You are a blessing

Today I made a card for a friend using a really old wooden block stamp from Hampton Art that I've had for ages (since 2012!) as the focal point for my card. 

I stamped it on black card stock and heat embossed it using pearl embossing powder.  I wanted to image to 1) stand out and 2) match the pretty background paper I'd chosen.  The paper started out with purple and pink at the bottom fading into a light yellow at the top.  (Makes me think of a sunset!)

After embossing the image, I cut it out using deckle scissors to add some interest to the image, and added fushia dazzle stickers to the centers of the flowers.

I like the simplicity of the card, but I think it is quite striking by have such a contrast between the pink/purple of the background and the black on the image.

I am going to submit it to the Retro Rubber Challenge blog for their "anything goes" challenge this week.

My A.U.G. degree

A few weeks ago I did a presentation at my regular Bible study group at a local assisted living facility to which those who attended had an exceptionally good response.  So good, in fact, that several times since then they have asked me to write it out for them to share with their families!  Although that response is gratifying to me, I am humbled that such a simple presentation as I gave that day had such a big impact on them!  I think it inspired them to think about the value of the Word of God to our everyday lives.

This week I sat down and wrote out a simplified version of what I said in my presentation.  I'll make some copies to take to them this coming Sunday afternoon when I go for my next Bible study with them, but I decided to put my newly-written, as yet unedited, version here on my blog as well.

DO YOU HAVE YOUR A.U.G. DEGREE?

By Jo Ann Rhodes

II Timothy 2:15

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to   

     be ashamed   (New International Version)

(The King James Version puts it this way: Study to show thyself approved unto God, a

     workman that needeth not to be ashamed)

This verse tells us about a graduation of sorts.  Just what is “graduation?”  We usually think of it mainly in terms of completion of a course of study, but it can also apply to any situation in which we are ready to move on to a new level of life or experience, whether it is school or work-related.  In either case, it is a matter of being ready to move on to the next level.

What are the requirements of graduation, as for graduating from high school?  According to the state Department of Education, two main requirements are: 1) completing certain courses of study, and 2) passing an examination that proves that you have adequately learned the lessons you have studied.

There are several ways in which this study and graduation are very similar to our spiritual lives as well.  Our entire life is our course of study for our “graduation” to the “next level” of life, our eternal destiny, heaven for those who have committed their lives to Jesus Christ as their Savior.  As God’s children, we are working on our A.U.G. degree!  2 Timothy 2:15 tells us we are to study to show ourselves “APPROVED UNTO GOD.”

The word “study” in this verse means to “do your best”, “be diligent.”  Note that this verse does not say that we are to study in order to be approved by God!  It is not the studying that gives us salvation.  “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.” (Titus 3:5)  No, our studying is living a life that honors God.  Our course of study for our graduation to heaven is our life experiences.   Each time we have an experience where we learn another step in loving God or trusting Him, or entrusting our lives and concerns into His hands, it’s like taking another course in that subject.

What are the courses that are requirements for graduation?  Here again, we see a beautiful parallel between studying for graduation from high school and our spiritual study in preparation for what lies beyond this life on earth.  We can learn some valuable lessons for our spiritual “study” by looking at the course requirements from the Department of Education.

ENGLISH AND LANGUAGE ARTS

By studying God’s literature (the Bible), we learn what pleases God and that in turn equips us for living our lives in a way that pleases God.

     All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and

     training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for

     every good work. ~ I Tim.3:16-17

      

MATHEMATICS

God uses this short life on earth to help us prepare for eternity.

     Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. ~ Psalm 90:12   

 SCIENCE

 God, who created the vast universe as well as this earth and all of us, loves us as

 individuals and cares for us, and provided a way of salvation from our sins.

     When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which

     you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings

    that you care for them? ~ Psalm 8:3-4

 

HISTORY

God never changes so what we learn of Him from the Bible, which was written hundreds of years ago, is still true today.  

     Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. ~ Hebrews 13:8

ECONOMICS

The most important thing we do during our lives on earth is to put into our heavenly savings account by remembering that our most important investments are spiritual investments.

     Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, 

     and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,

    where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.    

    For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ~ Matt. 6:19-21

             

GOVERNMENT/CIVICS

It is our responsibility to support our authorities in prayer and honesty, whether or not we agree with them.

     I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and           thanksgiving be made

     for all people—  for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and

     quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  This is good, and pleases God our Savior.

     ~ 1 Timothy 2:1-2

     Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s. ~ Matt. 22:21

   

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

     Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in

     such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict

     training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that

     will last forever. ~ 1 Corinthians 9:24-25

     Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let            us throw off 

     everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with  

     perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus. ~ Heb. 12:1-2

We are to study, i.e., do our best, be diligent, and work hard to learn what God wants us to learn during our lifetime.  2 Timothy 2:15 tells us that if we do that, when we “graduate” and stand before God we will not be ashamed.  We will not be ashamed because we will have trusted in Jesus for our forgiveness of sin and our salvation, and we will not be ashamed because we will have studied our courses diligently so God could teach us during our time here on earth.   We will have our A.U.G. degree!

Love birds

Not long ago I bought a stamp set of cute little love birds that I got a discount on but I had not had a good occasion to use any of the stamps until this week when I wanted to make a card to go with a gift for a wedding shower.  This stamp was perfect!

I stamped and heat embossed the image on blue card stock, on yellow card stock, and on the shimmery golden card stock that I used for the label.  Then I enhanced the little boy blue bird with some markers and cut it out.  Did the same for the little girl bird on the yellow card stock and added a little bit of silvery glittery pen along with some color and cut it out and glued it onto the label stamp.  I added the boy bird with some foam so it pops up a little bit.  Colored the branches and the hearts with markers and I think it turned out really cute.  I love the paper in the background, with the muted circles of various colors.  I hope she will enjoy the little birds as much as I enjoyed putting them together!

5 from 2

I had a 12 in. x 12 in. piece of flower paper that had big beautiful peachy-orange roses on a white background, and a sheet of orange gingham that seemed to match very well, so I decided to challenge myself and see how many cards I could get out of the paper.  This is the result:

 I was interested to see how different the flowers and gingham looked when using three different shades of green paper as an enhancement. All three matched bits of the leaves, but created a really different look each time.

For these I used a pale green as the solid green base:

And for these two I used a darker green that had more blue in it:

And for the last one I used yet a different green color as the base and it looks completely different.

I still had a small piece of the flowered paper and one of the gingham but I decided that five was enough for one day!

I like trying new little challenges on myself that help me stretch my creativity but I still am weak in courage to try more unusual color combinations, but who knows what I may try next!