Short, Sweet, Simple

Yesterday as I was preparing the devotional I found this interesting fact; Psalm 117 is the shortest book in the bible and it is also the middle chapter.  I study out of NIV Life Application, the Theme for Ps 117 is "Another reason for praise - God's love for the whole world.  We should praise God for His unlimited love.

  

Can I get a yes and amen on that one?

Psalm 117

1. Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples.

2. For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.  Praise the LORD.

This verse is central in the bible

and central to the message of the bible.

So much in so few words.  

I love that.  

This goes out to all.

From my Heart

Confidence.  Do you have it?  Are you confident in Jesus?  Do you really believe, really trust?

"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded."  Hebrews 10:35

Life comes at us hard and the blows hit exactly where they were meant to.  The arrows of the hateful one hit their mark.  Make no mistake about that.  The one who comes against us is good at his game.  Are you?  Are you equipped?  Are you masterful at your game?  We heard some truthful words this weekend.  And they too found their mark, they too accomplished the purpose for which they were sent.  Will you let them in?  Will you hold them close and brand them on your heart and in your mind?  Will you turn your face away from (close your ears to) the one who screams and dare to look to the One who loves?  Who whispers?  Who spreads light and make the darkness vanish?  Will you let go of the bar that is titled comfort zone?  Can you love enough to let go of the things that hurt.  It takes choice, courage, action, faith to let go of the things that have gripped us so tightly.  As painful as those things are, they are known and common and even comfortable and expected.  

Funny, we identify with what is known, like pain or failure.  We fully understand pain even make room for it, lay down with it, make excuses for it - but love.  Do we dare to love?  Really love.  To step out of that comfortable place, for the child Jesus died to save, do we fear rejection by the ones we want to help?  Or do we shy away because they are so different from us.  Uncomfortable with their sin?   That's right, I said uncomfortable with their sin!  With our God given Spiritual eyes we can sometimes see their sin but do we become blind to our own.  Without drinking deeply from the Word of Truth we become blind to the love that Jesus died to give us, the love that God commands us to have for one another, the love that sets us free. 

The words from the song Hope Now sung by Addison Road, written by Ryan Gregg.

If everything comes down to love

Then just what am I afraid of?

When I call out Your name

Something inside awakes in my soul

How quickly I forget I'm yours

I'm not my own

I've been carried by you 

All my life

Everything rides on hope now

Everything rides on faith somehow

When the world has broken me down 

Your love sets me free.

 And you have been set free!

That freedom came with a price, freely given while we still hated and didn't know love.  One of my favorite verses - 1John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.  So simple but so true.  We cannot love without the One whose Word is Truth branded on and hidden in our hearts, transforming and renewing our mind, setting us free to love and accept the pain that can sometimes come from loving deeply.   

Understand this:  There is no other like Him.  He is the King of Kings, the Beginning and the End, the One who was and is and is to come.  He is the One who dwells in unapproachable light, the Glorious One.  And know this:  God will not be tolerated.  He instructs us to worship and fear Him; to know Him is to know His Word and obey. (excerpt from the book "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan)

God Bless you sisters.  I pray that as you go about your week that you look to the One who loves you and worship at the feet that created all that you love.  Amen.    

Blogger Block

We've been gone, now I have writer's block.  I would have writer's block if I were a writer, I should call it bloggers block.   That's cute, I'm calling it!  I'm certain it's been said before but I haven't read it, I don't think, so I'm putting a claim on it.

  

Okay  . . .   big blank - no ideas - nothing new to say, but I need a new post.

So, here's all I got.

She's four weeks old,

He's been out of high school forty years.

We went to his high school reunion and even though I was a "foreigner"  we had a lot of fun and today, I got to keep her all by myself.  It was a little work but not to much.

So, that's it.  That's all I got, blogger's block.  

Weak, I know. 

In-couraged

Have you check out this new blog?  I'm sure you have.  All the big name blog writers are there and some that I am just meeting.  They have a way of taking an ordinary everyday activity and relating it to Christ.  Like buying a box of crayons  for school supplies.  Comparing our walk with the 24 crayon box all the way to the" crowning glory of the boxed crayon empire - 96 count with the built in sharpener."

And then there was the one reminding us that sometimes "hope waits in the dark"  and that the promise of  brighter things come after a long, cold winter.  

They are giving away a necklace and I found the writing on the card something to hang on to.

In God's heart, you are . . . 

created

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. 

psalm 139:14

chosen

The Lord has chosen you to be his treasured possession

Duet 14:2

celebrated

He will take great delight in you...He will rejoice over you with singing

Zeph. 3:17

cherished

I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness

Jeremiah 31:3

I in-courage you to check them out.  

Wordless Wednesday

Baby report - I didn't promise you one?  But  . . .  she's waking up.  

Three weeks old yesterday, she is starting to "hang out" as Mommy says.   

Oh yea, shhhh . . . this is wordless.

(We think she has the most perfect, cutest feet ever, so here's a shot of the perfect little things.)

did the parentheses make you whisper?  

She loves her Mommy.

Fall is in the Air

Welcome Fall

(don't pay any mind to the tag still on wreath)

 

More Music for Your Monday

Amazing Grace  by Il Divo

The four guys performed "Amazing Grace" in the beautiful arena in Pula ,  Croatia .  

This coliseum where the concert and recording were done is one of the most well-preserved  Roman coliseums in the world.
 

Blessings.

New Music Monday

I love music.  And I am loving Life Light Up, Christy Nockels

One of my early favorite's is "A Mighty Fortress," this song I put on repeat and just let it play.  The first line starts off with one of my favorite images of God,  "Our God is, a consuming fire, a burning holy flame, with glory and freedom."  

One of my favorite bible studies was Daniel, by Beth (can I just call her by her first name, after all she is one of my BFFs) Moore.  She is such a gifted teacher.  She cuts right through to the very heart for me and then takes me with her.  That's how I know we're best friends, sister's even. 

I love the visions that Daniel had and the description of God.  Chapter 7, vs 9

As I looked,

"thrones were set in place,

and the Ancient of Days took his seat.

His clothing was as white as snow;

the hair of his head was white like wool.

His throne was flaming with fire,

and its wheels were all ablaze.

A river of fire was flowing,

coming out from before him.

Thousands upon thousands attended him;

ten thousand times ten thousands stood before him.

The court was seated, 

and the books   -    were opened. 

 

Whew, can I just say whew!!!!  Praise God, thank you for Jesus.  Lord, I don't want to make light of your Majesty or your Holiness.  I can't even begin to comprehend All that You are.  I thank you Lord that You would look my way.  That the eyes of the One who is the Ancient of Days, would see me, that Your ears would hear my cries for help and that You would breathe on me and give me your Holy Spirit.  

vs 13  "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven.  He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.  He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him.   His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

Chapter 10, verse 6 - what I love about ithis is the description of what He looked like. 

 vs 6. His body was like chrysolite, he face like lightning, he eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the multitude.  

In the book of Revelation chapter 1, vs. 12 - 15

I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me.  And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man," dressed in a robe reaching down to this feet with a golden sash around his chest.  His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.  His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.  In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double edged sword.  His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.  

So, I guess what I started out to tell you was I loving the new Christy Nockels cd but what I have ended up saying, is that God is the One that I love and only because He first loved me and  only because He won't leave me where He found me and that He is faithful and true and will never leave me unfinished.  

We will keep our eyes on You

We will keep our eyes on You

So we can set our hearts on You

Lord we will set our hearts on You!

A mighty fortress is our God 

A sacred refuge is Your Name

Your Kingdom is unshakable

With You forever we will reign.

Can you imagine?  In the vision of Daniel when the courts were seated and the books were opened, and the ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him, we were there.  Already we were there.  Our momma's and our daddy's, our babies, our loves; we were there with Him.  He knew us already.  

I'm speechless.

Sunday Morning

   Ask and it will be give in to you; 

Seek and you will find; 

 

  Knock and the door will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks receives; 

he who seeks finds; 

and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Matthew 7: 7 - 8

Thank You

The other day there was a lively discussion on a post I read regularly, and one thing that came out of that was "doubt your doubt."  

Yesterday I was doubting my work, doubting why would anyone want any of this.  Thank you to the ladies that commented, encouraging me to keep going and basically saying, " don't doubt yourself, doubt your doubt."

I like it.  

Edited: this one goes to Mom.

And the answer to my why question . . . it will brighten a corner on a table somewhere and remind you that the One for who this cross symbolizes is True.  I want to infuse my work with Jesus, always.  

Thank you fellow crafter's and blogger's. 

 Funny how you have become friends and I find myself looking forward to meeting you here and at your place.  

Craft Room

Some times I am "on" and other times I just ask myself "why?"  As in these canvases.  I worked on texture and I got it.  But, I just wonder why?  why would someone want this?  What would they do with it.  What does it say to someone?  Why questions.  Maybe I'm too hard on myself.  

So, what do you think?  

Here's option number 2.  Texture, check.  The cross, my favorite.  Beads, hum.  So many options.

Will you help?  Comment on which set of colors you like best. 

#1.

#2.
#3.
#4.
#5.
or #6.

Doggone-it, That Bites

Poor puppy, she was just defending her territory.  Somebody tell the snakes.  No Snakes Allow.  

This reminds me of the time there was a porcupine in her territory.  I took her to the vet three separate times to get the quills pulled out of her mouth, nose and throat.  Poor baby.

Yea, those eyes say . . . seriously your taking pictures of me now!

I'm not laughing mom.

I forgive you, but I am not laughing.

Note to all:  Snakes are on the move right now, stinging scorpions too.  Be watchful.

Update - Details on the Hutch

UPDATE: Your wish is my command . . .  because I love you.  Also, I am interested in your advice on what type of drawer and cabinet pulls would you use?  You'll notice on the tv cabinet that I haven't picked out pulls for that either.  If you have ever had the pleasure of building your own house you will understand my desire to never make another decision again in my life.  

I'm just sayin'.

 

I found the inspiration for this hutch in a magazine.

 I had no idea where to find it on the market so I showed it to Johnie (his spelling.)

He is amazing.  The pictures really do not do justice to his work.  

His shop teacher told him, "you will never have a future in wood."  hahahahahaha.  

Whew, that was a good one.  Some of us are just late bloomers.  

This is one example of his trim work in our home

and this is the TV cabinet he made in our living room.  

I don't have many pictures of the before because the lighting was really bad.  

But still, I do love you. :)

D e t a i l s . . . anyone?

Cast of characters.  

Meet Holly, well the back of her head, she was camera shy.

We started with maple, stained the entire thing, inside and out, with Minwax provincial stain.  

Then she painted the front only with Sherwin Williams oil base paint in green black , she sanded and sanded and sanded.  Then she sealed everything with a polyurethane.

Yea Holly.

And now for the close ups.

This week's projects were;  the hutch for the breakfast room.  Pretty darn slick don't you think?

The bead board in the back was hand made and the iron detail in the doors was also hand-made by Blaze, who just graduated high school.  It has that imperfect look, I love that about it.

My focus this week was working on texture on canvas.  It's not perfect but . . .  I am on my way to what I want it to look like.

The work table does double doody. 

She is so sweet and cuddly.  She is doing really good and Mommy is in. love. 

That's all for now, but there will be more to come.