Tag: creative

Have Crafts Will Travel

“The talent of success is nothing more than doing what you can do well, and doing well whatever you do without thought of fame.”  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Marshmallow Shooters

“Grammie did you bring any crafts?”  This is what I used to hear each time I visited a grandchild.  I love to treat my grandchildren to a new craft or an idea to create something.  We are all created in the image of God and since He is the creator we also are creative.  I didn’t use to think that I was creative but I do have some creative genes in my system. 

When my own children were young we were involved in 4-H and I do not know how this came about but I became the craft leader for the Saline Valley 4H club.  I think it was because I couldn’t really fill any of the other leadership positions.  As a young mother, I had tried my hand at a few things.  I quilted a pillow top, made some ceramics, made some macramé flower pot hangers, and a few other things.  Now that I was in leadership though I had to up my skills to lead a whole 4H group to success for the County Fair. 

This experience led me to be the Grammie that always had crafts in her sack.  I didn’t dare show up without an idea and a project.  I also would have cousin camp every summer where the grands would make some great projects including tie dye, wood projects with grandpa and science experiments. 

Now my grandchildren are in high school or college and Grammie’s stash of crafts are sitting idle.  I have found a new avenue for my hidden talent (it’s really hidden!) and that is now I am teaching Kid Zone at church and I have a whole new group of children excited about my crafts.  I think I will adopt some of them as grandchildren.  Yes, I think that is my new plan. 

“Crafting is the art of turning ordinary objects into extraordinary things.”  Unknown

HAVE CRAFTS, WILL TRAVEL!

Mornin’ Glory

Morning Glories have graced the gate of this yard for many years.  They climb up the trellis and cling to the frame to cover the gate and welcome visitors or turn them away.  Our new UPS delivery man was hesitant to come in the gate as the Morning Glories had completely covered the gate.   The Glories love the morning and bloom at that time of day, closing up in the afternoons.  Morning glory vines bring old fashioned charm and a quaint cottage feeling to this yard. 

“Where flowers bloom so does hope.”

  • Lady Bird Johnson

“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.”

  • Francis Hodgson Burnett

“Every flower must grow through dirt.”

  • Laurie Jean Sennott

When I hear the word glory, I always think of my Savior.   Glory and honor is what I desire to bring to His name.  His glory is what we need in our world.  It’s so like Him to create all the beautiful colors we enjoy with the Morning Glory and all the other flowers around us.  As we head in Autumn I think of how He is so creative.  He could have made our world just in hues of gray.  But He couldn’t as He loves beauty, too.  His love for us caused Him to create such colorful things for us to enjoy. 

Psalms 50:14-15 Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High.  Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.

Glory in Hebrew is kabowd or kavod.  There is more than one meaning.  God may have designed this beautiful language of Hebrew to give dimension to our understanding of Him and His love for us.  It is from the root word for weight.  It can mean glory, honor, respect, distinction and importance.  It is abounding in honor and reverence.  Exodus 24:17 is a prime example of this.

“Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel.”

Our God is so worthy of reverence and praise.  His glory should activate in us a response of praise and worship so full of the recognition of His mighty strength and the honor that is due Him.  When we encounter the majesty of God, we must respond with reverential worship, awe and devotion. 

“Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.  And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” Exodus 40:34-35

We must embrace His glory and let this fill our lives and our world.  Only then can we understand fully the difference the glory of God brings to us individually and corporately