Organizational {Friday} Journaling and Photos for 2014

I have learned a lot this year about how I work best when it comes to storing photos and keeping track of events and journaling. I found things that work for me and things that don't.  I worked on Project Life this year, have created three Month-in-Review (MIR) albums for my girls for Christmas, and worked on regular scrapbook pages. In doing this all of this, I really had to adjust how I organize and keep track of things. So, let me show you where I was and how I am going to start 2014 and be organized from the get-go.

Previously

This past year as I was creating the MIR albums for my girls, I had to go back through all of my pictures for the entire year and write down the dates and details of each photo. That took a long time. It was probably the most time consuming piece of the MIR project. Had I journaled this entire year, it would have been a piece of cake. And by journaling, I don't mean writing a long story each day. I just mean writing short bullet notes on what happened each day. For instance:

• Oct. 18: C tries on high heels
• Oct. 19: California Dreaming and shopping with the girls

Here is a look at one of the pages:

Simple but jogs the memory and I know when the photo was taken. Did this notebook work? Yes and no. It would have if I would have started it at the beginning of the year. I went through all of my 2013 photos and jotted 10 pages of notes like the one above. My carpal tunnel got the best of me which will be a great reminder to keep up my new binder system in 2014. And while I could continue this notebook in 2014, I don't have anywhere to put memorabilia. I have also been confused as to what to do with all of the fun school photos the kids text me from college. The new system I am going to use will take care of that issue. Let's look at that now.

The Binder

I picked a Russell+Hazel Signature Binder several years ago from 2Peas in a Bucket. They had them on clearance, and I paid about $7 for it. They run $25, and I am kicking myself for not ordering more! Anyway, they are very sturdy binders. I will use one for this project, and I have one full of sketches. I love the integrated rubber band that keeps everything enclosed nicely.

I could alter the cover but I am going to leave it bare for now. It's going to get tossed around a lot over the next year so leaving it like this is fine.

The Pages

I found the pages on Pinterest from Jacky V. I liked what she did but I have made a few changes to my process which I will explain below. The pages are great if you want to download them (click here).

The Process

In Jacky's binder, she printed 52 pages and used 52 sheet protectors. I have done it a little differently. I printed 29 pages (2-sided) and only used 12 sheet protectors. She uses the sheet protectors for weekly memorabilia. I know I don't have that much memorabilia so I went with just monthly sheet protectors instead of weekly. That will work great for me.

I did create little tabs to put on the edge of each sheet protector. I used a 7Gypsies stamp set that I got from 123stitch. You can see that set here. I trimmed some Memory Box blue poppy cardstock into 1 1/2"x2 1/2" pieces, stamped each month, and adhered the labels to each sheet protector. I also stapled each label to the sheet protector because I wasn't sure the ATG adhesive would hold up on the plastic. I used my Tim Holtz tiny attacher to staple it to the sheet protector.

Binder: Russell+Hazel Signature Binder

Stamps: 7Gypsies 12 months cling mount stamp set

Stamp Ink: Memento rich cocoa

Other products used: Tim Holtz tiny attacher, Memory Box blue poppy cardstock

I will not use the top part of each page to pre-plan where pictures will go since I do not use those page protectors in my albums. I can use that area to write other notes or just leave it blank.

I am excited to take my quick notes each day and have an easy place to store memorabilia for each month. And anyone can use this system. It does not have to be for Project Life. It can be just a way to journal and save memorabilia for your regular scrapbook pages. I find I am mixing my fancy scrapbook pages with divided page protectors in my 8 1/2 x 11 WRMK albums anyway. I really like that a lot. Then I don't feel forced to put a lot of photos on a single page. I can scrap one photo on a "fancy page" and then put the extra photos from an event/day/week in the divided page protectors behind the layout.

And as far as storing my photographs on my laptop, I still store them the way I have for 3 or so years now. I can easily find what I have but now I must make sure I "process and file" those photos that come via text message. That's where I can get into trouble but as long as I manage and file those, everything works great. I also make sure I keep them backed up on my external drive (a Passport). You can see a post on how I store my photos on my laptop by clicking here.

I hope you have found this helpful. Have fun getting yourself ready for another year of capturing those family memories! Have a blessed weekend!

More Cards with Blue Fern Studios

Today I want to share two cards with you that you could easily create and use as thank you cards or whatever occasion you need after the Christmas holiday. You will need the Blue Fern Studios Shabby Layered Frame chipboard, Gabrielle Butterfly Set, and the Graduated Circles. Let's get started!

Hello
For my first creation, I wanted to use the Blue Fern Studios Shabby Layered Frame. This frame measures 4 1/2" x 5" so it was perfect to use for a card frame. I cut my card base and then got to work on dressing up the frame. I started with a layer of gesso on the frame, and then I used some DazzelerZ spun sugar. Once that was all dry, I used a sponge to add touches of Inka Gold paint on the frame randomly. Here is how it turned out:

Papers: Webster's Pages Postcards from Paris II, Memory Box cs 

Blue Fern Studios chipboard: Shabby Layered Frame (painted with Shimmerz DazzelerZ spun sugar and Inka Gold antique gold) 

Stamp Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink frayed burlap, Adirondack ginger 

Stamp: Memory Box Just a Note 

Embellishments: Wild Orchid Crafts leaves and flowers, other misc. flowers, My Mind's Eye Happy Days wood banner, May Arts twine, Prima resin bird and jean button

I used a "hello" sentiment but that could easily be changed to any sentiment you would like to use.

Made for You
For my next card, I used two pieces of Blue Fern Studios chipboard. The first is the center from the Graduated Circles set. I used Tim Holtz Distress Ink antique linen to color it. I wanted it to match the woodgrain color in the patterned paper I used. It looks like I left the chipboard raw but there was a slight color change when adding the ink. It turned out to be just the color I wanted.

And for the Gabrielle Butterfly, I covered it in gesso first. Once it was dry, I added two layers of DazzelerZ dreamscicle. I let the first layer dry before adding the second layer since the butterfly is so delicate. It helped to build up the paint a bit by allowing it to dry between layers on this delicate piece.

Papers: Crate Paper Flea Market, Memory Box kraft nc 

Blue Fern Studios chipboard: Graduated Circles (inked with Tim Holtz Distress Ink antique linen), Gabrielle Butterfly Set (painted with Shimmerz DazzelerZ dreamscicle) 

Stamp Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink brushed corduroy and antique linen 

Embellishments: wood veneer from Diana McRae, Wild Orchid Crafts flowers, other misc. flower, Hobby Lobby doily, Zva Creative flourish, hand-dyed Hug Snug, sewing machine

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you got some useful ideas to try on your Blue Fern Studios chipboard. Have a blessed week!

December Sketch Challenge and a {Layout}

Is it really December 1st today? Where has the year gone? Wow! Anyway, with the first of the month that means it's time for a new sketch from Blue Fern Studios. This month I have a layout for you using this beautiful sketch! First, let's look at the December sketch:

December Sketch

You can see the complete December Sketch Challenge details and prize package by clicking here.

My Creation

For my 8 1/2 x 11 page, I kept the sketch pretty much "as is." I used a photo of my sister and I from 1967. My dad was serving in Vietnam, and my sister had just turned a year old the day before this photo was taken. Mom made our matching dresses, and the coffee grinder lamp and record cabinet in the background are still in the family. How fun is that! 

I used two types of Blue Fern Studios chipboard on my page—first the Winter Trees chipboard which is featured on the sketch. I painted this piece with a mixture of Golden glass bead gel, Golden chromium oxide green open acrylic paint, and Lindy's Stamp Gang Luscious Lime mist. It's a bit hard to see in the photo how "chunky" the tree is but I like it. I also decorated the tree with a mixture of metal pieces and the Blue Fern Studios Tattered Diamond Bits that I painted with Inka Gold silver.

Papers: Basic Grey Blitzen Fresh Snow, Echo Park Reflections Christmas, Paper Trey Ink black cs, Bazzill cs 
BFS Chipboard: Winter Trees (painted with a mixture of Golden glass bead gel, Golden chromium oxide green open acrylic, and Lindy's Stamp Gang Luscious Lime mist), Tattered Diamond Bits (painted with Inka Gold silver) 
Stamp: Hero Arts painted circle, Amy Tangerine date stamp 
Stamp Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink gathered twigs, Brilliance coffee bean 
Embellishments: Memory Box large typewriter no. set dies, Tim Holtz mini gears, 7Gypsies mini keys, Elle's Studio Today Lil' Snippets, The Crafter's Workshop mini bricks template with Liquitex light modeling paste, Petaloo large daisy, Wild Orchid Crafts flowers and leaves, Prima Junkyard Findings small typo bulb, sewing machine
 

Now jump on over to the Blue Fern Studios blog to see the full details of this sketch challenge and to see more sketch inspiration from the other design team members! Have fun, and I hope you will join in on the challenge!

A Little {Card} Inspiration

Hi! Today I am here with a little Blue Fern Studios panel inspiration for you. I have used both the Quatrefoil Panel and the Chain Link Panel along with some other Blue Fern Studios pieces. This month, there have been several occasions in which I have had to make cards to send. So, armed with my great Blue Fern Studios products, I will share two of those cards with you today using panels and other chipboard.

A Card for Ordination
My friend was ordained on the 17th so this was the card I made for her. I started the bottom layer with patterned paper and the Blue Fern Studios Quatrefoil Panel. I inked it in distress ink and then added embellishments on top. It makes a great background piece.

I also added a couple of Blue Fern Bits that I colored with gelatos and layered them with my other embellishments.

Papers: Pink Paislee Hope Chest, Memory Box nc and cs 
Blue Fern Studios chipboard: Quatrefoil Panel (inked with THDI gathered twigs), Blue Fern Bits (colored with Gelatos metallic mint) 
Stamp: ODBD Daffodil Tag Set 
Stamp Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink gathered twigs, VersaFine vintage sepia 
Embellishments: Prima antique mirror and leaves; Wild Orchid Crafts flowers; Zva Creative pearls; Memory Box pearls; hand-dyed Hug Snug seam binding

A Sympathy Card
Our senior pastor's father passed away this month. I used the above card for inspiration but this time I used the Blue Fern Chain Link Panel. I also inked this panel in distress ink and placed the panel in the background.

I then used the Blue Fern Studios Organic Vine. I spritzed it with water and let it sit for a minute. Once the water had soaked in and the chipboard was soft, I began peeling up some of the leaves. I then spritzed with a mix of water and gesso and let it dry overnight. In the morning, I added several gelato colors and spread them around with a wet paintbrush. I then spritzed with a bit of green mist and let dry. I always like this effect. It comes out different every time.

Papers: Pink Paislee Hope Chest, Memory Box nc 

Blue Fern Studios chipboard: Chain Link Panel (inked with THDI vintage photo), Organic Vine (colored with Gelatos and misted with Lindy's Stamp Gang Luscious Lime) 

Stamp: ODBD Mini Tags 3 

Stamp Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink vintage photo 

Embellishments: Prima antique mirror and leaves; Petaloo Daisies pistachio; Zva Creative pearls

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you will use some Blue Fern Studios panels on your next card or other paper creation!

A {Coupon} Binder

Hubby was traveling a few weeks ago so my daughter and I decided to watch the show called "Extreme Couponing." Have you seen it? It was the first time I have ever watched it. While it was a bit "extreme" for me, it also renewed my interest in couponing again. I used to do it years ago but got so busy with the kids that I did not feel the effort was worth my time. Well, after watching the show, I realized that I will search for online coupons every time I shop online. Why am I not using coupons when I go to the grocery store and other places? So, I decided to start couponing again but with some changes to my system from years and years ago. Let's look at what I am doing.

The Binder

First, I used a Simple Stories binder that I had in my studio. It is perfect. The large binders that people seem to use on the show are just too large for me. I am not couponing to that extent anyway. And the little "wallet style" coupon book I used years ago didn't work too well either. So, I think this new binder will be perfect. I can keep individual coupons in the Simple Stories Sn@p! Pocket Pages and easily see what I have and when coupons expire. It's also small enough to carry into the store. Isn't it pretty?

To decorate it, I used copies of my scanned art journaling pages. It was easy to print them out onto Neenah Bright White Cardstock, ink the edges, and then adhere to the front of my binder. I also used scanned art journaling pages for the dividers too. It was quick to do yet makes it look like I spent much more time on the binder than I did. Sneaky huh? :)

For the decorative piece, I used the Blue Fern Studios Blooming Foliage chipboard. I covered it in gesso and then painted it with Shimmerz crushed coral Texturez and spritzed with Lindy's Stamp Gang Frenchy's Pink Pouf.

The alphabet I used throughout the binder is the Memory Box Large Typewriter set.

The System

As you open the binder, there is a table of contents. I have each section numbered and in alphabetical order. I labeled each divider with the corresponding number. I did it that way so it will be easy to move things if I add new dividers and sections. I also have my address and phone number on this page just in case my binder is lost. Oh I pray not because I am rather fond of it now. :)

Behind the table of contents, I have an empty 6x8 pocket page. I use that to hold the coupons I will use. It will be easy to take them out of that page pocket when I get to the check out.

Then the binder starts with the divided sections by number. Here you can see a couple of my sections.

Papers: Art journaling papers by Patter Cross
Simple Stories products: 6x8 Sn@p! binder, 6x8 page protectors, 3x4 divided page protectors, 3x4/4x6 divided page protectors
Blue Fern Studios chipboard: Blooming Foliage (painted with Shimmerz crushed coral Texturez and Lindy's Stamp Gang Frenchy's Pink Pouf)
Stamp Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink black soot
Embellishments: Memory Box large typewriter alpha and number die sets

Now I am only cutting coupons I know I will use. I am very picky about brands I use, etc., so this binder should not get too large but it will also help me save a little money much more easily now. I also read on a website to spend just 15 minutes a week going through your book to make sure you have removed the expired coupons. It only took me about 20 minutes to go through yesterday's ads from the paper and cut out the coupons we use. Now, I can do that! How about you?

I am using three different styles of the Simple Stories page pockets.

• 6"x8" page protectors
• 3"x4" divided page protectors
• 3"x4"/4"x6" divided page protectors

These all seem to hold my various coupons just perfectly. I hope that this has been helpful. So grab a Simple Stories album and page pockets and begin couponing with me! Have a blessed week!

Tuesday's {Tip} Printing Digi Images

As I was crafting last Thursday, I was reminded of a question I see often—"What paper do you use to print out digi images?"

Some of you may or may not use digi images. I use them sometimes for cards and my Project Life pages.

So, what paper do I use to print these images? Well, I don't use my regular cardstock because first it is too heavy. Second, I love my cardstock, and I don't want to use it for printing digi images. I use older patterned paper that I don't want anymore. For instance, this card I posted on Friday had a digi image on it (the bird image). 

I printed the image on the back of some old Memory Box Sleep Hollow patterned paper. Who will ever know that there is Halloween paper on this card? LOL! Anyway, I know I will not use that paper again, and the back of the paper is white—perfect for printing my digi images! I have plenty of stacks of older patterned paper that is just perfect to use for this purpose. 

So, check your stash. You might have older paper you can use in the same way. Have fun, and if you want to know where to get some of my digi images to print, check out my "Pinterest Printable" board. Thanks for stopping by!

{2 Cards} for Your Friday!

Hi, and happy Friday! I have two cards for you today using various Blue Fern Studios chipboard. Let's look at what I have created for you today:

Blessings
For this card, I actually started with the Blue Fern Studios Bits of Honey chipboard. I just love these pieces, and I have not used them yet so I really wanted to use this particular piece of chipboard for one of my creations today. I also used the Blue Fern Studios Spiritually Speaking chipboard for the card sentiment. Both pieces were painted with gesso, spritzed with mist, and dabbed with acrylic paint.

Papers: Paper Trey Ink kraft cs

Blue Fern Studios chipboard: Bits of Honey and Spiritually Speaking (painted with gesso, Adirondack sunshine yellow dabber, and Lindy's Stamp Gang summer lovin' sun mist) 

Embellishments: Prima Lifetime Collection flowers; Tim Holtz mini gears; Cuttlebug Honeycomb embossing folder; misc. twine; misc. hand-dyed seam binding; sewing machine

Birthday Greetings
For this card, I used the Blue Fern Studios Directions and Doily Bunting chipboard pieces. I used a punch out from one the arrows in the Directions set. I used it to draw attention to the sentiment. I also added pearls to the center of the arrow so that it would match the pearls I added to the Doily Bunting chipboard.

Papers: Paper Trey Ink kraft cs, Prima packaging

Blue Fern Studios chipboard: Doily Bunting (dabbed with gesso), Directions (painted with gesso and Jenni Bowlin stick candy and malted milk paint dabbers)

Stamp Ink: Tim Holtz brushed corduroy

Embellishments: Prima Valentine Vine white and Vintage Trinket; Memory Box pearls; Sizzix Notebook embossing folder; Lindy's Stamp Gang Pink Ladies Pink mist; misc. hand-dyed seam binding; sewing machine

And remember, there is still time to join in on the Blue Fern Studios Sketch Challenge. You might just win a lot of Blue Fern Studios chipboard! Look here for details and to enter. Thanks for joining me today. Blessings,

{HSCRC13) Hymn #14, Breathe on Me, Breath of God

Hymn Challenge #14: Breathe on Me, Breath of God
Written by: Edwin Hatch
b. Sep. 4, 1835; d. Nov. 10, 1889

Edwin Hatch was born in Derby, England. He graduated from Pembroke College in Oxford. In 1859, he was ordained as a priest and traveled to Canada where he was professor of classics at Trinity College until 1862. He returned to Oxford in 1867.

Two weeks ago our church had an Acapella Sunday. I have never participated in a service like that, and I must tell you, it was amazing! Our music pastor was out of town, so our senior pastor thought it would be nice to have an Acapella Sunday. Our pastor noted that some churches today worship this way each week stating that there is no reference to instrumental music in early church worship in the New Testament. This hymn is one of the hymns that we sang during our service. Below you will see a link to my church singing this hymn two weeks ago. Now onto our study of this hymn. First let's look at the words since it is a short hymn yet very meaningful.

Verse 1
Breathe on me, Breath of God,
fill me with life anew,
that I may love the way You love,
and do what You would do.

Verse 2
Breathe on me, Breath of God,
until my heart is pure,
until my will is one with Yours,
to do and to endure.

Verse 3
Breathe on me, Breath of God,
so shall I never die,
but live with You the perfect life 
for all eternity.

When a person accepts Christ as their Lord and Savior, they receive the Holy Spirit. So, what is the role of the Holy Spirit? Who is the Holy Spirit? As our pastor said this past Sunday: "God created us, Jesus redeemed us, and the Holy Spirit convicts us." Then I found this on Pinterest last night:

"Do not follow your heart. Follow the conviction of the Holy Spirit."

Jeremiah 17:9a "The heart is deceitful above all things."

Ezekiel 36:27 "And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws."

John 20:22 "And with that He breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.'"

Do you just ever have that "feeling" inside that you should do something or you know something is right or wrong? Some people would say that is your conscience but as Christians, we know that is the indwelling Holy Spirit. Are you relying on the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit gives us the desire to be holy. Our holiness, our character, is the most important thing about us because we represent God. Let me say that again—we represent God. Wow! That knowledge should affect us in every part of our life. How are you representing the Lord at work, around town, and better yet at home? Our homes are the hardest place to remain holy yet be careful—your children and grandchildren are watching and learning.

I love what Verse 1 says "that I may love the way you love, and do what you would do," and Verse 2 "until my will is one with yours, to do and to endure." Are you truly loving the way He loves? How about towards the neighbor you have feuded with for years? Or towards that person with different political views? And are you truly seeking His will or are you doing things your own way? That might work for a time but in the end, following His will is always the better choice.

1 Corinthians 6:19 "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own."

The Holy Spirit also guides us in all truth. We experience the truth and then it changes our lives. The truth leads us and over a gradual and continual journey with the Holy Spirit you experience sanctification of the believer. The Holy Spirit then glorifies Jesus through our daily life and actions. Sanctification of the believer is the pruning process. God in us transforms us into the image of Christ and the person He wants us to be. He works on us personally and it is continual process. Are you cooperating in that process or are you fighting it?

John 14:16-17 "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth."

John 16:12-13a "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth.”

Romans 15:13 "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Will you ask the Holy Spirit to have greater control of your daily life and to be a more effective ambassador for Christ? Is the Holy Spirit just residing in you or is He fully filling each part of your daily life?

Below you will find the sheet music for today's hymn. And for a special treat, you can listen to my church sing this from Acapella Sunday by clicking here. Our pastor moved everyone around so that sopranos were in one spot, altos in another, and so forth. We then practiced a few minutes, and WOW! I was SO impressed. We must have a lot of members with choir experience because I can’t believe we accomplished this in just a few moments. Our pastor only filmed the last bit but we sang the entire hymn. You can also click here to listen to Steve Green sing this beautiful hymn!

For my 6x6 page today, I used a sketch from Scrap and Music. I also used papers from 7 Dots Studio. I like the pink color for a couple of reasons. First, pink is my favorite color. Second, in Christian symbolism, red denotes the Holy Spirit. Pink then denotes a lighter shade of red meaning I am getting in the way of the Holy Spirit within me. Then I used several wood veneers to denote:

*My love for Christ (hearts)
*I am a new creation in Christ (butterflies)
*I need to rely on the indwelling Holy Spirit everywhere including at home (house)

I also used the Blue Fern Studios Doily Bunting and Nested Circles chipboard. I left the chipboard raw but then splattered on white gesso. I also put gesso on a piece of bubble wrap and "dotted" it on the page. The scripture I chose was John 14:16-17 noted above.

Papers: 7 Dots Studio Domestic Goddess, Echo Park Tickets Please, Creative Memories cs 
Blue Fern Studios chipboard: Doily Bunting, Nested Circles 
Stamp Ink: Tim Holtz gathered twigs 
Sketch: Scrap and Music sketch #3 
Embellishments: Manor House Creations Imagine berry pink flower; Jillibean Soup craft frame; Memory Box Typewriter alpha dies; Studio Calico wood veneers; Wild Orchid Crafts leaves; sewing machine

Remember to use Keyword HSCRC13 when posting your creations in any online galleries. Also, please leave a link to your creation here using Inlinkz! To see all of the information regarding this challenge and the previous studies, please see this post here. Have a blessed week ahead!

{HSCRC13} Hymn #12, Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

Hymn Challenge #12: Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
Stanzas Written by: Elisha A. Hoffman
b. May 7, 1839; d. November 5, 1929

Music and Refrain Written by: Anthony J. Showalter
b. May 1, 1858; d. September 14, 1924

Anthony J. Showalter was a Presbyterian elder and was known for his singing schools. He had received two letters from two of his former students. Both has lost their wives around the same time. He wrote sympathy notes to both of his friends and included this scripture:

Deuteronomy 33:27a "The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms."

As he thought about the words, he felt it would make a great hymn so he wrote the music and refrain to this hymn.  He then asked his friend and hymnist, Elisha Hoffman, to write the stanzas to the hymn. Mr. Hoffman wrote over 2,000 gos­pel songs.

Why did I choose this song this week? Well to be honest, I was not sure I was even going to be able to post today. But this week, I have really had to lean on His precious arms. I have been extremely sick since July 5th. I finally went to the doctor on July 10th thinking that I had bronchitis. As it turns out, I had strep throat. The doctor and I were very surprised since I did not have a sore throat. I had many other horrible symptoms, however. Anyway, because the strep infection had "settled in" for 5 days before getting antibiotics, it is taking me a while to get back on my feet.

Well, in my "sick stupor" yesterday, I locked myself out of the house. The rest of the family was gone, and I was locked out for 2 hours. Thankfully the weather was nice, I had the screened in porch where I could lay down, and I had God's amazing creation to keep me entertained. In that time, I prayed. I could have cried and been stressed during that time but I had it all—a roof over my head, a breeze, birds singing, furniture to keep me comfortable, etc. The only thing missing was a bathroom; let's just say that was a bit hard. Anyway, as I realized how blessed I was and that God was with me during my minor inconvenience, I asked Him what He wanted me to learn from this. Was He helping me get rest more from my illness or was it just a blessing to be able to sit quietly with Him for 2 hours? Was there something else? Also during that time, He brought to mind the people that have lost homes in the recent tornadoes, people that have lost loved ones or been severely injured in the Asiana plane crash, people that I know that are sick and have incurable cancer—the list went on and on. Who are they leaning on during their very difficult times? Who are you leaning on?

I knew God would protect me outside. I knew He would bring my family home soon to let me in. I was able to completely trust Him. He is my sanctuary, and in Him I could feel peace and rest when I was a bit annoyed with my circumstances especially when trying to recover from being so sick. Knowing God was with me allowed me to not be fearful. How and when are you turning to God? Do you remember to take refuge in Him in every circumstance? I'll admit I don't but why not? What does He want you to learn in your difficulty or minor inconvenience? Come to Him in whatever your trial may be and He will give you strength. He will sustain you through whatever you are going through! How will you rest and lean on Him in His everlasting arms?

I knew I was safe and enjoyed His presence. Whether you have been locked out literally or your life has been turned upside down due various circumstances, you can know with assurance that God is there waiting to protect you. What do we have to dread or fear when we have the fellowship of our precious Lord?

Charles Spurgeon said "God, the eternal God, is our support at all times, especially when we are sinking into deep trouble. There are seasons when we sink quite low . . . Dear child of God, even when you are at your lowest, underneath are the everlasting arms."

Psalm 17:8 "Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings."

Psalm 57:1 "Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in You I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of Your wings until the disaster has passed."

Psalm 91:2 "I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'"

Proverbs 14:26 "Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge."

Below is the sheet music for this hymn, and click here to hear this hymn.

For my 6x6 page today, I used the beautiful Maja Design papers along with the Renaissance Border chipboard from Blue Fern Studios. The clock and the number 'one' signify leaning on Him first and all of the time.

Papers: Maja Design Life in the Country 
Blue Fern Studios chipboard: Renaissance Border 
Dies: Memory Box Fresh Foliage, My Favorite Things Insta-Frame 
Embellishments: Manor House Creations poetry sage flower; Wild Orchid Crafts flowers and leaves; Tim Holtz time piece; Hobby Lobby doily; Inkssentials manila craft tag #5; sewing machine

Remember to use Keyword HSCRC13 when posting your creations in any online galleries. Also, please leave a link to your creation here using Inlinkz! To see all of the information regarding this challenge and the previous studies, please see this post here. Have a blessed week ahead!