As you enter my front door
 you will see a small sign hanging on a old farm chair....

Such a small word with  a powerful meaning......





It is a reminder to me
TO ALWAYS......
let my Words,
my actions
my life

 

TO INSPIRE.........


TO affect, guide, or arouse by divine influence.

As in the Bible inspires me with Words of life......

and promises which are true!

I love to share them here......

 and hopefully inspire you.....

 

 

TO INSPIRE......

To breathe life into.

To stimulate energies or ideals.....


A blogger who inspires by example



TO INSPIRE............

 

To fill with enlivening or exalting emotion.

 

hymns or songs that inspire us to sing along..... 

A great post/story that inspires our hearts with joy!

 

 

 

 

 

TO INSPIRE.........

 

To stimulate to action;

 motivate......

 

 

I was inspired to try something new...

a new color...

a  new recipe...

or to read a book or two.....

To start a new project...

Maybe finish an old one.....



 

Here in blog land the word INSPIRE comes to life....

through all the great décor....

Seeing all the beautiful homes.....

Reading the informative and encouraging posts....

 

YES.....

 

I get inspired!

 

 

What inspires you?

 

Who inspires you?

 

Have you inspired someone lately.....?

 

Hebrews 10:24

 And let us consider how we may spur one another
on toward love and good deeds,

Be Inspired!

BLESSINGS!

 



 

Creative Blog Hop........

I was invited by Pat over at corn in my Coffee Pot
to be part of the Creative Blog Hop.....
I love visiting with Pat...
She is such an inspirational and thrifty gal.......
I love her down home and simple lifestyle....
Her creative process is making much with little...
I do believe that is a biblical characteristic....
and she is good at it.....
:)

 So Here It Goes.......

WHAT AM I CURRENTLY WORKING ON.....

Way to many things....
Seriously.......
Here's just a few.......

We are still "slap dab"
(as we say here).....
in the middle of our remodel...
We are currently putting in a new bathroom....
 in what use to be a walk-in closet
located in our Master bedroom...
Reveal coming soon......

Yeah we still have lots of work to do......
By the way...
We purchased our tub at
Habitat for Humanity...
Still in the box...
Brand new..
for $75.00

I consider my ministry opportunities a big part of my creative process...

I think it takes some real creativity to present Bible studies to
different people groups.....
Keeping it interesting.....
I teach a large diverse group of ladies
at the Federal Prison each Monday.....

I am also part of several other Community Bible study groups....
and involved with a group called REC...
Residents Encounter Christ......
 I will be taking a journey with them this weekend
to a home for troubled teen girls....
I will be speaking on
 "God is Calling".....

A lot of work, time and creativity
goes into each ministry opportunity I have...

 In between all of this......
I have also managed to do a little Fall décor...

Here a pumpkin....
There a pumpkin...
and maybe a gourd or two...

I  LOVE FALL!!!
Don't you?

HOW DOES MY WORK DIFFER FROM OTHERS IN MY GENRE?

I am not sure what my genre is....
My creative process as you read above comes in many forms.....
I simply love to put my hands to work....
and my brain...
and my heart.....

Ecclesiastes 9:10
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might

Creating can be fulfilling, therapeutic and energizing
but it can also be frustrating....
The Bible helps me to keep my creativeness in perspective...
no matter what kind of creating you may do...
 do it joyful.....
Do it recognizing all good things come from
the greatest creator of all...
God...



WHY DO I CREATE WHAT I DO?

Most of my creative process these days comes out of simple necessity....
It has to be done....
as in our remodel....

When you are remodeling on a budget....

and on your own....

Trust me you learn to be very creative.....

Our creativity is paying off...
slowly but surely...
Things are coming together.....

 

Other times...
Being creative...
Working with my hands..
brings me such pleasure...
Its therapeutic..
Like working in my garden...

It is also about allowing your creative juices to flow.....
Even though this wreath took hours...

I loved every minute of making it....
It is made from some old bibles and study books
that were falling apart...
I did not want to discard them.....
Now... I have them forever.....
A Keepsake...

Thanks for allowing me to share my creative juices with you...
No matter what you create...
How you create...
Just keep Creating......

May you be blessed!

Sweet Sunday Blessings!

 

Sweet Sunday Blessings to everyone!..

Before I begin I want to share an extra special blessing with you....

 

I was featured by Kris over at Junk Chic Cottage

As part of her "Saturday Spotlight"...

Kris is such a sweetie....

And I know you will love visiting with her..

So go on over and read my feature and leave a sweet blessing for Kris.

I love it when others show kindness and generosity

and that is what Kris is doing in this......

So stop by and show some love....

Now....

I want to share another Sweet blessing with you........

This is my latest piece of furniture...

I brought it home from our vacation at Myrtle Beach..
Don't even ask me where I put it......:)

My hubby has come to expect that we always have extra baggage.
I mean pieces of junk...
I mean "beautiful" pieces of furniture.....
 to come back home with us
from any trip....

That's why I love him!
Well,
that and lots of others reasons.....

The particular piece is an old mail slot chest...

It was most likely used in an office area

or school.....

You can see the numbers if you look closer.....

can you see them?
 1-21

Each slotted number probably represented a different individual....
Here I go...dreaming....

You know me I love a good story......
 

Each day someone would come and pick up
important memos,

maybe a special letter or note...

Maybe an assignment for the day...
You would have to agree.....

It is exciting to imagine what each slot might have held

from day to day
and who was picking it up......

I added one of my little quirky winged pigs on top...
Just to keep an eye on things.....
along with a few of my favorite old boxes....
I mean how unexpected is that...?
A winged pig sitting on top of a mail slot chest in your living room....

The piece was originally painted with a postal mark on the doors...

The postal mark included a North Carolina city and it also

had a date...

To all my North Carolina blog friends...

Let me apologize.....

I painted over the North Carolina name.....
So sorry!

Now being a Kentucky girl...

You just cannot leave North Carolina written on anything...

Its a basketball thing.......
Yeah.. my family bleeds blue but not North Carolina blue...
Again...
Sorry!
 

But I did leave the date...
It is pretty important to me.....

Here's why......
 

Along on this trip was also my Father and Mother-in-law...
My Father-in-law just received bad news concerning his health..
At the age of 90 he was diagnosed with cancer...
It is melanoma.....
 It has already spread
to several of his major organs and lymph nodes...
He also has a huge knot under his arm...
That is what he noticed first.....
At his age chemo would be to aggressive upon his body...
He has decided to let the cancer takes its course...
We are all heartbroken...
We expected him to live to be 100 years old...
He is such a happy man and always has a great story to tell....

He wanted to see the ocean one last time...
So along they came with us......
This piece and the date will always be a sweet memory
of our wonderful time together at the beach...

I just love the piece...
The size and the "quirky-ness" of it....
and now the story behind it.....
It will always have a special place in our heart and home...

Yes,
This little chest has found a special place in our home
and in our hearts....
Reminding us...
Of a wonderful vacation.....
That was filled with heartache at times....
but with much joy too.....
 

Today,

I am reminded of this great promise from God....

No, despite all these things, 

overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, 

who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing 

can ever separate us from God’s love. 

Neither death nor life, 

neither angels nor demons, 

neither our fears for today 

nor our worries about tomorrow—

not even the powers of hell 

can separate us from God’s love. 

No power in the sky above or in the earth below—

indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us f

rom the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:37-39

 

Its late Summer.....

The days are shorter.......
The evenings are getting cooler....

The flowers of Summer are slowing fading.......

In just a few short weeks....

All this color will be gone......

For today....
 Enjoy the blooms.........

 

 

Happy Summer Days......

While they last......

May each day be filled with lots of blooms and blessings!

Sweet Sunday Blessings!

Do you see what I see?

Look again...

 

Look past all the flowers......

It is around the tub and ferns...

~~~~~~~~~

Actually it is in the tub.....

Do you see it now?

~

Can you see all the white on top of the tub?

It looks like a cloud......
~~~~

Yes, my tub over-flows with bubbles...

Tons of silky..

light as air...

sparkly, shiny bubbles.....

I do believe this little rusty guy looks guilty...
~~

He looks as if he just dumped bubble bath in my fountain...

Look close...

I think he is smiling....
and
possibly  singing...

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I would have to admit when My Grandson came running in shouting..

"Nana,come look at the tub!"...

I did not know what to expect...

I thought...

Oh, no....

It has run dry....

Instead.....

~~~~

 "it is overflowing with bubbles!"

The last thing I expected to see after adding bleach earlier
to keep my water clear

was bubbles....

I mean after all, 

since when did bleach....

which is supposed to sanitize....

purify...

cleanse...

cause bubbles?

I will have to admit...

the bubbles attracted us to the tub in a new way...

Oh, we enjoy the sound of the water coming through the old well faucet..

But Today...

we  enjoyed the bubbles...

 And so it goes with each of our lives as a believer....
Jesus comes in and washes away our sins...
cleanses us...
makes us whole...

And in return....
Our life is to be like bubbles....
overflowing...
touching others....
~~
This reminds me of  an old hymn.....

Its bubbling, Its Bubbling
Its bubbling in my soul
There's singing and laughter 
since Jesus made me whole..
Folks don't understand it...
Nor can I keep it Quiet
Its bubbling bubbling bubbling bubbling
bubbling day and night!...... 
~~

"Live your life in such a way 
that those who don't know God
come to know God 
because they know you"
Author Unknown


Overflow this week and touch others with your life.....
Let others see Jesus in you!


"May the Lord make your love increase and overflow
for each other and everyone else,
Just as ours does for you...

I Thessalonians 3:12 NIV

BLESSINGS!

Sweet Blessings!

 

Do you ever just sit and look at a space...

and think...

hummmmm

It needs a little something more?

 ~

Please pay no attention to the mess outside..

focus on the window..

particularly the banner....

 

  I love the idea of a banner hanging in my dining room.....

Perhaps saying...

"Give Thanks".....

Something making a statement about who I am...

or 

What it means to be in this area...

Perhaps.....

A welcome to guest....

Who sit at our table......

What do you think?

Maybe I could stencil something in Bold letters

Or 

Keep it simple 

and use White.....

What do you think?

Maybe.........

~

Something that causes folks to pay attention to the details...

Of who I am...

What my home represents...

What do you think?

Maybe I should leave it.....

simply as a burlap Banner...

Speaking for itself...

With a simple statement of color and texture....

What do you think?

Yep....

I like the idea of a banner hanging in this area...

~

As a reminder...

To Give Thanks....

To Our Lord...

Who is over all....

As a reminder that He is A Good God...

~

A God who Provides....

~

A God Who gives Peace..

~

A God who Protects...

~

And...

A God who Loves....

Song Of Solomon

2:4

"He has taken me into the banquet Hall....

and his Banner over me is Love!"

A little reminder for you this week...

God loves you!

Allow His banner of love 

To cover you!

BLESSINGS!