Not Sure

Nothing to say.... and just playing around....

Beautiful Mess

I haven't much to say tonight. First, let me say I thank God my friend is out of the Hospital and it seems all will be well. I am so glad God answers prayer.

As for the "art" tonight. Today, I watched a video about making dendritic monoprints. I have shared the video below. So after I watched it I decided to make a few. And then after I did that I threw some string, the way Dina Wakley showed us at Art Journaling live in June.

As for the beautiful mess... well that is what I think of this card. I love the circles, and the string. I like the colors also. You know my life is a beautiful mess too. There are so many things that make my life a mess, but because I have Jesus in my life as my Savior my life is not seen as a mess, because His blood covers my sin. Because I have Jesus as my Lord, the mess I make can be made beautiful by the guiding Hand of His Leadership. Because the Holy Spirit guides me I can walk through the mess of this life and at times even be at peace.

Thanks-you Lord for my beautiful mess. Help me to follow you and allow you to clean it up and make it all what you would have it to be. Amen.

Useful

Have you ever noticed how God can use even the most tragic circumstances, or live to work His will? It is so amazing to me.

Look at Abraham, he lied not once but twice about Sarah being His wife. He didn't trust God enough to wit for God to use Sarah for His plans. Jacob was a trickster, when he stole his brother's birthright, then his blessing. There are so many people in the bible that God used to bring about His plans who were not remotely what we would consider "good". 

That is the thing that gives me the most hope about my life for God. I know that no matter how I stumble, and the problems that I have in seeming "good" to man, God sees the real potential in me, even when I don't. In fact, I think that is exactly who He would rather use. The broken are the ones that can be more easily guided by Him, maybe because we are closer to the ground. When we fail or when we fall we are ready to look up. 

Lord, help me not to be so spiritually minded that I am no heavenly good. Help me to stay broken, ready to be molded, and willing to do your will. Thank-you for your love and patience. Help me to be Useful!

Promises

Today, My bible reading was from Genesis 25 and 26, and there was a very good statement in the devotional. It stated, "God has no grandchildren." At first it took me a minute to grasp, but it is true. If we believe in Jesus, that he lived died and rose from the grave to become our Lord and savior then we are God's children, each person has to make their own decision about this truth. No one can do it for you, you can get to heaven on the skirt of your family, church, or anything other than believing in Christ.

The devotional went on to say that it is the same with the promises of God, "Each succeeding generation must learn to receive and rest in the in them personally in order to enjoy their benefits, God has promises for you today that Christians have been claiming for centuries."

So when I sing "Standing on the Promises" I am have to claim them  for myself, I can't let my pastor claim them and get the benefit. I have to claim them personally. I have to step out, grab a hold, and hang on tight, to the promise God has given me. Whether it be the promise of salvation or the promise that God will never flood the earth again. I have to believe and claim that Rainbow for myself!

So today, as I am thinking about all my friends and family who are struggling I am claiming the promise that God said he would hear my prayers, my supplication, my interceding, and my cries for healing. I claim the promise that God has perfect timing and he has everything in His control. I know He never said it would be easy and He never will let me down (even if it feels that way). I claim His promise of everlasting and unconditional Love. Thank-you Lord for all your promises. Help me to remember you are faithful and just and will be my everlasting champion! Amen

Name

"A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor than silver or gold."

I have been called many things. Names that have been given to me by my parents, friends, teachers, students, and "enemies" some good, some bad.

It is unfortunate at times that the labels we give people tend to shape and model them if they are used enough. Like calling someone "stupid"... over time that can make them believe it, even when they aren't. Or "clumsy", "fatty", "Petunia", names like these can have a very negative outcome.

I heard someone on the radio today talking about this. She was saying that when you feel unloved or unworthy tell yourself the opposite. And she is right, that is what we should do. It is hard to give ourselves the positive affirmations when we keep hearing the ones we loved using labels to describe us that hurt.

I am so glad that I have a Lord and Savior who see through crud that I have heaped up throughout this life, the stuff that has cause me to feel less than I should about myself. He sees the real me. He knows the names that are true and those that aren't. He longs for me to believe the truth and not the lies. He wants me to be positive about the future and forget the past. He wants me to focus on His names and remember that He can make me into the person He longs for me to be. It is hard and I am trying, sometimes those old voices get really loud... and I have to listen really hard for the still small voice of my Friend.... Jesus!

I have a bracelet that has the names (not all) of Jesus on it. I just wrote what they are on my card today. I often look at it throughout the day when I need encouragement.

Thank you Jesus for being who you are. I pray that I can be who you long for me to be. Help me to turn down the negative voices and listen closely for your still small voice. Amen

 

Coffee

Most every day I have at least one cup of coffee. That is at least 10 ounces a day. Most days it is more, and today is no exception, I have had 4 so far I think. I lost count with all the other stuff I am doing at the same time.

For Christmas, I gave my father a mug that said... "All I need today is a little coffee and a whole lot of Jesus." And that is the truth. A little coffee can get me through the day but I need a lot more of Jesus. I talk to Him all day, and I can tell when I am not getting enough companionship with Him. Things tend to not go like they should. 

If for some reason I feel the distance between myself and Jesus, it is not Jesus that has moved. He is right there beside me, I have just put a "wall" between us. I wish I could say that never happens, I wish I could keep my eyes on Jesus and let Him control all I do. Sadly, I don't and if people are really honest most of us who are believers don't. 

When things are rough we cry out to Him and because He is who He is he helps us, holds us, and comforts us. Then things get better and we start to build the wall... we talk to Him all the while we are building the wall, but as things get better we keep building. Then we feel we don't need Him any more, we have got this, all is well. Yes, we speak to Him, tell Him we love Him, but that is about it. 

Then things start getting off, troubles frustrate us, because we can't handle it by our self. We want to blame Jesus, where was He or why did He leave me alone.  He didn't... We built the wall, and now we have to tear it down, but Jesus is right there helping us. He loves us too much to leave us. 

Lord, I thank you for all the times you have been there for me. I ask forgiveness for all the times I have put a wall between us. I pray that you will help me tear the walls down and help me rely on you instead of trying to do things on my own. Amen. 

When I made the Courage card, I used this piece of deli paper as my "drop cloth". So today I used part of it for my background for this card.  

Courage

Yesterday, I used the verse "Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart;  Wait, I say, on the Lord!" Psalm 27:14

Today, as I was waiting for my friend to leave to go to a hospital in New Orleans my pastor and asst. pastor read a verse Psalms 28:7 "The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him."

When I decided to make "art" for today I thought of these two verses the courage for all the chaos is Jesus. He is our strength, our shield.

I pray that my friend gets answers and is healed. I pray she finds comfort and courage in Jesus. Lord, please heal my friend. Thanks-you for your answer. Amen