My Walk Monday

Hello all :)

I am happy to be here this Lovely Monday to share my walk with you from this week. It seems to be one of those bitter-bitter weeks... not a bitter-sweet week :( Not that I am necessary struggling with bitterness, but I know the spirit of depression is trying to sneak its way back in! I cried last night in bed for like 2 hours off and on! So not fun, but also such an attack, feeling like all I've done for the past 10 years is screw-up! Don't get me wrong, the sweetness is still there, I just think it is hiding in the cloud of gloom!

I know right now I am just going through a time of discipline, God reminded me of this....

"You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood against sin; and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; for those whom THE LORD LOVES He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives. It is for discipline that you endure." Hebrews 12:4-7a

Lord, please forgive me for taking your corrections lightly in the past, and for forgetting the warning You have clearly given me. I do not want to be a failure to You or anyone else I care about! Help me to resist all the things that are ugly in me, help me not to faint in doing so, help me to endure! Thank You for loving me as Your daughter, thank You for instructing me and training me in the way I should go. And most of all - thank You for receiving me! I love You!

"He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness." Hebrews 12:10b

We serve a good GOOD God! And that makes me feel better already :)!

"As I live!" declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live, TURN BACK, turn back from your evil ways!" Ezekiel 33:11 (the note for this verse in my Bible's study notes... "the individual, whether righteous or wicked, has a choice to live righteously each day.")

Yes Lord! May I make the choice DAILY to live righteously. Give me Your power to walk DAILY in The Spirit. May I remember what things have hurt You in the past and CHOSE NOT TO act in those same ways. May I continually and DAILY be a willing and open vessel to be used for Your glory. Help me to keep my eyes on You and trust You in all things. Help me to find my worth in You Jesus... I love You!

Your Creator, He who formed you. Do not fear, for He has redeemed you. He has called you by name, and said you are Mine! For He is the Lord your God, The Holy One of Isreal, your Savior. Since you are precious in His sight. Since you are honored and He loves you. You are His witnesses, and His servant whom He has chosen, so that you may know and believe Him and understand that it is He. Before Him there was no God formed, and there will be non after Him. He says - I, even I, am the Lord, and there is no savior besides Me. I am God. I am the Lord, your Holy One, your King! (Taken from Isaiah 43)

Know that He loves you for ALL that you are!

Walk with Him closely and NEVER let Him go.

Progress!!!!

TA-DA!!!

This is my biggest accomplishment from last week's to-do list! We got my shelves hung in the garage and I organized all my scrap stuff! I unpacked like 7 boxes! I'm so happy, it feels like a bit of home again since we've moved!

So now when you walk into the garage from the house you see our bookshelf (which is often one of my biggest tackles), my Ikea scrapping shelves and my nicely put together desk! YAAAY!!!

Yes - that is the head of a bed-frame behind my desk :) I decided when we moved that I wanted to put our mattress on the floor and make the foot of the bed into the head... after I spray paint it and antique of coarse (which hasn't happened yet :).

During the move my poor plexiglas cracked down the side :( Still good though, and a good reminder that although I am severely cracked as a person I can still be used for the Lord who puts me together again, cleans me off and sends me to do His work :)

The crack there has almost become another one of my favorite things about my scrap space because of that encouragement from the Lord. Not only do l I love that my hubby made me that table, but I also like the things I put on it that bring me joy!

Like one of my favorite old photos of my hubby and I before kiddos, or the Thomas Kinkade greeting card that I framed :)... or the butterfly my sweet friend gave me at last year's National Scrapbook Day crop!

I also love this photo box Joshie gave me, it plays 'Wind Beneath my Wings' when you open it :)! I also LOVE the cup right next to it with the clouds, boat and waves - Joshie made that for me when he was an elementary school teacher... he was doing a craft with the kids and he made me one, it says I love you on the back :).

Carnations may not be my favorite flower, and I would much rather have the real thing over fake ones like these, but these are special to me because they are from my first daughter's baby shower 5 years ago! :) I can't believe I still have them - I just cannot get myself to throw them out!

Now the things I find funny...

The fact that I seem to like bookshelves for more places for picture frames than books :)!

... and that fact that I have WAY too much cardstock! ... this is all unopened! :) I have a whole other box with all the accessible pieces! I'm sure I will get to these eventually!

Okay - that wasn't a tangent at all!

Now on to my TO-DO's...

1. Finalize car-pool, babysitting, and leaving time for my weekend crop in May.
2. Plan layouts for my daughter's age 3 pages.
3. Plan more layouts for my other daughter's baby album.
4. Continue organizing to pack.
5. Trim and organize all printed photos - ready for scrapping.
6. Pick an outfit for Baby to wear for pictures with Auntie Charleen on Saturday!

So Long Self :)

This is the song that I used lyrics from for journalling on my Depression layout, I LOVE this song! The part where they sing "they'll be better days", I always thought they were singing "you'd be better dead" lol - that's good too! Die self - DIE! :)

I like the part where they sing "Don't go away mad, but by all means just go away, Go Away!" :)!!!!

I love this song!!!!

Picture a Day

March 20: I have been walking faithfully with my sister-in-law and she bought me new walking shoes! She's so sweet... praise the Lord no more old shoes that give me blisters!

March 21: I went scrapbooking with my friends again on Saturday and had such a good time!

But while I was out my poor husband was dealing with our 4 year old who - while she was "napping" in our bedroom - found a permanent marker in the closet in a box and drew on her entire face, in her ears, her belly button, on my husband's alarm clock, on his pillow, his nightstand, on the mirror, the window, the door and the laundry basket!!! (Sorry since I was not home I have no pictures of this wonderful happening!) LOL!!!

March 22: I am working on redesigning my sister's photography blog to look like her new website - it's a lot of work, but I cannot wait to see how it turns out in the end :).

March 23: I put a Close to My Heart order in on Monday and I cannot wait till it arrives next Tuesday!!! I earned a ton of free stuff! :)!!!!!

March 24: One of my friends sent me this TOTALLY adorable thank you card in the mail from her daughter's adoption shower! Can you guess where she adopted from? :)

March 25: On our walk on Wednesday we saw cows!!! And this little calf - so cute! I love where we live now!

March 26: I ordered $250 of professional photos online from Kiddie Kandids and this is how the mailman decided to deliver the package the clearly said "Do Not Bend - Photos Enclosed - Do Not Bend". Oye! Luckily none of the 17 sheets of photos were bent up inside :).

My Walk Monday

I was totally blessed by this week's memory verse at church yesterday...

"Incline your ear, and come to Me, Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you - the sure mercies of David." Isaiah 55:3

But then I was even more blessed by the message. (I really felt like I was supposed to hear it - I was just planning on getting the cd afterwards, because I usually miss "main service" because my hubby and I are in youth group ministry, but the two youth kids we would have had this week were helping in the younger children's classes, so I was able to listen to the real deal!)

We were in the book of Mark, chapter 7 verses 31 to 37. It is when Jesus went to the Sea of Galilee and He healed a man's hearing and speech impediment when the man was brought to Him.

The region Jesus was in was called Decapolis meaning Ten Cities... ten cities all packed in one place makes you think of a place packed with a lot of things of the world. And as it was reminded to me - when you let the world in you compromise! Well I am tired of compromise and I - like this deaf-mute man I am willing to be taken to the Lord Jesus for a chance at redemption!

So to let go of the bits of this world that I have let into my life like a disease I am....

1. stepping away and taking some time with Jesus
2. stepping aside and letting Him change me - I am being willing and submissive
3. listening to what Jesus has to tell me (I swear He whispered my name today!)

I know the consequences of letting the world in my life are still there, but now I am letting the King of restoration in to fix up the mess created! And only by Him is it possible for me to gain my life through losing it!

So ask yourselves today ladies what you can remove from your heart and surrender to God? What can you let go of to put yourself in a place of restoration, redemption and glorification to God? That will make your spiritually deaf ears hear, your mute mouth speak, and even your eyes that do not see the things of God - SEE!!!! Go now and be set free!!!

Incline your ear, go to Him and hear, and our soul shall live!!!

Scrappin' Sunday

Oh my stinkin' goodness! It has been OVER 10 months since that last time I participated in Scrappin' Sunday! Now this is one thing I would LOVE to get back in the swing of...

... posting my To-Do's and Ta-Da's :) I really had a swing going that was helping me get things done! So here I go again...

My TA-DA's for this week are the first layouts I finished since moving in October!

The first layout is the end page in my son's baby album, the title page is HERE if you wanna see it. I usually like to made these two pages similar to the look of the album itself, and his album looks like this (it lights up when you push the blast-off button!)...

... so you could imagine that is why this layout also looks how it does :) And the robot also lights up when you push the button on his shoulder! :)

This layout is the first layout for my daughter's year of being two :) After my kids baby albums are done (birth to one year) they only get two layouts per year in the second album that will be theirs... everything else in scrapped in the family album that is for me and hubby. I hope I didn't confuse you completely :)

If you wanna see my daughter's second layout of being two it is in THIS post.

This is my son's first layout from his year of being one (just after his baby album). Don't mind the square of paper with the pink flower on it in the top right corner - I am missing a photo.

If you wanna see my son's second layout from his year as a one year old (one of my all time favorites!) it's in THIS post.

This layout was LONG overdue, it is the end page for my daughter's baby album! This page being finished means I am OFFICIALLY done with her baby album! YAY!!! I made sure I made this one super girlie, for my super girlie girl :)

Now onto my TO-DO's that I will keep as a rolling list from week to week as before...

1. Complete and Send my order for Close to My Heart.
2. Pick photos to scrap for my daughter's 2 - age three layouts.
3. Start picking photos to scrap for my son's 2 - age two layouts.
4. Pick Kiddie Kandid photos out online - and get printed.
5. Plan more layout sketches for layouts that have photos chosen.
6. Finalize car-pool, babysitting and leaving time for my weekend crop in May.
7. Start organizing to pack!

Take all of me

This week's song is Fall Into You by Phil Wickham.

Lord thank You for even having me find this song anew, it was on the music on my computer but I didn't realize what I was hearing till searching it out and finding the words.

Lord, thank You so much for loving me as much as You do - I know I don't understand it to it's fullest and I know You are faithfully teaching me who I am to You.

Thank You for taking time on me Lord, for choosing me before the foundations of the earth! Thank You for planning Your Son to die for me, thank You for Your mercy! I am a rotten sinner and a fool, I don't deserve any of this! You died for me and I long so much for my ENTIRE life to be Yours in return Lord, but I suck! I'm a fool! But still a fool with You is something amazing that I think I have yet to comprehend!

Lord help me to wholeheartedly fall into You! I'm so desperate for ALL of You and I am so tired of the weakness of my flesh!!! Lord, please, I cry out - TAKE ALL OF ME! I love that You long for me, please, I offer myself, take me. I love You, I love You, I love You, I throw myself into Your arms, I love You! Good night.

Lyrics:

Oh who am I that Your merciful eyes should fall on me
A sinner a fool, who doesnt deserve You
And what am I that youd offer Your life and die for me
What can I do, Im nothing without You, Im nothing without You
Im nothing without You my love, my saving love

So I fall into You, Im desperate and weak
Crying out from my heart, take all of me

How can it be that the heart of my God would long for me
For all that You do, Jesus I love You, Ill Always Love You
Jesus I love You with all of my heart

Maker of sun and moon and stars
I throw myself into Your arms, into Your arms

Picture a Day

March 13: My Father-in-Law brought some oranges home from work that were off of someone's tree! MMMM! I grew up with oranges like these... so yummy!!!

March 14: Yes more planning for that weekend crop I am going to for National Scrapbook Day in May! I think I am planning to finish about 30 layouts!!!

March 15: My little lady is climbing!!!

March 16: I bought a dry-erase board today to help me with my forgetfulness and lack of planning. I mentioned yesterday that I am trying to change three major things about myself for the rest of my life. And I have really decided drinking NO WATER throughout my day is REALLY NOT healthy! :) I am aiming for 6 cups a day for starters and have made it 5 days so far.

March 17: I started going on walks with my sister-in-law today, with the kids in their strollers :) But at the end they got out and picked flowers for mommy - how sweet!

March 18: Today on our walk we found a "lost" dog that had a tag with a name and number, so we called the owner and put the dog in our backyard, only to have him run away from us to go home just down the hill from us :) LOL.

March 19: Was my husband's birthday - he stayed home from work, we had an appointment in the morning together, then he had a little date-lunch with his mom, then we just hung out together till we went to dinner at BJ's :) This is the inside of the card my daughter made for him (that is me and him holding hands - sweet again :).

Welcome to My World!!!

Hello Ladies visiting from the Ultimate Blog Party! :)

I am glad to have you here...

You may recognize me as the first resident tackler from 5 Minutes for Mom. If you do remember me and you remember that tackle from the link I just shared you will want to see THIS ONE with the good news :). And you would also like to know that I am doing better than EVER!!!! :) I miss you guys.

If you don't know me from there I would still LOVE to get to know you!... Let me share a bit of my world with you :)

I am a stay at home mom with 3 little ones ages 4 and under. I am a born-again Christian living to learn more of God's love. I am a Scrapbooker, Card-maker, Altered-art faker and I love taking pictures! I even used to own my own business Scrapbooking for others till my third baby came around! I also like to play around designing my own blog backgrounds, I even have a FREE one HERE. I have been blogging over two years now and am loving it... I started my own Meme called My Walk Monday about a year ago actually to find and share encouragement in our walk with Christ... it really has been a joy to me.

And here are some of my other joys....

This is my hubby of 8 years and my oldest daughter...
This is my wonderful - yet very mischievous son...
And this is my littlest lady... :)

Oh and to be in the party spirit I would like to share one of the recipes that almost everyone asks me for because it is so easy to make... only 4 ingredients :)

1. 1- 16oz. container of cool whip
2. 1 - large can of crushed pineapple (drain before use)
3. 1 - can of cherry pie filling
4. 1 - can of regular sweetened condensed milk

Just stir it all together and put it in the fridge for a while before serving :) Enjoy!

Today is my hubby's Birthday!

It's seems like we have been together forever, it probably does help the feeling that I got married at 18 - right out of high school (hey when you find the right one don't let him go!).

I love this man! He's turning 29 today! I still remember his 21st birthday like it was yesterday! :) ... look at this... my studly man and his little lady! Really little :)

I have been trying to change some big things (for me) in my life lately. This next picture is my inspiration to motivation! I have it up on my desktop and on my facebook to keep me reminded! (Look at those arms!!!!!) It is from my Sr Prom 8 years, 3 babies and about 50 pounds ago!... so now I am starting with these things and hopefully working my way up...

1. Drink Water!!!
2. Exercise Everyday!!!
3. and Don't eat Past Dinner!!!

Oh and I also wanted to share with you the cards that I helped my kids make for their daddy today :) They had fun folding, cutting, sticking, making a "sticker" and drawing on the inside for him. I thought they did a nice job.

My Walk Tuesday Again!!!!

Ladies I cannot tell you how many times I have thought of writing this post out, then I would not! I want to share so many places in my secret heart with you, but I have prayed and just know that it would not be the wisest choice to bear the boggie monsters in that closet of mine for all the world to see at this time!!!

Let me just tell you that you can take it pretty obvious that I am struggling with SOMETHING (big or small) when my posts are late on Mondays (which they often are). This week it has been that old nagging secret sin that comes up every once in a while.

With God - I am really breaking Satan's grip on it though! I have struggled with this particular thing since like 8th grade! I got saved in 11th and really it has only gotten worse! But just this year I have no longer let Satan keep me in fear and solitude!

I told 3 of my good friends this secret that has been eating away my Christian exsistance, I also FINALLY told my husband (after 8 years of marriage) and my counselor!!! Let me just tell you it has been amazing the see the loss of strength in a stronghold when you share your burden with other believers!!!

And now (in the vaguest and wisest way I know) I am sharing it with you. Please just pray that I would continue to live the scripture God gave me at 2 a.m. one morning... "Therefore repent and live!" Pray that the condemnation from the enemy would stop and that I would find my worth in Jesus!

I have the responsibility to walk in a manner worthy of my calling (Ephesians 4:1). And I am called as a child of God, a princess with the duty to uphold my Father's Name! To walk with humility and gentleness with patience, in love (Ephesians 4:2) Even if that gentleness, patience and love needs to start with me not being so harsh on myself, being more patient with my growth and loving me how God sees me then so be it! HE CHOSE ME JUST THE WAY I AM!

Thank you ladies for your love towards me and your kind words - God bless you!

Remember to cast your cares on Him for He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).

And, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58)

Lord - take me all the way!

This is another song that God put on my heart while hearing it in the car. It took me a while to remember enough words to look up the lyrics online and actually find the song, I am so glad I did - I LOVE IT!!

It's called 'The Motions' by Matthew West.

Lord, thank You for being faithful to spur me on when I tend to voluntarily put myself in a rut. You know I don't like where I put myself! I don't care how much it's gonna hurt to get out, but I WANT OUT!

Lord, give me and humble and contrite heart, a heart that beats only for You! If I cannot live this life for You then I would rather not live it at all, this world is worthless to me. Lord please help me not to live as this world lives, consumed and distracted...

I only want to be consumed by You with nothing to distract me. I don't wanna turn back again in the future and feel like Satan successfully made me a drone as part of the masses! I am done! I am not going to live like that again, I submit to You Lord and trust that the devil is fleeing because I have and WILL resist him!!! Take me all the way Lord!

I don't wanna go through the motions, I don't wanna go one more day, without Your all consuming passion inside of me! I want to give you EVERYTHING Lord, take it ALL!

Picture a Day

March 6: My hubby left on Friday to go to a weekend Men's Retreat...

March 7: ...Little did we know I would end up with 102 temperature that night and the next morning!... staring at the strange shadows on the wall...

March 8: I painted these toes just 6 days before this and they are already all chipped :(.

March 9: My hubby got my engagement ring and wedding band re-sized, re-set and soldered... I haven't worn them in years, since they didn't fit - I have really missed them and am glad to have them back on my finger!

March 10: Yes my anniversary was a week ago, but I forgot to bring my husband's card with me on our little trip, so I had to alter it a bit. I gave it to him with some packages that came in the mail that I had him order for himself, lol :)

March 11: My daughter is so thoughtful to give her lambie a nice warm hat! :)

March 12: I scrapbooked a little a couple Saturday's ago and didn't quite finish the layouts - but today I cut out the letters for 'baby' - ahhh progress.

My Walk Tuesday?!!!

If you cannot tell from my other recent blog posts I have been a bit thrown off lately :)

Please forgive me again, I am sorry... I was sick recently and a bit distracted trying to get back on track here! Satan is trying to get his hand in here pretty good, but it's not working the ways it used to and it's not going to!

God has been encouraging me to be content in all thing and to do all things unto Him, kinda tough sometimes!

But I'm still fighting :) thank you for your prayers.

Picture a Day

February 27: My son brought this too me... "mommy look!" he was so excited...

February 28: It's been quite pretty outside lately... my kids even started eating snack outside again... yes - the cookies!!! But at least this time I WAS NOT the one eating them :o)

March 1: Yes more mischief - there is always SOMETHING to take a picture of! This is what my daughter decided to do with her "quite-time" instead of reading or napping! (One of our favorite books!)

March 2: Me and my hubby left for our one night getaway on Monday! This was just one of the adorable things in the back garden of the Bed & Breakfast... not to mention my adorable husband! Wait - I'm sure you didn't need to hear that.... lol!!!

March 3: This was a sight to see, I never realized that's what the inside of a crab looked like! (It was a much prettier purple in person.)

March 4: This blessed me so much, thank you Joshie!

March 5: And this ALWAYS blesses me! I LOVE it when I my son lines things up! And I love it even more to find him quietly and busily doing it when I get him out of his room in the morning, he's sooo cute!!!