing journals. What a precious gift to give others who are hurting and grieving. That is just so wonderful and shows your big heart Sharon!

Thank you for the suggestion for my switch plate issue! That definately sounds like a do-able for me! So many had so many wonderful ideas which is one of the reason I just love all you blog ladies!!

blessings
mary

Nancy Dooren ~ Nans said...

Hello, You can't save the vintage photo's from my blog... All you have to do is right click, and save on your computer. If this isn't working, just e-mail me, and i will send you the photo's with a e-mail back. ;-)

Hugs, Nans
nancyenwilfred@home.nl

You have A GREAT BLOG!!!

Barbara Jean said...

What a beautiful ministry.

I love that you pray over them and put in the word, which can bring peace in a time of great sorrow, and help with the healing.

Blessing to you as you move ahead sharing His love.
Barbara jean

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