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Everyday Vocabulary & a whole lotta junk...

Welp, I have come to realize that my "one little word" for 2013, RE-PURPOSE, is not broad enough to cover a whole year...seriously, why would I have ever thought ONE word would do?

DUH.

Several long stories and situations short, I am officially, as if this were an official thing, adding the word TRUST to my 2013 Everyday Vocabulary. 

Here I go...Throwing myself under a bus AGAIN, for many years I have foccussed and have really tried to base my life on walking by FAITH.. shoot, I got it tattoo'd it on my foot.

I have continually used and shared my FAITH and continue to recommend it to others to handle things, rely on for support, lean on in times of need and to thank in times of celebration..as a part of everyday living (just as important as air, water, blood)

thing is...

I forgot something.

FAITH just isn't enough and after a being hit with a Tsunami of "weep with the weeping" this past week, I had to reach out and was reminded of the only other thing you can do...

When times get tough and things get rough and you are overcome with ___________ (fill in your word of choice) you have to have faith in God and TRUST what HE says.

With that, I wrote this in my journal this morning and just so you know, so that I could, you know, try it on for size... I had to rely on my new word "TRUST" yesterday as I drove down the mountain straight to the ER because yes, why wouldn't you kick off a new year with more broken bones and a new cast ?

Right now, I am wondering if this is the kinda stuff you add to Project Life pages... and in case you are wondering...does this mean another tattoo??? one step at a time.

Re-Purposed Friday

Took a little time to doodle out and re-purpose some of my PL cards to use in my album.

Some are to note what month it is...

and some are just little reminders for me (and for you!)
Happy Friday.

4 of 4 & Another Peek

The fourth and final thing that will help me you US make the rest the best is choosing to live by faith and NOT by fear. 
Now, when I re-read this, I realized that I wrote " Not faith in so much "what" but rather in "who" and "why" and that sounds a little off.  What I believe is that if you have faith in the "who" and the "why" than naturally, the "what" will happen.

Let me throw myself under the bus to give you an example that I have shared before.

I don't like leaving home. 

I mean, I am good with going to work at the school, always up for a trip to Target, love getting to be at the Joy Factory once a week and feel really in the right place driving on to campus at Saddleback....

I think, or at least I am starting to realize that I don't like leaving home when I am going teach what my "gifts and talents"are. I don't like leaving what I "think" is my safe zone.  I don't like being away from where I feel safe.  I am a homebody, whatever that really is. 

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to teach, love to get out and meet the amazing creative souls from all over and love to be connected to those who love to create, but getting up and out causes a whole lotta anxiety and fear for me, which spills out onto my family and messes up my purpose.

and yep, I know who causes all of that anxiety and fear...

and it ain't God.

so I CANT LET FEAR WIN. (either can you)

I can't

I won't

and I will continue to keep on working at this with my super shield of FAITH. (insert lightning bolt and thunder sounds)  By choosing faith over fear, I will succeed in anything I do, regardless of the outcome.

By choosing faith over fear, I will keep growing & learning,

By choosing faith over fear, I will become stronger and more confident...

and who doesn't want that?

okay, a peek at the projects that have arrived safely at the Anaheim Convention center for this weeks CHA

3 of 4

The third thing to make the rest of our life the best of our life are our VALUES. The ingredients of ourselves.

Reminds me of an excerpt from "Soup" by Jon Gordon


I am going to ask myself this question and then if you want, you can ask yourself in the comfort and privacy of your own home....

If Jesus was coming over for dinner tonight, would I (or could I) serve HIM my soup?

The Second Thing...

First we have to REFUSE, now we must CHOOSE.

I try to choose JOY on a daily basis, shoot, on an hourly basis BUT (and there is always a big BUT involved!) it is robbed from me because I LET it be taken by those who I let take it. 

DANG IT!

Note to self: It goes along with yesterdays #1... It is time to REFUSE and time to CHOOSE

Now, just because I choose Joy, does not mean things are pretty, shiny, sparkly and lovely...oh no..

Here is an excerpt from the book "The Gifts of Imperfection" by Brene Brown (pg. 73) that I have highlighted:  "Joy is as thorny and sharp as any of the dark emotions.  To love someone fiercely, to believe in something with your whole heart, to celebrate a fleeting moment in time, to fully engage in a life that doesn't come with guarantees-these are risks that involve vulnerability and often pain.  When we lose our tolerance from discomfort, we lose joy. "

It reminds me exactly of this 2 choice: "Choose short term pain for long term gain"

amen.

4 Things

Yesterdays message at church was one of my most favorite and is one of many leading to the kick-off of the new study, "What On Earth am I Here For?" the re-release of Pastor Rick's "Purpose Driven Life" book.  I don't know about you but I am ready for 40 days of  "Re-Purpose" that I can will apply to the rest of my life. The message talked about the 4 things that will make the rest of your life, the BEST of your life, and who doesn't want that?  Sounds easy, because there are ONLY 4 things...but keep in mind, the "right" thing to do is sometimes the HARDEST thing to do..

dang it!

Here is the 1st of four
To get more information on the upcoming "What on Earth am I Here For" study, just go here

CHA Season

For my crafty friends, it it "CHA" season so my head and neck have been facing down for the past two weeks and my fingers have been sticky, tacky, inky and stained...but the work is done.

Every CHA season I work on a project or 10, I feel like I have created my most favorite project ever, and then each CHA comes and goes, and it happens again.  Alot of it has to do with a awesome products I am working with but most of it comes from God.

Truly, it is my hands doing the work, Tim's products embellishing the process but the inspiration that NEVER SEEMS TO STOP..comes from God...that is again, why I call much of my work HEart.

HE is the source...ART is what my hands create.

Now, I am not sure when I can give you a little peek, but I am going to sneak you a look, and then if I busted, I will take it down... More peeks soon...as well as a new class announcement...eek, it is a a good one...on-line and in-store...

oh, okay, a little peek at that too..
okay, gotta go or I am going to bust myself!

Sticks and Stones

The way to "hear" God is to wait quietly, patiently and expectantly. Gods voice is not a loud, deep, thunderous, lightning striking voice.  Sometimes, Gods voice is visual. The way to "see" hearts is very similar...quietly, patiently and expectantly (just not on your time line) The key is to not look for them at all.  

Let it happen because when you do, it feels like a gift.

Like when you are struggling to hike up a hill (or struggling to get up a hill in life) and you find the best one ever and you hold on to it tightly.  It provides strength when you feel like you do not have it .The joy of finding a rock shaped like a heart is a reminder that God is always right there...no matter where you are.  Sometimes, you need to leave the hearts right where you see them, as signs for others that may follow.

Leave them there for others to find and let them feel the happiness of a rock shaped like a heart.

There are treasures everywhere, not only in the shape of a heart. 

"I will look to see what He will say to me..." Hab 2:1 (NIV)

Adhere The Truth - Repurpose 2013

I am kicking off the first day of the year with my word, Re-Purpose and a plan to "do something for others" with what I have.

I have mentioned it here and on FB, but when you have that nagging urge to help, to reach out and do something, but you just do not know what to do...

it really is easy...we humans just tend to complicate and over think things (well, at least I do.)

"When you don't know what to do, do what you know how to do, with what you have, for someone else."

So now what????

First, take a look at the video: 

Now, if you have taken one of my classes in the past few months, then you know exactly how to make "truth cards" the way I am making them but, here is the thing,

YOU can create "truth cards" just the way you want!

Here is what I am doing:

1. Start by creating cards or covering regular ol' playing cards with scraps of paper and tissue paper 2. Add a little ink to the edges 3. Add some paint, some stamps and some love in the shape of hearts (or whatever you wish!) 4. Add a little more "detail" 5. Adhere the truth and hey, as you are creating these truth cards for others, think, reflect and pray about what you are doing while you are doing it. It's a win win and that is a GREAT way to start off a new year!
For more information on how YOU can create truth cards for our brave girl friends on the other side of the world, go here http://bravegirlsclub.com/truth-card-exchange-manila-phillipines

and just a little shout out to my amazing friends Melody & Kathy...YOU are changing the world...ONE BRAVE GIRL AT A TIME!