Paper Heart Garland

Here is a little craft Sarah and I did today.

Inspired by my friend Erin. Cute, easy, fun and best of all free (since I had all the items needed on hand).

Paint some paper. We chose Reds, Pinks, Lavenders, a Silver and a Gold. All in fingerpaints! This part was the most fun!!! Sarah and I each painted a full sheet, trying to completely cover the whole page.

Then I used my heart paper punch (I wish it were a bigger one but it is what I had on hand) and punched out as many hearts as I could get out of the painted pages (after they dried, of course).

Next take three of the hearts and glue them around the yarn (this will make it 3D) then continue to do this down the length of the yarn until you have used all your hearts! I place mine about 2 to 3 inches apart.

She loved how it looked draped over the mirror on the vanity in her room. I guess we will have to make another one if I want one to decorate with somewhere else.

Such fun! Enjoy!!

A Day of Rest, A Life of Worship

Genesis 2:1-3 (ESV) Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it Holy, because on it God rested from all His work that he had done in creation.

God rested not out of weariness but to set aside a time to commemorate the completion of His handiwork, His creation. Yet, He later command His people to set aside the Sabbath, to keep it Holy. And He commanded the Israelites to rest this day also. It was meant for rest and worship.

So, where do I find my rest? In my humanness, my sinful humanness, I most often look to my pillow for rest. I hide under the covers. I escape in front of the TV, computer or bury my nose in a book (and not the 'Good Book'). My worries, fears, frustrations, annoyances, gripes, pains, and the list could go on and on can consume me and my first instinct is to figure it out on my own. Fix it myself. Do all and be all. Hide from it or stuff it as long as I can until it explodes in volcanic proportions.

Where should I find my rest? True rest can only come from my loving Saviour. Only when ALL of me (my cares, my worries, my hopes, my dreams) are placed at the foot of the cross will I find it. How do I do that? With prayer and petition to my heavenly Father through His Son my Lord.

But, how do I change my worldly habits into Godly habits? How do I recapture the faith and trust of my youth? Restore the habit of placing all my cares, worries, hopes, dreams, etc in the One who created me? Especially, when right now the weight can seem unbearable; when life is telling me to just go back to bed! Academically I can answer these questions with stellar answers. But, real life, YIKES that is a whole different matter.I wish I had the answer. It is a constant struggle.

I KNOW that the only rest that will ease my worries and fears; the only rest that will give life to my hopes and dreams is in Christ. He who has taken all my sin and given me new life in Him. My rest will come when I worship Him in ALL I do (say, think, feel, hear, see).
God in His infinate wisdom commanded us to keep the Sabboth Holy. Set it aside for us to worship Him. He knows that it is in Him we will find our rest.

It is time for the alarm clock to sound and sound LOUDLY! No snooze button allowed! Get up Nancy and worship God, your God. That is when my soul will find rest. Rest also comes in knowing that even when my sinful self falls prey to my worldly ways I am forgiven, forgiven by the blood of Christ. Rest in the arms of Jesus.