Summer Fun!!!

Here's a layout I did for Becky Fleck's new blog challenge. I used CTMH Floral Tapesty Paper packet and Ocean CS as well as a half a sheet from the All Dressed Up Stack.


Prima flowers, doodlebug buttons, CTMH waxy flax for button holes
Heidi Swapp bling circles and Heidi Swapp photo corner stamp
CTMH He Said, She Said stamp set, ocean CS, cranberry ink, clear buttons, cranberry waxy flax, clear vellum sayings $ spot Target, ric rac and staples
I painted my chipboard letters with white paint and create a shade, inked the edges with ocean ink, and used liquid glass to apply the clear plastic pebbles

Bella Card Holder

I made this accordian style card holder to hold stamped images of bellas. One of my SBS sisters made one to hold our swap images and I just loved the idea so I created one especially for Bella's. I used CTMH boom di ada papers, spot on background stampset, a Bella image from Jenn (thanks you're such a sweetie!), CTMH designer ric rac, holly hock ink, CTMH markers (hollyhock, olive, buttercup, parchment for skin), prima flowers, CTMH bitty brads, stickles and dot's and dashes ribbon. The holder opens up like an accordian file from the side. Super easy, super cute and super useful, that's what I like.

Smiles,
Melanie

To Be or not to Be?????

Our first stop on our journey to find a hypoallergenic dog that would work for me
A little sleep at first but oh so cute!!!!
Now she was ready to play. We took her in our car to see if I would get asthmatic or allergic
I just wanted to eat her up. She's a west highland terrier
Ok, so we named her Missy, even though she wasn't ours, I just couldn't resist
She fits right in, not camera shy, posing for a scrapbook page!!!!
Lexi was in love
Cameron too!
She really loved Vic
And Vic was very fond of Missy!
ATTACK!!!!!!!!!!!! that pony tail. That a girl Missy!!!! She actually got his hair tie out, too funny!

Well, this was a pretty emotional day for me. I have been allergic to dogs all my life and very asthmatic. Having a dog has always been a desire but not very realistic. However the other day when I went to get my hair done, the lady next to me told me she too was very allergic and highly asthmatic but was able to get 2 dogs. They were the mini schnauzers. First we went to our local pet store and tried out a west highland terrier. It went pretty well. I tried the mini schnauzers after but they got me sick right away.

Missy, the west highland terrier, had been bathed before we got herand the store owner let us take her to our car and hang out for over an hour with her. I didn't really get asthmatic but I broke out everywhere she licked me or touched me with her nails. I am allergic to the protein in dog saliva. The dander was not bad though, which is why I did well with my breathing. I felt a little something in my chest but wasn't really sure if it would get worse or not. I prayed that God would just confirm what we should do and close the doors if it wasn't meant to be. I don't know that it would be smart to get a dog and then find out I am too allergic and risk breaking all of our hearts as well as compromising my health. I have thought about allergy shots and perhaps building an immunity to her but again I just don't know. So in the prayer closet it remains, but I think it's leaning more to the "not to be" side.

Thought I'd share these pics because she was just too cute. I haven't been this close to an animal in a long time, so I thought I would enjoy these memories and be grateful for the opportunity.

Count your blessings!!! and Be Blessed!!!!

Melanie

Blessings on the 4th!!!

Vic, me and the kids

First time holding a sparkler, I know I'm 35, so it took a little while!!!!!!!!!

The kids loved the sparklers and the neighbors were so kind and generous to share!!!
Terri and Cindy!!!

I won a basket at ULTA!!!!!!!!!! whoo hooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Hello! I hope you all had a great 4th of July! This year we decided not to go the park that we usually go to. Instead we stayed on the block and sure enough the neighbors had a great big show planned. Fireworks went off for at least an hour. The kids got to play with sparklers and heck I got to hold my first sparkler ever. I know it only took 35 years! In any case it was nice to be home and enjoy some fellowship with girlfriends.

I also received a call from ULTA saying I won the first prize basket in their drawing, I couldn't believe it. I have never won anything before. So of course I headed right over there to see what I'd won and wowee!!!!!. Tons of make up and skin care for days to come. I was like a kid in a candy store and sounded like one too!!! Thank you Lord, what a blessing!

Glam Girl Layout

This layout is from my daughter's 7th birthday last Oct. Ok so it took me awhile to scrap them but considering the last birthday of hers that I scrapped was when she turned 1, I'm really doing good!!

For the title I painted the chipboard letters with white paint and then a layer of CTMH create a shade to add iridescence, then I ran them through my xyron sticker maker and then covered them with CTMH prisma glitter. I also did that for the chipboard star as well as add silver stickles to outline it. The bl/wh paper is from CTMH stylin, the glitter paper and pink/silver paper is from the DCWV or whatever those letters are supposed to be, lol. I I used my sizzix to cut the stars and the rhinestone strips are from the Dollar Spot at Target, they are body tatoos.

Scrappin Through my Daughter's Eyes

Today Lexi decided to start on one of her albums. She was blessed with a stash of supplies last year for her birthday and Christmas. After a very productive day of homeschool, I rewarded Lexi by allowing her to scrap in my craft room and use whatever supplies of mine that she wanted. Fortunately, I held on to an old stash of supplies which contains tons of stickers and embellishments for all occasions. Many of them worked for her. Lexi amazed me today. I sat working on my 2 page layout all day, while she whipped out page after page. She knows what she likes and doesn't waste anytime. No need to look at magazines or online boards for inspiration for this 7 year old. I simply gave her some pictures I had lying around my scrap room and she took it from there. I took a video because I was amazed by her activity. I just need to figure out how to post it. We'll keep you up to date with the progress of her first album. 8x8 is a great size for kids. She even figured out how many was too many pictures for one page. Oh to be as quick as her, that's my goal!

Doubt Your Doubts

July 1, 2008

Doubt Your Doubts

Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

Hebrews 11:1 Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Friend to Friend

Billy Graham once said, "Most of us do not understand nuclear fission, but we accept it. I don't understand television, but I accept it. I don't understand radio, but every week my voice goes out around the world, and I accept it. Why is it so easy to accept all these man-made miracles and so difficult to accept the miracles of the Bible?"

Faith is a personal issue and often demands that we give up what we can see for what we cannot see, but just because we can't see it, doesn't mean it isn't there. Let me share some ways to weaken your doubts and strengthen your faith:

• Read the bible consistently.

Romans 10:17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

You may have heard the familiar Old Chinese saying, "There is a good dog and a bad dog fighting within each of us. The one that is going to win is the one we feed the most". The same is true when it comes to faith and doubt. We weaken our doubt by strengthening our faith in God. The Word of God feeds the new nature God gives us when we surrender our life to Him. As that new nature grows stronger, the old sinful nature becomes weaker and as that old nature becomes weaker, faith in God grows. A steady diet of the Word produces strong faith. Read the bible each day. Memorize a verse of scripture each week.

• Turn to God constantly.

Mark 9:14-29 tells of the man who brings his demon-possessed son to Jesus Christ and pleads, "If you can do anything, take pit on us and help us". Jesus responds, "If I can! All things are possible to him who believes". The dad exclaimed, "Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief!"

Sounds just like us! We believe but we also doubt. In those moments, we must be honest enough to cry out to God! Jesus didn't punish this man for his doubt. He healed his son. God always responds to honesty!

• Focus on God continually.

Psalm 34:6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

We focus on the mountain while crying out to God for help, wondering if He really will do anything. We need to remember what God promises and does not promise. God does not promise to remove the mountain or that we will even understand the mountain. However, God does promise to help us climb the mountain and He does promise to climb it with us. We must make the continual choice to fix our gaze on God and our glance on the circumstances. When doubt comes, refuse it.

• Seek out faith-builders persistently.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 And one standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer; three is even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.

We need to look for people who will encourage us to be faithful instead of constantly looking for ways to undermine our faith. Did you hear about the farmer that had a brilliant dog? He also had a neighbor that was negative - no matter what. If it was raining, the farmer would say to his neighbor, "Boy, look at it rain. God's washing everything clean." The neighbor said, "Yeah, but if this rain keeps up, it's going to flood." Then the sun would come out and the neighbor would say, "If it keeps that up, it's going to burn the crops." The farmer thought, "What am I going to do with this guy?" He made a plan! The farmer trained his dog to walk on water. He didn't tell his neighbor - just took him duck hunting. Boom! Boom! They got two ducks. The farmer said to his dog, "Go get 'em." The dog sprinted across the water, picked up the ducks and hopped back in the boat, nothing wet, just his paws. With a confident smile, the farmer asked his doubting neighbor, "What do you think of that?" The neighbor quickly replied, "He can't swim, can he?" Do you know people like the neighbor? Run from the doubters in your life. We struggle enough with doubt on our own and should not compound it by investing time in doubters and cynics. Look for people who walk in faith, who believe God and study His Word. They will encourage and build your faith while weakening your doubts.

Women have so much in common. We have the same problems, the same fears and the same doubts. Don't let fear and doubt wreak havoc in your heart and mind. Stay in God's Word. Don't be afraid or ashamed to cry out to Him when you are afraid. Keep your eyes on Him and look for other women who do the same. Will you join me in a new commitment to becoming a woman of faith? Remember, when doubt knocks on the door, just send faith to answer it - and you will find no one there!

Let's pray

Father God, I want to become a woman of faith, but I am so weak. I constantly battle fear and my faith seems so small. Please give me a new thirst for Your Word. I choose to focus on You, Father, instead of focusing on my circumstances. Help me to find faith and to be a faith-builder each day. I now turn to You, Lord.

In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Now it's Your Turn

• Make a list of your top five fears.
• Choose one verse from today's devotion for each fear.
• When that fear comes, cry out to God and pray that verse of Scripture aloud.
• Memorize Proverbs 3:5-6 and record it in your journal.
• Share your decision to be a woman of faith with other women who have the same desire.

Hugs,

Melanie