Blogger Friend School Assignment #6--"Precious Past"

age 3 months

I was born with club feet, so I am seen here with my first cast. My feet were straightened remarkably well and had no problems all my days of playing sports through school.

age 2 years

I love this little 'vintage' jumper and have always wished Mom would have kept it for me!

John 3:16 is also the verse that I most recall from childhood, as well. When I was 5, I accepted Jesus into my heart, and I'm told I said, "Jesus is tickling my tummy!"

Again, when I was 8, I accepted the Lord into my life because I just wanted to do it again to feel sure. This time I was old enough to really remember how good it felt to be changed. That night, I opened my Bible up, randomly turned to II Corinthians 5:17, and was fascinated to read a verse that spoke of how I was feeling at that moment. "If anyone be in Christ, he is a new creation. The old is gone, behold, he is made new!" I truly felt excited to be a new creation in Christ. I felt new, clean, and good. God has been so faithful to me throughout my life, and I will continue to follow Him.

Blogger Friend School--Assignment # 5--"Say It in Signs"

"Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name, the righteous shall compass me about, for thou shalt deal bountifully with me." Psalm 142:7

Blogger Friend School Assignment #3--"ABC's"

1. Using letters of the alphabet, describe yourself or things that are important to you using only one word per letter.
2. Share Scripture that is upon your heart this week.
   

Autumn
Believer

Creative
Dreamer

Education

Family
God
Homemaker
Intentional
Jac
Kids
Lists
Motherhood
Nostalgic
Overwhelmed
Perfectionist
Quiet
Reading
School
Teacher
Utopian
Vegetable Garden
Writing
eXuberant
Yahweh
Zinnias and Zucchini

"For the eyes of the Lord search the whole earth to find and strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him."

I Chronicles 16:9a

Blogger Friend School--Assignment #2--"To Be Creative"

"Creativity is a God-given ability to take something ordinary and make it into something special. It is an openness to doing old things in new ways...The creative spirit is part of our heritage as children of the One who created all things. And nurturing our creativitiy is part of our responsibility as stewards of God's good gifts." Emilie Barnes, The Spirit of Loveliness, Harvest House, 1994_____________________________

The purpose of this assignment is to accept our surroundings as God gave them to us and creatively make them a special place to preserve those heartfelt memories.

"If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures." Job 36:11

The Assignment--

A. Look at your dream place to blog from last week and using your creativity, create a special place to blog. Most good writer's have a location that is a comfort to them and makes their writing time enjoyable and productive. Share some quick ideas you have for this.

B. Post a photo of your space.

C. Post a verse that has been on your heart this week.

____________________________

The Idea--
Well, I can't create a mountain top--only God can really 'create', after all! But, I can improve the space I blog in now, and, actually, it has been on my list to design/decorate the computer armoire to be more beautiful and functional. (This was a "Tackle It Tuesday" that I began some time ago, but never completed.) The design idea I have now is to add colors of chocolate and pinks (you know, to make it rich, warm and girly), since I love this look these days, and I can use them in a space like this that will be closed off.
The Plan--
I need to find fabric to cover the bulletin board material I have to attach to the inside of the two doors, paint the waste basket, magazine holder basket, and a few other acessories a rich, chocolate brown, decorate the pencil can with new paper and ribbons, maybe even decoupage the photo storage boxes I already have to match, as well as this one notebook I have been wanting to cover to be my new planning notebook. Then I need to pin up my calendar, photos, and inspirations/scripture, add my coffee cup, post-its, reference books, and weekly planner. I also need to compile my lists of websites and other computer info. I've jotted down that I refer to regularly in one notebook so that I have it at my fingertips. Oh, I just remembered the fabric-decorated mousepad that I saw in the "Mousy No More"--Good House Idea File article from the September 2007 Good Housekeeping magazine that was so cute--I'll have to do that, too.
The Result--(photo coming soon--please check back!)
Thoughts on Creating a Productive Writing Environment--
Aside from having a peaceful and aesthetically pleasing location to stimulate thinking and productivity when writing, the tip I want to share is what puts me in the my best writing mood mentally and physically. Good writing pieces come to me most often in times when my endorphins are elevated, such as during/following exercise, or after coming home from an uplifting social event. The words just seem to flow then, and are colorful and witty. It is even weird sometimes how the words just seem to spew out. It is like I can see them and feel them spinning around in my head and I just have to get them out. The puzzle is organized instantaneously as my fingers peck the words out from the keyboard. It is what I love to do.
The Inspiration--
Colossians 2:6,7--"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."

Blogger Friend School Assignment #1: "Meme Style"

I began blogging this past March after reading the blogs of family/friends who were new bloggers. It looked fun, and I love to write, scrapbook, etc., so I was drawn to try it out and became hooked. Blogging has been a fun and inspiring incorporation of some of my favorite things. I try to blog several times each week. I am looking forward to the opportunity for routine again after a very busy summer. I should be blogging more regularly again soon.

A dream place I would blog if given the chance would be on top of a mountain in the Wallowas, which is a place I was at this summer during our vacation. I would like to be there by myself, sitting in the sunshine and quiet, and be able to forget about passing time, schedules, and things to do. I would love to have a whole day just to blog and read blogs.

As it is, I usually blog late at night when everyone else is in bed and the house is quiet, but sometimes I blog during breaks in the day. My favorite drinks are lightly sweetened ice tea, sparkling water and juices, and iced white mocha espresso. My favorite dessert is really rich chocolate cheesecake--I bought this cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory last Valentine's Day. I haven't had it since, but that doesn't mean I've forgotten about it.

I can't choose a favorite book, but I love books--I love just having books--just knowing a book is there to read even if I can't get to it. I never read just one book at a time--it is always several at once. I often start in the middle, or even at the end, of a book and skip around, but that is only after reading the front/back covers, inside flaps, preface, table of contents, credits, etc. I explore the book, get a feel for it, skim the contents, and then settle in eventually.

A scripture that has been an inspiration to me is James 3:13-18, which says, "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes form wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”

Training Hearts Blogger Friend School

I have registered for the Training Hearts Blogger Friend School--a year of weekly online assignments to post on topics related to our daily activities and blessings as Christian Homeschooling Moms. The homework is Bible-based with the purpose of uplifting one another and strengthening our faith. Class begins Wednesday, September 5th, 2007, and runs through June 2008. To join in the fun, click on the blogger school graphic above.