Speaking with Kindness

 It was my turn this week to issue the challenge on Salt.  Please visit the Salt blog to see all the wonderful projects from the design team.  My post is copied below. 

I have been particularly burdened with verses about our speech lately. As often happens when you have children, I hear them making unkind comments, hear them yelling at each other or saying things that they shouldn't. I have been trying to impress upon them the need to speak to each other with kindness and love - or just not speak at all if that is not possible!

Personally I have always been convicted by Proverb 31:26 "She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness." The note for that verse in the Geneva Study Bible says "Her tongue is a book by which one might learn many good things: for she delights to talk of the word of God." Ouch! Is my speech such that my children "learn many good things?" I desperately want that to be true!

In her book, The Virtuous Woman, Vicki Courtney has a whole chapter about speech. The last paragraph sums it up very nicely:

"A virtuous woman . . . speaks with wisdom because she wisely considers her words because she wisely considers her words before she opens her mouth. When in the presence of gossip or hearsay, the law of kindness remains on her tongue. With an awesome fear of the Lord, she is quick to remember ' that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken' (Matt. 12:36)."

If you'd like to participate in our challenge, please leave a link on the Salt blog.  Thanks for visiting!

Cardstock:  Simply Chartreuse (Papertrey Ink), Naturals Ivory (SU!), Patterned Paper:  Jillibean Soup, Stamps: All Booked Up (Papertrey Ink), Ink: Memento, Accessories:  Ribbon (SU!), rhinestones (Taylor's Tiny Twinkles), gold paint pen, Spica pen, Copic markers.

Salt Challenge: Celebration of Marraige

Good morning!  Today's Salt challenge is entitled a Celebration of Marriage.  Please read Stacy's write up on the Salt blog.  She has chosen to use I Cor. 13 as the scripture passage.  Since today is my 10th wedding anniversary (and my parent's 43 and would be my grandparent's also if they were living) I thought it was very appropriate to reflect on marriage!  This past 10 years has certainly gone by quickly and the road has not always been easy.  But through it all I can honestly say that I am so thankful for my husband, for his love, his friendship and his dedication to me and our family!  It seems cliche, but I truly love him more now then I did 10 years ago!  He is definitely the one who knows me better than anyone else and he still loves me - LOL!  I am thankful for the gifts God has given us in 5 beautiful children and for all the blessing He has given to our family!  Happy Anniversary my love!

The template for this digi page is Tiffany Tillman's Summer Template 17 that I had seen my friend Charmaine us - it's such a pretty template! One more picture for you because I love it (even though the scan didn't come out very well)!

Please visit the Salt blog to view the rest of the team's creations. Have a great day!

Salt Challenge: A trouble free life?

Good morning! Pauline has given us the Salt challenge today based on Luke 8:22-25 which is the account of Jesus calming the storm.  Please read Pauline's comments on the Salt blog and take a minute to see the projects by some of the design team members.

I chose to focus on the verse at the end of the selection, vs. 25:  "Who can this be? For he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?"  Matthew Henry states: "Those that had feared the storm, now that the danger was over with good reason feared him that had stilled it, and said one to another, What manner of man is this! They might as well have said, Who is a God like unto thee? For it is God’s prerogative to still the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, Ps. 65:7."   They had witnessed the power of God over nature and were rightly amazed!

My ATC today uses Men of Life from Papertrey Ink.  I had to shorten the boat a bit to make it fit, but since it is not a line image that was easy to do.  I also used the KISS technique to make the boat have a woodgrain finish.  Thanks for visiting today - have a great day my friends!

Cardstock: Dark Chocolate, Ocean Tides (Papertrey Ink), White (Gina K Designs), Patterned Paper: Papertrey Ink, Stamps: Men of Life (Papertrey Ink), Ink: Rich Cocoa, Dessert Sand (Memento), Ocean Tides (Papertrey Ink), Accessories:  foam adhesive, brad

Salt Challenge: Clothed in Christ

Today's Salt challenge comes from Lythan.  Please read about her challenge on the Salt blog. She's chosen a passage from Galatians 3:23-29.  I've taken the phrase Lythan pointed us to taken from vs. 27 "For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."

In his commentary on Galatians Three, Martin Luther states, "To put on Christ according to the Gospel means to clothe oneself with the righteousness, wisdom, power, life, and Spirit of Christ.. . . With this change of garments a new birth, a new life stirs in us. New affections toward God spring up in the heart. New determinations affect our will."

I used a verse in Isaiah 61:10 for my ATC today.  I love the picture that God "clothed me with the garments of salvation." Isn't that amazing?!

We'd love to have to you create along with us, just be sure and leave a link to your project!

Cardstock:  Aqua Mist, Vintage Cream (Papertrey Ink), Patterned Paper:  October Afternoon, Ink:  Soft Sky (SU!), Accessories:  Large Scalloped die (Papertrey Ink), Old Olive Ribbon (SU!), Gingham ribbon (MFT), Nestabilities, Rhinestones (Kaiser)

Salt Challenge: Obedience

It's time for another Salt Challenge and this week it's Kim who's given us the theme.  Please take a minute to read Kim's excellent write-up on the Salt blog.  She's taken the theme from I Samuel 15:22 where Samuel tells King Saul, "To obey is better than sacrifice."  Saul's excuse for his disobedience was that he intended to sacrifice the spoils of war to God.  I'm reminded of a quote I remember from college, "It's never right to do wrong in order to get a chance to do right."  So often today I think we "bend rules" or tell "little white lies" in order to perhaps do something "good."  But God sees our sin and more than anything He wants our obedience!

As I thought about my project today I kept singing this song that our children sing in Sunday School (I grew up singing it as well!):

Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe.

Doing exactly what the Lord commands, doing it happily.

Action is the key - do it immediately, the joy you will receive.

For if we believe the word we receive, we always will obey.

I used the first line of the song on my ATC today as I believe it sums it up nicely!  The background swatches were stamped with the Mint Motif set, Very Square. The frame is Fillable Frames #4 from Papertrey Ink.

I'm off to tidy up - Jana is coming to visit me today!!! We're so excited!! :)

Cardstock: Kraft, Simply Chartreuse, Vintage Cream (Papertrey Ink), Stamps: Very Square (Mint Motif for iheartpaper.com) Fillable Frames #4 (Papertrey Ink), Ink: Pear Tart, Tangelo, Dandelion (Memento), Accessories: Cream & Simply Chartreuse felt (Papertrey Ink), Brad (Pink Hedgehog Crafts), Flower dies (Provo Craft), Fillable Frame #4 (Papertrey Ink), White Gel Pen, foam adhesive

Salt Challenge: Mother

Hello it's my turn today the challenge today on the Salt blog so I've just pasted my copy here:

A friend from church and I will be starting a program in the Fall for the little girls (kindergarten & up) at our church. We have several elementary school age girls in our church, and it's our desire to spend time teaching them from Prov 31, different aspects of being godly girls and women someday. In preparation for this, I have begun reading books and search for resources for not only the group, but for the mothers of these girls.

I was reading an excellent book this week the author talks about motherly love and one of the best examples of it in Bible, Hannah. We all know the story well I'm sure. As a mother I cannot imagine giving up my son, my firstborn son, to live far away from me the care of priests at the temple. But the author pointed out that the very next verse after Hannah takes Samuel to the temple and gives him over to Eli is I Samuel 2:1: "And Hannah prayed and said, 'My heart rejoices in the Lord.'" After doing what was probably the most difficult thing she could have, she praised God! Hannah knew, as we should, that our children belong first to God - He loves them more than even we do and He has given them to us for a short time to raise for His glory!

I thought of the verses in Deuteronomy 6:6-7: "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up." As the mother of 5 small children, my greatest desire isn't that they be "happy", as you hear so often, but that my children love the Lord with all their hearts and live to serve Him always!

My ATC may not scream "mother" to you, but I sort of went with the teaching theme from the verse.  The apple and ruler are from 3 Step School Days from Kitchen Sink Stamps.  Please take a moment to view all of the beautiful creations from the team today on the Salt Blog and if you get chance we'd love to have you create along with us! Be sure to leave a link.

Salt Challenge: Power to be Witnesses

Today's Salt Challenge is from Hazel and is based on Acts 1:8. Please take a minute to read her thoughts on the Salt blog.

Hazel focused her thoughts on the power available to us through the Holy Spirit - power to witness to all we come in contact with, personally or even electronically!  Our circle of contacts is so much bigger now thanks to the internet isn't it?  Being able to share the our faith through the power of the Holy Spirit is amazing gift!

My ATC today uses an awesome stamp from Kitchen Sink Stamps, 3 Step Hearts, which I thought was so appropriate!  I chose to use the heart with the world image to symbolize the love of Christ that we as witnesses can share.  The text was printed from my computer.  I used some ink to distress the edges and even left the bottom corner curled up a bit to add to the aged feel.

Please take some time to visit the rest of the Salt team and if you are able, we'd love to have play along with the challenge and then leave us a link!  Have a great day  . . .  Fun things are coming next week - are you ready?!  :)

Cardstock: Blue (Bazzill), White (Gina K Designs), Patterned Paper: Making Memories, Stamps: 3 Step Hearts (Kitchen Sink Stamps), Ink:  Chai & Camomille tea stain ink, Spring Rain (step 1), New Leaf (step 3) (Papertrey Ink), Bamboo Leaves (step 2) (Memento), Accessories:  notebook punch, Twine (Papertrey Ink), foam adhesive

Salt Challenge: First

I'm late, I'm so late!  Running behind in everything today so I will just let you know that today Tanis picked the Salt challenge this - Putting Him First.  Please take a moment to read her excellent words and perhaps the comments of a few of the design team members.  I have been particularly convinced of my own shortcomings in this area lately!  Doing lots of things, even good things, but what do I do well - what do I give my best to?  Do I put God first in all things? These are the things I've been pondering. 

I went simple and used the verse Tanis pointed us to, Matthew 6:33.  Have a wonderful day my friends!

All Supplies Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted:

Cardstock: Kraft, Hawaiian Shores, Patterned Paper: Dotty Biscotti, Stamps: Background Basics Tin Type,Ink: Hawaiian Shores, Aqua Mist, Fresh Snow, Accessories:  Hawaiian Shores Felt, Ric Rac die, Butterfly Die, Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Rhinestones (Zva Creative), corner rounder punch

Salt Challenge: Home

This is my second post today, please scroll down for Jana's Birthday Hop!

The topic for today's Salt Challenge comes from Ruth and is Home. What makes one and how does Jesus make mine different to other homes.  What a great question!  Please take a minute to read Ruth's post on the Salt blog and look at the beautiful projects that the design team prepared.

As I thought about this a few things came to mind, the verses about my household serving the Lord, and on the Christian's job to be salt and light, but in the end I chose I Cor. 10:31 for my ATC.  "Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."  Probably most people are familiar with this catechism question, "What is the chief end of man?" Answer: "To glorify God and enjoy Him forever."  Our highest duty, whether at home, work, school, or wherever is to bring glory to God.

Everything we do in our house to make it a home should be toward this end.  As John Piper puts it, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him!"

My ATC is fairly simple, I used sunburst paper from Scenic Route and added a bit of stitching with some DMC thread.  The verse was printed and then die cut using a Spellbinders ribbon slide tag.

Have a wonderful day!

Cardstock:  Summer Sunrise (Papertrey Ink), Patterned Paper: Grafton (Scenic Route), Stamps: flourish from Take Note (Papertrey Ink), Ink: Summer Sunrise (Papertrey Ink), Accessories:  Swarovski crystal, Spellbinders die, Summer Sunrise Ribbon (Papertrey Ink), Tag corner punch

Salt Challenge: Gethsemane

Good morning!  Today's Salt challenge is from Pauline and is very appropriate for the upcoming Easter Sunday.  Please take a minute to read her post on the Salt blog!  When she originally asked us to think about either the Last Supper or Christ's Prayer in the Garden I got a bit sidetracked in just thinking about the events leading up to Easter.

The verse I used today is from Romans 8:32, "He who spared not His own Son, but freely gave him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things." But isn't this verse appropriate?  Christ prayed in the garden ready to do the will of His Father and His Father's will was for Him to die - God "freely gave" His son!  That's amazing to me!  But the verse takes it a step further, if He freely gave us His only Son, won't He then give us "all things"?  "[A]ll things that he sees to be needful and necessary for us, all good things, and more we should not desire, (Ps. 34:10). . . .Can it be imagined that he should do the greater and not do the less? that he should give so great a gift for us when we were enemies, and should deny us any good thing, now that through him we are friends and children?" (Henry, Matthew. "Commentary on Romans 8." . Blue Letter Bible.1 Mar 1996. 2010. 31 Mar 2010.)

For my ATC today I didn't stamp - ack, I know!  I couldn't find exactly what I wanted - a plain cross, so I designed the verse and cross using Illustrator.  Once I printed it, there wasn't much room for anything else. The only thing that took a bit of time was learning how to make wood grain to use for the cross!

Please visit the Salt blog and see what the rest of the team has designed.  Maybe you will even be inspired to make something for the challenge!  Have a wonderful day!

Salt Challenge - Penitence

Today's Salt challenge comes from Lythan and is on Penitence.  You can read Lythan's write-up on the Salt blog.  For my project today I used Psalm 51:17 where David says, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart - these, O God, you will not despise."  Matthew Henry describes the penitent heart as ". . . a heart breaking with itself, and breaking from its sin; it is a heart pliable to the word of God, and patient under the rod of God, a heart subdued and brought into obedience; it is a heart that is tender, like Josiah’s, and trembles at God’s word. Oh that there were such a heart in us!"

My ATC today is a bit out of my comfort zone but I felt that the subject called for a different look.  I  printed my verse and die cut it with Nestabilities and then sponged all around the edges using Distress Ink.  The stamp is from Papertrey Ink's Life set and was stamped using Weathered Wood Distress Ink which seemed to go well with the Basic Grey paper (from the Perhaps line).  I sat forever looking at this trying to decide how to embellish it but in the end I left it pretty plain - only adding some brads and a teeny, tiny little crumpled flower made of the same dp.

Please visit the Salt blog today to view the rest of the design teams work and if you feel inclined, we'd love to have you join us in the challenge!  Please leave a link if you do.  Thank you so much for visiting today - have a wonderful day!

Cardstock: Buckaroo Blue (SU!), Ivory (Gina K Designs), Patterned Paper: Perhaps collection (Basic Grey), Stamps: Life (Papertrey Ink), Ink: Weathered Wood (Distress Ink, Ranger), Accessories: Nestabilities, Ribbon (SU! - colored with a Copic marker), Brads (SU!), Button (Papertrey Ink), corner rounder punch

Salt Challenge - I John 5:21

Good morning!! This week the Salt topic is from my buddy Kim and is taken from I John 5:21 "My little children, keep yourselves from idols."  Kim's post focuses on the fact that anything we have in our lives that takes us away from God - away from having a proper relationship with him - is an idol.  Please visit the Salt blog to read Kim's excellent write-up!

I think this topic ties in very well with the last one, about continuing in prayer, which is why I chose this particular verse stamp from Unity.  If I am doing what this verse says, there won't be any problems with idolatry. 

This ATC is a hodgepodge of products:  verse stamp from Unity, frame & frame top from Waltzingmouse Stamps, floral stamp and papers from Papertrey Ink.

Please do visit the Salt blog to see what the rest of the team has created!  If you decide to craft along with us please leave a link for us to view your project!!  Have a wonderful day friends!!

Cardstock: Ocean Tides (Papertrey Ink), Patterned Paper: Papertrey Ink, Stamps: Unity, Very Vintage Labels No. 4 (Waltzingmouse Stamps), Ink: Ocean Tides (Papertrey Ink), Black (Memento), Accessories: Nestabilities, Ribbon, Pearls (Zva Creative)

Salt Challenge: Continue in Prayer

It was my turn this week to pick a topic for the Salt challenge. I chose to focus on prayer and have used Colossians 4:2 "Continue in prayer." I have been thinking a lot lately about prayer and it's importance in the life of God's children. As a busy wife and mother it's often difficult to find time for a meaningful conversation with anyone!! And yet, prayer is most important especially when we are busy! I remember hearing this quote from John Wesley, "I have so much to do that I spend several hours in prayer before I am able to do it." When I read the morning reading from January 2 out of Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon which used this verse as it's text I was convicted to be more prayful this year.

Please visit the Salt blog to read the rest of my post (which is an excerpt from Morning and Evening).  My card today is not what I had intended to use, however when I was preparing to make my ATC I discovered that my printer is out of ink - booooo!!  So, as I sat at my desk and wondered what to do now I saw this card which I had made on Monday for the CAS challenge on SCS.  It seemed to fit.  The stamps are all from Kitchen Sink Stamps.

I hope you will give the challenge a try - leave us a link if you do! Have a wonderful day friends!

Cardstock: Lavender Moon (Papertrey Ink), White (Gina K Designs)
Stamps: 3 Step Daisies, sentiment from Words of Comfort & Joy (Kitchen Sink Stamps)
Ink: Lavender Moon, Plum Pudding, (Papertrey Ink) Vintage Violet, Elegant Eggplant (SU!)
Accessories: Lavender Moon ribbon (Papertrey Ink)

Salt Challenge - Daily

Our Salt challenge this week is from Tanis on being a Daily Christian.  Please go to the Salt blog and read her write up. 

I chose to use this verse from Psalm 139:16, "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before they came to be."  Just a reminder that God not only knows what will happen to us each day - what we eat, what we say, where we go, who we have contact with - but He ordained it all!  If we remember this, remember that God has planned all our days and truly cares what happens to us, maybe we will strive to live for Him daily - to be a Daily Christian.

For my ATC today I used some pretty new dp from My Mind's Eye Love Me Do collection.  The sun stamp is from Scattered Shower Additions from Papertrey Ink.  I printed the verse on vellum and overlaid it on my Nestabilities label.

We would love to have you play along with our challenge today!!  If you do, please link your project to the Salt blog so that we can see it! Have a wonderful day!  Oh and remember to comment on this post and this post for a chance to win some great prizes!!

Cardstock:  Terracotta Tile, Summer Sunrise (Papertrey Ink), Patterned Paper:  Love Me Do Head in the Clouds and Forever in Plaid (My Mind's Eye), Stamps: Scattered Shower Additions (Papertrey Ink), Ink: Summer Sunrise, Orange Zest (Papertrey Ink), Accessories:  Foam adhesive, Terracotta Tile Ribbon (Papertrey Ink), rhinestones, Nestabilities Label Eight (Spellbinders)

Salt Challenge - I Corinthians 13

Continuing in my theme of love this week (funny how things just seemed to happen that way!), the Salt challenge this week from Stacy is I Corinthians 13 known to most as the "love chapter."  You hear this chapter read a lot at weddings don't you?  I think of this chapter as being similar to Proverbs 31 but for everyone.  The characteristics of love here are definitely something that we should all aspire to, all work for, all remember daily.

For my ATC today I used a stamp from Paper Pretties (it's one of my stamps in the Precious Pretties line - but I can't find the link at the moment).  However, I only used part of the stamp by masking it - the stamp is of the whole chapter.  My background "Love" was printed on the computer.  I used a Nestabilities heart which I then embossed with the Swiss Dots folder to break up the text.  I used a Clear Glaze pen on each of the dots which gives it a neat extra touch.

Please visit the Salt blog to see all the wonderful creations by the rest of the team.  We'd love for you to join us and create a project inspired by I Cornithians 13.  Leave us a link if you do so we can see it!  Thank you for taking the time to visit today!

Cardstock: Dark Chocolate, Pure Poppy (Papertrey Ink), White (Gina K Designs), Stamps: I Cor 13 (Paper Pretties), Ink: Memento, Accessories:  Nestabilities, Ribbon (Papertrey Ink), corner rounder punch, Taylor's Tiny Twinkles (Taylored Expressions), Clear Glaze pen

Salt Challenge: Joy

Happy Christmas Eve my friends!  I know everyone is busy busy busy today getting ready as are we so I'll try to make this quick.  Our Salt challenge this week is Joy - specifically the joy that can be found in Jesus.  Please read Ruth's post on the Salt blog.

For my ATC today I just used the word "Joy" from the Wings of Joy set from Taylored Expressions.  I simple masked off the birdy when I stamped it.  I love the way the paper pieced letters turned out, even with all the cutting! :)  The dp is from Making Memories - so pretty with the foil berries!

Cardstock:  Green (Bazzill) Vintage Cream (Papertrey Ink), Patterned Paper:  Making Memories, Stamps: Wings of Joy (Taylored Expressions), Ink: Memento, Accessories:  Copic markers, Nestabilities, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Taylor's Tiny Twinkles (Taylored Expressions), Ribbon (SU!), Clear Glaze pen, Spica pen

Salt Challenge: God With Us

I finally finished my Salt Challenge - never having more than a few minutes at any one time to work on it really dragged the process out!

Please take a minute to read Pauline's write-up on the Salt blog.  This week's theme is "God with us" taken from Isaiah 7:14 " a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel."  I love this stamp from Unity called Prince of Peace, which includes the names for Christ as given in Isaiah 9:6, it seemed perfect for my ATC!

I'll just leave you with a link to another one of my favorite songs from Michael Card - it's most appropriate.

Immanuel

Have a great weekend!

Cardstock:  Riding Hod Red (SU!), Dark Chocolate (Papertrey Ink), White (Gina K Designs), Patterned Paper: Merry Wishes (Daisy Bucket Designs), Stamps: Prince of Peace (Unity Stamps), sentiment fro Take a Bough (Papertrey Ink), Ink: Black (Memento), Riding Hood Red (SU!), Accessories: Paper ribbon (Daisy Bucket Designs), foam adhesive, Copic markers, Nestabilities, Distress Stickles (Ranger)

SALT Challenge: The Final Word

It's time for another Salt Challenge and today's challenge comes from Tanis, her topic is Listening to God. Please visit the Salt blog to read her excellent write-up. As I spoke to my husband about this topic, he put me on a bit of a different track. As Christians we desire to know God's will, to hear His voice and follow His path. My husband pointed me to Hebrews 1:1-2 where it says: "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us through His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe."

Jesus is God's final word to mankind. Matthew Henry calls us to examine "God's method of communicating his mind and will [in these] last days as they are called . . . . The times of the gospel are the last times, the gospel revelation is the last we are to expect from God. There was first the natural revelation; then the patriarchal, by dreams, visions, and voices; then the Mosaic, in the law given forth and written down; then the prophetic, in explaining the law, and giving clearer discoveries of Christ: but now we must expect no new revelation, but only more of the Spirit of Christ to help us better to understand what is already revealed." (Henry, Matthew. "Commentary on Hebrews 1." . Blue Letter Bible. 1 Mar 1996. 2009. 17 Sep 2009.)

As we seek to listen to God we should be careful to not seek God apart from His Word and His final Word - the son, Jesus Christ. I was reminded of another song by Michael Card which I've added here for you to hear and read. The text is based on Hebrews 1:2 and sums it up perfectly.


Lyrics | Michael Card - The Final Word lyrics

My ATC today uses a portion of Hebrews 1:2 and focuses on the incarnation of The Final Word - Jesus. The stamp is from Paper Pretties, The Nativity. I hope you visit the rest of the Salt team to be blessed by their work on this topic. We also invite you to play along and leave us a link!

Cardstock: White (Gina K Designs), Patterned Paper: retired, Stamps: The Nativity (Paper Pretties), Ink: Memento, Accessories: Foam adhesive, paper piercer, Nestabilities, Copic markers, rhinestones

Salt Challenge: Guidance

Today was Stacy's turn to challenge the Salt team. Her topic was Guidance and the verse she gave us was Psalm 25:5:

"Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation, on You I wait all the day."

Read Stacy's write up on the Salt blog and take a look at all the beautiful projects made by the team.

Friends, my brain is mush today . . . busy, busy, busy, so much going on life with homeschooling, children, family, friends, business, etc., etc. I think my only response to this can be "on You I wait all the day!" How can I possibly survive and do all the things that I need to do? I am reminded of a verse that I claimed my senior year in college, "I would seek unto God and unto God would I commit my cause, which doeth great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number." (Job 5:8-9)

For my ATC today I printed the verse and used one of Papertrey Ink's newest sets Autumn Abundance. I went with a "French country," blue, white & yellow color scheme. Time to get working on that list . . . ! :)

Cardstock: Ripe Avocado (Papertrey Ink), White (Gina K Designs), Patterned Paper: October Afternoon, Memory Box, Stamps: Autumn Abundance (Papertrey Ink), Ink: Memento, Assessories: Ribbon (Papertrey Ink), Brad (Pink Hedgehog Crafts), pinking shears, Nestabilities, Copic markers, foam adhesive

SALT Challenge - Jeremiah 29:11

Good afternoon friends!! Late post today . . . all this going to the lake is catching up with me - tee hee! I fell asleep last night around 9 pm and got no work done at all!! So today, we decided to stay home and get some work done (besides, it's supposed to be a teeny bit cooler today).

Anyway, the challenge this week is from Ruth. She chose a verse from Jeremiah 29:11 and her topic was Purpose. Read her write up on the Salt blog. She asks a question at the end of her post: "How does your faith make you think differently about your PURPOSE?" Great question! As a believer our PURPOSE is no longer to live for self but to glorify God. Everything we do or say should be for that PURPOSE alone. When I was young and would attend summer camp, we quoted the same verse before every meal: "Whether therefore you eat or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God" (I Corinthians 10:31).

I am also reminded of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on what we now call Palm Sunday. As he was riding into the city on the back of a donkey, the disciples began to "rejoice and praise God with a loud voice" (Luke 19:37). When they were rebuked by the Pharisees, Jesus told them "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out" Luke 19:40. ALL creation praises God, shouldn't we?

The ATC I created today uses the verse Ruth gave us, Jeremiah 29:11. I used the cute little flower stem images from Everyday Button Bits (Papertrey Ink), after all the flowers certainly glorify God don't they?

If you'd like to play along with this week's theme, please leave a comment on the Salt blog so we can all see your creation! Have a wonderful day!

Cardstock: Green (Bazzill), White (GP), Patterned Paper: Scenic Route, Stamps: Everyday Button Bits (Papertrey Ink), Ink: Pear Tart (Memento), Accessories: Buttons (Papertrey Ink & Pink Hedgehot Crafts), Ric Rac (May Arts), Twine (Papertrey Ink), Corner Rounder punch