February Card Making, Scones, and a request

Do y'all love that title or what?     I hope that ya' do, and I will share with y'all in a bit about what the title is all about.    I will leave ya' in suspense about it for a little bit.     Sneaky, huh......gggggg

So, how's the weather workin' for ya'?      For me, in my neck of the woods, which happens to be considered "in the south", "it's not workin' "fer" me!!!"    No, it's not!!!!!!     I'm putting in a complaint to the weather department as soon as I can get it to the mail box!     I am!!!     Done got it wrote.     Want to know what my complaint says?     It says "Knock it off!"     hahahaha     Just kidding about the complaint, but I'm not kidding about the weather, it has been something to write home about, but it wouldn't get there.    Not when some of the major cities are shut down.

It really has been a mess here.    Now, I'll tell y'all why I am soooooo ticked off about the weather.     I got out on Monday morning and was checking on my hubby since he was outside getting a vehicle ready to go to work in.    I got my warm clothes on, a warm coat and a boggin on my noggin and my snow boots.    The usual fare that I always donn when I am getting ready to have some fun in the snow.     I went around to where hubby was and there wasn't anything I could do to help, but we talked for a bit and then my feet started getting cold.     I said, "gosh it really is cold out here, my feet are getting cold, I think I need to go back in".     It was cold, but I have  been out when it was colder, and I knew it.    So, back in I went and went to the trouble of un-donning all of my winter clothes and then I got to my boots.     I looked at them when I got them off, and BOTH of them had BLOW OUTS!!!!!!      I'm telling you, my socks were wet from all the broken places in my boots.     I was fuming made.     These junky "old" snow boots, nothing lasts anymore!!!!!     I ought to take them back to the store!!!!    I was hot under the collar.    I kept fuming and stewing for a bit.      I finally started thinking about those "old junky" snow boots, and all of the sudden it hit me.     Those snow boots were over 30 years old!!!!!    hahahahah      My, how time flies!!!!!      It seems like it was only yesterday when I bought those boots!     They were the best boots I ever had in my life.     They were warm and waterproof.     I didn't even have to wear socks with them, they were so warm.     So, as I bid a fond farewell to an important part of my wardrobe, sniff, sniff, boohoo, I just pray that my new ones get here really quickly!!!!!!   As a result of no snow boots, I can't get outside now.    So.....no snow pictures!!!!!!!    I have been really upset over that more than anything.      My old snow boots have been the deciding factor in all of the winter/snow pictures I have taken for more than 30 years.      Alas, I shall remember them fondly as I start making new memories with the ones I have ordered.     They may get here before October, depending on how much more snow we get.     hahahaha      Oh well, if it wasn't for the weather, what would we have to talk about.     You know, most conversations start out with the weather.     With that in mind, we all got a lot to talk about now, huh.

Ok, now, back to the title.     What does card making and scones have in common?      Friends, that's what they have in common.     When we had Card Making Ministry at church a couple of weeks ago, there was 8 of us there.    We had an awesome time making cards that night.     One of the ladies there, is a lady that I used to go to church with several years ago and we were good friends.    I hadn't seen or heard from her in a while.      As it turned out, she is the niece of one of the elderly ladies in my church.     I did not know that.     She had come to church with her aunt the Sunday before the Card Making Monday and we invited her to come.     Well, she came, and we talked and we talked and we talked on and on and on.     As the night was over, we said we would get together and have lunch.    So, last Monday, Feb 9th, we did.     She and I met at one of the hot spots in town and got caught up on life and solved a few of the problems of the world and just made things better all around.   hahaha

Back to Card Making, we made three cards again as per usual.    I'm telling ya', the lady that gets this together, she is such a sweet heart and she does such a wonderful job.     Keeping it fresh, new, and exciting.    So, the theme of the cards was Valentines, since it was February.      We made some really beautiful cards, and I would love to share them with y'all.

This is all three of them together.     They are just so beautiful.

This first on is purple!!!!!      And y'all know how I love purple!     Purple cardstock, purple ink, and purple ribbon.     Nothing can be finer than a beautiful purple card.     Yay!!!!

Oh, this is the big beautiful embossed butterfly.      I just love this thing.   Now, I'm gonna tell you that I made a terrible booboo on my butterfly.    Do you see it?    Can you tell where I made it?     Well, I'll tell you.     For what ever reason, I did not get all of the embossing powder heat set with the heat gun.     See the pink heart on the upper wing of the butterfly?      That's where the booboo is.    Under the heart.     I was almost upset at myself, but I just decided that I could fix it when I got home.     And I did!      Yay!!!!     Most everything can be fixed easier than we think.     My new motto!!!!    hahaha

This one is so very fun.     It has the little mini envelope on it with a tag inside it with a heart on it.    Those little colorful hearts remind me of the little candy hearts.     As you can see the, the white base was also embossed.    I just love this card.     But then again, I love them all.     Sure hope y'all do too.

Now, on to the scones!     My friend and I met for lunch and talked and chatted and just had a fun time.     When I placed my order, I said I wanted a scone to go.     I had not had one, but I knew I wouldn't want to eat it at lunch, so I would have it for supper.     So, upon leaving, the waitress brought me my scone with jam and some whipped cream.     So, before I ate it, I did take a pic of it.     I must tell you, it was SOOOOO good!   It really was!!!    

Since it was such a beautiful scone, I decided to put it on my little pink fancy saucer with the pretty doily that they put it on for me.      Doesn't that look so yummy?       Oh my goshie, it was!!!

I have to tell y'all, it was delicious!!!     And I am in the search for the most fab scone recipe.      So, if y'all have a tried and true scone recipe, I would LOVE for you to share it with me.     Leave me a comment and the recipe.     If I get any recipes, I will try to make a batch of each recipe and do a blog post on each one and critique each recipe.    So, for sure, if you have a recipe, I would love to have it.

As I leave y'all this evening, I leave y'all with these beautiful words from the Song Of Solomon, Chapter 4:7   

"You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you."

Most people, when they read the book of Song of Solomon, relates the love between the two in this book, to the love that Jesus Christ has for His bride, the Church.    That's what I do too.    Although the overall book is very suggestive of a wonderful love relationship, so is the love that Christ has for His bride, the Church.    When I think of Jesus Christ speaking these words over me, it is overwhelming!      Jesus does love me with a never ending love.    Jesus does look at me as a thing of beauty.     He does call me "My love".      And He does say that there is no flaw in me.      He died for me, and rose for me, and is sitting at the right hand of Father, pleading on my behalf.     He does love me!     The reason He says there is no flaw in me, is NOT because I am flawless, but it is because He covered my flaws!      When He looks at His own, He sees perfection!  

Lord, help me to see what You see, when I look at myself and even more so, when I look at others.    When I look at others that You see in "perfection", I see their "imperfections" and flaws.   I bet I'm not the only one that see others imperfections really clearly and miss my own.     So, what I/we need to do is to ask God to help me/us see others in the same way that He sees them.    When I can see others the same way that Jesus sees them, then I know that I can love them the way He wants me too.     In human eyes, we are all flawed and come up short in a lot of ways.      But when we can see others the way Jesus sees them, Love will cover the flaws!!!      Love covers the flaws!!!     Love covers the flaws......you my friend, are loved, are flawless and altogether beautiful!!!!!

Ladybug, I know that you are staying warm and I hope to see you soon.    Sweetpea loves you!

I hope y'all enjoy the rest of the evening and remember, if you have a tried and true scone recipe, I want it.     Take care, stay warm and remember that God loves y'all and so do I.       hugs, Patty

Cards made at Card Ministry night

Hello one and all, Y'all!!!!!    Sure hope this post finds everyone ready for Christmas, because it is upon us.     Ready or not, Christmas is just about here.   When was your most memorable Christmas?     What is the most important gift or the most special gift you ever got for Christmas?      What is the most fun gift you ever got under the Christmas tree?    Who do you remember most at Christmas?      Who do you miss most at Christmas?      What one person, past or present, would you love to spend Christmas Day with if you could? 

I know you are thinking to yourself, "why all the questions?"       No reason, other than to spark your memory, imagination, and thoughtfulness.      This is just some of the questions that are always swirling around in my old noggin come Christmas.    Hopefully, they will help you think about some of your traditions and some of the things that mean a lot to you at this time of year.     For me, personally, when I think about these questions, I am always reminded of the Christ Child.    Now, granted, it hasn't always been that way.     I could answer all of the questions with the answers that I used to come up with.  

But age and maturity has a way of setting one's priorities in order.     I love family, past and present!!!!!      I love all my friends, dearly!!!!!!      I am so thankful to God for all the material blessings He has heaped upon my husband and me!!!!!!      But, now a days my focus is turned towards all the ways that God blessed me by sending a Savior into this world on my behalf.     I am convinced beyond all measure, that if I was the only person ever in need of a Savior, that Jesus Christ would have still been born over 2000 years ago in a stable, just so I could have a relationship with God thru His shed blood on the cross!

I'll stop right here for just a minute and insert some pics of the cards we made earlier in the month for Card Ministry at church.    The lady that gets these cards together does such a fantastic job and I just can't thank her enough for all of her time, energy and talent in putting these together each month.   She certainly has a calling on her life for this ministry and I'm so thankful to get to take part in it with her.

This one, as you can see, is a stained glass window card.    The card background was embossed in a brick embossing folder.   I think it is beautiful.    Then the window was cut on her big shot.    We traced the window and cut a yellow piece of cardstock just a bit smaller than the window and used diff sponges to sponge on color and then put that behind the window and added the greenery and a bow and I think it is just lovely!    It made me really happy!    Yes, it did!

 Ok, this one is more glitz and glam than the others.   I just wish you could see all the sparkle and shimmer on this card.    It totally rocks in person.    The snowflakes were pre-cut in a pkg that she got somewhere and wow are they sparkly.    Then the background was black and silver sparkly shimmery goodness.    Put the two together and they could light up the night sky with all the lovely shimmery sparkly yumminess.    Then for the icing on the cake, we put on some red crystals.    Talk about the "wow" factor, this card is loaded with it!

This one here is maybe the plainest of the three, but none the less, it is still so beautiful!     I love the layers of it.   And then on the white front layer it was stamped with versamark and red embossing powder and it just looks so beautiful. I love how the embossing feels on it.   If you look real closely, you can see in the middle of it, on some of the snowflakes, we put some flat back crystals.    In hand, the crystals really look beautiful.    It was just the touch this card needed.

I hope and pray that you enjoyed seeing these cards.     They were very elegant and I just loved them.     I hope you love them also and can get some inspiration and ideas from the cards we made.

Ok, now back to what I was saying earlier about Christmas.    That is what Christmas means to me, in a nut shell.      That's it!     So I am so thankful and filled with joy to the brim and overflowing that Jesus was born for ALL of us.     I had asked y'all to read the first 2 chapters of Luke sometime as a challenge.     I hope some of you done that.     I wrote this devotional a couple of years ago and posted it on my blog last year and I wanted to do a re-post of it.    It is such a fitting reminder of the fact that Jesus came into the world for all of us, not just some, but for ALL OF US!!!!!!!!     No person in the life of history is excluded in what Christ done.     Our part in this comes when we have to make the decision to believe it and accept it or deny it.     Our denial of Jesus, makes Him no less real.     So, as you read this, look for you in this account of the Birth of Jesus Christ.

Luke 2

Christ Born of Mary

1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Glory in the Highest

8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14 “Glory to God in the highest,  And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.


I love Luke's account of the Birth of Jesus Christ.     The Angel of the Lord appeared to who?     Get this, the sheep herders, the lowest of the low.     The people in society who were considered unclean.    Everyone looked down on the shepherds.     Look at verses 9 and 10.     The Angel of the Lord appeared before the shepherds!     The greatest announcement the world would ever hear, God chose to make that announcement to the shepherds!     God didn't make that announcement to the heads of states, or to the people that thought they were of great importance, or even to the "religious" crowd.     The religious crowd was more about keeping the law than they were about showing mercy and extending grace, so they were not the chosen ones by God to make this most important announcement.    God made that announcement to the common, low, uncared for people.    Why?    Because they needed Hope!

If the birth of Jesus Christ would have been announced to the heads of state, Caesar Augustus and others, the common people would never have heard that they, too, had hope.     All too often, the "good stuff" is kept away from or kept hidden from those who can benefit the most from it.    Jesus is the "GOOD STUFF" that we ALL have access to, because He chose the shepherds over the heads of state and over the "religious crowd"!!!!      Praise God!!!!!!      We ALL are included in verse 10!

What did the shepherds do in verse 15?    They went straight way to Bethlehem to see exactly what the Angel of the Lord had spoken of.     They searched out the Babe.     They did not stop till they had seen with their own eyes what the Angel had spoken of and about what the multitude of heavenly hosts was praising God for.     Are we still about the business of searching for Christ and seeking Him is this hectic world we live in?     You know, the shepherds had family that depended on them being at work and doing what they needed to do.    In this moment in time, the shepherds had to go see what the Angel had told them.     Would we get up and walk away from our job to go seek and find what an Angel had told us about?       Further more, would we tell others about it?      Are we making widely known, what Jesus Christ has done for us in our lives on a daily basis?     Do people marvel at the things that we tell them about how Christ is at work in our life?      Most of the time we are more excited about watching paint dry than we are about hearing what Christ has done for someone or about sharing what He has done for us personally.

Get a good grip of what the shepherds had just seen.     The Angel of the Lord appeared to them; the multitude of heavenly hosts had praised God right in front of them; and Christ Jesus in a manger.     We can get a glimpse into the number of the multitude of heavenly hosts.     A heavenly host is a number that is as numerous as the stars in the sky, now multiply that by whatever a multitude is!  Multiples of the numbers of the stars in the sky.     I don't know what your take away is from this scene, but I have come to the conclusion that the shepherds were pretty special for God to allow them this miracle.    Remember too, that Jesus referred to Himself as the "Good Shepherd".     Yes, you get the picture, shepherds were special in the eyes of Jesus!!!!

You know what, God loved the shepherds and He proved it, by announcing to them what His plan and intention was.     God loves us and He proved it, by including us in verse 10.     I hope and pray as you read this account of the Birth of Jesus Christ that you can see yourself in verse 10, "good tidings of great joy which will be to "all" people".     Take a real close look; You, my friend are included in the "ALL"!!(written by:pjg12-24-13, edited 12-20-14)

So, I hope you have enjoyed your visit here and I hope you have inspiration to help you enjoy the real meaning of Christmas.    I hope you realize that you was in God's plan all along.    There is a place and plan for each and every on of us.    We just have to find our place and get with God's plan for our lives.    God Bless You as celebrate Christmas this year, knowing that Christ was born for you!

Hope to see you soon Ladybug!   Sweetpea loves you!

I may or may not be back before Christmas, so if I'm not, I just wish y'all the Peace and Goodwill that the Angel spoke of in Luke.    Remember that God loves y'all and so do I.    Merry Christmas!!!!!      hugs, Patty

August Card Ministry

Good morning Y'all!     I hope this fine morning finds each and every one of y'all doin' "finer that frog hair"!      Now, that's fine, don't ya know!     Don't y'all just love some of the old timey sayins'?     Well, I sure do.     I think I'm gonna have to keep a note pad with me at all times, and when one comes to mind, or if I hear a good one, I'll write it down so I can share it with y'all, and give y'all a little chuckle for the day.    "Finer than frog hair" always makes me smile.    I'll bet it did you too.

I wanted to share the cards we made at Card Ministry night at church.    There was four of us there on Monday night.    We were down a bit in number, but not in heart.    We always love our time together.     Just sharing with each other a bit about how mean we "may" have been growing up.   hahaha    Not sayin' we were, just sayin' we "may" have been.     There's a big difference.     I am not admitting to or confessing to anything.    hahahaha      Oh well, I think I drifted a bit from the purpose of this post.    hahahaha

So, we made the usual three different cards.    Each one is lovely.    I just love how the ideas that the lady who brings this together each month keeps it fresh and fun with beautiful cards.    Then to see on Sundays the ladies in our Sunday School class looking over them like they are little mini treasures, which, by the way, they are.    So, as usual, I took pics and would love to share them with y'all.

Ok, this first one, simple black and white, but such a statement it makes.    I think it is sooooo elegant.    Very much like the red, white and black one we made in July.    After I got home with mine, I did take my faux stickles and put just a spot on each flower.    You can't see it well at all in this pic, but, in hand, it adds just that little bit of "bling".    Ohhhh, a bit of bling makes me happy!

Ok, now, this one is so gorgeous!!!!!    I just love it.    Perfect for weddings or anniversaries.    I am over the top about this card.

Now, this one, is more on the fun side.   The other two were elegant, now this one is fun.    Do any of y'all remember the folk song back a few years ago that Joan Baez (I do believe it was her, it may not have been though) that went something like this, "If I had a hammer, I'd hammer in the morning, I'd hammer in the evening, all over this land.    I'd hammer out warning, I'd hammer out danger, I'd hammer out love between my brothers and my sisters, all over this land".    Well, that's where my mind went when I seen this card and I started singing the song.    Now, I DO NOT sing good at all y'all!    So, they was happy when I started singing to myself.     hahaha     But, I figure with this card, I have my hammer and I can start hammering out all the things that need hammering.  (News flash: My hubby just informed me, as of 12:37 pm that it was Peter, Paul and Mary that sang the Hammer song.    There was many others that sang it, but the version going thru my head was theirs.   Thanks hubby!)

All the cuts for these cards was cut on her Big Shot machine, or punched from StampinUp punches.    I don't know where the Mr and Mrs die cut came from.    But, I really enjoyed making these cards and I hope you enjoyed looking at them.

I hope that each and every one of y'all have a special day planned today.    I pray that as you go about your day that you will ask God to let you see the world thru His eyes today.    I pray that you will take the time to pray for sick and hurting across the globe.    I pray you will pray for the sick and hurting in your neighborhood, in your families, and in your churches.    There are a lot of people who need hope.     This world does not offer hope.   Our hope is found only in Jesus Christ.

Look at this scripture.    Romans 12:12  "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, and be constant in prayer."

I immediately see that we are to rejoice in our hope.    My hope is in Jesus Christ.   Jesus said that we are to "take up our cross daily" and follow Him.    Following Jesus is not easy.    If you are a follower of Christ, you know what I mean.    There are many distractions on the road of following Christ.   We must stay focused.    Paul went on to say that we are to be "patient in tribulation".    Really!     Patience and tribulation is a formula that does not mix.    But....this is what Paul told us to do.    "Tribulation" is a temporary situation.    If we hold on to our hope, which is in Christ, it will be worth it.    Some of our major growth spurts in the Lord has come during tribulation.     If you go thru a trying time and you don't grow in your relationship with the Lord, you may find yourself going through it again.    I always try to have the mind set to ask the Lord, what do I need to learn from this situation?     Help me learn what I need to learn, so I don't have to keep repeating this.   Then Paul said to "be in constant prayer".     That is one of the best pieces of advice I could give anyone, just exactly what Paul told us to do.    I always want that constant communication going on.    I thank God for the good and ask Him to help me withstand the bad and thank Him in every situation.    If we are focused on Christ, then the temporary things of this world, as bad as they can be and may be, will not steal our joy.    If I can praise God thru it, then someone else may see that it is possible to  "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, and be constant in prayer." 

I pray that as you go about your day, that you will be "Rejoicing in hope, being patient in tribulation, and being constant in prayer."    Have a great day.   Thank God for it and share your hope with someone today that may never have heard of the hope in Jesus Christ.

Ladybug, I hope you stay cool in the village today and that you have a great day.   Sweetpea loves you.

I hope you enjoyed your visit here today and that you will come back real soon.   Be blessed in this day, y'all.   God loves y'all, so do I, hugs Patty

July Card Ministry and I'm Home again

Good evening Y'all!!!!    I hope and pray that y'all are enjoying the slightly cooler temps today.    It is just a bit cooler in my neck of the woods than it has been in the last week or so, so I am so thankful for that.    I do not do well at all in the sweltering heat.    When my "petunia" (me) wilts, it ain't "purty"!    And my petunia has been wilted for so long, that it will take more than one little cool day to help me perk up.    gggg

I have been away for a few days and finally got back home and it feels good to be home.    One of the first things I have done is get my hair cut.    Oh my, I needed a cut so bad.    Does anyone remember the mops that looked like stringy hair, well, that's what my hair had began to look like.    Thick, hot, and stringy!    No more!!!!    It is now off my shoulders!!   Yay!!

Before I went to Kentucky, I had went to Card Making Ministry night at church and we made three beautiful cards.    I did not get them posted before I left, so I thought I would post them today.    I am always in awe of my friend that gets all the cards together.    She always comes up with fun and fresh cards.    There was five of us that was at card making and as usual, we all had a ball.    It is always fun to get together with friends and have a good time while serving the Lord.   For people who say Christians don't have fun, they just haven't been to one of our card making evenings.

We made three cards again, that is the usual number.   I took pics and wanted to share them with you.    I hope you enjoy them and can get ideas and inspirations from them.

I really like the freshness of this first card.    The first layer of the card front was embossed with an embossing folder and then the end was cut with a matching die.   I love the flowers.   We cut them with the big shot and Stampin Up die and and then stamped them with the matching stamps.   Then we put some pearl halves in the center of the flowers.   The leaves was punched with a Stampin Up punch.    We used a 1/8 th inch wide piece of grosgrain ribbon and taped it to the back side of the first layer of the card front.   Then attached that layer to the teal layer of cardstock and then attached that to the card.

I think this is my favorite card.    It reminds me of a hula skirt.   I just think it is the cutest thing.    The lady in charge of the card ministry had gotten a new toy and she is always ready to share with us.    She had gotten a pair of scissors from Stampin Up that cuts several strips at one time.   So these little strips was soooo easy to cut.    I'm pretty sure the yellow band across the top layer of fringe is also a Stampin Up die, as well as the little flower and the button.    The little salmon colored spots just make me happy.   I love this card, and hope you do too.

This was the more elegant of the three cards.    Red, black and white.    It really doesn't get any more elegant than that.   I love the little blinged up bird in the birdcage.   The red ribbon was originally supposed to be wrapped to the back side of the black layer, just underneath the patterned paper, but I forgot it and did not want to redo my card.    So, when I got home, I dug around and found my red ribbon and cut a couple of pieces and knotted them together and trimmed the ends pretty close to the knot.   I then used one of my home-made glubbers and stuck it to the corner of the white layer.   I love that we can make them all personalized in some way.    There is no such thing as a mistake, just creative license.    ggggg     I hope you enjoyed seeing the cards we made.

As I leave you this evening, I leave you with this scripture:  Habakkuk 2:4  "Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith."

Habakkuk, the prophet was asking God some hard questions and one of those questions was, how God could use such a wicked people as the Chaldeans to bring about His purpose.    And in the dialog between God and Habakkuk, God showed him that the righteous shall live by his faith.    His faith in God.    What is the distinguishing mark of  a righteous person?    Their faith.    When all goes wrong, they persist in their faith.    The righteous will "not" be puffed up in pride.    The righteous will "not" be oppressing anyone.  

Does anyone ever try to make you feel like you are less than they are, in your service to the Lord or in your worship or in your relationship with the Lord?   If they do, guess who the one is, with the not so great relationship with the Lord?  Not you!!!   It has been my experience, that when someone is doing that, they are trying to make themselves feel better about themselves, (puffed up with pride)  by trying to use me and my relationship with the Lord as their measuring stick.   Never compare yourself or let yourself be compared to anyone or by anyone.  The only measure we are to use is God.    And according to God's measure, we ALL fall way short of His Glory.    Don't justify your behavior based on mine and I should never justify my behavior based on yours.    Both of us will come up way way short of what God expects from us.

Those who are "puffed up" with pride will try to force their attitudes on you.    It has nothing to do with righteousness.    A friend of mine told me that some of her friends had told her that she was "settling for mediocre" in her relationship with the Lord.    I told her to brush that conversation off her shoulders and to not let that settle on her.    A lot of people build them selves up by trying to making someone else feel bad.    I told her to let God be the One to speak to her in regards to her relationship with Him.    I have been around people like that my whole life and all they have succeeded in helping me see, is that I don't need what they have.    Puffed up pride always tries to belittle other people or hold them captive to envy and jealousy.    God is the One in whom you and I have placed our faith!    Wait on the Lord to reveal to you what He wants you to know, He will!    If, while speaking with someone who claims to be a friend, you end up feeling bad about your relationship with the Lord, or you feel like your relationship does not measure up to theirs, don't feel bad and don't fall for their evil intentions.   A true friend will "help" you have a better relationship with the Lord, without making you feel bad about the relationship you do have.   We are either a stepping stone or a stumbling block.   My prayer is that we will always be found being stepping stones.    We never want to be a stumbling block for anyone.    My faith is in God, alone.     Not in the words, actions or deeds of any other.    I pray that your faith, too, is in God alone.

I pray for you to have a wonderful night of rest.    May tomorrow be a great day for each of you.    Thank you for visiting tonight.   I hope and pray that you can take something good away with you tonight.

Ladybug, I pray you are doing good and enjoying the cooler temps.    Have a great night.    Sweetpea loves you!

Goodnight, Y'all.    God loves you, and so do I.     hugs, Patty

June Card Ministry

Good morning y'all!!!    I have lost something and I surely hope that y'all can help me find it and get it back!     What have I lost, you ask?    Only the first 5 months of 2104!    My goodness, where has it gone!     I do feel a bit like Little Bo Peep, only I have lost days and not sheep.    Maybe if I had a shepherds hook, I could hold on to my days a bit better.    I have no idea where they have gone to.    If you do, please share with me and tell me how I can get them back.    hahahaha    Of course I am kidding, but I tell you, I would take an extra day or two, if you have some to spare.    Oh well, I reckon "it is what it is", and I have to deal with.    So, a reality check, "it is June" and I've not lost my mind!!!  whew!!!

So, here it is Thursday and I am posting about our June Card Making Ministry.    As usual, it was a great time for those of us that got together.   There was six of us on Monday night.    Three of the regulars was not there, but we had three new ladies to show up, and they brought a bushel of fun with them.    I sure do hope and pray that they continue to come, it really is a blessing to get together and make cards.    We laughed so much that my ribs was sore the next day.    Those of us who have been doing it for a while was readily eager to help the new ladies jump in and start creating cards.

As usual, we made three different cards.   Each person made two of each one so we all made a total of six cards.    We each keep one of each, and then give the other card to the church.    Some times the Pastor will get some and the rest are passed out to the ladies in Sunday School for them to send to the sick and shut-ins.    Everyone loves them.     I did make pics and would love to share them with y'all.

Now, this first card was a Patriotic card that we made last month and I did not have one of them at the time I posted the others that we made.   It is a very beautiful card with all the angles and stars and red, white and blue.    A wonderful card.    The lady that is in charge of this project always does an awesome job in choosing what we make.    It is also noteworthy to mention that her husband helps her cut a lot of the pieces out.    He's a keeper!!!!

Now, this is the starting of what was made Monday night.    This light blue and white card is very beautiful.    It is four pieces layered and then applied to the front of the card.   A little bit of ribbon tied in a simple, loose knot and wrapped and taped to the back.     One of the layers of the blue was punched down both sides making the fancy edge.     So simple, but elegant.

This one, well, let me just say it makes me happy.    Those of you that know me, will know instantly why this makes me happy.    Ok, come on, you knooooow.     Sure you do, it's "PURPLE"!!!!!    Oh yeah!    And what's not to love about white polka dots, especially when they are on a purple background?     The little circle on the front was popped out with her big shot and a die and then we used about two feet of ribbon to weave around it and tied it in  a bow knot.

This last card reminds me of sunshine in an envelope.    It is quite simple but elegant also.    This was a die and a stamp that is coordinating.   The 3d flower in the middle is the same shape as the stamped flowers.    And then the center of the flower was another little die and then a little rhinestone in the middle.    Oh yeah, we got a little bling going on.    hahahaha     It is such a cheery card.   These will all be big hits with the people who get them in the mail.

As I leave you this morning, I leave you with a wonderful scripture.     

Psalm 118:24 says,  "This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it."  

Is that your mind set this morning as you get ready to start another day?     I really hope it is.    This is the day the Lord has made.     You and I had nothing to do with it.    God made it for us.     There "has never been" another day in the history of world exactly like this one.    There "will never be" another day in the history of the world exactly like this one.    We get one shot at this one day.    We will either rejoice and be glad in it, because that is the choice we made, or we will grumble and stumble through it and make everyone around us miserable.   I pray that all of y'all will make the choice to be "glad" in it.    Yes, I do know and realize that a lot of you are facing this day with lots of difficulty and uncertain circumstances.    But, if you have a personal relationship with the One who made this day for you, then you know He will be with you today, just like He was yesterday, and just like He will be with you tomorrow.     God is the creator of all time, every second of it.    Let's make a conscious effort today to rejoice in all of our circumstances.    Let's make an effort today, to be glad in this day, because it is a unique day and we want to make the best of it.

Memorize this scripture, if you haven't already and let that be your "motto" for every day of the rest of you life, recognizing that God made the days, and we will joyfully, be glad in every day that He lets us be a part of.   That sounds like a pretty good plan y'all!    

Well, I hope y'all have a spectacular day ahead of yourselves.     Enjoy the day.     Tell someone you know that God made this day just for them because He loves them.     Everyone needs a little hope.    My hope is God, thru Jesus Christ.    I pray yours is too.

Have a wonderful day Ladybug!    Sweetpea loves you!

Until next time, God loves y'all and so do I.   hugs, Patty

Cards made at Card Ministry Night

Good early evening, y'all!!!   I hope y'all are doing well this wonderful, fine day!   When we have days as beautiful as the last few days have been, you just have to say, "God is Good"!!!    As I look out through the woods and forests, I can now see that all the trees are fully leafed out now.   Just barely a month ago, I seen no greenery, now here we are, in full blown Spring with temps in the high 80's.    Wow, wow, wow!

I haven't posted in a while, I just needed to be still.   I am not fully over the vertigo that has been a minor issue for the last little bit, so, I have to just do what I feel up to doing, when I feel up to it.   But, I have been managing to get some cards put together that I have been working on for quite a while.   So, all the time was not lost.  Yay!    So, I will share those projects real soon.

Tonight, what I wanted share was some cards that I made at Card Ministry Night at church last night.   I just have to say that the lady that is over this project really works hard at getting this together each month.   She does it out of the love that she has for her Lord and Savior and for what He has done for her in her life.   I am more than honored to call her my sister in Christ and friend!    Last night there was six of that came together to make cards and we had a blast doing it.   Every table was full of laughter and fellowship and the sweet, sweet, Spirit of the Lord was with us.   Praises to God for His presence and goodness at all times.

She had prepared for us to make four cards last night.   Three of the cards was for general use and the fourth card was specifically for Memorial Day and Fourth of July.   By the time I got the first three cards made, I was pooped out, so I didn't get the fourth one made.   I am so wishing now that I would have made it.

When our card lady gets the cards together, she gets together enough for each of us to make two or three cards of each design and then we get to keep one and give the others to the Card Ministry and then the ladies in the Sunday School Class gets to send cards to whom ever they wish to send a card to.   It is really fun on Sunday mornings watching all the ladies look at the cards and oohing and aahing over them and who they are going to send cards to.   It is a great time.   I did take pics of the cards I made last night.

I think the punch for the flowers and leaves and then the stamps to stamp them with are StampinUp.   I enjoyed this making this card and putting all the layers together.

I think most of the products on this one is StampinUp also, I'm not sure.   The butterflies are cut out using a Sizzix Embosslet die that cuts and embosses at the same time.   It may be StampinUp, I'm not sure.   I don't remember seeing that particular embosslet at the Sizzix store.   I really liked making this one also.   It was really fun.   What is so fun about these cards, is that each one of us can take the same pieces and put the cards together just a little differently enough that they are all unique.

I think this may have been my fav card of the night.   It just makes me happy when I look at it.   I think the combination of the dotted swiss background and the ever so delicate flowers reminds me of a dotted swiss dress that I had when I was a young girl.   Dotted swiss has always been a fav of mine, simply because of the memories of my mother sewing for myself and her, many years ago.   Anything that helps you remember the good stuff is great!!!

This is what we done last night and I'm really sorry that I don't have the fourth card to show you, I could just pinch me.   hahaha

As I leave you this evening, I ask you this question, simply because I have had to ask myself this question more than once over the years.  Do you rejoice in hope?   If your hope is in Christ Jesus, then you should rejoice in your hope.   Our hope in Christ Jesus will be fulfilled when we breathe our last breath and enter into the kingdom of heaven.   But, until then, we can and should rejoice in our hope.   The world does not and can not offer the hope that Jesus Christ freely gives to those who choose to follow Him.   If you rejoice in hope, then more than likely you will be patient through tribulation.   We all have times in our lives that call for much patience.   If we don't develop patience in our Christian walk, we will find ourselves repeating the same old, same old, over and over.   If we can be patient in every day life, then, when the biggie stuff comes along, we have a greater chance of being patient and waiting on the Lord through the trying times.  One  of the surest ways of rejoicing in our hope and and being patient in tribulation is by being constant in prayer.   We should always be in prayer, what ever we are doing, we should have that communication with our Father God, Abba Daddy going on.  

Romans 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

This particular scripture comes from a passage in Romans Chapter 12 where Paul, thru the inspiration of Jesus Christ is urging Christians to be living sacrifices for Jesus Christ.   What does a living sacrifice do?   Point others to Christ!   Christ died for us and we should be living for Christ!    If we are living for Christ, that means we should loving those around us.   We should be living in such a way that they see Jesus in us.    They should see us rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, constant in prayer.   Prayer should be a priority in our lives.   I challenge all of us to make Romans 12:12 the theme of our lives.   Who's up to the challenge?

Well, my friends, I pray y'all have a blessed evening, wonderful night of refreshing rest and a great day tomorrow!   Meet me back here in a day or two and see what else I have to share with you.

Hi Ladybug, Sweet pea loves you bunches!!!!

God loves y'all and so do I!   much love and many hugs, Patty

More cards

Good morning y'all!   I do hope that this beautiful morning finds each and every one of y'all happy, healthy, and excited to be a part God's wonderful creation.   We have been experiencing weather of all sorts here lately.   One day it may be in the 50's, close to 60, and then the next, it may be at -3*.   One week ago right now, as a matter of fact, it was at -3.   This morning it is 32*.   32* is usually considered cold in the south, so, -3* is almost unbelievable.   Never fear, I have my camera ready at all times, for just such an occasion and I got a pic of the thermometer on the deck.  

As you can see, it was really cold last Tuesday morning.    Some of my friends are talking about having more snow than they care for, some are talking about very pleasant and mild weather, some have been in drought conditions for a while, and some of us would like to see a little more snow this year.   Wherever you may be, I pray for you to stay warm, have plenty to eat, and have an abundance of love to share with whomever may need it.

As we talk about Love, of course February is the month of Love.   Last night was card making night for the Card Making Ministry at church.    There was two of us again, but we still had a great time.   The lady that started this ministry does prep work in order for us to make the cards.   She cuts all the basic card shapes and layers, and gets together everything needed to complete each card, in order for us to complete at least 16 cards of each one.   We always make 3 different cards.   So she is busy, busy, busy for quite a while, just to make this happen once a month.   But, the people that we send cards to enjoy it.   Who doesn't like to get a hand made, with love, card?   This is the 3 cards we made last night.

The one above, we used a punch and punched the hearts out.   We used the same punch on the pennants above each heart.   We just put the cardstock in the punch enough to just barely nip up into the card stock and then it fit perfectly over the heart.   Then we had a really small punch and punched the small little polka dot hearts to put on the red hearts and then added a little bling to the center.   Hey, who doesn't like a little bling?   Then we put our sentiment on the bottom and tied a little bow to finish it off.

This little cutie was a fun one to make.   The little girl was stamped and then we used water color pencils to color her.   Of course, I made my little girl with a purple dress and socks and bow.    And if you click on the pictures and make them larger, squint just a little bit and you can see the teeny, tiny, itty, bitty half pearls that we used for buttons under her chin.  hahaha   I just love this little knock-kneed, pigeon toed cutie, with her finger up close to her chin, thinking, "Do I give my heart away, or do I keep it?"   Whatever she decides to do with it, she will know that "She is the love of God's heart and God is the love of her heart".

This last one was embossed and then we cut the center out with a die and her big shot.  I love the embossing folder we used for this one.   Then the flower is one of our favorite "go-to" flowers.   If I am not mistaken, I believe it is a Stampin Up die, not sure though.   I know we love it, whom ever the maker is.

Well, that's what we done last night.   I hope you enjoyed looking at them and maybe you can get some ideas for yourself.   I have some swaps to try to get started on today.   I hope and pray that you have something fun and crafty to do today.

As I leave you this morning, I leave you with, perhaps, one of the most beloved descriptions of Love  in all of God's Word.   This is the perfect picture of what love should look like.

1 Corinthians 13:4-13   4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

We see clearly what love should look like.   Sometimes the people we love may be hard to love, but we surely must try, with the help of God, through Jesus Christ, to love one another.  I also love what Paul was speaking about in verse 11.  Sometimes, folks, we just need to grow up, act our age, and be done with childish ways and behavior.    You do what you know to do, when you learn to do better, do better.   A 20, 30, 40...year old has no business acting like they are still 8 or 10 years old.   Grow up, in your relationship with the Lord and other people.   Verse 13 tells us that of faith, hope, and love, love is the greatest of these!   And it is my friends!   The love of Jesus Christ took away my sins.   Oh, I still sin, we all do.  Do you worry?  If you do, you sin.  That's how easy it is to sin.   But, I know that I can place my worries in the nail scarred hands of my Savior.   That is Love!

That's all for now y'all.   Tell someone you love them.   Call someone Valentine today, just because you can.  More than anything else, tell someone that "If Christ is all you have, Christ is all you need!"

Have a blessed day y'all! hugs, Patty

Cards I made at Church

Good morning Y'all!   I hope and pray this morning finds each and every one of y'all blessed beyond measure, happy, healthy, and more than anything else, I pray for you to have joy in your hearts.   Joy in your heart says that now matter what my external situation looks like, God is with me and He will carry me through it!   I spoke with a very sweet lady this morning.   She had buried her sister-in-law yesterday, and in the morning, her daughter-in-law goes to one of the local major hospitals to find out where her stage 4 cancer originated and see where it has spread to.   The external situation looks very grim, "but God"!   When we can say, "but God", the situation has just taken a turn for the better.   This precious family has joy in their hearts that will sustain them through what ever comes.  "Praise God from whom all blessings flow!"

We had our monthly Card Making Ministry at church last night.   It is always a great time of creativity, fun, and fellowship.   There is usually anywhere from five to seven there making cards, but due to some circumstances of illness there was only two of us.   But we decided the "show must go on", and it did.   The lady that is over this ministry truly has a servant's heart!   She has been doing this for several years and many people have been blessed by a card from the "Card Warriors".    We have a lot of fun, laughter and fellowship.   I have really enjoyed this time with the ladies of my church.   I took pics when I got home last night of my cards.   I wanted to show them to y'all.

The little penguin was made from an owl punch.    We just trimmed the tufts of feathers that look like ears from the owl and then you have a penguin.  ggggg   I love the owl as well as the snowmen.   Very appropriate cards considering we've had very cold weather and some ice and snow.    I hope you enjoyed looking at the cards we made at church.

As I leave you today, I would like to remind you once again, that joy in your heart is one of the blessings from God that is so amazing.   How can someone struggling with some of the tragedies that life throws at us have joy in our hearts while dealing with death and sickness.   It doesn't make sense to the world around us, and it is even unexplainable, unless and until you experience it for yourself.   It only comes from God and having a relationship with Him through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Paul knew that joy.   He said, "if I live, I will live for Christ; if I die, I will be with Christ (gain)!"   My friend, that is JOY!    I hope and pray that you, too, have that joy in your heart!

Have a wonderful day, praise God in it, and be blessed, Y'all!   hugs, Patty