Show and Tell

praying... and... take joy in today

Today is Tuesday, January 10. We (Ken & I) went to work (my work) for a bit this morning. I had ordered a table and chairs for one of the classrooms that had to be put together — and Ken is my go-to guy for construction projects. :) 

That's it assembled. I love our classroom furniture. We bought it all several years ago when the economy was good and we were blessed with some fantastic fundraisers. Now we're just filling in little by little with a few items that we didn't get the first go-'round.

You may remember that today I had an MRI. Have you ever had one? They're a little freaky... lots of clanging and banging and buzzing while you're in a small space, immobilized — in my case, on my back with my head being kept completely still. And, I'm not sure exactly how long I was in there, but I'm thinking that it was about 15 minutes, then they drew some blood (while I was still pinned down and immobilized) and then there were probably about 10 or 15 minutes more of lots of noise, etc. I'm so glad that I'm not claustrophobic or easily freaked out!

Anyway, tomorrow we'll find out what the doctor saw when he looked at the pictures. And, I must admit to being a little nervous. I didn't think I was... or that I would be... but I guess I am. This morning after the MRI, I felt tired... like all I wanted to do is go home and sleep. Now, I know that sleep is important, but I haven't taken naps lately and I've been sleeping really well at night, so what I determined is that I was a bit depressed by this whole business. But, once I forced myself to go on a walk, eat lunch, and do some internet work I felt so much better. Well enough to start preparing this post and some future ones, too. I really think that half the battle is in the mind — so I make every effort to take control of mine!

 

For today's scripture I'm using just a part of a verse.

Genesis 24:45

"Before I had finished praying in my heart,..."

I chose this little passage (not even a full sentence) for what it said to me when I read it. It said that God knows what is going on with me. He knows what I need before I even voice it. Or even if I don't voice it. He "hears" my heart's desires. He knows! He knows what is in your heart, too. Cool, isn't it? 

 

My MRI this morning was in the same building that I went to back in the fall for radiation therapy. Those people are very special to us, so we walked in to say hello. We took them a card, too.

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I take joy in each day. And I hope they do, too. And you also. :)

I don't always do it, but this PTI set has such great Bible verses that I decided to put one on the inside of the card. I'm really liking the way it looks on top of the VersaMark leaf stamp, too. Pretty perfect, I think.

And, since I'm upping my game... I also stamped and signed the back of the card. Just makes it a little more personal. (For those of you PTI followers like me... what do you think of the stamp set "Handmade Hodgepodge"? At just $5, I'm thinking it will make it into my cart — even though I have been embellishing and signing the backs of my cards for some time now and have found that a small coordinating image works pretty well.) 

AND TELL:  stamps are Papertrey Ink (Turning a New Leaf, Beautiful Blessings); cardstock is PTI (Aqua Mist); patterned paper is Sassafras Lass (Count me in: love to learn); ink is Memento (Tuxedo Black) and Versamark; button is PTI (Aqua Mist); twine is PTI (Rustic Cream); also used a PTI impression plate (Diamonds) and a PTI die (Loopsy-Daisy Collection).

That is all for today. Thanks for your visit, for all your comments and all your prayers. We appreciate you very much! And we're praying that tomorrow we have a good medical report to share with you. Sending you lots and lots of love!

Be accepted... and... Jeremiah 33:3

Today is Monday, January 2. It was a work day for me and — since I've been feeling so good — I decided over our Christmas break that I would start staying at work the entire day... through lunch and everything. And I did! Yay for me. :)

Since my time is rather limited today, I'm going to go straight into today's Bible verses.

Genesis 4:7

"'You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.'"

We all have a propensity for sin. Unfortunately. But, we also have a choice. We can resist. We can determine that we are not going to give into our nature... that we are going to rise above. That is within our power. But we can't do it on our own power... we need the Lord. That's why it's so important to always stay in touch with Him... to pray without ceasing. Don't refuse to do what is right. Or make excuses for yourself. Pray and subdue your sinful nature so that it is not your master. According to this verse, that is the way to acceptance.  

 

This card has a two-part story — it is part of my quest to use the patterned paper that I can't seem to stop myself from buying and then to also use each stamp set before buying more from the same company. 

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I do love Verve stamps. They stamp like a dream. And their Plain Jane scripture stamps are among my favorites.

AND TELL:  stamps are from Verve (Curvy Cross, Jeremiah 33:3, Artful Elegance); cardstock is Papertrey Ink (Vintage Cream); patterned paper is Studio Calico (Countryside Collection: Grove); ink is Stampin' Up (Soft Sky) and Memento (Tuxedo Black); also used a Verve die from the Cross Set.

Well, I'm going to sign-off now. It's almost time for the Rose Bowl. We'll be going to our neighbors on the left to cheer on the University of Oregon. Go Ducks! :)

Thank you so much for stopping by and for all the prayers that you continue to send our way. As we attempt to reduce the steroid dose again, I feel that prayers are so important. And as part of our prayer team, you are so appreciated! Love and hugs to you from us! xxoo

Delight in the law... and... Prayers & Strength

Today is Sunday, January 1, 2012. We made it to a new year! Yay! :)

Before I forget, since things go in and out of my head so quickly these days, thank you so much for all your comments and well wishes and "happy new years" and words that just buoy my spirit and also humble me greatly... because I'm really no different than any one else. I'm just trying to live faithfully... which anyone else can do, too. So — be encouraged!

Church was so wonderful today. All the usual worship leaders were "off" for the day... our pastor, the praise team, etc. But, that never affects my ability to enjoy the service. Part of that is because our music and teaching staff (although, they're not all on staff) is just so talented and deep. Part of it is because I make it my practice to determine that whoever is up there is going to be a blessing to me in some way. And today the blessings continued after the service was over.

Usually Ken & I just leave... getting out pretty much as quickly as possible — but I needed to see one of today's worship leaders, so instead of heading to the back of the sanctuary we went to the front. While I was talking to Sarah, Ken struck up a conversation with a guy who has, from time to time, given the sermon during church. Who, if I remember right, had a vicious tumor around his heart several years ago. Who, I think, is currently cancer-free. Mike talked to us and prayed for me. While he was praying I felt a hand on my shoulder and a woman from the church (who I don't remember seeing before) had walked up behind me to signify agreement in prayer. I was so blessed by her — whose name I asked, but can't remember — and by Mike, too. I also had other folks come up to give me hugs. God is so good to me!... taking a day when I was feeling pretty blah and turning it into an extra special day. Oh, how I love that!

Another blessing from today?

The Bojangles biscuits were hot and fresh (which isn't always the case) and they were perfectly delicious. Not healthy or low-cal, but I love them so... :)

And one more photo...

 That's how the amaryliss looks today. Three of the blossoms have opened. So pretty. Love that flower. It just makes such a statement. (Thanks, again, Debbie!)

 

How about some scripture for the new year? 

Psalm 1:1-3

"Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do."

If you want to be joyful, delight in God and His laws. Know what God's laws are... how He wants you to act. I think sometimes we ask everyone and his brother for advice, when we probably already know what we should do. And maybe we don't want to do it. Or maybe we want to justify a feeling or an action that we know in our heart of hearts is not right.

Instead, we need to meditate on God's word so that we know what it says. And so we can apply it. That is how we will prosper.  

 

When Papertrey Ink came out with the Faith & Hope stamp set, I felt obligated to buy it. Isn't that kind of crazy? Just because I'm dealing with a cancerous tumor, I felt like I should. But I'm not sure that I really wanted to. I mean, I kind of like living in denial. :)

But, I did get it... and I'm glad I did. I love that you can make the ribbon in any color of ink or cardstock. We're kind of into gray around here these days (the color for brain tumor awareness). But the more I open my eyes and ears to what is going on around me (and stop being in denial about anyone having health struggles), well, the more I'm thinking that I could (unfortunately) get quite a bit of use out of this set. 

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I don't know who will be getting this card, but it just seemed appropriate that the first card I should make with Prayers & Strength should be primarily gray.

I don't often stamp on the inside of a card, but this Bible verse was too appropriate to leave out. "I am the Lord who heals you." Great verse for someone who is going through a health challenge.

 

AND TELL:  stamps are from Papertrey Ink (Faith & Hope, Floral Fusion); cardstock is PTI (Vintage Cream) and Stampin' Up (Going Grey); patterned paper is from my stash; ink is SU (Basic Gray, Going Grey); also used the PTI die, Faith & Hope.

Well, that's about it. But I thought I'd show you one more photo from yesterday. For quite a few years now we've celebrated the new year by going out to dinner with our friends Margie, Andy, and Susie.

Then we go back to our house, visit for awhile (this year with one of Susie's famous and fabulous apple pies), and celebrate the new year with a little toast. Then we all go home and are probably in bed and asleep by about 11:00. :)

This year our bubbly was provided by our good friends Dave & Terry who sent it in a gift basket from Oregon (where they live and where I lived my whole childhood). Dave and Terry used to live behind us here in Charlotte and even though they moved away years ago, we've remained good friends. In fact, we went to their daughter's wedding in Portland a few years ago and they came to Britt's wedding in Raleigh last summer. Gotta love friends that last through the years like that! (Thanks, Dave and Terry, for the treat from Oregon!)

Well, that's probably more than enough for now. Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit and for hanging in there through all my ramblings. Tomorrow it's back to work. And probably back to really late updates from me. Again, thank you for all the wishes for a happy new year over the past few days. And we wish you a very happy 2012, too! :)

Confident Trust... and... One Blessing After Another

Today is Monday, November 14. I went to work this morning and, after a trip to Lowe's with Ken, plopped down on the couch to take a nap but instead got distracted by a sale at my favorite online scrapbooking store and filled my virtual cart with over $300 of patterned paper. Now I'm in the process of culling it down to about $30 worth. :) But, since tonight is the Papertrey Ink release and since I KNOW that I'm going to be spending a bit (ahem!) of money there I should probably just clear my Emma's Paperie cart and forget about it. We'll see what kind of self-control I have as the evening goes on. Emma's is having a 30% off sale and that's a little hard for me to resist. Not that I use a lot of patterned paper, but I sure do like to look at it! (hehe!)

Today was our quarterly birthday lunch at work. Three times a year (I know... that is not quarterly, but that's what it has always been called...), the staff — which has been divided into thirds for the occasion — brings a dish to share.

All the food is set up on a table in the preschool hallway for the staff to fill their plates buffet-style. It probably doesn't sound very special or fun, but it's a pretty big deal for us and, even though everyone has to return to their classrooms to eat, we all enjoy the change from the usual routine. And the chance to sample the cooking of our co-workers. :) Oh, and one of our teachers is a fabulous maker and decorator of cakes and her job is to bring a cake to each luncheon. It's always fun to see how she has decorated it. Of course, I was so intent on filling my plate that I forgot to take a photo of the cake. Oh, well... sorry. Just know that it looked and tasted really good. :)

Tomorrow is my second chemotherapy treatment and I'm quite looking forward to it. I felt so much better a couple days after the first one that I'm hoping to feel even better this time! We'll go in for a port check and probably some blood work around 9:00 in the morning, and then will spend — I suppose — the rest of the day in the infusion room where I'll be hooked up to an IV that will be pumping the Avastin and then the CPT-11 into me. It'll take most of the day, so I'm not sure that I'll be posting tomorrow. If I don't, you'll probably get an update from Ken. Or, maybe I'll post in the afternoon from the infusion room. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what the day brings. :)

 

For today's scripture we're back in the Psalms.

Psalm 112:1, 7

"Praise the Lord! How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands....They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them."

When you've had almost nothing but bad news medically it can be easy to become discouraged. I think that is why I choose not to look at any images of my brain tumor and am very careful about what I allow our medical personnel to reveal to me about their thoughts on my prognosis. To me, this is all in the Lord's hands. He may use the doctors and nurses, but any healing will come through Him. And I realize that healing takes many forms. I'm not living in a dream world. But I am trusting that the Lord will take care of me. I'm sure of it. :) And, in the meantime, I am also joyfully waiting to see how the Lord is working. Because, I know that He's at work through this situation. And it's a privilege to be on His side. (And to be sharing it all with you! You guys are the best!)

 

This is a card that I made several weeks ago for a friend from church.     

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At the time she was recovering from surgery and I wanted to do something to encourage her. She and her husband spent many years on the mission field, much of it at a school in Ecuador, and... well... you know that missionaries don't really have a lot of money to spare. Since Karen is an avid cardmaker, I thought that one way I could bless her would be to share some of my papercrafting abundance. Hopefully she enjoyed going through the big bag of blank cards, stickers, die cuts, and stamp pads. And, even more so, I hope she enjoys using them!  

AND TELL:  stamps are from Papertrey Ink (Half & Half, Beautiful Blessings); cardstock is PTI (Stampers Select White), patterned paper is from my stash; ink is PTI (True Black); also used one of the PTI Half & Half dies.

That is all for today. I really appreciate you stopping by for a visit... and I always love hearing from you. Thank you for keeping us in your prayers tomorrow as we have our second chemo session. Your prayers sustain us and buoy us and we're so appreciative of your support and your love. And, we send big hugs and lots of love your way, too. :)

 

Confession, Concerns, and the Papertrey Ink Blog Hop

First of all, if you clicked over here for the Papertrey Ink Blog Hop you'll want to scroll down, down, and down some more. There is a card in here — I promise. But if this is your visit, you'll be wondering (to quote Nichole Heady) what you've stumbled upon. Briefly, I was dianosed with an inoperable brain tumor on August 1 of this year — which caused the blog to take a new direction. Well, not completely new. I still do something crafty most days... at least so far. But now we have been starting out with some medical updates, some scripture, some spiritual thoughts, and some ramblings of someone who is looking at life through a new lens. So — you've been warned. If you want something to think about, you may want to read. If all you want is a little crafty inspiration — scroll until you get past all the "talk". :)

Now let's get into the format that has become the new normal. Today is Thursday, August 25. It also is the day of my first radiation treatment. We'll talk more about that later.

So — first of all, confession is good for the soul, right? And I'm going to just lay out all the ugliness right here. Yesterday I was crabby. And ungrateful. And selfish. And self-centered. And greedy. And just overall not very nice. And I'm ashamed of myself. And I'm horrified that it's so easy to slip into that sort of behavior. And so hard to get out of it. 

Here's the scenario. A meal was going to be delivered. I look forward to each and every meal — they've all been so delicious — but for some reason I've been sort of fixated on this one... Pork Sliders. Don't ask me why — I can't explain it. I was really, really looking forward to those little sandwiches. 

Britt was going to be here for dinner — and for the rest of week, too. And, that's a very, very good thing that we've been looking forward to. And Ken invited our church elder and his wife to dinner. And then he invited Britt's high school friend (and maid of honor), Ruth — who lives nearby, to come and eat. And then my selfish greed set in as I (in my mind) saw that I had to share those yummy pork sliders with even more people. And I was ugly about it. 

As I look back on that now, I'm not sure exactly what my problem was. I guess that's the way sin and selfishness are, isn't it? Not rational. Fixated on self and on imagined "wrongs" to your own person. And this is all embarrassing to admit — but I've been pretty committed here to just laying it all out... so you get what you get. And now you're getting the ugly truth.

And here's the way the story ended up. I served myself first (of course! :(  It's easy to justify things like that when you're "sick"), taking what I wanted (although I did pracice some measure of self-control by taking just one little sandwich so everyone else could have at least one) and sitting down to eat. And then later I had one more slider. And, your know what? There is still left-over pork, a couple of rolls, and all the fixin's. Kind of a loaves and fishes type of thing. Which, of course, adds to my shame. Yes — my faith is not always large. But my selfishness is. Oh, Lord. Help me to be gracious and kind and generous! I do not like the "me" that came out yesterday! (Oh — I should probably say that I did relax and have a great time with our company and I'm so grateful that they came... that they prayed over me and encouraged me... it was a special evening for me. Even though I was quite out-of-sorts as the evening started.)

Now, let's get into some scripture for today. It's gonna be kinda long, I think. Actually, maybe I should break it up into pieces. We'll do that.

Psalm 40:1-3

"I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord."

The pit of despair is somewhere that I've tried really hard not to go to — but I can tell you that, at times, that takes a tremendous amount of effort. If those around me are observant, they've noticed that every so often the praise and worship music will start playing through my computer speakers. That's part of my defense against enemy attacks... I try to intentionally focus on my Savior... on what He has done and continues to do on my behalf. And since this brain tumor has affected my balance somewhat, "He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along" has an extra special meaning. :) "Many will see what he has done and be amazed" and "put their trust in the Lord" — yes, that's my prayer through all of this. Lord, be glorified.

Psalm 40:4-5, 8-10

"Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord,... O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them....

"'I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.'

"I have told all your people about your justice. I have not been afraid to speak out, as you, O Lord, well know. I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart; I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power. I have told everyone in the great assembly of your unfailing love and faithfulness."

and this is from tomorrow (I couldn't resist looking ahead :) ) —

"Lord, don't hold back your tender mercies from me. Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me."

And I'm so glad that I added that bit from tomorrow's reading — because here's the deal. This treatment has the usual side-affects — fatigue, hair loss, stuff like that. Then there's one more that, to me, is pretty scary. Blindness. They'll be radiating — or whatever — close to my optic nerve. Things could go awry. And — really, I don't want to be blind. And — as I'm typing through tears — I'm trying to surrender that. And I'm begging the Lord to spare my eyesight. But — if I truly want to be faithful, do I have to be willing to be blind? If God can use me more without my sight, shouldn't I be OK with that? Talk about a crisis of faith. So — you can lift me up in prayer as I try to surrender what I want for the greater good of what the Lord might want. Of course, I want His will to include good health, long life, and good vision — but I have to be willing to sacrifice my desires. And it's a struggle. So — please pray for me.

I guess it's pretty obvious that I'm not going to get into writing about taking meals to people and stuff like that today. This is going to be too long already. But I'm so thankful that you stop by, read my ramblings, and give me words of encouragement. You cannot know how much those conversations mean to me — whether I chime in or not. You all have become such a huge part of my life over the past few weeks and I'm incredibly grateful for each little bit of interaction. I'm so fortunate and blessed to have so many wonderful people on this journey with me. It would be incredibly lonely to walk this road without all of you — and, of course, without my Savior. That would be impossible. So — thanks so much for traveling with me. I sure do love all of you!

 

OK — if you've been waiting for my entry into this month's Papertrey Ink Blog Hop, here it is. Finally, huh?

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This month, again, was a picture inspiration — so here's the picture that Nichole provided. I'm hoping that it's pretty obvious how I used the elements in the photo to inspire me. Because this post is wordy enough without me pointing out the obvious!

Now, it seems I can always find a way to improve something I've created — these days more so than ever before — but I'm fairly satisfied with this one. (Except for a few relatively minor placement issues that I'd change, but... whatever...)

AND TELL:  stamps are from Papertrey Ink (Damask Designs, Iconic Images, Fillable Frames #9, Fillable  Frames #12); cardstock is PTI (Fine Linen, Stampers Select White), Stampin' Up (Poppy Parade), and Creative Memories (Metallic Silver); ink is SU (Crumb Cake, Poppy Parade) and PTI (New Leaf, Simply Chartreuse, Hibiscus Burst); ribbon is PTI (1/4" silk); also used PTI's Fillable Frames #9 die and Picnic Plaid impression plate.

And that is probably, again, more than enough for one day. I'm posting earlier today, selfishly, so that prayers — specific prayers — can begin. I think my appointment begins around 3:50 this afternoon (Eastern) and is scheduled to last about 45 minutes. There are last minute calibrations to be made and then the actual radiation takes about 10 minutes. My head is covered with a mesh mask that is snapped to the table — with the idea that it keeps me immobile. When the initial calibrations were made, it seemed to me that there was a lot of play in the mesh and that maybe I moved (because I could) and I find that a little disconcerting. So — you can pray for peace and stillness for me and accuracy for the radiation treatment. 

Thank you so, so much for visiting my little blog and for all the encouragement you leave in my email box, on my Facebook account, and in the blog comments. You absolutely cannot know how much that means to me. Sending love and hugs to each and every one of you!!

 

Making the most of time

That whole concept of using time wisely has always been a bit of a mystery to me. Well, not really a mystery. I get the concept. The problem is that I tend to be a time-waster — not a "do it now" type of person. I'm more of a ponderer. A let's sit on that idea awhile type of person. The problem with that is that, when you're confronted with your own mortality, time seems much more precious than it used to. Much more limited. Is pondering the best use of my time? I guess that's where the blog is coming in handy — since I seem to be doing most of my pondering in public now. And you seem to be along for the ride — helping me process all these deep thoughts that I seem to be having. (Well... deep for me... :) )

Anyway, let's move on for a bit and get into the usual format. Today is Tuesday and it is August 23. And today I have going-out-to-lunch plans. Pretty exciting day for me. :)

For today's scripture, we're going to visit Job again. I'm kinda looking at the book of Job in a new way today. I think I've always given Job's friends a bit of a bad rap. But today, well, I'm thinking that they also said some pretty good and helpful things. Like this:

Job 11:13-19

"...prepare your heart and lift up your hands to him in prayer! Get rid of your sins, and leave all iniquity behind you. Then your face will brighten with innocence. You will be strong and free of fear. You will forget your misery; it will be like water flowing away. Your life will be brighter than the noonday. Even darkness will be as bright as morning. Having hope will give you courage. You will be protected and will rest in safety. You will lie down unafraid, and many will look to you for help."

OK, there are lots of nuggets and great visuals in there (I mean, "You will forget your misery; it will be like water flowing away?"... how perfect is that?), but — is it just me, or does the sentence "Having hope will give you courage" seem to jump off the page? Since I do have hope, I haven't — at least so far — had fear. But I would be lying if I said that I didn't have some uneasiness in the back of my mind about what the coming days will bring. The unknown is always a little scary. Guess that's why I don't take my mind into the future too often. I'm not in denial — I'm just trying to preserve my sanity, I suppose. And, I'm so thankful that I do have the courage that comes through the hope that I have in Jesus!

The other phrase that has stood out to me this morning is: "... many will look to you for help." As the number of hits to my little (originally) crafty blog has exploded over the past three weeks, I've been increasingly aware of what a responsibility this has become. And I take that seriously. I think it's God-given. And I just want to be faithful and not do or write something stupid or incorrect or meaningless. The dcTalk song, "What If I Stumble" comes to mind. One of my "fears" has always been that I'll somehow lead someone astray by making mistakes in my life. So — you can pray for me as I learn to navigate new territory here. Truly, I just want to be faithful. (I'll stick that dcTalk song in here, just in case you don't know it...)

Download 15 What If I Stumble (Jesus Freak Ve

So, I fill my mornings with my daily Bible reading plus a bit from a devotional book, praying (although probably not as thoroughly and deeply as I could or should), pondering a bit :), and then I move on to the other stuff I love... making things, snacking :( , maybe watching a little HGTV, and, lately, napping. Oh, and blogging, of course. This is a huge part of my day. Hugely enjoyable, too. I really, really, really enjoy our conversations! (And — love it when you chime in... talking to myself is just not all that gratifying! :) )

I've been asked some practical questions about taking food to people who are in some sort of crisis. I'm still thinking about that and hope to offer some tips tomorrow — for what they're worth. Surely every situation is different, just like everyone's needs are different, but I can maybe offer some suggestions based on our recent experiences. Working on that will be one of my afternoon projects. :)

And, as far as pondering my mortality and my use of time — well... I'm not sure that I'm finished thinking about that yet. Or that I ever will be, actually. But — that's probably a discussion for another day, too. I seem to function well by putting things in the back of my head and keeping them there for while to be worked through. At least, that's how I did it in the pre-brain tumor days. Now things seem to be a little more urgent, but old habits die hard, right? So — I continue to ponder.

 

Let's move on to a card and some family stuff...

Our 25 year old son has been given what seems to be a great opportunity. He's a server at the Charlotte Bricktops restaurant — and he was asked to be on the team from existing stores that will help to open a new Nashville-area (Franklin/Cool Springs) Bricktops. I mean... how many restaurant workers get the chance to travel and the responsibility of training a staff in another city? We think it's pretty cool and are extremely proud of him. 

He flew out this morning and will be in Tennessee until September 11. If you think of it, you can keep him in your prayers as he goes on this adventure. The timing is interesting since there are a lot of unknowns with me, so we would pray that I would do well during this time, that he would be able to focus on the task at hand, and that he would be calm and peaceful and a good representative for his employer. If this job goes well, Bricktops has plans to open several more restaurants over the next couple of years and I think that Ian would like to be a part of that expansion.

So — here is the card that we sent him off with this morning.

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And — since I know that Ian is probably a little bit anxious about this new opportunitiy, I did a little something inside, too. I stamped a scripture verse on a bit of cardstock and used a removable glue dot to place it inside the front cover. Removable? Yes, because I thought that if he were so inclinded he could take that little Bible verse and stick it in his wallet. But, since a mom is always thinking, I also stamped the verse directly on the card so that if he does choose to do as I suggested — well, he'll still have the verse in the card.

Gotta cover all the bases, you know.

AND TELL:  stamps are from Papertrey Ink (Star Prints) and Verve (1 Peter 5:7); cardstock is PTI (Vintage Cream), Stampin' Up (Baja Breeze), and a scrap of shimmery red from PaperSource; ink is Stampin' Up (More Mustard, Night of Navy, Not Quite Navy); also used a cheap-o mini-star punch and SU's star punch. 

And, I think that should be it for today. It's getting to be late in the afternoon and I know of two more sets of people who are stopping by tonight. If I don't get this posted soon, it just may not happen for a few more hours. And that might make some people nervous. Can't have that now can we? :)

Thank you so, so much for stopping by and for all your love and encouragement. Plans are to be back tomorrow. Looking forward to more time together... so I'll see you then. :)

Out of Order

That's how I feel sometimes. A little out of order. After a great start last week, I now think I need to put an "out of order" sign on myself. I'm not sure how it all fell apart, but it did. Nothing really happened. I just went on the fritz, I guess.

But... that's not what the title of this post is really referring, too. I have a system for "making up" challenges that I enjoy doing but have missed. I do the current challenge and then I post a card for the most distant week that I skipped. So that means that since I am doing cards for One Layer Wednesday challenges that I should be doing this week's challenge (OLW 58, to use orange, yellow, and aqua) and a card for OLW 48. And I have a card finished for that week. In fact, I've finished cards for most of the weeks that I couldn't find time for when they were live. But today is Father's Day. So — it would make more sense to show the card for OLW 56, when the "prompt" was to create a Father's Day card. So, here I am breaking my rule for what to post when. And that makes me uncomfortable. Call me crazy. Call me a slave to routine. Call me what you will. But, I'm still squirming as I break my own rule.

So, first of all, here is the card for this week's challenge issued by Susan.

SHOW

I think this card is cute. And it's me. (Even though it features a bird... or, as much as I've been using birds lately, maybe I should say... because it features a bird!) For being such a simple design it really took me quite some time to get it to the point where I was pleased with it. I won't share all my trials with you, but my final two are in the photo below.

Which one do you like the best?

AND TELL: stamps are from Papertrey Ink (Tag-its #2, Tag-its #3, Banner Builder); cardstock is PTI (Stampers Select White); ink is Stampin' Up (Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Cool Caribbean); also used a Corner Chomper.

And here is the card for the 56th One Layer Wednesday challenge. And this has become Ken's Father's Day card.

SHOW

He really is a first class male. :) He is always ready to do anything for me. I ask, he does. Better yet... most of the time I don't even have to ask. It's more like this... I mention, he does. Or... better YET... he notices, he does. Amazing, really. I don't know any other men like him. And... it's not just for me. He's like that with everyone. But especially with his children. He's one great dad! Happy Father's Day, Hon!

AND TELL: stamps are from Papertrey Ink (Postmarks, Star Prints); cardstock is PTI (Rustic White); ink is Stampin' Up (Riding Hood Red, Marina Mist, Sahara Sand), PTI (Tea Dye Duo), Memento (Tuxedo Black), and VersaMark.

I have nine posts started... just waiting to be finished and published. You'd think that would mean that I'd be back tomorrow. And I'd like to be... but I make no promises. There's a lot going on around here these days. :) 

Thanks so much for stopping by for a little visit. Hopefully we'll meet up again soon. Have a great Sunday! 

I'm here for you

Another card using last year's Papertrey Ink anniversary set, Round & Round — and this time I also used a piece of "vintage" map from the same 1966 atlas that the winner of my giveaway will be receiving some cuts from. (Click here to leave a comment on the giveaway post.)

SHOW

 
I decided that the medallion image resembles a (very fancy) compass rose so I added the directional abbreviations to it. Then using the "I'm here for you" sentiment just seemed like the logical choice. And —  even though I live on the east coast of the U.S., I think I'll always be a west coast girl at heart... so, I had to use this particular map. Beyond that, there's a bit of text peeking out from behind the rolled corner of the map and I did a little more distressing than usual, both with ink and with the edge of my scissors, for a small touch of that sort of shabby-vintage style.

AND TELL:  stamps are from Papertrey Ink (Round & Round, Simple Alphabet, Background Basics: Text Style); cardstock is Stampin' Up (Baja Breeze) and PTI (Kraft, Rustic White); ink is SU (Tangerine Tango) and PTI (True Black, Vintage Cream, Tea Dye Duo); also used PTI's Double-Ended Banner die and SU's Framed Tulips embossing folder and 1-3/4" circle punch along with a piece of map from an old atlas.

We've had a silhouette artist at preschool the last two days. So, how much fun do you think I had watching him at work?

 
Ingenious use of a personal-sized DVD player, don't you think? The kids were mesmerized by Nemo — 
no matter their age.

That's it for today. Don't forget that you can leave a comment on my blogiversary giveaway post (here) for a chance to win PTI's Round & Round set and a variety of old papers... like maps.

 
Thanks so much for spending a little bit of your day here with me! See you tomorrow for another card using Round & Round.

My sisters aren't so shabby...

but I did shabby up the cards that I made for them. :)

SHOW

This card has a special feature. Inside is a little pocket that holds scripture cards. I seem to be rather into scripture cards these days. The sentiment is partly a stamp from Unity and partly handwritten in a similar style. At least that's what I was going for...

I've told you before that I don't usually mix stamps from different companies, but I went wild here... I used some Verve. I used some Papertrey Ink. And even a bit of Unity. Crazy, I know.

Here are the little scripture cards. They can keep them, or they can give them away as an encouragement to others.

Cute, huh? I made four sets — one for each sister. That includes me. Can't leave myself out, can I?

AND TELL:  stamps are from Verve (Because of You, Psalm 31:24, I Corinthians 15:57, Proverbs 3:5, I Chronicles 16:34, Philippians 4:4, Nehemiah 8:10), Papertrey Ink (Fillable Frames #1, #4, #5, #6), and Unity (July 2009 KOM: pocket full of...); cardstock is PTI (Vintage Cream); patterned paper is October Afternoon (Farm Fresh collection); ink is Stampin' Up (Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Chocolate Chip) and PTI (Aqua Mist, Tea Dye Duo); felt is PTI (Harvest Gold, Simply Chartreuse); button is PTI (Aqua Mist); also used PTI dies (Fillable Frames #1, #4, #5, #6, large and small rickracks, Beautiful Blooms #2 and #3, Library Pocket), SU's Chocolate Chip marker, PTI's Rustic Cream Jute, and a Cuttlebug embossing folder from Frills Borders. 

Now — it's time for the next episode of Janelle's summer travels.

But first, let's finish up Florida.

We took this photo in the garage after church and right before we left to drive back to North Carolina — me, Ken's mom, and Ken. Don't you kinda love those sorta goofy self-portraits? Mmm. Digital photography. Such a wonder.

So now let's move on to the present. I'm currently in the middle of the 8th Annual Sister Weekend. Well, this year it's actually "Sister Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday" — but I'm still calling it Sister Weekend... just to keep things simple. These are the days each year that Ken's three sisters and I get together for a time of fun and laughter. Oh. And food. Can't forget the food.

This year we're in California. We spent last night in the Santa Barbara area. This was our hotel lobby.

Not my usual digs — but I'm always up for a little luxury. And what's not to love about a place that has...

handpainted room numbers on the doors and...

real keys.

This view out the front didn't hurt.

And that it was an easy bike ride out the back to this.

 
That thing they say about riding a bike... you know... "It's like riding a bike..." Like, you never forget how. Well, I hadn't ridden a bike for at least 20 years. I was wobbly. It was scary.

But — I did it. No crashes. No skinned knees. Just a little grease on my pants leg and a little nick inside my ankle from trying to brake without actually using the brakes. What would life be without taking a risk now and then?

I'm a little ahead of myself, though. Before the bike ride, we had dinner at a Mexican restaurant, where they started us out with chips and salsas.

We ate outside — which is so fun to do in California because the weather is perfect. Not too hot. Not too cold. Just right. :) 

 
I know you're wondering, so I'll show you...

Grilled Chicken Tostada. That was my dinner.

The purpose of the after dinner bike ride was to watch the sunset over the Pacific Ocean —

 
while eating dessert...

Tiramisu

Chocolate Souffle

Key Lime Pie (I know — it doesn't resemble any Key Lime Pie that I'd ever seen either...). 

Yep. Four sisters. Three desserts. That's because one sister only ordered a spoon. haha. (And, I'm sure you know that was not me!) 

Such a fun day. And, I'll have two more days of California fun to share. So —  
here's to Sister Weekend. Or Sister Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday. Whatever you want to call it.

I'll try to be back soon with another card and another day of sister fun. Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a little time here with me!

  

Cheer up, Buttercup

Our daughter Britt had been feeling badly for about a week. She sent me a pitiful e-mail the other day that said, "If you need an idea, I'd love an 'I wish you didn't feel yucky... ps I love you' card." So — here it is. (Also, for Susan's One Layer Wednesday challenge for this week, to use some form of watercolor on a card.)

SHOW

 
For the umbrella, I colored the stamp with a red watercolor crayon, spritzed and stamped. Then I diluted some Cool Caribbean ink and spattered it across the card front with by tapping the handle of a small paintbrush loaded with ink on the side of my hand. Before mailing the card, I wrote her exact words from the e-mail inside and stuck in a gift card to Panera Bread — chicken soup & whole grain baguette, by order of Dr. Mom. :) Glad you're feeling better now, Sweet Girl!

AND TELL:  stamps are from Papertrey Ink (Scattered Showers); cardstock is PTI (Rustic White); ink is Stampin' Up (Cool Caribbean) and PTI (Summer Sunrise); also used SU's Watercolor Wonders crayon (Real Red from Bold Brights set) and Martha Stewart's baker's twine. 

Edited to add:  I completely forgot that I was playing catch-up with the One Layer Wednesday challenges. But — lucky me — the challenge I was on was to add ribbon. I think baker's twine will work. OLW4, checked off the catch-up list. :)

And, to further prove that I'm good at pampering myself, too (as I mentioned in an earlier post)...

I couldn't stop by Panera Bread and not walk out with something for me! How about a Frozen Strawberry Lemonade? Mmmm. Perfectly refreshing on a hot day in the Carolinas!

Changing the subject, today at church our pastor started a series on Faith-Building. Part of his sermon was from James 1:2-8 — and he said something that really struck me:  to build faith — for our faith to grow — it must be stretched (exercised) and tested; that testing produces maturity in us. Whew — I'm glad to know that my trials have a purpose! :)

One thing that has become a bit of a routine for me, is to download a few songs from iTunes on Sunday afternoons. Often I include a song that we sang in church that day. Here is a video of one of today's songs — The Stand, by Hillsong United. This is a l-o-n-g video that is filled with images of worship occuring at Hillsong concerts. It takes a few minutes for the song to really get going (and 4 minutes to get to the chorus...), so if you choose to watch it — hang in there. And, if straggly, stringy hair on guys really bugs you, you may want to close your eyes for awhile — but, then, closing your eyes during worship isn't an altogether bad idea as it allows you to focus more on WHO you're worshiping rather than on what's going on around you... :) 

During his sermon, Kelvin also warned us that Satan's goal is to get us to doubt our faith — that it's OK to have questions, but that we can't take that to the point where we doubt who God is or what He wants to accomplish in us... that we need to stand firm in our faith. Always good to be reminded, isn't it?

So — as we begin a new week — Stand, my friend.

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."  Hebrews 11:6

Thanks for stopping by today. See you again soon.

(If you're interested in hearing Kelvin's July 18th sermon on faith-building, it should be ready to listen to  here in a day or two.)