Having A Party - Son's Home

FAT will be three (3) years old in May. So we are having a party. To celebrate it's birthday deb is hostessing a FAT Hat Party trade. The hat becomes a favor when turned over. We get to add three things to our favor to do a one-on-one trade. This little hat is only 4 1/2" round. I am working on mine. I can tell you I started with some fun fabric printed with bananas and the words "Let's Go Bananas". Then I ran a piece of bamboo yarn down each side in one continuous piece to form the basket handle/chin strap, hand stitched on. Oh boy was that stitching hard. I chose a fuzzy/furry yarn to wrap around the edge of the hat and continue to the point. Now its looking like a party hat. But I'm not finished yet. I am attaching some dangles but I won't say anymore bc I don't want to spoil all the fun. Besides this may just be a demo for the real thing. The favor is filled with tissue paper, thread, charms and one other thing. But that's not what will really go in mine. I just wanted to show you what could be put inside. This is so much fun. This was created around 2am last night when I could not sleep.

No Sleep For The Weary

And as you can see I am up again at this time. Yesterday my middle son was sitting on the couch talking to his older brother. He looked at us and then said, "Man, I'm getting married next Saturday." It was like an epiphany. It finally hit him. I started to chuckle bc I wondered when it would really or if it would really phase him. I'm glad I got to see and hear him. It was so cute.

My oldest came home for the weekend again. And of course I was the recipient of his practicing his guitar music for church. I don't mind listening to him play any time. He seems to be sleeping about as much as I am. He had an injury to his neck several years back while surfing. He told me he is in pain most days. I'm not sure what can be done, but I do know the Greatest Physician of all can heal him. That's a prayer request for anyone reading my blog. He also had a tough day at work on Friday. He continues to let God work things out for him. I am so thankful for that.

And all this reminds me of a story in the Bible about the Prodigal son. The oldest son wanted his inheritance, sort of demanded it and then left home. He partied and enjoyed all his new found friends that is until the money ran out. Then he was left all alone. He became so down and out the only job for him was slopping pigs. Most days that was where his food came from too. Finally he had enough and figured even his fathers workers lived better than he was doing. So he went home.

Every day his father prayed for him. This particular day his father saw him coming down the road to home. He ran out, greeted his son, and threw a party. He clothed him in the best.
The Prodigal had come home.

But it doesn't end here for me. There was another son, the son that did everything his father ask, the son that kept his nose to the grind, the one most would say was "perfect". This son was angry and became bitter bc their father decided to throw a party for the oldest coming home. He had an "attitude". He refused to come to the party to celebrate his brother's safe return. Which one do you think most pleased the father - do you think there was a favorite child? We grieve decisions our children make, we want to head them off at the pass but sometimes they just need to go through. Hidden attitudes and judgments are more deadly than the outer appearance of sin. I've come to realize the saying "Don't judge a book by its cover" to be very true. Again I wonder if no one could see others physically and relied only on hearing what changes would occur in how we treat one another?

My youngest arrived home sooner than planned from his mission trip. They were able to get an earlier flight home and of course he called 45 minutes out and said he was starving. So we all ate in at our home salad and pizza for dinner with another young couple that's been married only a year. I missed my son while he was in Jamaica. But now he is safe and sound at home. His doggie missed him too. He was able to hang out with his older brother for a short time before he went home.