Lessons From Flash

I finished the book I had been reading last month, "Flash: The Homeless Donkey Who Taught Me About Life, Faith and Second Chances", by Rachel Anne Ridge, and I knew I wanted to share with you the lessons that we can learn from Flash.
                    (bear with me this is a long post)
I had heard of this book when reading the Illustrated Faith blog where the author of the blog, Shanna Noel, had recommended the book. I took one look at that cute donkey on the cover and knew I wanted to read all about Flash.

Rachel, the author, breaks down each chapter with lessons that she learned from this unexpected guest who showed up in their driveway late one night. 

Lesson 1 - Remember your name: Know whose you are.

Lesson 2 - Know where to find refuge: True sanctuary is found in God alone.

Lesson 3 - Run with horses: The pursuit of excellence conquers fear.

I think I enjoyed this chapter the best because I know that I sometimes tend to focus on what I don't have instead of what God has given me.

Lesson 4 - Find your passion: Passion leads to purpose.

Lesson 5 - Be a trailblazer: Persistence makes pathways for grace to follow.

Lesson 6 - Wear your donkey heart on your sleeve: A well-lived life is an authentic life.

Lesson 7 - Stand where fruit is falling: The secret of abundance is in choosing gratitude.

Lesson 8 - Be a service animal: You are made to serve in love.

Lesson 9 - Embrace change: Don't let fear of the unknown keep you from moving forward.

Lesson 10 - Make things right with others: Don't miss your chance to forgive, accept, and love.

Lesson 11 - Your journey isn't about fixing donkey problems: It's about transformation.

I think we can learn the life lessons that God may be trying to teach us through taking the time to observe a dog, a cat, or even a donkey. I think one of the lessons that Rachel learned was that if they had just drove on past the donkey in their lane, they would have missed so much of the love that Flash brought to their family.

Sometimes you need to be open to things that may seem to be obstacles at the time, but in reality they have been put there by God so that He can bless you in ways you would never imagine.

I highly recommend the book. It is available through Amazon and Kindle. If you do choose to read it, please let me know what life lessons you learned from Flash.

Bible Art Journaling - A New Adventure

For 19 years I have been a scrapbooker. I have loved the art of scrapbooking since the first time I put an adhesive square on the back of a picture and stuck it on decorative paper to create a page memorializing our family's life together. I have grown in this art form, right along with the growth of the industry. Always trying new techniques and materials.

My next adventure came when I discovered art journaling. I had found an old ledger book at an auction, and I began to collect the supplies for art journaling and I was hooked. If you're not familiar with this type of art, just type in 'art journaling' into the keyword search box on Pinterest or YouTube and there you will see so many examples. 

Then in December of last year I discovered painting on canvas. As a Christmas present to a friend, I signed us up to take a painting class. I had so much fun that I have taken 2 more classes and I'm beginning to try my own creations at home. The preacher likes to show off my paintings to everyone who visits. He calls me an artist but there's something daunting about that label.

Now to tell you about my newest adventure in Bible Art Journaling. I had found a pin on Pinterest by Shanna Noel and I found what she had done in her Bible so fascinating. (Again, if you are not familiar with this, go onto Pinterest or YouTube.) The Bible she was using was an ESV translation by Crossway. It has a 2" margin on the left and right sides for note taking. But what Shanna did was so much more than taking notes -- she used those margins to art journal. How awesome is that?! Reading the Word of God and art journaling? Perfect!

I was a little hesitant about starting this new venture, but one day I saw on Facebook a picture of a Journaling Bible. A friend had posted pictures of her first entry in her new Bible. I commented back to her and she, knowing my love of scrapbooking, encouraged me to start.

Now I have begun my own ESV Journaling Bible and I love it! (I found this Bible on Amazon.) I even found a Facebook Group dedicated to this art form, so many women loving the Word and expressing that love through their art. 

I take notes each Sunday during the preacher's sermon, writing down keywords that stand out to me within the scripture. Then sometime during the week I'll go back in my Bible and enter these words in the 2" margin next to the scripture we studied. 

I am having so much fun with my new adventure - Bible Art Journaling!

Do you love to take notes, do you love to highlight your scriptures, then be sure to check into this Bible. You do not need to do anything 'artsy', it's just fun expressing what you feel while reading a scripture.

Love from the preacher and i!

one thousand gifts

Have you read this book yet? If you haven't, you should! This is my all time favorite book.

I had read a few blogs that I follow on occasion, and this book was being mentioned in several of them. I didn't really give it too much thought until the day that my husband and I were in Denver. We had just returned the night before from our vacation, and on this particular day we were waiting on our son to fly home from his Leadership Retreat. We had all day to wait, so we went to a Barnes & Noble to sit in their Starbucks lounge. While waiting, I had my iPad and was looking at some of my favorite blogs and there was this book again. The person writing about it had made a mini-album after she had read this book. She wanted to list all of the things she was thankful for in this mini-album. She also said that she had read and reread the book several times. Well, I'm in a book store with not a whole lot to do, so I decided to go and try to find it. I found it in the Inspirational aisle and it was the only one on the shelf. I took it back to the coffee lounge and began to read it. After a few paragraphs I decided that I had to buy it, I had to have it. I couldn't put it down. I do believe that the Lord put it in my hands just at the right time.

Mentally, I was not in a good place. I was grumbling to God for some things that had taken place in our lives. I think He showed me this book in that blog because He knew I needed the message that it gives. It talks about being thankful; not just for the big things in our lives, like getting a good job, or a new baby being born. Although those things are wonderful and we should thank the Lord for those big things, this book talks about being thankful for everything. Ann Voskamp, the author, had a very tragic thing happen in her life when she was just a child and because of that she had a hard time seeing the good in life even though she had a wonderful husband and beautiful children. A friend challenged her to write down 1,000 things that she was thankful for or things she saw as blessings, gifts. She then began to study this word "thanks' in the Bible. She shares in the book her insights from her studies. You will never look at your everyday life the same again after reading this book. Have you ever had a hard time trusting in God? Give thanks for all things, all days, and you will not be able to not trust God again.

So go and pick up this book. Go to your local book store today or order it on iTunes, Kindle or Amazon, as soon as you can. Then while you are reading it begin your own 1,000 gifts list. I made a framed board and hung it up in our house. Now everyday we write down something that we see as a gift from God. (I'll show you pictures at a later date.)

Dare to live fully right where you are.

The Tiger Stamp

I just ordered and received this tiger stamp. I'm making 35 invitations to a reception which is following a graduation. It is for a friend mine, for her daughter.

I ordered the stamp from Amazon.com. I didn't even know they sold stamps on their website. But when I typed 'tiger stamp' in Google's search bar they came up first.

Are you wondering why a tiger stamp? Well the trial reception card that I made to show my friend had a bird on it. (The card is actually a large tag) She said she liked everything but the bird because the mascot of the school is a lion. So I had to start locating a tiger stamp to replace the bird. I really like how the card is coming out. I will post pics of the card when I get them done. I've done 18 now only 17 more to go! and they have to be done by tomorrow!!