Tag: Blessings

Give a woman a quilt

January 7, 2025

“Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him to fish and you will feed him for a lifetime.” That adage is true. A corollary to it is, “Give a woman a quilt and she will be warm for a lifetime. Give the correct woman a quilting machine and she will warm others for thousands of lifetimes.” Never heard of it before. That doesn’t surprise me. I just wrote it.

What has me thinking about quilts? The APQS Company delivered a new machine to my wife. No, we did not buy one. It was a prize in a Facebook contest they had. Cindy received the call announcing to her that she was the winner. She was stunned and so was I, when she called me to share the good news.

People have commented about these contests and most don’t believe that anyone ever wins these prizes. It’s like the fast-food games where you win an order of fries or a hamburger, but never the trip to Spain or Bermuda. We can say we are the ones who were given the big prize. Our taxes for next April showed it as well.

All the prizes offered may not be in legitimate contests. Determine for yourself whether it is an honest company and whether it is not one of those scams you always hear about. All Cindy had to give was information readily available through normal means.

Has God ever blessed you with a gift of this kind? It isn’t the first time for us. He has given us a computer and other smaller items before. This time was a truly miraculous gift. The gifts we receive from the Lord are usually less in material value.

We are often blessed with good health, happiness, twenty-four hours in a day, and good jobs. These are wonderful and we should show our appreciation. Count your blessings, name them one by one as the gospel song says.  

Our prayers that were offered were of thanksgiving and for direction in how to use the gift that God and APQS gave her. Letting the daughters and granddaughters learn to quilt on it is a given. Making quilts to be given to family and friends is also a result. The major concern is to become a professional quilter or let it remain a hobby.

When you are the owner of a professional machine, it stands that you will become a professional, right. Not necessarily. God does not usually give us something to be used only for our own profit. There comes that new saying, “Give the correct woman a quilting machine and she will warm others for thousands of lifetimes.”

©Copyright 2025 by Charles Kensinger

That is what I am thankful for

November 25, 2022

I just viewed the movie “Up in the air” with George Clooney. If you have never seen this film, I will try to tell you about it without spoiling the ending. The Clooney character works for a company that specializes in helping others downsize their staff.

He travels a great deal and is asked what his goal in life is. His answer is to reach one million miles on his frequent flyer miles. This would make him the seventh to reach that milestone.

I used to travel for my job. For three years I would visit customers every day of the week through southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas. I spent two nights away from home to cover part of my territory once a month. I do not know what it would be like to travel all over the country constantly.

My family grew up knowing that I would be home almost every night. My children have not been traumatized by not having their father involved. This is the first thing I am thankful for this year.

The second is that my wife and I were married before I had to move away after graduating from college. Our relationship survived a ten-week separation shortly after we were engaged. I am thankful that we have been married for forty-six years.

I am grateful that Jesus saved me and called me to be a minister of His gospel. That has included over forty years of serving at Hamlin Baptist Church in Springfield, Missouri. My ministry has been leading Bible studies for youth and adults. I am also a member of their Deacon body. My work has also enabled me to be a workplace servant.

Our daughters, sons-in-law, and grandchildren have also been tremendous blessings. As I watch them grow and mature into decent human beings, I am proud of who they are becoming and have become.

Another thing I want to share is that I am proud to be an American and thankful for those who protect us daily in the armed forces and as first responders. I do not want to become one who says that our country needs to become great again. I also am glad that our laws are such that many of us vote for those that we wish to lead our constitutional government.

Our country may not be perfect. Our lives are not always what we want them to be, but we can make changes and choices. Life can be much worse as we are constantly reminded when we watch the news. Remember, life is as good as you make it and part of that is based on your attitude. Happy Thanksgiving.

©Copyright 2022 by Charles Kensinger