This week while engaging in God's word I have been given an enlightened prospective of grace and what it truly means to show someone else grace. When we show others grace we should do so without strings attached because by definition grace is " free unmerited favor" that means we did nothing that would cause us to deserve it! We can't forgive and then put expectations on others, if we do is that truly grace? I have learned this week that the word grace get thrown around a lot but that the word itself implies so much more.
    "And now that Christ has come and died and thereby satisfied the Father's demands on sin, all we need to do is claim His grace by accepting the free gift of eternal life. Period. He smiles on us because of His Son's death and resurrection. It's grace, my friend, amazing grace." (from The Grace Awakening by Charles Swindoll)   
     For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that who ever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16  Let this be our perfect example of GRACE!
   
     This week has been busy, busy, busy! I am getting ready for my daughter's 10th birthday and my youngest son's 5th birthday. Their birthdays are just days apart so we are going to celebrate them together, not sure how much longer I can get away with it either. So.. I am throwing them a beach themed party with some home made decor.
     I love creating banners with fabric squares. I have done many of them as a matter a fact, almost one for every holiday or season. They are so much fun and really quick and simple! For the beach party theme I went with bright colored fabrics, and then I always choose something representative of the occasion to hang on the banner as well. So for this occasion I chose surf boards!  I cut felt in the shape of surf boards and then decorated the felt with scrap fabric, spangle and some pre-cut felt flowers and I even attempted to cut my own felt flower.

The blue flower is a pre-cut flower and the black flower is one that I did.

                    These are 6in squares folded over a piece of rope I had laying around. Thought the rope added to the beach feel but I have, in the past, used yarn and raffia. 

I will be making two banners and these are the other four surf boards that I designed.

                    I would love to hear about what you are crafting!

                                                                                                   Hugs.....Naomi

    

       I'm back! My goal is to blog weekly and I will do my best to have it posted Saturday or Sunday night. I can not wait to share with you what I have been crafting this week. But First....
       This week the Lord has really spoken to me a about stewardship. I know many time when we think of being a good steward of what God give us more often than not we think of things or money. Shouldn't we also be good stewards of our talents? Using whatever gift God has blessed us with to bless others. The Bible say in Colossians 3:23 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord and not for men,".  Need I say more? Whatever your talent is or isn't do it to glorify the Lord  and you will be blessed. God knows best how your talent can serve others.
      So this brings me to this weeks project which is a new one for me.

  
                        I have never worked with grapevines before nor had I made a wreath before but oh my, I loved it and I know there will be more to come.  I took a picture before I added flowers and now after......

The next picture is of another wreath I made.

When I started creating this wreath I really had no one particular in mind I just started working. And as I went on the wreath kind of naturally took on the shape of a heart and God laid it on my heart to give it to my friend Jessica. I at this point stared questioning weather or not she would even like it but God was persistent. So the next day I took the wreath to her and she was just so blessed by it. She also told me that she likes all things heart shaped! Can you believe that? God knew before I even started working who this wreath was being made for. What an awesome God moment!

So this coming week try something new and share it with a friend! I would love to see and hear about what you are crafting. Please share! Maybe you too can inspire someone to try something new.

Have a blessed week!

              Hugs..... Naomi

                                                   

1 Corinthians 15:10, "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them- yet not I, but the grace of God was with me."

              I am starting this blog as answer to God's calling for me to be more. Not for my glory but for his. I hope to inspire you, lift you and encourage you to do something today that will be a blessing to someone else. I do that through my crafting. I am also very aware that the talent I posses comes from God.
             I am 31, a wife and mother of four beautiful and wonderful children. As they get older I realize more and more that who they will become and confidence they will have is greatly influenced by how I live my life. If I tell them that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13) yet I don't also live that promise they learn nothing. So this is me stepping out and living and believing that what God promises is truth! This has been a huge leap of faith and pray that you will come on this journey with me.
              I want this to be a place to share and craft together! To be inspired!

                                                                                             Hugs.....Naomi