Where's "Normal?"

Well, life has been anything But "normal" for us.

However, how many times in my life have I had

the treasure of a wonderful grandson?

Only once so far and isn't he absolutely adorable!

I have actually been with him, my son and daughter-in-law

at their home which is 15 hours drive time from where we live.

I am grateful for transporation and Skype these day!

We have had a great time and now he is 7 1/2 months old and

learning all kinds of cute things.

I am told I am prejudice because I am "Grandma", 

but truthfully now, isn't he absolutely adorable!

In addition to this wonderful addition to our lives,

we have been finishing our basement and will be listing our

house for sale when I return home.

So, before I left to see my little buddy, I was sorting, cleaning and packing

 getting ready to show and sell our house.

I know it sounds like I am jumping the gun. 

However, I do believe it will sell quickly and less to do after the contract,

will make things a little smoother.

Needless to say, I haven't had a lick of "play-time" and as

Jennifer McGuire says, "I feel like I have lost my Mo-Jo".

Her way of handling it is to just make several cards and get 

right back in gear, which she did excellently.

Jennifer McGuire is wonderful and I have applied many of the things

she has suggested with great succes!

Thanks, Jennifer!

You can find her blog here:

Hopefully, my "Normal" will soon be adapted to accomodate some play.

Until then - the rest of you ... Keep up the great work.

I still look at pinterest and follow your blogs!

Thanks for the inspiration - it keeps me anticipating for the future!

Saved to the Uttermost

Good Morning,
I was reading today in Hebrews 7 and was curious to know what some of the words in verses 25 and 26 meant. The scripture reads: "He is able to save to the uttermost those who are ever drawing near to God through Him, seeing that He ever liveth to make intercession for them....Jesus, then, is the High Priest that meets our needs."

In my years in church, I have understood the word "save" only to mean "go to heaven when I die." However, I was curious and I looked up the word "save" in the Greek and here's what it means: save, deliver, heal, restore to health, make whole, preserve safe from danger, loss, destruction, rescue from peril, to protect, keep alive, involves the preservation of physical and spiritual life). That certainly paints a much larger picture and only proves to confirm all that Jesus did while He was on the earth. I have always thought there must be far more than "going to heaven" involved. Especially since Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. Why would He stop all He did on earth when He was here and only provide us with "heaven" after He has gone to His Father. Certainly, I am not minimizing the wonderful anticipation of heaven, but, to me if Jesus went about healing all those who were sick while He was here, why would He stop when He went to heaven.

Also, I looked up uttermost and "to the uttermost means: making motion or direction toward perfection, whole, entire, completely, entirely, always and forever.

The very end of verse 26 says that Jesus, then, is the High Priest that meets our needs, meaning: fits our conditions, perfectly adapted to our needs.

How excellent is all that?!!!

So from what I learned today I can accurately interpret those verses by saying, "Jesus is able to save me, deliver me from danger, heal me and restore me to health and in every way preserve me physically and spiritually, making motion into perfection and wholeness, as long as I draw near to God through Him, Jesus is making intercession for me  to meet my needs, fitting my condition and perfectly adapting to my needs.

How excellent is all that?!!! It is exciting to know, to understand what an Awesome God we serve. Now and in the hereafter!

Have a great day and Thank God for all He has done and is doing currently for us! Draw near to Him!

Penny Black Rose Sympathy Card

Happy Memorial Day!

Something a little different for me, yet still the same . . . 

Dies & Alcohol Inks!

Our son thinks my terms are a little gloomy,

"dies and alcohol",

but he just doesn't understand the joy in this kind!

Lattice Die behind a 'fussy cut' rose stamped over Alcohol Ink background.

Swiss dots embossed backgrond over a shiny silver layer on

a black card base.

I think the results are a very acceptable Sympathy Card.

Are You Thorny?

I am certain that all of us, at sometime or another, feel the pressures of life so weighty on us we walk around in a fog and we wonder "how am I going to get through this?" We wait for "normal" to arrive and "normal" never comes! I've been studying about the "cares of this life" the past few days. What I learned, I want to share with you.

First of all, "cares" defined is anxiety or disruption to personality or mind.

Reading in Mark 4:18-20 "Others are the ones sown among thorns; they are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world, and the delight in riches, and the desire for other things, enter in and choke the word, and it (the Word) proves unfruitful. But those that were sown upon the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold."

In these verses I see that I have been thorny ground. The cares of this world have come in and choked God's word in my life. I looked up choke in the Greek dictionary and it means to overpower the Word. Unfruitful means to make unproductive. Well, so I ask, how am I supposed to deal with the cares of this world. I mean, I have to deal with everything that faces me. I can't run away in attempt to avoid the issues that are present. I can't ignore them and pretend they don't exist! So, what do I do...? Oh, yes, remembering another scripture about cares. I Peter 5:7 "Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares about you." I was reading Rick Renner's bible study the other morning and he said that word "Cast" in the Greek means to 'hurl', 'throw', 'fling with great force.' Well, that's surely one way of getting rid of my cares. Better yet to fling with great force all my cares that weigh me down upon God. He is far more capable of handling them and bring the end result to an appealing closure.

So, I sit in my quiet corner and in my imagination I vision everything that is weighing me down in one big pot. I mentally and verbally take each care and talk to God about them, one by one imagining dropping them into His bucket to handle for me. I do not see that I should forsake doing what needs to be done regarding these issues, but I leave the ANXIETY of it all, the weight of the responsibilities, the pressures and then end results in God's hands for him to deal with and now, I have successfully "cast my cares upon the Lord, for He cares for me." I remember now, that I turned it all over onto to Him to deal with and so when I feel the anxiety rising up within me again. I make myself remember that I gave that to God to deal with and leave the Cares there with Him.

But, I don't want to be "Thorny". I want to be "Good Soil". What do I need to do to change this issue in my life. Well, I just did step one! I recognized I was allowing the cares of this world to overpower the Word of God in my life making God's Word unproductive for me. Explain . . . well, we blame God for what is going on. It's not right to blame God. Life happens. There's carnal flesh that we have to deal with and there's a devil who has come to steal, kill and destroy. God did not do any of that. He shows us the way to go to live successfully. When we don't follow His instructions on how to handle things we are letting "Life" take precendence over  God's Word and, well, when you don't put something to work or action it's pretty hard for it to produce something, right? We've effectively allowed the hassles of live to cause us anxiety and disruption to our personality and our mind. By doing that we're thorny and allowing the cares of this world to impact our life, not the Word of God.

So, now we change our way of dealing with things. Cares - you no longer rule me. I cast my Cares onto God - He cares for me. He will work powerfully in my situation. I hear the Word of God, I agree with God's Word and I obey God's Word. Now God's Word can produce God's plan for me in my life. I am good soil! Don't allow the cares of this life to rule you! Don't be thorny. Don't let the cares be more impacting in your life than  God's Word. Hear God's Word. Let His Word be what you put your attention to and agree with it and obey it and watch and see it produce in your life!

Have a Wonderful Weekend Care-Free!

"I'm Not Pharaoh"

Imagine God talking to you right now . . . imagine Him saying this: "I, God, am not Pharaoh. 'Pharaoh' oppressed you, treated you harshly, abused you, beat you, condemned and criticized you. Pharaoh hurt you emotionally, physically and sexually, but I Am NOT Pharaoh. I am your Deliverer, your Healer, your Help, your Strength, your Protector. I love you, I Am Love. I am your Guide, your High Tower, I Am God. There is none like Me. I am not Pharaoh. Ascribe to me glory and honor and praises, but do not ascribe to me Pharaoh's behavior. I am the one who overcame Pharaoh. Listen, I will overcome "Pharaoh" in your life, too. Please don't respond to me as you have toward the 'Pharaoh's' in your life for, I am not Pharaoh. I am the God of Mercy and Lovingkindness. I am the Most High, the Almighty. I am the I Am."

Love Embossed Feathers Card

Wow! It's been raining, raining, raining here!

It's one of those nights I just can't sleep,

so how about working on my cards.

Sounds like a plan.

This one is just white embossed feathers
sponged over with a varety of colors and

wiped off with a kleenex to clean any ink off from the embossed part.

I stamped the sentiment and then dry embossed the cream card.

Pretty easy and I like the results.

The weather man says we could see some snow . . . excuse me . . . it's the middle of May!!!

Clearly Besotted Dragonfly Card

I think this dragonfly die from Clearly Besotted is beautiful!

I love 2 - part dies, too!

Have a wonderful weekend.

Oh, alcohol inks make lovely, well, lovely everything!

Enjoy!

Dogwood Blossom Memory Box Card

I hope your weekend has started out wonderfully!

My husband and I got a video of our 5 month old

grandson taste testing broccoli and banana.

The banana went over great, but broccoli, well,

they have a ways to go on that one!

I also had a great time stamping with my Mom and Friends today.

Of course, in addition to "Playing", we ate yummy food.

This is not one of the cards I made today, 

but it is one of my favorites!

Probably because I am hooked on 

Memory Box dies and

Alcohol Inks!

This is the Dogwood Blossom and Outline - Love the 2 part dies -

and the border is the Lucienne Tile. 

Both from Memory Box.

I keep thinking I should keep record of the alcohol ink colors that I really like.

The problem is I get going and having so much fun I forget and

besides part of the creativity is how much ink and the arrangement of

the ink spots on the felt.

I can use the same colors on new felt and can't ever seem to

replicate the look just the same again.

I guess that's why it is creative art!

Have fun playing when you get a chance.

ENJOY!!!

Memory Box Waltzing Butterflies

Memory Box Waltzing Butterflies!

This works with Alcohol Ink on Glossy Cardstock, too!

Daily Bread Stamp "Faith"

Stampin Up Strawberry Slush ink and accent layer.

Clearly Besotted Birthday Dragonfly Card

Another Dragonfly Card!

Another Border Die - this one is from Die-Namics

Surprise - - - - this is not an Alcohol Ink background!

This one was a new and fun experiment.

Melted crayons!

I followed a tutorial you can find here:

It was Fun!

You should try it!

I have a whole shoe box of used crayons from daycare days...

I wonder how long it would take to use them all up?

Well, it's sort of hard to leave these dragonfly dies alone -

they are so beautiful!

Have a Great Day of Creativity!

How to handle conflict

Ahhhhhh, do people ever frustrate you? Well, I'm having a time of it right now with people difficulty. This one is a family problem over the estate of our recently deceased brother. The challenge is in getting everyone to work together and agree!

So, my question isn't how do I feel? It isn't how I can get this problem resolved? It isn't anything about me - I don't need to ask those questions. I already know how I feel . . . grumpy! I already know what I can do to resolve the problem - I've already tried, that answer is nothing! I can't change people, I can't force them to agree, I can't force my opinion upon them. I can, however, start war and that is exactly what I need to avoid! I know from past experiences that responding according to my feelings when I am upset, saying what I think and what I feel and giving my frustrations room to act out is a good way, no, really, a great way to make war and make things even more difficult. When I behave that way, I do and say things I regret later.

So, my question is . . . what is the wise way to handle this situation? What can I do to make things better? How do I handle my own frustrations, irritations and impatience? Ohhhhhhhhh, can you tell - it's all on my nerves.

Well . . . what does God say to do in this situation? That's what I need to know and whatever He says to do . . . if I'm smart, that's what I will do.

So, let's find out the answer for my problem today.

Pray - well, of course, let God into this situation. I have certainly tried unsuccessfully to deal with this on my own. Why do I wait until I am frustrated to pray? God says in Philippians 4:6 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." Well, it's pretty clear, that this scripture is speaking right to me! Be anxious for nothing. I certainly AM anxious! But, how do I NOT be anxious? Bring my issues, my problems, the things that are making me anxious to God and make them known to God. Talk to God about what's going on with thanksgiving. Thanksgiving? I understand the anxious part and the part about bringing my issues to God, but, why thanksgiving? I think Psalm 75:1 answers that question, "We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks! For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near." That makes sense to me because I can look around and see the sun shining, the beautiful blue sky, the grass turning green, the crabapple trees blooming beautiful white blossoms. The new growth coming out of the ground on my hydrangea bushes and the other perennials coming to life after the winter is now gone. Just those "simple" things are actually wondrous works of God and as I see those things in nature that God established to be that way, they declare to me that God's name is near (allied - joined in relationship and agreed to work together, at hand, more ready).

What does that mean? Well, I know from previous studies that the "Names" of God represents all that God is. They explain the character of God. God has many names and each one of His Names tells me about a part of God's person. So, like my "names" . . . I am a wife, a mother, a Grandmother - Yeay!, a daughter, a homemaker, a business woman, a female. All these "names" tell something about who I am and what I do. Well, the names of God do that same kind of thing, except His names represent far more than the names or "titles" that I have. For instance, one of the names of God is, Jehovah Rapha - the Lord that Healeth me. Another name is Jehovah Jireh - the Lord that sees and provides. Another name is Jehovah Shalom - the Lord of Peace.

So, as I see the wondrous works of God, they are declaring (proclaiming and announcing emphatically) that my God, who sees and provides, my God of Peace is near to me! In other words, by bringing my requests to God, I can leave my anxiety at the door and with thanksgiving, tell Him about my issues and know (confidence, faith) that He will provide help and peace to me in my situation. My God is my ready help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16). My God is mighty (Job 9:4). Nothing is too difficult for Him (Jeremiah 32:17). My God is on my side (Psalm 56:9). My God is well able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that I can ask or think (Ephesians 3;20). Those alone are enough reasons why I would bring my requests to God with thanksgiving! I am so thankful that I am not talking to the wind! I am talking to the One who will hear and answer! He is the one who is actually able to help! No more anxiety - I have rolled my cares over on to Him, because He cares for me (I Peter 5:7)! Now, I shall stand and watch and see the salvation of God (Psalm 25:5, Psalms 62:1, Micah 7:7)! Watch and see what God will do! I have suddenly gone from anxious to excited, from irritated to appreciative, from grumpy to thankful. God IS good. Find out what He says about your situation, follow His directions, do what He advises and then believe and watch and see what the Lord will do!

Watercolor Flower Card

This is a test!!!

I followed a Watercolor tutorial from Jennifer McGuire.

You can watch her tutorial here:

This is my first draft and I am fully pleased.

I could have tried to stay in the lines,

but, well, you know - I just didn't want to!

I like the overall coverage of color.

Framed it with Spellbinders Rectangle Deckle edge die.

Penny Black Stamp. Versa Mark and white embossing powder.

I used Tim Holtz Distress ink dropped on an old  CD,

Sprayed water and dropped ink around the picture.

Love the results!

I think I passed my own test!

Washi Tape Dragonfly Card

Good Morning!

I think these dragonflies from Clearly Besotted are wonderful!

Alcohol Ink behind dragonflies

Washi Tape strips are edged by a punch

 design that I cut in half.

Pretty, easy card and great for Just a Note!

God is Able . . . But Will He?

It's an easy thing to say "God Is Able . . " The question that comes to us is,  "But, Will He?" Often times we make our own doctrine or theology in attempt to answer our questions and try to bring ourselves comfort instead of going to God and His Word to find out for ourselves what "His" answer for our "Will He?" question is. Just because it doesn't "appear" that God is working, doesn't mean that He isn't. We must allow God to answer to our question: "I know you are Able, but Will you . . ." It is necessary for us to search the scriptures to find our answers and know that we know, for our very own selves, what God's answer to our doubting question is

Do ever feel that just when life seems to going back to "Normal" you discover that you actually have no idea what "Normal" even is anymore. One thing bombards you right after another and another. You may feel like crumbling apart - you may even ask "God, where are you?" The answer from scripture is: "I am a very present help in time of need" "Ask and you shall receive" "Only Believe", "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lea n not on your own understanding" "God is Faithful". To all that you may say this is just too difficult - I don't know how to believe or trust. But, certainly you do know how to believe or trust. It's actually easier than you think, you do it all the time.

 Think about this one. Do you ever go to your car, put the key in the ignition intending to start driving to work or the grocery store or the gas station and decide that it's not worth it to turn the key because you don't think it will get you anywhere? No! Apparently, you trust that when you turn that key your car will start and off you will be going to your intended destination. Now, of course, your car can disappoint you and decide not to run, but God IS Faithful and He will never disappoint those who will trust Him at least as much as you trust that your car will start when you turn the key. If you can trust that . . . . most certainly you can trust that God will be your ready help in time of need.

Not Only IS God Able - He is Faithful and He Will Do what he says He will do. Your brain will often give you a fuss over this. Tell your brain to shut up and tell your brain to do what You tell it to do. Don't you know that doubts are thoughts that you can control by changing those doubting thoughts in to trusting thoughts. What a foolish thing to do to have a perfectly fine car in the garage and the key in your hand and allow your thoughts to tell you that it won't start so why bother to go and even try. In fact, most likely you don't even think about what the car is going to do or even think about putting the key in the ignition. You simply EXPECT that the car will start. Well it's time to start EXPECTING to see the Faithfulness of God to show his Ability on your behalf to meet your need and to answer your questions and to heal your body and to direct you in the best way to go. These are all things that God says He will do! Yes, God is Able - God is Faithful. Expect God to do what He says he will do. Treat Him with at least as much respect as you treat your car! "God is more than able to do exceedingly above and beyond all that we can think or ask according to the power that works in us." Ephesians 3:20. That power is the Holy Spirit that was imparted to us when we became a child of the Most High God. The same power that raised Christ from the dead!

If you are a Christian, recognize you have the powerful One dwelling in you. Trust Him! If you are not a believer, I would highly suggest you change your beliefs immediately, because without God you are without the help you need! Trust God's ability on your behalf. God is the Father who takes great joy in giving His children what He has available for us - all the privileges and benefits of His Kingdom. He lacks No good thing and is a ready help in times of need. Those are all scriptures. I suggest you study the Bible to find them for yourself and believe what God says and Act like you believe!!! God is Faithful, God is Able, God is Good to those who are His who love him! Yes! God is Able and Yes God Will - Only Believe!!!

Happy Day Dragonfly

As you can see . . . I have been having fun!

Alcohol inks, Memory Box Piestra Tile Die 

and Dragonfly Die!

A little attempt at something new in the

photography department too!

Enjoy!

Elliana Memory Box Die

Good Morning!

The weather is beautiful and Max, our cat only cares

about going outside!!!

This card is, what else?

Alcohol Inks and Elliana Background Memory Box Die!

I am still trying to become a photographer . . .

I could try to blame it on the camera, 

but I think it's the one behind the camera - 

not the cat either!

I didn't want to cover up the beauty of the alcohol ink

background or the lovely die,

so, I silver embossed "Best Wishes" on vellum.

I think it works!

Beautiful results for a Wedding Card!

Enjoy this day! 

Hope it's nice weather wherever you are.

We Can Count On God!

Just a bit of encouragement for us this morning...If you are a child of the Most High God, then you must know that God Loves You! After all, He sent His only Son to die for you so that you could become part of His family and be set free from the power of the enemy if you believe.

Well, the other Good News is that not only did He forgive us our sins and make a way for us to live with Him forevermore, he also put us in position to be overcomers in this life! He wants to be our help every day, all the time, in every way! He says He will never leave us or forsake us but rather He is with us as a ready help all the time! That's a good thing, because I need His help - all the time!

We can count on God. Just pray and talk to Him and give Him the Thanks that He is ready to help us. Get to know what He says in the Bible so you will know all the great things God will do for you. He is our Healer, our Provider, our Deliverer, Our Present Help, Our Counselor ... so, so, so much more! Keep studying the Bible and believe what you read. It doesn't make sense to our natural mind how God can work out things for our good when we can't even understand it. But He is Mighty and All-Powerful. Nothing is impossible with God and coolest is that He is not a man that he can lie. It is impossible for Him to lie! So, irregardless how impossible it seems to be to come out of the deep trouble we often find ourselves in, if we will trust him no matter how it appears and just say: "Father, I do not know how you work this all out, but I know you are Faithful and True and your word says 'nothing is impossible for you' so I put my trust and confidence in You to work this out entirely for my good. Thank you for your Faithfulness! Amen"

Help!

Aren't you grateful for those around you that help you when you need help? It is impossible for us to know everything there is to know, to be able do all that is needed to be done in this life. I am very good at messing things up when I try to do things on my own, particularly in certain areas. Even when I have some knowledge, there is always more to know!

Imagine being a fully trained physician/surgeon - even they specialize in certain areas. They don't know it all in every field. They may be familiar with other medical areas, but they consult with others who specialize in other fields. Lawyers, business professionals, investors, bankers . . . all the same. We know in part, but none of us know everything about all there is to know.

So, I am grateful for those with more knowledge and experience than I do, who are willing to help, train, direct and even RESCUE me!!! Thank you to all of you who function in those categories when needed!

But, think about this . . . what a wonderful deal it would be to have someone with us at all times who had all knowledge and the ability to help us with anything we need help with at whatever time we need it!

God is our very present help in time of need. He will never fail us. He will never leave us without help. He is all wise, all-knowing, The Holy Spirit is our guide, giving us counsel. The Word of God teaches us what we need to know to live this life successfully and so much more.

If we want to have better success in our lives and have help whenever we need. Look to God and ask Him to help you! How wonderful it is to have helpful people, but we are limited. God has no limits. There Nothing He cannot do. Ask and you shall receive!

My God Cannot Lie!

A few posts ago I shared with you what happened when I leaned against the car and said "If I don't believe the truth I just heard, I am calling God a LIAR! I. . . Just . . . Couldn't . . . call God a liar. Truthfully, I didn't know that much about God for myself, but I knew what my husband said to me was in God's Word. I respected God enough, that I couldn't call Him a liar.

After that happened, after the reports all came back perfect, I had a desire to know about this "God who cannot lie". I studied the Bible to find out more for myself. I will share with you now some of what I learned that convinced me even more about the fact that God cannot lie.

I am going to start adding scriptural references to my posts so that you can easily look up the scriptures to see for yourself that this is God's Word, not my own.

"God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" Numbers 23:19

Does that impact you? God is NOT a man! We can say we will do something and even with the best of intentions, walk away and forget what we were going to do. God is NOT that way. If He says something He will not forget that He said it, He Will do it. He WILL always make His Word good to us.

Here in Hebrews 6:15-18, we see, in reference to the promise God gave to Abraham that He would give him a son, Isaac, God reminding us that there are 2 unchangeable things (His promise and His oath) in which it is Impossible for God to lie or to deceive us ~~~ Wow! Not only can God Not lie, It is Impossible for Him to lie or even deceive us. In James 1:13,  we find out that God is incapable of being temped by evil. You can't even tempt him to lie!

Malachi 3:6  tells us that God doesn't change - He couldn't lie in Abraham's day - he can't be tempted to lie in our day either. James 1:17 says that with God there is no variableness no change or even a shadow. In every season of life God is the very same! We can count on Him! I have often said regarding my husband and my son, as well, that "They are the most stable people I know." Even in the most difficult and stressful times, they remain the same. God is far greater that that!!! Hebrews 13:8 says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever!

But what about those who don't believe this? What if some don't believe that Jesus bore my sicknesses and carried my diseases and by His stripes I am healed? What if, worse yet, some don't believe that Jesus even is the Son of God who came to this earth and was crucified and buried and rose up on the third day to take away our sins and make us His Children? Well, there are answers to those questions too . . . Romans 3:3-4 says, "What if some did not believe and were without faith? Does their lack of faith and their faithlessness nullify and make ineffective and void the faithfulness of God and His fidelity (to His Word)? By no means! Let God be found true though every human being false and a liar, as it is written, that You may be justified and shown to be upright in what You say, and prevail when You are judged (by sinful  men).

On and on and on the Bible continues to tell us the same exact things . . . quickly I will refer to these scriptures for your own study:
     2 Samuel 7:28 - "O Lord God, You are God, and Your words are truth"
     I John 1:9 - "He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises)."
     Revelations 19:11 - He is called "Faithful and True"
     Ephesians 1:13 - the Word of God is called the "Word of Truth."
     Titus 1:2 tells us: "Resting in the hope of eternal life, (life) which the ever truthful God Who cannot lie, promised before the world or the ages of time began.

     This scripture in I Thessalonians 5:24 sums this all up wonderfully . . . "Faithful is He Who is calling you (to Himself) and utterly trustworthy, and He will also do it.

So, what if we don't believe? God still remains the same. He is still faithful. Those who don't believe don't receive the promises of God. It is not God's fault if we won't believe. He still remains faithful. All that He has said is still true. It is all still available to us. It is our fault if we don't obtain what God has promised. The people in Jesus' own town would not believe and because of that Jesus could do no mighty work there. It wasn't that He refused to or wouldn't do great things for them. He did it everywhere else and often commented "it is your faith that made you well" or "Great is your faith". It is not God who is not faithful! God is not to be blamed when we do not receive from Him. It is only our very own fault if we do not receive and the # 1 reason we don't receive is because we are not believing His word. 

Worse than not receiving the health, provision, favor, guidance or any other benefit God has for us is not believing Jesus was God's sacrifice to pay the price for our sins so we can become His children. It is important that we understand that believing is not simply giving mere mental acknowledgement to that truth. If you believe something it will impact the way you think and behave. So say you believe but not behave like you believe would be as stupid as "believing" there is going to be a major blizzard  - (know that I live in the North country!) 40 below zero temperatures, 10 inches of snow, 40 mile an hour wind. Now really . . . would I go in my car wearing flip flops, shorts and a tank top? Would I even GO in my car anywhere? NO! No, No, No - that would be foolish! If I really believe there's going to be a blizzard like that or of any kind, I will stay home, keep warm and be prepared. I am urging you to BE PREPARED!!!!  If you are not prepared you will suffer the consequences  . . . here is what you can expect if you are not prepared,  believing God's Word with accompanying actions:

Mark 16:16 explains that "he who does not believe (who does not adhere to and trust in and rely on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth) will be condemned." What is condemnation? Look at Revelations 21:8 "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderer's, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars - - - their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." Condemnation is eternal separation from God. Hell.

In case you need more convincing . . . . look here: Matthew 13:49-50 "So it will be at the close and consummation of the age. The angels will go forth and separate the wicked (the unbelieving) from the righteous (those who are are upright and in right standing with God) and cast them (the wicked) into the furnace of fire; there will be weeping and wailing and grinding of teeth." Do you need more yet?

There's plenty more but there is an encouragement I want to give you in Proverbs 15:24 "The path of  the wise leads upward to life, that he may avoid (the gloom) of the depths of Sheol." Be wise, be prepared, believe, live like you believe and pray this prayer with me.

Father, Thank you that your Word is truth, every bit of it is absolutely true. It has been true from the very beginning. It has been tested and proven true. Thank you for giving to me such a pure Word. Thank you also for being so faithful (accurate, constant, loyal, reliable). I know you are faithful to keep your covenant and to do as You have promised. You are the faithful Creator, You are faithful and just. You are called Faithful and True and your Faithfulness is unto all  generations.

I know that You are not a man that you should lie - You are true. Even if every man lies - You still remain true. It is impossible for You to lie - You can't even be tempted with evil. In You is only light, no darkness at all. Thank You for never changing. Help me to walk in the path of the wise. I believe you are telling the truth about those who will not believe (the wicked) their end is Hell, I certainly do not want to go there. Help me to live, believing and behaving, in the manner that pleases you, Help me to know your Word. Knowing that You Cannot Lie, help me to be fully prepared for what is ahead.

As I study and learn more about You and Your Word, help me never forget that Your Word is True - Always. You are Faithful to do Your Word, Always! You cannot lie - Not Ever! Help my words also to be true, help me to be faithful and help me not be tempted with evil. You are my awesome God and worthy to be praised. AMEN

Powerful!

Do you ever feel weak and whimpy? Do you ever say or think "I don't know if I can do this anymore?" Do you ever feel like giving up? I can't say for sure, but I'll bet there's a strong possibility that I am not the only one who's ever been there.

When I feel that way, I have learned that my situation and what I am experiencing is, first of all, only temporary. I don't care how serious it is. It doesn't matter what professional reports have to say. I am very serious when I say "It IS only temporary". Listen up!!!! I must remember that God is far bigger and stronger and mightier (Zephaniah 3:17) than my feelings of weakness or actual physical weakness. He wants to show Himself strong on my behalf no matter what the situation is. (2 Chronicles 16:9).

I look at examples of how people in the Bible handled these issues. What did David do when he was feeling this way? Psalm 59:16 tells us that David's attitude was "As for me, I will sing about your strength; I will praise your loyal love in the morning. For you are my refuge and my place of shelter when I face trouble." David had many opportunities to feel weak and whimpy or think naturally to say something like "There is NO way I am going to make it". Well here's the scoop . . . We are at times "whimpy" and on our own there may well be NO Way We can make it! But the good news is, if we are children of the Most High God, that we are not alone! God is our help in time of need! Hebrews 4:16 says: "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." The kicker is: We must come boldly to God. Ask for his mercy and grace and He is ready to hear and to help. "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him." Psalm 28:7.

What did the woman with the issue of blood do? Let's look and see her situation and how she handled it. Mark 5:25-29 "Now a woman was there who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years. She had endured a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet, instead of getting better, she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she kept saying, 'If only I touch his clothes, I will be healed.' At once the bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease." "God is not a respecter of persons." Acts 10:34 If that happened to her, it will happen to us today as well. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever! Hebrews 13:8. I would say that the woman with the issue of blood came Boldly to Jesus! Will you come boldly too?

I used to be very stubborn, like a 2 year old, "I can do it by myself", is the attitude I had a lot of the time. Then I'd get to the bottom of my barrel and I was too weary - at the end of myself. When I finally asked God to help me - things started to get better. I have learned after much of my own stubborn failures, that I don't need to try and try and fail on my own. I don't need to wear myself out trying to succeed. I don't need to let myself get to the point of "whimpy" before I ask for help.

However, sometimes my "whimpyness" doesn't come from my stubbornness to ask for help right away. Like the woman with the issue of blood, sometimes, difficulties, well . . . they just come. Sometimes, life just happens and it is hard and on our own we don't have answers or solutions. But, I have learned that I don't need to "Go it alone!" God is ready to help me NOW and I don't need to wait and try hard on my own before I ask for help for whatever I am going through.

I encourage you today - "Ask God for Help NOW!" He is willing, He is able! Luke 1:37 says, "For nothing will be impossible with God." God tells us to come boldly to Him with our troubles and our imperfections and our own inability and find strength (ready help) in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16 again from the Amplified Bible says "Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy (for our failures) and find grace to help in good time for every need (appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it).

Remember, there is Nothing too Difficult for God! Jeremiah 32:17 "Oh Lord God, you made the skies and the earth with your very great power. There is nothing too hard for you to do."   Additionally, Psalm 103:17 tells us, "But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children." He loves us so much! He can and He will help you. You just need to ask and believe that he hears you and He will help you.  John 14:14 "If you ask anything in my name, I will do it." I'd say that is an awesome promise. Ask Boldly Today!
 

 Powerful!

Thanks So Much

Oh, Happy Day!

Perhaps you haven't noticed or read my Encouragement Today
 page on this blog.

I welcome you to read my almost daily posts.

Well, when it comes to cards, you all know that alcohol inks and dies
 are my Favorites.

But, now what . . . I've added Washi Tape to my favorites!

That's certainly something to be Happy About!

This 2 part dragonfly die from Clearly Besotted is the
nicest dragonfly die I've seen.

Have a Great Day and Play Away!!!

Handmade Zinnia Alcohol Ink Cards

I am SO excited!

Isn't it great when you create something you admire?

Well, call me arrogant, I don't care.

I very pleased with this pair...

Back to, or rather, still at alcohol inks and dies.

Wa Hoo to the creators of those two things and 

all the varieties to choose from.

I need a library to hold all the toys!!!

The first card is: Memory Box Lucienne Tile and Zinnia Dies

The second card is: Memory Box Piestra Tile and Zinnia Dies 

The second flower used the background die on the flower.

Love the color combinations.

Let's play some more!!!

Alcohol Ink Partial Die Cut Card

I followed Jennifer McGuire's tutorial on Partial die cut borders. 

You can find it here:

I think Jennifer does an excellent job showing and explaining.

She is my "Go To" lady for learning new things!

Thank You, Jennifer!

The background is alcohol inks, again.

This time I pulled the felt across the glossy cardstock

to gain the striped look.

I like it - this card looks springy to me.

Add a few score lines, Spellbinder "Flower Box" die and

Paper Smooches "Dots & Dashes" die.

Some bling, stamp, black ink and coordinating green cardstock.

It was fun to try a little twist on my favorites:

Dies and Alcohol Ink!!!

Yeay for today!

As the deer pants . . .

Oh, that our souls would pant for God . . . 

This was an easy card, too.

Very pleased with the final result!

Have a wonderful weekend.

Pursue Happiness

Pursue Happiness!

The Greatest Happiness is found in living to please the Almighty God!

You'd have to experience it to understand - I encourage you pursue God!

Another fun and easy card . . . of course, alcohol inks to the rescue!

Enjoy your day!

True Friend

This one was fun, too . . . but what isn't?

I masked off the area on the top third of the card and

clear embossed the leaves.

Then I sponged several different colors until I got the intensity that I liked.

Finally, I stamped a few leaves in the same color as the sentiment,

removed the mask, did some scoring, a simple stamp, 

added just a few layers, and there you have it.

I like it!

I should make some more!

I think I will!

Bridge with alcohol inks

Oh! The things you can do with stamps, ink, cardstock and Alcohol Ink!!!!!

If you haven't tried it - you certainly should!

Have a wonderful week!

hello, baby

hello, baby

Adorable Card sweet card.

I still think alcohol inks and dies are the Best!!!

I have so much fun with these two products and

add embossing folder, ribbon and a little bling - Wall-La!!! Ta Da!!!

Fun, Fun, Fun!!!

Wedding Thank You Cards

Good Morning!

It's been a long time since I've gotten to do any "Playing"!

Things are starting to slow down. I am grateful!

I had a wonderful visit in between work to spend a 

few days with my daughter-in-law and our 4 month old

grandson. He is sooooooooo Cute!

Last night I was playing a little bit and although alcohol inks and dies are my favorites...

washi tape is fun, too!

Well, isn't it ALL just fun!

This was easy and fast, washi tape, scoring and a sentiment!

How easy can it get!

Happy Easter to you all!

Thanks So Much!

This winter, Laurie at Stampin' Up North made a Christmas card
that I liked so much I copied it many, many times!
You can see  her card Here.
Well, I am ready for spring, so this is my remodel of her creativity using Lawn Fawn "Thanks" die,
Clear stamp from Technique Tuesday,
Spellbinders oval die,
Catalina Border die from Memory Box and
Designer Paper that I've have for years - perfect time to put it to work!
I'm thinking that I have alot of paper and dies to make this card a variety of FUN!!!

Washi Tape Note Card Set

So . . . I was playing around instead of doing tax preparation stuff . . .
what can I say . . . I NEEDED a break!!!
Simple 3 1/2" x 5" washi tape note cards with score lines and greetings.
Nice, Happy Gift, don't you think?
Okay - so now I will get back to WORK!

Winter Vintage Child

Well, unlike other areas, we hardly have any snow here!
However, it is still
a good time for a "Winter" Card.
This image is a printable picture from Luna Girl.
I used the Top Dog Gate Die on white linen cardstock.
Layered over embossed Stampin Up Baja Breeze and
Brown Sugar cardstocks.
Ink is Stampin Up Brown Sugar.
Clear stamps from, well, I don't know what the company is, but I sure like the stamps!!!

Funny! 

Vintage printable roosters just happened to fit within the heart!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Baby Love

Hello! 

Another heart card with the Memory Box Heart Ensemble Die!

This one would work for Baby Shower or Congratulations on New Baby.

The image is a vintage printable baby, but I've almost arrived to inserting

our Little Caleb's photo!

Hopefully one of the photos we took will work much like the one above . . .

Plaid Snowman Valentine

Blue Plaid Snowman Valentine!
Same thing just different DSP.
Cool, Huh!

!

Snowman Valentine

Here's another Snowman Valentine's Day Card!

Isn't it cool how just changing the Background paper and colors

changes the look! Fun!!!!

PS - Thanks to Memory Box for all of their fun dies.

I am, without question, a die fan!!!

Valentines Day Washi Tape Card

Good Morning!

I am still on the Memory Box Heart Ensemble Die Kick!!!

Fun, Fun, Fun!!!

This one was simple and quick with fabric washi tape and a few score lines -

Wall - Ah! 

Valentines Day Card.

This card measures only 3 1/2" x 5"

Gingham Snowman Valentine

Snowman Valentine

Fun use of a printable snowman and Memory Box Heart Ensemble Die
I never sent out any Christmas Cards this year, but I have a plan to
put Caleb's picture inside of the heart and send Valentine Cards like this instead.
I am in process of making that happen, just waiting for the photos.
In the meantime, I have been practicing with other images.
More to come....

ds

Cozy Snowman

Hello! I hope you are enjoying your winter!

I know it's been a long, long time since I've posted anything.

I have a really excellent excuse, though.

We have a new grandson and we just came back from visiting him!

We still know how to hold a baby and get him to fall asleep in our arms.

How precious is that? Pretty precious, that's for sure.

Of course, he is adorable and sweet and surely a keeper.

The only issue is that they live 1500 miles away... major bummer.

Nice to have Skype!!!

So, I have been doing a little creating and although it doesn't match up to

holding our new baby, it is still great!

This card features a printable snowman over scalloped midnight muse cardstock from Stampin' Up using the spellbinder long scalloped die.

The first layer of cardstock is Stampin' Up Natural Cream.

The brown circles and ink are Stampin' Up Soft Suede. 

The center strip is a burlap textured cardstock that I found in a book of textured cardstock at JoAnn's. 

The actual card I found with matching navy blue envelopes at Michael's.

The card measures 5"x 7"

Not to bad for G-Mum, Grammy or Gram-Mum.

I am not old enough to be a Grandma!

Duane is "Poppy" and that is settled!!!

Welcome to our lives and family Caleb Thomas!!!