Prepare To Be Amazed!

I have been out bargain shopping again and look what I bought this week for 10 cents!  When I saw this package at the store, I didn't know what I would do with it, but when I got home much to my surprise there were already 3 cards in it and all I had to do was embellish them. Imagine my amazement to realize I had purchased 3 cards all for the low, low price of 3 cents each!   Yes, it's the little things in life people!

Don't you just love it when we are amazed by God?  I mean something that you knew only the God of the universe could orchestrate?  I have heard some call these "God Sightings".

Scripture tells us of several people who were amazed by God.  Some examples are: The people who heard the shepherds account of the angels visiting them were "amazed". (Luke 2:18).  People were "amazed" when Jesus preached in the temple as a child about His wisdom and understanding (Luke 2:47).   When Christ calmed the sea in Mark 6:51, the scripture said the disciples were "completely amazed".  I mean knock down, jaw dropping amazed!  When Jesus appears to the disciples in the upper room after his resurrection, Luke 24:41 says:  "And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything to eat?"    Was Jesus really hungry?  I don't think so, but how would they know He was really alive?  He ate with them!  In fact the word "amazed" is used over 51 times in scripture.

I wanted to share a time when as a young woman I was totally amazed by God.  I hadn't been a Christian very long, so I did not know scriptures very well.  My grandmother was dying from cancer and she lived 700 miles away.  This was when my children were little so there were school issues, money issues, and time off work to consider and work out.  I debated about returning and prayed about what I should do.  I wanted to be there at the end, but I also knew that my mother would need me after she died.  I was reading in Romans 8:38, 39 one morning these words:  "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."(NIV) There was my "God sighting"...nothing could take Grandma from me, because of her faith in Christ, I would see and be with her for an eternity. I became totally at peace with waiting.  You might think that would be the end of the story (as Paul Harvey used to say) but as we were sitting at her funeral, guess which passage the pastor chose?  Romans 8:38,39!  I was totally amazed and the peace which came over me was incredible.   God not only comforted me beforehand, He was comforting me at the funeral with the same passage!  I bet you thought Romans 8 was written for you also, didn't you? To this day, whenever I hear anyone quote from Romans 8 a big smile comes to my face.

My mentoring suggestion today would be, look for those "God Sightings" in your life.  Sometimes we get too busy to slow down and notice them.  It doesn't even have to be gigantic ones, it can be the little things in life!

"KEEPING THINGS AT HAND"

TODAY'S PROJECT 

This week I have been organizing my craft room.  Now, this is no simple task because you see, I am a gatherer. There I said it, and now it's out in the open!  I don't think there are support groups for this habit of mine...but there is a TV show that might relate, called "Hoarders".  Just kidding, I'm not nearly that out of control!  I do, however, tend to gather supplies from thrift stores or items on sell. I have supplies of cloth, lace, do-dads (technical term), embellishments, painting supplies, artificial flower arranging supplies, rubber stamps, scrapbooking, and cardmaking supplies just to name a few. You can do this ladies once the little birdies start leaving home and you finally get that craft room! The issue with my gathering is, I never remember what I have, or where the item is when I need it.  I would just love for things to be more organized and right at my fingertips. Thus the reason for this craft room revitalization.

So begins my analogy for today...the scripture tells me this:  "Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee"  Psalms 119:11 (KJV).  God's word is to be stored away in my mind so I know where to go, not only when I need it, but it can actually prevent me from sinning!  The verses my grandmother and Sunday School teachers taught me are still there 60+ years later and believe you me I draw from them plenty!  Hopefully, this gives you moms encouragement that your time is not wasted teaching bible verses to your children while they are young.  You may not see the fruits of it now, but it can be something that turns that child around or provides strength for them as they get older.  The parenting book called, "Growing Kid's, God's Way", says our minds are also like moral warehouses where we store things to help us or our children make wiser choices.

I can't memorize scripture you might say?  How many pin numbers and passwords do we already have memorized? Same principle, we write it down, recite it over and over, until we know it one phrase, then one verse at a time.  I have read books about prisoners of war in concentration camps. These people thirsted for the written word of God and in most cases could only pull from their moral warehouses for the information! The book, "The Hiding Place", by Corrie Ten Boom is about a woman who spent time in a Nazi concentration camp and is a perfect example of this.  I wonder how much I could glean from what is stored in my mind at this point?  Just something I am asking myself this day. It may seem like I am pointing a finger but I have four more pointed right back at me!

I am including a little project that I did for my craft organizing quest this week. I was looking at those little plastic boxes that Crisco sticks come in and thought this could be re-purposed as a button keeper. For the top I just used some paper tape I bought at the dollar tree and some ric rack hot glued around the edge. You could also use Washi Tape, scrapbook paper, or even material glued on it.  I made my flower out of circles of scrapbook paper that I spritzed with water, crumbled up into a ball and joined together in the center by a brad. Then open it up like petals on a flower until it is the way you want it.  Let it air dry and hot glue the flower on the top. You could also use the container for small "American Girl" items and embellish it that way. For boys, perhaps hot glue a Hot Wheels Car on top or some Lego's.  Just some ideas to help "Keep Things At Hand!"

BEFORE ITEM

AFTER ITEM

The Tie That Binds

Yes, I am back at sewing again and this is my latest creation:  This quilt was originated from 12 squares of 9 x 9" material blocks that I found at a thrift store for less than $2.00.   It was backed by a fleece blanket and seam binding purchased there as well.  The whole thing cost me less than $4.00!  A trash to treasure find!

It's a very simple baby blanket for the Crisis Pregnancy Center that has the softest fleece on the back. However, if you know anything about quilts, you will notice that in this picture, it doesn't have one essential item....THE BINDING!  If I left this quilt like it was, all the edges would begin to unravel and fall apart, especially the first time it was washed.

Webster defines the word bind as:  "to fasten or secure with or as if with a band" it can also mean to bandage, to unite, to place under obligation or to secure within a cover.  I'm sure you are beginning to see where my analogy is going this week. The bible uses the word bind some 54 times. In Psalm 147:3 it says of God:   "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds".  But how does God do this? Please allow me to continue with my quilt analogy.  I don't pretend to be an expert on quilt making, but I have been to the International Quilt Market in Houston, Texas and I can tell you there are some beautiful quilts out there!  I remember seeing one the most beautiful bride quilts, that if you didn't know better, you would think it was a painting.  It was just pieces of material, planned, originated, and placed by the maker but with the most beautiful picture resulting.

So it is with us, God takes each of us in this crazy quilt we call life, places us where He desires, to accomplish the plans that He originates.   Once we trust Christ as our personal saviour, God does an amazing thing, He then binds (fastens, secures) us together in Him so that when this world threatens to undo us, we don't unravel and we can remain fastened in Him.   My mentoring question today is this: Do you feel like your life is unraveling and none of the pieces are making sense?  Run to the one who binds all things together.  After all...He is the only one with the plan and He knows how all the pieces fit together!