January Divine Design

Don't worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and your minds as you live in Christ Jesus. ~Philippians 4:6-7

My dear friend Carol shared this verse with me last week and I thought it would be a lovely addition to my desk flip book. As I've read it over and over again, I can almost hear God saying "Don't worry, pray and experience my peace as you live in Christ Jesus." During these emotionally difficult winter months, that is such a comfort to me.

Since I had not finished my Divine Design project from last year, I wanted to complete it before moving on to this year's project. This is my last page and I now have 8 verses on double sided 4x4 coasters which I will take to work. I can rotate each verse on a weekly basis or as I need them for encouragement. It's my prayer that they will be an encouragement to others in our office as well.

The Divine Design Challenges were started last year by Lori Craig and will carry on this year with her fellow Scripture Chicks, Angel, Nancy, Taylor and Jami. If you'd like to participate, you can find out all of the details here.

For my project this year, I purchased one of Taylor's vertical frames to display my Divine Designs. I've asked my family to share some of their favorite scripture verses and will use them, along with a few more that have touched my heart. I'm really excited about including my family in this project as it will prompt more spiritual conversation among us. Yet another blessing of participating in this wonderful challenge.

Enjoy your day~ Patti

Be Still

Being still isn't something that comes easily for most of us. Our lives are so full of so many different activities, people and things. I was sure feeling the weight of those things earlier this evening.

Taking a moment to be still and focus on God, to really listen to Him, always puts things back into perpsective. Tonight, He's telling me I need rest. So, I'm going to keep this post brief.

I'm sharing another page for my desk flip book featuring Paper Trey Inc's Everyday Blessings set on Basic Grey Paper with a spritzing of Glimmer Mist. I think this is my favorite page so far. It's so simple, but so lovely.

I hope you have enjoyed your week. So much has been going on here! I hope to find some time to share more tomorrow. Until then, blessings~ Patti

Working for the Lord

Good Morning! I'm so happy that I get to share another page of my desk flip book today! I started my book as part of the Scripture Challenge hosted by Lori. You can find the details here in her original invitation.

It's brought me so much joy to able to work on this project, so Ephesians 6:7 was the perfect verse to add this month. Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. What an awesome reminder!

This past weekend was a great example of Ephesians 6:7. God has opened doors for my church, Christ Community Church, to partner with my school, Chesebro Elementary. I call it my school, but really I'm just the Office Assistant. ;) God brought me to Chesebro late last school year, in mid-May. With a population of 260 some students, more than 65% of our families are low-income. It's simply impossible to work there and not feel the desire to do something for, and with, the students and their families.

Over the weekend, my family, along with a dozen other church members met at the school to host a pancake breakfast fundraiser to help send the fifth graders on an overnight field trip to a nature center. It was a wonderful morning of fellowship and service!

My older boys were flipping pancakes, making juice, washing dishes and asking, "what else can I do?" From the kitchen, amongst the cracking of eggs and sizzling sausage came chatter and laughter from busy church members. Fifth grade students happily served guests. My younger children were busy making new friends with some of the kids from Chesebro that they'll go to middle school with in the coming year. The cafeteria was buzzing with families from the school and the church visiting with each other. And with God's blessing, in just a few short hours, we raised what was needed for the trip. Praise God!

I hope you'll take some time to join in the scripture challenge this month. If you do, please be sure to leave me a post with a link to your design! Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful day! :) ~Patti

Project Details
Stamps- SU! Garden Collage
Paper- Basic Grey Periphery, SU! Old Olive & Whisper White
Ink- SU! Chocolate Chip & So Saffron
Embellishments- Dew Drops, Primas
Other- SU! Pastels

Everday Blessings

Have you been to Paper Trey Inc lately? Nicole and friends have some fantastic new sets, paper, ink and ribbon available! Everyday Blessings, was released last month. The images of the cross are beautiful and the scriptures and sayings are some of my favorites. I purchased it thinking I would make some Easter cards with it. I never did make the cards, but it has been perfect for several of the pages 0f my desk flip book.

As I'm behind by two months, I decided I would catch up by sharing another page. At first I thought my design too simple, but as I spent more time looking at it, I decided that the focus was right where it should be...on the cross.

Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you. ~ 1Peter 4:7 Isn't it wonderful to know that God cares for us so much that He is willing to take on our concerns...ALL of them! Now that's an everyday blessing!

Thanks for stopping by today! Have a fabulous day! :) ~Patti

Project Details
Stamps- PTI Everyday Blessings, SU! Priceless
Paper- Close to my Heart
Ink- Chocolate Chip, Bayou Blue
Embellishments- Snowflake Glimmer Mist, Bling

Good to be Back

I didn't realize just how long it's been since my last post. It's been more than busy in our home as of late, as well as a bit of an emotional rollercoaster and somewhere along the way, I lost my stamping mojo. I tried to ignite my desire to stamp by visiting some of my favorite blogs and checking out the gallery at SCS. I went shopping at craft stores and poured over magazines, but nothing seemed to do it.

Then last week, as I was looking up some verses in my bible, the Scripture Chick Challenge came to mind. I hadn't touched my project in over a month. Recalling some of my favorite verses helped bring me back to complete another page for my desk flip book.

Do you ever feel like life is overwhelming and it takes all you have just to get out of bed in the morning? I'll admit it, I do. It's on those days, before I fling off the covers, I whisper to God "Today, I need your strength Lord". I am one of the thousands of people that live with depression. It came on after the death of my daughter and after 15 years, it remains. It's more seasonal now, showing up in late fall and lingering through winter, my daughter's birthday and the anniversary of her death. I don't know if it was the tragedy at NIU bringing so many memories to the surface or the long winter we are experiencing, but this year, it seemed to take hold of me more intensely.

Keeping God's word in mind has always been a help to me in coping with depression. Coupled with prayer, nothing else is so powerful to offer comfort and peace. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. ~ Philippians 4:13 is just one of the many verses that God offers us as a reminder that we can overcome anything with God's strength. And we CAN!

I pray that your day is filled with God's presence, His strength and His love. Hugs~ Patti

Project Details

Stamps- SU! Stipple Butterfly, PTI Every Day Blessings

Paper- Basic Grey, SU! So Saffron

Ink- Chocolate Chip, So Saffron

Embellishments- May Arts ribbon, Sakura Glitter Pen

Joining the Scripture Chicks

Recently, Lori posted that she will be sharing a scripture verse in a project each month, along with 4 of her friends, Angel, Jami, Nancy and Taylor. They are calling themselves the Scripture Chicks and Lori is encouraging others to join in. I'm a little late this month, but am definately going to be playing along.

I've been wanting to create a flip book for my desk at work with some of my favorite scripture verses. Although, I have Christian music on my computer's media player, I can't always listen to it and having God's word in view will be so uplifting.

I'm using 4x4 coaters that I purchased from eP. The paper is My Minds Eye and the flowers are Primas. I had a hard time deciding on which verse to start with...there are soooo many good ones. But January can be an emotionally challenging month for me and Matthew 11:28 is such a comfort. Jesus is always there, ready to carry my sadness and offer me peace. He's there for you too! If you like this verse, you can find it by Stampabilities. I picked mine up at Hobby Lobby several months ago.

Thanks again Lori for following God's leading and sharing such a wonderful idea!