11 Essential Virtues

Recently I watched a television show with 2 very intelligent people discovering that they both enjoyed a 'treat' that I would firmly class as junkfood. One character looked at the other and said "They contain 11 essential vitamins and minerals". That just cracked me up at the time and has stuck with me.

So I got to thinking.....wouldn't it be cool to think of actions and/or people as containing 11 Essential VIRTUES instead?? If I could only contain 11, of the many virtues, which would I choose as most Essential?

There is no doubt that vitamins and minerals nourish our bodies. Wouldn't the virtues nourish our souls?

Ut oh.... I can feel it. Some of you are 'concerned'. I've said the 4 letter "S" word and you're frowning. Seriously, all that frowning leads to wrinkles!

Maybe I should spell it instead, sort of like using a babystep or a kid-glove?

S - O - U - L

We can certainly debate the existence of the soul at some future date. For now, humour me and allow me to state it as fact.

Working from the premise that we all have one of ......*those things*...... do we need to fear that Dawne will approach her soapbox, get on it and begin to preach? Nope. Not a chance. I just like to talk about important things, sort of like doing pushups for the mind. Keepin' in shape and all that.

It's an interesting concept - the Virtues - isn't it? It's completely a religious topic while simultaneously being completely not religious. Feel better? I sure do.

For me, virtues live firmly within religion - within EVERY religion and they live as comfortably in the realm of the intellect. We can study them philosophically (ethics) or religiously or both. We can all discuss them calmly, and with respect, completely avoiding the nonsense of conflict. (What a concept! )

You see....I know something of an open secret. Maybe you haven't heard yet so let's pass it around.

ALL the world's religions have the same virtues.

Does that mean our agnostic and atheist friends are left out? Cold and shivering on the street corner like poor Bob Cratchet before Scrooge learned generosity?? Nope.

Open secret #2

The virtues are free! No membership required. Any and all are welcome to 'em!

Isn't that a relief? We don't have to worry about it any longer and I can get on to sharing my list, Dawne's 11 Essential Virtues. Hopefully, many of you will in turn share your list. You can write it in a comment here or on your own blog. Would be nice if you would share your blog link with me so I can find it though. I assure you I'll read it.

Before I continue I must confess that I have a resource. I love, and use, The Family Virtues Guide. I've shared the link so you can see the book cover. I bought it at my regular book store after seeing a friend's copy in her home. (thanks Janice)

Don't worry if you don' have a special book on the subject. Most of us know a lot about virtue. Raised in a faith or not I'm sure you can name plenty. The book mentioned above contains 52 Virtues shared around the world in every culture, every faith. I've expanded my knowledge on the subject just by thinking about how to be a rational minded person of goodwill. The book just took the work out of it for me :)

Legal disclaimer:
Dawne is not a perfectly virtuous person, nor does she play one on tv. Pregnant and lactating women should use virtues liberally. There are no dose maximums and no minimum age for using the virtues. Feel free to use while driving and operating heavy machinery.

Side effects include: enhanced gifts of character, happier lives at home and work, laughter and joyful feelings, a greater sense of tolerance and unity and eventually true Peace. If any or all of these effects occur remain calm and call your doctor only to invite him/her to a celebration party!

Dawne's 11 Essential Virtues
(Warning, I may quote from some of my Virtues Cards. They say it better than I could. These excerpts will be marked with an * and italicized.)

1. Truthfulness
This one isn't always easy, is it? Requires daily practices but I think it makes learning the other virtues much easier.

2. Respect
Don't leave home without it! This one is a little easier. When all else fails the 'simply-keep-your-mouth-shut' approach works for me in a pinch.

3. Tolerance
"Tolerance helps us to accept differences and frees us from being judgemental. It is recognizing that all people have feelings, needs, hopes and dreams. Tolerance is an appreciation for diversity, whether of culture or temperament. It leads to unity."

4. Love
We all know a fair deal about this one. The last line from my card expresses it beautifully. *"Nurtured by commitment and seasoned by kindness, love is our greatest gift."

5. Hope
I have to tell you I find this virtue somewhat elusive. It has to be nurtured in order to grow. I'm working mightily on this one. I find this quote from Barbara Kingsolver to be uplifting. "The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof."

6. Detachment
Another 'tough one' IMO. *Detachment is experiencing our feelings without allowing them to control us. We step back and look at things objectively. We let go and accept what we cannot change."

7. Courage
*Courage transforms fear into determination. It is embracing life fully, without holding back, doing what must be done even when it is difficult or risky."

8. Charity
*Unless we are charitable, no matter how much excellence we acquire, it is without purpose. Charity springs from compassion for the suffering of others, even those we don't know."

9. Trustworthiness/Trust
For me, these are 2 sides of the same coin. Living in a way so that others will place their trust in you is one thing. Being able to trust others is another thing. I think it's important to develop them both fully and with balance.

10. Patience
We all know how hard this one can be. It does get easier with practice, though. Some of us (ahem...maybe Dawne) need more practice.

11. Peacefulness
*"Peace is giving up the love of power for the power of love."

Whew! That was harder than I thought it would be. It was surely an exercise in patience and determination as I had 'logistical difficulties' throughout the making of this post. Proof positive that we need our virtues for the big AND little bumps in the road of life.

It will be interesting to see if the above 11 are still my Essential 11 as I age. Will I feel the same as I become (hopefully) wiser and more virtuous? Who knows? It surely can't hurt to stop and take a good look at ourselves and our goals now and again.

dawne

Just have to share, Danny's quilt is DONE

I've been wanting to share Danny's finished quilt for the past week or two. A shoulder injury has prevented me from doing this. As I'm about to run out of the house in a mad rush to physiotherapy I want to at least share these 2 pictures.

Gerene longarmed this quilt and made something beautiful into something breathtaking. Each block is done differently and I am nearly speechless. The whole thing is a amazing, of course, but small touches like a bear paw motif on the bear paw block just show how a sense of artistry combined with attention to detail can really add to a quilt block. I couldn't type long enough to explain how amazing each block is. Perhaps when my shoulder feels better.

Here is a picture of the back of the quilt. Lorraine pieced together the back from the 2 fabrics Dale Anne sent. I think it looks amazing and the quilting just makes it POP!

I cannot fully express how much I appreciate everyone's contributions to this outreach. I think the quilt is so lovely, looks planned and as if 1 person made it. That ability to work together, across the net and various locations, is truly inspiring and really shows what level of community and cooperation humans are capable of.

To each of you I say with a huge grin - "You go Girl!"

dawne

Stronger women lead to stronger nations.

"Stronger women lead to stronger nations."
Zainab Salbi

I came across this quote recently and find it sticking in my mind. Many of you may wonder why I find this so profound. It is undoubtably true, of course, but what makes it profound is it's simplicity and essential truth.

Still, how often do we stop and ponder the deepest meaning of that quote? I'm afraid that the honest answer is "not enough".

So, let's ponder it together. I invite you to step with me through my thoughts. I challenge you to think honestly within yourself to discover if you agree with me. Then, if you find you do agree; what next?

Growing up, my father often accused me of running on emotion, not enough logic or even, at times, caring too much. I don't actually agree. I think, instead, that I possess a sense of logic based in emotion.

Let me show you what I mean.

"Stronger women lead to stronger nations."

Let us accept that as our first premise. I cannot imagine anyone deafeating the truth of that statement so, for the sake of time, let us consider it true.

The next premise I will offer is:

Not all women are empowered to actualize their potential. Often this is due to gender based inequalities within a culture.

With me so far? If you have any doubt to the truth of this statement simply read or watch the news.

Next:

A lack of education, based on gender or lack of financial resources, keeps women unaware of their rights. To that end they do not know how to live within their legal system to expect their rights to remain unchallenged OR to work to change/better the laws of their country.

And:

Women cannot live up to their collective potential, within a region, if they lack awareness and resources. This includes awareness at a global level as well as resources from within and outside of their home country.

So far I can't find a flaw to my emotion-based logic but hey!, I'm biased.

Lastly:

ALL women in a safe environment with access to resources and support are capable of self-improvement, of true learning and of bettering their resources for themselves AND their families. Children are our future. Educated, healthy children make for a far better future than the alternative.

It has often been said that if you educate a woman that education will be passed onto her children. Again, I can't imagine anyone being able to defeat that premise.

Now... My natural conclusion goes something like this:

THEREFORE,

Women are capable, if supported, of improving their lives and the lives of their children. This support can come from their own region or from a global network. With this education, with proper human rights women will become stronger. Stronger women raise stronger children. Stronger children pave the way for a better future. Thus, stronger women do indeed make for stronger nations.

So there you have it. My argument in a nutshell. You may wonder why I've shared this with you. I do this to celebrate a decision I made recently. A decision made because of emotion, yet backed in logical conviction!

I decided to sponsor a woman living in a war-torn region. Thanks to my friend Sharon pointing the way I was able to read through the Women for Women International website. After reading about the work they do I couldn't simply do nothing.

I'm now 'sponsoring' a woman living a life in the Democratic Republic of Congo that I can barely grasp. The enormous differences in our lives just absolutely confounds me. This simple sponsorship, 12 months at $27/month is well within my grasp. I can barely have a meal out with my husband for less than $27.

After I made this decision someone remarked that I was very 'kind hearted'. In the very next breath we were talking about the weather. Mind you, this person brought the subject up, not me.

Make no mistake - I do aim to be 'kind-hearted'. Kindness is a virtue after all. But kind-hearted alone feels empty and hollow to me. Isn't it better to be a well-informed, kind-hearted, Woman of Action?

I think so both logically and emotionally. If you agree with me, and you're able, consider reaching out to help a woman learn about her rights, to educate herself and start up her own business. Women for Women International is a kind-hearted organization. It's also an organization that is not afraid to ACT NOW to build a better future. One woman at a time. One family at a time. One country at a time.

Quilt top COMPLETE!!

Just have to share a few photos of the completed quilt top. Lorraine did a brilliant job on the sashing and borders. I really like the small, white border she added between the warm brown fabric.


It's a very bright day here today. This is the best shot I could get with natural lighting. At least this picture gives you some idea of the size of the quilt.

Here is a picture taken inside. The colours and lighting are just right.

Tomorrow I'll be calling Gerene to make plans to drop it off for her to quilt. In just a week or so this quilt will be ready for binding and shipping.

So there you have it! The culmination of all the love and support offered by amazing women to comfort a man they'll likely never meet. This is real power, I think, the power of compassion.

Often I get mildly frustrated when I'm not pleased with a block I'm working on. Perhaps I have to take my time to understand the pattern , or I cut the fabric to the wrong size. My least favourite task is to rip out seams so they can be redone.

All of those small things are nothing; things that will be overcome with time and practice. The aches and pains, perhaps, of the newbie quilter. Whenever I feel at all frustrated I have only to think of this project and the thousands of comfort quilt projects in the world. Then, my perspective is set right again and I'm ready to keep going.

A very special thank you again, and again and again, to all the women who made this work of art, this quilt, this HUG possible.

Thanks a hundred times,
Dawne

Danny's Quilt, almost done!

I just have to share the progress being made on Danny's quilt. Lorraine has done such a good job of adding the sashing. She has 3 of the 5 rows completed already.


These are the top 3 rows. The last row you see on the bottom in this picture is actually the center row of the quilt.

I love how warm, yet subtle the sashing fabric is. It's such a nice shade of brown.

When the sashing is finished borders will be added. At that point the quilt will be off to the longarm quilter to be quilted. When Gerene is finished quilting it we'll add a binding and it'll be complete and ready to be shipped.

Finger Pincushions

Another quilter once sent me this finger pincushion:

I thought it was quite clever. It's especially useful for making flying geese which requires only a few pins.

I realized that this is not only a handy little notion for quilters but also a recycled craft that is pretty AND functional. I thought it would be fun to see if the kids and I could make a few.

Here you can see most of our supplies. Not pictured are the caps to cola/water bottles, a drill and a hot glue gun.

For each pincushion you'll need:
bottle cap
@ 4.5 inches of elastic
@4 inches of decorative ric rac to go around the outside of cap
scrap piece of fabric @ 4 inches square with the corners cut off
enough pillow stuffing or batting to make the cushion as firm as you want

We had great success with a 5 inch square piece of polyester batting.

To assemble:

• 
  drill 2 holes in the top, center of the cap, about 1/4" apart



• thread elastic through holes so that you have a loop under the flat part of the cap



• tie a square knot and leave the loose bits in the cap



• roll the batting/stuffing into a tight ball and place inside the fabric



• bring the edges of fabric up around the stuffing into the old fashioned money bag shape



• working with a partner [adult or teen] squeeze hot glue into cap and stuff fabric ball quickly into the cap -- ** be careful or you may get a small burn



• glue decorative fabric or ribbon around the outside edge of the bottle cap, add a few pins and you're finished!

This is certainly a 2 person job and may not be suitable for younger kids. Obviously, only adults should use the drill. I found that my three kids, ages 10, 11 and 14 were able to help me make several pincushions. My husband taught me how to drill the holes. My teen daughter and I did the work with the hot glue gun. This project doesn't take long at all. It took us longer to find the glue sticks!


Here you can see the 3 we made, that are trimmed in black, and the pincushion I received as a gift. I think we did a pretty good job of reverse engineering the concept. :)

Enjoy!

Patience and the Flying Geese Frenzy

Today I had an opportunity to practice patience. I can't say that I enjoyed it but perhaps I needed the reminder! I was piecing together 5" charms to make a lap quilt. No sooner than I realized I could probably do the entire top today I discovered that I needed fabric for the sashing.

I confess I found this quite annoying. I was really in the mood to get this done and, even better, my kids were happily amusing themselves so I had the free time.

I ended up making lemonade from lemons. I used the time to play with a special quilting ruler I bought a few weeks ago. It's a Quilt in A Day Flying Geese ruler.

I've never made a flying geese unit before. I have to tell you this little ruler makes things a snap. Of course, I watched the flying geese tutorial here and that helped a lot.

I'm proud of myself and very pleased with my practice units.

Here you can see the unit before and after. Not too shabby, eh?