Another installment of “101 Prayers and Promises for Busy Women”

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY: Prov 2:1-8
My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
2 turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding,
3 and if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD
and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the LORD gives wisdom,
and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He holds victory in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
8 for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.
NIV

Do you hear the word “wisdom” used much in day-to-day conversations?  I don’t hear it as much as I would like to.  The book of Proverbs is a book filled with portraits of both wisdom and foolishness.  The Hebrew style was to use illustrations of both good and evil, to teach from.  We need to be able to recognize both wisdom and foolishness in order to be successful in leading the life God wants us to have.  Sadly, much of what passes in our world today as “wisdom” could be better classified as foolishness!

God is wisdom.  God loves wisdom and loves to share His wisdom with us.  In fact He tells us in James 1:5-6  If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him (or her!) NIV

He has built a world that functions around principles that cannot be violated without consequence.  Those principles are wise.  Following those principles lead to wise decisions that in turn lead to a successful life.  Ignoring those principles can often lead to great heartache and pain.  When we make foolish decisions we complicate our lives and make everything more difficult.  Can you think of one or two foolish decisions that you wish you could make all over again?  I sure can!

Rather than giving in to regret and depression when you think of them, try talking to God about them and asking Him to set you free from their consequences and restore wisdom to its rightful place in your life.  You might be AMAZED at how eager the Lord is to answer that prayer.

Thinking about your past decisions is a great place to begin if you are crying out for a lifting of your burden of busy-ness.  Usually there are decisions at the core of life’s getting out of control.  Cry out to the Lord for wisdom.  Tell him honestly where you have been foolish and made foolish decisions.  Ask Him to show you any area in your life that you aren’t aware of but that is being governed by foolishness and not wisdom.  He will not lecture you, nor will He “chastise” you.  You will find that He has great compassion and understanding for your circumstances — He’ll also make a way out of them for you if you ask!

PRAYER:  Lord, when I look back on my life, too often I have chosen what seemed to be the easier way only to find that it was a foolish choice.  I have rushed into decisions without considering what the wise course of action would be.  That choice has led to pain, difficulty and a life filled with busy-ness.  Please give me a love and a hunger for your wisdom.  Teach me your ways.  Fill me with your wisdom and show me the wise way to change my life.

Show me any areas where I am blind to my own foolishness and give me the courage to do something about it.  Lead me.  Teach me.  Give me wisdom liberally and abundantly that in all my choices I might honor you.  AMEN

I bought a new sewing machine about 6 months ago and FINALLY pulled it out to learn how to use it.  My previous sewing machine is an Elna circa the 1950s.  My new one is computerized and I think I should have had a few hours of pilot’s training and a pilot’s license to “fly” it!

Once I got the hang of it, I pulled out my stash of fabrics and went looking for ideas to make out of them.  I wanted to make an apron out of my “Chocolate Love” fabric collection.  I found the most delightful pattern on Susan Branch’s blog site.  LINK TO PATTERN HERE Susan has graciously allowed her pattern to be used for personal use only and her instructions are very clear and easy to follow.

This project is not for a beginning level, I would say it has a medium to advanced level complexity.  I created my own bias tape to use with it, and my bias tape folder makes it wider than the 1/4″ that was called for, so I ironed the tape flat and stitched it down.  Here’s the link for instructions to create your own bias tape out of any fabric: LINK TO BIAS TAPE INSTRUCTIONS

I am going to be making more retro-style aprons in the future and I’ll post them when I do.  They’re easy, quick and delightful projects to make for gifts.  For those of you that love quilting, a quilt pattern block can be a beautiful apron top.  If you’re also a digital crafter, you can make some wonderful goodies such as recipe cards, matching food packaging for home made cookies and treats and create your own elegant gift baskets.

Here’s a free pattern for a place mat and napkin combination using my Deja’ Brew Collection fabrics, but with a little imagination any of these patterns can be used with any fabric combination.  So if you’re a fabric-a-holic like I am pull your sewing machine out and see what beautiful creations you can put together out of the fabrics you already own!  LINK TO PLACE MAT PATTERN HERE.

I realized that I have never posted my “Garden Tea Party” fabric collection from Studio E Fabrics!  The collection is based on my Antique Victorian Pansy collection, but with a contemporary twist for fabrics.  Those of you digital crafters will recognize quite a few of the fabrics and see some new coordinates that were created to complete the collection.  LINK TO GARDEN TEA PARTY

The first fabric shown is a stripe that can be cut in many different ways to help add great pizzazz to your quilting or fabric projects.  Each length of fabric has 4 repeats of each stripe per yard so it is as economical to use as possible.  The second is a panel fabric that can be used to create place mats, tea cozies, aprons, pillows, curtains or other fun projects.   If you’re a quilter or love to sew home crafts or clothing I hope you’ll really enjoy the blend of contemporary and classic that we tried to accomplish in this collection.  Also, with the digital clip art kits that are available and ink jet printable fabrics, the sky is the limit in what you can create with the combination!

Overall there are 8 fabrics offered in 2 or 3 colorways to make your projects easy to customize to your own style and taste.  If you create something with my fabrics, I would LOVE to see it.  Feel free to leave your information in the comments section and I’ll email you personally.  I’d love to feature any projects that have been made (Cheryl, that’s a hint!!!)  I have another collection that will be releasing at the Spring Quilt Market and will bring that to you as soon as it is released.

“Prayers and Promises for Busy Women.”  I have written a great deal on this subject in my journal over the past few years.  Much has been written out of my own searching for a life that is in balance — one that is eternally productive without being exhausting and draining.  Perhaps one day I’ll put it all together in a book, but in the meantime I thought that I would share some of what I’ve written with all of you.

I hear from many of you who have found the pace of life accelerating and the joy and satisfaction of life diminishing.  We share the same dilemma.  Life is overwhelming and we know we need to make some changes, we just aren’t sure what those changes should be. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE what I do.  There are parts of my life where I know I am absolutely in the center of God’s will.  In those places there is such joy and satisfaction, that I’m realizing every area of my life could potentially produce the same results if they were all given over to Him.

Over the years I have found only one thing to be truly helpful in the process of getting control in my life.   I have to slow down enough to spend time with the Lord and His word.  Then I need to pray, asking God for his wisdom and direction for my life.  Every time I do, He is so faithful to answer.  But then the harder part begins — doing the things the Lord speaks to my heart in answer to my prayers.  The first step is pretty easy, the second?  Not so much!

I am excited at the prospect of giving the Lord the areas of my life He wants to change.  I really do trust that He wants to make my burden light and my yoke easy.  Did you know that God delights in helping us find joy and satisfaction in life?  Jesus said that He came that we might have life and that more abundantly!  His goal is that I have more time, energy and emotional strength to be a blessing to my family, friends and community.  Do you believe he wants the same for you?  If so, perhaps together we can discover a new way of living that will leave us filled up rather than constantly tired and drained!

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY:  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:6 NIV  Show me Your ways, O Lord, guide me in Your truth.  Ps. 25:4-5 NIV

DEVOTION:

A lot of our busy-ness comes as the result of wrong decisions we have made in our past.  Wrong decisions often lead to pain, chaos, confusion, over-commitment and exhaustion.  Where one wrong decision can quickly lead us far afield, returning sanity to our lives often takes a long, consistent series of right decisions.   Are you ready to make that long series of right decisions and trust God for His help in making your path straight?  I sure am!

How can I know what God wants me to do?  When life presents me with a myriad of choices to  make, how do I know which is the right path to follow?  It is easy to race off on a wrong path that looks easy and attractive.  Only God knows which path will lead to a rich and full life, and which will lead to heartache.  I’m learning to trust that He really does want the best for me.

PRAYER:  Lord, some of my busy-ness is a natural part of life, but I have to confess that a large part of it is because I’ve taken some wrong turns along the way.  I bring my situation to you and ask for your leading, your correction and your direction in the next steps I take on the path ahead. Please show me how to get back on your path in every area of my life — large and small.

Please show me the mistakes I’ve made along the way.  Make plain to me the way you want to me to go to overcome those mistakes.  Give me the courage to seek out your direction and then to consistently follow it day-by-day.  Help me to realize that a life that has become out of control over the span of years won’t be brought into control in just days or weeks or even months.  Help me to trust that you will be faithful to restore unto me the joy of my salvation and renew my joy in life!  AMEN.

Part of why I have been so remiss in posting to my blog this past six months is the incredible volume of design work I have been doing for a wide variety of manufacturers.  Today I get to announce one of those projects.

I had the privilege of designing several lines for Mostly Memories.  Their products smell utterly amazing!  For 3 or 4 months now, every time I enter my studio I am greeted by the sweet smell of chocolate.  That is very, very dangerous for this girl!

We designed a couple of personal care lines featuring intensely scented candles, lotions, and lip balms.  My daughters are anxious for the finished samples to arrive, LOL!  One daughter doesn’t even like chocolate and totally fell in love with this line.  I have linked to their web site, and I believe that they sell retail if you are looking for some special treats for Easter Baskets or Mother’s Day.

The final grouping we worked on were “Sweet Treats” votive candles.  These are a visual as well as fragrance treat.  Each is designed to represent a dessert in a cup.  There’s Cinnamon bun, Blueberry Muffin, Apple Pie, Lemon Bar, Peach Cobbler, Pineapple Supreme, Strawberry Shortcake and Vanilla Cupcake!

Here are the links to their products:

SWEET TREATS CANDLES

MILK CHOCOLATE INDULGENCES

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY

I hope you’ll swing by their site and look at all the amazing goodies they have available.

I happened to pop by my Fabric company’s website today and my newest collection is up and will be in stores beginning in April 2010.

This is a classic Christmas Red and Green collection with a contemporary twist.

Here’s the link to the site: STUDIO E FABRICS

There is also a Panel Fabric for making pillows, aprons, quilt blocks or other creative goodies with.  The image is not terribly clear as it is 44″ wide and reducing it to 72 dpi does not give you the depth of detail that the original design has.

Additional fabrics include peppermint candy stick stripes, some elegant tone-on-tone patterns, the elegant snowflake pattern as seen in the panel fabric, the plaid that is shown there as well.  I can’t wait to see the printed fabrics!

I could not believe just how long it has been since I posted here.  I have slapped my own hand for being so naughty and will do my best to start picking up the pace on posting.

This 21 pc, brand new Deja’ Brew Coffee Holidays kit coordinates with Audrey Jeanne’s Deja’ Brew Coffee fabrics available from Studio E Fabrics.  Those who sew might have a great time combining digital art and fabric for crafty products!

There are 7, 12″ papers included in this kit.  Mix and match with the Fall/Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday clip art kit to create your own packaging for special gifts, make greeting cards or print on fabric to make coordinating items to decorate your kitchen with.  There are 4 frames (one with text), 7 art pieces and even a sigtag for use on the internet.  The possibilities are endless!

Coordinates with AJ226 Deja’ Brew Clip Art Kit, AJ227 Deja’ Brew Paper Pack, and AJ229 Deja’ Brew Freebie.  All art copyright Audrey Jeanne Roberts.  All files are 300 dpi pngs or jpegs.

Life in the Robert’s household  has returned to “normal,” AKA busy but manageable!  We had a wonderful time with family and friends, celebrating the marriage of our youngest daughter. The preparations were overwhelming (note: anyone considering an outdoor wedding, they’re wonderful but if you’re setting the location up yourself its about 10 times as much work as a normal wedding!)  There were many tears of joy shared that day.

My girls and I had so much fun that last week.  I took the week off and Jacqui threatened my computer with a hammer if she caught me working on it, LOL!  Being of course an artsy-craftsy family we made all the goodies ourselves — we dressed the bubbles, created dangling “tree mobiles” that we hung all around the site, made the centerpieces and table decorations and wrapped up 190 after dinner mints.  All of it was done together, laughing, talking and sharing our hearts.  It was so much more fun than had we simply ordered things made on the internet.

The digital revolution has made these kinds of activities so much easier and less expensive.  Nine years ago when our older daughter got married we didn’t have nearly as much capability to do the decorations ourselves.

Weddings are such a precious part of life.  Exhausting, but so rewarding.  Preparing for a new wedding made me think back to those we had celebrated in the past including our own.  I remember looking at our wedding album a year or so ago and thinking back to how wonderful were the memories of having most of the people you loved all in one place at one time.  When we look at the pictures now, sadly, more than a few of the people who celebrated that day are no longer with us.

As we’re heading into the season of so many family celebrations, take time to enjoy each person in your life.  Slow down a little and enjoy the preparations instead of being overwhelmed by all the tasks.  As you prepare for Thanksgiving or Christmas, think about how you can make memories — not impress your guests, and you will add a richness that money can’t buy.

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY: Ps 145:4-7
4 One generation will commend your works to another;
they will tell of your mighty acts.
5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
6 They will tell of the power of your awesome works,
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
7 They will celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
NIV

DEVOTION:  I found 53 references to the word “Celebrate” in the scripture today and most of them were a command.  God tells us to party!  He tells us to rejoice!  He wants us to have joyful celebrations.  When we make him the center of those celebrations rather than partying for no lasting reason, those celebrations have a great and lasting joy to them.

Are you tired and weary?  Is life challenging?  Has there been a loss or a hard time in your past year?  Celebrating can be difficult in those times, but it can also be healing as well.  Celebrate the good things in your life with those you love the most.  Remember your blessings.  Treasure the memories of the past and create new memories to treasure out of th e opportunity the next family celebration affords you.

Honor God’s role in preserving your family, your home, your love and celebrate before Him with all your might and a deep and abiding joy will fill your heart.

PRAYER:  Lord, as I prepare for the seasons of Thanksgiving and Celebration ahead, help me to keep in perspective why I am celebrating and remember that you delight in our celebrating and feasting together as a family.  Help me to enjoy the process, enjoy the people, enjoy the preparations and relax and especially enjoy the relationship I have with you that is at the core of each joy in my life.  Thank you for all you are and all you mean to me.  Help me to have a spirit of celebration with me all this season long.  AMEN

This paper pack coordinates with my new Deja’ Brew Digital Clip Art Kit, but with its contemporary color palette it can be used for much more than coffee-oriented designs.

There are 12, 12″ digital papers included in this kit for $2.98.  There is a third kit in this series that I will have out in another couple of days (hopefully!)  That kit is “Deja’ Brew Holidays” and has fall and winter art with a coffee theme.  All three kits color coordinate for your use.

Also, I have a FREEBIE bookmark and gift tag set that is available at this link:  LINK TO FREEBIE IN AIMEE ASHER STORE

LINK TO KIT IN THE STORE

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY:  1 Thess 5:16-18  Be joyful always; pray continually;  give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  NIV

COMMENTS:  I’ve been watching people for many years.  I am fascinated by watching how people weather the storms in their lives.  It seems that the same storm that swamps one person and begins to send them underwater elevates another person to a new place in their walk with Christ.  What makes the difference?  What makes one person  bitter and other better?

I’m not sure what the entire answer is but here are a few things I’ve observed over the years.  ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING.  Circumstances come and circumstances go — God’s will as expressed in the scripture above isn’t about the circumstances — it’s about our response to them.

An attitude of gratitude carries us to victory especially over difficult circumstances.  When faced with terrible struggles, those who lead a joyful life find their proper perspective by looking first to God.  They recount what He has done in their lives in the past and begin to expect Him to bring them through the current situation as He has many, many times before.  They express gratitude.  They look for the good that can be brought out of difficulties.  They ask God to use their current circumstances to touch others.  They ARE NOT “ME” CENTERED, but are others and God-centered.

So far in my life, I have not yet met a continually depressed person whose life is characterized by a spirit of gratefulness and thanksgiving.  For those that struggle with depression, I know that it can be a physical issue, a mental issue and a spiritual issue.  Without discounting the physical aspect, there are ways that you can take control of your thoughts and choose to express gratitude for what you have and look up to God to make a way out of the darkness you feel trapped in.  Your focus and attitude can change your feelings.

This scripture is a command.  Notice it doesn’t say “Feel joyful.  Feel prayerful.  Feel grateful?”  Instead it says “Be joyful always.”  What’s the difference?  Choice, pure and simple.  I can choose to be joyful.  I can choose my attitude and usually the feelings follow.  If I wait for the feelings to take the steps toward the action I’m usually waiting and waiting and waiting….

When dreary thoughts come, try this exercise.  Think about what God has done for you in the past week, month, or year and thank Him for His faithfulness.  When you feel overwhelmed and depressed or perhaps feel that no one cares for you — ask God to show you someone who you can make a difference in their life today.  Turn your thoughts outward rather than inward.

If you wish someone would call to cheer you up, find someone to call and cheer up!  Be joyful!  Spread joy!  Be thankful!  Spread thanksgiving to others.  Find someone who is doing a great job and tell them so!  Do you wish someone would take notice about what you are doing for them?  Do you feel unappreciated?  Trust me we ALL have to admit to feeling this on a regular basis, LOL!  Look for someone else that is doing kind things and express your appreciation.  These actions can go a long way to lifting your depression and blahs.

Joy is contagious!  Gratefulness is contagious!  Living in an attitude of thanksgiving produces great joy and satisfaction in our lives — without our circumstances changing one bit and if they do change?!  Whoo hooo hoooo!  IT’S PARTY TIME!

PRAYER:  Lord, sometimes I find my eyes become downcast and I become so focused on my own needs that I can’t break loose of depression and heaviness of heart.  Show me how to be joyful.  Help me to learn that joy is an action not a feeling.  Teach me the attitude of joy and gratefulness.

Remind me of all you’ve done for me in the past that I might express my heart of thanksgiving towards you in a new way.  Let thanksgiving fill my heart and my mouth so that I can be filled with your presence and joy.  Show me others who are in need of the joy of the Lord today and help me to be bring a ray of light to their dark and dreary world.

I finally was able to spend a morning getting a new digital clip art kit into the store!  This one has been long awaited by many of you.  It’s my Deja’ Brew Coffee Collection.  For those of you that are quilters or love to sew you may have already seen the fabrics that debuted in January with Studio E Fabrics.  This digital clip art kit coordinates with the fabrics and if you love to sew the possibilities are endless.  You could design and print your own coordinating pieces on printable fabrics such a Pabric (www.pabric.com) and create a whole kitchen decor between the items you print yourself and the fabric panel from Studio E or the coordinating fabrics!

For those that don’t sew you’ll also find plenty of ways to use this artwork, especially if you love to create your own gift/food products for gifts or as a crafter.  If you don’t sew, try using the coordinating fabrics as your “gift bag” by cutting out large circles of fabric with pinking shears, putting your cookies, chocolate covered coffee beans or other goodies inside the fabrics and creating your own gift tags, product toppers or other packaging options.

There will be a paper pack to coordinate and a Deja’ Brew Holidays that contains both fall and winter designs that coordinate.  Look for them in the next couple days if everything goes okay.  Enjoy!!

BY THE WAY, before I begin, I will be out of town for my niece’s wedding this weekend, so if there are any problems with any store purchases I won’t be able to attend to them until I get back.  I will not have internet access.

Well, I’m not really catching up with anything work-wise, as I continue to be blessed with more work than I can at times comfortably handle.  However, I thought I would “catch you up” on what’s been happening around here.

I am going to my Niece’s wedding and will get to see my sweet grandson this weekend.  Next week I am committed to creating a new art kit for digital clip art here at the blog store and at Aimee Asher Elite www.aimeeasher.com.  I have been quite neglectful of you all but I think of you and of writing often.  I think I will work up the “Deja Brew” collection as a digital kit for those who have been so patiently waiting for it!

I have signed licenses with five manufacturers that are new to me and in totally new categories.  Next year I will have 4 new table top/kitchen collections coming out.  It’s too early to tell you or show you the specifics but I’ll let you know.  I’m very excited at how the designs have turned out and look forward to seeing them actually made into products.  In addition, I have a very large scrapbooking and card crafting collection with a UK manufacturer.  It will only be available in Europe and other parts of the world, so my US customers won’t see it here, but many of you are in the UK so I’ll let you know where to look for it and what it is when it’s ready.

I continue to have a fabulous relationship with Studio E Fabrics.  We partner together to bring my fabric visions to life and do so with incredible attention to detail and quality.  We’re working on a new collection that’s about 80% finished.  I think that I will release the art from that collection soon after it goes to production.  It could be quite fun to do printable fabric designs to go with the fabrics and so many of you have both sewing and digital crafting passions!

I’m afraid my husband’s back is not improving.  For those of you that pray, please lift him up for healing and restoration.  It’s so hard to see such a physical, energetic man become so down and in so much pain.  The doctor has ordered an MRI so we’ll see what that indicates.

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY:  Rom 15:13  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  NIV

COMMENTARY:  The world promises us “hope” in a lot of things.  Most recently an entire political campaign was based on that word.  We hunger for hope.  We need hope as much as we need the air that we breathe.  But have you ever had your hopes dashed?  What was your hope based in?  If it is in a politician or a political party — no matter which one, your hope will be oh-so-easily dashed.  Is your hope in your retirement account ?  Boy, that can be riding pretty low at the moment!

What is your hope?  Is it in things?  Is it in people?  Is it in your dreams?  My hope is in “The God of hope,” the one that fills me with all joy and peace as I’m learning to trust more and more in Him.  I so love the verse for today.  Do you want to be so filled with joy and peace as you learn to trust in him, that you OVERFLOW WITH HOPE by the POWER of the Holy Spirit?!  I sure do!

Sometimes my God of Hope prepares me for tough times by asking me a simple question.  When it is in advance of a time of trouble, it lets me know He’s on top of the situation and taking care of things.  As many of you know, we went on a wonderful church camping trip July 4th weekend.  I walked around the camp one afternoon and heard the still small voice of the Holy Spirit whisper to my heart, “Will you trust me?”  Four words out of nowhere.  To be honest it triggered a small panic attack, because I’ve walked with the Lord long enough to know that a question like that can be leading to a time of great trial.  However, a lifetime of trusting Him made it easy to give the “correct” answer, “of course Lord, I’ll trust you,” though I can’t say I was at great peace about it.

My husband’s back was pretty sore at that point, but he figured a time of rest would help him over it.  Within two weeks he was at the doctors and in the process of trying to figure out how to get better — and out of work.  I won’t go into all the details, but to say that suddenly huge problems and issues cropped up almost everywhere in our lives would be a gross understatement.  I shared my “word from the Lord” with my family and we keep reminding ourselves “Will we trust Him?”

For those that do, the promise is the God of Hope will cause you to overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Hang in there!  In the midst of your fear, stop look up at heaven and declare out loud “Lord, I choose to trust you no matter what things look like.”  He will not fail you!

PRAYER:  Lord, if I have placed my hope anywhere but in you, please show me where it needs to be placed.  I pray that you would make today’s verse alive and real and working in my heart.  Fill me with your joy and peace.  Teach me deeper levels of trust in you and let the power of your Holy Spirit cause me to overflow with hope for my future.

I do trust you Lord.  I do place all of my hope in you.  Give me your vision for my future and show me that which you desire me to “hope for,” I truly want your will for my life.  AMEN

Once again it has been much longer than planned between posts and especially between posting digital clip art kits for you guys.  I have had my wonderful, adorable, too-darn-cute-for-words grandson (and of course his Mommy) here for almost a month.  For those of you unacquainted with life with a toddler, lets just say that they tend to take over a home and utterly alter its routine!  I have some wonderful photos that I’m unable download off of my digital camera because I can’t find the cord and OF COURSE it’s the only cord like it in the house.  When I find it you can expect some cute ones.

What a treasured time it has been however.  My absolutely favorite part of the visit has been seeing the “little boy” that was hiding in his grandpa-pa!!!  My sweetie is just adorable with his grandson.  I haven’t laughed so much in a long time.

Life is rich even when circumstances are challenging.  We’re going through some tremendously difficult struggles.  My husband injured his back and it isn’t healing so he’s out of work.  If you’ve ever dealt with the California Worker’s Compensation system you have some idea of what we are going through. In addition we have family members that are suffering deep pain and we hurt with them.  And yet in the midst of the struggles there are events of tremendous joy.

Are you in the same place?  Is life overwhelming you? Does it feel like life has thrown you a curve ball, or two or three, maybe you’ve even been hit by an out-of-control pitch?!  If not I rejoice with you!  If so, today’s verse and devotion was written with you in mind.

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY: 2 Cor 12:7-10
To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  NIV
DEVOTION:  This morning in my quiet time I read the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians.  He always helps me to put my “smaller” struggles in context, LOL!  I say “smaller” in that I have yet to be beaten and left for dead, imprisoned or chased from city-to-city by an angry mob.  However, at the same time, I have learned that God doesn’t grade on a curve, allowing only so many to pass the test — His grace and His empowering is abundantly available to all of us in our trials. God doesn’t look at you or me in our trials and say, “Buck up there, Susie’s going through much more than you, you should be ashamed of your pitiful faith!”

Instead God’s grace is always there for us and never more so than in our weakness.  When am I weak?  I am weakest when I have absolutely no power to change my circumstances, when the financial/emotional/physical need is so much greater than my ability to bear.  I am weakest when I am worn down by surprise after surprise, and disaster after disaster.  It feels like my faith is hanging by a thread and my courage ran out the back door!  You know what God says to you in that time?  It isn’t “I’m disappointed in you, get a hold of yourself,” it’s “Call out to me in your weakness and I will pour out my power into you and through you.  Give me a chance to show you how much I care and how powerful I am!”  There is no greater comforting arms to run into than the comforting arms of our heavenly Father.

PRAYER:  Lord, I’m pretty much at wit’s end.  Wave after wave of circumstances have hit me and my strength — such as it was, is gone.  I feel like I can barely hold my head above water and I’ve been ashamed to come to you in my weakness.  I haven’t even shared with those close to me how very empty and weak I feel.  Yet you tell my that your grace is made perfect in weakness.  Show me your grace.  Show me your power.  Show me how to hold on to you as I am storm-tossed and am feeling powerless to rise above the waves.

Lead me in your strength.  Bring good out of circumstances that were brought about by evil.  Give me your hand to hold onto and help me to become a better person for having gone through these difficult times.  AMEN

I promised that I would do a freebie for those of you that were so patient during my loooooong break in posting.  I also got a request for a butterfly bookmark for a Women’s retreat so I decided to combine their request with the upcoming graduation season and provide a bookmark for you to include as a package topper, or to add inside your graduation card envelope.

You can print them on card stock and laminate as a basic bookmark or cut out the butterflies that are included and make them 3 dimensional.  Use foam double stick tape to attach your butterflies and perhaps a little glitter or jewels and you will have a very special little gift!

LINK TO FREEBIE DOWNLOAD HERE

This is made out of the Winged Jewels Clip Art Kits which I am going to be uploading this weekend to this site.

I promised!  Here’s the newest Birthday Cupcake Clip art graphics from Audrey Jeanne’s Expressions.

LINK TO “WE CELEBRATE YOU KIT IN STORE $5.48″

This art was just created and is perfect for celebrating not only birthdays but other special occasions and achievements since the wording is “We Celebrate You!”  There are lots of different very fun and special cupcakes, three birthday candles, intricate borders including a corner border so you can create any size paper, frame or border that you would like.  If you click on the pictures they will enlarge so that you can see the intricate patterns that form the details of these art kits.

I plan on creating a gift bag, tag and greeting card kit in the next few weeks (fingers crossed!)  So look for a new Abigail Scott kit soon.

Thanks to each for the sweet emails about missing me and my writing.  It has been a long, exhausting sprint with the Surtex Show preparations and The Licensing Show that occurred last weekend.

I have to say I have been, VERY, VERY blessed with the results of these shows thus far.  My “to do list” just keeps growing instead of shrinking but in this economic period of time I’m thrilled to be working hard and enjoying my work.

I’m going to try to pull together a new art kit “We Celebrate You!”  Which is based around whimsical cupcakes and a birthday theme.  Perhaps I’ll even throw together a little “freebie” as a thank you for all of your patience.

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY:

Ps 18:32-36
32 It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he enables me to stand on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You give me your shield of victory,
and your right hand sustains me;
you stoop down to make me great.
36 You broaden the path beneath me,
so that my ankles do not turn.
NIV
Strength… it has been a cry of my heart in prayer these last few months.  “God, give me the strength to get through this day, week, month….”  There are times when small bursts of energy are required to make it through and then there are times where the demands of the day totally outpace your natural ability to cope.  I’ve been living through the later.

Even with the most disciplined of behaviors and not a moment of wasted time my tasks have been virtually un-doable.  And lets be honest here, I’m pretty darn diligent,  I gave up the luxury of procrastination years ago, but still I am not even close to being perfect in this area.  So how do you make it through a list that is impossible?  By starting and ending your day sitting at God’s feet.  By taking some of that precious time to study His word and gain the knowledge you need to carry you through the day.  Sometimes you may need to give a tithe of your time to someone else in need and ask God to multiply your effectiveness for the remaining time.

I had an experience this week.  A dear woman who is not a believer, asked me some very poignant and searching questions about Christianity.  I had a deadline to get two brand new art collections (art that had to be created and then formatted for product) done for a presentation that had to go out to Target.   It was a hard choice, but one that seemed very clear to me.  The eternal is much more important to my heart than the temporal so I chose to spend whatever time I needed to, to answer the questions and then asked the Lord to multiply my time by giving me the vision for the product and enabling me to capture the essence of what the Target buyer was looking for.  I won’t know for a while if I will have my designs selected — but I will say that the art came amazingly easily and it had a fresh and exciting feel to it.  If it isn’t placed at Target I know it will be placed somewhere else down the line.

Perhaps you routinely tithe of your money, but have you ever thought of tithing of your time?  I challenge you this week.   Perhaps your finances are in such a difficult place that you aren’t even able to tithe financially.  I have been there.  I remember vividly one Sunday writing on a scrap piece of paper a note to the Pastor that said something like “I don’t have a dollar to spare right now, but I will give a tithe of what I have and that is time.  I will commit to pray for you, your family and the fruitfulness of this church this week.” Somehow, like the widow’s two pennies, I think God enjoys this gift from the heart more than the wealth of the nations placed at His feet.

If you have been struggling with your work load or all that is required of you, ask God to show you a way you could tithe of your time to bless others and then ask Him boldly to enable you to accomplish all that He’s set before you as well.  I promise you, it’s an adventure in the making!

PRAYER:  Lord, the hurrieder I go the behinder I get!!! My list keeps growing and my sense of failure grows with it.  Please help me this week to accomplish the tasks that you have set before me, weed out the tasks you HAVEN’T set before me and find a way to tithe of my time to help meet the needs of others.  I ask you boldly to teach me something very new about how to live my life in this time and to make the time I sow into other’s lives bring increased eternal fruitfulness and productivity into my own.  AMEN