I am all about altered art jewelry these days. My brain is a cloud right now, so bear with me. You know when you have 10 projects in your head all at once, and you are so excited, but nothing really goes as planned? Then you end up with something you hadn’t imagined whatsoever, which is sometimes amazingly beautiful and you are thrilled… that was not my experience tonight, but i photographed and am sharing despite my dissatisfaction. That is some progress for me. I am so very far from perfect, a fact I used to frantically and desperately try to hide. Today it is o.k. that I am me. Nothing I make, wear, accomplish, no weight, no hairstyle, no male on my arm matters to God. All He wants is for me to turn to Him for satisfaction. Not because He is egotistical, but because He knows he made me to run on Him, and He truly wants me to be happy.
Archives for September 2010
Domino Before and After; Unity Pendant
Polymer Clay Day 98: Pinktastic Serenity Clay Pendant
Be content with what you have, for God has said, “Never
will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So say with
confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.”
– Hebrews 13:5,6
– Psalm 34:5a
counsel you and watch over you.
– Psalm 32:8
Be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead!”
– I Peter 1:6
Cast your cares upon the Lord, for he cares about you.
– I Peter 5:7
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never
come to an end; they are new every morning. . .
– Lamentations 3:22-23
Come unto me, ye who are weary and overburdened, and I
will give you rest.
– Matthew 11:28
With men it is impossible; but to God all things are possible.
– Matthew 19:26
Glorious, majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures
forever.
– Psalms 111:3
I could go on and on and on, but it’s not necessary. When I sit still with the words “never will I forsake you”, that is all I need. In this world where nothing is permanent except change, God’s promise to NEVER abandon me makes everything bearable. For so long I looked at the words “heavenly father”, and compared my Creator to my earthly, imperfectly human father. I trusted Him none, and couldn’t see His love for me as existing at all, much less being perfect and permanent. My understanding of “father” has expanded beyond words, and He is the rock on which I stand. Blessed are we!
Polymer Clay Day 97: Graceful Clay Pendant
Grace is the good pleasure of God that inclines Him to bestow benefits upon the undeserving. It is a self-existent principle inherent in the divine nature and appears to us as a self-caused propensity to pity the wretched, spare the guilty, welcome the outcast, and bring into favor those who were before under just disapprobation. Its use to us sinful men is to save us and make us sit together in heavenly places to demonstrate to the ages the exceeding riches of God’s kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
A.W. Tozer
Grace is not simply leniency when we have sinned. Grace is the enabling gift of God not to sin. Grace is power, not just pardon.
John Piper
It is a greater work of God to bring men to grace, than being in the state of grace, to bring them to glory; because sin is far more distant from grace than grace is from glory.
John Trapp
Advance in the Christian life comes not by the work of the Holy Spirit alone, nor by our work alone, but by our responding to and cooperating with the grace the Holy Spirit initiates and sustains.
Donald Whitney
A man can no more take in a supply of grace for the future than he can eat enough for the next six months, or take sufficient air into his lungs at one time to sustain life for a week. We must draw upon God’s boundless store of grace from day to day, as we need it.
D.L. Moody
It is not only by grace alone that we become God’s people but by grace alone we remain His people.
Dale Ralph Davis
His grace is enough!! Scatter joy…
Polymer Clay Day 96: Joyous Clay Noise
Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth:
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Polymer Clay Day 95: Blissful Butterfly Beaded Beauty
Butterflies are the most wonderful symbol of transformation, grace, beauty and freedom. I have been in such a phase of rearranging, hurting, messing up to the point of feeling like a gelatinous mess of disgust trapped in a cocoon. It has sucked, to be totally honest. I don’t do emotional pain well, but I can say that through it all, I have kept my eyes on the One who saves. Little by little, changes beyond my greatest of dreams are materializing, and I am truly free.
Romans 6:14 (NLT)
Polymer Clay Day 94: Courage Grunge Paper Clay Pendant
Pain pushes me to chase God with a veracity not present when comfort abounds. I hope to grow along His narrow road into a woman that stands back, letting Him live through me. At least then the pain I experience would be that inherent in being human, instead of manufactured by my very hand. He gives me COURAGE to get back up, to stand in the rain and know I won’t drown. He welcomes me with open arms and unfailing love deeper than the oceans, never changing, no matter where I drag His name. Thank God for… God.
“Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing. Use the pain as fuel, as a reminder of your strength.” |
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“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.””
Polymer Clay Day 93: Faith Paper Clay Pendant
I despise flash on my camera, which is what I get for waiting til dark to photograph today’s clay creation; a washed out version of the real deal. That said, FAITH is one of my favorite words.
I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there” and it will move.
Matthew 17:20
Polymer Clay Day 92: Serenity Paper Clay Pendant
I never knew what serenity was, much less that I was missing it, until I began to rely upon God. That happened right around the time I turned 30. Now I crave serenity and when the chaos of life steals it away, I seek God to restore me to peace. It usually involves a change in perspective. My serenity is inversely proportional to my expectations of others and the world.
When I let people be who they are, while taking care of myself as God would have me do, refraining to take the actions of others so personally, my soul finds rest.
Polymer Clay Day 91: Courage Swirl Pendant
This attribute is so indispensable in reaching one’s full potential. There are changes that I feel in the deepest parts of myself would free me from being less than I was created to be if I had the courage to make them. Fear keeps me from acting. I pray for courage and to hear God’s voice so loudly I have no choice but to obey. I also pray for the wisdom to differentiate my will from His, since I can so easily convince myself that what I want must be coming from God.
Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.
1 Corinthians 16:13
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.
2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
(NLT)
Hebrews 13:5-6
For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
WOW. These verses remind me that absolutely nothing that could happen to my earthly body can change who I FOREVER am in Christ. Whenever I find comfort in the midst of fear, it is because I have remembered this truth. It is horrifying to be in a world of uncertainties and the only constant is change. That is except for God, never changing, everlasting, perfect love. Therein lies peace.
Bottle Cap Bonanza
Here are some of the bottle cap pendants I made during my bout with insomnia. I will be taking several with me to a good ol’ Indiana limestone quarry festival next weekend, it appears. My printer cartridge was low, and I was far to lazy to leave opted to make the font light/faded for a vintage effect. I think I will find them even cuter when the words are black and pop more.
On a completely unrelated note, my friend Lisa (aka Long Run Lisa) Completed a full marathon today for her first time. She is an inspiration! You rock Lisa!!!!