What is the Lord Saying to You

Every year I write in my journal specific things the Lord is saying to me for the year.
This year my friend Francesca put all the words she heard for her in a poster frame. I thought the idea was a brilliant one, so I copied her! You know what they say, copy, is the highest form of flattery! Of course mine is specific to me, I actually found an old frame at the thrift store and did mine in a 3 dimensional format. I glued on fabric flowers, an old key, buttons, a glass bauble with the Foursquare emblem, as well as all the words I cut out from old magazines. I hung it above my desk and I get to look at it every day. It is a constant reminder of what He is calling me to, and who He says I am. I like that it is out in the open for me to reflect on, I have been more focused as a result. What is the Lord saying to you? Has he said things to you this year that you need to capture? This is such a great idea, I am even going to do a family one. This way we all are clear what our family identity is, and what the Lord is calling us to do together. It actually is quite freeing, when opportunities come my way I go to my board and check to see if it lines up with what the Lord is asking of me this year. I encouraged the homeschool moms to do this, as it really defines who you are and what you are called to do as a woman of God. Sometimes we forget we have a life outside of schooling our children. Go ahead, start clipping those words, you might find something out about you that you didn't realize! Blessings

Spring! It is my favorite time of year. I love the smell of orange blossoms and pink jasmine, heavenly! In the morning I grab a cup of coffee, my bible and journal and head straight for my porch swing. I call it my having coffee with Jesus time. There is something very peaceful about reading the word in the middle of His creation. I especially love the birds flitting about, grabbing little snippets to make their nests all snug. Isn't it interesting how we mimic nature. I like to rearrange the furniture and pull out things that are light and pretty. Such a stark contrast to the heaviness of winter and all the Christmas trappings. I feel a lightness in my spirit, as if dreams and ideas are awakening and coming out of slumber. It is a new day, a new season. Time to shed the weights that have been holding you down and keeping you from stepping into your destiny. I love what our Pastor shared this weekend from Isaiah 60:1 "Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. " It is time for us to arise and shine as lights in a dark world. When we rise up, when we take the first step, the glory of the Lord will be upon us. I don't know about you, but I want the glory of God to be on me! I want to move in power and authority,with confidence and boldness, breaking forth just as the flowers, in spring, break forth from the ground. This is an exciting season, I know the Lord has been preparing me for something wonderful. I want to enjoy every moment, and look with anticipation to the future, for with God anything is possible.
Blessings to you!

Journaling

This is a lovely little journal I did last year. I love the vintage flowers on the front, they were a gift from my sweet friend. The vintage button is from Guilding the Lily, my favorite little store in downtown Fullerton. Nancy the shops proprietress took this photo after a class taken one Saturday morning there. This was a wonderful creative challenge for me, I am now hooked on creating one of a kind books for my friends. Jessica and Kathleen were the lucky recipients this year, who knows you may be next! Journaling is such a great way to capture your life's story. I find writing things down brings such clarity. It is biblical too, in Habakkuk 2:2 it says, "Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it." I like that last part, that he may run.... that is such a now word from the Lord. I feel like this is the season we are to run with the dreams and ideas He has given us. What dreams has the Lord given you? Have they become dusty and faded with time? Go back revisit them, blow the dust off and ask Him for renewed passion for those things that once excited you. Start a new journal of dreams, ask the Lord to speak to you and bring to rememberance those things that have gotten burried in the hustle and bustle of life. Take time to do something for you, something that will inspire you and ignite a spark of excitement, draw, paint, write.... the sky is the limit.

Time Flies

Wow, I cannot believe it was October when my oldest son and I discovered the wonderful world of blogging. I am not the most computer savy so please bear with me. I think I might need to take a class. Anyways, I am finding that I will have to become very disciplined to keep this thing going..... it will be good for me. Even if no one ever stumbles upon this humble little site, I am good with that. This will be a good creative outlet, something all mom's should have. But I am not creative you say! I challenge that thought with this one, you were made in the image of God, the creator of the universe, (the ultimate crafter, you could say), so therefore you are creative, you just need to tap into that side of you. I have found that the fear of not measuring up to someone else, keeps you from discovering all that God made you to be. That is such a tool of the enemy! I have the most amazingly talented friend, Tami, she is a gifted jewelry maker. If I even dared to compare myself to her I would do absolutely nothing! But instead I choose to celebrate our differences and tap into how God wired me. Jewlery maker i'm not, but Tami and I need each other. And we need you and your giftings and talents to inspire us to think differently. So go ahead and ask God to show you something new about yourself today, start a new journey of discovery. He will answer you, because He is always faithful! Blessings to you!

Invisible Mother's

This is for all the moms out there who are building what no one else sees. 

No one can say who built the great cathedrals, we have no record or their names. These builders  gave their whole lives for a work  they would never see finished. They gave great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.  There is a story told of a rich man who came to visit one of the great cathedrals while it was being built. He saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He asked the man, "why are you spending so much time carving something that will be covered  by the roof. No one will ever see it?"  The craftsman replied, 'because God sees.'

You see dear mother, God is saying to us, 'I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one else does. No act of kindness you've done, no cupcake you have baked, is to small for me to notice and smile over.'  You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become. You are a great builder, and one day the world may marvel , not at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by sacrifices of invisible mother's. Be encouraged, keep going, in the end it is worth all the work. 

This was taken from an e-mail from Charlotte. Another invisible mom. Thank you!