May Your Blessings Be Plenty...

Happy Friday, everyone!  It is unseasonably warm in Montana right now, which I am absolutely okay with!!  Although, still VERY smoky from all the fires surrounding us...which makes it so you can't really be outside in this beautiful weather.  So- it is pretty much a catch 22...what can you do?  All I know is I am in favor of higher temperatures, because winter is going to be here before I know it (which honestly makes me a little miserable even thinking about it.  So- I should just move along).

I have another card to share with you today using some stamps from the last WPlus9 release.  I just love this sentiment, and the cute little pumpkin that goes along with it....which I've paired with some older MME papers and pretty embellishments.  Check it out!

Instructions:
1. Make A2 card from kraft cardstock, then round the bottom right corners.
2. Sand the edges of a plaid paper block, then adhere to the top.
3. Diecut a scalloped edge to a piece of burlap, and adhere below the plaid paper.  Accent with pearls.
4. Tie a double bow around the seam, and accent the middle with a paper flower.
5. Cut a banner from blue paper, sand the edges, stamp the sentiment & adhere to the left side.
6. Diecut the pumpkin & leave from patterned papers, then stamp the pumpkin image. Layer together, and accent with blue rhinestones.  Adhere right above the sentiment.
7. Layer a small strip of crochet lace & a strip of woven burlap to the top, and then accent with pearls.
8. Add two twine threaded buttons above the bow, then add a stick pin to the bow and top with a jewel.

Challenges:
-Sketchbook Saturday #77
-Flourishes Timeless Tuesday #188 - fall
-Really Reasonable Ribbon #56 - autumn colors
-Do You Stack Up #91 - scallops
-Our Craft Lounge #136 - buttons & bows
-PaperPlay #39 - flowers & lace
-Simon Says Stamp - anything goes

I introduced this on my blog yesterday, so if you want to find out what I'm doing....CLICK HERE! :)

James 1: 13-18
First trials...now temptation.  And I'm 18 verses in.  Awesome.  :)
I love verse 13, "When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone."
I pretty much hate the "blame game".  God put this temptation in front of me because He is testing me.  He wants to know what I will do and how I will face it.  Ummmm....no.  God doesn't entice us to sin.  We do that completely on our own.  God is perfect and holy and without sin.  He is not going to dangle temptation in front of us like a carrot.  But He is going to allow us to freely deal with the temptations we create for ourselves.  It's called FREE WILL people, and we have it!!
I see dealing with temptation as part of our perseverance...we'll stumble & fall & fail a hundred times over... but at some point we will hopefully conquer.  I found this anonymous quote, "Unless you have never been tempted, don't pass judgement on someone who has yielded."  Persevering through temptation can only make us more compassionate to those going through the same thing.  And don't try to fool yourself into believing you aren't tempted by anything....just sayin'. 

James 1:19-27
Ahhhh....listening.  The one thing that I actually already do well!!  Thank you, James!!  I don't feel like such an underachiever now!!  Tee hee!
Verse 19 says, "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry..." (Have you ever heard the saying, "Listen twice, speak once?"  I'm pretty sure that had to be inspired by this verse.)  There is a conversation starter in my Bible that asks how to follow these verses without being taken advantage of, or as I like to call it...becoming a human doormat.  Herein lies my problem.  I'm a great listener, but I'm horrible at saying what I feel about what I've heard.  What I have to remember is it doesn't say "listen and shut up."  It is just advising to "check yourself before you wreck yourself" (I totally never thought I would get to write that while studying the Bible. Ha!) and make sure what comes out of your mouth is healthy.  I have learned a really hard lesson about keeping feelings and frustrations bottled up.  It equaled word vomit that spewed out uncontrollably.  And it wasn't pretty.  Really....not pretty.  At.  All.  I have been working really hard to express my feelings and frustrations in a healthy way, so reading this set of verses was really an encouragement for me.  Hey thanks, James....I needed that!! :)

Until later,
~L.