Beautiful

DIY Framed Earring Holder

For my latest project, I took an old frame and turned it into place to hang my hook earrings. I think it turned out rather cute.

First I primed the frame with a spray primer.

Then I spray painted the frame a light blue.

With a white paint pen, I added a paisley design to give it some interesting detail.

I let it dry overnight, then added some rubber mesh (used as a mat in cabinets, like contact paper) to the back. It was easy to attach with a staple gun, and then I trimmed of the excess with scissors.

I'm happy with it, though I am kinda bummed that it only holds the "hook" earrings...not the studs or clasp earrings. Oh well...I will need to think of something else.

What projects are you working on? Organizing? Cleaning? Crafting? Anything?

Have a fabulous weekend!

Early Mother's Day

I got an early Mother's Day present with the arrival of my daughter for a couple of days! She came in around noon on Monday and left at 7 pm Tuesday night...a day and a half of pure heaven for this momma. I don't know what made this visit so sweet, but it really was.

Monday night we cooked lasagna and John made a tiramisu for dessert. May I just say...delicious!

And Mark was home for supper and I was able to grab a picture of him and Elyssa.

Tuesday morning I got to eat breakfast with all my kiddos! What a treat, though we missed having John, Kelly, and Carlos with us. I did have an awesome time, full of laughter and good food.

After breakfast, my sweet daughter took me shopping at Sam Moon's and bought me a pair of sunglasses and 2 beautiful earrings for Mother's Day. I love them, but truly, the best gift was her presence with me. She brings such life and laughter wherever she goes. I am blessed. Blessed to not only have a wonderful daughter, but blessed to have three sons who are such gentlemen and spoil their mother.

My heart is full and overflowing...thank you, LORD.

What Makes Bad Words Bad?

I've been thinking a lot about bad words lately. What makes a word bad? Is it because society says they are bad? Or is there an absolute that keeps the good words good and the bad words bad? I have thought about this for weeks and am not really sure how I feel about it.

We hear bad words every day. On TV, in the movies, at the store...everywhere. I have heard them spoken by God fearing people and by people who could care less about God.

I have been told...

• They are just words. 
• They are just words to better express how we feel.
• Bad words are bad words only to the people who think they are bad. (???)
• You say shoot instead of sh_t, so how is that any better?

Okay, so it's true. I sometimes say shoot. So what makes that better than saying the real thing? Why is it okay to say shoot but not sh_t? And why is it okay to type the word sh_t when it has a letter missing? Why do I feel the need to do that instead of typing the whole word. I am not using it in a bad way, but talking about it in an essay.

And that brings up another question. What makes bad words okay to use to express your feelings? Is it only bad when directed at someone else?

When you use bad words to insult someone, yes, that is terrible. You should never say things to hurt another person...with or without bad words. But how about using bad language when you hurt yourself and are angry? You are just expressing yourself, right? But why isn't it okay to just say ouch?

I don't really have any answers to all my questions, but I do know what the scriptures say about the words I speak.

• May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14
• Keep your  mouth free of perversity (corrupt, improper); keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Proverbs 4:24
• ...the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Luke 6:45
• Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful in building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29
• Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. Brothers and sisters, this should not be. James 3:10

I know these scriptures don't necessarily directly talk about bad words, but I think that when they mention perversity and corrupt talk, bad words would be included. But these scriptures also imply that gossip and slander would also be included and I know I have been guilty of that. I don't always build up others as I should. Sometimes I can be critical, when in reality I have my open problems I should deal with. 

None of us are perfect and we will never be. We will always miss the mark. We do have God's grace and mercy to cover us and heal us. But that doesn't give us license to keep on doing wrong that grace may abound. We need to watch the words we say, using them to build others up, encouraging those around us. 

What are your thoughts about bad words? 

My Painting Experience

Last night I went with my friend Erica to Painting With A Twist in west Fort Worth. You go for 2 hours and follow the instructor's instructions and come away with a painting. The great thing about it is that it doesn't have to be perfect. As you can see below in the group photo, the painting are all different, yet all look great.

Here is the progression in my painting....

First the background. We started at the top and made our way down.

I did get a green streak in the middle of the sky, but the flowers covered it up.

Then the darker flowers

After the dark flowers, we added white ones and light yellow ones.

Then we added stem and some detailing on the flowers.

My sweet friend, Erica.

I have to say that I really love doing this. It is a fun time with friends. It teaches me some painting techniques and how to layer. And I come away with some art I can hang! This is definitely going in my bedroom, as it goes well with my springy color palette.

Do you paint? Ever wanted to learn? You should check out the site and see if there is a Painting With A Twist near you. Click on the link to see.....Painting With A Twist Locations

Have a GREAT weekend!

When Bad Things Happen

When bad things happen, I used to question why. Was there something in me that deserved this bad experience? Was this God's loving discipline? Was there something I needed to learn before all the bad goes away?

After quite a few of hardship, I believe I'm finally learning that sometimes there is just not a "why".  He blesses the righteous and the evil. He allows hardship on the good and the bad.

He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. Matthew 5:45

Sure, we may "need" to learn something through hardship. But even if we don't need to be taught a lesson, we learn to have faith, trust, perseverance, and joy...yes, joy! When we can look at these times with trust in the One who made us and loves us, we can find the joy that will get us through. He will send blessing, big and small, to encourage you in the dark times.

Sometimes we are not in need of more lessons from God...we are just being attacked by the evil one. Look at Job! He wasn't perfect, but Satan wanted to show God that when all of the good things in Job's life were taken away, he would curse God. And what about the prophets? Many of them were persecuted and ridiculed while they were just doing the Lord's work.

The evil one is out to destroy God's mission in this world, plain and simple. What better way than to discourage God's people?

⁹ “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. ¹⁰ “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. ¹¹ But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” Job 1:9-11

Well, I'm not going to let God down. Even in the midst of a home robbery, car problems, and plumbing problems (yes, the bathroom that took 7 weeks to remodel last year is leaking and has to be torn out and redone next week!), I will rejoice in the Lord!

I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1

I praise God for His unbelievable power! I lift up His name because of the awesome God He is. And I thank Him for the beautiful family and friends that He has sent to love on me and my family during difficult times.

And really...we have such an awesome life! People across the world face death every day. People are persecuted every day! I live in a land where the norm is to have more than one car, smart phones, and 3 meals every day. I am in the top 2% on the "wealthy" scale in the world!!!

Yes, I have a great life.



What are you praising God in the midst of today?

Robbed But Not Defeated

We were robbed last Friday. While we were at work someone broke into the house and stole some things. I won't go into details, but I have to say that I was disappointed. It was disturbing to know that someone had entered my house and looked through all my stuff....and made a big mess. Drawers were dumped out, a table turned over, even Q-Tips were strewn everywhere!

And they took the pillow case off my bedding that I got for my birthday last year! The nerve!

While it is a sad thing to lose your things, I was able to keep it all in perspective given the recent tragedies in Boston and West. What's a few electronics in the face of death and destruction?

All in perspective.

And of course, there is the security that knowing God is present in all our circumstances...good or bad. When my husband called me to tell me the news and I got into the car to head home, the song that began to play on the radio was Blessed Be Your Name. Yes, indeed! Whether the sun is shining down on me or my road is marked with suffering, still I will always say..."Blessed Be Your Name, LORD!"

God also spoke to my heart in Bible class Sunday morning. Listen to our scripture for the class:

¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  Matthew 6: 19-21

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[e]?
²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.  Matthew 6: 25-34

Amazing, isn't it? I love that God reminded me that my treasure is not here on earth. It is stored in heaven, awaiting me there. I love that He reminded me that I do not need to worry about "things". I don't need to worry because He will take care of me and my family. He loves us so and has showed us through all the hugs, prayers, calls, texts, and emails.

I am so incredibly blessed to have a God and friends who care and love so unconditionally.