Faith While I Wait

On July 3, 2018 By Jules' JewelsIn New Kits, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Wait…wait…wait…. It seems I’m always waiting. In traffic. In the doctor’s office. In the checkout aisle. For my kids to come to dinner table. For my kids to do the task I asked them five times to do! For that package to come in the mail. I really don’t like waiting! But it’s a part of life, isn’t it?

The worst kind of waiting, however, is waiting on God. Waiting on God to reveal His plan. Or worse yet, the long lingering when you already think (operative word, here) you know what God should do, and you just have to wait for Him to work it all out. Sometimes I even try to maneuver things myself to get things underway, but that always ends up in a mess! Remember how Sarah and Abraham took matters into their own hands while waiting for the birth of the child of promise? That got ugly! (Gen. 16) Usually, however, when I think I have it all worked out, that’s when God throws a curve ball in my plans, and thinks end up so much better in the end. Isaiah 55:8 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and my ways are not your ways….” God’s way is wiser and more informed than my way. And I would do well to just let Him work out all the details. But how?

I spent some time in Bible study using “Go God’s Way,” a printable bundle and devotional available at Sweet’n Sassy Stamps, and designed and written by Diane Noble. My main take away–without revealing too much, because it’s a study worth getting on your own–is that the process involves 1) waiting, 2) worshiping, and 3) trusting. This study includes Bible verses on each of those three aspects, and whenever you seek the Word for advice, it’s powerful stuff!

I landed in Psalm 131:2. This passage talks about quieting ourselves like a weaned child. It reminded me of one of my children (to remain nameless), when he was newly weaned, who just wanted to rest against my bare chest, presumably to still feel the intimate closeness and touch, even without the nursing. Oh, if I could just rest in God’s intimacy and closeness while I waited for Him to move! Faith while I wait!

I NEEDED to creatively journal this worship experience, so I chose to I pulled out some mixed media products. I have a process video, so you can see how the whole page came together. Basically, I smooshed, sponged, stamped, colored, stickered, embellished, and then journaled to create this page. I have the products listed below. Currently, there are amazing sales going on at Dayspring (like BOGO), and through July 5th, you can take an extra 5% off of EVERYTHING at Scrapbook.com. Just use code JULYFIVE18.

Thanks for stopping by! What do you do to help pass the time while you wait?

Screen Shot 2018-07-03 at 12.20.12 PM — Go God’s Way Printable Bundle and Devotional

Screen Shot 2018-07-01 at 8.29.11 PM — “Life in Jesus” Stamp Set

Screen Shot 2018-07-03 at 12.26.29 PM — Dylusions Kit

Screen Shot 2018-07-03 at 12.29.57 PM — Faded Jeans Distress Oxide Ink

Screen Shot 2018-07-03 at 12.29.42 PM — Peeled Paint Distress Oxide Ink

Screen Shot 2018-07-03 at 12.30.22 PM — Blending Tool

Screen Shot 2018-07-03 at 12.27.22 PM — Tool Kit

Screen Shot 2018-07-03 at 12.29.16 PM — Olive You Alphabet Stickers

Screen Shot 2018-07-03 at 12.28.44 PM — 456 Count – Word Cardstock Stickers

Screen Shot 2018-07-03 at 12.31.20 PM — Rubber Brayer

Screen Shot 2018-07-03 at 12.30.56 PM — Distress Sprayer Bottle

Screen Shot 2018-07-03 at 12.31.43 PM — Versafine Onyx Black Ink Pad

Screen Shot 2018-07-03 at 12.32.08 PM — Clear Acrylic Blocks

Screen Shot 2018-07-03 at 12.32.29 PM — Heat tool

Screen Shot 2018-07-03 at 12.33.23 PM — Water Brushes

Screen Shot 2018-06-28 at 2.51.16 PM — Permanent Adhesive

Screen Shot 2018-07-03 at 2.12.12 PM — Fine Point Slick Writer

Screen Shot 2018-07-03 at 1.35.19 PM — Clear Sticker Sheets

Screen Shot 2018-07-02 at 2.57.21 PM — Stamp Shammy Cleaner

My Beautiful Love

On June 28, 2018June 28, 2018 By Jules' JewelsIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

“But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”

(Ruth 1:16-17)

My husband and I chose this Bible verse to be read and sung at our wedding almost 23 years ago. Although the context is Ruth, a daughter-in-law, speaking to Naomi, her mother-in-law, it is a perfect picture of loyalty and commitment in relationships. The entire book of Ruth describes God’s redeeming love for His bride, the Church. How fitting, then, for a scripture reading at a wedding!

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My husband is indeed “my beautiful love in Christ” and I’m so thankful for him! It’s important to journal our gratitude in our Bibles, especially for our spouses. It’s too easy to think about all the things that annoy us about our spouses, and the things that we would like to change. But the more we focus on how grateful we are for who and what they ARE, rather than for what they are NOT, the more our love and appreciation grows for them. I encourage you to journal your love and gratitude for your spouse and/or other loved ones.

I created this page using several Sweet’N Sassy stamp sets, distress oxide inks, watercolor pencils, and a doily and washi for embellishments. I began with the Brotherly Love and Girl Power sets to create the images of my husband and me. When using these sets, it is important to stamp and then mask the elements you want to appear on top so you don’t have intersecting lines. Next, I created the rose frame around the bride and groom with the Itty Bitty Blossoms set, again masking the roses so it appears the greenery and rose stamps work together, rather than conflict with each other. I stamped a few extra roses and fussy cut them out to use around the page. I colored the stamped images, as well as sponged the page with distress oxide ink. I then stamped the words “beautiful” and “love” using the Hello, My Name Is set. (The stamp actually says “loved” but I masked off the “d”). I added the doily in the corners, mainly to cover up where I accidentally DROPPED the “beautiful” stamp! I added a bit of white detailing on the roses with a white gel pen. Finally, I stamped the music staff texture stamp from Texture Tiles 1 and then I added some wordfetti and washi to complete the page.

Thanks for joining me today!

–Julie

Handcrafted by God

On June 26, 2018July 3, 2018 By Jules' JewelsIn Uncategorized1 Comment

¹³For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
¹⁵My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.

(Psalm 139:13-16)

This past weekend I entered a new stage of adulthood. I became a great-aunt. Not just once, mind you. Not even twice. But three times over! I became a triple great-aunt in a matter of TWO DAYS! Two of my nieces had babies within two days of each other. Needless to say, my sister was over the moon that both of her daughters gave birth to healthy baby girls on opposite sides of the state, and she was able to be there for both of them. Here’s a picture of twins Leah and London, and baby Aria. Aren’t they just beautiful?!

London and Leah

Aria

These precious little bundles of joy had been prayed and longed for by many people, especially their parents. But long before they had even been conceived and thought of by their own parents, God had lovingly planned them and designed them. And when it came time for their little bodies to grow inside their mothers’ wombs, He tenderly handcrafted them with love. Their parents will continue to grow and nurture them with love and care, just as God will continue to watch over and protect them with His love and tenderness.

I created this Bible journaling page in celebration of their birth. I love to commemorate events in my Bible much like I would in a scrapbook. I created a tag with distress oxide inks and then “Handcrafted by God with love”. I added some splatter color on the page, washi tape, and a tag. I finished by stamping the babies’ names and journaling my praise.

Praise God for my three new great-nieces. Praise God for His life-giving love!

Screen Shot 2018-06-26 at 4.47.51 PM — Life Handmade Sentiments 2

Screen Shot 2018-06-26 at 5.11.25 PM — Sizzix Tim Holtz Alterations Alphanumeric Thinlits Die

Stand Tall and Stand Out

On June 21, 2018June 27, 2018 By Jules' JewelsIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

“Do not be conformed to this world,but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

(Romans 12:2)

Paul tells the church in Rome to not conform to the world. Rome was the center of the Roman Empire, and at that time, a very pagan and secular place. What does it mean to “conform”? The definition of conform that applies here is to “be similar in form or type; to agree with.” Paul emphasized that the Christians in Rome should NOT be similar in type or form with the pagan, secular world. Rather, they should stand out and be dissimilar from the crowd and the rest of the world.

This timely message applies to us today too. God was speaking to us through Paul’s letter. Today, our culture is completely void of godliness and righteousness. Movies and shows, music, fashion, social media, etc. It all screams self-preservation and self-glorification, which is the opposite of God’s self-sacrificing love. Of course, there are some glimpses of goodness in this world, and we should cling to those things (Phil. 4:8).

God calls us to stand out and show others His beautiful character in this ugly world. We have to make choices that reflect what God would want for us, even when we feel like we are going against the crowd. We have to stand tall and stand out, even if this world doesn’t agree with our choices. Even when we feel like we are all alone. But we aren’t alone–He is standing there with us, to help us stand tall and stand out. Like a beautiful flamingo standing tall.

I used the new Be a Flamingo stamp set from Sweet ‘N Sassy Stamps, as well the Bitty Minnie Alpha set and the Beach Blessings Printable. You can see how I masked the leaves and flowers to create the tropical background. I tried out the Jane Davenport brights watercolor set to paint the images and loved the vibrancy.

How is God calling you to stand out? How has He helped you stand tall, even when you had to stand alone?