Bit by the crafting bug

Have you ever had an urge {a stinging sensation in your hands, really} to craft?!

Yes?

No?

Can I get an amen?

Maybe you get it too, or maybe I'm just weird like that.

Anyways, I was bit by a crafting bug this past month. I had received the urge to get the hot glue gun, handle some scissors, shop at thrift stores, and do some painting.

I.must.craft.

Here are the products of my crafting bite.

{Spring/Summer Bird Wreath}

{Old thrift store vases spray painted to look more modern}

{Using the 'new vases' to redecorate the mantel}

Warning: The crafting bug is a serious bite and can be contracted via internet. If bit, you will need to be treated right away with some fabric, paint, and probably a glue gun or two. Consider yourself warned...

Guest Post

Hey all! Here we are, in June already! Last month was filled with fun, crafting, and new beginnings. June has already started out wonderful with the promise of a busy, yet fun-filled month. God's blessing in my life are so abundant and He truly amazes me. I will try to do a little catch up soon :)

Today, is a special treat! I have Mrs. G {a long time family friend and basically a second mom to me} doing a guest post! She has a gift for words and as you will read, is great comparing everyday things to God working in our lives.



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Late spring is the time to prune and fertilize rhododendrons around my area. It is a chore I often put off, because if not done correctly and exactly the right time, there will be no flowers the following year. Consequently, most of my rhodies are overgrown. In fact, the area underneath the giant shrubs is very grotto-like and mysterious. The cats often sit quietly there, peering out at unsuspecting tweety birds that might venture near. Because no light penetrates the canopy, not even weeds grow—a small side benefit. I decided this was the year I would get my rhodies under control. They have grown too large for their beds, too near the house, and the siding is suffering.

I sharpened up the pruners, donned leather gloves and surveyed the target plant. I almost lost heart and purpose as I noticed how beautiful and shiny green the leaves were. Its’ perfect symmetry almost dissuaded me from the task. However I was spurred on by the memory that this plant, always the first to bloom during the very earliest part of spring, had produced no flowers this year—always a sign that pruning is needed. Hardly knowing where to begin, I just grabbed nearest branch and started cutting and cutting…what I found was very disheartening. Underneath the lovely canopy of green was: nothing! Just an intricate skeletal system of branches, supporting leaves at the exterior ten percent of the plant. This was not a healthy shrub! It should have had layers of leaves. Because of my years of neglect, it was necessary to cut this lovely, favorite shrub back 30 percent, only saving enough leaves to continue photosynthesis so the plant could survive.

 

A favorite devotional book of mine is “Secrets of the Vine,” by Bruce Wilkinson. He masterfully describes how God (the vine) manages his branches (us,) how he prunes and tends us like the loving vine-dresser he is, so we are able and fit to produce fruit, or good works for him. I always thought the pruning was punishment, but through scripture have learned that it’s the “good” growth which must be correctly pruned and trained. Chastisement has a much different look. As I was pruning off the plants green growth, it appeared pretty and healthy, but not fruitful. It’s true condition? The leaves were just show, while the true fruit, flowers, had not emerged this year. Further examination exposed evidence of storm damage, most likely from the two extremely harsh winters we experienced a couple of years ago. There were quite a few dead and non-producing branches. Are we like that? Is our outside 10 percent looking pretty good, while the inside of us has life and sin-damaged branches that are not producing anything of value? Is the new growth being stunted? 

Obviously we are not plants that can prune ourselves. We would not know what to cut and when. This must be left up to the Master Gardener. I am sure if the rhodie had feelings it would complain and maybe even cry about my seeming callousness. Our response should be to accept His knowledgeable husbandry. A natural characteristic of rhododendrons is the shedding of dead and diseased leaves. Our responsibility is to shed off the sinful things in our life in a daily regeneration through prayerful confession and determination to grow His way. This makes us clean and healthy for the gardener who loves us for eternity, but who also wants us to bear precious fruit for him while we sojourn in his beautiful garden.

I am looking at my sad, denuded rhodie. Most of it now sits on the burn pile, but it will not die; it is not forgotten. I stirred up the dirt beneath, gave it a good dose of fertilizer and settled on a nice blanket of mulch. By pruning it I probably saved its life. It is a favorite, and I did what was best for it to continue to produce gorgeous flowers. I hope I am growing enough that the Gardener needs to prune me.

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How true is this. If it were up to us, we probably wouldn't do any pruning in our lives. It hurts, it's sometimes scary, but always necessary. I am so thankful that even though pruning hurts, God uses it to make us into the person He wants us to be.  

Idaho Trip

Well, here it is. We made a slide show with some pictures and also video's of our Idaho trip! We did fail to take pictures with the friends we were visiting (although we DID get our cousin), our awesome game night, and the great church we were able to attend. Boo. Yet, we did get some great shots from star-gazing in the park, the super-fantastic candy store, and other random things :)

Enjoy!

Rejoicing in the impossible

First off, Kali and I had a wonderful time in Idaho!! I don't think I've laughed so hard, in a long time. BUT more on our trip later...

The same day Kali and I drove back from Idaho, we had the Lord answer one of those 'seemingly' impossible situations.

You know, it's that moment where you are so amazed at the Lord's goodness but so surprised at the same time that God made what seemed impossible, the possible. It really shouldn't have surprised me as much as it did, since I serve an already AMAZING God, but it did.

"And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible." Mark 10:27

In my mind, this seemed like one of those 'impossible' situations, but God saw it as possible. Honestly, at this point I had accepted this situation as something God wanted in my life, it was hard, but I had finally accepted it as His infinite plan for my life.

It was so cool the way the Lord worked it out too. Just the night before we had been talking with a friend and the friend was encouraging us in this exact, same situation.

As I was thinking about it, I am truly thankful God waited so long to make this 'impossible' possible. Maybe if He solved it sooner, I wouldn't have learned and grown so much in the Lord, through this trial.  Another amazing reminder that my ways are not the ways of my wonderful Saviour.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD." Isaiah 55:8

Here's the clincher, even if God didn't solve this situation in the wonderful and miraculous way that He did, He still is amazing. God knows exactly what we need in our lives and what He needs to put us through to make us stronger in the Lord. Even though that 'refining' might hurt and not be the most pleasant thing to go through, God has a purpose and His way is always best!

So, if you have some situation in your life that is seemingly 'impossible' just remember that God solves the 'impossible' every day. It might not be in your timeline of how things should go, but God has a greater and far superior timeline that makes it that much sweeter when He does solve it!

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." Ephesians 3:20

My brain is spinning

You know that feeling, right before you leave on a vacation, your brain is spinning/swirling around trying to remember anything you need, might possibly need, or things you probably won't need but pack it anyways.

That's exactly how I'm feeling right now. Kali and I are taking a sister road trip to Idaho and we are leaving early in the morning. Exciting? Yes. Racking my brain to remember every little item I might need? Yes.

Of course, I am leaving Julian here, and I must confess that I will miss my little man. Almost a whole week without seeing him, or the kids Kali watches will be definitely weird. I really love those kids. Although, this is a much needed vacation and I am SO looking forward to it!

Prayer Request Update: Ruby {the baby I mentioned in my last post} has been diagnosed with infant botulism. She is still in the Seattle Children's hospital, and will continue to be there for several weeks for recovery. Slowly but surely she is showing signs of improvement. Thank you all for the prayers and I ask you continue to pray for her! God has truly blessed them with a great hospital to care for her every need.

A few things

As I sit here typing, the wind is blowing and the skies are gray. Not exactly a 'cheery' April day as I was hoping. Last weekend, the ladies from our church went to the west side of the state for a ladies conference. It was raining almost the entire time we were there, and ever since we got back to the east side it's been gloomy and gray. I guess we must have brought it back with us.

Even though I grew up on the coast, I confess that I enjoy the warmth and cheerfulness of the bright, sunny days, more than the comforting feeling of home that rain brings me. All that being said, I'm crossing my fingers the weather gets better soon!

As I mentioned, the ladies of our church went to a ladies conference last weekend. As always, it was tons of fun to spend time with the ladies and meeting fellow Christians.

The theme was 'somewhere in time' and they try to get the ladies to dress up according to the theme. All of our ladies dressed up and it was so fun to see the different decades around the room.

Out of over 200 ladies present, I was drawn for one of three door prizes! That was great, especially since it was a basket of ice cream sundae fixings :)

We did our yearly 'spend a full day shopping on Saturday', since we were close to lots of shopping. It's always fun shopping with friends!

We are in the middle of our Mission's Conference this week with Bro. Jayne from Long Beach, WA. It has been a blessing to have him and his wife with us this week and the messages God has given him have been great!

On a little side note..I have a prayer request regarding this sweet baby (she is the one I'm holding in the picture above)

Ruby is about 7 months old and she has been in the hospital for about 2 days now, she flew to the hospital in Seattle for further care today. She has been very lethargic, weak, and not wanting to eat anything. It came upon her very suddenly and of course it has her parents and our whole church concerned about her. Please pray for God's healing hand and that the doctor's would have wisdom on what exactly is going on in her little body. Thankfully, we have an awesome God, Who has everything under His control!

A cousin's visit

We don't get too see our {quite large} extended family very often, but when we do it's always lots of fun! Our cousin, Selma, had her spring break in March and was able to spend most of it with us. Kali and I made a mini-road trip out of it to pick her up in OR. We left on a Friday night and came back Saturday, which makes for a very long weekend {about 7 hours each way}.

Of course, we were able to get together {and have a very short visit} with some of our family that lives in Oregon too! It's always great to see them!

As always, it was so fun to have Selma around for several days!