Well, the fabric is flying in the studio, and the Andalucia set is finished! This fabric should be a marvelous seller for designer Patty Young. It has an extremely soft hand, and vivid colors!

Here's a quick look at some traditional Christmas food we enjoy every year. Pierogies are a Ukranian dish, I believe. They are basically dough filled with potatoes, saurkraut, cheese or whatever you please.

Here is a short video (religious in nature) for those who celebrate Christmas to enjoy. The very last scene is my all-time favorite:
(I'll need you to copy and paste the URL into your browser. It wouldn't link up for me. Thanks:)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1oHJR2g7Tw

Wishing everyone a very Merry CHRISTmas! Enjoy your friends, family, and all the blessings you have received!

A little boy was on the heels of his mother all morning long, and eventuelly his mommy got upset and told him to either go outside and play on the swing set or to find something else to do other than follow her around all morning in her footsteps. Well the little boy said Mommy at Sunday School the teacher told me that we shuold walk in JESUS'S Footsteps. But, I can't see Him...so I"m walking in YOURS!

Heres a new favorite!

Have you been saying, "I'll be happy when..."? No, happiness doesn't come from getting what you want, it comes from appreciating what God's given you.

Art Williams said, "You beat 50% of the people by working hard; you beat the other 40% by being a person of honesty...and the last 10% is a dog fight." If you want to win that fight, make up your mind to always do a little extra.

Here's my most recent ebay listing. It just makes me want to laugh!

One author writes: "I have spent long hours in the Intensive Care waiting room watching anguished people, listening to urgent questions: 'Will my husband make it? Will my child walk again? How do you live without your companion of 30 years?' The Intensive Care waiting room is different from any other place in the world. And the people who wait are different. They can't do enough for each other. No one is rude. The distinctions of race and class melt away. The garbage man loves his wife as much as the university professor loves his, and everyone understands this. Each person pulls for everyone else. In the Intensive Care waiting room the world changes. Vanity and pretence vanish. The universe is focused on the doctor's next report. If only it will show improvement. Everyone knows that loving someone else is what life is all about. Could we learn to love like that, if we realized that every day of life, is like a day in the Intensive Care waiting room?"

Stay tuned...

Tuesday the 11th, my new valentine set will be "revealed!"
OK, here's a peek at some of it:

The word "engrafted" means "to attach to, and become part of." Picture a gardener grafting a branch into a tree and that branch coming to life and bearing fruit. Now picture yourself reading God's Word and a Scripture attaching itself to you, growing in you and producing change in your life. That's how God's Word works. And that's why you need to read it daily!

The academy award-winning movie Shindler's List, is the story of one man's efforts to make the most of a desperate opportunity. As the director of a munitions factory in Germany, Schindler decides to use his position to save lives. By employing them in his factory, Schindler is able to rescue condemned Jews from the gas chambers. But keeping them on is costly. Little by little, he liquidates his personal possessions in order to keep the business afloat. At the end of the story the Nazis are defeated. The full weight of Schindler's efforts is finally revealed as the dead are counted and the living stagger back to freedom. In one scene, kneeling by the railroad tracks that had carried thousands of Jews to their death, Oskar Schindler has a startling realization: he could have saved a few more. Overwhelmed with regret, he laments the few goods still remaining in his possession. If only he'd known when the war would end, he would have done more. But now it was too late.

Oseola McCarty, eighty-seven, did one thing all her life: laundry. Now she's famous for it. For decades, she earned fifty cents per load doing laundry for well-to-do families in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, preferring a washboard over a washing machine. Every week she put a little bit in a savings account. When she finally retired she asked her banker how much money she had. "$250,000," he replied. She was in shock. "I had more than I could use," she explained. So this shy, never-married laundry woman gave $150,000 to the University of Southern Mississippi to help African American young people attend college. "It's more blessed to give than to receive," she told reporters. "I've tried it."

I'm so excited.....

I have had the honor of doing a collaboration with gifted children's artist Kathy Fronzac, and the elite bow designer/photographer Holly Stocke. Combine that with ebay's most adorable model-Peyton, and I'm simply in awe. So much talent in one place! Her is a small preview of our work together.

Notice two important things about faith: (1) Faith is a substance. In the U.S., people trade in dollars; in Europe they trade in Euros. But in God's Kingdom, faith is "the coin of the realm!" It's what's required to do business with God (See Heb 11:6). And it grows only by feeding on His Word (See Ro 10:17).

I received this darling photo from a favorite customer- Michele Katsalas. Didn't she do a great job taking this picture of her one-year old?!
Thanks, Michele!

John Wesley said, "We can do great things when we pray; but we can do nothing great until we pray!"
Do you feel like your prayers aren't getting the job done? Double up. Bring in reinforcements! Find somebody who'll agree with you, for Jesus said, "If two of you...agree about anything...it will be done for you."

Ruth Calkin writes: "At first, Lord, I asked you to take sides with me. With the Psalmist I prayed, 'The Lord is for me...maintain my rights, O Lord.' But with all my pleading I lay drenched in darkness, until in total surrender I cried, 'Don't take sides, Lord, just take over,' and suddenly it was morning."

Each time you make a responsible decision, you become a more responsible person. Successful people don't blame others, they take responsibility for their actions and attitudes. They show response-ability - the ability to choose a correct response no matter what situation they face.

Taking personal responsibility

To display the kind of responsibility that makes you successful in life:

(1) Recognize that gaining success means practicing self-discipline. Every time you stop yourself from doing what you shouldn't and start doing what you should, you're increasing your capacity for responsibility and the rewards it brings.

(2) What you start, finish. There are two kinds of people: those who will and those who might. Responsible people follow through. And that's how others evaluate them.

(3) Don't expect others to do it for you. Paul writes: "Each one should carry his own load" (Gal 6:5 NIV).

My new machine is up and running-

so here I am with my latest fall fashion. I think this is one of my all-time favorites! I hope you like it! Peyton is at her best in these pics!

Dr. Viktor Frankl endured the Holocaust by this principle. The Nazis killed his family, placed him in a concentration camp, starved and beat him. When the war ended Frankl was neither broken, bowed nor bitter. When asked how he endured such treatment with a positive outlook he said, "Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms, to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."

If there's something rotten in your refrigerator you know it every time you open the door. You may not know exactly where it's located, but the smell tells you it's in there. Our lives are like that. If there's something wrong within us, those we come into contact with are going to sense it, whether or not they know what it is or why it's there. It gives off an odor that's detectable. That's why we must continually open ourselves to God and allow the Holy Spirit to come in, cleanse our hearts, and remove whatever's hindering us in our walk with Him.

Something fun for the holidays!

Just as you don't let everybody who knocks on your door come in and make themselves at home, don't let every emotion that surfaces dictate the direction of your day or decide your responses. The Bible says, "Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life" (Pr 4:23), "Capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ" (2Co 10:5)

Ever seen one of those inflatable clowns with a round base? When you knock him down he bounces back up wearing a big, cheesy grin! Perseverance: it's a powerful tool! The Bible says, "Blessed is the man who perseveres."

Here is something....

I couldn't resist joining in on WysteriaLane's owl launch!

Dick Innes said: "To be hurt without forgiving, crushed without becoming more caring, suffer without growing more sensitive, makes suffering senseless, futile, a tragic loss, the greatest waste of all." Make Jesus your example; "When he suffered, he didn't make...threats but left everything to the one who judges fairly" (1Pe 2:23)

You can't seize your future while you're obsessing over your past. So learn from it and let it go. Heed the advice of author Susan Scott: "My dog and cat have taught me a great lesson in life - learn to shed a lot!"

And how about this bow??!

Holly, from Peyton's Place Boutique has really out-done herself on this one! Search PPB Hairbows on eBay, or Peyton'sPlaceBoutique.com to see more of her work!

A face you have to love!

Don't you just love this cute little face?!
Peyton's modeling a special set for fall!!!

Well, I have very exciting news...

I am opening a shop on ETSY! It's just starting up now, but in the weeks to come it will be fully stocked. So, stop by for some "special deals!"
Also, I will be changing my name to "Style Design Studio" in order to facilitate a new website which is in the works!

With God there are no hopeless situations, just people who've grown hopeless about them. Real faith comes into its own when push collides with shove. After all, you don't need God to part the Red Sea when there are bridges all around, right? It's when there's nothing you can do to avoid the inevitable, that you start trusting God to do the impossible! So the crisis you're experiencing today could be a blessing in disguise - an opportunity to experience a greater degree of His power at work in your life. Amen!

Here is the lovely Peyton once again, in our "Happy Classroom" back to school set!
Isn't she adorable???

Today's latest listing

"When you encounter difficulties and contradictions, do not try to break them, but bend them with gentleness and time."
– St. Francis De Sales

God says: "You are, you can, and you certainly will be able to," because of His indwelling power! John writes, "This is the victory that conquers the world - our faith" (1Jn 5:4 NCV). Go to God's Word! Discover what He says about the things that intimidate and control you, then pull the plug on them. The Word for you today is: "Don't be afraid...I am your God. I will make you strong...I will support you" (Isa 41:10 NCV). Align your thoughts with God's thoughts. Get into the driver's seat and take charge of your life!

New Listing

I am just in love with this little snail dress. And isn't Peyton just the cutest face ever?!!!

Thought for the day:
Max Lucado says, "Worry is to joy, what a vacuum cleaner is to dirt; you might as well attach your heart to a happiness-sucker and flip the switch."

Theologian Victor Shepherd writes: "When we're face-to-face with someone who's been surprised because trespass overtook them, do we deflect their shame back into their face, or do we own it as ours? Do we rub their nose in it, or do we absorb it, put an arm around them and affirm our solidarity-in-sinnership? Do we regard ourselves as superior, or do we say, 'Take my hand...I know the way to the cross?'"

H.G. Wells asked, "What on earth would a man do with himself if something didn't stand in his way?" Why would he make such a comment? Because adversity is our friend, even though it doesn't feel that way. Each obstacle we overcome teaches us about our strengths and weaknesses. It shapes us, makes us wiser and more confident. The greatest people in history were those who faced the most difficult challenges with courage, and rose to the occasion.

Dr. James B. Mooneyham writes, "When we keep score of wrongs committed against us, we reveal a lack of maturity. Theodore Roosevelt once said, 'The most important single ingredient in the formula of success, is knowing how to get along with people.'

Courage

The truth is: It takes courage to face the truth about yourself. Jesus said, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (Jn 8:32 NKJV). But before the truth sets us free it usually puts us through the wringer, because the truth about ourselves is not something we like hearing.

What's the 212-degree attitude? Motivational speaker Mack Anderson explains: "At 211 degrees water is hot. At 212 degrees it boils. With boiling water comes steam. And steam can power a locomotive. One extra degree makes all the difference in business and in life; it separates the good from the great."

Vision

There's a scene in Man of La Mancha where Don Quixote and his servant are standing gazing at a dilapidated inn. When Quixote describes his vision of turrets and magnificent gates, comparing the building to the Alcazar, the royal palace in Seville, the servant tries hard to see his master's vision. However, all he can see are ruins. When he attempts to describes them, Quixote tells him to stop, saying, "I will not allow your facts to interfere with my vision!"

Here's a fun-detailed euro set to transition into fall!

So true.....

There's nothing wrong with looking good, but there's much more to you than your clothes and your hairstyle. Plus, you can go broke fixing up the outside, because "what Mother Nature giveth, Father Time taketh away!" Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "To find beauty we must carry it with us!"

Hi friends!

I'm off to a family reunion for a week, and then it's full time, back into the swing of designing! This set will end when I return, and then I'll begin listing my new fall line. I have some wonderful surprises that I think you will enjoy!

Hope you are having a safe- fun filled summer! Enjoy your family and treasure them!!!
Kathy

French writer François de la Rochefoucauld asserted, "Almost all our faults are more pardonable than the methods we think up to hide them."

Your life has influence

After visiting the Balkans, Canadian reporter James Creelman wrote, "I learned that the world's supply of rose oil comes from the Balkan Mountains. The thing that interested me was that the roses had to be gathered during the darkest hours. Initially this seemed to be a relic of superstition. But as I investigated I learned that a full 40 percent of the fragrance disappears in the light of day."

Without speaking a word, your life gives off an aroma. Through your influence, others are lowered or lifted. Do you want to have impact? Embrace the shadows, discover God and grow in them, then emerge with something to say that's worth listening to!..Amen!

Others may know what you've done, but Jesus knows what you can become. Some may see us as a weed. Jesus sees us as a potential rose and watered us!

I'm back from a quick trip to Vermont,

and, I'm ready to present my final summer design! It's already time to think about fall in the design world!

Chuck Swindoll writes: "When others don't share your viewpoint, do you find ways to signal your disapproval? How about if somebody drives a newer car, lives in a nicer house, wears their hair a certain way and buys clothes you would never wear? What if they're divorced, or a single parent, or (God forbid!) in a relationship you don't approve of? Can you 'live in harmony' with them, or do you pull out your 'comparison rule book'? The Bible says we shouldn't "compare ourselves...Each of us is an original." Comparing is wrong because it leads to criticism, competition, control, and covetousness. It's an indicator that you're insecure and that grace is a foreign concept to you. Grace means freeing others to be themselves and losing the legalist attitude that requires them to conform to your standards."

Contentment

It's easy to be content when things in life are going your way. But how often does that happen? The Bible says we are to practice being "happy at any time in everything" (Php 4:12 NCV), because if you put your life on hold waiting for what you want to happen, you may be waiting a long time! Epicurus said, "Don't spoil what you have, by desiring what you don't have. Remember that what you now have, was the thing you once hoped for."

Have two new sets to show you!

Holly of Peyton's Place Boutique has just completed her high key studio- and, well, it's obvious- it's fantastic! Thanks, Hol!

Be passionate about what you do!

Passion overcomes fear. What makes people take risks, go the extra mile and do whatever it takes to achieve their goals? Passion. As long as the passion is there it doesn't matter how often they fail, or if others are against them. They don't stop until they succeed.

Contentment

When God gives us less than we desire, it is not because He is teaching us poverty; He is teaching us thankfulness. You see, life—real life—is not based upon what we amass, but on what we enjoy.

Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, there's still time to make a brand new end.

Here's my latest....

contact me if you need a size other than 2T.

Be who YOU are...

There's a story about a man who was asked if he could play the violin. "I don't know, I've never tried!" he replied. When you think about it, it's a wise enough answer, because until you've tried something how do you know whether or not you'd be any good at it? For instance, a frog may be a great swimmer but it's a lousy flier. Some of us whose heroes are "birds," walk around feeling bad about ourselves because we can't fly. You're not supposed to! God's Word says, "Be content with who you are" (1Pe 5:6 TM). Stop flapping around out there and give yourself permission to be the person God made you to be!

Go for it!

Paul says, "God...has made us what we are". Are there certain jobs that come easily to you and you wonder why others can't do them? If so, that says something about your particular strengths and your God-given assignment in life. God said of Bezalel the builder, "I have filled him with...wisdom...He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled in engraving...mounting gemstones...carving wood" (Ex 31:3-5 NLT). Once you've identified what makes your eyes sparkle and your pulse race - go for it!

You have value

A man who was feeling depressed went to see a psychiatrist. After sharing his problems he expected some profound words of wisdom that would make him feel better. "Well," the psychiatrist exclaimed, "I've diagnosed your problem. It's low self-esteem - and it's very common among losers!"
When you view yourself negatively you tend to gravitate toward people who talk down to you. But when you know that God loves you and "plans...to give you a future and a hope" (Jer 29:11 NLT), your entire outlook changes!

Here are 2 new ebay listings for you to check out:

The M!nnie set comes out Monday morning.

Get some rest!

One of the hardest things to do is "take a break" without feeling guilty and selfish; or worse, feeling like a failure because everything on your "to do" list didn't get done. Here's a news flash: there will always be more to do!
We claw our way to success then discover we don't like the pressures that go with it. So what should we do? Learn to walk away! Jesus did. "... because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, 'Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.' So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place" (Mk 6:30-32 NIV).
Take time for the people who matter. All the success in the world won't compensat for the joy and treasure of your family and loved ones!

Welp, I did it again!

I couldn't help myself! Had to list this set the second the pictures came in! I am addicted to selling!!

Going on Vacation Anyplace Special??

You might like to add my vacation tote bag to your necessary items to pack! The matching set is coming out on May 20th. Stay tuned...!

When You're Overloaded

(1) Think about someone other than yourself. Focusing on something other than your self gives you perspective.
(2) Don't get bitter. Life is 10 percent what happens to you, and 90 percent how you respond to it. "Nothing creates more deep-seated anxiety, than the false assumption that life should be free from anxieties."

Response

A soldier made it his practice to end each day with Bible reading and prayer. As the others gathered in the barracks and retired for the night, he'd kneel by his bunk. Some of them saw this and began to mock him. But one night the abuse went beyond words. As he bowed in prayer one soldier threw his boots and hit him in the face. The others jeered, looking for a fight, but there was no retaliation. Next morning when the boot-thrower woke up he couldn't believe what he saw. There at the foot of his bed were his boots - polished and returned.

I needed some variety in my life....

so I had fun staying up until 1:00am making this stripwork purse. I'll tell you, the girls at Wisterialane are some late-night workers.

Oh, You guys....

Everytime Holly and Peyton of
Peyton's Place Boutique

send me the lates pictures they've modeled, after I'm done drooling, I can not WAIT to sell the set on eBay! So. Here's a sneak peak at our Wildflower set, coming out May 13th.

Inner Strength

A grindstone can make a diamond shine, or reduce solid rock to dust. It depends what you're made of.

If what you're doing doesn't produce resistance, it's not worth doing. The winners in your Bible are described this way: "Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle." What turns weakness into strength? Faith that refuses to back up, back down, or settle for less than what God has promised!

Be patient, Mic Jagger.

The old saying, "You can't always get what you want," isn't necessarily true! When you "Delight yourself in the Lord...he will give you the desires of your heart" (Ps 37:4 NIV).

But usually He makes you wait. Dennis Wholey says: "Waiting is an art...If you can wait two years, you can achieve something you couldn't achieve today however hard you worked, however much money you threw at it, however many times you banged your head against the wall."

Again and Again

If you're finding it hard to forgive yourself for something you've done in the past, it may be that you're reaping what you have sown. And it's particularly hard (but not impossible) to keep from feeling bad when you've condemned somebody else for doing the same thing. Here's a scriptural truth you need to understand, accept and live by: as long as you're alive you will have to KEEP FORGIVING - YOURSELF AND OTHERS!

Put it Down!

How heavy is a glass of water? That depends on how long you have to carry it. A minute is no problem, and after an hour your arm might ache. But after 24 hours you'll probably be in bad shape! In each instance the glass weighs exactly the same, but the longer you carry it the heavier it feels. And it's the same with a grudge; it can get so heavy it stops you from living.

Learning to hear God's voice

One evening a friend visiting Peter Lord's home told him he could hear no fewer than 18 different kinds of crickets in his garden. Peter was amazed - he'd lived there for years and never heard one. The difference was, this man was a professor of entomology and he had learned to distinguish over 200 different cricket calls with his natural ear. Imagine learning to listen to crickets! Looking back, Peter wrote, "I suddenly understood that a person must want to hear, and learn to hear, and there were many sounds I was not hearing." Think what you've been missing all these years because you haven't wanted or learned to hear the voice of God speaking to you.

Remain Focused on Good Things.

Focused people don't hide their weaknesses or excuse them; instead they focus on their strengths! Anthony Campolo says, "What you commit yourself to, will change what you are and make you into a completely different person. The future conditions you, not the past. What you commit yourself to become, determines what you are - more than anything that ever happened to you yesterday.

More on Staying Focused

Staying focused keeps you on target. We find ourselves pulled in a dozen different directions, spending much of our time and energy on things we don't really care about. Author Don Marquis put it this way: "Ours is a world where people don't know what they want, and are willing to go through hell to get it." The Bible says: "Let your eyes look straight ahead...Do not swerve to the right or the left" (Pr 4:25-27 NIV).
Attempting everything, like attempting nothing, will suck the life out of you. Focus gives you energy.
It's been said that "the world stands aside to let anyone pass, who knows where he or she is going."

It's a Sure Thing!

“Surely Goodness and Mercy Shall Follow Me All The Days Of My Life”

“SURELY”

David didn’t say, “ Maybe, possibly, or I’ve a hunch.” NO, he said, “Surely Goodness and Mercy.” With God it is a sure thing!

On our worst days you can still say, “Surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”

“All the days?” Think of the days ahead and what do you see? Days at home raising a family? Days in a dead-end job? Days of loneliness or poor health? Days spent caring for a sick loved one? “Surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” Goodness to provide, Mercy to pardon; you’ll never have a day without them!

Stay Focused!

You become effective by being selective. It's human nature to get distracted. We're like gyroscopes, spinning around at a frantic pace but not getting anywhere. Without a clear purpose you keep changing directions, jobs, relationships, churches, etc., hoping each change will settle the confusion or fill the emptiness in your heart. You think, "This time it will be different," but it doesn't solve your real problem - lack of focus.

Stop dabbling. Stop trying to do it all. Do less. Turn away from even good activities and do only that which matters most. Never confuse activity with productivity!

"There is only one way"

This quote offends many. But, if a cure for cancer was discovered, and it was the only sure cure, would we not take it? Or, would we be afraid of being insensitive and intollerant of "all the other cures?"

The truth is that there IS only one way. Do not be deceived, and do not be ashamed!

Please be careful about popular deception.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=JW4LLwkgmqA

Sneak Preview

This set is coming up for next week, along with the accessories by Peyton's Place Boutique!

The life builder

If you haven't found your life's purpose yet, talk to God. "Everything...finds its purpose in him" (Col 1:16 TM). Before you spoke your first word or took your first step, God had a plan for your life. You say, "But I have failed so badly." Maybe, but it's amazing what God can do with a broken life - when you give Him all the pieces!

Enjoy each day!

Live each day in the light of eternity. Seize the moment and wring every drop out of it. Love and enjoy the people who matter. Take another step towards your goals and the fulfillment of God's plan for your life. In other words, before you die - live!

Ignore those who may want to limit you.....

Be careful around those who love to say, "I knew you when..." in an attempt to label or limit you.

When David volunteered to fight Goliath his faith was an embarrassment to his big brother Eliab, an officer in King Saul's army. Eliab was thinking, "If my little brother wins everybody will ask, 'How come you didn't go out and fight him?'" Understand this: your decision to step out and follow God will put pressure on others. And the first place you'll feel it will be amongst those closest to you, especially if your calling sets you apart, and takes you to a higher level. The Bible records that Eliab "burned with anger at [David] and asked, 'Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is'" (1Sa 17:28 NIV). Before David could overcome Goliath he had to overcome the thoughts and opinions of those around him. And you will too!
(Portions taken from "The Word for Today"}

You've got what it takes!

Stop procrastinating, making excuses, feeling sorry for yourself, "talking down" to yourself, or being intimidated by those who say you don't have what it takes. God has provided everything required to get you where you need to go. Paul writes, "Now glory be to God who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we could ever dare to ask or even dream of - infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes" (Eph 3:20 TLB). Notice the words "far more" and "his mighty power at work within us." Look in the mirror and announce, "I am full of resources. God has given me everything I need to fulfill His plan for my life." This is not hype, pride, or mind-over-matter. It's faith.

No greater love.....

"The force behind the hammer wasn't an angry mob...the hand squeezing the handle wasn't a Roman infantryman...the verdict...wasn't decided by jealous Jews. Jesus himself chose the nails...Had the soldier hesitated Jesus himself would have swung the mallet." That's how much He loves you.

It sure feels good to be forgiven!

Telling of his experience as a POW, Ernest Gordon related how after work one evening a guard noticed a shovel missing. Insisting one of the prisoners had stolen it, he screamed for the guilty party to come forward. Then he prepared to kill them one by one till someone confessed. Suddenly a Scottish soldier broke rank, stood to attention and said, "I did it." The guard beat him to death on the spot. When he'd exhausted his fury the other POW's picked up their friend's body along with their tools and returned to camp. At that point the shovels were re-counted. The guard was wrong. None was missing!

What kind of person would take the blame for something he didn't do? Christ!

"God...piled...everything we've done wrong, on him" (Isa 53:6 TM), hence, the only "Mediator who can reconcile God and [man]...Jesus" (1Ti 2:5 NLT).

There is always hope.....

We've all heard the stories of people in a coma, incapable of response, yet fully aware of what was going on around them. One patient tells of feeling trapped inside his body, listening in despair as his loved ones gave up on him and doctors talked about pulling the plug. There's an important survival principle here. When you speak to someone battling adversity or serious illness, speak life to their spirit. Speak to the part of them that's capable of rising up in faith and responding. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Ro 10:17). How does faith come? By hearing what God thinks, what God says and what God can do when others have given up.

As you go to church this Sunday........

A lot of us go to church with the wrong focus. We want to know what the pastor's subject is. What we should be thinking is: "Lord, whatever the preacher says today, I want You to speak to me personally so I'll know what Your will is for my situation."

Do I need to "always be right?"

Writer Isabel Wolseley says, "I'm a placid, get-along-with-everybody person. But that changed when my friend and I had a disagreement. I told her I was right, and why, and others commended me for having been right. The trouble is, I didn't feel any better...I felt worse. 'Lord,' I prayed, 'You know I was right, so why do I feel so terrible?' He answered 'Yes, you were right, but your attitude was wrong!' I won a little victory in a difference of opinion, but I'd lost in the realm of friendship. I asked my friend to forgive me. She did, and our relationship was restored. Now, I can't even remember what the argument was about. It seemed so all-absorbing at the time. Not now."

Don't let your need to "always be right" disturb the atmosphere in your life- it's not worth it. Ask yourself, "What's my goal? To win the argument? To look good and sound smart?" At what cost?

More "branching out".....

I loved the casual cottage chic look of this slouch bag style!

Branching out a bit....

I had an urge to make totes for girls. I think this one turned out cute!

Thought for the Day.........

"To the world you might be one person,
But to one person you just might be the world"

Enjoy being who you are!!!!

People with a "martyr attitude" do things out of a sense of duty, not joy. They feel guilty about enjoying life. They tend to begrudge happiness to those around them. They resent it when others don't do things for them, yet they won't ask for help in case they create a sense of obligation. The fact is, "martyrs" don't value themselves so they think nobody else does.

That's not how God wants you to live. The Bible says there's a time to work...to play...to laugh, and enjoy life, because "God's gift to us is...happiness." Jesus said, "I came to give life...in all its fullness" (Jn 10:10 NCV). You need fun and relaxation. They're not unspiritual! Without them you become unbalanced and you open yourself to stress-related illness, mood swings and compulsive behaviors. You find yourself constantly vulnerable, driven and unable to relax.

Refuse to take on a false sense of responsibility. Don't neglect or deny your own legitimate needs. Yes, you're called to help others, but it's not wrong to do things for yourself, to receive from God, and those He sends to bless you. If somebody compliments you, accept it graciously. If they attempt to belittle you, ignore it and move on. One counselor writes: "When you find yourself trying to prove how much you've been hurt, or trying to 'top' someone else's pain, stop and figure out what's going on. The reward is learning to stop the pain and move into joy, peace and fulfillment." David said, "In Your presence is fullness of joy"

In the news......

Okay, I make it a point to stay away from political discussions. But my heart was so hurt by Gov. Spitzer's inproprieties which were revealed in the news yesterday. However....the fact remains that each and every one of us are sinners. A "big" sin is just as offensive to a holy God as a "small" sin. Whether it's using God's name as a swear word ( a sin called blasphemy), a little lie here or there (that would make us "liars"), taking something that doesn't really belong to us (that would make us "thieves") We are lying, thieving blasphemers at heart! Sin is sin and we would be found guilty in a court of law, and require punishment.

Thank goodness God sent someone to take the punishment in our place! Our part is the easy part- turn away from sin, and trust in the one who has paid the price.

Who wouldn't want that!!!!!

New this week....

Wisterialan's "Sailors Knot" launch is in full swing starting today. Stop by and check it out!

Forgiving others sets US free....give it a try!!!!

When someone hurts or upsets us, God says, "Forgive, and hit the delete button!" Otherwise you'll be corrupted with a virus that controls the way you think, act and talk. Worst of all, it'll keep you chained to the memories. "But forgiving is hard," you say. Sure; that's why Jesus said, "Pray for those who mistreat you" (See Mt 5:44). Forgiving someone begins with praying for them. "But I need to try and understand why they did it." Smart people do stupid stuff. Good people do bad stuff. And misguided people don't know what they're doing.

That's why Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Lk 23:34). You may understand someday, or you may never understand. Either way, FOR YOUR OWN SAKE forgive, hit the delete button and move on!...Amen!

Thank you, Annette for your sweet comment!

OK, it's back to the business of listing on eBay starting on Monday! I've really missed it...such an addiction!

Here's a preview of Monday's offering, hope you like it!

Thought for the Day.........

Reach out to someone.... Focusing on yourself is a guaranteed way to feel isolated. Winston Churchill said, "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." Instead of throwing a pity-party for yourself, reach out to those in need by giving of yourself, praying for them and loving them unconditionally.

Forgive those who've hurt you.... Feeling sorry for yourself and harboring grudges leads to bitterness. Forgive, turn it over to God, let Him deal with the offender and get on with your life!

Hope you will make today a WONDERFUL day!!!!
Kathy

Sorry I've been away....

Here is a good piece of advice I recently came across...

"Don't long for some future destination in life. It's a mistake to believe that when you arrive at a certain point you'll be happy; when you retire, take that trip or reach that goal. No, your happiest moments are along the way, not at the end of the trip. When it comes to living you can't improve on the Scripture "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

I hope you're enjoying where you are at TODAY!

Spring is already in the air ......

at least in my Dallas studio it is! Weather is warm and sunny, and spring fashion is everywhere. Here's a peek at my latest....

Well, the countdown's beginning.......

Just 3 more days until Wisteria Lane's big Block Party Launch! The excitement is mounting around WL!
Here is a sneak peek at ONE of my sets:

Life is exciting!

Well, life is so exciting! I recently learned that there is much impact being made in the country of Cambodia for the cause of Christ! A Christian missionary we know there has been asked to dinner by the Prime Minister's assistant. The government has seen how the Christians are helping the people of their country immensely. Instead of persecuting Christians, they are reaching to them for help! You can learn more at this website: www.cambodiaoutreach.org.

Looking Forward

I hope you are enjoying the new year! The number 8 is the number of "new beginnings," and I hope all of your beginnings will be for an enriched life this year. As for me, our dynamic church is starting the year off with prayer and fasting. This is helping me filter out many of the meaningless distractions which have kept me away from the really important things in life. I have realized that focusing on others, and ways to help them, brings true satisfaction. Even small things done for others effects them much more deeply than we may ever realize. So, I'm reaching out to you today and saying, "all things are possible to them that believe!"