To be normal or not!

I am fully convinced that if we would search the Lord for our "norm" then none of us would be average.

We search the world for what it calls normal. Some are comfortable with that and some want to do better than that and some are just fully convinced that they are not ever going to meet the standard of the world's norm so they never make an effort.

If we would only seek God and follow after Him, His goodness, mercy, and love would take us so far beyond our wildest expectations!

One of my top 5 favorite projects at school!

I loved setting this ring. It knew it was going to be a challenge as
the stones were to set in the curve, and the ring had a stair step
design to it that I would have to deal with setting the last stone.



It is a channel set with three different size stones. In the top pic
you can see how I placed the stones to find a even space between them.
We use a sticky wax for positioning the stones and for holding them in
place for marking where the burring is to be done.






The bottom pic is the completed ring. It is a 14kt. gold setting and
polished so very nice!

The Channel Set Ring

I don't know why I want to call this ring the trench cut ring.
I have even thought to call it the ditch cut... oh my!
For some reason, the words channel set just does not come to mind
without searching my memory thoroughly to find them.



This ring is cast in bronze. I had to clean the channel and drill the
holes in the bottom of the ring. so that the light could shine through
and the stones would sparkle, before drilling into the sides of each
channel to make a "pocket" for each stone to sit in. Trust me, I am making
this sound easier than it was. It took me almost week to comprehend what I
needed to do. Granted, I was doing other projects, but this baby just would
not come together. I left class on Thursday really discouraged and returned on Monday determined that I was the jeweler, and I was going to set these stones,
even if it killed every cow in Texas! So the following Monday morning I took
control and did what needed to be done. Here is the result!




This has become one of my favorite types of settings!

I can't be almost 47, I am tooooo young to be that old!

I will be 47 on my birthday next month. That seems so unreal. I have
gotten to where I hate pictures of me because that person I see in the
pic is so much older than me. I don't know how my heart and my body can
be two totally different ages.

I remember when I realized that my older sister had began to age. She had
slight wrinkles on her neck. I wasn't too concerned. She smoked, so of course
her age would show so much sooner than mine would. She is only 360 days older than me so I felt quite smug for a little while. The smugness has officially left
the attitude. Humility has set in.

I am so thankful for Mrs. Shannon, my hair boss. Only she and she alone, that means
I am excluded, knows how much grey hair I truly have. She promptly covers it up and it is forgotten for a couple of months. Now...if I could get her to color the wrinkles so they aren't noticeable that would be super fantastic!



I took these pics this weekend, Wes loves the profile pic the best. I don't like any of them. The lipstick looks really off. I just bought it. Two for the price of one! The color is called Petal. I may have to toss it, I think it helps me to look like one of those women that I never wanted to look like.

I am sitting here tonight contemplating the next 20 years of my life. These pics aren't helping me feel energetic or exceptionally young. They are just helping me take a good dose of truth medicine.

My time is over half over on this earth. I had best get real serious about making a difference in this hurting dying world! I figure I have about 45 years left! I want to do more in those forty five years than I have in the past 47! Look out world, once I get a good nights rest, I am going to wake up set my heart on happy and make a difference moment by moment to those around me!