DIY Burlap Wreath

I love those adorable mesh wreaths that everyone is making, so I just had to make one myself.   I wanted mine to be burlap, though, so this is what I did:

I collected my supplies:

1. Red and tan burlap
2. Burlap and lace ribbon
3. Scissors
4. Metal wreath form w/ green wire deco

Because I didn’t like the green on the deco wires, I spray painted them white to tone down the bright green.

Then I started bunching the red burlap, tying them, bunching tying… until I went totally around two times (inside loop and out).

 

I did this again with the tan burlap, filling in the gaps.

Next, I looped the lacy burlap in and out of the other burlap around the outer circle, and then made and attached a bow.

 

For more information, click on this youtube link to give you more of a visual.

REJOICING IN THE PRESENT

Living the "DREAM"

"When did the "American Dream" become a nightmare?" Recently, this thought hit me while I was talking to a couple of my girlfriends. 

The American Dream:  A romantic husband with 2 kids (1 boy & 1 girl) , a great job, lots of $$, a big house with a pool, a car for each person that drives, a nice long vacation, Disney passes, name-brand everything.   The list goes on and on....

It dictates to us that our kids need to be on a sports league and our vacations must be at a resort at Disney.  All our electronics must be the newest model and our house must be Pinterest perfect. 

These things are nice.  They can be a blessings but the "I must have", the entitlement, the DREAM, has become an nightmare.  To have it, I must do and do a lot. 

Both parents have to work--which means the kids are in daycare, which means more bills.  It means less time with the kids and, more importantly, someone else is raising them. 

To attain "the dream", it means that I must be the best and, to be the best, someone else must be the worst.  So my dream becomes their nightmare. 

Now, please don't misinterpret me.  I do believe in working hard.  I do believe in providing for our family's needs.  Notice I said "needs."  I do believe that we should try to be OUR best at our work.  I do believe that we should work for our food. That we shouldn't just be having our hands out and taking.  I do understand that, in some families, both parents have to work to make ends meet. 

HOWEVER, I would encourage us to look through our expenditures.   Ask ourselves a few questions:

Do I really need to spend THAT MUCH on my house? 

Can I find a less expensive brand? 

Do I really need THAT MANY cars? 

Do I need to take my vacation THERE? 

Do I really need to spend THAT MUCH on "that"?

Can one parent stay at home with the kids or could one of us only work while they are away at school? 

It's really not about what we have and what we do.  It's about whom we do it with and the memories and the moments that we make for our family for the rest of their life. 

It's the Friday night Family Nights and the family devotions.  It's the stories we tell them before they go to bed.  It's the giggles and kisses we receive.  It's the moment when they tell us that they want Jesus to come into their heart.  The moment that they decide to make the right choice because of those traits that WE taught them. 

Sometimes when we give something up, we suddenly realize just how much it was taking from us all along.  Am I living a dream or a nightmare? - Rejoicing in the Present

It's Raining

Years ago, I heard a preacher once say "If you've been praying it's going to rain, take an umbrella."

This has stuck with me ever since.

So many times I pray with such little faith and when "it" happens I am shocked that it does.  How faithless of me!  I need to pray, pouring out my needs before the throne of God and trusting that He will take care of them, whatever the end result is.

I was doing my homework for our ladies Bible study when I was reminded of God working in our life through the story of the 5 loaves and 3 fishes.

Go with me to John 6:1-15

"...And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. 

Here are a few thoughts that were brought to my attention in our Bible study:

That boy had only 5 loaves and 2 small fishes. The loaves were a poor man's meal. This was nothing. 

God will take that nothing and make a feast, BUT you have to be willing to let Him take it all from you before you get invited to the feast.

Then Jesus made everyone sit. Usually while we are waiting for God to work, we pace back in forth, telling all who will hear our dilemma. We question, we rant, we accuse God, but do we sit? Do we rest in His care?

After He fully fed them, He gave them "over and above" what they had needed.

God cares! (Matthew 6:25-32)  He cares for YOU!

So when you pray, be willing to let Him take everything.  Sit down and rest in His care. ...and take an umbrella, because when it rains, it will rain over and above what you can imagine. - Rejoicing in the Present