A Wreath of Book Pages

My job is mostly involved with answering the phone and making out bills and talking to customers. And running errands and cleaning up too. Some days though, there isn't as much to do and while I need to be here to get the phone, there might be dull minutes where I really wonder why a girl like me hangs out in a shop like this so much! My office looks like this most of the time:

  I move stuff around all day but it never looks any tidier. And the turbos and stuff like that that end up on my desk just get old to look at.
 So one afternoon I decided to have a project of my own to work on. And between phone calls, this is what I made. Yes, the guys all looked at it and thought that I was crazy. :)

 And this is what it looks like on the hanging on my corner closet.

I found a good tutorial for it here. Mine looks a little different though. Mostly because I read the directions after I do the next step. And because I used more layers of book pages than she did on the directions.

Christmas

It's the time for:
                                  gifts under the tree,

                               Nativity Scenes,

      Holly berries and other cozy decorations, such as a white coating of snow,

  It's the time of year to teach your kids what's true... and what is not.

It's a time for giving and possibly receiving. It's the time of year to read Luke 2 together as a family. And it's the time to see relatives that you haven't seen in ages. And it's the time to eat lots of yummy food...


Or so I hear.
You see, to me as a child, Christmas was the time of year when:
   ...We counted the colorful lights on the way to Bible study. Then since Josh always spotted the most and because I didn't appreciate losing, I'd try to stay awake on our way home and find the ones that he saw that I didn't see on the way there.
 ...We got pictures in the mail of our friends and cousins. Then we'd compare the pictures to last year and be amazed at how much people change in a year.
 ...We made jokes about Santa Claus not stopping at our place.
 ...Grampa and Gramma would put up a tree in their living room. It was the greatest puzzlement to my little mind. Why would you put a tree in your living room and decorate it all over? I'd want to stare at it but didn't want anyone to see me staring, so I'd avoid looking at it instead.
 ...My aunt and uncle sent us a package in the mail. That was fun!



Then I got older. I got married. I got a job. Now Christmastime signifies a little more to me.

It's the time of year when:
...People put more stuff on credit cards.
...The folks on the radio seem to not realize that just because five different artists sing Jingle Bell Rock and Walking in a Winter Wonderland DOES NOT mean that they are different songs. And they seem to have also forgotten that any thing else exists in the musical world.
...And on a musical note, churches seem to all of the sudden lose all the other pages in their hymn books and only have those 20 pages of Christmas songs.
...First stores are jam packed and you decide it's not really worth the wait in line; then the stores are closed and you wished you had waited in line.
...Customers want to wait till after the first of the year to pay their bill, to help them get through Christmas. (And remind me again... exactly HOW does that help you get through Christmas?!?!)
... Some people are exceptionally helpful and happy, but a large percentage of people are exceptionally grumpy and grouchy. They are too busy and have to see too much family and have to spend more money than they have and, and, and. The list goes on.

You see... I've never celebrated Christmas. For twenty-two years I've been able to escape Christmas. "Escape?" Is that really the word I used? "But how", you ask, "can you feel right about escaping our Saviour's birth? And it's special. It's fun! And why NOT be a part of it?"

Well it's simple to me. I never have celebrated it and I know nothing of the specialness. I've never experienced it. At least my memory says I haven't. Pictures say that I did when I was about two. I don't remember though and I feel fine without ever knowing what it was like. I don't feel like I missed out on something in my childhood. I feel honored that my parents chose to miss something that was special to them so that I would be able to be free now. I think that was not their reason for it at the time though. :)
   And why try to say I'm celebrating Christ's birth when it creates stress and misery for so many people? Yes, I'll celebrate a birthday. I'm not against it. There is no point in it, though, when the one for who the celebration is for gets forgotten, or when the stress level gets high, or when it just becomes a bargaining exchange. "You give me a gift, I'll give you a gift."
  I love the fact that our Lord came as a baby, lived life as a human, and then died in my place, my Saviour forever. I love that. I don't down that at all. But I personally am fine without a big party to celebrate the fact of that baby.
  And besides my husband dislikes anything other than work so holidays really stress him. He's fine without the party too.
  Will I continue not making traditions for that day when I have children? Maybe so. Maybe not. I'll cross that bridge when I get there. For now I'll probably just continue watching everyone celebrate, and while I miss out on the fun, I'll be ok with it because to me, I feel that missing out on, as I see it, the stress and stupidity, will make up for it.

Wassup God?

Recently a friend and I got to discussing what it would be like when we meet God. What will we say? I said that I was going to say that it is Christ who has covered me and redeemed me. He said that he'll probably just say "Wassup God?" because, in his words "No one is perfect and God, of course, is not either. Who knows what it will be like, so just be cool about it!"

I maintained that God is perfect and holy.

Two passages come to my mind.

 Thinking of the verse in Philippians 2 that speaks of Jesus, humbled to become a man, obedient to die on a cross, exalted by God who has given him a name which is above every name, such "that at the name of JESUS, every knee should bow and every tongue should confess that He is Lord", I started thinking more about what will happen when we meet God.

Will everyone be so in awe of Him when they see him that even the very hardest hearts will melt and will bow their knee before the King of Kings?
Or, Will they be forced to bow before Him? Is He so deserving or desiring of praise that He will force everyone to honor Him with the respect He deserves?


John says in Revelation 1:17&18 that  "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: 'Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and hell'".

What John saw, he described. His face alone was like the shining sun, his eyes like blazing fire, his voice like the rushing waters. This character is not the type to be buddies with. It is the type to honor and respect and praise.

In Revelation 5 the angels sang

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,

to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength

and honor and glory and praise!” 

Then John says in verse 13 that he heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

be praise and honor and glory and power,

for ever and ever!” 

I would suggest that everyone will have recognized            (1)who the Lamb is and (2) that He is worthy of praise.

The second passage that came to my mind was the one in Romans.

Romans 14: 9-11 "For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: ‘As surely as I live,’says the Lord ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’ So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God".

Speaking to believers in the verses preceeding verse 9, Paul explains how one man's faith allows him to do something that would cause another person to stumble and that God has accepted each person who has come to Him. It is between that person and God. Verse nine then has gone on to explain that it was for this reason that Christ died and returned to life- so that He could be Lord. Verse ten asks why do you judge considering that, since God has accepted each one on His terms, every. single. one. of. you will stand before God's judgement seat. One person is not better than another. One person is not worse. "Everyone has sinned and fallen short of God's glory". (Romans 3:23)

To me, this is a blatant reminder that I am no different in God's eyes than                                                                          The lady with a "Help pay my electric bill" sign at the corner,
  or The guy who works in the auto parts store,                               or The lady who is behind bars,                                                       or The millionaire who works hard to put a tax on
                                                         cows' emissions.
The only thing that sets me apart from some people is that I have been redeemed by Christ. I have chosen to live my life for Him and because of His amazing grace I am a new person.

Because I am a new person, can I just go on with my life, living for myself? I think not.

In reading a bit in Revelation, I came across this passage and I was struck again with a fact that I did already know, but... the liars and unbelievers are listed with the murderers and sorcerers. In God's eyes they are the same. Sinners.

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.  He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.  But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Rev. 21: 6-8

What are we as Christians doing to teach others of Christ's forgiveness and redemption? What are we doing to tell them that He can be their God, that they can have life, and that because of what Christ has done for them, they do not have to have their part in the lake of fire?

"Therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." Matthew 24:36-44

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear."  1 Peter 3:15

"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." John 3:17

Curly or Straight?

When I went to get my hair cut on Tuesday, I decided to be different from my normal and get it straightened just for fun. It's kinda cool just because it's different. Blake likes the variety but he still maintains that it's "just hair".

   

Things I've learned about curly hair versus straight:
    :: It takes less time to make your hair look presentable in the morning when you have straight hair.

    :: Old guys like curly hair. At auto parts stores, a few old guys have asked me what I did to my beautiful hair?!

    :: Some people really notice what other people's hair looks like. Other ones, upon hearing discussions about my curly hair, ask me if my hair is really normally curly.

   ::Curly hair is more forgiving...meaning if a few hairs are out of place, they just curl around and look fine; straight hairs stick out straight!

      :: My hair is much lighter (as in not heavy!) when it isn't full of curls.

           And here is me with my "normal hair look".
                       So what do you think?

 

I'm thinking... Blake is right. Hair is hair. I have to say though...
                          I'm pretty sure I like my curls. :)

Curtains

Before my family came for a visit, back when I got that random urge to make my house look cozier, I made new curtains for my kitchen. Now I'm thinking that I would love to make curtains for the whole main floor of the house, but I only did the kitchen windows. The heart appliques took a long time so I only put them on the curtain for the door. :)

  I had two styles in mind, but I wanted them to look puffy. I thought about making puckers sort of like in Maria's dress- she was the flower girl in my wedding. I can't think how else to describe it and I'm told that a picture's worth a thousand words.

  My other idea was to try to do it the way I've seen in some Amish friends' homes. Doubled up and when all done they are supposed to be fluffy. I chose to try this style.
 Well... It didn't work right. They looked like this.

If you will notice, only the left end is a little puffy. The rest is quite flat. When I hung it up, I was bummed! I had just washed the window and there was a roll of paper towels sitting there. All I could think of was that it needed something stuffed in there.
  You guessed it- on the left end there are paper towels stuffed in there. Then it looked lumpy.  
  Fortunately Shannah stopped by and suggested tuille. I've often wondered why they sell so much of that stuff at Jo-Anns! Now I know. :) Take a couple yards and start stuffing curtains. Then they'll come out looking like this!

Celtic Thunder

For my birthday in November, Blake's four siblings in line behind him- Maria, Logan, Audrey, and Shannah- gave me this: 

 "Celtic Thunder: Tuesday, December 6th, 2011 7:30 p.m."

  I took the camera along... and we tried taking pictures of ourselves. {Self portraits don't often turn out well, in my opinion!}
  There was a sign stating that pictures and videography were strictly prohibited. I didn't take any...except for before we got into the auditorium... before I saw the sign. I was seeing how the camera worked since I was using a borrowed camera of Shannah's. I got one blurry picture of the people before we headed up to the highest balcony (there were two balconies) to find our seats and pictures of the hallway.  The Palace Theater in Cleveland is VERY fancy to a country bumpkin like me!

The show was fantastic! Blake was a great sport about it, even though it is not his style of music and the first half was Christmas music. Then the curtain closed and twenty minutes later, after the intermission, the curtain opened again and the whole stage had changed from looking like a park at Christmastime to a misty Irish hillside with a castle behind. Yes, quite enchanting! I had a blast and Blake enjoyed himself. We both enjoyed taking the evening off from work! I think that I'm wanting to visit Ireland even more now. :)

To see some of their other songs, you'll just have to look them up on Youtube or go see them live. If you take the time, look up "A Place in the Choir". It's one of my favorites, but for some reason I couldn't get it to load to my page! :(

A fresh new coat of... Decorating

The house needed a new look... I was sick of the same one (look I mean, not house!) that I saw every night when I came home from work and again the next morning for a few minutes before we left for work. So one day I took some time off work and went shopping. Yep, I really love shopping, but especially when it is for little verses or pictures or strings of hearts or curtain fabric to make my house look cheerier. For some reason I find that kind of shopping much more fun than clothes shopping or even food shopping- which is amazing because I do so love to eat! :)
   So... since my living room got re-wallpapered this fall and I do not particularly care for the pattern/color, I decided that perhaps some more decorating would make me not notice the wallpaper as much. I started shopping mostly for the living room. The dining room colors are so much more fun and cozy though, so I enjoyed working in there more.
  There were a few different projects that I greatly enjoyed doing, but this was my favorite... Except for possibly my new kitchen curtains which I have forgotten to take pictures of every time that I have stopped at home.
   I took down a few pictures I had on one wall in the dining room, and created this:

--And no, I'm not a photographer and so that is why I took the picture from an angle. When I took it from the front it got this blot from the flash, but my house is dark and I didn't want the picture to turn out like this: --

I had hoped for a sack of burlap to pin my pictures on, but couldn't find one. Apparently they discontinue stocking them at Pat Catan's after Halloween! So I went to Jo-Anns and bought a yard of burlap. Then to hold it all together, I used some straight pins that must have been about what Laura Ingalls would have used... I'm not sure where they came from but they sure were old; I felt good about finally giving them some purpose!

This is my favorite picture that Blake and I have ever gotten. Neither of us are photogenic so I was impressed!