And Other Thoughts

A Cause to Blog

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Feminine and Masculine Birthday Cards

I by no means declare that I’m acing this card making thing. I’m trying, though.

I really like the idea of making cards for people. There is a lost art of simply sending anyone an actual card that they can hold in their hands these days. With social networks ruling cyberspace, more often than not, many people are only receiving impersonal, “Happy Birthday” messages on their profile pages.

I’ve always loved sending cards. For a long time, many years ago, I used to stockpile cards for any given occasion. But after trying my hand at scrapbooking, and HATING it, I thought I’d scale it down a bit and try making some beautifully handmade cards.

I have two friends that will be celebrating their birthday this week. One is an old high school friend, and another is a dear new friend I met earlier this year at a very emotional Rachel’s Vineyard retreat.

So for my old friend, who loves to ride his bike, here is a masculine card:

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And for my new friend, here is a feminine card:

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What’s funny about this photo is that the sentiment seems to be raised above the pink bar, however, it is the pink bar with the window that is raised above the sentiment. (I hate my camera! But I LOVE washi tape!)

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

God’s Vote for President

You hear the question asked over and over: “Is God a Democrat or Republican?” And then you’ll hear the reply, “God isn’t political.”

I beg to differ.

As Christians, you have more responsibility to vote than anyone else. Why? Because YOU are God’s voice on earth. And if as a Christian you believe God doesn’t want to be involved in politics, you are seriously misguided and uneducated in scriptures.

Let’s start at the beginning…

The ultimate politician before earthly politicians was God Himself. He ruled over the land. He made the rules. He upheld the rules. And He appointed people on earth to maintain them.

And then when Israel demanded a king, God hand picked Saul and then David and then Solomon.
Again, if you are schooled in scriptures, you know of the Judges and the Kings. And then you can see once God was taken out of the picture, starting at the end of Solomon’s reign, everything begins to fall apart and society became an “anything goes” culture.

We Are for the Poor!

I’m often baffled to see “liberal” Christians, because I don’t understand their mindset or reasoning. I often think they believe that Democrats have the backs of the working man and the poor. However, they are sadly mistaken in that logic, because Democrats haven’t done anything to move poor people out of poverty, but instead have kept them oppressed and dependent on government programs. They promise goods that never arrive, much like Obama’s distribution of wealth, and yet they never seem to rise above their circumstances. Instead they are offered free goods so they will be liked and seen as “caring.”
“A man void of good sense gives a pledge and becomes security for another in the presence of his neighbor.” (Proverbs 17:18)
Now don’t get me wrong, because God commands us to take care of the poor, but he expected you and I to do that! The church. The community. And for a very long time we did…until the government got involved during The Great Depression. Churches were pushed to the side and soon people were starving and standing in bread lines. The picture is disturbing.

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So if you are a Christian and you’re a liberal because you believe we should be taking care of the poor, you’re 100% correct, but government should play a very small role and the church the bigger role. Once the government got involved, the churches began to fall to the wayside, and no one seemed to “need” the church anymore. And the church seemingly let it all happen.

I’ll tell you from my own experience when my family was in financial trouble, the church would only “allow” so much to be given to us within a year’s time. However, we paid 10% tithing each pay period only to find that when we needed some of that money back, we were refused. We couldn’t get help for all of our needs, just the ones they chose. And while we were able to get food from the food bank at church, we were only allowed four grocery bags a month. As anyone knows, four bags of groceries doesn’t go far, especially when one bag is solely for your household goods, like toilet paper, cleaning supplies, etc.

So again, if you are a liberal Christian what role are YOU playing in supporting the poor and helping them get OUT of poverty? Are you offering them jobs? Are you paying their rent and utilities? Are you providing more than 4 bags of food for a family of four? Or are you relying on the government to do that? The Mormon church got this right with their own welfare program! THIS is what the church should look like.

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The above photo is of the Mormon welfare warehouse, called The Bishop’s Central Storehouse. This is how the church should be taking care of the poor. However, it’s not just a “give away” program. They also offer job training, and members who own businesses offer those in need, JOBS!

We Are Humanitarians!

Some other liberal Christians claim they are Democrats because of the “humanitarian” aspect of the political spectrum. Again, I’m not sure where they see this since liberals are 100% pro-abortion. Our current President isn’t merely for abortion, but for partial birth abortion.

Let me ask you how God would view this scene… an innocent baby, helplessly in the womb being delivered up to the point of the neck and then the doctor sticks a knife in the child’s head and sucks out his/her brains. BRAINS! The child had a thinking, active brain that is SUCKED out of them. How humanitarian is that? Is God cheering that on? Is God happy with that “choice”? And if you can’t even VIEW the picture below, then I HIGHLY suggest you reconsider your vote for this President, because he believes this is perfectly fine. And if we think this is okay, let’s also consider how in Canada, they are now allowing AFTER-birth abortions. Meaning, once the child is born full term, if the mother decides she doesn’t want it, she can kill it. No. I’m not making this up.

BEWARE: HIGHLY GRAPHIC PHOTO BELOW!!

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This is a drawing of the procedure, but below is REALITY of the procedure.

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Was this God’s idea of life and choice? I doubt it.

We Don’t Want to be Seen as Homophobic Anymore!

I’ve said this time and time again, that if it were up to me gays can get married. I see love…as love. But it’s not up to me! However, I know what God says about marriage and how it belongs solely to a “man and woman.” If someone can show me in the Bible where God CLEARLY said a man and a man, or a woman and woman should and could have sex together and “join” as one and reproduce, then SHOW IT TO ME and I’ll be the spokesperson for gay marriage. I will! I have friends who are gay and I’d like nothing more to show my support for them in every way. But first and foremost, I’m a Christian who believes the Bible to be true. My loyalty lies with Christ if push comes to shove.

Not one pastor of any church can scripturally show or verify that abortion is acceptable and not a sin, that homosexuality is right and pleasing in the eyes of God. These may be social issues, and many of us believe politics shouldn’t have any place in these topics, but they are MORAL issues. Right and wrong issues. Value issues. We can see what has happened over the course of time when we’ve allowed sin to become lawful. We open the door…

What the Bible Says

What does scripture say about all of these issues? What does the Bible say about life, babies, and children? What does God say about gay marriage and homosexuality? What did God say about Christians taking care of the poor?

Look, I’m not saying God’s a Republican. However, I do believe God is the Ultimate Politician. The REAL DEAL politician. He gave us direct ideas about how a politician should behave and govern:
“Strong leadership has a moral foundation.” (Proverbs 16:12)

The Foundation and Moral Fiber of America

Moral foundation. Godly foundation. What role does the Bible play in our nation’s foundation, success and laws?
“The fundamental basis of this nation’s laws was given to Moses on the Mount. The fundamental basis of our Bill of Rights comes from the teachings we get from Exodus and Saint Matthew, from Isaiah and Saint Paul…If we don’t have a proper fundamental moral background, we will finally end up with a totalitarian government which does not believe in rights for anybody except the State!” (Harry Truman, 33rd President)
“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.” (George Washington, 1st President)
“If you take out of your statutes, your constitution, your family life all that is taken from the Sacred Book, what would there be left to bind society together?” (Benjamin Harrison, 23rd President)

The Answer for Your Presidential Vote is Clearly Stated

But again, I ask you, if you are voting, what are you voting for? Where can you find the answers on who to vote for? Well, our 40th President, Ronald Reagan said it best:
“Inside the Bible’s pages lie all the answers to all of the problems man has ever known…It is my firm belief that the enduring values presented in its pages have a great meaning for each of us and for our nation. The Bible can touch our hearts, order our minds, and refresh our souls.”

You Are Offensive to Society

Lastly, I think as Christians we truly need to consider our religious rights and freedoms that are now being taken away. In-home bible studies are being shut down by police, we can no longer offend people by saying, “Merry Christmas,” and students praying at school can and will be suspended. We did this to accommodate another religious group who found Christ to be offensive. And it was done through a liberal, political correct mindset: Christians are offensive. YOU, as a Christian, should be offended by that. But you’re not. You’ve become complacent. You’ve justified sin. You’ve made excuses. You’ve created your own god.

And then on the other hand we have people who hide behind religion because they are so misinformed and uneducated. They don’t KNOW the Word so they follow the crowd of hate mongers. Do not HIDE behind God, instead reside in God and “the truth will set you free.”

You Recognize Him by His Fruit

I think in this election we as Christians have a very clear choice. We do have a man of God running for President. You will recognize him by his fruits.

Monday, October 22, 2012

The Me I Wish I Could Be

I wish I could be that person who joyfully wakes up at 5 AM and enjoys a cup of joe in the solitude of God’s Presence. As gleefully as that seems in my mind, reality bites me hard at 5 AM and the last thing I want to do is get out of bed for anything or anyone, even God. That may sound terrible and selfish, but I’m nothing if not honest about the real me and not the me I wish I could be.

I tried this lifestyle once, and it was wonderful…if it worked. See, my house is chaos. When I get up, the whole world seems to follow suit. The cats beg for love and food, the dog aches to be let out and given a treat, and Tavin realizes that mommy’s up and there’s no logical reason to be sleeping any longer if that is true.

No matter how quiet I am, tip toeing, stepping over  known creaks in the floorboards, and stirring my iced coffee without the spoon touching the glass,  my solitude ends up becoming the beginnings of a very frustrating and irritating day. But it’s a nice thought that I relish.

I wish I could also be that person who never yells at her children, graciously and tenderly disciplining with love and mercy. No. That’s not me, either. Everything in my life is like sandpaper to my delicate soul. Scratch, scratch, SCRATCH! My emotions are raw and so is my throat by 6 PM.

I used to be a multi-tasker, but then I got tired of doing everything all at once, so now I try to focus on one thing at a time. However, I am continually pulled away from anything I try to do every 2 minutes. (I swear to you, I’m not exaggerating!) It takes me hours to write a 200 word blog thanks to constant interruptions. So sometimes I don’t even bother trying to do anything I want to do anymore. What’s the point?

I wish I could be one of those mothers who talks on the phone most of the day, or sits and reads a good novel while their adorable little one plays quietly. But instead, I numb myself with facebook and Pinterest so I won’t get so disappointed when I’m pulled away—although I am.

The me I wish I could be has a quiet soul, a tamed tongue, and energy to go around for everyone.

But I’m not that person. No matter how hard I try to be something I’m not (anymore), I just can’t get this thing called life right.

I’m a bigger mess than I should probably admit. I pray God can do something spectacular with it all.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Life is Good When I’m With You

I’m experiencing separation anxiety from my husband.

For the past five years, we’ve had the luxury of very flexible work schedules and winters off together. Although times were tough, financially, Jared and I cherished our time together. We are not the kind of couple who seeks “time away.” We truly relish quiet nights together and chaotic days with Tavin.

But now he started a new, permanent, full time job. No more random hours or winter breaks. He leaves at 2:30 PM and gets home around 2:30 AM. He sleeps until Noon, puts Tavin down for a nap and then takes one himself until 1:30 PM when he wakes up to shower and then leaves again for work.

Tomorrow will be our first anniversary that we haven’t spent together in five years. And while my life is quite frustrating because Jared’s no longer around as my sounding board with Tavin, I miss just having him around. I miss our nights of nothingness that meant so much, more than anything, though.

And that inspired me to create this art journal page. So far, this is my favorite one I’ve done. I’ve only made a handful of art journal pages, and I’m truly trying to find my niche. I think heartache does my art good.

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Then a few days ago I received the bad news that my friend’s mother had finally “won” her battle with recurring breast cancer. Her passing brought back the horrible memories of losing my mom just a mere five months ago, and I was capsized under a sea of tears. So I tried my hand at making my first sympathy card. Not sure how good it turned out, but my heart is truly in it.

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I also sent a very good friend of mine an awesome care package, however, she has yet to receive it, which is upsetting since I sent it over a week ago now.

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Then I made a thank you card for a friend who sent me some books on “the strong willed child.” Apparently she’s under the assumption that Tavin gets that from me. Smile

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Oh, and I made a fabulous paprika bird in the oven last week. Just thought I’d end on a high note.

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Monday, August 27, 2012

Journal 8: Dream

So my eighth journal I made for Rachel’s Vineyard was a bit more detailed, but for some odd reason took less time than any other journal so far! Only 1 day, and less than 12 hours. Wow!!

This is super fun 6X6 paper I bought a while ago and had never used.

Journal 8: “dream.”

Although I used tiny binder clips, I wanted to add some flair to the journal with ribbons.

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This was pretty difficult for me to put together. This is my first time using multiple layers. Up to this point, I’ve really only done 2. It was hard for me to jump out of my comfort zone and layer on things I already liked, but I think it worked out really well.

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Inside front cover and first page:

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Inside pages:

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Hidden “passages.”

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This page offers a nice size paper “pocket.”

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Here’s where I tried—key word, tried—to do a mixed media/art journal page. This is my first attempt, so bear with me.

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Moving into devotions.

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Back page and back inside cover (washi tape, washi tape, washi tape):

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Back cover:

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So I’m getting closer to completing 12 journals. Only 4 more to go. I pray that God’s heart and hand will be revealed to each woman when they receive these; that they will be blessed and feel loved! I pray daily for these journals, not only for the women who will receive them, but that God will speak to me and guide me creatively, and that each journal will speak directly to the woman who choses it…that it will “Be” created just for her!

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Journal 7: Bloom

Well, another journal is complete. This one is themed, “bloom.”

Here’s how I begin compiling pieces for the each journal, which surprisingly takes a lot of time.

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I changed my mind on the cover and size, and in the background you’ll see the cover of a ledger book I found in my mom’s stuff. It was a bit hard for me to use it because it had her handwriting in it, AND…I believe it was very old. It had “Judy” written in it in my mother’s handwriting. Judy was my dad’s second wife, with whom he left my mother for when I was five. So this was really hard for me to use, but it was just so perfect…

Here’s the cover, binding with brown and pink ribbon, and circle tabs:

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Front inside cover and first page:

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Inside…

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Yep…hand stitched!

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I really enjoyed the colors and patterns of this paper. I found it on clearance at JoAnn Fabrics for $5! It came with three pages of letters and a lot of punch out frames, borders, and embellishments.

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I adore washi tape…I may have an unhealthy addiction to the stuff!

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I love using washi tape to add layers to the paper.

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I found these adorable paper clip tabs (upper left) at Office Max…they matched this theme perfectly!

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I didn’t want to add too much stuff to these pages because I thought the paper itself offered a lot of possibilities, such as lined journal paper. Cute fabric pocket for index cards.

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Love the polka dot washi tape from Target! And you can see the left page has another layer for journaling underneath.

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Devotionals.

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Back page and inside back cover.

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Now for the fun part…the back cover exposing the two sided paper with a pocket!

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Take the stuff out of the pocket…

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So there’s journal number 7, bloom.

5 more to go…