Water colored Variety SSIC 128

This is this week's scripture. James 1:2-3 "Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance." Be sure to check out what my Stampin' Sister Traci has to say about this verse I know you will be encouraged.

What stood out to me was the word endurance. I got to thinking about why endurance is so important. The older I get, and the more out of shape I get, I notice that my endurance to run or walk isn't like it use to be. When I was in High school and was running every day, I could run a mile like it was nothing. Now because I don't do it often, I would be huffing and puffing my way along. Faith needs constant testing to keep up the endurance. This testing isn't fun, and I would rather skip it sometimes, but God doesn't let us because he sees the end of the race. I hope someday I can say these words. (2 Timothy 4:7)I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

The challenge is: Create a card with variegated colors. This can mean a monochromatic card with various shades of one color, or a card that shows variegated as in a variety of colors, or a pop of bright colors in unison as in a boquet of flowers. Be creative!!

I watercolored behind the little girl. I used three different blues to get a subtle variegated look.

Our Sponsor this week is: LA LA LAND CRAFTS
Check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created for your inspiration:

Kristine
Linda
Miesje
Peggysue
Traci

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (The Message) In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse.

The previous is the scripture that my Stampin' Sister in Christ Peggysue choose for this week. I used The Message version because it made it the most clear to me.

I kinda smiled to myself when I saw that the scripture that Peggysue choose was about fragrances. I consider myself to be an expert when it comes to smells. I am one of the unlucky people who has a super sensitive sense of smell. If smelling were a super power, I would have that super power! My family and close friends know not to wear perfumes or fragrances around me. Most perfumes or fragrances are chemically recreated, and something about smelling them gets me very sick and the smells trigger migranes for me. I inherited this sensitivity from my Dad and my dad's mom. One of the worst places for fragrances is when I go to church. I almost always end up with a headache on Sunday afternoons.

What some people may not realize is how long their "SMELL" lingers on things that they touch or have in their possession. I work with truck drivers. A lot of them smoke in their trucks and give me the paperwork to invoice. I sometimes have to set their paperwork aside and put it in front of a fan to try and diminish the smell of the smoke, just so I can work with it.

What kind of smell are you giving off spiritually? I thought it was interesting in the scripture for today, that the smell we give off is the same, but it is recieved differently. When we share Christ, those who are saved or being saved, say "Wow, That smells really good!" and at the same time to those who are lost, they say "Whoa, what died?"

Peggysue's challenge is to make a card/project with flowers on it. I used dogwood flowers. This set, DOGWOOD BLOSSOMS, was released this last week by Mark's Finest Papers. I have been having a lot of fun playing with this set. I needed to make a sympathy card for a friend who's mother died this last week.

This week's sponsor is VERSES.

Check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created for your inspiration:

Kristine
Linda
Miesje
Peggysue
Traci

When I think of fragrant flowers, the rose comes to my mind. I remember smelling the roses that were growing in my mom's garden.

SSIC Challenge 126

Note: If you are looking for the Valentine's Blog Hop hosted by the Stampin' Sisters in Christ and Word Art Wednesday scroll down to the next post.

Bleakness, cheerlessness, desolation, desperation, despondency, discouragement, downheartedness, dreariness, gloominess, hopelessness, misery, sadness, sorrow, unhappiness... DEPRESSION.

There are days that I struggle with depression. I just want to crawl back into bed and not face the world. Especially if the sun hasn't been shining for days. I have noticed that when I'm feeling depressed I get the feeling that I will NEVER be happy again and that I will ALWAYS be sad. I believe that Satan uses that lie, and people have committed suicide because they believed it. When I was in high school, there were 5 students that committed suicide in one year. That is a high rate for the small town that I lived in, high for any town. I was friends with two of the students. I have seen first hand the devestation that lie caused not only in their lives but in their friends and families lives as well. The only answer to being lost, hopeless, and discouraged is Jesus. John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and THE TRUTH and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
The TRUTH is in Jesus I have hope, the sun WILL shine again, I WILL be happy again, and the depression WILL pass.

Job had reasons enough to be depressed. He lost all his wealth, and all his children died, and his health was bad. These words are definitely the words of a discouraged, sorrowful person. “If only my anguish could be weighed and all my misery be placed on the scales! It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas..."(Job 6:2-3)

In an attempt to encourage Job, his friend, Bildad the Shuhite tells Job "Once more will he fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with rejoicing."(Job 8:21)

Sometimes it takes a friend to remind us of that TRUTH. That is why I love that my friend Miesje choose that verse as our encouragment verse this week. Her challenge is an awesome one: Make me smile! Create a happy card - happy news - rejoicing in life. Who doesn't love happy mail?

When I made my card I was thinking about my friend Dee. There are people I know who use facebook to create drama and to complain... but my friend Dee is always trying to bring a smile to her friends. She is always finding fun, clean puns and jokes to share.

WHY IS TEA SO THERAPUTIC? .... BOILING THE WATER RAISES YOUR SELF OF STEAM.

I had a picture in my mind how I wanted this card to turn out, but struggled getting it to work. I finally had to walk away and let it sit overnight. Then when I came back to it, it came right together. The little pull out pocket with the pun on it has a tea bag inside. The teapot is a sneak peek at a Mark's Finest Papers set called RELAX A BIT that will be released this week. Make sure you come back on Tuesday (Feb 14) to check out the MFP blog hop.

In Christ Alone my HOPE is found...

SSIC and WAW Valentine blog hop

Welcome to the Valentine Blog Hop where "It is all about love... HIS love." The Stampin' Sisters in Christ and our sister site, Word Art Wednesday, are joining together for a hop in celebration of love. If you came to my blog from Karen L's blog then you are in the right order if you haven't you might want to head to the start of this hop at the Word Art Wednesday blog.

In celebration of Valentine's Day, this hop is all about love - God's love! Besides all the LOVE-ly eye candy you will see on this hop in the way of cards/projects, we'd like to share the love by offering prizes to our hoppers as well, so be sure to leave comments on each stop along the way!! There is a "Grand Prize" of this complete SU! Stamp set called "Cute by the Inch" donated by the lovely Vicki of The Stamping Room (you can also visit her Stampin' Up page.)




In order to qualify for the Grand Prize Drawing, you simply need to leave a comment on each blog on the hop list. We will announce the Grand Prize winner as well as the winner of our prize here on our blog the afternoon of Tuesday, February 14.

There are several other fun prizes to be won along the way on some of the Designers' blogs as you make your way through the Hop.

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. John 15:9
What stood out to me when I read this verse was the last part… REMAIN IN MY LOVE. The image that came to my mind was a big old tree with its roots going down deep into the ground. When I was young I moved quite a few times. I had hoped to settle down, but since my husband I got married we have moved 8 times. We have lived at our current location for 6 years now and it finally feels like we are putting down roots. For many years I would pack our Christmas ornaments as if I was packing them for moving (to save time having to pack them later). I remember the first year that I just put them back in a box with out the extra wrapping. In an ever changing world what a wonderful thought to be rooted, secure, hanging on, persisting, dwelling, waiting, surviving, continuing … REMAINING in Jesus’ love.

When I started making this card, I started with different paper and a different layout, but the card had a mind of it's own. The dogwood blossoms are a sneak peek at a Mark's Finest Papers set called DOGWOOD BLOSSOMS that will be released next week. Make sure you drop back by my blog next week for the Mark's Finest Papers blog hop. I did paper tole technique on the flowers and then I sprayed them with champagne paint spray. The centers of the flowers is drops of glue that were colored after the glue dried.

This song is one of my favorites. I know it will bless your heart as it does mine.

Now head off to Karen C 's Blog

Stampin' Sisters in Christ # 125

It is my pleasure and honor to hostess this week's Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge. The following is what the Holy Spirit put on my heart. I hope it encourages you and blesses you.

I walked into the grocery store this week and saw all the heart balloons, and flowers, and heart shaped boxes of candy… all ready to be bought for Valentines’ Day. My thoughts went to all the people who won’t get anything for this day. Does that mean that they aren’t loved? I remember when I was in high school, and all of the girls with boyfriends got roses or candy delivered to their home room. I was one of those who didn’t get anything, and I remember feeling sad because no one “LOVED” me. I have a friend who went through a divorce and now she is a single mom, and I doubt if she will get anything this year. Will she feel like no one “LOVES” her? I also have a widowed friend, will she feel loved? Why do we feel like we need a gift to feel loved? I’ll be the first to admit that I feel this way sometimes. Do you know that someone loves you, and gave you a gift already? Not just any gift, but the best gift you could ever receive?

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he GAVE his one and only son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Once you accept that gift, NOTHING is going to take that love away.

Romans 8:38-39 “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

I have 2 videos that I think you will enjoy. I know I did!





My challenge for you this week is to make a card/project that shows love. It could be a heart or the word love, or even something that you love using on your cards/projects.
My extra - bonus challenge is: give your card to someone who might need to be reminded that they are LOVED.

For my card I used a big LOVE sentiment from a Mark's Finest Papers set callled Love Remains. I took a piece of white cardstock and stamped flowers using 2 different shades of green. Then I took that piece of cardstock and cut it down the middle. Half I left plain. The other half I ink-spray-smashed with blues and greens. (A technique that I LOVE, with the colors that I LOVE.) I sewed on my card (I LOVE sewing on my cards.) I stamped the poppies and did paper tole. (Flower set that I LOVE and another technique that I LOVE.) I finished my card off with 2 butterflies. (Anyone who has seen my cards for any length of time, knows that I LOVE butterflies.)

This will also make my bonus challenge because I am giving this to a friend that I want to remind about God's love and my love for her. She loves butterflies too!!

Close up of butterfly and poppies.

Our sponsor this week is Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps. Check them out.
Check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created for your inspiration:

Kristine
Linda
Miesje
Peggysue
Traci

Word art Wed 2-1-12 The Joy of the Lord...

I had the pieces for this interlocking folded card on my desk so yesterday they just were calling to be put together. I ink spray smashed the panels, I added this week's Word Art Wednesday chosen scripture : Nehemiah 8:10 "The Joy of the Lord is my strength." I also added coffee filter flowers and 3 butterflies. The butterflies all used the same stamp. I just cut two left sides for the left butterfly and I cut two right sides for the butterfly on the right. I layered the cut butterflies over the second layer. It gives variety to the one stamp. I am linking this to the Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge as well, because when I made my card for this week, I forgot to put butterflies on it. All my stampin sisters will agree that Butterflies are part of "MY STYLE".

Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge 124

Sunday and another wonderful scripture picked by one of my wonderful friends and sister in Christ, Linda. The scripture she choose is: Phillipians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

What a wonderful challenge. I know that I am not alone in struggling with my thought life.The following scripture is what came to my mind when I read the other one.
2 Corinthians 10:5 casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ

Lord, help me to take my thoughts and make them obedient to Christ, and to what you would will in my life. So that you will get the glory and I will be blessed. In Jesus's name amen!

Linda's challenge for us was to: Create a card/project true to your style - show us who you really are!

That was a challenge in and of itself. How would I describe my style? At first I thought I could describe my style as "Romantic, shabby, elegant, vintage, and a little off the wall". But that didn't seem to work, so I would describe my style as "Complicated Creative" But how to make a card that shows that? I choose to make my card with blues and greens my favorite color. It started out as white and I ink spray smashed the blues and greens and sprayed with with antique gold paint spray (My favorite technique). The I embossed it using my music embossing folder, because music is a big part of my life. I play piano and keyboard and sing on the worship team at my church. I added the lace because I love the vintage look. I love flowers, so I had to add the flowers. I added the 3-d paper tole rose because, I am going to share a tutorial on how I do paper tole. My friend Mary asked me about it this week and I thought showing her would help. I am also sharing because I am a teacher at heart. That is what my college degree is in, Elementary Education. So much description for one little card. Thanks for reading through it all. :)

My tutorial:

Our sponsor this week is: Inspired Stamps They are generously giving one blessed winner $15 store credit. Be sure to check them out this week.

Check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created for your inspiration:

Kristine
Linda
Miesje
Peggysue
Traci

Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge #123

The following is the scripture that my Stampin' Sister in Christ, Kris, choose for this week: Proverbs 3:3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.

The first thought when I read this verse was about how many times I have been let down by others. I have had people close to me who didn't hold on to love and faithfulness. As a boy scout leader, I have the opportunity to work with boys of broken homes. I am saddened by all that they have to go through because love and faithfulness were not the priority in their parent's lives. My challenge is to be an example for them.

The second thought when I read this verse was about how many times I have let others down. How many times have I put my own needs, my own wants before truly loving those around me? I wish I could say that I am always a loving person and that I am not ever selfish, but sometimes that is not the case.I better get to work getting it around my neck and written on my heart.

The last thought I had was how thankful I am that God shows love and faithfulness that will never leave. These two scriptures came to my mind.

John 3:16 For God LOVED the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will NEVER leave you.



Kris's challenge this week is: Make a heart stand out in your card/project.
Our sponsor this week is Digital Delights by Louby Lou. One blessed winner will get 3 free images from her store.
Make sure you check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created for you to see, as well as read what my sister Kris has to say that will encourage your heart.


For my project I used a heart and sentiment from a newly released Mark's Finest Papers set called, YOU ARE CHERISHED. I was going for a Clean and Simple look. I think I achieved that, but I don't think simple or easy are words to describe this card. I fussy cut the flowers out. That wasn't hard I guess, just time consuming. The hard part was figuring out how to stamp the sentiment and leave enough space between the words to allow for it to slip inside the heart. I ended up masking the first two words in the sentiment with a post it note to get the spacing right.

I embossed a the white layer using my dotted swiss (ef). I zig zag stitched the panels in place. To finish the card off I add little drops of hot glue to the centers of the flowers. When I first put the glue on there were those annoying little strings and the drops of glue had points at the top. I took my heat gun and hit them with a quick blast of hot air and the strings dissapeared and the tops became really smooth and round. I then took a marker and added some brown color to the glue. Below is a close up view.


I love listening to this song by Third Day that starts out singing about God's Love and Faithfulness just like today's scripture.



I hope you have a blessed week.

Stampin Sisters in Christ 122

Rev 21:5 And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He [!] said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."

Don't you love new things? New clothes, new shoes, new car, new babies...I know I do. I love the scripture that Traci choose because, I love the fact that I am new in Christ!! The old me was a sinner and had no hope. I think God likes new things too. King David wrote this:

Psalm 96:1 Oh, sing to the LORD a NEW song! Sing to the LORD, all the earth.

Everyday I get the opportunity to tell God anew how much I love him.


Traci's challenge is: Let's use something new on our card/project this week. It can be a new stamp, paper, or embellishment...or even a new technique or an idea that is new to you! Just have fun with your creation!!


The new on my card is the New stamp set from Mark's Finest Papers called YOU ARE CHERISHED. Also NEW on my card is the antique gold spray. I saw on a blog this last week how to make gold spray at a fraction of the cost of "Glimmer Mist" It only cost me about $.50 to make my own gold spray. I may have gotten carried away with it on my card. Also new on my card is the digital paper that I won from Shabby Cottage Studio.




Check out what my stampin' sisters in Christ have created this week.

Stamping Sisters in Christ 121

Phillippians 2:3-4 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."

That is the scripture that my sister Peggysue picked for this week. She also challenged us to make a THINKING OF YOU card.

The start of a new year should have meant happy, easy times for my friends at my church. That was not the case for my friends Dean and Becky. They lost their 6 month old granddaughter in a fire this last week. Sometimes there are no words to say. No words will bring them peace, or healing, only God can give them that. It is all I can do to come along side and tell them that I am thinking of them, that I love them, and that I am praying for them.

When Peggysue, picked her challenge to make a THINKING OF YOU card, I had no idea that I would be making a sympathy - thinking of you card. This life is short and it is unpredictable. Let the people you love know that you love them and that you are thinking of them. You may not get another chance.

I am so bad about making cards and them sitting on my desk until the moment has passed. My challenge to myself is to mail the cards this week as the Holy Spirit brings those people to my mind, and to not procrastinate.




Check out our sponsor this week The Craft's Meow. Be sure to check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created this week.

Joy to the World

Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.


292 Christmas have come and gone since Isaac Watts wrote this song in 1719. The words still move hearts. In a world with no hope, no peace and no joy, a little baby was born. That little baby was Jesus, Emanuel, God with us. I love the part that says "let every heart prepare Him room". There are so many things that we prepare at Christmas time. We prepare the gifts, we prepare the food, we prepare the decorations... do we stop to prepare our hearts? The stamp I used on my card for today, I bought many years ago. Not your typical Christmas sentiment, but I really like it.

"Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men" (Luke 2:14) This is the scripture that Miesje, picked for us this week. Her challenge is to make a Christmas card/project that shows the true meaning of Christmas. Our sponsor this week is Our Daily Bread Designs.

Check out what my wonderful Stampin Sisters have created at Stampin' Sisters in Christ.

Angels among us

My wonderful sister and friend in Christ, Lisa chose these verses this week:

Matthew 1:20-22, "But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.' All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 'The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel' which means, 'God with us.'"


Here is Lisa's challenge:
Make a card/project depicting an angel


I made mine a pocket card with an angel on a bookmark. It was really hard to photo with rain outside but it is super sparkly.

Yesterday my oldest daughter and I left home at 3:00 am to drive 4 hours so that we could see my other daughter compete at the Iowa State dance competition in Des Moines IA. As we were driving home last night we were both very tired, and I know that God sent his angels to watch over 2 tired drivers. This song "Angel's among us" by Alabama came on the radio and I knew I had to incorporate it into this week's project.

This week's sponsor is Clear Dollar Stamps. Check out what my other STAMPIN' SISTERS IN CHRIST have done this week.

His Eye is on the Sparrow

This is the scripture that my loved sister in Christ, Linda picked for this week:

Matthew 6:25-34 ".... Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?...."

This verse also spoke to me this week:

Matthew 10:29-31 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing and on of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father... Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Both of these scriptures together show how much God cares for all of His creation, but He cares the most for people, for YOU, for ME...

I love the old hymn His Eye is on the Sparrow. I have posted 2 versions of these words. The first one is by the group Selah and is the traditional song. The second one is a newer version sung by Audrey Assad. I have listened to both of these songs over and over this last week and they blessed my heart so much. I hope you enjoy them too.






Linda's challenge was to make a card with a bird on it... dp, stamp, charm....etc.
I used my little nuthatch sitting on the fence from the newly released set by Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich company, called "PEACEFUL NUTHATCH" . I ink spray smashed the sky, and watercolored the trees and bird. I added glitter-styrofoam ball snow to the trees and fence. I made my card an easel card.

This week's sponsor is Sweet and Sassy. Make sure you check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created.

Job 13:15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.
This is the scripture that Rebekkah, my wonderful stampin' sister in Christ choose for this week.
This verse, to live out, takes tremendous faith. My kids were at a youth retreat this weekend where they were talking and learning about the persecuted church. The leaders had toy guns that they used to "kill" the students because they were Christians. They would grab the students at random and question them and when the students would say that they were Christians, they would put the gun to their head or to their friends head and say renounce Christ or die. To my kids and the other kids from our church it was just an exercise, but there are Christians throughout this world who on a daily basis have the possibility of being killed for their faith. What is my excuse for not sharing Christ more, praising God more, giving more?... I am challenged to not take my freedom to express my faith in God casually, but to thank God everyday for that freedom and I am also challenged to pray for those who don't have that freedom.

Rebekkah's challenge is to : make a card of praise,using music, stamp, or design paper or just the word praise.

I used the sheet music for this old hymn, and a soon to be released Mark's Finest Papers set called Peaceful Nuthatch. I also used Layers of Color "Joyful noise" set in the background.



Hallelujah, praise Jehovah,
From the heavens praise His name;
Praise Jehovah in the highest,
All His angels praise proclaim.
All His hosts together praise Him,
Sun, and moon, and stars on high;
Praise Him, O ye heav’n of heavens,
And ye floods above the sky.

Let them praises give Jehovah,
They were made at His command,
Them forever He established;
His decree shall ever stand.
From the earth, oh, praise Jehovah,
All ye floods, ye dragons all;
Fire, and hail, and snow, and vapors,
Stormy winds that hear His call.

All ye fruitful trees and cedars,
All ye hills and mountains high,
Creeping things, and beasts, and cattle,
Birds that in the heavens fly.
Kings of earth, and all ye people,
Princes great, earth’s judges all,
Praise His name, young men and maidens,
Aged men and children small.

Let them praises give Jehovah,
For His name alone is high,
And His glory is exalted,
And His glory is exalted,
And His glory is exalted,
Far above the earth and sky.

Check out what my stampin' sisters have created and read Rebekkah's devotion on the STAMPIN' SISTERS IN CHRIST challenge blog.

Our sponsor this week is :Pizzazz Aplenty.

Words of encouragement

The following is the verse that Peggysue picked for this week:

Genesis 3:6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.

At first I really struggled with this verse. I had no idea how God was going to speak to me about this scripture. I prayed about it for several days. I don't know if you are like me but sometimes when I read about things that people have done in the Bible, I get a feeling of superiority. I think... "I wouldn't have done that." My first inclination was to think, I wouldn't have been like Eve. I wouldn't have been tempted by that fruit. Then God began to show me where I am tempted in very similar ways when it comes to my eating habits. I resisted and wanted to say, "Well, Eve had been warned not to eat it and she did anyway." That wouldn't be me... then God reminded me about times I have known that foods with high fat, salt and sugar content are bad for me and I eat them anyway.
I am praying that God helps me make better decisions about my food and that He helps me with facing temptations.


Peggysue challenged us to dig deep into our stash and find old stamps that we hadn't used in awhile. I choose this really old SU set. I made a matching set of 5 cards to give to my daughter and her friends. They competed yesterday for small school state color guard competition. I wanted each girl to know that I was supporting them, and that I was proud of all the hard work they had done to prepare. One of the girls, Ericka had a costume for her program that was sparkly white and she had a flower in her hair. She was the inspiration for the cards.

Please check out our sponsor this week Clear Dollar Stamps

Also check out Peggysue's devotion and see what my wonderful sisters have created for this challenge. Stampin Sisters in Christ.

Side note: Congratulations to the colorguard girls. 5 # 1 division ratings. I'm so proud of you all.

O happy day...

Here is the scripture that, my stampin' sister in Christ, Lisa picked for this week:

Isaiah 1:18 "'Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.’”

Yesterday, we helped our new youth pastors move into their new home. They came from Texas to Iowa. I am sure that it will be a big change for them. They left family to come to our little town. There was a big group from our Church there to unload the truck. The ladies took the small things, like clothes and small boxes, while the guys took the couches and piano... The ladies had just moved the kitchen chairs in and we were commenting on how new they looked. We laughed and said let them get kids and see how they look. As a mom of 4 kids, I know how easily things can get stained. Something about the color white, seems to just draw stains from ketchup, mustard, grape juice... You can use cleaners to clean the stains, and sometimes it works, but in my experience, there seems to be some stains that just won't completely come clean.

Our lives are like that. We have been stained by our sins. We can try to "clean" our stained lives by going to church,or doing good deeds. But try as we will those things will not make us clean. There is nothing that we can do on our own to become clean. That is why God had to send Jesus to live the perfect life, and die for our sins. He is the only way that our sins can be washed away.

I love this worship song. We sing it a lot with the youth at church. I love the chorus where it says... O happy day when you washed my sin away...



The challenge this week is to use scarlet or fall colors on our card. I used fall colors and a Mark's Finest Papers image of a country church.

Our sponsor this week is Lilyof the Valley. Check out Lisa's devotion here at the Stampin' Sisters in Christ blog. Also check out what my stampin' sisters have created...

Kris Linda Miesje Pegggysue Traci Grace

Stampin' Sisters in Christ and 12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop Combined to save TIME

(For Mark's Finest Papers 12 days of Christmas blog hop keep scrolling down to about 1/2 way through this post.)


Time
Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8
1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

If there is a time for everything, why do I struggle so much with the issue of time? I start each day rushed and have so much to do that I always run out of time by the end of the day when I collapse into bed, with things left undone. I find myself wishing I had MORE TIME.
There are several questions about time that have been on my heart lately.

HOW MUCH TIME DO I HAVE LEFT? In the past several months, several times, death has touched people I know. In several of the cases the people were really young. 2 were still in their teens.

DID THEY KNOW THAT THEIR TIME WAS ALMOST UP? No, because none of us really know when our time is up.

IF TODAY WAS MY LAST DAY, HOW WOULD I SPEND IT? WOULD I WASTE EVEN A MINUTE OF IT? There are so many time wasters that I find in my day. Waiting in line, watching tv, getting on facebook( just being honest and transparent here). If today were my last, I hope I would spend it with my kids, my husband, my family, my friends, my church… making memories in the relationships that I treasure.

Lord, help me to get my priorities straight today and not waste my time.

IF I KNEW THAT TODAY WAS YOUR LAST WOULD I TREAT YOU DIFFERENTLY?
WOULD I TELL YOU THAT I LOVE YOU?
WOULD I MAKE SURE YOU KNEW THAT HEAVEN WAS YOUR DESTINATION?
WOULD I TREAT YOU WITH KINDNESS AND FORGIVENESS?

Lord help me to interact with those around me as if today were their last day. Don’t let me live with the regret of things undone, unsaid.

My challenge is for you to make a card or project that shows time. Examples: clock (minutes/hours), sun or stars (days), calendar (years), seasons...etc.

Here is my project. It is a calendar that I made for the 12 days of Christmas blog hop for Mark's Finest Papers. Kind of ironic that my post today is about time and this project is one that has taken a lot of time to complete.(Don't ask how many hours...) I saw it in my head but putting it together has taken hours.(Change that to days.) I printed my calendar using Microsoft Excel. I cut the calendar pages out and glued them at the top. When they were done, I made a base for my calendar out of an old cereal box. The toppers were printed using Microsoft Excel as well. I made 12 toppers each with a different blessing. I then stamped images from all of my Mark's Finest Papers sets to go along with those blessings. I then cut and matted them onto dp and cardstock. I taped a giant paper clip to the back of the toppers leaving about half of the paper clip hanging down. All of the toppers fit nicely inside the calendar. There is a slit cut at the top of the calendar for the toppers to fit into.



Our Sponsor this week is: Digital Delights by Louby Lou

Check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created...

Kris Linda Miesje Pegggysue Traci Grace

Now on to ...

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS BLOG HOP

Speedy the Cat at Mark's Finest Papers likes to get a head start on special Christmas gifts and memories for friends and family. He gathered the design team at Mark's Finest Papers to bring you 12 days of exciting paper crafting gift ideas to get that holiday mojo flowing. The hop runs for 12 consecutive days, starting October 17th! Begin your holiday hop at Speedy's home base, the Mark's Finest Papers blog and relax with a cup of eggnog (or sprig of catnip, your choice) as Speedy leads you though a short, daily hop. You'll find your holiday paper crafting ideas and supplies at Mark's Finest Papers.

Welcome to the 12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop! We have four samples each day for our hop! Please visit each of the following blogs for holiday inspiration!
Peggysue

Connie

Anne

MariLynn

This shows the back side of a topper. See how I just taped the paper clip to the back.

See how the toppers fit inside the calendar.


I love this song about time by Chris Rice and thought I would share it with you!!!

Thank you for taking the TIME to read this really long post!!

...Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness. Gentleness and Self-Control... these are the fruit of the Spirit. These are the fruit of the Spirit!

Insert little music notes here... because as I was typing the verse that my wonderful sister in Christ, Kris, chose for this week, Gal. 5:22-23a I was singing it. When my kids were little I used to memorize scripture with them set to music. It was a very effective way to not only memorize but retain scripture. They did this when they participated in AWANAS and Pathseekers, two great programs to help kids grow spiritually. This one was especially effective because all I have to do is start humming the melody and my kids will sing the scripture.

When working on this week's challenge, the question that came up is- What is fruit? I don't have a lot of traditional fruit images. I looked up the definition of fruit and found that it means the part of a tree or plant that can be eaten that has seeds.

When my kids were little, they loved taking the seeds from their apples and trying to plant them. We never were successful in growing an apple tree that could produce more apples, despite our trying. But that is the purpose of the seeds, to be planted to produce new fruit. How could this apply to this week's scripture?
The Holy Spirit produces Love in our lives... we need to plant those seeds of love in the life of someone who may not feel loved.
The Holy Spirit produces Joy in our lives... we need to plant those seeds of joy in the life of someone who is overwhelmed by sadness.
The Holy Spirit produces Peace in our lives... we need to plant those seeds of peace in the lives of people who are stressed and troubled.
The Holy Spirit produces Patience in our lives... we need to plant those seeds of patience in the lives of people who want what the want and the want it NOW.
The Holy Spirit produces Kindness in our lives... we need to plant those seeds of kindness in the lives of those who need to hear a kind word or need to see what kindness looks like because all they have known is abuse.
The Holy Spirit produces Goodness in our lives... we need to plant the seeds of goodness in a world that glorifies sinful living.
The Holy Spirit produces Faithfulness in our lives... we need to plant seeds of faithfulness to people who have been let down by the people they trusted, who were unfaithful to them.
The Holy Spirit produces Gentleness in our lives... we need to plant seeds of gentleness in the lives of people who have only known how hard this sinful world can be.
The Holy Spirit produces Self-control in our lives... we need to plant the seeds of self-control in the lives of those who have been told by society... do what you want... when you want... it is your life.

Dear God, thank you for the fruits of your holy spirit that you are bringing to harvest in my life. I pray that you will increase your harvest by helping me be aware of the opportunities to share the seeds of your fruits in the lives of those I come in contact with. In Jesus name, amen!

Here is Kris' challenge for this week.you...
Include FRUIT in your creation (stamp, digi, paper, charms, etc.). *By definition, a pumpkin is a fruit, and so are other “Harvest” produce such as gourds :)

The pumpkins on my card are stamped several times and layered with craft foam for dimension. This card was inspired by my stampin' sister in Christ, Traci. She sent me a card with embossed dp. It was gorgeous. I never would have thought to emboss dp before that.

This video has some jazz music as it shares some scripture and ideas on the fruit of the Spirit! I enjoyed it and thought you might too.

The sponsor for this week is: Clear Dollar Stamps.

Check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created...

Kris Linda Miesje Pegggysue Rebekka Traci Grace

Blessings

(For my post today, first scroll to the bottom of my blog and turn of radio worship.)




John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."



Grace picked this wonderful, encouraging scripture this week for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge. I like to notice what this verse doesn't say. It doesn't say "IF" you have tribulation. Are you like me? There are times that I wish that being a Christian would mean that there would be no problems in my life. However, that isn't what we have been promised. It is enough to know that I can have peace because of Christ, and I can be of good cheer. He has overcome the world. Praise be to God.



The challenge this week from Grace is: create a card / project that either says "Blessings" or uses an encouraging Scripture.



My first thought went to this song by Laura Story.

‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops?
What if your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know you’re here?
What if trials of this life are your mercies in disguise?


The sponsor this week is Pink Cat Studio.

Check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created:

Kris Linda Miesje Pegggysue Rebekka Traci Grace