Providence 365 - Week 52

Luke 2:10-16
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
I love hearing the story of Baby Jesus from the book of Luke. And it doesn’t matter if I hear it during worship, during a children’s Christmas program…or when Linus shares the Word during Charlie Browns Christmas – it is a story that never gets old, brings a smile to my face and warms my heart.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

As we bring Providence 365 to a close, I pray that you have been blessed through our year long journey. Barbara (Precepts and Promises) and I (Pam of by the Shore designs) have enjoyed sharing His word and pray that you have found words for reflection that have been timely and inspiration for your scrapbooking layouts using our word-art.

Please take a moment to share with us in the forum at Faith Sisters how our Providence 365 journey impacted you. Thank you for joining us in 2011. Please make sure to visit us on our blogs for more inspiration in 2012 – God Bless and give Glory to God in the Highest!.

(Click on the image above or here for your word art for week 52)

AND.....MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Providence 365 - Week 46

GIVE THANKS

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Colossians 4:2)

Begin each day in prayer. End each day in prayer. And in between…well…...pray. We have so much to be thankful for – and I GIVE THANKS each day through prayer.

One of my annual traditions is to share with others all of the blessings that I am thankful for. I personally do this on my ‘facebook’ page and I have several friends and family members that do the same. As I prepare each days post, it reminds me how blessed I am and how much I truly have to be thankful for. As I reread my posts and read the posts of others, I am often struck by how much I take for granted in life and how much I truly have to be thankful for.

At the end of this message are my personal “Giving Thanks” posts that I have shared on facebook so far this November. I encourage you to share with others your own blessings. You can do this through a social media like facebook, your personal blog or simply telling a friend or loved one. As you share, I pray that you too will realize just how blessed you are.

At the end of the month, I plan on creating and framing a layout with the full collection of each of my daily “Giving Thanks” facebook posts ~ something that I can keep in a prominent place in my home as a constant reminder of my own blessings.

Here is a link to this week’s download for our Providence 365 challenge.

As the year starts coming to a close, I encourage you to make sure you have downloaded all of the previous week’s gifts that Barbara and I have created for you. Shortly after the new year, they will no longer be available, and we want to make sure that you – our faithful Providence 365 friends – have had the opportunity to obtain these lovely pieces of wordart.

As always, be sure to share your Providence 365 layout in our gallery and in our Providence 365 forum.

Till Next Week…..may you be blessed beyond measure.


(Pam’s 'Giving Thanks' Facebook Posts – Day 1-13)

Beginning our traditional 30 days of Thanksgiving. I am thankful for a loving God. And on that, I could go on and on....but that pretty much says it all.

Giving thanks. Day 2. A loving and supportive husband. Blessed we are together. AMLFAA

Giving Thanks - Day 3. I am thankful for two loving parents. Love you bunches Mom and Dad - you helped mold me into who I am today - you model love, compassion, hard work, dedication, strong morals and values and so much more - in everything you say and do.


Giving Thanks - Day 4. Shannon , while not our first child, you are my first born and I love you bunches and bunches. You continue to mature into a beautiful young lady, thoughtful, loving and caring, compassionate, talented, strong in your faith and....(wait for it) sassy. And I love every one of your traits as they help define who you are. You are my Koala Lou, I have always loved you and always will.

Giving thanks – Day 5...I thank God daily for the blessing of Georgie. She has taught me so much about life and unconditional love. You are my little nutbrown hare...love you to the moon and back.

Giving Thanks – Day 6 ~ I am thankful for three awesome older children. I have been blessed by each of you in countless ways throughout the years. Sarah, Jessica, and Chris ~ I love you more than you will know.

Giving Thanks, Day 7 ~ Giving thanks for a warm home and a roof over my head. Recognizing that not everyone in the world, this country, this state and even this city has this blessing. It is one I do not take for granted.

Giving Thanks ~ Day 8 - Thankful for a full tummy. We are blessed to have healthy foods to nourish our bodies, keeping us strong and healthy. We have not experienced true hunger like so many around the community and world. Thankful that we are also able to share this blessing with those in need.

Giving Thanks ~ Day 9 ~ I am thankful for water....for cool refreshing drinks, for its use in creating warm cups of coffee and tea, for hydrating my body, for the flowers and plants that thrive and grow, for bathing, for the powerful ocean that brings me joy, for a gentle stream that brings peace...but first and foremost for the waters of baptism, that washed my sins away.

Giving Thanks ~ Day 10 I am thankful for things that move. Reliable cars that get us to and from school, work and other destinations; planes that deliver us safely to visit family and friends; lawnmowers that keep our (sometimes) green grass neat and trim; and even my own body that moves each morning out of bed to begin another glorious day.

Giving Thanks ~ Day 11. I am thankful for freedom, a gift that we should each embrace but that we sadly sometimes take for granted. Thankful for the men and women that serve now; veterans that have served in the past; those that gave their lives while protecting my freedom and for all of their families. God Bless You!

Giving Thanks ~ Day 12 - I am thankful for opportunities for individuals that have different abilities. As we head off to our Special Olympics State Bowling Competition, I am reminded how special each one of us is, how can we not be, He created us! Georgie, you are going to do great today (and the best part is, she is an awesome bowler, needs no accommodations, and she can totally kick it with her 'typical' peers)

Giving Thanks – Day 13 ~ I am thankful for technology. While at times, it can be a ‘touch’ impersonal, it allows me to stay connected with friends and family; to gather and share information; provide support to others and it provides entertainment. Technology can often make life easier, simpler and richer. Praying for a healthy balance of technology and ‘real life’ .

Providence 365-week 44 TIME TO SERVE

TIME TO SERVE

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:40

Yesterday, my 10 year old daughter participated in our regional Special Olympics competition in bowling. Another amazing experience for our family. The event always begins in prayer and I cannot think of a better way to start. All of the athletes had a wonderful time and their positive spirit resonated throughout the bowling alley. What really struck me yesterday were the volunteers. They were out in full force – all to help make this experience the very best it could be for the athletes.

Where do you serve? Where would you like to volunteer? Where is the greatest need? We often serve in our church, but there are so many more opportunities in each of our greater communities. Reach out to all of our brothers and sisters, lend a helping hand. Perhaps in a soup kitchen, in a school, a homeless shelter for families, a food pantry, Special Olympics….His children need us.

This week, reflect on where you serve or where there may be a need in your community that you have not considered before.

Here is word-art to get you started on this week’s layout.




Barbara and I look forward to seeing your layouts in the Providence 365 gallery and here in the forum. Oh, and my daughter earned a Silver Medal. We move onto State Competitions in two weeks!

I thank my God every time I remember you. Phil 1:3

Last weekend, Barbara of Precepts and Promises and I had the unique opportunity to meet “in real life”. We attended a conference with over 75 digital scrapbookers from around the country. What a blessing it was to spend time together with my Providence 365 friend.

During the conference, we heard a quote that really put in perspective why many of us scrapbook.

“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” ― Anaïs Nin

What does it mean to “remember”? Recall, reminisce, ‘think of’, ‘bring to mind’ are just a few of the words and phrases that we use to define remember.

We “recall” events and occasions. We “reminisce” about people we have met in the past that have made an impact on our lives. We “think of” people that are in our life today that are important to us. Certain situations “bring to mind” special memories from the past. And we thank God when we remember.

When we scrapbook, we sometimes let our pictures do the talking (a picture is worth a thousand words). More often than not, we journal our thoughts – documenting details and sharing feelings and emotions. And as we journal ~ we taste life twice.

Here is your challenge this week. Why do YOU scrapbook? What do you scrapbook? Who do you scrapbook about? Who enjoys your scrapbooks? (And do you actually get those layouts printed out or posted on a blog so that your loved ones can enjoy them too)


Here is word art to use on your layout.

I look forward to seeing your layout about this week’s challenge. Please post your layout in our Providence 365 gallery and share it with us in the forum at Faith Sisters.

Have a blessed week. (and by the way, Barbara is just as sweet in real life as I thought she would be)

Providence 365-Week 40

Welcome to week 40 of Providence 365.

What a gift it is to be able to journey with you through 2011 – seeking His providence, reading His word and spending time in prayer and reflection. This week, as I spent time choosing a verse for week 40 – I kept coming back to the book of Galatians, specifically chapter 5, verse 22. Then I would wander elsewhere in the bible thinking that perhaps there was another verse ‘more worthy’ for reflection this week – nope – He kept leading me back to Galatians 5:22. I read it in a daily devotion. I saw it posted on facebook. It jumped out at me from a book I was reading. And I overheard our older students discussing it this morning during Sunday School. Sometimes it takes a thunk on the head for me to listen.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

We are blessed with a fresh attitude towards life and towards each other. He is the Vine and we are the branches and from the branches are the fruit that we bear. We cannot bear fruit if we are detached from the vine. We are lifeless. But when we are in a firm relationship with Jesus, with God, when we open our hearts and let the Holy Spirit in, we are blessed with the fruit of the Spirit. Our attitudes – our fruits are abundant.

What fruits are apparent in your life? What fruits may need nurturing?

Here is a bit of word-art for this week’s challenge

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Please share with us your layout in the Providence 365 Forum at Faith Sisters – here.

I want to leave you with some ADDITIONAL FOOD FOR THOUGHT. The book I was reading this morning as I was preparing for this post referenced a quote by D.L. Moody –

“Out of 100 men, one will read the Bible, the other 99 will read the Christian”

This really stuck with me. I kept reading my devotion, but I also keep paging back to reflect on that quote. When others are “reading” me – do they see a Christian? I am displaying all of the fruits of the Spirit detailed in Galatians 5:22? Do others “see” Jesus exemplified in what I do and say? What about you?

Have a blessed week.

Providence 365 - Week 38

Welcome to week 38 of Providence 365. It is hard to believe that we are almost 3/4 of the way through the year.

Barbara and I have been so blessed that you have joined us on this journey. You have shared of yourselves and given us a glimpse into your lives. Thank you!

This week, I want you to reach over and pick up His Word. What is your favorite Bible? What special meaning does this bible have to you? Was it presented to you as a child, or by a good friend? Do you have a favorite version?

We have several Bibles here in our home. I have the one given to me as a 1st grader in our church in Massachusetts. I have one that belonged to my great Grandfather who was (I believe) a Methodist minister. We have versions in Spanish, babies Bibles, toddler's Bibles, children's Bible....you get the idea. His Word is in every room of our house. My personal favorite is an NIV Bible for Moms - with inspirational tidbits for reflection. This one in particular was given to me by my precious daughters.

What is your favorite Bible verse? Do you highlight special passages? Do you use the pages to protect special documents? Is your family history and lineage documented within this Bible?

Share with us what makes this Bible special (we know His Word is AWESOME)

Here is wordart to help you get started....here

When you have completed your layout, please post it in the Providence 365 gallery at Faith Sisters and share that link in the forum - here.

Till next week ~ stay in His Word and in His loving arms.

Now Boarding - Blog Train

The Designers at Faith Sisters invite you to join them on a special Blog Train (or should we say Blog "Plane") COME FLY WITH ME is a travel related collaboration overflowing with paper and elements just for you. The color palette is fantastic and can be used for so many occasions – including travel and the ever popular “stay-cation”. Shuttle from blog to blog and download the digital goodness that our designers have created for you.

And before you begin your journey, you can download these special Faith Sisters Quick Pages. If you have never used a quickpage before – now is your chance to give a few of ours a try for free (only through July 31st). They are simple to use and your layout is done in no time at all – scrapbooking at it’s easiest. Add your favorite photos behind the png file – include journaling on the top (if you choose) and your layout is complete. (Remember that Faith Sisters has many quick pages in our store for a variety of occasions and events. We invite you to explore all of the digital goodies in our store - here)

Click on the preview to go to the respective quick page and add to your shopping cart
















You have through July 31st to download our designers COME FLY WITH ME travel related freebies. You may store your digital freebies in your carryon baggage (hard-drive). Enjoy your flight as you travel from blog to blog. (Please be patient if one of these blogs has not yet been updated, you can skip that connection and return after a bit so you don’t miss a thing)

Faith Sisters (you are here)
Today’s Scraps (Vicky)
Designs by Angel (Angel)
Digital Compilations (Cinda)
Precepts and Promises (Barbara)
Living for Him 2 (Lori)
by the Shore designs (Pam)
Steadfast and Immovable (Erika)
Forget Me Nots (Theresa)

Are you ready for take-off? Tray tables up in the locked position, please. Fasten your seatbelts. Safe travels and enjoy your journey!

Providence 365-Week 30

Yet you, LORD, are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
Isaiah 64:8 (NIV)

If you have ever worked with clay – you know that it can be a slow process to create that perfect pot. It takes patience and care and cannot be rushed.


I am clay and our good Lord is the potter. Isn’t this a comforting thought? I am the work of His hand. I am always growing, always changing - He is not done with me. He has patience with me. He guides me. His hands are constantly on me. He molds me not only on the outside but on the inside too. I’m not finished. He never gives up on me – He sits at that potter’s wheel as He patiently molds me. When I am weak, he builds me up to make me stronger. If I start leaning, He holds me up. I am sometimes hard on myself when I make a mistake and cannot get past the scar that is left. What I need to remember is that I am forgiven - His tender touch smooths out that blemish and allows me to grow. He never walks away from that wheel. I am His and He is not done with me. And for that I am thankful.


Do I make mistakes? Absolutely. Does He? Never! He has a plan for me and while I do not know that plan – I have confidence that He knows exactly what this pot will be when I am complete. I make mistakes, and He forgives me and still loves me. I head down a wrong path – and He redirects my steps. He is still molding me – He is not finished with me. I can imagine him smiling as I become the person He knows I will be.


This week, I encourage you to reflect on how He has been molding you….


Here is a bit of word art to help you with your layout this week.



Please make sure to post your layout in our Providence 365 gallery at Faith Sisters – and head on over the the Providence 365 thread in the Faith Sister Forum (here) and share the link. I can’t wait to see what you create. (And can you believe we are at week 30 – already!) Have a blessed week!

July 1,2,3 Scrap!

It is the Third Thursday of the month, and it is time for another round of 1,2,3 Scrap! Please join me on this fun and easy challenge. I will provide you with 3 simple "requirements" for your layout - and you take it from there.


This month we go back to the basics of writing. In grade school, we learned to incorporate the 5 W's when writing. Who? What? Where? When? and Why? (if I recall, we also threw in how occasionally) By answering these 5 simple questions, we can share with our reader what they need to understand our story.


We are also going to share a little bit about ourselves. Everyone has one thing they love to spoil themselves with - not a necessity but something we do for ourselves ' just because'. So indulge me - what is your favorite indulgence?

The three requirements for this month's 1,2,3 Scrap! Challenge


1) create a layout of your favorite indulgence using a single picture

2) journal using the 5 W's

3) use at least 2 different fonts on your page


To help get you started - I have a journaling page for you - pre-filled with the 5 W's..... you can download it >>>>> HERE

Here is my indulgence. Yes, I admit it - I love Starbucks. I know a lot of people that NEED their morning coffee - that jolt of caffeine to get their day started. But....that's not me. I always order my drinks decaf. I know, I know...some of you are shaking your head thinking 'why even bother'. The warmth of the drink is comforting, the flavor of the coffee is 'just right', the sweetness of the drink (even if it is sugar free and non fat) brings a smile to my face every time.

When you are done with your layout, please post it in our 1,2,3 Scrap! gallery - and let us know in our 1,2,3 Scrap! forum - both at Faith Sisters.

Thanks for playing along - and be sure to come back next month for a new challenge on the third Thursday of the month.

Are you ready? 1,2,3 Scrap!

Card Sketch Challenges with Lucy

Every Tuesday, I will posting an awesome card sketch for you to try out. At the end of the month there is a random drawing for RAK and Guest Card Designer Spot at my sketch blog- MY SKETCH WORLD .Both digital and paper scrappers are always welcome to join into all of our challenges. Everyone will be able to follow the challenges here on the blog, but also in the Faith Sisters forum HERE
Here is your March 3rd Sketch

Here is my example

{Feb Card Sketches} Thanks for all the paricipates that did the sketches in the month of February. The winner of the GDT Spot for April is Natalie

Your Latest Projects On Your Blog!

Hey girls! Have you noticed that at the bottom of the forum and the blog at FaithSisters.com, the latest projects that are uploaded into the gallery show up?

How would you like YOUR latest projects that you upload into the gallery here at Faith Sisters to show up on your blog too?

Now you can!

Check out my blog... I put mine at the top but you can put yours on the bottom, and if your side bar is wide enough, 250 pixels I believe, you can also have it going vertically on your blog!

In BLOGGER, what you want to do is go into your LAYOUT and the Page Elements. Then you will want to Add a Gadget, and choose the HTML/JavaScript gadget and then paste the code in (see below). Once the gadget is on the page, you can move it to the top of your blog layout or to the bottom by clicking on it and moving it with the mouse.

Click HERE to get the code for your blog!

Good Luck and Have Fun!
Karma



When you are done, post your blog below so we can all take a look!

Why I Love Faith Sisters!

YAY! It's time for a New Year's Give-Away!

In celebration of the first day of the New Year we have some fun prizes to give away!

We will draw two names from the comments left on this post. Please leave a comment about why you love Faith Sisters.

Two scrappers will each win some scrapbooking goodies!

So spread the word to your scrapping friends and leave some love in the comments!

We will do the drawing on Sunday Jan 6th! So go ahead and leave your comment!