Finally Some FUN!

You may recall that I originally intended this blog to be something FUN for all of us to share...but my last number of posts have all been quite serious. Well, I'm home sick today, and between naps I've been making cards like crazy. So, I've finally gotten some of them scanned and posted - enjoy!

Making cards is like an obsession for me lately - I have gone through 5,000 vario tabs (one of my fav adhesives) in the last 2 months. Yeah, "obsession" is putting it lightly. But, ya know what? Of all the things to do with my time I figure it's worth it. I'm producing something that will put a smile on SOMEone's face out there...making the world a little happier :)

BTW does anyone know how to post pictures on this blog in a seperate link? I would like to have a link to the right that allows people to view pictures by subjects...any idea how to figure this out? Not the most experienced (obviously) with blogging :) HELP!

Hopefully you'll be inspired by some of these designs. TFL (in scraplanguage that means "thanks for looking")!!!

Pampered and Touched

Here I am: still on this theme of wants and needs. Does God give them to us? Sometimes - sometimes it seems not. Still struggling with asking and trusting and being honest with Him. So, listen to what He went and did for me!

David's out of town all weekend, so I've really been craving a spa treatment. Anything would do: manicure, facial, massage - just to feel pampered and touched. Yes, when David is around I get pampered and touched quite regularly :) And, I'll admit: I miss it!!!

Can't afford the spa. No $ right now. Bummer.

Last night I was making cards (my favorite way to enjoy life and avoid it all at the same time right now) and I thought about my friend Laura. Called her up and she was free to come over. When she walked in the door, she had a big mysterious CHAIR with her...

As the evening progressed and we kept chatting and chatting, she revealed that she's a certified relexologist and this chair was a special chair that she used during treatments. She also said that she believed God had told her to give me a foot massage. A PROFESSIONAL quality foot massage. MY FAVORITE!

No way.

Yes way. God had sent my very own private spa treatment in the comfort of my own home. He used my dear friend to deliver His pampering and touch in my life. Thank you, Laura. Thank you, Jesus!

Why do I ever doubt?????

And, another "serendipity" moment. Here was the Language of Letting Go (by Melodie Beattie) daily reading for March 7:
Fulfillment
"Everything I need shall be provided today. Everything." Say it, until you believe it. Say it at the beginning of the day. Say it throughout the day.
Sometimes, it helps to know what we want and need. But, if we don't, we can trust that God does.
When we ask, trust, and believe that our needs will be met, our needs will be met. Sometimes God cares about the silliest little things, if we do.
Today I will affirm that my needs will be met. I will affirm that God cares and is the Source of my supply. Then I will let go and see that what I have risked to believe is the truth.

Just ASK

Sometimes I really struggle with asking God for what I need. Last night, David reminded me that Jesus says, "You do not have because you do not ask God." (James 4:2)

I was going back and forth. If I ask God and He doesn't give me what I *think* I need...what good is it? But, if I don't ask, I may miss out. Then, again, what if I just have too much doubt?

It was all resolved this morning by putting on my watch.

A silly thing that I do every single morning. I put on my cute purple watch (got it at Nordstrom's on sale - love it! Lavender, fossil, and rhinestones - does it get any better?). As I was looking down at my watch I remembered something that happened years ago.

See, when I was growing up, we really didn't have much money. Somehow, I knew this and knew better than to ask for things I wanted. I didn't need to add that stress to my parents. But, one day, I got really bold and I gathered the courage to tell my mom about something I really wanted: a Mickey Mouse watch that played "It's a Small World" and had a little globe on it.

Within a few weeks, my mom had hunted down that watch (I think she had to special order it) and she gave it to me.

I know without a doubt that my mom loves me. Not just becase she got me that watch, but just because I know she does. She showed it to me and got me what I wanted - just to see me smile. I never forgot that watch - it was a symbol of remembering to ASK. Just ASK.

Finally, I have asked God for what I need. In faith, I will keep asking. Hope you will too.

"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:9-11)

Taking the Plunge

As most of you know (who am I talking to? I just made this blog three seconds ago...no one even knows about it yet!), I have continuously resisted the pull to join the blogging online world. I have no website, no facebook...nothing but good old fashioned email...

But, I have accepted that blogging is an important way of life for us in today's modern society. I have taken the plunge and joined you! I am happy about this decision...I have not done this reluctantly or under compulsion. I have thought about this choice, and I am entering deliberately.

It's an interesting thing: blogging. I think it's more about the writer, than the reader...don't you? Blogging is this special place where one can feel important - like we have something to offer the world, a legacy to leave. It's this mysterious diary of our thoughts lingering in an unknown construct we call "online." So...what's MY purpose for a blog?

Purpose #1: GROWTH. I'm passionate about change - my husband will be the first to tell you that :) I love to watch myself grow and become more and more the woman God wants me to be. I think that writing about what I am going through, getting feedback from friends about it, and then applying the wisdom of others might make me a better person. Then, through that process of sharing and encouraging, others might be able to grow too. This is the "therapy" part of my blog.

Purpose #2: FUN. I also have a slight love of all things ART! Painting, scrapbooking, photography, stamping...these are the FUN things of my life. I want to share my artistic process with others to inspire joy and creativity. This is the "scrap" part of my blog.

I'll talk more about blogs and what this means to me later...but, for now HELLO BLOGGING WORLD!!! I'M HERE!!!

P.S. My signature below is my artist's signature. I've decided to use it for my blog, because I think I am going to discover that this Creature we call Blog is going to morph into an artistic work of its own...Namely, a really GREAT LIFE STORY!