Category Archives: Daily Life with Audrey Jeanne

Daily Life with Audrey Jeanne

Leaving for the CHA Show Today

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I won’t have access to a computer while I’m gone so I will have to report back when I get home.  I have my assignment list and hopefully will be able to scout everything out that I was asked to see, but as big as the show is I’m not sure I’ll get to everything in the two days I’ll be there.  The show opens at 9AM this morning and closes at 2 PM on Wednesday for anyone that is a CHA member and lives anywhere near Anaheim,  California.  I highly recommend taking it is if you can.  It is not open to the general public however.

Have a great week and I’ll be home soon with a million new ideas and not enough time in the world to do them all!

Daily Life with Audrey Jeanne

Next Week, I’ll be at the CHA Show

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I won’t have my laptop as I gave it to my hubby, so I won’t be able to check in or give real time show notes, but I will try to post about some of the coolest things I’ll find when there.  If you are a crafter and have something in particular you’d like a report on, please leave me a comment and I’ll compile a list and try to check them out.

If you are a manufacturer and plan on being there, my agent, Ranae Lokpez of MHS Licensing,  will be showing in the Licensing and Design section.  She will have my portfolio and will know how to reach me should you like to connect.

CHA is one of the most amazing shows.  It is utterly HUGE and filled with so many wonderful ideas I constantly say to myself, “I wish I’d thought of that first!”  My head will spin, my feet will hurt and I will come home inspired with at least a million ideas that I won’t have time to do!  In other words, it’ll be a great time!

Daily Life with Audrey Jeanne

The Contest Winner is:

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I’ve added some additional previews of the “Victorian Rose Hearts” digital clip art kit and paper pack.  You can find it here in the store:  LINK TO VICTORIAN ROSE HEARTS,  LINK TO VICTORIAN ROSE HEARTS PAPER PACK.

I expanded the contest to include from the 16th of December until today since I’ve only managed to post once this month so far!  The winner is the 36th comment on this blog post:  LINK TO POST HERE

Congratulations to the winner!  And a giant thanks to Lambie, who took up the mantle DebD left behind to remind me it was the day for the drawing.  I’m thinking of the song “We get by with a little help from our friends!” right now.

I hope, hope, hope to be able to post another kit next week and start writing more frequently.  My fabric line files are supposed to ship out today and then I can start breathing a little again.  However, my new agents are wonderfully demanding and are going to keep me very busy.  I like being busy so that’s a good thing :-)!

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY: Mark 4:13-20   Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?  The farmer sows the word.  Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.  Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy.  But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.  Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word;  but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.  Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop-thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.”   NIV

DEVOTIONAL:  How do you deal with disappointment?

I’ve walked with the Lord now for about 47 years (since the age of 3 1/2).  In that time I’ve watched a lot of people get very excited about their faith — some go on to continue growing and maturing and others fall away over time.  The single most common thread that winds through the stories of those that have fallen away seems to be disappointment.  Especially disappointment with God.

“I prayed and God didn’t do what I asked.”  “I gave my life to God and he didn’t give me my life’s dream.”  “I sought God and yet my husband left me — God didn’t save my marriage.”  God doesn’t do what I think He should, because He’s God and I’m not!  It’s a hard lesson to learn, but God sees things very differently than we do.

One of the most important lessons we can learn is to continue trusting God, ESPECIALLY when things don’t go as we hoped or planned.  Every single one of us will face disappointment in our lives.  How we face it makes all the difference of whether we get bitter or better.

When my hopes and dreams seem to lie crushed at my feet, I turn my face up to God and tell Him, “No matter what Lord, I trust you.  I want your best plan in my life.  I don’t understand and I can’t pretend to think that I can think like you think, but I trust you to take this that seems so awful and bring good out of it somehow, someway.”  And fortunately, I have learned that every single time in my life that I’ve faced great disappointment, God has used it to deepen my faith and grow my character.  I sure don’t like “going there” but I love what God has done in me through the experience.  I have to continually remind myself that the 30, 60 and 100 fold fruitfulness comes out of a life that is led fully submitted to God and resting in His wisdom, His will and His plans — not my own.

PRAYER:  Lord, it is so easy to assume what the “right” answer is when I ask you for something in prayer.  Then it is so easy for me to get deeply disappointed when you don’t give me the answer that I wanted.  Help me to overcome disappointment and continue growing in my faith.  Help me to trust when the world seems upside down.  Help me to see as You see.   I want my life to produce 100 fold fruitfulness, help me to let you do the work in me that is necessary to produce it.

Daily Life with Audrey Jeanne

Brand New For Valentine’s Day & Weddings

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LINK TO VICTORIAN ROSE HEARTS KIT IN STORE (On sale for $4.78)

LINK TO VICTORIAN ROSE HEARTS PAPER PACK IN STORE (On sale for $2.73)

A BRAND NEW, NEVER OFFERED BEFORE digital clip art kit and matching Paper Pack, just in time for scrapbooking, card crafting or digital crafting your projects for Valentine’s Day!  But this kit has a much wider appeal than merely this holiday.  It’s filled with red roses fresh from my garden and an abundance of hearts in ever shape and color so it’s perfect for all those romantic occasions like Weddings, Anniversaries and Love.  I included the Valentine’s word art pieces at no charge in this kit, so that my International customers who don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day will still get the full value.

It was such fun to actually get to create some fresh, new art!  In between creating the portfolio pages for my new agency, MHS Licensing and Art for the walls for the CHA Winter show in Anaheim and wrapping up my newest fabric collection that will be out later this year (in June I believe), I snuck into my studio to play a little!

This kit will be on sale for two weeks only (until January 22nd, 2009) at 20% off so if you’re looking for a deal keep that in mind!

I forgot to post a winner for the first of the month.   Boy, do I really miss Deb D 🙁  I would never have gotten to the 8th without a gentle reminder — okay, not so gentle!!!  The winner is the lady who wrote the first comment on December 18th, 2008’s post.  Congratulations to the winner!  She gets a $5 gift certificate to use in my store.  CONGRATULATIONS!!!!  (to find the comments, go to the date’s post, scroll to the end of it and at the bottom will be a small link that says “comments.”  Click on it and it will show the entire post including its comments).

Daily Life with Audrey Jeanne, Faith & Inspiration

The New Year and Seasons of Change

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I have a special love for New Year’s.  Throughout my life I have spent the time between Christmas and New Year’s thinking about what was good in the past year, what wasn’t, where I can improve and turning my eyes towards the New Year ahead.  I love New Year’s so much that my beloved husband and I were married on New Year’s Eve!  It’s quite amazing, everywhere we go they are throwing a party for us, LOL!

This New Year finds me with some very substantial changes afoot.  My beloved agent Mark Timm and his wife Angela have made some wonderful changes for their company “Cottage Garden Collections” and have merged with Roman, Inc.  This merger has already done some amazing things for Cottage Garden with much more to come.  However, one of the changes that this merger brought, is that Mark ceased to represent me as my agent so that he can spend 100% of his time working with Cottage Garden.

After five years of working together, playing together (our trip to the Bahamas comes immediately to mind!) and growing deeply as friends and “family” it’s hard to let go and move on.  We’ve gone through thick and thin together.  Fortunately, I still work very heavily with Mark and Angela because of my wonderful connection to Cottage Garden Collections (oh boy are there some really awesome new things in the works there!!!!)  They will continue to be an important part of my life.

So there is a very special NEW in my NEW YEAR and it is my new licensing agency, MHS LIcensing.  I debated for several months which direction I wanted to go.  I have many licensing relationships that are already established and I could have made the step towards representing myself, but I always keep this one thought in mind when making plans for my career.  “Does this decision give me more or less time to paint and create?”  There is no doubt in my mind that I will have the freedom to design and create much more by being represented by as solid and reputable organization as MHS Licensing!

I decided on approaching them after talking to several of my manufacturers.  I asked them who they most liked working with.  Which agency handled things in the most professional manner and had the best artists?  The unanimous feedback I received was in support of MHS Licensing.  I am so enjoying getting to know all three of the agents I will be working with there and am looking forward to a long, fruitful and FUN relationship!

You can take a peak at the beginnings of my portfolio there at: LINK TO ARTIST’S PAGES I am the 7th artist down the page.  We’re feverishly working to get my portfolio up in time for the 2009 show season.

For those of you who are my digital clip art customers, you’ll see lots of things that won’t be available for quite a while yet, so it will be a bit of a tease.  However, you’ll see these designs in lots of other products in the years ahead so I  hope you’ll enjoy the preview.

NEW YEAR’S MESSAGE:  Do you leave 2008 with some painful regrets?  Have there been tough seasons in this past year?  Are there areas that you feel you have failed or where the year has not lived up to your expectations?  I’ve observed that the people in my life that who have the greatest difficulty around this time of year seem to be those that have the most regrets, or those that struggle with shame and/or a fear of failure.  The answer to each of these struggles can be found in the following passage:

SCRIPTURE:  2 Cor 5:17-6:1  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:  that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.  God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  NIV

COMMENTS:  Many of us are separated from those we love due to unforgiveness, disappointment, hurtful experiences and painful histories.  Some of us have been those that have been the “hurt” parties and others of us have been the ones that failed and perhaps caused the hurts.  To be reconciled to each other and to God can seem to be a huge, if not impossible task to accomplish.  It can also be one of the great longings of the human heart.

The world often feels that God wants to push “sinners” away, He does NOT!!!  He longs to gather us all in and has made a way for us to be reconciled to Him.  His part is done, He is already willing, you don’t have to guess whether or not He will accept you — IT IS ALREADY GUARANTEED THAT HE DOES.  He has reconciled to you — all that waits is if you would be reconciled to Him.

For those of us who seek to be found “In Christ” it is an instantaneous process.  We become new creations in him, all things become new, the old passes away and our sins are forgiven.  The longer, transformation part of the process then begins.  God loves reconciliation.  He reconciles us to Himself, then he begins to reconcile our past and restore the relationships that have failed.  On top of that, he gives US the ministry of reconciliation that we might bring others both to Him and to reconcile with each other. Isn’t this an exciting way to begin a new year?

Can you let go?  Can you let go of past hurts?  Can you let go of your failures?  Can you turn your face upwards to the Father above and ask him to reconcile all the loose ends of your life?  The New Year is a great time to let go of New Year’s Resolutions and instead ask God for New Year’s Transformations.  When HE changes you from the inside out, the changes last longer than a week or two!!!!

PRAYER:  Lord, I’ve approached New Year’s Day often with a long list of things I know need to be changed.  I start out with great intentions and reach the stage of failure by the second or third week.  This year I want my life to be fully reconciled to you and your ways.  Give me the power to truly become a New Creation in Christ.  Give me the ability to be fully reconciled with You and to grow into the ministry of reconciling others to you as well.  Make this New Year my best ever, Lord!  AMEN

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Daily Life with Audrey Jeanne

Victorian Christmas Gift Bags ‘n Tags Crafting Kit

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LINK TO GIFT BAG KIT IN STORE HERE

Last minute gifts to wrap?  This gift bag set will do it in style.  Featuring an elegant Victorian Christmas feel to them, these bags come with an assortment of gift cards and tags to finish off the beautiful presentation.  At $6.98 for the entire set, it’s just slightly more expensive than buying just one gift bag and tag and you can print as many as you need (within the angel policy terms).

There are 3 sizes of bags included.  If you have a large format printer, you can make a huge gift bag, if not, don’t worry!  There are letter (8 1/2″ x 11″) and legal (8 1/2″ x 14″) bags as well.

Thanks for the reminder to post this kit and Merry Christmas, Agnes!

Daily Life with Audrey Jeanne

The Christmas Story #9

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THE CHRISTMAS STORY: Luke 2:35-40
The Prophecy of Anna

36 Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, and was very old. She was a widow, for her husband had died when they had been married only seven years. 37 She was now eighty-four years old. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. 38 She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about Jesus to everyone who had been waiting for the promised King to come and deliver Jerusalem.

39 When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. 40 There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom beyond his years, and God placed his special favor upon him. NLT

This concludes the Christmas story in Luke, next I’ll go to the gospel of Matthew which tells a few different details.

THE CHRISTMAS STORY FROM MATTHEW:  Matt 1:17-21

17 Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.

18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”-which means, “God with us.”

24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. NIV

COMMENTS:  In Israel, there was a betrothal period of about 1 year.  During that betrothal period, they were actually considered married and would actually have to divorce if they parted ways, but had not yet consummated their marriage nor did they live together.  This is was is described in the book of Mark.  To have been “found with child” would have meant that she was unfaithful to Joseph since he had been a righteous man and knew he had not touched her.  What an amazing man, that he believed what the angel told him and trusted in his betrothed.

For the rest of their life there would be rumors and snickers behind their backs — but Joseph fulfilled the role God had prepared for him and became the adoptive father to Jesus.  Are you willing to do and be what ever God calls you to be, no matter how the rest of the world sees you?  Are you willing to obey God first and worry about man’s opinions a lot less?

PRAYER:  Lord, Joseph was such a godly man that he stood by Mary when the rest of the world was turning their backs on her.  He obeyed you even when it hurt his reputation to do so.  Help me to seek your favor and be more concerned with what you think than what the world thinks about me.  Help me to be as faithful to you as Mary and Joseph were.  Help me be willing to be used by your spirit wherever and however you think best.  AMEN

Daily Life with Audrey Jeanne

The Blog Contest Winner is…

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I have to say, it’s not the same without Deb hanging around here.  She was always on me to remind me (gently and sweetly as only Deb could do) that I had once again missed the day for my free clip art drawing.  Twice a month on the 16th and the 1st of the following month I am SUPPOSED to have a drawing for a free kit or other goody for my readers.

This month is in honor of DebD.  The winner is Calikat Kay, who was the first commentor on the 12th of December (the second post of the day).  She will win $5.00 off any item in my blog store.  Congratulations Kay and thanks for being such a faithful reader!

There is no limit on how often someone can win.  The reward is for those that post comments on my posts and is drawn entirely at random so everyone has an equal chance of winning.  Thanks to all who participate!

Daily Life with Audrey Jeanne

Christmas Story #8 (Playing Catch Up!)

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Having my grandson here has been totally awesome — but not very productive for working, LOL!  I guess that isn’t the priority though is it?!  He took his very first steps here this morning and is a total joy as a baby.  One of those super easy ones that lure you to #2 and TROUBLE!!!!

It’s really precious to have a baby around the Christmas season.  It helps me to visualize and think about the amazing story that is The Christ Child.

THE CHRISTMAS STORY: Luke 2:21-35
21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived.

22 When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

The Prophecy of Simeon

25 Now there was a man named Simeon who lived in Jerusalem. He was a righteous man and very devout. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he eagerly expected the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. 26 The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, 28 Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,

29 “Lord, now I can die in peace!
As you promised me,
30 I have seen the Savior
31 you have given to all people.
32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations,
and he is the glory of your people Israel!”

33 Joseph and Mary were amazed at what was being said about Jesus. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, “This child will be rejected by many in Israel, and it will be their undoing. But he will be the greatest joy to many others. 35 Thus, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” NLT

COMMENTS:  Simeon lived his life in anticipation of seeing God’s word made manifest.  He lived in search of God’s promises and developed such an intimate relationship with Him that God spoke to his heart.  God’s promise, Jesus, was being carried all throughout the temple in his mother’s arms.  There were probably thousands of people that saw him — but they didn’t have eyes to see the things of God.  Do you?  Do you look for what God is doing all around you?  If not, what amazing things might be lurking right there in front of you?  God still speaks to our hearts today.  He’s just as active in our world in 2008 as he was in 0 AD!  He’s still looking for hearts that are atuned to him and are hungry to know and experience his love.

PRAYER:  Lord, I see a story like Simeon’s and think, “Well he was a special man.”  But you see me and think that I’m a special person too.  Help me to realize that you’re just as capable of using me as anyone else — as long as I am seeking you and learning to hear your voice.  Help me focus on what (and who) is important!  Help me to see the miraculous that is happening all around me and help me to be a part of what you are longing to do in my community.  AMEN

Daily Life with Audrey Jeanne

With a Heavy Heart…

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My dear reader and friend, DebD passed away from complications connected to her COPD.  I just received the news this morning and my heart is so heavy for her husband Bruce and her mother (whom Bruce and Deb take care of).

Deb was such a sweet and carining woman.  I have a beautiful welcome sign as you enter my home that was a special gift from Deb to me on my birthday last year.  She was the queen of the unexpected gift and kind act.

Deb was my “chief nag” and took her job very seriously!!!  When I would forget to post the winners of my twice a month contest I would wake up to a sweet and funny email from Deb reminding me.

I had the privilege of talking with her a couple of times at great length and I know from those conversations that she knew the Lord Jesus Christ and resides with him now to celebrate the upcoming Christmas season.  She will be greatly missed…  Pray for her husband Bruce.

Daily Life with Audrey Jeanne

The Christmas Story #5

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THE CHRISTMAS STORY: Luke 1:56-2:1
The Birth of John the Baptist
57 Now it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, and it was a boy. 58 The word spread quickly to her neighbors and relatives that the Lord had been very kind to her, and everyone rejoiced with her.

59 When the baby was eight days old, all the relatives and friends came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60 But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!”

61 “What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” 62 So they asked the baby’s father, communicating to him by making gestures. 63 He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John!” 64 Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God.

65 Wonder fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. 66 Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “I wonder what this child will turn out to be? For the hand of the Lord is surely upon him in a special way.”

67 Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:
68 “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,because he has visited his people and redeemed them. 69 He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, 70 just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. 71 Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. 72 He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant with them, 73 the covenant he gave to our ancestor Abraham. 74 We have been rescued from our enemies,so we can serve God without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness forever.
76 “And you, my little son,will be called the prophet of the Most High,because you will prepare the way for the Lord. 77 You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. 78 Because of God’s tender mercy,the light from heaven is about to break upon us, 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,and to guide us to the path of peace.”
80 John grew up and became strong in spirit. Then he lived out in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel. NLT

COMMENTS:  When God sends us a promise it is often, if not always, in the form of a tiny package that requires time and faith to grow into it’s full glory.  God loves small beginnings.  He loves to take that which is ordinary and pour His power into it in such a way that He and He alone will be glorified.  This one child would prepare the way for the messiah, Jesus,  who would change all of history.

God loves to do the same today.  Did you know that He could change history through you or your children or grandchildren?  All he requires is faith, trust and obedience.  You never know when God asks you to do a seemingly small and insignificant task, if that task just might touch the life of a child who will be used to change the world!  Ask Him each day to make your life significant in the light of eternity and just wait to see what He will do.

PRAYER:  Lord, I want my life to matter in the light of eternity, but I lead a pretty ordinary life — so how can that happen apart from you?  Please help me to be obedient to hear and obey your voice, to do those small things that you ask of me and then Lord, multiply the impact of those simple tasks by your power.  Help me to always be open to be used by you and to look for ways in which I can be a blessing to those who share my life.  AMEN

Daily Life with Audrey Jeanne, Holidays, One Minute Wisdoms

Contemporary Classic Christmas and Christmas Reading #4

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LINK TO CONTEMPORARY CLASSIC CHRISTMAS IN STORE

Just a reminder that there are a lot of Christmas digital clip art, crafting, card making and paper pack kits available in the store and all of them are on sale only through December 15th, 2008!

THE CHRISTMAS STORY: Luke 1:38-56
Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “You are blessed by God above all other women, and your child is blessed. 43 What an honor this is, that the mother of my Lord should visit me! 44 When you came in and greeted me, my baby jumped for joy the instant I heard your voice! 45 You are blessed, because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

The Magnificat: Mary’s Song of Praise
46 Mary responded, “Oh, how I praise the Lord.  47 How I rejoice in God my Savior!  48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and now generation after generation will call me blessed.  49 For he, the Mighty One, is holy, and he has done great things for me. 50 His mercy goes on from generation to generation, to all who fear him.  51 His mighty arm does tremendous things!  How he scatters the proud and haughty ones!  52 He has taken princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.  53 He has satisfied the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away with empty hands.  54 And how he has helped his servant Israel!  He has not forgotten his promise to be merciful.  55 For he promised our ancestors–Abraham and his children–
to be merciful to them forever.”

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.  NLT

COMMENTS:  Can you imagine how encouraging this must have been for Mary?  A girl in a condition of great “shame” to those not understanding what had happened, visits her aunt who without being told a thing CONFIRMS exactly what the angel of God had told Mary.  It was no small thing to be found pregnant without being married in the time and culture.  This was to be a “shame” Mary would be subject to in many eyes for the rest of her life — but within her family they accepted, embraced and affirmed her.  They recognized what God had done and encouraged her faith.  This is an important role for us to play in each other’s lives as family!

PRAYER:  Lord, what a beautiful thing it was that you spoke to Mary’s heart through the prophet utterance of her Aunt.  You confirmed the very things that You had told Mary and encouraged her in what was a very difficult time for Mary in so many ways.  Help me to be encouraging to my family members in any way I can.  Speak through me that which will encourage each heart, build faith and express unconditional love to each member of my family.  Where relationships are difficult give me the grace and strength to lead toward reconciliation and restoration.  Where they are wonderful, continue to built them year-by-year.  Bless my family through me.   AMEN

Daily Life with Audrey Jeanne

In Store Today, Christmas Ornaments Digital Crafting Kits

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Today I have 4 treats for you, the Christmas Story continues at the end of this post and I have 3 digital clip art crafting kits for making your own photo Christmas ornaments using Donna Glenn’ wonderful pattern.  The links below are in the order of the photographs of the products.

LINK TO RED GINGERBREAD KIT IN STORE

LINK TO BLUE GINGERBREAD KIT IN STORE

LINK TO BLUE WINTER SNOWFLAKE KIT IN STORE

These kits sell for only $2.98 but are on sale until December 15th only at $2.38 each and with a piece of photo printing paper or quality card stock, some ribbon, glitter, and maybe some jewels and you will be able to create ornaments for your entire family.  Us them as a package topper for another gift or include them in a Christmas gift basket or as a gift all on their own.  You can easily insert the year (though it’s shown as 2007 on the kit photo it is actually blank), drop photos behind the png format print and create.  If you don’t have photos, you can add words or images into the opening just as easily!

THE CHRISTMAS STORY:  Luke 1:8-17
8 One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. 9 As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary and burn incense in the Lord’s presence. 10 While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.

11 Zechariah was in the sanctuary when an angel of the Lord appeared, standing to the right of the incense altar. 12 Zechariah was overwhelmed with fear. 13 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! For God has heard your prayer, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son! And you are to name him John. 14 You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice with you at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or hard liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.   16 And he will persuade many Israelites to turn to the Lord their God. 17 He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah, the prophet of old. He will precede the coming of the Lord, preparing the people for his arrival. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will change disobedient minds to accept godly wisdom.”

18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I know this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”

19 Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! 20 And now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you won’t be able to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly come true at the proper time.”

21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out, wondering why he was taking so long. 22 When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures that he must have seen a vision in the Temple sanctuary.

23 He stayed at the Temple until his term of service was over, and then he returned home. 24 Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. 25 “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children!” NLT

MORAL OF THE STORY:  When an angel tells you something, don’t say, “Shut up!  You’re kidding right?!”  LOL!  If you do, he just might shut you up for a while!  Just kidding, but God always does so much more than we can imagine and he wants us to believe that he loves us enough to do the very thing that we have asked him for.  Like any awesome parent he loves to do good things for us and delights when we have a childlike ability to believe and receive.

PRAYER:  Lord, help me to not react with unbelief if and when you speak to my heart your plans for my life and I find them to be beyond what I could have asked or hoped or even thought.  It’s easy to laugh at Zechariah’s unbelief, but would I have acted any differently?  I think not!  Fill my heart with faith to believe your promises.  AMEN

Daily Life with Audrey Jeanne

The Season For Joy and Rejoicing

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As the calendar turns over today and we enter the month of December, my mind and heart turns toward what is for me, “The Season of Joy & Rejoicing.”

Of course I love all the trimmings of Christmas, the holiday music, the cool weather, and the strong scent of pine in my living room after our tree goes up.  I love the time we set aside to spend together with families and friends.  I love visiting our local holiday displays and sometimes (not often!) even love the hustle and bustle of the local shopping center.  But while each of those wonderful activities can bring a temporary happiness, the lasting JOY of Christmas is in its message that God made a way for me to make Peace with him through the birth, life, death and resurrection of his dear son, Jesus.

Often people outside of our faith portray us a joyless, dour, grouchy, and self-righteous people.  But in my experience the most selfless, kind, helpful and lastingly joyful people I know are those who are people of faith.  I looked up two words in my PC Study Bible today, the words were “Joy” and “Rejoicing.”  I found 426 references to Joy and 263 to Rejoicing.  The more important something is to God, the more often He speaks about it in His word.  Explore some of the scriptures about these two words and you will find that God strongly desires for you to have a joyful life.  The joy I find in the Christmas season is at its greatest when I set time aside to rejoice that Christ my Savior was born.

If you haven’t started the craziness yet, or if you’re already feeling the slide towards being out of control (if you just spent Thanksgiving weekend shopping in the chaos), take a moment to reflect on where you are finding true joy in your life and take time to thank God for that joy.  Make plans to create meaningful celebrations.  And perhaps spend a little time each day reading and meditating on the Christmas story, which I will have posted here starting tomorrow through Christmas.

Luke 2:10-12  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”   NIV

Rom 5:1-5  Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.   NIV

PRAYER:  Lord, I know how easily I can get carried away with the preparations, planning, spending and activities of this season.  In fact, I have often finished the holidays exhausted and let down.  Please help me to keep my focus fully on you and on the meaning of Christmas.  Show me ways to make it more special and memorable for my family and friends.  Keep my heart at peace even when the activities can be chaotic.

Thank you Lord, for coming to this earth to be born a man, bear the burden of living a human life free from sin and becoming the sacrifice that was required to pay for my sins.  That is a gift too priceless for words.  I love you, Lord.  AMEN

Contests, Daily Life with Audrey Jeanne

And the Winner is…

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The third commentor on this post LINK TO POST HERE which is really funny, because she was the one who was reminding me that today would be the first of the month!  I also am going to give a bonus award to DebD who is in the hospital facing some pretty tough circumstances with her COPD.  We love you Deb and are praying for a speedy recovery.

Each of these winners probably own most of my kits, so I will give them their choice of kit in this store.  Merry Christmas!