I did it!

Like so many of you I have fallen hard and fast for Pinterest!  Back in the spring, one of my girlfriends said "I need to invite you to Pinterest, you'll love it", months went by and finally this past summer I got my invite.  Pre Pinterest, I had no idea what I was missing, Post Pinterest sign up I'm wondering where has this been all my life:)  You can create a magazine of sorts, and fill it with things you love, things you'd like to do, or just things that inspire you.  Well, I've always been a crafter, early on, in the '80s I was a sewer, a woodworker, a stenciler, a painter, and what I like to call a Welcome Friends duck girl:) Back then,  all we had were PBS specials that inspired us to craft, cook, and garden.  I thought I had it all.  Now, my Pinterest has replaced my cable tv craft show, and magazine addiction.  So, in essence, I'm paring down:)  Here is my latest Pinterest tackle, and I want to share it with you because it truly is one of the easiest things I've done in a while! For instructions on creating this beauty, just head over to Miss Mustard Seeds site for instructions:)  http://missmustardseed.com/2011/10/christmas-halloween/

Here's what I whipped up this past weekend-
Materials 1 old splotchy, ugly, paint covered, washed canvas drop cloth, 4 yards osnaberg fabric (my favorite go to fabric for a lineny look without the linen price) , lots of hot glue sticks, Perry Como Christmas music in the background....................................

Please excuse the wrinkly old lady fingers, I've had them since birth.
Measuring the entire time ensures a nice project.  I measured up 2 1/2".  My ruffles were 3" wide

I placed a dot about every 12" for my 2 1/2" measurement

Just glue and smoooodge your ruffles a few inches at a time

You'll want to throw in the towel at about row 4 or 5, but just hang in there

ahhhh, more wrinkles and ruffles

Keep goin Sus, you're almost done!

looks like a little petticoat, doesn't she

She just made the tree!

my grandbaby said this is the girl tree now, because she has a pretty skirt on, and this
wrinkly fingered Mimi must agree!

A Great Responsibility


Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 
2 Timothy 2:15

Our church has recently started a new bible study called 'Read the Bible for Life'.  When I heard that this study tool would be available, my heart leaped or leapt (?), because I have such a difficult time sticking to anything (I'm sure it's because of this ADD problem:).  I love to read the Word of God, but never have approached studying the Word with a great plan of action, and I lack one of the most important requirements- DISCIPLINE. 

I was prepared to come in, get a bullet list of important study guidelines, and I'd be on my way, but, I'm finding it's so much more than that.  For instance, this week, we're talking about reading Gods Word in context: Historical, Cultural, Literary and Theological. (Now don't let me lose you here, hang with me, this is really interesting:)  This study is bringing something very important home to me- Very few Christians actually KNOW the Word of God- How many times have we heard the old adage :  Spare the rod, spoil the child; Cleanliness is next to Godliness; God works in mysterious ways; God will never give us more than we can handle; the lion will lay down with the lamb; money is the root of all evil; Pride comes before the fall, etc.  While most of these things sound good, they cannot be attributed to the Bible. We'll find when reading scripture, that some of those old adages are actually twisted versions of a verse, and some may be lyrics to songs, or from a line of poetry!  Also, many times we'll hear verses taken out of context; and doing this steals the actual meaning of the scripture.  We often use those familiar man-made quotes to ease our pain, or to create a false sense of hope, rather than understanding that all scripture should point us to God, showing us  that He is our hope, and He carries our burdens-  (when we give them to Him).   

It's important for each of us to read Gods Word, and to speak God's Word IN TRUTH- which basically means, before we go sharing something from the Word of God, make sure that what we are sharing is actually in the Word, asking the Holy Spirit to show us what the LORD is saying through the passage, make sure we know who was writing the scripture, who they were writing to, and what they were writing about.  I see why the world thinks that most Christians are so flaky- because we really don't look like we KNOW what we're talking about. And if we don't speak the Word in truth, it's best for us to keep our mouths closed, so that we are not deceiving others.

We have a blessed life as believers, however, we also have a great responsibility to share the Word of God, a Word that is true, right, never changing, that does not contradict itself, a Word that always accomplishes what God has planned,  a Word that is accurate, and even historical....and prophetical!  A Word that applied 1000 years ago, that applies to us today, and will apply to us hundreds of years from now, if the LORD tarries.  

Rather than being discouraged, I'd like to challenge you, as I have been challenged, to KNOW this precious Word, and for this Word to be deep in our hearts, so that it naturally flows from our mouths.

"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks" Luke 6:45

"For the Word of God is full of living power.  It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires.  It exposes us for what we really are."  Hebrews 4: 12

Ask God to give you a desire to read His Word, and to show you what He has for you today!

Blessings,

Hear this!!!!

Today as I was doing my bible reading, and my focus was on why, as a nation, we as Christians have strayed so far from the Word of God.  Is it from lack of prayer in schools, is it from acceptance of sin, is it the entertainment industry, is it feminism, divorce, greed,  drugs, rock & roll,  alcohol, sex, self absorption, etc? 

Could it be that it's not those things at all that have brought us to this place today, maybe we should look at the above as symptoms of a greater disease!  Could it be that those who follow Christ have allowed this to happen because we did not do what God has called us to do?

This disease I'm referring to is:   complacency, lack of discipline, and  lack of  obedience in  loving God and reading the Word of God and then applying it to the life that God has given us. 

So, is it too late, have we gotten so sick as a nation that there is no remedy available to us?  I think not, for now.   I feel that we must listen, and obey- God is calling His people out, and we need to stand up, listen and obey.  Where do we begin?  I believe, we begin with prayer and God's Word.  Read the Shema passage below- Shema means- Listen, or Hear this!  It applies to us today, just as it did to the Hebrew people thousands of years ago---

Shema- Listen

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again. Tie them on your hands as a reminder and wear them on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

What this means to me is this:  Listen- this is important!  The Lord our God is one, He is the only God- One Creator, One Way, One worthy of our worship, and commitment. We must love the Lord with all of our heart (He is our #1love) with all our soul (our longing should be to think on him, love him, and talking to him regularly), and all my strength (he should get the very best of me, actually ALL of me).  God has given me a word- his WORD- ( I must love this WORD, take it in, believe it, and live it with all of my being- heart, mind and body)Repeat them again and again to my children ,we should raise our children in the Word, which means to-- Tie them( the WORD) to your hands- we do with our hands- our hands should reflect the Word. Wear them (the WORD)  on your forehead- we think, see, hear, and speak with our heads- our heads should reflect the Word. Write them on the doorposts of your house- our doors are where we bring things into our lives and hearts-our hearts and homes should reflect the Word. Write them on the doorposts of your gates- where the world comes in- don’t allow the world to creep in our hearts/homes-rather, show the world the WORD.
I am so convicted to live as a child of God with all of me and with all that I have been given.  This great disease that has brought such depravity into America is our own fault- we have neglected to stand up for what is right, we have been lazy in sharing the word with our children at ALL times, we have not loved our Lord the way He asks us to.  If we did, we wouldn't be in this state, would we?