Photo Refrigerator Magnets

I love photo decor and making photo gifts!  This would be great for your own refrigerator or to make for a loved one!

Ok, the magnets in the top photo I made about a month ago.  Well, the three on the left side that say "blessing" and "precious," anyway. The two on the left side of the picture I actually made almost a year ago when the bottom picture was taken.  The magnets in the bottom photo I made for my daughter, daughter-in-law and mother-in-law.  And the two in the top photo that are older, I made for our refrigerator. 

I used small photos and punched out 1 1/2 inch circles (using a circle punch) and adhered them to 2 inch scalloped circles (using that sized punch).  I then cut a magnet strip and adhered it to the back.  You can write on the photo directly (making sure you use gel pens or markers that won't smear) or add stickers, etc.  On the ones in the top photo, I did not actually use a dymo labeler.  I went to dafont.com and downloaded the dymo font and typed up the sentiment that I wanted and sized it to fit the magnet and cut it out and adhered it.  Turned out pretty cute, I think.

God Bless and Happy Crafting!! :o)
"God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7

Taming the Tongue

The Bible has a lot to say about the tongue and how much it can get us into trouble. In James chapter 3, it talks about how the tongue is a small thing but what enormous damage it can do. It goes on to say, "It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!" (James 3:7-10)  I'm sure, if we are honest with ourselves, we have all been guilty of gossip and other such things (as well as probably the target of these things).  As a child of God, this shouldn't be so, however.

I found the following devotional by Dr. Adrian Rodgers that I thought was worth sharing. I hope it encourages you in your walk with the Lord. And remember, if your tongue has gotten you into trouble this week, spend some time confessing it before the Lord.

Taming the Tongue

BIBLE MEDITATION:
Proverbs 10:19-“In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.”  (The Message Bible says it this way: Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.)

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Your tongue can get you into a lot of trouble. There is nothing that can do more damage to your relationships than your words. Proverbs 17:27 says, “He that hath knowledge spareth his words.” That is, if you’re smart, you won’t talk so much. When you do talk, keep your words warm and sweet because you may have to eat them later. There’s an old saying I heard a Rabbi use once that reminds us: “The ears are open and out. They’re unguarded, but the tongue is behind ivory bars.”

• When you’re talking, you’re not learning.
• When you’re not learning, you’re not communicating.
• When you’re not communicating, there will be no intimacy in your relationships.

ACTION POINT:
In what ways has your mouth gotten you into trouble this week? Confess these times before the Lord and ask for strength and wisdom to be a better communicator. ~Devotional by Dr. Adrian Rodgers

I hope this has blessed your heart.

God Bless!!  :o)

Trials and Tribulations

God will use our trials to grow us and mold us.  When you are going through something that is weighing you down, just remember that God will work everything out for your good (Romans 8:28).  He will use every trial and bad circumstance in your life to mold you into the person He wants you to become.  He may use a trial to help you to learn patience.  Or you just might go through something that will enable you to show compassion and encouragement to others who are going through a similiar trial.  He not only works out everything for your good, but His plan for your future has always been filled with hope (Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."). 

Below is a devotional by the late Dr. Adrian Rodgers.  I hope this brings encouragement and comfort to your heart.

Seeing Problems as Potentialities

BIBLE MEDITATION: Nehemiah 2:20-“...the God of heaven, He will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build...”

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Do you have any problems today? You do? Well, I just have one word for you, “Congratulations!” I don’t want to sound flippant, but I am very serious about my comment. You see, a problem really is an opportunity in disguise. And you need to learn that God wants you to see your problems as potentialities and your adversaries as opportunities. A Christian is not someone who sees a difficulty in every opportunity, but to the contrary, he’s one who sees an opportunity in every difficulty.
Think of a problem you are struggling through today. Now, get on your knees.

ACTION POINT:
Ask God to show you the opportunity hidden away in your struggle that will bring Him glory.
-Devotional by Dr. Adrian Rodgers

One more thing I would like to share is this quote that I found years ago by Corrie Ten Boom that I absolutely love and believe to be true:

"Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see." -Corrie Ten Boom

I hope this has been an encouragement and blessing to you today.

God Bless!!  :o)

Another Free Valentine’s Printable

Just in time for Valentine’s Day! I found these super cute Magnetic Love Tags from Kim over at It’s A Crafty Life @ http://itsacraftylife.blogspot.com/2011/01/magnetic-love.html.  They are so cute! You could make them into Magnets, use them as Tags to adorn a gift to your Sweetie, put some on a Valentine’s Day Card that you whip up or even use them on a scrapbook page. These are free, so go and check them out as well as all of the other fun stuff on Amy’s blog! :o) Of course, I have already downloaded them myself! I love them! :o)

I'm still working on learning the html code thing, so you'll have to forgive me a little longer on that end...one of these days I'm going to surprise you!  :o)

Happy Crafting and God Bless!
"God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7

What is Real Beauty?

As I read the following devotional by Dr. Adrian Rodgers, I pondered what real beauty really is. This is something that I have been struggling with, as I myself have been aging. Not that I am calling myself a “beauty.” Not at all. But as I head closer to that ½ century mark, I struggle with aging more. The Bible is pretty clear on real beauty, though. “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:30. So this tells us two things, I believe. First of all, all beauty passes. We all age - we all get “old.” And, secondly, that inner beauty is more desirable than outer beauty.
　
TRUE BEAUTY

BIBLE MEDITATION:
1 Peter 3:4b “... even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Are you a woman struggling with the way you look? We all know that women want to be beautiful, especially to their husbands and boyfriends, but so often women think that beauty is found at a cosmetics counter, on a dress rack, or in a jewelry box. Those things are corruptible, and what’s in vogue today is out of fashion when next year’s supermodels hit the runway. The only thing that will make you more beautiful, day after day, is what you nurture within yourself: serenity. The ornament of a meek and quiet spirit is worth far more than the most expensive jewel you can wear around your neck.

ACTION POINT:Stand in front of the mirror today. Imagine Jesus by your side, and ask Him to create in you a gentle and quiet spirit of love.
~Devotional by Dr. Adrian Rodgers
　
I hope this is an encouragement to you and blesses your heart.
God Bless! :o)

Some More Sweetheart Box Ideas

Ok, so I made some more of these with my precious grandbabies on them, and wanted to show you how they turned out because they are a little more detailed than the one I posted before, and a little cuter, I think.  Maybe it'll give you some more ideas.

Happy Crafting and God Bless!!
"...Love Extravagantly..." 1 Corinthians 13:13

Trusting God

I've been reading more of the book I ordered, Always True, by James MacDonald and it has been a real encouragement to me.  I believe that I quoted Pastor James in an earlier post:

"God's Promises are an assurance God gives His people so they can walk by faith while they wait for Him to work."

We need to learn to truly step out in faith and really trust Him.  He is a Promiser and He cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18, Titus 1:2, just to name a couple).  So, whatever He says He will do, He will do!  Believe it! Again, we must learn to Trust Him.  Believe His promises.  Write them down, meditate on them (especially those specific to our situation at any given time), memorize them.  Keep our focus on Him and His promise until we see it fulfilled.  Remember, He knows the beginning from the end.  We do not. He works out everything for our good, if we belong to Him (Romans 8:28).  So, no matter what we are going through, we must trust that He will work it out for our good, no matter what the circumstances might look like in the here and now.

The following is another devotional by James MacDonald on Trusting God.  I hope it blesses your heart.

I Choose to Trust
"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

Trust is the antidote to anxiety; it's the resolution of worry and the destruction of fear. Trust is the act of my will to give my burdens to God. It's like a muscle--as you exercise it, trust gets stronger.

Trust is walking forward moment by moment, having rolled your burden onto God. You've no doubt said, "I gave it to God once, but here it is again in my grip." When you sense that you've taken it back again, get back on your knees, get the burden back on God, get on your feet again, and continue to trust.

When you off-load your burden on God, you can pick up a promise from His Word. Second Peter 1:4 tells us that "he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world." There are literally hundreds of promises that apply to your specific burden. God's Word is filled with treasure.

I'm claiming Isaiah 41:10 right now for a burden I leaving at God's feet. "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." There it is! God is doing this whole thing with one hand tied behind His back. He's not stressed or strained. He's not worried about what to do. He has absolutely no capacity limits!

Isaiah continues, "Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish. You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them; those who war against you shall be as nothing at all. For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I am the one who helps you'" (vv. 11-13).

Take a moment to read that awesome promise again. Trust means you anchor your heart in the reality of God's awareness of your situation. He sees more than you can ever see. God, who loves you and is committed to you, will not disappoint you now or in the future if you put your weight fully on Him. ~Devotional by James MacDonald

I hope you have found encouragement to Trust God today, whatever your situation.  His plan is to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).

God Bless!!  :o)