Providence 365 - Week 52

Luke 2:10-16
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
I love hearing the story of Baby Jesus from the book of Luke. And it doesn’t matter if I hear it during worship, during a children’s Christmas program…or when Linus shares the Word during Charlie Browns Christmas – it is a story that never gets old, brings a smile to my face and warms my heart.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

As we bring Providence 365 to a close, I pray that you have been blessed through our year long journey. Barbara (Precepts and Promises) and I (Pam of by the Shore designs) have enjoyed sharing His word and pray that you have found words for reflection that have been timely and inspiration for your scrapbooking layouts using our word-art.

Please take a moment to share with us in the forum at Faith Sisters how our Providence 365 journey impacted you. Thank you for joining us in 2011. Please make sure to visit us on our blogs for more inspiration in 2012 – God Bless and give Glory to God in the Highest!.

(Click on the image above or here for your word art for week 52)

AND.....MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Providence 365 - Week 50

REJOICE!

Light one candle for Hope. One bright candle for Hope. He brings hope to every heart, He comes He comes.
Light one candle for Peace. One bright candle for Peace. He brings peace to every heart, He comes, He comes.
Light one candle for Joy. One bright candle for Joy. Every nation, shall find salvation in Bethlehem’s Baby Boy.
Light one candle for Love. One bright candle for Love, He brings love to every heart, He comes, He comes

Several years ago when my daughter was in our church Christmas Pageant, they sang this song. (And I wish I could give it proper credit, but I am unable to find the author) During the season of advent, it is a song that plays through my head and brings a smile to my face. Not only does it bring happy memories of a little girl in a velvety red dress , it reminds me that during Advent we wait and prepare.

Today is the third Sunday of Advent. It is often known as Gaudete Sunday. In Latin, Gaudete means REJOICE. On this third Sunday of Advent, we rejoice that our Good Lord is coming.

Today’s Bible verse comes from Philippians 4:4-7


Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

REJOICE!
During this season of Advent – how do you prepare? How do you rejoice?

Here is the word art for this week. (click on the image to download)

Can’t wait to see what you share with us in our Providence 365 Forum and Gallery at Faith Sisters.

And join me this week as I continue to ‘buck the trend’ and say MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone I meet.

Providence 365 - Week 48

For those in the United States, I pray that you each had a blessed Thanksgiving, surrounded by family, friends and loved ones.

It is hard to believe that it is week 48 of our 52 week journey through Providence 365. I have personally been blessed to be able to work with Barbara and share with you His words of inspiration.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

To be joyful, patient and faithful – these three words represent completely different actions – yet in this verse they are strongly intertwined. When we rejoice in hope, we are waiting confidently for an expected outcome. When we rejoice in hope, we are better able to be patient, sit quietly and wait when times of tribulation occur. And during these difficult times we need to pray without ceasing more than ever.

Where do you find hope? How has hope helped you through those rough spots? And are you faithful in your prayer life?

In addition to Romans 12:12, here are a few more verses to reflect on:
Philippians 4:!9
Hebrews 11:1

Here is wordart I have created for this week’s Providence 365.

Barbara and I love to see the layouts you create with the Providence 365 wordart. Be sure to post it in our Faith Sisters Providence 365 Gallery and share with us in the Providence 365 forum - here


As I close this week’s Providence 365, I have a special prayer request for a young boy named Peter. Prayer is so powerful. Peter is fighting a strong battle against a few known illnesses and a few yet to be identified. While he has seen a couple of upswings in the last 2 weeks – his current condition is one that has his doctors and family very concerned. Please lift Peter and his family in prayer. His Mom shared a message today on his ‘Care Page’ that brought me to tears. Despite his health conditions, she puts her faith in our Lord and knows that Peter is not alone and is in His loving arms. She had prayed early on that regardless of what his little body was fighting on the outside, that he would not be alone and would find comfort and joy on the inside. She knows that this is the case and this brings her hope. Thank you for lifting this lil guy in prayer.

Providence 365 - Week 46

GIVE THANKS

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Colossians 4:2)

Begin each day in prayer. End each day in prayer. And in between…well…...pray. We have so much to be thankful for – and I GIVE THANKS each day through prayer.

One of my annual traditions is to share with others all of the blessings that I am thankful for. I personally do this on my ‘facebook’ page and I have several friends and family members that do the same. As I prepare each days post, it reminds me how blessed I am and how much I truly have to be thankful for. As I reread my posts and read the posts of others, I am often struck by how much I take for granted in life and how much I truly have to be thankful for.

At the end of this message are my personal “Giving Thanks” posts that I have shared on facebook so far this November. I encourage you to share with others your own blessings. You can do this through a social media like facebook, your personal blog or simply telling a friend or loved one. As you share, I pray that you too will realize just how blessed you are.

At the end of the month, I plan on creating and framing a layout with the full collection of each of my daily “Giving Thanks” facebook posts ~ something that I can keep in a prominent place in my home as a constant reminder of my own blessings.

Here is a link to this week’s download for our Providence 365 challenge.

As the year starts coming to a close, I encourage you to make sure you have downloaded all of the previous week’s gifts that Barbara and I have created for you. Shortly after the new year, they will no longer be available, and we want to make sure that you – our faithful Providence 365 friends – have had the opportunity to obtain these lovely pieces of wordart.

As always, be sure to share your Providence 365 layout in our gallery and in our Providence 365 forum.

Till Next Week…..may you be blessed beyond measure.


(My 'Giving Thanks' Facebook Posts – Day 1-13)

Beginning our traditional 30 days of Thanksgiving. I am thankful for a loving God. And on that, I could go on and on....but that pretty much says it all.

Giving thanks. Day 2. A loving and supportive husband. Blessed we are together. AMLFAA

Giving Thanks - Day 3. I am thankful for two loving parents. Love you bunches Mom and Dad - you helped mold me into who I am today - you model love, compassion, hard work, dedication, strong morals and values and so much more - in everything you say and do.


Giving Thanks - Day 4. Shannon , while not our first child, you are my first born and I love you bunches and bunches. You continue to mature into a beautiful young lady, thoughtful, loving and caring, compassionate, talented, strong in your faith and....(wait for it) sassy. And I love every one of your traits as they help define who you are. You are my Koala Lou, I have always loved you and always will.

Giving thanks – Day 5...I thank God daily for the blessing of Georgie. She has taught me so much about life and unconditional love. You are my little nutbrown hare...love you to the moon and back.

Giving Thanks – Day 6 ~ I am thankful for three awesome older children. I have been blessed by each of you in countless ways throughout the years. Sarah, Jessica, and Chris ~ I love you more than you will know.

Giving Thanks, Day 7 ~ Giving thanks for a warm home and a roof over my head. Recognizing that not everyone in the world, this country, this state and even this city has this blessing. It is one I do not take for granted.

Giving Thanks ~ Day 8 - Thankful for a full tummy. We are blessed to have healthy foods to nourish our bodies, keeping us strong and healthy. We have not experienced true hunger like so many around the community and world. Thankful that we are also able to share this blessing with those in need.

Giving Thanks ~ Day 9 ~ I am thankful for water....for cool refreshing drinks, for its use in creating warm cups of coffee and tea, for hydrating my body, for the flowers and plants that thrive and grow, for bathing, for the powerful ocean that brings me joy, for a gentle stream that brings peace...but first and foremost for the waters of baptism, that washed my sins away.

Giving Thanks ~ Day 10 I am thankful for things that move. Reliable cars that get us to and from school, work and other destinations; planes that deliver us safely to visit family and friends; lawnmowers that keep our (sometimes) green grass neat and trim; and even my own body that moves each morning out of bed to begin another glorious day.

Giving Thanks ~ Day 11. I am thankful for freedom, a gift that we should each embrace but that we sadly sometimes take for granted. Thankful for the men and women that serve now; veterans that have served in the past; those that gave their lives while protecting my freedom and for all of their families. God Bless You!

Giving Thanks ~ Day 12 - I am thankful for opportunities for individuals that have different abilities. As we head off to our Special Olympics State Bowling Competition, I am reminded how special each one of us is, how can we not be, He created us! Georgie, you are going to do great today (and the best part is, she is an awesome bowler, needs no accommodations, and she can totally kick it with her 'typical' peers)

Giving Thanks – Day 13 ~ I am thankful for technology. While at times, it can be a ‘touch’ impersonal, it allows me to stay connected with friends and family; to gather and share information; provide support to others and it provides entertainment. Technology can often make life easier, simpler and richer. Praying for a healthy balance of technology and ‘real life’ .

LET'S CELEBRATE!

In celebration of Digital Scrapbooking Day (Saturday, November 5, 2011); ALL by the Shore design products at Faith Sisters are on sale -60 % off.....including the following best sellers:

Mosaic Template - ready for Photoshop and Photoshop Elements users - this template is a great way to display a variety of photos - in a fun and creative layout.


All Star Birthday Kits ~ available in pastel and primary colors. Not just for birthdays - this kit is perfect for any celebration and even everyday events (think of your superstar in sports!)

And our most recently released collection ~ Beautiful Music. A fabulous mega-collection of 8 kits features 18 papers and a variety of embellishments. This lovely collection will showcase your talented musician or vocalist. It is also flexible enough for so many more events and creative layouts!

You can begin your digital shopping adventure HERE. This incredible sale is only good through November 6th. Head on over now and add to your digi-stash!

And let the digi-scrapping begin! See you...by the Shore

Providence 365-week 44 TIME TO SERVE

TIME TO SERVE

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:40

Yesterday, my 10 year old daughter participated in our regional Special Olympics competition in bowling. Another amazing experience for our family. The event always begins in prayer and I cannot think of a better way to start. All of the athletes had a wonderful time and their positive spirit resonated throughout the bowling alley. What really struck me yesterday were the volunteers. They were out in full force – all to help make this experience the very best it could be for the athletes.

Where do you serve? Where would you like to volunteer? Where is the greatest need? We often serve in our church, but there are so many more opportunities in each of our greater communities. Reach out to all of our brothers and sisters, lend a helping hand. Perhaps in a soup kitchen, in a school, a homeless shelter for families, a food pantry, Special Olympics….His children need us.

This week, reflect on where you serve or where there may be a need in your community that you have not considered before.

Here is word-art to get you started on this week’s layout.

Barbara and I look forward to seeing your layouts in the Providence 365 gallery and here in the forum. Oh, and my daughter earned a Silver Medal. We move onto State Competitions in two weeks!

Providence 365-Week 42

I thank my God every time I remember you. Phil 1:3

Last weekend, Barbara of Precepts and Promises and I had the unique opportunity to meet “in real life”. We attended a conference with over 75 digital scrapbookers from around the country. What a blessing it was to spend time together with my Providence 365 friend.

During the conference, we heard a quote that really put in perspective why many of us scrapbook.

“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” ― Anaïs Nin

What does it mean to “remember”? Recall, reminisce, ‘think of’, ‘bring to mind’ are just a few of the words and phrases that we use to define remember.

We “recall” events and occasions. We “reminisce” about people we have met in the past that have made an impact on our lives. We “think of” people that are in our life today that are important to us. Certain situations “bring to mind” special memories from the past. And we thank God when we remember.

When we scrapbook, we sometimes let our pictures do the talking (a picture is worth a thousand words). More often than not, we journal our thoughts – documenting details and sharing feelings and emotions. And as we journal ~ we taste life twice.

Here is your challenge this week. Why do YOU scrapbook? What do you scrapbook? Who do you scrapbook about? Who enjoys your scrapbooks? (And do you actually get those layouts printed out or posted on a blog so that your loved ones can enjoy them too)


Here is word art to use on your layout.

I look forward to seeing your layout about this week’s challenge. Please post your layout in our Providence 365 gallery and share it with us in the forum at Faith Sisters.

Have a blessed week. (and by the way, Barbara is just as sweet in real life as I thought she would be)

Spraguefest 2011

My bags are packed, I'm ready to go.......VEGAS, here I come! I am ever so excited to be heading to Spraguefest 2011. I will be joining over 75 other digi-scrappers at this awesome event. In addition to fabulous classes by Jessica Sprague, Carina Gardiner and Heidi Swapp; I will be able to spend time with some wonderful friends that I have met both online and 'in real life'.

I will also be going to Elton John's 3000 public concert - a special event to be sure. (at the time we purchased the tickets, we did not know it was a 'milestone' concert - how cool is that)

Here is an Artist Trading Card I made for sharing with the other Spraguefest participants. I created it digitally using my new Beautiful Music Symphony Paper Kit. (I can't wait to see what everyone else has created to share)

My Beautiful Music Paper Kits and Collections (along with all "by the Shore designs" products) are on sale at Faith Sisters through October for 30% off. Check out this great sale....here!

Enjoy your weekend (I know I will) I am looking forward to sharing with you when I return!

Providence 365-Week 40

Welcome to week 40 of Providence 365.

What a gift it is to be able to journey with you through 2011 – seeking His providence, reading His word and spending time in prayer and reflection. This week, as I spent time choosing a verse for week 40 – I kept coming back to the book of Galatians, specifically chapter 5, verse 22. Then I would wander elsewhere in the bible thinking that perhaps there was another verse ‘more worthy’ for reflection this week – nope – He kept leading me back to Galatians 5:22. I read it in a daily devotion. I saw it posted on facebook. It jumped out at me from a book I was reading. And I overheard our older students discussing it this morning during Sunday School. Sometimes it takes a thunk on the head for me to listen.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

We are blessed with a fresh attitude towards life and towards each other. He is the Vine and we are the branches and from the branches are the fruit that we bear. We cannot bear fruit if we are detached from the vine. We are lifeless. But when we are in a firm relationship with Jesus, with God, when we open our hearts and let the Holy Spirit in, we are blessed with the fruit of the Spirit. Our attitudes – our fruits are abundant.

What fruits are apparent in your life? What fruits may need nurturing?

Here is a bit of word-art for this week’s challenge

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Please share with us your layout in the Providence 365 Forum at Faith Sisters – here.

I want to leave you with some ADDITIONAL FOOD FOR THOUGHT. The book I was reading this morning as I was preparing for this post referenced a quote by D.L. Moody –

“Out of 100 men, one will read the Bible, the other 99 will read the Christian”

This really stuck with me. I kept reading my devotion, but I also keep paging back to reflect on that quote. When others are “reading” me – do they see a Christian? I am displaying all of the fruits of the Spirit detailed in Galatians 5:22? Do others “see” Jesus exemplified in what I do and say? What about you?

Have a blessed week.

Mosaic Template

by the Shore designs has just released a new 12x12 Layered Template - MOSAIC ONE (offered in psd format and compatible with Photoshop and Photoshop Elements).

Simply add your favorite pictures and coordinating papers on the grid and your mosaic layout is ready to go. Grid/tiles are color coded to help simply the process. "Grout" in the layout can be white or black (or can be recolored to reflect your own unique style) The mosaic grid allows for several photos (and I just love using multiple photos in my layouts)

Perhaps you want to showcase a special event, maybe gardening is a passion and you want to share pictures of your beautiful flowers - whatever the case, this template is perfect for a variety of layouts and themes! (click here or on the preview to go straight to this kit in my store)

This layout was created using nine photos from our December 2010 mini-vacation in Cocoa Beach Florida. I love using photos to tell as much of the story as I can. (I used papers from my Nativity collection on this layout)

Please head on over to my store at Faith Sisters. All by the Shore design products are on sale for 50% off during the month of July. Whether you are looking for digital collections of paper or elements, quick pages or templates, you are sure to find a few digital goodies you will love!

Wishing you a great day...by the Shore!

1,2,3 Scrap!

Checking my calendar - yes, it's the third Thursday of the month - time for our 1,2,3 Scrap! challenge.

If you are new to the challenge, the “rules” are simple – I will provide three ‘requirements’ for your layout – and you take it from there. It is great to see how different each layout is from the others. This month’s challenge will focus on the photos in your layout….

Are you ready…..

1. You will use two and only two photos. One photo should fill most of the page and the second
photo will be significantly smaller.


2. Photos may not be the same “shape”.


3. The smaller photo should have a minimum of 3 mats/layers between it and the background layer.

Everything else on the layout is fair game. When you are done, please post your layout in the 1,2,3 Scrap! gallery – here

Each participant that completes a layout following this month’s 1,2,3 Scrap! challenge will receive a coupon for my recently released Photo Mask Collection (shown below) In order to receive the coupon, I simply ask that you post your layout before July 5th in the 1,2,3 Scrap! gallery and provide a link here in the 1,2,3 Scrap! forum at Faith Sisters.
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I look forward to seeing what you design! So, ready to go?….1,2,3 Scrap!

I Love a Challenge

Over at jessicasprague.com, the 7 days of May have begun. Starting today (5/23) a different challenge will be posted in the general forum and many (if not all) will include a freebie.

Today, LivE hosted the challenge and had a free template. I simply love templates which allow for many pictures ('cause you know I just love to snap away when having fun with my girls) And with a template as perfect as this, I can simply add paper, pictures and "voila", my layout is complete.

Here is my take on the challenge - short and sweet!

And this layout is also a sneak preview of one of my upcoming paper kits -"Just Because" to be released this week at Faith Sisters!

I can't wait to see what challenge will present itself tomorrow. Hope to see you there!

Providence 365- week 20

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28)

Recent weeks have been busy ones for me. I have felt overwhelmed and over worked. I know that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. This is my favorite bible verse – yet I am still learning that while I CAN do all things, I do not HAVE to do all things.

I am learning to balance life, to step back a bit, to take time for me. I have a long way to go, but I am confident that this balance is one that I can find.

Where do you go when you are tired? What do you do? How do you refresh?

Once I completed everything that needed to be done these past few weeks – I was able to step back and relax a bit. I was able to His that have sadly gone unnoticed and unappreciated during the hustle and bustle of “life”. The warmth of the morning sun as I walked with a friend; the sound of a gentle rain; the laughter of a young child, the time to reflect on His word – each a and a gift. I am finding joy in the little things that surround me.

As you work on this week’s Providence 365 challenge – take time for personal reflection, are you finding joy in His daily ? Are you taking time for you? Know that God loves you. He is there to wrap His arms around you and provide you with the rest that we all need.

I hope you this week's word art. You can download it here....

Please share your layout in the Providence 365 Gallery at Faith Sisters and post a link to it in our forum. Barbara and I love to see how you use our wordart and to see your individual takes on the weekly Providence 365 prompts.

Have a blessed week.

Summer? Picnic? I am Ready!

Summer is just around the corner (she says wistfully) And one of the great things about the season of summer is how grand the weather is - almost always perfect for a picnic.

by the Shore designs now offers a quickpage to celebrate Picnic time! This 12x12 quickpage is ready to add your three favorite photos. Now available at FaithSisters - 'here'

Wishing you a fabulous week...by the Shore!

You Are My Sunshine!

You Are My Sunshine, my only Sunshine, you make me happy, when skies are grey.... Who is YOUR Sunshine? This quickpage is perfect for showcasing a favorite picture of your sunshine. Now available at Faith Sisters! Quickpages allow you to quickly complete a 12x12 layout - scrapbooking has never been easier!

Introducing Providence 365

Providence 365 defined:

Providence \ˈprä-və-dən(t)s, -ˌden(t)s\
1 : a often capitalized : divine guidance or care

b capitalized : God conceived as the POWER sustaining and guiding human destiny

2: the quality or state of being provident

365 = Days in a year

2011= A Full Year of His Blessings

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Providence 365:
"By the Shore Designs" and "Precepts and Promises"are excited to introduce Providence 365 for the 2011 Calendar Year. Providence 365 is the opportunity to journey through the year, growing in your individual faith walk and discovering His blessings that surround you. Each Sunday at Faith Sisters, we will provide a Bible Verse – His Word - as your weekly prompt. From there, we encourage you to use that verse as your guide for the week. Reflect on the verse, open your eyes and use all of your senses to find how that verse is truly applicable in your own life. Grab your camera and capture a picture or two and create a layout as a tangible reminder of His Love and Providence.

Your layouts:
The options are unlimited. Simple & Clean, Shabby Chic, Grunge, the choice is yours. Each week’s layout may be unique or you may choose a single template to use throughout the year. Let this journey reflect your personal style. (If you digi-scrap, while certainly not required, we encourage you to use the wonderful papers and elements that Faith Sisters offers in our store)

Your photographs:
Take at least one picture a week on this journey and use it on your layout. Some of you may choose to take a picture each day. Let the bible verse lead you throughout the week. Open your eyes to all of His blessings. His Hand is everywhere. We pray that our Bible Verse and prompt will guide you and allow you to see even the smallest of blessings in your life.

Your journaling:
Your layouts should again be reflective of you. Maybe you are gifted at the written word. Write away. Let the focus of your journey be in print with only one or two pictures. Perhaps you are a gifted photographer that has the eye to capture those perfect images that tell the ‘whole story’. In that case, you may choose to keep your journaling to a minimum.

A few Journaling Prompts to get you started:
• I saw God’s hand of Providence this week in:
• I was blessed this week by:
• Today, God blessed me with:
• We will share more ideas for journaling throughout the year.

There is no right or wrong. Providence 365 is your journey. Allow us to provide a starting point each week for personal reflection and the opportunity for you to open your eyes and see His Hand – His Providence in your life.

We encourage you to subscribe to the Providence 365 Forum for weekly updates. (forum and gallery will be available shortly) If you are an email subscriber to the Faith Sister Blog, you will receive an email update with the current week’s Bible Verse and Focus.

Throughout the year we will share a freebie or two with participants to use on your layouts. But even more than a freebie, our hope and prayer is that through Providence 365 you will grow in your walk and your faith while creating a legacy to pass on to others.

Your first Bible Verse prompt will be provided on Sunday, January 2nd . So the obvious question is, what about January 1st. Your layout for January 1st will be your cover page. Take a picture (or use a favorite photo) that shares a glimpse of where or how you see God’s hand in your life. Have fun with this layout.

Here is my layout; "For me, I always feel closest to God when I am sitting on the shore; the roar of the ocean reflects His power; the gentle breeze is when He kisses my cheek and whispers in my ear, the solitude is my special time with Him. "

You may download our introductory Providence 365 word art as our freebie to you. Here (box.net) or Here (4Shared). Feel free to use this word art on your cover layout and throughout the year.

Post your cover layout (and future layouts) in our Providence 365 gallery at Faith Sisters.

The journey is yours – the blessings are His. His Providence.

Barbara (Precepts and Promises) and Pam (by the Shore designs)