Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Scrap of Faith Retreat.
We have planned a great weekend for you - scrapping, fellowship, a theme night, classes, goody bags, worship and lots of laughs - and most importantly … NO COOKING OR CLEANING!!
With the year flying by at a cracking pace it won't be long before the retreat is here. If you register today with $30 it is then only $20 a month over the next 6 months to pay for it :-) So don't forget to register and we would love to see you all there.
WHEN
Friday the 7th to Sunday the 9th of November 2008
WHERE
Frederick Marsden Youth Centre
10 Narangba Rd, Kallangur, Queensland
http://www.fmyc.org.au/
COST
Full Weekend: With Accommodation $150
Without Accommodation $115
Extras: Pillow & linen hire $22
Towels & face washer hire: $16.50
Day Packages Saturday & Sunday $90
Saturday Only $75
Sunday Only $72
PAYMENT PLANS
$30 deposit with Full Balance payable by 10/10/2008
$30 deposit and monthly payment plan with equal payments spread over the months between receipt of deposit and 10/10/2008
REGISTERING
Please email sally for a full set of registration forms & payment details.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Full Weekend – With Accommodation
- Starting Friday 7th at 5:30pm to Sunday 9th 3:00pm
- All meals (all mains, supper, morning and afternoon tea daily)
- Share accommodation for the full weekend.
- Demonstrations
- Worship Session
- Goody bag & T shirt
- Prizes
- Sat Night Theme Night
- Great Company & Lots of Laughs
Full Weekend – Without Accommodation
- Starting Friday 7th at 5:30pm to Sunday 9th 3:00pm
- All meals (lunch, dinner, supper, morning and afternoon tea daily)
- Demonstrations
- Worship Session
- Goody bag & T shirt
- Prizes
- Sat Night Theme Night
- Great Company & Lots of Laughs
Day Package – Saturday & Sunday
- Saturday 8th at 9:30am to 5:30pm and Sunday 9th 9:30am to 3:00pm
- Lunch plus morning & afternoon tea each day
- Demonstrations
- Worship session
- Goody bag & T shirt
- Prizes
- Great Company & Lots of Laughs
Day Package – Saturday Only
- Saturday 8th at 9:30am to 5:30pm
- Lunch plus morning & afternoon tea
- Demonstrations
- Goody bag & T shirt
- Prizes
- Great Company & Lots of Laughs
Day Package – Sunday Only
- Sunday 9th 9:30am to 3:00pm
- Lunch plus morning tea
- Worship session
- Goody bag & T shirt
- Prizes
- Great Company & Lots of Laughs
So what are you waiting for?? Book today!! :-)
Last Day for April Challenges! I Just Made it!
Here is my layout for the Sketch Challenge. I loved this photo as it looks as though I'm peering through the lens at a special private moment between my husband and my little daughter (then aged 5) as they walked through a gorgeous garden in Surrey, England. So putting it into a circle reminded me of a lens and seemed to work really well. It's a very special memory, one of those ones that you hang back from actually scrapping because you just want to do it justice. Thanks to the sketch from PageMaps, I'm happy!
If you still have a layout to add to the April challenges, it's not too late! At Scrap of Faith Headquarters, we are SO delighted at all the layouts you have shared for April. Hope you've enjoyed doing them.
Blessings, Tracey
Monday, April 28, 2008
The greatest lesson God has taught me was a threefold lesson in listening, obeying and trusting Him.God had for some time trying to tell me I was in a place where he did not want me to be, but I kept ignoring his small still voice for some years until it became a total conviction that I wasn't where he wanted me to be. Once I realised this I had to make a choice to either obey him or to keep living in disobedience. To obey him I had to withdraw from a committment I had made and really felt that I was going to let many people down, this was where step three came into being. TRUST me, God said. I did trust him, stepped out in Faith & obedience and those involved were incredibly understanding even though they couldn't really understand my reasoning for leaving. BUT the best part was yet to come.
Out of my eventual obedience came incredible blessing, beyond what I could ever had imagined. Within a month of leaving Music Hall Sal invited me to be a part of the Scrap Of Faith Design team AND I had 3 of my altered tins accepted for publishing in Handmade magazine.
The above LO celebrates my journey of Listening, obeience and trust and YES great blessings. So really this was a fourfold lesson. The verse that came to me again and again through all of this journey was "Be still and Know I am God" Psalm 46:10a.
The OTP project for this month is a memory box to store those little life lessons that God loves to share with us.This box is lined inside and has a felt base and decorated cards waiting for those lessons to be written up.Download the full instructions here
Mystery Challenge
This is my layout for the Mystery challenge, using the title of a Christian song as my layout title. The song is "When it's all said and done" by Robin Mark and I have extended it to describe my boy - "When it's all said and done, you're authentic" - I had been trying to use the fact that he wore a short with the word 'authentic' on it in a layout about him as it does describe him well - he's real and genuine, no pretence. A blessing and a challenge, all rolled into one much loved package!
Only a few more April days left to get your challenge entries in. I am loving what I am seeing from all of you! Hope I'll get at least one more fitted in myself ...
Blessings, Tracey
Would like to share a lesson I learnt this week? ... Here is a summary of my day.
7am - left home to drive to appt for pelvic ultrasound (You know the kind girls, where you have to drink all the water and then hold on) Grrr ….
7.30 Ultrasound appt is across the street from Shopping Centre so had planned to park there. Too early, parking not open, so have to find a spot on the street. Trying not to think about the toilet. Double Grrr ….
7.31 Find a spot right outside PTL! Two hour parking, didn’t kick in until 8.30am so that gave me until 10.30am. Had been told I'd be out and report in hand by 9.30am (seeing doctor at Midday).
7.32 Try to read Scrapbooking Memories to keep mind off things. Have had to leave kids at home which not happy about but no choice and no call yet so they are still asleep PTL. See layouts from Carolina and Ro in SM, but too exciting, makes me think of how much I need to go you-know-where … continuous grrrr ….
7.33-7.45 still sipping
7.50 Ultrasound practice opens. Try and be pleasant and get all paperwork out of the way while keeping legs firmly crossed
7.51-7.54 Try and read trashy mag. Doesn’t help. More grrrr ….
7.55 Cant believe it, only 5 minutes to wait and I SERIOUSLY have to go - but not just number 1's - feel definite attack of diarrhoea on the way! Receptionist suggests I try to just let 'a little' go. (Don’t know if anyone else finds this as impossible as I do - even my husband knew that just wasn’t going to happen when I told him later)
7.56 - yep, - well I'll spare you the details but suffice to say I'm sitting there now fully swigging two bottles of water quick smart! Grrr gurgle ..
8.02 Called in for ultrasound. At this point I'm told it will also be an internal ultrasound as well. No hassle, had that before. The external part took about 2 minutes tops (that's what all the water is for, and apparently it made no difference that I'd only drunk it two minutes before!!!)
8.05 Now she tells me to empty my bladder COMPLETELY before the internal. Well that's a bit of a job, my body is in such confusion by this stage. Have to have two go's at it.
8.25 All finished, dressed, back out to the counter. “So I come back at 9.30am, right? To get my report? Get home to my kids?”
“Oh no madam, doctor doesn’t look at anything until at least 9.30am so it will be 10am at the earliest. Come back then”. GGGGGRRRRRR!!!!!!!
8.26 Ring DH, give update, concerned about kids, have they called? No, all quiet. Have breakfast - very nice, but you guessed it, poor old bladder is still trying to get rid of two bottles of water. Probably now know location of every loo in Miranda Fair.
10am - back at Ultrasound. “Can I have my report please”?
“Oh sorry, we are having problems with computer system, films are ready but no report. You'll just have to wait”.
“But ... my kids have been home alone since 7am – I have to get home!”
“Sorry madam. Cant be helped”.
“And, how strict are they on the two hour parking out the front?”
“VERY”.
10.10am Call girlfriend who organised appointment for advice - can I have report faxed to doctor and take the films myself? No, legally they can’t separate them. She will call them to see if they might make an exception.
10.12am Daughter calls – “when are you coming home Mum?” Upset to hear about delay. “Why can’t you come now?” (Grrr just doesn’t cut it here, what’s the abbreviation for utter turmoil and guilt?)
10.15am I station myself at front counter where I can see my car and hopefully any parking police lurking. Too late to try and park in shopping centre now - school holidays, cinemas ... forget it!
10.25am A lady pulls up out front to park behind me - I rush out and ask her to 'swap' spots with me so I now have a 'new' 2 hour spot. It's a tight squeeze, hope the 4WD behind me doesn’t want to get out in the next 5 minutes ...
10.45am Another loo stop
10.46am Return the loo key and receptionist hands me my films - Cool! “Is the report done then?”
“No, will have to fax it”.
10.47 In the car, let's go, still time to get home and calm little daughter before I have to get to doctor's.
10.47 Car dies.
10.48 Call dear husband - I need a hero!!!
(Would like to say the next part was really prayerful and godly but ... it wasn’t .Visions of VERY ANGRY 4WD driver returning to their car and unable to get it out because I’m in the way.
10.50 Sit and wait for NRMA road service to come.
AHA!!! A light bulb moment. I text Sal and ask her to pray - something like 'disaster morning and now car has died and Claire home without me and upset'
Sal answers and prays.
10.51 NRMA man calls me - just a couple of minutes more
10.53 NRMA man arrives. Diagnoses dead battery. But we only had the battery checked last week? Well, sometimes they just have 'heart attacks' and die. Really? I smell a rat!
11am NRMA man escorts me to Auto Electrician and comes and pleads my case for immediate repair so I can make my appointment. By this time I just wanna get home!!!
11.05 I call doctor's and let them know what is happening, can I come later in the day? “No, and no report faxed yet either. Call us when you know whether you can still make it”.
11.10 Speak to dear son who knew I was late from my husband but didn’t know about the car. Tries to comfort his sister but a bit of a tall order.
11.15 speak to friend from Ultrasound - computers still bung, no report for noon appointment is possible.
11.20 Back on the road. Praise the Lord! Call dear husband, who is amazed I'm back on the road in such a short period of time. (Usually a minimum of one hour wait before NRMA serviceman even arrives, and in wet weather it’s even longer – and of course it was showery). He reminds me I have a big God. Ooops. Sometimes I need reminding.
11.21 Call doctor - they have a cancellation - can I come at 4.30pm instead? Ooh yeh! 11.30 Call in and pick up my Grandma - was supposed to be picking her up after doctor's, glad she is ready, need to get home!
Noon - Home at last! YAY! Little daughter VERY happy. Everyone now pleased I managed to buy Krispy Kreme donuts while I killed time between loo stops at Miranda.
4pm Call doctor's to see if report had turned up - no. They will follow up.
5pm See doctor - yes, had an ovarian cyst which explained the cyclical pain over many months but it had 'exploded' and was in the midst of resolving itself. YAY!
I mentioned to doctor that on the day of my last appointment with him when we decided to organise ultrasound etc, I had pain that afternoon but the next day it was gone - this was unusual because in previous months the pain had lasted for about a week each time. He said that in all likelihood that was the day that the cyst 'exploded' and what we were seeing now on the ultrasound was all the evidence of the bleeding as it resolved itself.
So what is the point of all this? What is the lesson I have learnt from it all?
The power of prayer.
Yesterday was such a comedy of errors, and I didn’t handle it so very well. I did pray but I was a bit too stressed to think straight (that's what a full bladder and stressing about my kids always does to me) but things only started to straighten themselves out when I thought to ask someone to pray for me (thanks Sal).
I should have asked for prayer myself from all of you Scrap of Faith sisters prior to the appointment. I'm always quick to say to people that no request is too small, or you shouldn’t be put off when others have concerns that seem so much more weighty. But I fell into my own trap there, I read posts the night before that made my need seem so trivial and I committed the sin of hypocrisy and I didn’t ask. Please forgive me girls for being a hypocrite and not practicing what I preach – oops! And I’m so sorry Lord!
But I did ask for prayer from two of my Scrap of Faith sisters prior to my initial doctor’s appointment. I shared my concerns and what I was worried that the doctor might find and they added their prayers to mine for that appointment. To find that there had been a problem but it was likely healed on the very day they had been praying for my healing is a wonderful God-incidence so I want to thank Him and glorify Him – and thank Sal and Ro who were praying for me.
So even when I’m being distracted by everything the enemy wants to throw at me, when I remember to call on Him or ask someone to call on Him with me because I’m unable, He always answers our prayers.
So the lesson I’ve learnt? The moral of the story?
There’ll be lessons to learn every day. The “Teacher” is always in the classroom, waiting. I just have to remember to check in and PRAY!!!!
By Tracey Smith
7am - left home to drive to appt for pelvic ultrasound (You know the kind girls, where you have to drink all the water and then hold on) Grrr ….
7.30 Ultrasound appt is across the street from Shopping Centre so had planned to park there. Too early, parking not open, so have to find a spot on the street. Trying not to think about the toilet. Double Grrr ….
7.31 Find a spot right outside PTL! Two hour parking, didn’t kick in until 8.30am so that gave me until 10.30am. Had been told I'd be out and report in hand by 9.30am (seeing doctor at Midday).
7.32 Try to read Scrapbooking Memories to keep mind off things. Have had to leave kids at home which not happy about but no choice and no call yet so they are still asleep PTL. See layouts from Carolina and Ro in SM, but too exciting, makes me think of how much I need to go you-know-where … continuous grrrr ….
7.33-7.45 still sipping
7.50 Ultrasound practice opens. Try and be pleasant and get all paperwork out of the way while keeping legs firmly crossed
7.51-7.54 Try and read trashy mag. Doesn’t help. More grrrr ….
7.55 Cant believe it, only 5 minutes to wait and I SERIOUSLY have to go - but not just number 1's - feel definite attack of diarrhoea on the way! Receptionist suggests I try to just let 'a little' go. (Don’t know if anyone else finds this as impossible as I do - even my husband knew that just wasn’t going to happen when I told him later)
7.56 - yep, - well I'll spare you the details but suffice to say I'm sitting there now fully swigging two bottles of water quick smart! Grrr gurgle ..
8.02 Called in for ultrasound. At this point I'm told it will also be an internal ultrasound as well. No hassle, had that before. The external part took about 2 minutes tops (that's what all the water is for, and apparently it made no difference that I'd only drunk it two minutes before!!!)
8.05 Now she tells me to empty my bladder COMPLETELY before the internal. Well that's a bit of a job, my body is in such confusion by this stage. Have to have two go's at it.
8.25 All finished, dressed, back out to the counter. “So I come back at 9.30am, right? To get my report? Get home to my kids?”
“Oh no madam, doctor doesn’t look at anything until at least 9.30am so it will be 10am at the earliest. Come back then”. GGGGGRRRRRR!!!!!!!
8.26 Ring DH, give update, concerned about kids, have they called? No, all quiet. Have breakfast - very nice, but you guessed it, poor old bladder is still trying to get rid of two bottles of water. Probably now know location of every loo in Miranda Fair.
10am - back at Ultrasound. “Can I have my report please”?
“Oh sorry, we are having problems with computer system, films are ready but no report. You'll just have to wait”.
“But ... my kids have been home alone since 7am – I have to get home!”
“Sorry madam. Cant be helped”.
“And, how strict are they on the two hour parking out the front?”
“VERY”.
10.10am Call girlfriend who organised appointment for advice - can I have report faxed to doctor and take the films myself? No, legally they can’t separate them. She will call them to see if they might make an exception.
10.12am Daughter calls – “when are you coming home Mum?” Upset to hear about delay. “Why can’t you come now?” (Grrr just doesn’t cut it here, what’s the abbreviation for utter turmoil and guilt?)
10.15am I station myself at front counter where I can see my car and hopefully any parking police lurking. Too late to try and park in shopping centre now - school holidays, cinemas ... forget it!
10.25am A lady pulls up out front to park behind me - I rush out and ask her to 'swap' spots with me so I now have a 'new' 2 hour spot. It's a tight squeeze, hope the 4WD behind me doesn’t want to get out in the next 5 minutes ...
10.45am Another loo stop
10.46am Return the loo key and receptionist hands me my films - Cool! “Is the report done then?”
“No, will have to fax it”.
10.47 In the car, let's go, still time to get home and calm little daughter before I have to get to doctor's.
10.47 Car dies.
10.48 Call dear husband - I need a hero!!!
(Would like to say the next part was really prayerful and godly but ... it wasn’t .Visions of VERY ANGRY 4WD driver returning to their car and unable to get it out because I’m in the way.
10.50 Sit and wait for NRMA road service to come.
AHA!!! A light bulb moment. I text Sal and ask her to pray - something like 'disaster morning and now car has died and Claire home without me and upset'
Sal answers and prays.
10.51 NRMA man calls me - just a couple of minutes more
10.53 NRMA man arrives. Diagnoses dead battery. But we only had the battery checked last week? Well, sometimes they just have 'heart attacks' and die. Really? I smell a rat!
11am NRMA man escorts me to Auto Electrician and comes and pleads my case for immediate repair so I can make my appointment. By this time I just wanna get home!!!
11.05 I call doctor's and let them know what is happening, can I come later in the day? “No, and no report faxed yet either. Call us when you know whether you can still make it”.
11.10 Speak to dear son who knew I was late from my husband but didn’t know about the car. Tries to comfort his sister but a bit of a tall order.
11.15 speak to friend from Ultrasound - computers still bung, no report for noon appointment is possible.
11.20 Back on the road. Praise the Lord! Call dear husband, who is amazed I'm back on the road in such a short period of time. (Usually a minimum of one hour wait before NRMA serviceman even arrives, and in wet weather it’s even longer – and of course it was showery). He reminds me I have a big God. Ooops. Sometimes I need reminding.
11.21 Call doctor - they have a cancellation - can I come at 4.30pm instead? Ooh yeh! 11.30 Call in and pick up my Grandma - was supposed to be picking her up after doctor's, glad she is ready, need to get home!
Noon - Home at last! YAY! Little daughter VERY happy. Everyone now pleased I managed to buy Krispy Kreme donuts while I killed time between loo stops at Miranda.
4pm Call doctor's to see if report had turned up - no. They will follow up.
5pm See doctor - yes, had an ovarian cyst which explained the cyclical pain over many months but it had 'exploded' and was in the midst of resolving itself. YAY!
I mentioned to doctor that on the day of my last appointment with him when we decided to organise ultrasound etc, I had pain that afternoon but the next day it was gone - this was unusual because in previous months the pain had lasted for about a week each time. He said that in all likelihood that was the day that the cyst 'exploded' and what we were seeing now on the ultrasound was all the evidence of the bleeding as it resolved itself.
So what is the point of all this? What is the lesson I have learnt from it all?
The power of prayer.
Yesterday was such a comedy of errors, and I didn’t handle it so very well. I did pray but I was a bit too stressed to think straight (that's what a full bladder and stressing about my kids always does to me) but things only started to straighten themselves out when I thought to ask someone to pray for me (thanks Sal).
I should have asked for prayer myself from all of you Scrap of Faith sisters prior to the appointment. I'm always quick to say to people that no request is too small, or you shouldn’t be put off when others have concerns that seem so much more weighty. But I fell into my own trap there, I read posts the night before that made my need seem so trivial and I committed the sin of hypocrisy and I didn’t ask. Please forgive me girls for being a hypocrite and not practicing what I preach – oops! And I’m so sorry Lord!
But I did ask for prayer from two of my Scrap of Faith sisters prior to my initial doctor’s appointment. I shared my concerns and what I was worried that the doctor might find and they added their prayers to mine for that appointment. To find that there had been a problem but it was likely healed on the very day they had been praying for my healing is a wonderful God-incidence so I want to thank Him and glorify Him – and thank Sal and Ro who were praying for me.
So even when I’m being distracted by everything the enemy wants to throw at me, when I remember to call on Him or ask someone to call on Him with me because I’m unable, He always answers our prayers.
So the lesson I’ve learnt? The moral of the story?
There’ll be lessons to learn every day. The “Teacher” is always in the classroom, waiting. I just have to remember to check in and PRAY!!!!
By Tracey Smith
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Only three days to go ... before the end of the month and your challenge layouts are due.
I see we already have lots of very inspiring entries. And I'm looking forward to seeing a few more go up in the next three days.
This is my effort for the sketch challenge. I'm loving sketches at the moment, they give my creativity a great jump-start so all I need to really do is cut and stick my bits of pretty paper down.
I have used some Heidi Grace papers here - and also dragged out some eyelets!
This next layout is for the verse challenge.
I really enjoyed studying the whole of Psalm 46 while I was creating this layout. The first few verses really grabbed my attention too.
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."
Right now it really does feel as though parts of my world are crumbling down around me. Yet I will not fear. God is my ever-present help in times of trouble. I just need to be still before my Lord and know that He is God. I will make it through these times of trouble and He will be exalted!
Hope you have had a blessed Sunday.
I'm off to create another layout.
I see we already have lots of very inspiring entries. And I'm looking forward to seeing a few more go up in the next three days.
This is my effort for the sketch challenge. I'm loving sketches at the moment, they give my creativity a great jump-start so all I need to really do is cut and stick my bits of pretty paper down.
I have used some Heidi Grace papers here - and also dragged out some eyelets!
This next layout is for the verse challenge.
I really enjoyed studying the whole of Psalm 46 while I was creating this layout. The first few verses really grabbed my attention too.
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, ...
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."
Right now it really does feel as though parts of my world are crumbling down around me. Yet I will not fear. God is my ever-present help in times of trouble. I just need to be still before my Lord and know that He is God. I will make it through these times of trouble and He will be exalted!
Hope you have had a blessed Sunday.
I'm off to create another layout.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
I think the Scrap of Faith Challenges this month have been terrific and I was keen to get in and participate. Here are my examples of 
Challenge 2 - Verse Challenge - To do a layout any size, traditional or layout featuring the following verse: "Psalm 46:10"
Challenge 1 - Sketch Challenge - to any size layout, traditional or digi based on this sketch here (click on the word here). Thank you to pagemaps for the sketch, taken from your June 07 sketches.
Challenge 2 - Verse Challenge - To do a layout any size, traditional or layout featuring the following verse: "Psalm 46:10"
Challenge 5 - Mystery Challange - Scrap a LO or OTP where you take as your main title, the title of a song by a Christian artist. You don’t have to include the lyrics though by all means do if it fits with what you are scrapping. However, do include an acknowledgement of the Christian artist somewhere on your work.
I would really love to see what you have come up with so I really want to encourage you all to participate in these challenges and email your entries to Sally before the end of the month.
There are great prizes too. Prizes for the challenges are a $30 voucher to Christian Book. Christian Book has an online gift voucher system and ships worldwide, so Prizes can be redeemed by winners regardless of where you live in this wonderful world of ours.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
DIGITAL LESSONS...
I have had some talented helpers this month with the digital freebies we have on offer (huge thanks to Casey, Sal, Terrie and Dawn) .... and I think, that we have a pretty fabulous freebie for you to download.
The pack can be downloaded here. To help you along a little more, the 3 LO's done below are also available as quickpages here. (You will need the password 'scrapoffaith' for both of the downloads). That means if you are abit nervous about the whole digital scrapping thing, all you have to do is open up the page and insert your own photo. Too easy!
Another little special thing you will find in the download pack is a desktop design for you to use for May courtesy of Dawn. It works the same as a quickpage so that you can customise it with your own photo, then simply save it then go back to your desktop and right-click on it to have the option to change it to your new LO.
The digi team has enjoyed making these little goodies for you, and we pray that it might help you reflect on the lessons that God has been working on with you :)
by Scrap Evangel (Terrie)
by Ro (Glenwillyn)
by Sally
desktop design by Dawn (Dawn10379)
Monday, April 14, 2008
The Biggest Lesson God Has Taught You.
Wow that’s a big one!! What is the biggest? There are so many to choose from and I still have many, many more to learn, God, by no means done with me yet, but one of the big ones I’m constantly learning is to be content, that the grass isn’t greener on the other side.
Matthew 5:5 "You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought. – The Message
John 14:8 Philip said, "Master, show us the Father; then we'll be content." – The Message
Our contentment comes when we have seen the Father, when we have made Him Lord of our lives. The only way we can be content is to ask God to examine our hearts and show us our blessings.
I spent a life of looking at others and thinking they had it all, especially with material things. Getting jealous, trying to keep up with the Joneses and of course believing the lies in gossip mags, that my life just didn’t measure up. I was by no means content. How does a family function when Mum isn’t content? Well it doesn’t function. I was so absorbed in my wants and failings that I stopped to consider others.
When God finally “clicked” and I surrendered my life to Him, he started to work huge changes in my life. I went from looking at what I didn’t have to what I did have. Or should I say what God had given Mark and I stewardship over. First we had God’s Love and Christ’s Salvation, the greatest gift ever given to the world; no grass is greener than that!! We had God’s word and direction for our life. Nup can’t find a better self help manual ever written than that one. We had prayer, a direct line to the Creator of the Universe, somehow I don’t think I’ll ever find a better help line. We had each other, a marriage that is unbreakable with God as it’s guide. We had 5 kids, 5 of God’s children that He had asked us to look after for Him. Then we had the promise of ALL our needs being met. Isaiah 58:11 The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
Wow that’s a big one!! What is the biggest? There are so many to choose from and I still have many, many more to learn, God, by no means done with me yet, but one of the big ones I’m constantly learning is to be content, that the grass isn’t greener on the other side.
Matthew 5:5 "You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought. – The Message
John 14:8 Philip said, "Master, show us the Father; then we'll be content." – The Message
Our contentment comes when we have seen the Father, when we have made Him Lord of our lives. The only way we can be content is to ask God to examine our hearts and show us our blessings.
I spent a life of looking at others and thinking they had it all, especially with material things. Getting jealous, trying to keep up with the Joneses and of course believing the lies in gossip mags, that my life just didn’t measure up. I was by no means content. How does a family function when Mum isn’t content? Well it doesn’t function. I was so absorbed in my wants and failings that I stopped to consider others.
When God finally “clicked” and I surrendered my life to Him, he started to work huge changes in my life. I went from looking at what I didn’t have to what I did have. Or should I say what God had given Mark and I stewardship over. First we had God’s Love and Christ’s Salvation, the greatest gift ever given to the world; no grass is greener than that!! We had God’s word and direction for our life. Nup can’t find a better self help manual ever written than that one. We had prayer, a direct line to the Creator of the Universe, somehow I don’t think I’ll ever find a better help line. We had each other, a marriage that is unbreakable with God as it’s guide. We had 5 kids, 5 of God’s children that He had asked us to look after for Him. Then we had the promise of ALL our needs being met. Isaiah 58:11 The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
With God at our helm how could we be discontent? You would think that wouldn’t you, but I slip up….. a lot. I was born in sin and I fall short of the Glory of God. I had my camera break, it was covered by insurance and I wasn’t content to replace it, I had to get bigger and better and succumbed to my desires and not my needs. I didn’t allow God to have full control over it, I put the insurance money to pay for some of it and used my interest free card for the rest and now I have a GREAT camera, but I have debt to go with it. I also have a DH who is questioning himself at 2am in the morning, “Did we do the right thing?”. I allowed the perception of “the greener grass” to put stress on my husband he doesn’t need. I didn’t rest in the Lord to be content with borrowing Mark’s camera and waiting till I could get one without the debt. I had to have it……yesterday.
I still let the enemy get a foothold and look at the outside and not the inside but slowly and surely I’m working on it & I am very thankful that God gives us gentle reminders. I came across this quote over the weekend for a scrap challenge “Be Kind, for everyone is fighting a hard battle” - Plato. It spoke volumes to me about my grass is greener battle and just like Lara said “It’s not about me, it’s about Him” and with it being about Him, it’s about being content with us and looking out for the situations of others, not just our own.
I still let the enemy get a foothold and look at the outside and not the inside but slowly and surely I’m working on it & I am very thankful that God gives us gentle reminders. I came across this quote over the weekend for a scrap challenge “Be Kind, for everyone is fighting a hard battle” - Plato. It spoke volumes to me about my grass is greener battle and just like Lara said “It’s not about me, it’s about Him” and with it being about Him, it’s about being content with us and looking out for the situations of others, not just our own.
Journalling - Just like this photo is a little blurry so are our perceptions. Each one of us though smiling has struggles and made mistakes. I am so thankful that theses Sisters in Christ look beyond their own situation and think of others
"SPRING TIME FEVER" DIGITAL KIT BY TIA BENNETT – Paper, ribbon, flower
Kristin Aargard – Frosted Symbols
Word art quote – Kellie Mize
Kate Teauge – Brush
Font's Edwardian Script & Lucida Bright
Sunday, April 13, 2008
oooh, my first post on the SOF blog, very exciting!
Well... it's all about 'the biggest lesson God has taught me'... only, he's still teaching me! I'm a bit slow... but his word teaches that He will finish the work He has begun in me (Philippians 1:6).
The Big lesson I want to share with you is that It's not about us!!!
This was said during open worship time at Church last Sunday and is one of the 'biggest lessons' God has to teach me over & over again - Yep, still going. With this thought in mind I was reminded of Rick Warren's 'Purpose Driven Life' book where the opening chapter is all about this. The first chapter is titled 'It all starts with God' and the first two paragraphs read:
It's not about you.
The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It's far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for his purpose.
The Bible talks of 'loosing my life for His sake' & tells me that I'll then find it... This verse has stuck with me since I used to listen to it driving home from school or evenings out as a teenager (home was half an hour from town) in my wee '84' Mazda 323 about 17 years ago (I said it's a long time lesson). The song was by David Meece:
DAVID MEECE TO THE GLORY OF GOD LYRICS
For awhile it was fine, hearing the roar of the crowd,
For awhile it was mine, flying up over the clouds,
But then the sun melted my wings, now I’m on my knees.
To the glory of God,
Next time I fly it will be to the glory of God,
I want my life just to be to the glory of God.
And once I used to ride off to war,There was glory to win, thought I knew what it was for,
But most of the battles were mine; and now so is the pain.
To the glory of God
Next time I fight it will be to the glory of God,
I want my life just to be to the glory of God,
To be to the glory of God.
They say the man that finds his life will lose it, and mine was slipping away,
But, oh, the man that has the faith to lose it will find that his life is saved.
To the glory of God,
Next time I fly it will be to the glory of God,
I want my whole life to be to the glory of God,
Next time I fight it will be to the glory of God,
I want my whole life to be to the glory of God,
Next time I fly it will be to the glory of God,(fade)
It's not about me,
It's about Him!
Saturday, April 05, 2008
March Challenge's Winners
We just want to say a BIG thank you to everyone who entered the challenges. We had such a lot of beautiful layouts to display on the blog it was a great month!! Well the draw has been made for each section and here are the winners!
Challenge 1 - Sketch Challenge - Cathy Lucas
Challenge 2 - Verse Challenge - Jasmine Brown
Challenge 3 - Word Challenge - Mary Crosthwaite
Book of Faith Challenge - Jane Riches
Mystery Challange - Tammi Harris
Please email your address to Sally so I can mail out your $30 gift card to Koorong bookstores. Congratulations girls!!
April's Challenges are up the top so check em out and enter away!! Entries due at midnight the last day of the month. Looking forward to seeing the new creations for April.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Cyber Crops & Challenges
This saturday the 5th of April will be a SoF Cyber Crop. We host our Cyber Crops in MSN. Please email Sally if you want your MSN addy to be added to the list for Cyber Crops. Please read the Cyber Crop Guidlines here so you can join in.
We will be now hosting Cyber Crops on the First weekend of the month. That way we will release new challenges for the month on the Cyber Crop day. Winners for the last month will be announced then too.
We would love to see you there :-)
This saturday the 5th of April will be a SoF Cyber Crop. We host our Cyber Crops in MSN. Please email Sally if you want your MSN addy to be added to the list for Cyber Crops. Please read the Cyber Crop Guidlines here so you can join in.
We will be now hosting Cyber Crops on the First weekend of the month. That way we will release new challenges for the month on the Cyber Crop day. Winners for the last month will be announced then too.
We would love to see you there :-)
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
A Leopard Can’t Change His Spots
How many times have we heard that and many other’s like it? “You can’t change him”; “You’ll never change”, “Once a cheater always a cheater”, “You’ll always be a loser”. Oh boy, such encouraging words!
If we were to listen to phrases like this and hold onto them, then there is no hope for any of us. We are doomed to be lost in our hopelessness and never change.
I look at my life before I found Christ and the truth found only in the Bible and I look at my life now and you know what? I have changed. So how did I do it? By all accounts I shouldn’t have because as you know a leopard can’t change its spots. You know what? A leopard can’t change his spots!! But wait a minute I just said I had changed, but if I can’t change my spots, then what am I talking about? I can’t change me, but God through the work of His Holy Spirit can change me. God can change that leopard and wipe the spots clear off him.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! What a promise if you are in Christ you will be a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come. That sounds like change to me! When we are in Christ, we are in His Word, reading His truths desiring to be more like Him. How can you not change when you are becoming Christ Like? We are born into this world in Sin and through Christ we are reborn.
Can you remember when you were “considering” Christ, do you take that step and become a “Christian” or are you okay how you are? I remember a close friend in high school who believed in God, but wasn’t ready to commit because then she would have to change and have to be “good” and she wasn’t ready to stop sinning. If only she knew that the change isn’t done on our own strength that we open our lives to Christ and say “You’re the potter, I am the clay, mold me Lord”. He helps us to become “good”.
The changes that Christ works in us are ALWAYS for good. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. With a promise like that I invite you to ask Christ into your heart and to allow His Holy Spirit to mold you and change you for His purpose.
How many times have we heard that and many other’s like it? “You can’t change him”; “You’ll never change”, “Once a cheater always a cheater”, “You’ll always be a loser”. Oh boy, such encouraging words!
If we were to listen to phrases like this and hold onto them, then there is no hope for any of us. We are doomed to be lost in our hopelessness and never change.
I look at my life before I found Christ and the truth found only in the Bible and I look at my life now and you know what? I have changed. So how did I do it? By all accounts I shouldn’t have because as you know a leopard can’t change its spots. You know what? A leopard can’t change his spots!! But wait a minute I just said I had changed, but if I can’t change my spots, then what am I talking about? I can’t change me, but God through the work of His Holy Spirit can change me. God can change that leopard and wipe the spots clear off him.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! What a promise if you are in Christ you will be a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come. That sounds like change to me! When we are in Christ, we are in His Word, reading His truths desiring to be more like Him. How can you not change when you are becoming Christ Like? We are born into this world in Sin and through Christ we are reborn.
Can you remember when you were “considering” Christ, do you take that step and become a “Christian” or are you okay how you are? I remember a close friend in high school who believed in God, but wasn’t ready to commit because then she would have to change and have to be “good” and she wasn’t ready to stop sinning. If only she knew that the change isn’t done on our own strength that we open our lives to Christ and say “You’re the potter, I am the clay, mold me Lord”. He helps us to become “good”.
The changes that Christ works in us are ALWAYS for good. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. With a promise like that I invite you to ask Christ into your heart and to allow His Holy Spirit to mold you and change you for His purpose.
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