Praise the Lord

***********For this week's post, I have shared some songs. To listen to them, scroll to the bottom and pause or turn of radio worship.********


Psalm 148:7-10
Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding, you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds.

That is the wonderful scripture that my Sister in Christ, Peggysue picked for this week. Just because my name wasn't specifically mentioned, doesn't mean that I'm not included, and the same goes for you. We ALL must Praise the Lord. In good times and in bad times! Last week my boys and I were having to work outside in one of our trailers, cleaning up a mess. It was extremely hot and boring work. To get their minds off of the "Trouble" I started singing praise songs at the top of my lungs. This song was one that I was having fun singing:





The funny thing about singing praises, it not only lifted our spirits, but it made the work go faster.

This song came to my mind this week as I was studying this scripture. (I really like how David Crowder does this song.)







This scripture in Luke 19:38-40 also came to my mind.

“BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD;
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!”

This song goes along with the second scripture:




Peggysue's challenge to the Stampin' Sisters in Christ this week was to make a card with a creature on it. It could be as SMALL as an ant or as LARGE as a whale. I went with ants. This adorable ant digi is from Doodle Pantry, this week's sponsor.

These digi's of the falling ants made me think of this old song.

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

Several of the Design Team Sisters are taking a short break. While they are gone, we have Teresa and Traci to fill in as guest Designers.

Kris Linda Miesje Pegggysue Rebekka Teresa Traci

Sing to the Lord

Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.


This is the wonderful scripture that my Stampin' Sister in Christ, Grace choose for this week.

When my kids were little they went through the "WHY" stage. Where every couple of minutes they would ask WHY? At first it was cute then it got a little annoying having to explain WHY all the time. I wonder if that is how God feels when we ask why.

It seems to me I ask WHY? more when bad things happen then when good things happen. When I see bad circumstances, I think "Why did God allow that to happen?" Are you like me? I think the verse Grace picks explains the reasons I can't understand. His thoughts and his ways are so different from mine.

I love this song by Laura Story called Blessings. This scripture goes along so well with this song. I hope you will go listen to it.

Blessings



The challenge for Stampin' Sisters in Christ was to make a card that shows contrast of black and white. Our Sponsor this week is Layers of Color. I just love Layers of Color images. I used a Layers of Color set to make my card. This music set called Joyful Noise, from the moment I saw it, made me happy. I have a very musical family and this is one of my all time favorite sets.
This card is very CAS for me, but I felt that the musical flourish needed nothing more. I printed the scripture on my computer.

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

Chris Grace Kris Linda Lisa Miesje Pegggysue Rebekka Sabrina

Color block MOJO 200 cards

This is the scripture that my Christian Sister Kris picked for today's Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge.
2 Samuel 6:14 And David was dancing before the LORD with all his might, and David was wearing a linen ephod.

David was dancing to celebrate the Ark of God coming to his city. There were sacrifices and trumpet music and shouting. The really interesting part to me is what happens next. Michal, King David's wife see's him dancing and gets really embarrased and angry at him. She says to him...

" How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!” 2 Samuel 6:20.

She was critical of the way David was worshiping God. When he was dancing, I don't think he even took notice of those around him, it was just God and him. He told her...

"It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the LORD." 2 Samuel 6:21

When it comes to dancing, I'll admit that I am not the most graceful person. I never had dance lessons, and the congregation that I grew up in didn't even say the "D" word. Dancing was of the devil. Now, I know that there are some suggestive types of dancing and I don't think they are appropriate, but I have experienced seeing pure joy expressed in dancing. I have a teenaged daughter, to whom dancing is just a natural part of her. When she was little and was happy, she would just dance around the room. When she and her friends would meet, she would do a happy dance and clap her hands. She is a senior in High School now, and still will have moments of joy dancing. She will be walking along and all of a sudden do a grand jete, which is a jump in the air with the splits. My sister has a little girl who is physcially challenged, however she expresses her happiness by dancing as well. I think it was this kind of joy dancing that David was doing.

It made me think of this quote...

Dance like no one is watching, Love like you'll never be hurt, Sing like no one is listening, Live like it's heaven on earth.

Wouldn't it be great if we all worshipped God without caring about what others around us were thinking?

The challenge from Kris was to make a "Dancing" card: a card that moves. I chose to make a waterfall card.

This week's sponsor is Designed2Delight. One winner will win $10 to use at her store.

Check out what other dancing cards that my Stampin' Sisters have made...

Chris Grace Kris Linda Lisa Miesje Pegggysue Rebekka Sabrina

MFP July hop day 4

Hello! Welcome to the July 2011 MFP New Releases Blog Hop!

This week's new releases are: Little Birds With Big Mouths, Planted with Love, Lilacs in the Summer, and Adirondack Summer.For your convenience, all these sets are available TODAY at Mark's Finest Papers.



So, do you want to WIN today's Featured Stamp Set: Adirondack Summer? (If you don't want to wait to win, you can always purchase the sets right away! We'll substitute a set from NEXT month's release if today's winner has already purchased this set!)

For your chance to win: Comment on the following Design Team members' blogs TODAY before midnight EDT. There will be ONE random winner chosen from the comments on today's Blog Hop blogs. That winner will win Adirondack Summer. We will announce the winner's name on tomorrow's blog post.

Emily
Nancyruth
Neva
Silvia
Faith
Claudine
Dawn
Marilynn
Patricia
Chrissy
Karen
Pam
Joanne
Kittie
Mark’s Finest Papers

I added the sheet music In the garden with this adorable set. I added the two flowers and lace. The image was stamped with black stazon and colored with prisma colored pencils.

Mark's Finest Papers July hop day 3 LILACS IN THE SUMMER

Hello! Welcome to the July 2011 MFP New Releases Blog Hop!

This week's new releases are: Little Birds With Big Mouths, Planted with Love, Lilacs in the Summer, and Adirondack Summer.For your convenience, all these sets are available TODAY at Mark's Finest Papers.

So, do you want to WIN today's Featured Stamp Set: Lilacs in the Summer? (If you don't want to wait to win, you can always purchase the sets right away! We'll substitute a set from NEXT month's release if today's winner has already purchased this set!)

For your chance to win: Comment on the following Design Team members' blogs TODAY before midnight EDT. There will be ONE random winner chosen from the comments on today's Blog Hop blogs. That winner will win Lilacs in the Summer. We will announce the winner's name on tomorrow's blog post.

Emily
Nancyruth
Neva
Silvia
Faith
Claudine
Dawn
Marilynn (This is me!)
Patricia
Chrissy
Karen
Pam
Joanne
Kittie
Mark’s Finest Papers



These are a few cards that I have made using this fabulous set. I love these lilacs, don't you?

Mark's Finest Papers July blog hop day 2

Hello! Welcome to the July 2011 MFP New Releases Blog Hop!

This week's new releases are: Little Birds With Big Mouths, Planted with Love, Lilacs in the Summer, and Adirondack Summer.For your convenience, all these sets are available TODAY at Mark's Finest Papers.

So, do you want to WIN today's Featured Stamp Set: Planted With Love? (If you don't want to wait to win, you can always purchase the sets right away! We'll substitute a set from NEXT month's release if today's winner has already purchased this set!)

For your chance to win: Comment on the following Design Team members' blogs TODAY before midnight EDT. There will be ONE random winner chosen from the comments on today's Blog Hop blogs. That winner will win Planted With Love. We will announce the winner's name on tomorrow's blog post.

Lois
Vicky
Dawn
Anne
Peggysue
Connie
Emily
Karen
Patty
Roxie
Vicki
Liz
Geri
Lynn
Mark’s Finest Papers

I made a card last week with this set and tried using the ink-spray-smash technique to make the background look like the outside of the watermelon. I think this one turned out even better. Usually when I do that technique I try to smash the colors together so that there aren't stripes or blotches of one color, but this time I tried to be extra careful so that there would be distinct stripes. I also embossed some vertical lines on the base.

I love the title of this set... planted with love. So many times we need to plant love to see it grow and bloom. It may start out as a little seed and with care and nuturing grow to a big love.

This set made me think of my first time planting a garden. My family had just moved to Illinois and we had the opportunity to start a garden. My kids were all giving input to what we should grow. Pumpkins and watermelons were on their list. In my inexperience I did't know that pumpkins and watermelons shouldn't be planted near eachother because the cross pollinate. We ended up with watery pumpkins and really gross tasting watermelons.

July MFP blog hop day 1

Hello! Welcome to the July 2011 MFP New Releases Blog Hop!

This week's new releases are: Little Birds With Big Mouths, Planted with Love, Lilacs in the Summer, and Adirondack Summer.For your convenience, all these sets are available TODAY at Mark's Finest Papers.

So, do you want to WIN today's Featured Stamp Set: Little Birds With Big Mouths? (If you don't want to wait to win, you can always purchase the sets right away! We'll substitute a set from NEXT month's release if today's winner has already purchased this set!)

For your chance to win: Comment on the following Design Team members' blogs TODAY before midnight EDT. There will be ONE random winner chosen from the comments on today's Blog Hop blogs. That winner will win Little Birds With Big Mouths. We will announce the winner's name on tomorrow's blog post.

Lois
Vicky
Dawn
Anne
Peggysue
Connie
Emily
Karen
Patty
Roxie
Vicki
Liz
Geri
Lynn
Mark’s Finest Papers


The office building where my husband and I run our trucking company has a hole in the siding that some little birds had gone through the siding to the attic to build their nest. This last week one of the baby birds fell out of the nest and was sitting on the dropped ceiling of the office. On Friday, it was calling so loudly to it's mom that I swear it had a BIG MOUTH. My oldest son went to the shop and put on hearing protectors to block out the bird. As I was finishing this card for the hop, the baby bird dropped through the ceiling and started trying to fly around the office. I was screaming while trying to shoo it out the door. Too bad I didn't have anyone video tapping it so I could show you.

Check out this week's Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge.

James 2:18,19 But someone will say, You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe and tremble.

What a great reminder to not just SAY you have faith, but to back up what we SAY with what we DO. It made me think of David. I can imagine that if we could ask the Isrealite army if they believed in God, they would have said "Of course we do!" But when the giant Goliath came, they were afraid and trembled and let it go on for 40 days. Then along came David, who backed up his faith, by taking stones, and a sling (not really battle equipment) and went out to battle the trained, giant warrior. He knew that God would defend him and that he would be victorious.

I think is was interesting that King Saul tried to PROTECT David by giving him his bronze helmet, shield and sword (more along the lines of what I would call battle equipment) But David turned him down and put his whole trust in God. What might have happened if David had tried to put that trust in his own abilities and that armor? I don't think he would have had the victory.

Another thing that I find interesting about this story is that after David put works to his faith, that it encouraged the Isrealite army, who picked up their equipment and went to battle with the Philistines.


I am praying that this week as I come up against the GIANTS in my life, that I will put my whole trust in God, and that I will put works to my faith, so that when others look at me they will be encouraged like the Isrealite army.


This is Rebekka's challenge:

"What works for you use your favorite item for stamping, it could be a stamp, embossing folder, favorite spellbinder shape."

I choose to go with my favorite technique... Ink-Spray-Smash, my favorite colors blue and green, my favorite butterfly (Mark's Finest Papers).

Simon Says Stamp is our sponsor this week.

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

Chris Grace Kris Linda Lisa Miesje Pegggysue Rebekka Sabrina

Sneak Peek - Watermelon card.

This is for Splitcoast Free for all challenge to make a card that represented SUMMER to us. When I was little I remember eating watermelon at my grandma's house in the summer. She would cut us pieces and give us knives to eat the watermelons with. My great grandma, who lived to be 99 years old would always cut out the heart of the watermelon. She always said, when you have lived as long as I have you can do what you want. This watermelon stamp is a sneak peek at a set that will be released next week, by Mark's Finest Papers, called Planted with Love. I combined it with the checkerboard strip from another Mark's Finest Papers set called Snowman Country. The green panel, I ink spray smashed. I tried to get it to look like the outside of a watermelon. The checked paper I made using Excel. I made the cells square and colored them in a checkerboard pattern.

1" circle punch. Red and Green

Star punch for "BITE"

I put glue on back of red piece and glued off center to green piece.

I used a MS border punch as a mask for the seeds.

See how the leaves of the flowers kinda look like seeds?

I placed the mask over the watermelon.

I colored in the leaf area with black colored pencil.

What is missing?

Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God.

What a great reminder to be still and spend time with God. I know that my summer has been BUSY! Some of that business is just wasted time, and some of it is doing good things, but even good things if they keep me too busy to spend time with God are not good. Lord help me to make spending time with you this week a priority!

Outside

Inside

The challenge this week was to make a CAS card. I really struggled with this. I tend to make life more complicated than it needs to be. I used my Layers of Color creative flourish stamp on some ink spray and smashed paper and used my puzzle die cut to make the card. The sentiments were made using my computer.
This last week we had VBS at our Church. We shared the gospel simply with the kids.

1. We are all sinners.

2.We deserved death.

3. God loves us.

4.God sent Jesus to live a perfect life.

5. Jesus took our punishment by dying for us.

6. God brought Jesus back to life.

7. We can have salvation by asking Jesus to be our Savior.

8. Live for God.

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

Chris Grace Kris Linda Lisa Miesje Pegggysue Rebekka Sabrina