Beading and Healing [day 3]

Yesterday I taught a friend how to make Anglican prayer beads.

I started making prayer beads over 10 years ago. 

Prayer beads and rosaries have fascinated me since I was a child. I grew up as a conservative Protestant in the 60s and 70s. At that time anything with any semblance of "high church" was frowned upon in my tradition. Nothing liturgical, and certainly nothing that could be construed as idols. But my nextdoor neighbors were Catholic and all the people on TV seemed to be "high church". I liked all the pageantry and paraphernalia that seemed to go with it.

When I began having flashbacks and panic attacks, I needed something to keep me grounded in the present. A therapist suggested holding a rock or a comb. My husband suggested a stuffed animal, but I knew immediately I needed prayer beads.

I began to investigate on the internet. A friend at work shared a book with me, Bead One, Pray Too by Kimberly Wilson and I was off. I liked the idea of making the beads myself. Picking the exact beads for size, weight, and texture made the process soothing and having the process behind me made using the beads all the more comforting.

Since then I've taught classes on making and using prayer beads. I've given them as gifts. I've even sold them. 

I still find something calming about the process of getting out my beads and feeling them, picking beads that compliment one another and stringing them all the time knowing they will help someone else. 

That process is much like praying itself.

Additional resources on prayer beads --

A String and a Prayer by Eleanor Wiley and Maggie Oman Shannon

Praying with Beads by Nan Lewis Doerr and Virginia Stem Owens

http://www.kingofpeace.org/prayerbeads.htm

This is day 3 in Write 31 Days

Prayer Beads and Rosaries

Several years ago I started making prayer beads. I usually make Anglican rosaries and prayer strands, but recently I decided to try my hand at a Catholic rosary.

I've been using this book as my guide all along, so I went to it looking for instructions. As usual it provided clear, easy to understand directions and pictures.

Here are the materials I started with -- 

and here's the finished product --

I'm very pleased with it. I do believe next time I'll use flexible jewelry wire instead of thread, as the added number of beads, and in this case, the weight of the silver beads, may prove too much for the thread. 

Blessings!

linking up with Made by You Monday

{TH} read

a completed project

a wip moving along quite nicely

a happy re-read

a new magazine in the mail yesterday

linking up with {TH} read

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY . . . September 3, 2013

Outside my window . . . the sky is pure blue and the sun is shining. My cherry tree is about half empty of leaves. We had a heavy dew this morning, and are still being inundated with spiders and their webs. Heavy snow for the coming winter? That's what the old wives tale says.

I am thinking . . . about getting into my routine for the week. It seems as if August was total chaos, so I'm looking forward to finding my rhythm again.

I am thankful . . . for a better day yesterday. I wasn't feeling well on Sunday.

In the kitchen . . . I've not been "feeling" it. I just don't want to cook. I think I'm tired of summer eating and ready for pots of soup and chili served with cornbread. But it's still too hot to do that, so I'll try to get motivated this week.

I am wearing . . . a giant black t-shirt that says Raven across the front. I think it's an advertisement for a local business.

I am creating . . . that corner to corner baby blanket. It's coming along nicely. I need to get some more yarn today for it, though.

I am going . . . to run a couple of quick errands this morning, and then bestie LBB is coming over for yoga and sewing.

I am wondering . . . about so many things, it's difficult to pick just one -- Syria, depression, moving toward being empty-nesters.

I am reading . . . Still Life by Louise Penny. I read it when it first came out but never got to follow up with the series. I'm rereading this while I wait for #2 to come to me from the library. 

I am looking forward to . . . routine. I need that rhythm in my life to feel settled and present. I am praying that it returns soon.

I am hearing . . . nothing but the sound of my hands on the keys and the occasional car as people in the neighborhood head out to work and school.

Around the house . . . I found the ping-pong table! That may not sound like much, but it's been covered all summer as we sorted through FIL's stuff.

before

after

I am praying . . . . for several friends struggling with cancer. Two in particular with breast cancer that has now moved into the brain. Also awaiting the births of 2 precious babies this month.

One of my favorite things . . . is my blog, and it has been somewhat neglected over the past few days. I'm hoping to feel more motivated to get back on track and do more writing on abuse and recovery.

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . yoga and sewing today. Tomorrow is a morning appointment followed by the grocery shopping. Thursday is Bible study, and Friday I'm meeting a friend at Starbucks. I'm not sure what the weekend will bring.

Here is a picture for thought I am sharing . . . 

a new beading project

for more visit The Simple Woman's Daybook

Wordless Wednesday -- Beading [Day 17 of 31]

for more images go to Wordless Wednesday

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY . . . September 4, 2012

Outside my window . . . it is gray and cloudy. We are still covered by the remains of Isaac, but haven't gotten an enormous amount rain.

I am thinking . . . about difficult things. This is a bad time of year for abuse memories, and I've been stuck in a loop regarding two of the abusers for a little while now.

I am thankful . . . for a good day with the whole family yesterday. No one had to work and ds was home from college. Lots of talking and laughing.

In the kitchen . . . we're enjoying the last of the summer veggies from the Farmer's Market. Last night we had squash souffle with peppercorn asiago cheese, garlic okra, and fresh cooked green beans.

I am wearing . . . a big white t-shirt and my pj pants with pink rollerskating elephants.

I am creating . . . afghans, but I am making progress.

I am going . . . to lunch with my bestie, ccd, at a little French cafe called Fleur de Lys Cuisine.

I am wondering . . . why my dd feels it necessary to talk incessantly while getting ready for school!?!

I am reading . . . The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen. It may be too gritty for my taste right now. Has anyone else read the Rizzoli/Isles series?

I am looking forward to . . . doing some beading and quilting in addition to the crocheting I've been working on. One of ds's friends asked me to make him a rosary, so I've got to get started on that soon.

I am hearing . . . quiet, now that dd has left for school.

Around the house . . . I'm doing some reorganizing and a little freshening up. Time to put the summer decor (such as it is!) away and pull out a few fall things.

I am pondering . . . how counseling will go tomorrow. I've been having a fair amount of pain which frequently means it will be a rough session.

One of my favorite things . . . my quiet time in the morning. I read my emails, check Facebook, blog, and do my Bible study. It's restful and puts me in a good place for the rest of my day.

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . lunch today with ccd, therapy tomorrow, Precepts class on Thursday, and a quilting class on Saturday.

Here is a picture for thought I am sharing . . . 

our haul from the Farmer's Market

for more visit The Simple Woman's Daybook

Feel Good Friday -- November 19th

It's Feel Good Friday!

The sun is shining.

It's 45 degrees heading up to 63!

Dh and ds have ALL of next week off.

My nasty appointment is behind me!

The new Harry Potter movie opened last night.

I'm having Cranberry Blood Orange Tea!

I'm going to sew today.

And maybe bead!

How's your FGF shaping up?

Blessings!

Feel Good Friday is hosted by The Girl Next Door Grows Up

Blue Ridge Mountains Weekend Get Away

It was very hot and humid with some rain, so mostly we wandered around in shops, ate, slept and talked. I got some new beads for my etsy shop (Lucy's Beads and Prayers), and dh took lots of photos of food. We had a great time reconnecting with old friends. I hope you enjoy the photos.

We stopped at the Mayfield Dairy for a tour and a snack. 

Dh has been having hip/glute troubles, so I did most of the driving. 

Our cabin was called the Chocolate Moose. We spent a lot of time counting moose related decor! 

Setting up the computers to take advantage of the wi-fi. 

Saturday night we went out to dinner with our friends for an early anniversary celebration (25 years in August!). We went to Cucina Rustica, and everything was delicious.

 We ordered three desserts, but this was my favorite.

Here we are at the restaurant feeling totally full and satisfied. 

Kudzu! For those not familiar, kudzu is an imported plant that was brought into the south to help control erosion. It is virtually indestructible and will grow over anything -- hence the semi truck!

There were lots of little craft and antique shops. We spent a day and a half roaming in and out; looking around; and getting ideas.

Dh loves old toys and juggling paraphernalia.

Handblown glass beads from the John C. Campbell Folk School in North Carolina. And yes I bought a few to work with!

Project ideas for dh in all his spare time. LOL! 

Something similar to this to hold the new vessel sink in the bathroom we are remodeling. Another project for dh!

Dh has a thing for fun dragons (see Rex Benson).

I want a backyard like this someday. I just don't want to have to do the work to make it happen and keep it going!

This is the vessel sink we purchased from an artist in Blue Ridge (raebreed@tds.net).

Doesn't this just look like fairies should come out and fly around? 

The dulcimer concert we attended at the John C. Campbell Folk School.

We had our Sunday morning devotional here with good friends before we headed home.