With Love

Happy Tuesday to you!  Today, I am trying to get back on track....I had a dentist appointment this morning and NOTHING makes my stomach do flip flops like going to the dentist! LOL!  I dread that trip more than anything in the whole wide world!  It's NEVER just an easy trip, there is usually a can of worms opened every time I go!  But, praise the Lord, today I just had a cavity filled (my worst nightmare - I didn't even think there was anymore teeth left to fill...LOL, LOL!) and some other issues turned out to not be as bad as I thought!  Thank you Lord!!  What about you?  Is your dentist friend or foe?? LOL!!!

Today's tag is in keeping with my "birds" theme!  I actually made this tag for my mother and forgot to take a picture before I gave it to her. So yesterday I was at her home and managed to take a shot, in the worst lighting possible as well, but maybe you will get a good look.  Like the recent canvas I did, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with this tag and I had fun doing it and loved how it turned out.

I started the tag with a Tim Holtz distress ink pad in Spun Sugar and then added some Broken China and followed up with Vintage Photo.  I of course edged with Walnut Stain.  I then inked up a script stamp from Inkadinkado with Broken China and lightly stamped for a background effect.  I then inked up a Teresa Collins Stamp from Fiskars with Vintage Photo and also stamped in the background.  Apparently this stamp is used for a continuous stamp wheel, which I do not own, but I liked the stamp so much I bought it anyway and it works just fine without the wheel, LOL! Afterwards, I took some of my great Tim Holtz emphemera edging them all with Vintage Photo and Walnut stain and adhered them with good old Aleene's Tacky Glue.  I then stamped the sentiment stamp "with Love" at the bottom with Color Box Ink and then embossed with clear embossing powder.  A pretty simple tag, but definitely "with love" for my sweet mama!

You know, that's kind of how I was thinking about God's love for us, or rather how it is to receive God's love for us.....simple, but "with love!"  Too often, I think people make it harder to receive God's love than necessary. God makes it very simple for us to have a personal relationship with Him, yet people in the world put restrictions on God or want to believe there are too many "rules" to enjoy fellowship with our Father in Heaven. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth!  His Word says that God "wants ALL to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth!" (1 Timothy 2:4) Getting to know God and having a personal relationship with Him is the most rewarding thing you will ever do!  God offers peace, love and mercy to us FREELY, but again, many reject it because they think it means "religion!"  Christianity isn't about religion AT ALL, IT IS about a personal, loving relationship with the Creator of this universe!

When a jailer confronted Paul and Silas, while in jail, he asked them, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved? They said, believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household!" (Acts 16:30-31)  It doesn't get any simpler than that!  As you seek that deeper relationship with the Lord, there are things in your life you will need to submit to Him for further growth, but those are things you will find you will willingly do for continued growth and Kingdom building here on this earth!  It is a joy to serve the Lord, there is no fear and condemnation for those who are in Christ!! Those who are "in Christ," serve a loving God who is ready, willing and able to accept YOU "just as," and "right where" you are WITH LOVE!

Won't you allow the Father to draw you with His love today?   Have a most blessed day! :)