Faith Based Pages

I enjoy encouraging others to put their faith on their scrapbook pages. To me, it seems pretty straight-forward: if faith is a part of your day-to-day life then it ought to be showing up in your scrapbook pages fairly regularly - afterall we scrap to leave a legacy, don't we? It's been a joy these past few years to see others as they have their own 'ah-ha' moment regarding faith based pagse. From time to time I plan to share one of my own FBP and give a little instruction on how I created it -
This layout was created for a page-a-day contest that Cindy Lee put together for our Yahoo group. It was a joy to complete. Here's what I did:

1. Using 12 x 12 kraft cardstock as the base, hand trim [or use a cutting tool, as I did] dark purple apx. 12 x 6, and light pink apx. 12 x 1/4 inch. Adhere to base.
2. Mat photos on darker pink cardstock and adhere as shown. I used a wedding photo [scanned and resized] and a recent photo of C and me.Note: corners of photos are rounded.
3. Print journaling and verse [25 Years Together and i love you more and more each day. I can truly say - "Kiss me again, and again, for your love is sweeter than wine." Song of Songs 1:2] on brown cardstock, cut into strips and adhere.
4. Hand stitch the border above and below the ink wavy strip: with a thumb tack punch holes apx 1/4 inch apart; using embroidery thread [pink] sew through these guidelines to form border. [Much like those pre-school sewing cards we played with as kids-]
5. Hand cut hearts from light pink cardstock. Adhere and "stitch" using a thin marker [brown] to make slashes across the edges all around the hearts.

Enjoy! I'd love to see some of your FBP - please send me an email or post a comment with a link to it's location.

Brothers & Friends

Many of you know that our boys left for college a few weeks ago and are living together in an apartment off campus. As I've shared this with friends and acquaintances I'm often stopped and asked, "How is that working?" or, "I hope they get along better than our children did...", or,
"We tried that one time with our children too." etc. So I answer with something along the lines of this: Our boys are friends, while they may not be 'best friends' they are friends - and they respect each other, they know and share the other's strengths, and help out in the weaknesses. They do not take or use something of their brother's without asking, and most importantly they enjoy being together. We're blessed that they know the Lord and that they've made good decisions in their lives [yet we all know that one bad decision could change the course they take.] And several times in the past few weeks as I've shared this I've been told, "You and C raised them well," or, "It's because of the way you parented." And you know, I have to say, that gives me a good feeling, because, C & I and worked hard to parent in a way that the Lord wanted. We tried hard to teach our boys to have the values and ethics that the Lord would want so that they would grow into men of good character with integrity. And, as we watch them grow - we feel blessed.
We miss them, and this whole 'empty nest' thing is very much a new beginning for us, but we know we're blessed as we watch them grow and follow the Lord's leading. Here's a little excerpt from a "Girlfriends in God" devotional this week where Leslie Nease is talking about letting her daughter go to college:

"Sure, I will miss her deeply but seeing her so miserable out of the will of God made me realize that I'd rather let her go than keep her here and have her walking in disobedience and misery. Who am I to stand in the way of what God has for her?

I'm realizing as my children are all growing up that letting go is hard and exciting all at the same time... She's not really my child anyway -- she belongs to God. He has plans for her that are so exciting and wonderful that I can't help but be excited for her! I'm so blessed to have her in my life and as long as I point her to Him, I've done my job well... it's time for her to try out those beautiful wings now. Fly, baby! Fly!

I'm reminded today of these lyrics from Find Your Wings by Mark Harris:

I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage
To dare to do great things
I'm here for you whatever this life brings
So let my love give you roots
And help you find your wings

It's not living if you don't reach for the sky
I'll have tears as you take off
But I'll cheer as you fly

LOVED THIS - and it holds much the same thoughts that I wrote to the boys when they each went off to college - I want them to do great [and small] things for the Lord! And it's such a joy to see them grow and fly on their own! I'm blessed....

Mary Kathryn's Blog

Still a cutie-- To link to her blog - click on the photo on the side bar.

Who Would've Thought

22 years ago when we were holding our precious baby boy ... that we'd be standing here TODAY spraying our baby's mohawk before a game? Looking Good! HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY! Hope it's a good day!

Twenty-two Years Ago

- I was lying in a hospital bed [and had been there for almost two weeks] with only conversation with C. for entertainment [not that he's not entertaining - it's just THAT'S ALL I was allowed - no visitors - no television - no sunlight - no fun; not that I was feeling up to having any kind of fun anyway...] and we were discussing: 1) that my doctor had gone on an extended fishing trip leaving me stranded in the hospital and 2) we were TIRED OF WAITING and WANTED A BABY! So we made a plan that when Doc H came into my room the next day C would block the door and not let him out until he agreed to induce. And, Yippee! It worked! Of course Doc H looked a little concerned when C stood up and said, "You can't leave yet..." Twenty six hours later our first little bundle of joy was welcomed into the world!

Creativity - & Two Year -Long Projects

Yay! I'm all 'caught up' with my weekly scripture cards! Here's some photos!I also wanted to share some photos from my daily gratitude journal that I've been working on this year. I've enjoyed both of these projects and, as you can see, have had a sort of 'anything goes' attitude while completing them.It doesn't show very well in the photo above, but I'm using a little acrylic album and it's been fun playing around with it.

Waaaaaaar Eagle!

While I'm not a graduate of AU [their social work program was just beginning and not accredited when I transferred to a school closer to home, so I didn't want to chance it] and I don't particularly looove football - I really did enjoy being with our guys this weekend - and the game was fun too! [We were part of the 87,000+ people there to be a part.] So neat to see the eagle fly [I know it has a name, but am just not sure - and they flew the bald eagle this week instead of the golden - really pretty!] We left the game a little early and were back at the apartment before the rain started - whew! A fun couple of days - Matt has shaved his hair OFF and Drew still has his mohawk - we should've had him turn his head a bit - but I'll post more photos later in the week -

He Speaks to Me - [edited]

I know I haven't posted any of my weekly scripture cards lately - and the fact is I'm still a little behind with the crafty part of it - but I've so enjoyed searching the scriptures each week when we get our topic or *word of the week* from Patter [link to the right...] I search and write down references then go back through my Bible [sometimes a couple of versions, but mostly I rely on my favorite New American Standard version] and write my favorite verses in a little spiral notebook where each week has one page filled with all my favorites for that word. I then make cards for at least two verses, sometimes more, and put them in the roladex on my desk. LOVE IT. I promise to share some updated photos soon.

So the *word* this week is [God's] Leading [or 'guidance' as I used some also.] A verse that spoke to me: Numbers 9:23, "At the command of the Lord they camped, and at the command of the Lord they set out - they kept to the Lord's charge." My favorite Bible is also a 'Life Application Study' Bible and the commentary for this verse follows, "The Israelites traveled and camped as God guided. When you follow God's guidance you know you are where God wants you, whether you're moving or staying in one place. -- YOU ARE PHYSICALLY SOMEWHERE RIGHT NOW. Instead of praying, 'God, what do you want me to do next?', ask, 'God, what do you want me to do while I'm right here?' Direction from God isn't just for your next big move. He has a purpose in placing you where you are right now. Begin to understand God's purpose for your life by discovering what He wants you to know. "

This has spoken to me today- I've known for many months that God wants some things to change with our Faith Based Pages company and I've struggled with the - "what's next?, what's the next step?" part of it all. Now I know that I just need to be still and stay where I am and wait on God's leading. He'll tell us what He wants us to do - in His timing. Tonight at church we ended with 'Have Thine Own Way Lord' and I thought about how we enjoyed watching the clay as it was molded at the potter's wheel while in Gatlinburg / Pigeon Forge last month - and how I really do want to be molded by the Potter's hands much like this bowl we bought while there -

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Let's stop rushing to what God has planned for us next and instead, wait, enjoy the present and let Him use us right here, where we are. He'll lead us to the next step in His perfect timing...I encourage you to listen to His plans for you...

Three Weeks Old ---