His Mercies are New Every Morning!

Hello friends!  I do hope you are all well on this cold January day!  

For Christmas I was given a Journaling Bible.  This was something I have struggled with for some time.  I mean, I have my beloved Bible with all sorts of notes written in the margins, and yet somehow the idea of doing artwork to illustrate a passage just scared me.  I first and foremost did not want to have it be about the art.  It needs to remain about God's Word!  However, as I've been home bound for the most part lately, this has been a wonderful way for me to read His Word and then focus on a certain verse or passage that spoke to me at that moment.  I am completely new to this, so I have much to learn but I'm enjoying the process thus far.

The main image above is a stamp, and part of the Jan. release from ODBD, and is called Your Mercies.  The bottom of the stamped image  is just above my hand lettered "Therefore I have Hope" with the pink ribbon.  I was reading this chapter and that phrase popped out at me several times.  I in a special way connected with the words of Hope this time!

God's people had rebelled and sinned,  and God had allowed the Babylonians to destroy Jerusalem.  There was much suffering and lament in the land.  However,  in this 3rd chapter and following, the laments turn to reminders and comfort that (3:21) "This I call to mind, therefore I have hope. "(v22) "The Lord's Loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. "( v23) "They are new every morning.  Great is Your faithfulness." 

The author then goes on to say "The Lord is my portion, says my soul, Therefore I have hope in Him.  The Lord is good to those who wait for Him.  To the person who seeks Him.  (vs 24-25)  

So in a time of deep suffering, still it was recognized that God is abounding in loving kindness.  It does not please Him to see His people suffer. (However there are times He does allow it for reasons He alone can know... but certainly in part to bring people back to Him through repentance, to be a witness to others of His power and glory, and many more reasons I'm sure).   Because of this knowledge of God's character, came a strong hope and even eventually repentance.  The 21st verse of the 5th chapter says "Turn us back to You, O Lord, and we will be restored; Renew our days as of old."  Once you have come to know God's favor, you really don't ever want to live far from Him again!  

My image was stamped with Memento and colored with Prisma Pencils.  I had some shadowing from the ink but almost none from the pencil coloring.  I used a  .01 Micron pen to hand letter the "Therefore I have Hope" and the ribbon and there is some shadowing of that as well. I used Distress Inks to sponge the clouds using a Rosies' Road Show cloud template.  I have plans for the other side of this page so I brought the clouds all the way over and will eventually journal the right hand side bar.  I do not really like when heavy artwork is done over the words in a journaling Bible.  I feel like that's crossing the line in some way.  However there are many mediums like the distress inks that lightly sponged on can be read clearly through.  The pencils as well can be read through.  My goal for most of my pages will to either keep most everything to the side bar, or use only light mediums that do not obscure the words.  

I will say that this is the third page I did this week.  I still have things to show or finish and show, but I did want to share this with you for now.  Tomorrow is another Big chemo day for me so I might be out of it this coming week for a while.  Again... thank you all so much for your prayers, cards, messages on facebook, etc.  They mean so much to me!!!

Blessings,

 

My Best Wishes!

Hello friends!   I hope you are all well!

I have been doing a little bit over the past several days to create a card.  Never realized before how much strength it takes to make one little simple card but it seems that way to me right now!  I have good news though!  I am half way through my chemo and am counting down the last 10 weeks with joy, knowing that I'm half way there!  Thanking the Lord for giving me the strength to make it this far, and although I am weak and dragging, I am still chugging along, so all thanks goes to the Lord for that!!!  I so appreciate all your prayers, messages, emails and cards!!!  Thank you!

This card was created with the January release from Our Daily Bread designs, Wishing Well.  I had fun coloring it with Copics, and although I started out trying for a masculine card, I did an about face part way through and added some flower soft and pink paper so I guess it really doesn't qualify any more for masculine, but that's how it goes sometimes!  I stamped the image with a soft brown ink as I wanted to just color it lightly with  monochromatic color tones.  However, that too changed as I went along.  

Anyhow... the image is cut with the ODBD Double Stitched Circles Dies, and the sentiment is cut with the Pennant Dies.  I used just a corner of a die cut from the BoHo Background Die, and I used the Rustic Beauty Paper Collection (not currently available) on a blushing bride mat, and that on a Soft Suede base.  I let the design paper do most of the work and only embellished with a tiny May Arts bow, and the flower soft, which is from a Fuschia Mix.  

It felt good to create a card this week!  I don't get down to my basement studio very often lately, but this was a little bit of happy for me this week!  Thanks so much for stopping by and having a look!  It's so appreciated!!!

IS. 41:10

Do Not Fear, for I am with you!  Do not be dismayed for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Thank you Lord,

Happy New Year!!!

Hello friends! I wanted to just wish you all a blessed new year!  This year more than any other, I look forward to all that God is going to do in the year ahead!  Yes, I am praying for complete remission from cancer this year... but I'm also praying for a closer walk with my Lord and Savior,  more opportunities to share His indescribable gift with others, more fruit that will be pleasing in His sight, and I'm praying especially on behalf of our country that He will intervene in the direction we have been going, and the decisions we have been making especially these past few years!  I love my country, but  it breaks my heart to see how far we have strayed from our roots, our morals, and all the things that set us apart and gave us God's favor among the nations.  Is it possible that as we have pulled away from these values we were built upon, we are now seeing the withdrawal of God's blessings on our nation?  I think so!  

It's easy for us as believers to become discouraged.  We easily think that we've gone too far... that we can't do anything to stop the course we are on.... but I still believe that prayer changes things!  I still believe God can do anything!  I still believe He desires to bless us and wants us to turn back to Him.  I ask that all believers would join me in praying for our country especially in 2016 as decisions will be made this year that will have very long lasting repercussions!

Ps 27:6-9

Blessed be the Lord, because He has heard the voice of my supplications!  The Lord is my strength and my shield;  My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;  Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him.

The Lord is their strength, and He is the saving refuge of His anointed.  Save your people, and bless your inheritance;  Shepherd them also, and bear them up forever. 

On a personal note... many have asked for an update on my health.  I have been put on a different chemo regimen, which so far seems to be more tolerable for me.  I began this new regimen this past Monday and it involves a repeating three week schedule of weekly infusions of one strong chemo and one biological targeted drug infusion,  3 infusions for one week, and then 4 infusions including a second strong chemo for one week.  It sounds confusing and in a way it is, but prayerfully this new chemo will be as effective as the one I was unable to take in killing the cancer cells.  We are praying hard for complete remission and in two more weeks I will be half way through my chemo!  I'm keeping my eyes on this first mile stone, as it makes it feel much more doable than taking the entire year as a whole.  The plan after chemo will be surgery, then radiation, and then the completion of a full year on one biological targeted drug that is given like chemo in an infusion, but is targeted to the particular type of cancer that I have.     We do cherish your continued prayers!  When I don't update, it does not mean I don't need prayer, but just that  I don't really have any new news to share yet.  I will update when there is any news!  So yes!  I do cherish your prayers in 2016!  Prayer changes things and I am so grateful for the ARMY of prayer warriors I have lifting me up in prayer!!!

Here is a photo of my daughter and granddaughter supporting me in my hat wearing days, as my head is now bald.  

I am so thankful for the loving care and support my family has been to me!  I am thankful for the incredible showering of love I have had from you my friends in blog land, my church friends and neighbors who have helped with meals, offers to help transport or sit with me if I need them, and cards cards, cards!  I love reading every one, as well as the emails, Facebook messages, phone calls and other special ways you have shown you care!  I couldn't face this without you and I truly love you all!  May God bless YOUR New Year with all His richest blessings!!!

With Love & Gratitude,