easter giveaway

RUN..don't walk.  Or well, click real fast

to head over to Oh Amanda for her 'un-Easter' basket giveaway.

I'd enter if I could.

But I think it would probably be wrong of me. 

Cause in the basket are some goodies from willow of wonder.

(An 8x10 print of your choice and a printed copy of the

Easter subway art in the color of your choice)

AND..there's a coupon code for 20% off in the shop through April.

(click the image above to go to the shop… and the code, it's EASTER)

But look at some of the other fun gifts that are included in the basket...

 God Gave Us Easter

Seeds Family Worship 

U-NEEKS ::: Alliebird Set and Color Wonder Pad

Yancy

Her newest pre-teen devotional, Jesus Music Box Devotional + a Yancy tshirt (boy or girl version!)

You Can Draw Bible Stories

VeggieTales :::  The newest DVD, Veggies In Space! 

spring craft fairs

You all.

I'm a tad up to my ears in mod podge

and paint

and paper

and printing

and packaging.

Cause it's spring craft fair season.

I wasn't going to do it.

I wasn't.  

I kept closing the door.

And God kept opening them right back up.

So I committed.

And here I am.

A little nervous if I'll have enough inventory.

But trusting it'll all come together.

Cause where God leads, he provides a way.

Here's the info in case you'd like to visit me and lots of other fun vendors.

I'm thinking some of these things would be great Easter Basket gifts!

First coming up… Penelope Lane Boutique.

Here are some pictures from a past boutique.

And then the stitched market.

And last, but definitely not lease I will be returning

to the Queen Bee Market.
It will be Friday May 2nd and Saturday May 3rd this year in Oceanside.
I don't see a flyer yet, but I'll certainly post it when there is one!

I would go to all of them even if I wasn't a vendor.

So why don't you join me?…at least once.

And with that brief announcement,
I'll return to my mod podging and packaging goodness.

s p r i n g f o r w a r d

OH it is time isn't it?

For the light to last longer

the days to linger later.

For signs of new life.

Green emerging from barren limbs.

Buds slowly unfolding.

Do you sense the colors,

the sounds,

the energy?

It is springing forth.

And these 40 days leading to the greatest

story of resurrection.

Only it isn't just a story.  A parable.  A fairytale.

No it's the truth of a God who loves you so very much

He gave his only son to take every last one of your sins

to the cross.  Nailed forever and forgotten with His death.

And in his rising again He invites you to follow after him,

to spend eternity in paradise.  Who wouldn't want a forever

after with the only one who can be a perfect provider, comforter,

faithful and true.  

The beauty is you can feel this today.

Right here on earth.  Holding his hand.

Inviting him into your life.

Every step of the way.

He has overcome every last bit of darkness.  

The battle is already won.

Do you know that?

Do you feel it?

Do you walk in this truth?

Every trial you face.

He has already overcome.

And the light of the truth will be revealed.

And his strength can be within you.

All because of this season we celebrate.
The grace of the cross.

The blessing of His surrender.
And with His rising
we are offered the gift of the Holy Spirit
and an eternal life with our creator.

He's calling each of us.

Have you answered His call?
If you haven't, won't you consider it.
Shut away all the reasons you're telling yourself you can't or won't.
And just answer his patient, quiet knocking on your heart.
And trust me you'll feel a difference.
It will take time.
Studying his word.
Learning to sit with him
as the greatest friend of all.
But you'll feel him right there with you.
You'll see him acting on your behalf.
And you'll realize you don't know how you ever
did this life without Him.

If you already have and are walking with Him

do you share his testimony?

Your testimony of him working in your life?

Do you shout to the rooftops of all He has done.

All he continues to do.

This lent let's speak the truth and share of His great love.

Let's praise His holy name.

In the small moments, and in the big.

Pointing always back to the one who gave it all.
The one who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
The one who formed us, who knows our days and our ways.
The one who loves us with an everlasting love.

spiritual refreshing

This weekend I got a chance for some much needed time away.

A retreat for women called

s p i r i t u a l    r e f r e s h i n g

And that it was.

Girl time.

God time.

Alone time.

All so needed.

And I knew I would have to go to some hard places.

Places of digging deep towards healing.

And it was the perfect setting.

In the mountains.

The clean fresh air,

dew on the ground,

deer grazing,

and a myriad of colors 

painted by God's mighty hand.

There were tears and laughter.

Moments for speaking

and moments for silence.

And lots of clarity

through scripture, 

song,

and sisters in Christ.

This is all of us.

These two were my roomies.

Sam on the left is a spunky prayer warrior and new friend.

Kim on the right has quite a testimony that God is using.

You can find it here.

She was my daughter's bible study teacher at Community Bible Study

many years ago.  That was how God first brought us together.

And interestingly He divinely knew our stories would be

intertwined all these years down the road.

And these two ladies are so special to me.

Arlene on the left was my bible study leader last year.

A mighty prayer warrior and I love her to pieces.

She was one of the speakers this year.

And Michelle in the middle.  

We became friends because of our sons.

God planted the idea 

for spiritual refreshing in her heart several years ago.

And she listened.

And it has grown out of her obedience.

I saw her in a new light this weekend.

A role of a loving mother to all these women.

Her encouragement and nudging to get

each of us there.

How we all are connected through

knowing her.

All so different,

and yet so much the same.

Seeing how she and the leadership team

showed such care for each one of us 

in both little and big ways.

They were truly the hands and feet of the Lord.

Michelle would always tell me how the Holy Spirit shows up.

And how wonderful it was.

And this year, finally I got to see and feel for myself.

And I promise you, I'll do all I can to

make sure I'm there again next year.

Won't you come along too?

Visit the Facebook page or web page to stay connected.

I want to share all the Lord is teaching me.

But now isn't the time.

I can say for now that 

I am being refined,

strengthened,

made new.

A friend recently likened me

to butterflies and rainbows.

I wasn't sure exactly if that was good.

But then a sister this weekend said

Rainbows are promises 

and butterflies transformation.

A transformation

through 

the 

O N E

who 

always

keeps 

H I S

promises.

For I am about to do something new.

See, I have already begun!

Do you not see it?

I will make a pathway 

through the wilderness.

I will create rivers 

in the dry wasteland.

Isaiah 43:19

Oh and this is a total side note. 

But my sweet friend Hillary from capturing motherhood

posted pictures from a photo shoot she did for me and my kids

this fall.  Some of the pics I showed you, but here are more.

I love how she captured them so relaxed and happy.

The joy I see in them makes this mama smile.

creative tea time

It's high time for a little recap isn't it!

Back in October one early morning.

I set my alarm.

And had my computer up and running.

Ready to click away.

The  -  very  -  second 

the creative tea time

tickets went on sale.

And within mere minutes they were gone.

But not before I was able to get three for me and two friends.

I knew that everything about the day would be an absolute treat.

And it did not disappoint.

I loved every second of it.

The tea, and yummy food.

The creative bliss.

Just finishing … finishing...

Can I say that again, FINISHING

four crafts in one day

was so rewarding on so many levels.

And the fun time with girlfriends,

no interruptions…I'll say that one again too.
NO INTERRUPTIONS.
Ahh.  Spoiled I tell you.

With all the supplies a girl could ever need.

Wearing a party dress and heels

and rolling up our sleeves to paint and glue gun 

to our heart's desire. 

Now that's my kind of girl's day out.

(photo courtesy creative tea time

And so many crafty kindred spirits

to teach and advise on things

I didn't know how to do.

The day was perfect.

And coming home to discover all the goodies

from all of the sponsors.

I felt so blessed.

Thank you creative tea time ladies

for all of your attention to detail.

None of it was taken for granted.

And the entire day was oh so therapeutic.

More than you will ever know!

You can bet my alarm will be set

when the next tea time tickets go on sale.

just for fun

You all… I know I have been so very quiet here.

I have so much to say.

And yet feel it isn't the time.

So for now, these fun pictures capture some of where I am.

My dear, dear friend Hillary from capturing motherhood

has been the hands of Jesus to me and my family 

and she gifted us with her time and talent to take some pictures.

This first one, there are many in a series that just make me

smile so very much.

I saw the pretty leaves and said, "Hey lets do this!"

Because throwing my hands in the air

and jumping with abandon

that's right where I am.

Letting go of so very much

and reaching with arms wide open to the God of angels armies

who is always by my side!

The baby whose birth we celebrate,

the man whose life saved ours.

The God who holds us up by His righteous right hand.

I pray this season you're able to strip away the unnecessary too.

To look up and rejoice over the only gift that matters.

"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: 

Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, 

and she will call His name Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14

The one to be called Immanuel,

God with us.

Do you feel Him with you?

Because He is.

Whether you sense it strongly,

or in a still small whisper.

Love came down at Christmas

for you, for me.

To be the God who is calling us to

draw near,

to reach up,

to hold onto Him

forevermore.

hard choices

In life sometimes we have to make hard choices.

And we try, as hard as we might to avoid them.

But when God shows you the way, 

you must just move.

Putting one foot in front of the other.  

And obey.

That is where I've been.

I have been brought to such a place where I equate

it as feeling like I'm on remote control.  God is holding

the remote and I'm literally just walking through the

next open door.  And He is so clearly paving the way.

Putting people in my path, circumstances before me,

and making it so very clear.   

I'm doing none of the analyzing and over thinking that

can be my nature.  And it is so freeing.

In this strange and unchartered territory I feel so at peace.

And can count joys and blessings all around me.

I've been sick.  Very sick for some time.

I'm still not well.  I'm depleted and worn down.

And this led to a decision to make a literal move

for my children to an area where the school district is amazing.

It was a scary leap and one I didn't anticipate making so soon.  But God's

hand has been all over every step of the way.  And I feel so at peace.

They are thriving. 

I see his confidence growing.

And her too.

And this one, well last night she spoke words I thought I may never hear.

She said, "I love reading."  For a dyslexic child who has struggled so

very much, this progress is huge.

And I find my joy overflowing.

I am appreciating all the little things.

This neighborhood park.

The light.

The sense of community.

Oh the community.  

I didn't even know what I was missing.

When I told my friend how amazing everyone has been here

she said, "It's like you're in the south.  That's how they are in the south."

I've never known anything other than the bustle of the city where everyone

is kind of in their own world.  I didn't know what it felt like to have people

reach out to help you with your kids, to help you with carpools, to bring over

muffins, and brownies, and give lend a helping hand.  

I didn't know how much I was lacking, until it all landed in my lap.

And in this process I'm ever so grateful.

This sign in my very own driveway.

Literally telling me to SLOW

and reminding me that it

is safe enough for my children to play

right there in the street.

The beauty is everywhere.

The kindness of dear friends reaching out to help.  

With meals, their time.

A listening ear, and prayer.

I'm learning to say ok to the help.

To admit I need it.

To accept that it's ok to not take care of it all.

And to feel the love of God through others' care.

It's almost too much to bear, but in a good way, you know.

God is speaking to me in so many ways.

Most clearly, that it is time to rest, and to heal.

And so that is where I am.

We are still very much living out of boxes.

And that is hard for me.

But I'm learning to let go of so very much.

To purge what isn't needed.  

To peel off the layers of what wasn't working.

And to rest at His feet.  

To learn again what it means to breathe.

To rebuild.

To dream.

To rise up. 

"Arise, shine, for your light has come,

and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.

See, darkness covers the earth

and thick darkness is over the peoples;

but the LORD rises upon you."

Isaiah 60:1-2