Blue Christmas

I'd like to share some of Pastor's message from our service last night & a few of my own.

Why Blue Christmas? Because the joy of the season is absent. And, because the heart of the season is Christ - our encouragement in and out of season. Because I frequently have difficulty finding the words to express myself, these sentences really spoke to me. There is so much emotion unseen in our lives that when someone can put words to it provides so much clarity, which is often tied to treating depression which I can relate to as key to my healing. It has become my mission to educate my little corner of the world and those suffering with depression & their loved ones as they look to you for help.

First and foremost, being blue is being human. Don't let anyone tell you to get over it, or just get out of bed and go to work. You will have to lovingly excuse that person for their ignorance. Psalm 88 - for my soul is full of trouble and my life draws near the grave. I am as one without strength. I am set apart with the dead.

Feeling utterly alone and abandoned by all or "the darkness is my closest friend" is what depression does to us. That is your clue to find someone who can council you through it. You may not want to see another day, but I promise you that it will get better.

How many of us are struggling financially and maybe we are even homeless? Christ Jesus, who is fully human and fully divine, was born poor and homeless. He knows how we feel! But wait, there's more. When he died he was criminal, crucified and rejected!!

I'd like to leave this jewel with you. Christ Jesus is our Savior. That is just a little too vague for me, but when it is explained that He doesn't take away my loss, sorrow or suffering but he joins me in it! That is just powerful.

Pastor thank you for the words.

Faith

Tonight I want to share my thoughts on Pastor's message this weekend.  The theme was "Jesus Teaches About . . . Faith."

Jesus told this parable to some who trusted n themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with comtempt.  (Luke 18:9)
 
". . . when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

He started with telling us that 2 men went to the temple to pray - they stand before God.  Can you imagine what that is going to be like?  The first is a holy man.  He does all the right things, but has the wrong heart.  He trusts only himself.  The second is an ordinary man & does all the wrong things but he trusts in God. 

What is meant by faith on earth?  It means God wants us to trust in Him not in ourself.  Having grown up in the Lutheran faith, I still find that difficult.  Even though God has helped me thru some very difficult times in the past few years, I still find it difficult to rely on Him instead of myself.   I think that even Pastor or my fellow ChristCare ladies find this difficult.  So I wonder what must it be like for someone who does not know what little I have learned about God.   People who commit crimes, who are hopeless, in poverty, ill, and so many others - I can't imagine what they believe in.  What gets them thru the day. 

The world seems worse than it ever has been, there seems to be no way we can turn around the brokeness that we have become.  Yet, Pastor says with God, there is hope. 

Then when you think about Jesus he is the only sinless one.- the one who alone could stand before God without bowing down in search of mercy. 

And what does he do?  He humbles himself in accepting the suffering and death of the cross.  The one who is without sin takes on our sin. 

We are forgiven. 

Jesus said "Let the children come to me . . . for to such belongs the kingdon of God."    LIttle ones have that special childlike faith.  When you are around a little girl or boy you can't help but be amazed at the the love, trust, and faith that they have, we all fall in love with them and maybe we wish we could get some of that back for ourselves.

As much as we think we are doing God's work, we are not God and never will be.  We are all sinners, noone is better that the other, we should not judge others because we have not lived in their shoes, we should however share our love and compassion with them.   

God Bless each and everyone of you,
Deloris

Thanks so much for stopping by.

The Wizzarding World Of Harry Potter

My neice recently sent me a card with a couple of pictures of her in it. I was so thrilled I sat down and made this page.

Wicked

I saw a similar card on another blog recently & I just had to case it.

Recipe:

CS - Basic Black, Whisper White
DSP - Nite Owl
Accessories - Spooky Night Rub-Ons, Lace Trim Raven, Dimensionals, Boho Flower Punch, Eyelets Metallic

Happy Holidays

I went to Archiver's recently & found these beautiful flowers so I had to have the DP to match! Here's the result. I love it!

Recipe:

CS - Crumb Cake
DP - other
Accessories - Dimensionals, other

DCBD 197

Recently I was able to help a friend out who's hostess wanted a Halloween themed workshop and this holiday is not one her favorites so she didn't really have any current products. Since she knew I had ordered everything on one of our Halloween pages in the current mini, she asked if I could help her. I was so glad to be able to repay her for the many kind things that she has done for me. When she returned my items she had included the above stamped image knowing I didn't have it & that I love it. I may have to get this set now! Isn't she sweet? My friend, that is. The little girl image is also.

Recipe:

CS - Not Quite Navy, Whisper White
DSP - Ghostly Greetings (retired)
Stamps - Greeting Card Kids
Accessories - Spooky Night Rub-ons, Black Flourish Designer Jewels, Water Color Wonder Crayons, Aquapainter, Ribbon Originals Elementary (retired)

MOJO Monday 159

I'm still here, sort of anyway. I've also been creating but just can't take that next step of posting to my blog. I would love to hear from those of you who are kind enough to stop by. I could use some encouragement! It surely does a soul good.

Recipe:
CS - Baja Breeze, Blushing Bride, Whisper White
DSP - Candy Cane Christmas
Stamps - A Cute Christmas
Accessories - Pretty in Pink Ribbon, Stampin Write Markers

Happy Hallloween

Check out my ghosts! They were so simple & they are soooo cute! The large one was punched out with the Wide Oval punch and the smaller one with the Small Oval punch. I used Whisper White CS & the Basic Black Marker for the eyes. The card base is Tangerine Tango and the DSP is Nite Owl. I used our new Waffle paper in black & Pear Pizzazz for the matting. The verse is from Teeny Tiny Phrases stamped in VersaMark, adding Whisper White Embossing Powder on top, melted it with my heat gun & there you have it! Oops I used silver brads from Vintage Brads - this configuration has retired.

Love You

I just love this card! Why do I sound so surprised you may ask. It's because I am not a fan of the color green. The colors here are Wild Wasabi, Garden Green, Crumb Cake & Very Vanilla. When I saw this new DSP in our catalog that came out in August, I was definitely drawn to it. So recently I decided to order it to fill my need for new DSP. Wild Wasabi is a current color brought back from several years ago, I still had an unopened package of 8-1/2 x 11 cs.
Thanks for stopping by.

Recipe:
Card Stock - Wild Wasabi, Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake
DSP - Woodland Walk
Stamps - Dreams du Jour
Classic Ink - Wild Wasabi
Punches - Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border, Curly Label
Big Shot, Beautiful Wings Die
Accessories - Glimmer Brads Neutrals

Sharing

My life has changed dramatically in the last 6 months.  I've faced new challenges and have learned to live with the losses in my life.  Major depression robs you of so many basic functions, I will go into this some other time.  For those of you who frequent my site, my apologies for not posting regularly.  One of my challenges has been to find a new photo software program as I fried the motnherboard on 2 computers and lost everything I had stored in them.  Thru my friend Kathy, I discovered Picassa.  I'm still learning the ins and outs of this program.  So, thanks for continuing to visit, I hope you'll come back.  Feel free to leave a comment or question.

Have a blessed day,
Deloris

The Last of Arla's SWAPS From Convention

More of Arla's SWAPS From Convention

More of Arla's SWAPS From Convention

More of Arla's SWAPs From Convention

More of Arla's SWAPs from Convention

Convention SWAPS

More SWAPS

More SWAPS

Arla's Convention SWAPS

My friends Lisa & Arla attended our yearly convention in Salt Lake City recently - they had a blast. Maybe next year I will be going. Here are some of the swaps Arla received. Aren't they they best? Thanks Arla for sharing.