encouraging words wednesday….{service}

service has been heavy on my mind lately. perhaps it’s because our pastor spoke of it this past sunday. or maybe it’s because of this blog post or this one, wonderful reminders of what we Jesus-girls are called to do. or, more likely, God is tryin’ to tell me somethin’!

serv·ice: noun /ˈsərvis/ 1. the action of helping or doing work for someone; 2. an act of assistance

“if there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs.”
~deuteronomy 15:7-8

“she opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.”
~proverbs 31:20

“and do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased”
~hebrews 13:16

i don’t know about you but it’s sooooo easy for me to get hung up. hung up in my daily schedule and my to-do list and my family needs.

then i feel proud when i get a handle on all those things – items crossed off my list, family peace & satisfaction….and there’s no harm in that. after all, it’s what i’m called to do.

but i am also called to serve.

Source: ptskjohnson.blogspot.com via Kirstie - Bonhomie Jewelry on Pinterest

 

you see that compassion international widget in my sidebar? through that organization, my little man has a ‘brother’. they’re the same age and, while they’re certainly not experiencing the same life circumstances, they are both growing and learning about Jesus at the same time in the same stage of life. it’s my hope that they form a bond with one another and that little man, when he’s old enough, takes over the correspondence. maybe even embarks on a sponsor tour someday!

sponsoring a child is a worthy endeavor. but i feel i can do more.

our service doesn’t have to be grand and it doesn’t have to be financial.

a smile for someone having a bad day. help for an overburdened mom with one too many bags. an encouraging word to a friend.

i want to open my eyes and see the needs before me. both big and small. i pray that the Lord softens my heart and breaks my heart for what breaks His. i pray to be His light to another’s darkness.

and i ask y’all to pray for me, too. for a long time, it’s been on my heart to create a few pieces of jewelry that will benefit others. i’m so close to completing the design but i’m still not sure what to do with it when it’s done. please pray that i’m guided to the right person or organization.

God calls us to use our gifts, talents and blessings to bless others. how are you serving today?

encouraging words wednesday…..{blessings}

it’s one of those days. ya know what i’m talking about? those kinda days when, despite the fact that nothing has gone wrong, nothing feels right either? one of those days when you’re in bed by 7:00pm because you just can’t take it anymore. i’m choosing to blame it on hormones. did you know that even after a hysterectomy, you can still have pms?

TMI?

yeah, i thought so. but it’s just one of those days.

so because it’s one of those days, i’m gonna count my blessings.

1. i know i say this all.the.time but it can’t be stressed enough: i have a wonderfully supportive, godly husband. he’s incredibly tolerant of my weaknesses – even though lately he’s nickel-in’ & dime-in’ me to death (*grin* he told me that he was reading my blog. we’ll see!)

2. i was very worried about this but my son is doing so well in kindergarten! little man is blossoming socially and i’m so proud!

3. as i mentioned yesterday, i have a wonderful group of friends. and guess what? some of us are going to the women of faith conference together – stayin overnight & everything!

4. God has given me talents and He has a plan for me to use them for His glory. thank goodness He has a plan because, at present, i’m feelin’ pretty plan-less.

5. God will grace me with a brand new day. a new day to get things right, to accomplish what i didn’t the day before, to carry out new ideas, to check more items off my to-do list.

6. and see that picture up there? i took it myself. with my fabulous camera. my camera that suffered a spill this weekend but recovered so nicely :-)

7. last but not least:

little man’s first ride on a ‘big boy’ roller coaster. seriously?? how can you NOT smile at that :-)

“come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
~matthew 11:28-30

sometimes all you can do is count your blessings. just because i’m a Jesus-girl doesn’t mean i’m always happy and filled with joy. i should be. but i’m not. and that’s okay so long as i have perspective.

so i will remember what is good and wait for God to restore my soul.

because i know He will.

because i have faith.

encouraging words wednesday::provisions

seek and ye shall find. knock and the door shall be opened. follow His commandments, praise Him and God provides, yes He does! but does He always provide?

So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul—  then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil.  I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.
~deuteronomy 11:13-15

waaaaay back in deuteronomy, we see that God sends the rain “…….in its season'”. in other words, He provides what is necessary, when it’s necessary. sometimes it’s hard to remember, as good an idea it may be, it may not be what God has in mind for me. and – even if i can’t see it right away or understand it – what’s best for me is ALWAYS what He has in mind for me.

so i’m trying my best to accept and embrace what i don’t have. if i ain’t got it, there’s a reason!

i’m trying my best to be thankful for what i don’t have. whatever it is, maybe i can’t handle it!

i’m trying my best to remember to be thankful for what i do have and to be a good steward over the blessings i’ve received. if i can’t appreciate and take care of what i’ve already got, why would He bless me with more?

these are truths i need to remind myself of on a continual basis. lessons to be learned over and over again. which makes me ever so grateful for God’s grace and forgiveness when i’ve forgotten these truths and begin acting like a spoiled brat *grin*

what truths are you working on today?

a new year…a little late!

i am so sorry for the prolonged absence! a little mini-vacation spiraled out of control. actually, time has gotten away from me. after a wonderful holiday season, both personally and professionally, i had in mind to take a week off, reorganize and work on some new designs that have been on my mind for some time. anyway…….you might guess that things didn’t work out that way. i had one failure after another in trying to birth the new designs and new line. discouragement set in. day after day, i struggled with what to say. days turned to weeks and here we are!

my time has also been filled with minor illness (after illness, after illness!!), lots and lots of snow, lots and lots of missed school & work days, hospital and then nursing home visits to my mom, broken kilns (yikes!!!) and just general scheduling mishaps. i don’t say all this to make you feel sorry for me – on the contrary, this list causes me to gain some perspective. my life is not my own. and no, it doesn’t belong to my clients or my husband or my son or my mother. my life belongs to God and i’d do well to remember that! the seeming ‘inconveniences’ i listed are reminders. reminders that i can’t do this on my own and it’s only through Him that i will accomplish anything good or worthwhile.

after reining myself in, admitting my errors and giving it all over to God, something surprising happened – designs came to life and peace entered my soul! no, i don’t have any pieces created – not yet. but God directed me to some alternative solutions. also, i’d had a very vague idea for the new line but nothing fleshed out. the vision kept eluding me. lo and behold, i sketched out 4 pieces of the new line last night.

God works everything for good. all this snow has allowed me to spend more time with my son – intentional, quality time. i’m not going to lie – i still feel a bit bonkers and am happily looking forward to his return to school. but i’ve learned a lot about my little man. who he is, how he processes things, what’s important to him. i am blessed to know this beautiful child of mine and i pray daily that the Lord gives me the wisdom to “train him in the way he should go…” (proverbs 22:6). and my mother’s stay in the hospital has produced at least one diagnosis: lyme disease. it’s bad but it’s treatable. now her time in the nursing home is giving her strength and she’s getting involved in activities again. praise Jesus!

so, my word for the year is “intention”. intentionally obedient. intentionally present. jewelry pieces with intentional, thought-out, meaningful design. and if i appear to be slipping, refer me back to this post! because i know the Lord places people in our life intentionally – to provide support or guidance. so support and guide away! :-)

and i almost forgot to mention the wonderful news i received today – our sponsored child who lives in rio de janeiro is safe and sound! here’s another huge praise Jesus and a hallelujah on top of that!

counting my blessings

the holiday season has begun and for some – and that includes me – it brings with it a lot of stress. i’ve been known to have a melt down or two. but that’s not what this season is about. so, to remind myself to keep some perspective (thanks, kristin! <3), i’m counting my blessings. i’m sure that some, if not all, may be ‘repeats’ but who cares! if i’m thankful, i should say so.

1. my family. i can’t say it enough. i’ve been blessed with the miracle of my son and God chose for me a wonderful husband. also included is my immediate, extended and by-marriage family. i got pretty lucky ;-)

2. my friends. wonderful sources of support for me, my husband and my son.

3. this life. as a mom, a wife, an artist. i never imagined this life but God has a plan for us….

4. …..leading to my God. i’m so thankful to have a God who has a plan for my life. who loves me unconditionally and provides for me all of these blessings and more!

obviously, there are so many more that i could list but it’s time to get ready for church ;-)

have you counted your blessings today? care to share?

mark you calendars for a sale!

hey, all! i’m having a really difficult time accepting the fact that Thanksgiving is only one.week.away. that’s next week. holy moly. that also means that black friday – and cyber monday – are also fast approaching. to……ummm….celebrate (??), i’ve decided to offer all my customers my “friends & family” discount! friday 11/26 thru monday 11/29, take 20% off* all items in my etsy shop and on my bonhomie charms site. get busy on that holiday shopping!!

*all items in the etsy shop will show the sale price; purchases made on the bonhomie charms site will be made at full price and the discounted amount refunded via paypal.

i also need you to mark your calendars for order deadlines. Monday, December 13th is the last day to order for guaranteed Christmas delivery!

i know i was pretty scarce last weekend and this weekend coming up won’t be any different. i’m hugely excited because i’ll be attending my first women of faith conference: over the top!  my soul is in desperate need of uplifting which can only come from fellowship with other christian women and basking in the word and truth of God. i know that this will be an amazing experience and i’m sure it will become an annual event for me.

how do you nourish your soul?

reality check….

little man was in school, i’d just finished my work for the morning, put a load of laundry in the washer (which i just realized is still in the washer – makes the point of this post SOOO much more relevant!) and i was perusing the new DaySpring Fall Catalog (fabulous, faith-based items for yourself, your home or for gifts! click on the pic to view!) i was reading the artists’ bios and posts…..Ann talks about counting every thing as a blessing and she writes them all down as a reminder. Lisa-Jo shares with us her home in Christ. Melissa discusses her muse: God. women who are living for the Lord, raising their families in the Word and living out their dreams. so much talent, so much passion. i want to be them! and that becomes my goal for the day and my obsessive thought….”how do i become more like them?” and i imagine their happy families and clean houses and wonderfully successful businesses and eternally artistic inspiration and calm households and serene lives. i.will.be.that.woman!

and then i picked my son up from school. my son, who held me personally responsible for tearing him away from his best and only friend in the whole wide world. and we arrived home to an ever-ringing phone. then i decided to try to get my betty crocker on. i pictured my son and i working in the kitchen like the pictures in those parenting magazines. because i.am.that.woman. right? after spilled sugar, felled apple peels and dealing with one supremely distracted – though talkative – child, i realized……..i am NOT that woman. i am not calm. i am not serene.

instead of calm, serene woman, i became sad, discouraged, aggravated woman…… why can’t i be like them? for all appearances, i have the same makings for peace and serenity and ‘success’ as they do: God, a faithful family, the opportunity to do what i enjoy for a living….but then it hit me. appearances. duh! i'm standing on the outside looking in. did they tell me that their lives were perfect? nope. did i assume? yup. do they - on occasion - have piles of dirty laundry, a sink full of dishes and children who sometimes have a tendency to whine? i bet they do. God did not promise me a clean house. God did not promise me a perfectly behaved child. but as i mentioned before:

jeremiah 29:11 says “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.”

i may not have it all together all the time (or any of the time!) but God does. he knows where i’m going and how he’s gonna get me there. God’s got my back. trust ;-)

Sunday Contemplation.......

Bible Verse Graphics

i know that the Lord has a plan for my life. a wonderful, exciting plan for me and my family and i must remind myself of this daily....when things look scary and difficult....when it looks like i may not accomplish my goals. i have to remember that my goals may not be HIS goals but His plan is what will bring joy to my life. i thank God for that!

what does this verse mean to you?

Sunday Contemplation....

Sunday contemplation..........

Service..........

A few months ago, our pastor spent some time discussing service and ministry. It's not enough to just accept Christ - a Christian should serve in some capacity. And "ministry" is not reserved for those who've attended seminary. Everyone has a ministry to which their suited - simply put, I believe ministry is "the act of serving someone; the act of providing care or help"

Okay. So. How do I serve? What is my ministry? Well, I'm not entirely certain. I do recognize the gifts that the Lord has given me - among them is my talent as a jewelry artisan. And our gifts are given for a reason so...............here's my plan: I want to help others. Who? Well....

Very close to my heart is the US Military. I served for a very brief period. I was involved with the USO. I've seen the sacrifices they make - the active personnel and their families. The National Military Family Association (NMFA) provides so many needed services to active military, their families and veterans.

On a smaller scale, I've recently become aquainted with the Hands of Love Organization, which provides funding for children's feeding and other programs in North Carolina. (they're competing for a gift of $250,000 over at Pepsi so please vote!!)

And on a local level, Faith Living Church (my church) is focused on the needs of the community - helping the hungry, providing activities for children, counseling the bereaved, and a wealth of other services.

And here's the how: I'll be designing special charms for sale for the NMFA and Hands of Love. These charms will be available for sale on my new website and the majority of the proceeds (I'll retain only the cost of materials) will go directly to these organizations. For my church, I'm working on some faith-based charm designs to be sold in our church bookstore and also on my website. 100% of these proceeds will go back to my church.

Though I'm not certain that this is the ministry that God has intended for me, I'm continually prayerful about it and I can't help but be very excited! I'm asking for your prayers, as well - that God direct my service and that I follow His path. Thank you!

Sunday Contemplation......

I woke up this morning with this song on my mind and in my heart so I thought I'd share it with you.

"Lord, I'm Available to You"

9 years ago today................

I'm sure we all remember where we were. I was at work when I heard the news. I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't quite grasp the significance when a co-worker informed me that a plane crashed into one of the towers. I assumed she meant one of those small, crop-duster types and my thought was "what was the plane doing flying in the city in the first place?"

Then I realized the gravity of the situation. I was shocked. I was horrified. And the situation grew worse. And worse. And then I was outraged. How dare ANYONE threaten us on our own soil! And I remember how the country as a whole pulled together. I was never a Bush fan but during that time, I was impressed. I admired his response. Not surprising - at that point in time we weren't Democrats or Republicans. We were Americans. I thank God that I didn't lose anyone on that day but I did lose something. Something I believe we all lost - our sense of security. It did open my eyes. I also lost my sense of entitlement.

I offer up a prayer to our Lord for the families left behind - that they find the comfort and love that only God can provide. I pray for those who are fighting for our security in those parts of the world far from here. And I pray for those who provide our security right here at home. I pray for all of us - of all beliefs, nationalities and cultures - that we learn to love one another despite our differences and I pray that we are always thankful for the blessings we are given.

Amen.

Sunday Contemplation - Faith

Faith in times of trouble - Sunday Contemplation

I watched "Titanic" again last night. Have you seen it? (who hasn't?!?!?) I couldn't imagine the thoughts going through the minds of the passengers and I pray to God I'll never have to experience that kind of terror first hand. It always brings a tear to my eye when the quartet begins to play "Nearer My God to Thee". A testiment to lasting, enduring faith in God. It brings to mind one of my favorite songs by Natalie Grant - "Our Hope Endures"




The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident. (Psalm 27: 1, 3)

Sunday Contemplation

6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

~Romans 12:6-8

God has blessed me with many gifts and it's time for me to praise Him and use them in His honor.