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I am having an incredible time working on my motivotions! (Motivation+Devotions)

Today I've been reading in Psalms.
Psalm 31:3-5
You're my cave to hide in, my cliff to climb. Be my safe leader, be my true mountain guide. Free me from hidden traps; I want to hide in you. I've put my life in your hands. You won't drop me, you'll never let me down.
I've been stressing out lately about many things, and this is where I turn when I need comfort, reassurance that God is still there, and that He cares what I'm facing.

Please know that He cares for you as well. No matter what dilemma you are dealing with, know that His strength will get you through. The joy of this knowledge is priceless!

Today's Flop and Flourish:
As I mentioned before, I have never done much sewing, and I'm still learning. I've been watching some tutorials to help me out, and I'm starting to learn a few things. If only I had the patience for sewing correctly...
I don't like the idea of sewing with a pattern and fabric that I have to purchase. One, because it's more expensive than buying new clothes anymore, and two, I like the idea of taking something old and making it new.
I saw an idea for an apron from jeans. I wasn't crazy about that particular apron, so I made my own version.

I started with a pair of Aaron's discarded jeans. I liked the back because it would give me two pockets. I cut them off right above the crotch and cut the front of the jeans completely off, leaving me with a square-ish panel.

Again, an Aaron discard. (He lost some weight over this last year, so these are clothes that no longer fit right.)

I used bar soap and a straight edge to mark my lines. I cut the sleeves at an angle from the corner of the collar, to below the underarm of the sleeve.

I cut the back off entirely, starting behind the side seem edge. But I left the collar. I tucked in the edges and sewed so there would be no fraying.

I placed the halter top looking half shirt onto the dress dummy and pinned on the piece of jeans I had cut. Before I sewed the jeans to the shirt, I changed the needle in my machine to a heavy duty needle made for denim. I also purchased thread made for denim. I used a zig-zag stitch and stitched the top of the jeans to the shirt.

I added an old scarf for the belt. (The skirt looks a little crooked, but that's because the dress dummy is off on one side by a few inches.)

The final result is a super-cute apron that looks like it's part of an outfit, but there's no back except the scarf-belt tie.
Thanks for reading! Make sure you join the blog, or sign up for email updates!
Tomorrow, we will be making over kid's T-shirts into summer tank tops!
Ciao!

Family is of greatest importance in our household. My husband regularly takes our girls out for special daddy-daughter date nights. My favorite time is our family movie nights, where we get out the sleeping bags and spread them across the living room floor. Popcorn and usually cinnamon rolls are usually shared with a Disney backdrop.
Today we picked up Allycat from camp and decided to do nothing for the rest of the day, but relax together. Sure, there are a few dishes to be done, some laundry still waiting in her very large suitcase, and there are always random messes to clean. But time together as a family, ignoring the tasks at hand, is the blessing we had tonight.
This afternoon I spent a few hours working on random crafts with my girls. My Allycat has gotten into making fancy-schmancy friendship bracelets. We used to braid three threads together and tie them when I was a kid. She works with all kinds of different knots to make crazy-cool designs.
So, as the girls worked on bracelets, I put together the exploding box I'd seen on Pinterest. Supplies needed:
4 sheets of 12 x 12 cardstock, scissors, a measuring board or ruler, glue, and embellishments.

Using 3 sheets of the 12x12 cardstock, I cut the following:
9 x 9
8 5/8 x 8 5/8
8 1/4 x 8 1/4

I folded the sides in so there were 3 equal sides.

 Then I turned it and folded it again, making 3 more equal sides. This gave the appearance of 9 boxes.

I cut off the four corners, leaving a "plus sign."
I repeated this process with the other papers I had cut.
Layering the papers from largest to smallest, I glued the centers together. This forms the box.
What you place on the inside flaps is up to you. I was experimenting, so I didn't really have much picked out to do on the inside of the box.



The lid of the box was cut from cardstock as well. I trimmed the page to 6 1/4 x 6 1/4. I folded this piece just like the others, but instead of cutting the four corners, I folded them in 3 inches on each side, to look like this,






 and glued the corners in, thus forming the shape of the lid. I paper-clipped the corners as the glue dried.








Decorate as you wish, and when you open the box, all the flaps are exposed.

 What flourish have you accomplished lately? Tell me about it!

Ciao!

Too many times I hold back for fear of failure. I almost didn't even start my blog, that I've wanted to do for a long time, for fear of "flop"
I've had publisher rejections, and the last thing I want is to experience rejection from my lack of response. However, I decided to start living a little differently, and the response has been incredible.

But how do you keep going with something like this? There are only so many projects out there that I know how to do. I have to find things I haven't done, try something totally new. But just like in life, the unfamiliar can be scary.

 I'm reminded of the verse that says, "Concentrate on doing your best for God, work you won't be ashamed of, laying out the truth plain and simple." (2 Timothy 2:15, The Message) Now, I realize the projects I've been working on have no spiritual significance, but I'm challenging myself to not only try a new project each day, but to also study something new in God's Word each day. It's amazing how much fun I'm having with all of this, and how much God is speaking to me through His Word each day! I am going to do my best for God, and in all the projects I attempt.

Today's flourish is another repurposed fashion item. I started with a tank top I no longer wear because I'm not crazy about the length.

I got this back when the initial craze first hit.

I used this second tank to slice up and detail the first tank.

I began by cutting off the bottom.

I sewed that strip to the inside edge of the first tank top.

As you can see, I'm very new to the whole sewing thing, and I had a crazy crooked spot! But we'll cover that up later.

I cut several strips that I will bunch up to make ruffle detail.

I hand sewed the strips by running a line of thread down the middle and pulling the string at the end for the bunched effect. I took a fourth strip, bunched it as well, then sewed in a circle for the flower. I added a button in the middle to finish it off.

Remember that lousy machine sewn line? I just added another strip to the side of the shirt to cover that up.

Finished off with some ribbon bows tied on the straps. Not too bad for a girl that has never sewn more than an occasional seem fix, or pant hem.

I'm going to wear this tomorrow to go pick up my daughter from camp. Yay for new projects!
Ciao!

This morning, I was reading in the book of Habakkuk. (That's not a phrase you hear very often, is it?)
Habakkuk 3:17 seems to describe our area right now.
 ¹⁷ Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,
I'm not sure about the sheep or cattle, but I do know that we have been facing drought conditions for some time now. But the next verse is what hit me.
¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
I mentioned in a previous blog about how Jesus came to give us life more abundantly. I believe our lives are meant to be lived, and to be lived joyfully, despite any circumstances in our lives.
Too many Christians are under this illusion that are only purpose is to serve God and point others to Him. I agree, this is a big part of our purpose, but I also know that He, (God) wants us to enjoy life. Why else would he create us with likes and dislikes, or with passion for certain things? We were made to have fun!
Instead of your normal boring routine, shake it up! Do something crazy, fun, creative or relaxing. Whatever it is that you enjoy, do it today! That is how I plan to flourish today. (I'm even wearing my Flourish T-shirt) Yeah, not the best picture, but whatever.

I've compiled a short list of my favorite things to do. Maybe it will give you some ideas.

If you're a movie person, my favorite fun movie of all time is Doris Day and Rock Hudson's Pillow Talk. Doris Day and Rock Hudson share a party line, and she overhears him romancing several women, by phone, over a short time (My kids have no idea why these two share a phone line...or why their phones have cords.) When Rock Hudson meets Doris Day, he doesn't want to reveal his true identity, because she wouldn't like him... So he pretends he is someone else. I don't believe this is on Netflix, but Amazon.com would be a great place to find this movie.






If you're into games, I have two favorites. SWAP is a card game you can purchase at Wal-Mart for about $6. This game is similar to UNO, in the fact that you are trying to get rid of your cards by discarding by color. But there are swap cards, and when played, you can swap hands of cards with whomever you wish. There are also slap cards. When played, the last person to slap the deck has to draw a card.
I also really like the game Quelf. It's a little more costly at around $25. (But well-worth it.) There is a board that you advance around by drawing cards and following instructions. There are different categories of cards. Some cards require you to perform an action, a usually ridiculous action. Some we've played have included making a homemade snorkel and wearing through the remainder of the game. One required a friend to shout, "Serves you right, Captain Poopy Pants" every time someone rolled the dice. With everyone following different crazy rules, it turns into chaos. Very fun!

Reading is one of my greatest enjoyments, and when I come across a good book, I'm all over it. I can read a book in a day. (When my kids are in school, and Aaron's at work, and there's nothing else I need to do. That never happens.) A couple of suggestions here. If you like historical romance-type books, try Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I normally hate historical fiction, but this book is exceptionally well-written.

Terri Blackstock has an awesome series called the Restoration series. Last Light is the first book. I got this as a free book on my NookColor. After I read the first one, I had to get all four. If you've seen the old series Jericho on TV, the main plot has some similarities, but it goes a different direction.

Today I don't have a flop or flourish for you. Today is your day to decide what you will do. Flop or Flourish, the choice is yours.
Ciao!

Real and true friendships are very rare. I'm so blessed to have a true best friend right now. (Besides my husband. It's a given that your husband should also be your best friend.) I have a friend that calls me every day. Sometimes up to five or more times a day. She always wants to know what's going on in my life. She shares what is going on in her life. We laugh together, we pray for each other, and we share our crafting ideas.
My best friend is my sister, Jenessa. When I was thirteen years old, I never would have guessed that the friend that I would look forward to hanging out with would be my little sister!
As part of this motivotional, I've been praying for some new friendships as well. Funny how God works.
As soon as I began praying for this, Aaron and I were invited to dinner with some friends from church, and I received a message from one of our former youth ministry students inviting me to lunch.
God desires for our needs and wants to be met.
Psalm 37:4
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
By the way, if you ever need to look up a Bible verse, hop on over to www.biblegateway.com
Bible Gateway is one of the best sites if you only know a word or phrase of a verse and you want to search for it quickly.
Today's Flop or Flourish was, thankfully, a flourish. (Did I mention before that I'm not a fan of having something flop?)

I've seen lots of repurposed mason and spaghetti sauce jars on Pinterest. Since my girls have loads of ponytail holders and they never seem to stay in one place, I thought I'd try a jar for this.
But then, I saw my beautiful backyard in the background of this picture and obviously had to stop to take another picture... I'm pretty sure I have ADOS. Attention Deficit Oooh Shiny! Look, there's my yellow hose....

Back to the project at hand. I cleaned the jar and peeled the label. There was a lot of sticky still on the glass, so I grabbed some Goo Gone. Great stuff. Once it was all clear, I loaded up the Cricut and cut out "Hair" on some pretty cardstock.

The font had a little loop on the end, so I used some string tied around the jar to "hang" the letters.
I used a glittery Mod Podge to stick and coat the letters. I also coated the entire jar to give it a glittery effect. Don't worry, it looks totally different when it dries.

 I then traced the jar lid with the same paper I used for the letters. I Mod Podged that to the top of the lid. A Sharpie around the edge of the lid covered up the Ragu logo.
It still seemed to be missing something, so I had Aaron drill a hole in the lid. I added an extra drawer knob that we've had laying around since we remodeled the house a few months ago.

The finished product had an almost antique type feel. I really thought this one was going to be a flop, but I think it turned out great.

Don't be afraid to try something new! You never know when you'll surprise yourself.

Ciao!

Today I dropped off my oldest daughter at camp. This is her third year going to camp, but this year it was harder for me to leave. This seems like a very significant year. She is now officially a pre-teener, and has moved up from kid's camp to pre-teen camp. Why is this significant? Partially because it made me realize just how old I am. But, mostly because I still remember my years at pre-teen camp.
When I was eleven years old, I was a camper at the same church camp where I left Ally today. During that week of camp, I don't remember who the camp speaker was. I don't remember what team I was on for activities, and I don't remember who my friends were. I do remember vividly what happened in one of the altar times. When I was eleven years old, I felt God call me into a full-time ministry. I knew that one day, I would serve my church in some kind of capacity. Of course, being eleven, I thought that I would start out singing in small churches, and eventually become the next Sandy Patty. (A famous contemporary Christian artist of the time.)
I never became famous. But I did make it into full-time ministry. It didn't quite start out the way I imagined, though. I was certain that full-time ministry involved sitting on the platform during services, speaking to large crowds of people who are hanging on every word you preach, and spending time praying for lovely, grateful people.
When I was about seventeen, I told my pastor that I felt called to ministry. I was sure he would ask me to speak in church, or put me in charge of some kind of ministry. He did. He told me that he was glad God called me, and he really needed someone to pick up the used Kleenex, in between church services, from the altar areas. I didn't complain, I just started doing this each week for several months. That was my first ministry experience, and I have to say, it was the best lesson to learn. You can't do ministry unless you can serve and do the menial, thankless jobs.
Now, I know that ministry is not glamorous. It's about serving others, whether they appreciate the things you do or not. It's about serving behind the scenes, at times.
Today was a good reminder of how I began ministry. I hope I never forget that ministry can be as simple as a booger-tissue, cleaner-upper.
My favorite Bible verses are in 1 Corinthians. Chapter 15:57-58 "Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable. Always abounding in the work of the Lord, for you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
Anything you do for the Lord is important, no matter how small! Flourish in the small stuff!

Today's Flop or Flourish came from a few weeks ago...

Flop:
I saw a great (or so I thought) idea on Pinterest. Ice cube painting. I teach kid's church, and it has been an insanely hot summer. I loved the idea, but I didn't have the watercolors the pin suggested using. I'm not big on following directions, so I thought, hey, why not just use food coloring. Some of you are already groaning because you know what's coming next. We took the ice cubes and fabric to the picnic tables and began to paint. Very quickly, fingers were stained, and kids were wiping their hands on their clothes...Sorry to all the moms. After about a minute, they all wanted to stop because their tiny fingers were frozen. Ah, well, you don't always flourish, but you gotta keep trying!
Ciao!

I think God may be desperately trying to get my attention on the subject of living instead of dreaming. As soon as I began this spiritual experiment, the idea surrounds everything I hear.
Today's sermon at church was about fulfilling our purpose and daring to dream big. This is exactly what God has been speaking to me this past month!
Whenever there is a purpose and destiny for our life, there is always a giant standing in the way. What will you do about it?
1. Begin to dream again! What would you love to do, but seems impossible? What things would you accomplish if you weren't afraid?
2. Learn from David's example in 1 Samuel. David faced his giant with courage and assurance that his God would see him through. David walked out onto that field with no armor. No sword. A slingshot and a stone brought down a giant that had taunted the Israelites for so long. David knew he didn't have to be the most powerful. He relied on strength that was not his own.
3. Remember how powerful your God is! When we know who God is, we know that He will never leave us or forsake us. We know that all things work together for God for those who love Him. We know that through Christ all things are possible.
In this journey, I have committed to trying new things and have a little fun with life. So today's first experiment with Flop or Flourish was...

Ghetto-fab

A flourish! Yay! I saw a picture on Pinterest of a girl in a very cute little dress. When I clicked on the picture, I was taken to www.refashionista.net. This is an amazing site. A young woman made a new outfit from an old (and usually hideous) outfit each day for a year, with little or new sewing. I thought I'd give it a try. So I took my husband's old ghetto fab shirt. I cut off the collar right around the edge, and cut the sleeves in half. I put it on and tied the bottom strips first, then the top strips to make a cute top. I paired it with a little jacket and voila! I was a little leery of wearing it to church because I didn't want to look like I just chopped a T-shirt, but I got more compliments on this outfit today than I have on anything in weeks! No one had a clue...until I told them. (I can never just say thanks.)
I hope you are motivated to try something new this week!
Ciao!

A few months ago I stumbled upon something that would change my entire world. Pinterest. So many pins, so little time.
I could waste precious hours pinning everything from the best crock pot recipes, to the top ten best places to shop for discounts. And so far, the drama factor that is ever present in Facebook, is not haunting my Pinterest.
Like many others, though, I find myself pinning fabulous idea afer fabulous idea, but never taking those ideas from the screen to reality. For a while, I blamed the clock. My husband and I were working on staff at two churches, I lead a Girl Scout troop, and was room-mom for my girls' kindergarten and 5th grade classes.
Aaron and I resigned from one of our churches a short time ago, I quit leading Girl Scouts for the summer and school is out. (Until August 2nd, anyways. The 2nd! Can you believe that? But I digress...)
Since I've opened up more time in my schedule, I've actually begun to try some of these projects from my Pinterest account. Some have flourished, others have flopped. Okay, many have flopped. But at least I'm trying now.
I decided to take all the things I want to accomplish, and put those plans into motion. As I pondered these thoughts, I thought about how I had been doing the same thing with my life. Dreaming, but not doing.
It's easy to dream about all the things we want to do, but never accomplish anything of real value. It's so much easier to dream than to work. There are several reasons that at least I have for this.
1. What if it doesn't work?
2. I don't have the time.
3. It requires too much effort.
Maybe you have a different set of excuses, but they're still excuses.
What if it doesn't work? Then, at least you know, and you can try something different. If at first you don't succeed....
I don't have the time. This was a big one for me. But then I realized, uh, I set my own schedule. I do the things that are important to me. I sometimes watch waaaay too much TV, and spend even more time on Pinterest. The truth is, there are twenty-four hours in a day for everyone. I don't have any less time than anyone else.
It requires too much effort. Nothing of value is obtained without sacrifice. Sometimes the more difficult a task, the more fulfilling the reward.
In all things, remember, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." Philippians 4:8
With all this in mind, I have decided to begin working on this motivotional blog. Flop or Flourish.
Maybe you'll come away with some awesome diy ideas, maybe you'll be inspired by one ordinary person's quest for something more out of life. Whatever the outcome, I will trust in the Lord, and start living out the daydreams.
Ciao!

I think I'm about 10 years behind the times by social media times. Blogging has never really been my thing, but I'm trying to get back into the habit of writing.
Like I need another thing to occupy my time. Working at two churches, leading a Girl Scout troop and taking my girls to dance lessons doesn't seem to fill up every second, so why not add something else, right?
I've been really motivated to write lately. I've worked on a devotional before, but want to do something a little crazy or different. I saw an ad for a girl who had written what she called a "motivotional." A devotion with challenges to fulfill each day.
I think a 30 day motivotional would be awesome, but I've wondered what kind of spiritual and physical type of experiment would I want to complete for myself, and share with others.
What's your thought? What would you want to see someone do that would motivate you as well?
Weight loss, becoming a neat freak, becoming a crafting superhero...or something else.
Of course, I would add in Biblical principles and stories of encouragement.
This is not something I would necessarly publish, but am writing more for personal satisfaction, but who knows?
So tell me your thoughts.
~Amy