Scrapbook Sunday???

Well, I told Catie that I would try to join her on her Scrapbook Sunday posts. I have one problem. I don't do any scrap booking anymore. :(  I'll spare you the long explanation. Anyway, I do LOVE to make cards, so I thought I could post a picture of a card I've made.
This is a bad picture...a bit blurry...and it was difficult to really capture the colors of this card, but nonetheless, I was very pleased with how this card turned out.

Well, since scrapbooking is usually about your kids, I felt bad joining this and only showing off my handiwork...so here is a painting of Lucy's...an apple :)

Foto Friday

This week's Foto Friday challenge was "Rainbow". I tried several "rainbow" shots, but wasn't happy with any of them. Finally, I remembered that Selah had this shirt that had many rainbow colors. I guess it could have qualified for last week's stripes challenge too, but I didn't think of it then. This shirt is one that all of our girls have gotten to wear. That's pretty neat I think when the clothes make it that far and still look so cute. :) This was a fun little photo shoot to do with Selah. She is such a sweetie! She did get tired of her picture being taken by the end...especially because she couldn't get a hold of the camera I was dangling in front of her. :) I tried to get a good picture of a mad face, but that
 didn't work either. :) Someday I'll get one so that I have proof for others that she does cry.

Foto Friday

This weeks Favorite Foto Friday Challenge was stripes. As I was going, I wasn't sure if I was really getting any good ones. Now that I'm done, I can't decide which one I like the best. Probably this first one of Jude, but I had to post all of them for you to see. :) Gotta love these little blessings from the Lord. Truly a gift.  Now that we're on the subject of stripes, it's funny how they're all around us...I can't help but think of Isaiah 53:5 which says, "with His stripes we are healed", our sin marked His body, then by grace, He leaves His mark on us to cleanse us, to remove all other marks of sin. Then, from a different angle, our lives are changed by the mark our children make on us, and as for us mothers, our bodies are literally changed forever, altered by the stripes covering our bellies that stretched to bear these children. Not going to share and photos of those today, so don't worry. :)

Seein' Spots!

I'm joining my friend in this Foto Friday Challenge created by Rebecca. Every week there is a challenge to do or you can simply put in one of your favorite photos from the week. Since my wonderful husband totally surprised me with a new camera for Christmas...a small, simple, point and click camera that I can actually use...probably one that many would consider a downgrade compared to what I used to use...the old camera just got too smart for me...or maybe I'm just too distracted and impatient to study and learn it better now that I am privileged enough to chase four kiddos into any of the shots...anyway, I figured this would be a great challenge for me especially since I really enjoy taking pictures again! So, this week's challenge was spots. Can you see the spots? They're on her pajamas. I know it is hard to see past those big eyes! So, I'm pretty pleased with my first attempt. :) not that I'm bragging in any way!! We're so thankful for this little spot in our life! God is good!
Next's week challenge is stripes!

Childlike

Recently, I saw the second half of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. What a fun movie. I can't wait to read the book to the kids some day...so many good lessons to learn. Anyway, there was a line at the end of the movie that immediately caught my full attention. Charlie (the little boy- remember?) won the prize of inheriting the whole Chocolate Factory. Willy Wonka explained to him that he wasn't going to live forever and who would run the factory after he died? He couldn't get an adult to do it because they wouldn't listen to his directions. They would want to do things their own way. Of course! A child. He had to find a child to teach and train to run the factory... Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:3


To have the faith of a child
To believe and trust as a child does
To humble ourselves and follow like children do
To love without reserve or prejudice
To rejoice with great joy...even about the same little gifts given over and over again


I know there's more I could say about this verse...if time weren't an issue...if it I had no other(s) calling right now.


Lord, soften the parts of this vessel that have dried out and hardened from time, from age, make me soft and supple to your Word again.


Note: I continue to memorize Colossians! I'm already in Week 3 and am remembering why many struggle when reading Paul's letters. :) But the Words are the breathe and very Word of God, so they will come...by faith. I'm also excited to be making progress in other goals...which I'll keep private for now.  If you have a minute click on the "button" (image) below and read this great post by Ann Voskamp.  It challenged and encouraged me greatly today!

Multitude Monday

243: Knights in Shining Armor

244: Fair Maidens Sweet

245: Fond memories of childhoods with rubber band guns 

246: Soft and fuzzy pajamas

247: Soft Babies

248: Mentos

249: Sneaky Little Girls at naptime

(In case you can't distinguish the items, she surrounded herself with Grandma's corn husk dolls, teddy bears, ceramic kitty, and a large bag of popcorn that was hiding in Mommy's bag...then she finally fell asleep...no wonder she slept so long that day!)

250: Stealing Hugs and Kisses with Daddy

251: Wrapping and tissue paper piles!

252: Ice Skates!

253: Sweet Puzzles

254: Storytime

255: good leaders

256: Little girls who LOVE books

257: Bedtime smiles

  258: Eyes that can't leave the page of her book, but I'll smile anyway...

259: big boy grins

260: sweet baby faces

261: Big eyes

262: Baby dolls and rocking chairs

263: Baby baths

264: White earmuffs

265: Little boy dreaming...coming true

266: Cardboard boxes

267: The minds of children

268: Squeaky giraffe toys

269: A man who likes to surprise me and does (in a good way) :)

270: Nine years of great JOY and the dreams that wait the coming ones...

Join Multitude Monday

Growth

I've gone back and forth about posting this bit. At first, I was sure that I was not going to post it because I wanted this to be a private step, not something that I boasted about to everyone. Then as I thought more, I realized this would be a good time for confession, and perhaps my confession would spur others on by God's grace to draw nearer to the Lord as well. So, here it is:

After reading a couple posts from a blog by Ann Voskamp about growing closer to the Lord through scripture memorization(this and this), I was challenged to join her and others in memorizing the book of Colossians in a Year. Two verses a week. This sounds attainable, right? Yet, I'm quite scared. I know a lot of scripture, but I never fully memorize it and usually forget the reference. Which could be ok if that were all you were mentally capable of; however, I began to realize that my reason for this is my laziness. One line that she wrote caught me:

"Who memorizes God in the age of google?"

This is a good question! That was always my excuse for not hiding the scriptures in my heart more diligently. Not that I haven't memorized anything. I have and we are even working with a great scripture memory system with the kids. However, I haven't done it with all my heart ...because of my laziness. I could always look up the verse I want somewhere, or I could just call my Dad. :)

So, I'm going to do it. I'm going to attempt it. And by God's grace, I'll attain it, and ascribe to Him all the glory due His name. (That's my other focus this year.)