A Thankful Heart....

Happy Thursday, friends!!  I hope your week has been a good one so far!  Are you looking forward to the weekend?  I know that I am!  Going to head over to Spokane for a couple days, and hang out with my Aunt Amy and cousins Rylee & Molly.  We have to take Ry's senior portraits over the weekend...so I am going to actually take my D700 out of my purse and actually press the shutter.  Amazing....I know.  It's been awhile.

So, I have a card to share with you today!  I was unable to participate in the last release for WPlus9, so I have been working on some projects featuring the product that I haven't had the chance to use yet.  Also, using some of the latest from Glitz Design...which will be hitting your favorite stores in the next week or so!!  They just got the HUGE shipment of all the embellishments yesterday....  Here is what I created!

Instructions:
1. Make A2 card from oatmeal cardstock.
2. Cut polka dot paper slightly smaller, distress the edges and adhere.
3. Sand the edges of a printed circle diecut and adhere.
4. Cut a strip of floral paper, distress the edges and adhere.
5. Wrap grey seam binding around the top and tie a double bow.
6. Sand the edges of a cardstock sticker & a patterned paper block, then adhere together.
7. Stamp the apple to woodgrain paper, distress ink & accent with a jewel.  Adhere to the cardstock sticker.
8. Cut a banner from striped paper, distress the edges and stamp the sentiment to it.  Adhere below the apple, then accent with jewels.
9. Adhere the entire sentiment block to the right of the double bow, then accent the top with a scalloped diecut & sticker.
10. Top the seam binding bow with a double twine bow, button, flower & jeweled charm.

Challenges:
-Viva la Verve! September Week 4 - card sketch
-Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger - photo inspiration
-Creative Inspirations #182 - bingo card (flowers, blue, ribbon)
-Daring Cardmakers - thank you
-Crazy 4 Challenges #155 - thank you
-Simon Say Stamp - anything goes

And now, I would like to introduce something new to my blog.  I recently read a book called "A Modern Girl's Guide to Bible Study" by Jen Hatmaker.  I not only read it, but did all the exercises and such listed in the back of the book....and it changed how I think about studying the Bible.  The author literally spoke my language, and addressed why I have had such a hard time really wanting to study the Bible and applying it to my life.

So, now I'm on my own.  And what I have found about myself and studying is that I need to journal around it.  And as long as it isn't deeply personal...I want to share it here.  Not because I am a Biblical scholar and will be able to shower you with enlightenment.  Ha.  Far from it.  But maybe, just maybe...someone might feel the same way as I do and just didn't know it.  Maybe someone might be having a hard time with the same things I am, and will be able to relate to what I write.  Mostly....this will help keep me accountable to doing it 5 days a week.  So- if this isn't your thing...please feel free to stop reading now.  But if you want to hear how I go about studying things...keep on!!  :)

Let me preface this by saying I don't have it all together.  Far from it, actually.  I am a girl who believes in Jesus and what He did for me on the cross.  I am a girl who wants to strive to be more like Him everyday, but fail miserably at it for the most part.  I love the Bible and all the promises, hope, comfort & peace it has for us...but it also leaves me confused and frustrated at times.  I am not a quote unquote "Bible Thumper".  While my Bible is open on my lap, People.com and Facebook are open on my laptop.  I'm known to have a drink or two, and I don't think bars are where only "sinners" go.  I struggle with selfishness, vanity, perfectionism, unforgiveness...the list is long.  I will never have a holier than thou attitude because of those struggles.  I will never protest, hate, or judge who you are (except for maybe your outfit....tee hee!), because I truly believe in "promoting what you love instead of bashing what you hate".

With all that being said...I am going to do two days at a time for the next two posts, as I just decided I wanted to add it to my blog...thus the blog is a little bit behind.

James 1:1-4
Per - se - ver - ance
Noun
1. Steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles or discouragement.
2. Theology - continuance in a state of grace to the end, leading to eternal salvation.
Consider it pure joy to face many trials and persevere....well, James - you just get right to it, huh?  I can admit to rolling my eyes while reading these 4 verses.... (I apologize, James.  Can you forgive me?)  Not because I don't agree with it, but because it is so easy to read, yet not so easy to live up to.  I know when I'm struggling, I just want to check out.  Crawl into my bed, roll up in the covers and just wait for it to be over.  It's the part of me that avoids conflict at all cost.
 I love, however, that dictionary.com gave me a "theological" definition of the word.  Continuance in a state of grace...oh how sweet that is.  Grace that I am given freely because I am God's and He is mine.  Grace that is never taken away from me, even as I clumsily stumble through the trials of my life, failing more often than succeeding.  And thinking on THAT rather than the actual trials....I would consider pure joy.  (Even though the eye roll still stands.  Sorry James.)

James 1:5-12
"When prayer is less sweet and easy; when love is less animated and tender; when the presence of God is less evident and less consoling; when even outward duties are fulfilled with less facility and enjoyment; then faithfulness is greater when maintained under those painful circumstances, and that is all that God requires."
~Francois Fenelon
I guess I see perseverance and faithfulness as a happy couple - they go hand in hand.  Verse 12 from The Message translation says, "Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate.  For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life, and more life."  My prayers from this is to be a stronger person.  To tackle my demons head on, and be a better person in spite of them.  Maybe even because of them.  To be faithful to God as I tackle them, and to persevere when I just want to go stick my head in the sand.  Lord- help me to be a stonger woman.  Help me to be the woman that you see me as. 

And on that note...have an awesome day!

Until later,
~L.