Sunday, October 23, 2011

Stampin' Sisters in Christ and 12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop Combined to save TIME

(For Mark's Finest Papers 12 days of Christmas blog hop keep scrolling down to about 1/2 way through this post.)


Time
Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8
1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

If there is a time for everything, why do I struggle so much with the issue of time? I start each day rushed and have so much to do that I always run out of time by the end of the day when I collapse into bed, with things left undone. I find myself wishing I had MORE TIME.
There are several questions about time that have been on my heart lately.

HOW MUCH TIME DO I HAVE LEFT? In the past several months, several times, death has touched people I know. In several of the cases the people were really young. 2 were still in their teens.

DID THEY KNOW THAT THEIR TIME WAS ALMOST UP? No, because none of us really know when our time is up.

IF TODAY WAS MY LAST DAY, HOW WOULD I SPEND IT? WOULD I WASTE EVEN A MINUTE OF IT? There are so many time wasters that I find in my day. Waiting in line, watching tv, getting on facebook( just being honest and transparent here). If today were my last, I hope I would spend it with my kids, my husband, my family, my friends, my church… making memories in the relationships that I treasure.

Lord, help me to get my priorities straight today and not waste my time.

IF I KNEW THAT TODAY WAS YOUR LAST WOULD I TREAT YOU DIFFERENTLY?
WOULD I TELL YOU THAT I LOVE YOU?
WOULD I MAKE SURE YOU KNEW THAT HEAVEN WAS YOUR DESTINATION?
WOULD I TREAT YOU WITH KINDNESS AND FORGIVENESS?

Lord help me to interact with those around me as if today were their last day. Don’t let me live with the regret of things undone, unsaid.

My challenge is for you to make a card or project that shows time. Examples: clock (minutes/hours), sun or stars (days), calendar (years), seasons...etc.

Here is my project. It is a calendar that I made for the 12 days of Christmas blog hop for Mark's Finest Papers. Kind of ironic that my post today is about time and this project is one that has taken a lot of time to complete.(Don't ask how many hours...) I saw it in my head but putting it together has taken hours.(Change that to days.) I printed my calendar using Microsoft Excel. I cut the calendar pages out and glued them at the top. When they were done, I made a base for my calendar out of an old cereal box. The toppers were printed using Microsoft Excel as well. I made 12 toppers each with a different blessing. I then stamped images from all of my Mark's Finest Papers sets to go along with those blessings. I then cut and matted them onto dp and cardstock. I taped a giant paper clip to the back of the toppers leaving about half of the paper clip hanging down. All of the toppers fit nicely inside the calendar. There is a slit cut at the top of the calendar for the toppers to fit into.



Our Sponsor this week is: Digital Delights by Louby Lou

Check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created...

Kris Linda Miesje Pegggysue Traci Grace

Now on to ...


12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS BLOG HOP


Speedy the Cat at Mark's Finest Papers likes to get a head start on special Christmas gifts and memories for friends and family. He gathered the design team at Mark's Finest Papers to bring you 12 days of exciting paper crafting gift ideas to get that holiday mojo flowing. The hop runs for 12 consecutive days, starting October 17th! Begin your holiday hop at Speedy's home base, the Mark's Finest Papers blog and relax with a cup of eggnog (or sprig of catnip, your choice) as Speedy leads you though a short, daily hop. You'll find your holiday paper crafting ideas and supplies at Mark's Finest Papers.

Welcome to the 12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop! We have four samples each day for our hop! Please visit each of the following blogs for holiday inspiration!
Peggysue

Connie

Anne

MariLynn

This shows the back side of a topper. See how I just taped the paper clip to the back.

See how the toppers fit inside the calendar.


I love this song about time by Chris Rice and thought I would share it with you!!!



Thank you for taking the TIME to read this really long post!!

16 comments:

  1. Wow MariLynn!!! What an amazing post! I loved reading your thoughts on todays Scripture! You always have such inspiration for my soul and I love coming to read them each Sunday! Your calendar is absolutely amazing! I can see why it took hours to make! WOW!! Gorgeous images and beautiful work as always!!! I pray you have a wonderful week enjoying each moment of time!!!!
    hugs,
    Grace

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  2. What a beautiful devotional Marilynn!! It truly makes you think, and yes we must live each day as if it were our last sharing His love with others. Thanks for always writing such a detailed and wonderful devotional. I look forward to your writing and interpretation each week. God has blessed you with a great talent and focus on Him!!

    Your calendar is so clever. Love each and every page! The teacups are my favorite with that sentiment and your stunning coloring!!
    Have a blessed week!!
    hugs,
    Chris

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  3. MariLynn--what a creative way to make your calendar page decorations!!!! I've never seen it done this way, but now I really want to try it! This calendar is just wonderful! TFS

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  4. Great post - The "time" it took to read it was well worth it! I love that calender topper idea - you are brilliant and creative! Your scripture verse was perfect. Thanks for letting God lead you to this one, I needed to hear this one! Have a great week!

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  5. Love this project, how clever!! Glad you shared it!

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  6. Thanks for a great devotional! Wonderful calender toppers!

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  7. WOW, this is just a sensational little project love that idea of attaching it to a paper clip. Liz Williams

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  8. MariLynn - thank you for showing us your project, and for sharing your thoughts - as ever they reflect who you are and your walk, and cause me to pause and think.
    Blessings
    Maxine

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  9. Love your calendar. I love how you used everyday items like the paper clips. Great job.

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  10. I love your fabulous 12 months of blessings calendar!! What remarkable work, MariLynn!

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  11. A nifty idea with the toppers. I've not heard or seen this idea before. I really like how it looks.
    Connie

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  12. MariLynn lovely devotion as usual! And yes, I have been thinking a lot about time lately and am devoting myself to some new tasks that I think are a good use of my time. I think its funny that independently we were working on a calendar idea that used interchangeable images for the different months and didn't know it. Great idea using the clips!

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  13. Oh wowie!! LOVE THIS Marilynn!! Such neat toppers and how neat to see that they are just clipped on like that. I love it!! I'm gonna have to try this for sure. My head is spinning though and not sure I can get it all done. Will have to make time and just do it. Beautiful inspiration today. Thank you for your devo... words of wisdom there! Have a blessed week,
    Kris

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  14. This must have taken oodles of time. It's gorgeous!

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  15. Love, love, love the ideas of the calendar tags! These would be a good gift for the desks of my mother and in-laws! I began some tags for advent and have a few posted. I know, I'm late getting started, but will continue on with the project until I'm done! Have a Merry Christmas! :)

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