Hello Y'all!!! It has been quite a while since I shared a blog post. I haven't forgotten my blog, although it seems like I did. I have just been busy and it seems like I may even be getting busier. Seems like warm weather brings on a scurry of activity and I'm ok with that. I guess y'all have been busy too. I hope that you are having a great Spring to this point. As I look out the back window, I see that the blackberries in the back part of the lot is just about finished with blooming and now they will be setting berries. The worst thing is, they are in such a "chigger infested" area that my husband is always telling me to stay away from that area. Just mowing, he gets chiggers on him when the weeds and greenery brush up against him. So, as bountiful as the blooms are, the berries may just have stay back there and be food for the birds. I do not like chiggers and will do whatever it takes to avoid them, so the berries will probably just stay back there. boohoo
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So, we just had Mothers Day weekend. I hope and pray that all you mothers had a wonderful day and that you was remembered by those in your life that are your children or maybe they are people that you have been a mentor to. Anyway, I hope and pray that someone told you "Happy Mother's Day". If not, I will say "Happy Mother's Day" to you and thank you for doing the best job at being a Mom that you knew to do. I personally am not a mother, but that doesn't mean I can't recognize hard work when I see it. And being a mother is hard work. To be a successful mother means giving up your life to the ones that call you mom. It is actually called sacrifice. My mother sure done that. She sacrificed a lot for the six children that she reared. And all six of us are thankful and grateful that we are blessed to still have her with us.
I went to Ky and spent the day with her on Mother's Day and we had a ball as usual. I stopped in Russellville and had breakfast with three of my brothers and then went on to Mom's. I picked her up and we went on to church and had an awesome and powerful service. God was moving in a wonderful way. After church service went to eat and then back to Mom's place and one of my brothers and his wife came and we all visited for a while and then it was time for me to make the trek back home. It was a great time to be with her. We are looking forward to some exciting days in the future, if the Lord permits. Anyway, while I was there, she wanted a picture of the two us, so I got that and wanted to share it with y'all. I love my Momma. She's a sweet little Momma. And we always have fun and do a lot of laughing.
I hope that this picture isn't so big that it scares you. hahaha We both liked the picture, hope you do too. I hope you got to spend some time with your mother. If not, I hope you have wonderful memories that you gain strength and joy from. So, "Happy Mother's Day" to all my friends and followers, I pray that it was a special day for you.
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The other day a conversation took place on face book over Priscilla Shirer speaking the word of God. People can be so hateful and ignorant, and while doing so, they they get to spew their hate and all that good stuff. Priscilla was speaking about being used by God (and the word "judge" kept coming up in the comments.) Being ready to be used by God, and some men were just terribly upset that a woman was actually preaching the word. To those men, I say "get over it". Jesus said that we are to "go and tell". That is what the word "gospel" means, to go tell. That's what she is doing. And she does it quite well, I might add. I think what we are seeing in response to her and the other fine woman preachers, is jealousy. Jesus faced jealousy in the church of His day too. As a matter of fact, it was the jealous church leaders and goers that had Him killed. In the midst of it all, I responded. When I was done, I thought it was something that really needed to be shared right here on my blog. So, that is what this is, my response to hurt, hate, judging and sin. See what you think. Read on:
""""The
reason most people have something to say about judging or not judging,
is because most of us have on-going sin in our lives and if I judge you
for your on-going sin, then you can judge me for my on-going sin and that
is uncomfortable. We need to get our lives cleaned up, only with Gods
help and then we can help others get their lives cleaned up, only with
Gods help. Most of the time our judging comes with a lot of smugness
and stone throwing. We need to drop the stones and drop to our knees
and repent. When we do that, others will be more inclined to do the
same. Repentance is the desired outcome, starting with self, and then
working outward to those around us. If my life is a reflection of the
sin around me, then I don't have much of a witness. If the way I live
my life is no different than the unchurched person that ridicules and makes fun of Christians, why would the
unchurched person want to follow me to church? That person wouldn't,
and I couldn't blame them.
I hear people say all the time that
churches are a hospital for the sick. Taking that analogy as it is, if
I went to the hospital and spent ten years there being treated for a
condition and left after ten years of treatment, in a worse shape than I
went in, then I would say that something is wrong with that hospital. Churches are
"supposed" to be the place that we can get better; find healing (notice I said
"supposed" to be the place to get better; find healing) so that when we leave the walls
of the church, we are equipped to take what we have learned with us and
share that with those around us, hopefully to have others want to follow
us back to church. On the other hand, if we are still sick when we
leave church, then we need to go home, shut the door and don't even try to minister to
those around us, because we have nothing but sickness to offer. It is
thru our sickness that we are afraid of the word "judge". Just know
that the enemy wants to keep us sick in sin and afraid of the word
"judge". As long as we are sick in sin and NOT walking in the healing
grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, the enemy has nothing to fear
from us. When we claim healing thru the mercy and grace of our
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, that's when we scare the enemy, because
that's when we can make an impact on the unchurched and we don't have to
be hateful, hurtful, or mean spirited about it. """"
This comment of mine got many wonderful remarks, surprisingly so. I figured I would be beat up as badly as some had verbally beaten Priscilla up, but no, I actually got a lot of great feedback from my response. Go figure. hahahaha
This comment of mine got many wonderful remarks, surprisingly so. I figured I would be beat up as badly as some had verbally beaten Priscilla up, but no, I actually got a lot of great feedback from my response. Go figure. hahahaha
Thru it all, the way we live matters. What others see us doing matters. How we think matters. How we speak to others matters. How we speak about others matters. What we focus on matters. The condition of our hearts matters. Every choice we make in life matters. Someone is always watching. Someone is always listening. So, do not be afraid of the word "judge" or "judgement". Focus on the condition of your own life and get it in order with humility. Don't throw stones at anyone you are trying to minister to. That person needs to know that you care about them. When you are ministering to someone that has no idea what you are talking about, try to empathize with them and share with them about how you used to be B. C., before Christ. If you are authentic with them and share real life scenarios, then they can see how you are now verses the way you were before Christ. That's where a lot of respect for your chosen way of life can be earned and can make an impact. Some people will not ever respond to you kindly, in that case, once you have done what you can do, you are free to walk away. You and I are not called to save anyone. That is what Jesus Christ does, all by Himself. All we are called to do is spread the gospel. The word gospel means to "go tell". We are called to "go tell". We are to live in such a way that our lives point others directly to Jesus.
And another point about judging others. I can not judge someone that does not have a relationship with Christ. They don't know what they don't know and they don't Christ yet. So, nothing we say makes sense. But, where the fur fly's is when a Christian points out something in another Christians life. And this is what we are called to do and scripture calls that judging, and we do have the right to judge another person that calls themselves a Christ follower. If you are a Christ follower and you are not living up to that standard, then God says to judge that right now. Wake up, repent, and get back on the right path. What you do matters, how you live matters to your testimony. Do want a weak flimsy watered down worldly testimony. If that's what you want, then that is easy enough to achieve. But if you want a strong testimony, one that brings glory honor and praise to Christ, then we better get our act together and start living lives that ARE honorable to our Christ!!! Most of the time, we are so delighted to point our finger. When in reality, if our heart is right, we would be grieving at being in the position of pointing out another persons sin. It should always be done with a heavy heart. Sin is what separates us from God. Jesus is the One that covers our sin, like throwing a beautiful blanket over the ugliness of our sin. That beautiful blanket is His shed blood. That is why it should grieve us to have go to a brother or sister in Christ with sin in their life. You may be the very person that can make a difference, but if you go at them gloating, the wall goes up and it may never ever come down. If we go to them with a grieving heart and a loving heart that genuinely cares, then we can make a difference. The choice is ours. Be judge and jury, or be a person that is grieving over the sins of our own lives and the sins of others. But remember, sometimes we, as Christ followers, must judge sin in the lives of other Christ followers.
What do you think? Do you gloat over the sins in others lives or are you heart sick? Do you throw stones or do you drop to your knees? The way we respond matters. It makes a difference to those who are watching us with microscopic lenses. Make a difference. Don't be afraid to live a godly life and don't be afraid to grieve over the sin in another persons life. It may very well be what that person needs, just to know someone cares. In this world of hate, we can be people that push and pull other people to a higher standard of living for Christ, but it has to be done in a Christ like manner. Remember, if you see a lady spreading the Gospel, thank God for that woman and pray for her to share the word as boldly as God would have her do it. Don't throw stones at her, don't say hateful hurtful things. If you don't like it, move on, change channels. Remember this if you remember nothing else at all, she is putting the Great Commission into practice!!! We all need to do that, in whatever format we have. If we are serving Christ, we don't have the time to try and hurt another person's ministry. We all have time to pray for others though, and we should.
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Something new that I am going to add to my blog is featuring other crafters that share interesting projects on their blogs. I will just paste the web addy to something that I found extra fun and interesting. I hope you like this new addition from time to time.
For the first one, I want to share a project from Helen Griffin. I love her take on the mini albums with one sheet of cardstock and how she dresses them up and makes it look so easy. This is one she shared on April 18, 2018. I sure hope you like her project and will check it out. Click on the link below, you will be amazed at what she does. That's the main reason this blog post is so late, I was trying to contact her and got no response. If for some reason she responds now, and doesn't like this, then I will remove it, but until then, check this out. It's a fun project.
http://www.helengriffin.co.uk/tutorial-one-sheet-mini-album-trio-in-suitcase-holdall/
Check this out and let me know if like this idea or not and also let me know if you would like to be featured as a favorite crafter. Just let me know what y'all think.
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My tip for this blog post is this: when you go shopping, always be on the look out for something you can repurpose. Check out the clearance jewelry, you never know what kind of gems you will find that you can take apart and use as elements on your own creations. Never look at anything without seeing at least 2 or 3 different ways you can use it. Cans can be repurposed into tool holders or paintbrush holders with a little paint and decoupage. Boxes can be used to make art journals. Magazines and ads in the mail can be made into beads. The inner tube from paper towels can be turned into jewelry and many other things. Chains from the odd ball jewelry can be used as texture on mixed media projects or as an element on a card or something. Leaves and flowers can make fantastic images to get prints from with paints and sprays. Rocks and shells are wonderful elements for mixed media. We are only limited with our imagination. So, think outside the box or can or ad or magazine or whatever, and something totally new and different. It's fun. Try it, you'll like it!!
Ok y'all, you knew I wouldn't get a post in without mentioning my latest addiction and passion, my paper beads. Well, I'm still addicted. I think it may be a serious addiction. But, I am NOT searching for a cure or anything to relieve the symptoms. hahahaha I have several more beads made and another beautiful set, but I will share that in the next time I post. Just a little something to whet your appetite, so be on the lookout for more beads and completed jewelry.
I have a friend whose daughter in law is having an event to raise money for the foundation that she started after her sister passed away suddenly a few years ago. The foundation raises money for the schools in the county with a focus on special needs children. It is an awesome foundation and I have started supporting it with jewelry for a silent auction. So I have pulled some pieces and sets to donate for the silent auction. Just pray that they sell and raise at least one hundred dollars. I pray for double that though or more. Because it is a fundraiser. If I can remember and find out what the jewelry brings, I tell y'all next time.
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One last thing, I will be doing a give away again pretty soon. I won't be advertising that I will be and you will have to read the blog post to know when it is and do as I ask for you to be eligible to win. What makes one eligible to win, is to be a follower of mine and to leave me a comment in that blog post. That's it. Then I will have a drawing, if I get a lot of comments, I may draw two or 3 names, if not, I will just draw one name. If I don't get any comments, I get to keep the jewelry for myself. hahahaha So, there you have it. Tell anyone you know that loves beautiful hand made jewelry and have them to follow me and then be on the look out for when I will be doing a drawing. I am getting pretty close to five hundred followers and when I get there, I will have a BIG drawing. But that is quite a while away, so I'm not up in the air over that, yet. hahaha Anyway, be on the lookout!************
Well, I hope that seen or read something here today that made you smile today. I hope that you have a blessed day in the Lord and that you take time everyday to praise God for something. He woke me up this morning!!! Praise God for that!! If you seen anything worthwhile here today, share it someone that you think would enjoy it. Tell them that God loves them and wants to be in relationship with them. I can't wait to see you back here real soon.
God loves y'all and so do I!!! hugs and blessings, patty
