Seasons!

Good Monday to all my crafty friends!!!! Phew, it has been a LONG time since I have posted!! A few weeks to be exact!! I feel terrible, but at the same time, it was a time that I needed to focus. First of all it seems like the last several months have been piled with many things to do and all had to be done in a timely manner! Boy that can get taxing! Second I had committed myself to things that took me away from my first love. What is that you say? My Bible studying!!

The Holy Spirit has been nudging me on several levels that I had gotten complacent with my studying and my relationship with the Father!! Boy, there is nothing like being corrected by the Holy Spirit!! LOL I don't mind because I have always been one of the "brick over the head" kind of people! LOL It's still uncomfortable, mind you, but I don't mind because I NEED to be about my Father's business!

I love my art and it is a sure weakness for me because if I had my druthers, I would stay in my art closet 24/7! But.....that is not realistic! Who would do the laundry????? LOL There is quite a bit of truth to that however! In my growth as a Christian, I have come to understand that we can be too frivolous with our time! God speaks about being a good steward of our time and that time includes HIM!! Any time you let something take first place over Him, your priorities have gotten out of order!! Hence, the correction. I had overloaded myself with so many art projects that I took Him out of the drivers seat! Never a good idea! Why? Because every gear in my body runs more smoothly when the main gear, "My Lord," is in tip top shape, oiled and in FULL operational order!

So, I had to step back and take a breather for a few weeks and get myself back into order!! I managed to get one of my challenges in the mail last month, but that was all! But that was ok, because I have since gotten back on track with my studies, which was what the "down time" was for! Thank you Lord for keeping me straight! And thank you Lord for much needed season in my life whereby You continue to encourage my growth as a believer!  I hope to get back into the swing again with my other challenges this month.

All that said, I will share a journal spread that I did in the interim and in light of spring and the wonderful saying "spring showers bring May flowers!" I sure hope that's true because we have had a lot of showers here in Georgia for the spring! So this month should be quite colorful! LOL

I had great fun doing this journal spread. It was so relaxing and enjoyable and probably because there was nothing attached to it. I could work at my own pace and with not thought to a "theme" but just because! LOL That being said, I hope I remember the process! LOL

I started this spread by taking some just cheap tissue paper and crumpling it up and then adhering it to my journal with mod podge. I then pulled out my Dylusions because I LOVE their vibrant colors! Got to love Dyan's sprays!! I sprayed here and there with Lemon Zest, Bubblegum Pink and Squeezed Orange. I have always loved that combination and how it looks. I then took a green oil pastel crayon and grazed it over the top of the crumples to get a really cool effect and then simply distressed the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

The rest of this spread consisted of A LOT of fussy cutting! Normally, I would have been taxed, but since I used this as a time to reflect on the season I was going through and what God was ministering to me, I welcomed the cutting! I stamped using stamps from Dyan Reaveley, Unity Stamps and Prima with Archival inks onto old book page. After fussy cutting, I simply distressed with Vintage Photo and adhered with Aleene's. 

I had some twine that I thought would look cool and coiled up like a flower and then used Finnabair's awesome glass beads in the middle. I also had some really cute emphemera butterflies that I thought would look good in my little "fairy like" garden. I added my sentiment, a cute little dragonfly and some of Finnabair's yummy glitter to give it a "sunshiny" look!

Do you get off track sometimes or allow things to exalt itself above the Lord? In His word in 2 Corinthians 10:5 He tells us to "Cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." There are many thoughts in that one verse that you could expound on. And you may think that I am being extreme with my art vs. my studying, however when it takes my attention away from my Lord, I have to be careful! In His Kingdom, He is number one and I always want to be sensitive to that! Anything can become extreme if you let it! I want to be obedient to what I know He is calling me to, especially in these perilous times when the enemy can be quite clever with any open door!

I encourage you step back and have a good look about where and how you are using your time. Is it wise and does it bear fruit? My Father knows my heart, so I am certain He knows I would never jeapordize our relationship, but He's a little jealous, so I want to make sure I give my first love the #1 spot! :)

Blessings to you today! :)