Sunday, May 8, 2011

Hello and happy Sunday.....

my sweet stamping friends!! Happy Mother's Day to all moms out there, may you be blessed and hopefully spoiled just a little ;D.

It is time for a new Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge and this week it is my turn to host. I was pretty nervous about this, but through prayer of some amazing friends and God's timing, not mine, it all came together.

The first part of this devotional is not by me, but inspired me so much that I wanted to share with you all.

For my scripture of inspiration I chose Ecclesiastes 3:11 a



“God makes all things beautiful in its time.” Ecclesiastes 3: 11


“Only five more minutes,” I whispered to my daughter who was giggling with another girl on the playground. The girl she was playing with was a strikingly beautiful child. Long curly hair with fanciful eyelashes and a bright smile!! As the child’s mother approached we began to chat. I told her how beautiful I thought her daughter was. “I wish she thought that about herself” the mother replied as tears streamed down her face. She then began to tell me of how much money she has spent on trying to make her daughter “feel” beautiful. The dresses, shoes, hair accessories, and much more were purchased with an intent to make her daughter feel more beautiful. The Mother explained how her Daddy, friends, and Grandma, continually tried to reaffirm her daughter. She confessed it was all to no avail for in all she tried she felt her daughter did not seem any happier with herself or life. In all she tried to do, she could not convince her daughter of this beauty. The Mother repeated over and over how she felt it was VERY important that her daughter “feel” beautiful. When I asked her why, she paused for what seemed like forever then said, “I don’t know, I guess I want her to have a strong self-esteem and to always know how valued she is.”


With the best of intentions this mother’s concept of self-esteem and value was building insecurity in her daughter. We can never find true beauty in and of ourselves. You see, when our value is measured by outward beauty or by the ability to “Be someone”, we begin to exchange character for the superficial. A child need not know how beautiful they are outwardly to feel valued, rather the beauty our children must find is through the gift of valuing others.


Are you beautiful…do you FEEL beautiful? Have you ever stopped to ask yourself, “Why do we care so much about how beautiful we look?” When what really matters is where I find my beauty. We must remember in Ecclesiastes 3: 11 it says “God makes all things beautiful in its time.” God is the key word, for it is HE that makes beauty possible. In this Scripture this word beautiful is translated as “appropriate.” The next time you look in a mirror or question your beauty, ask yourself this, “Is this appropriate?” If it is NOT an appropriate way to look…if it is NOT something appropriate to say… if it is NOT appropriate to wear…. if it is NOT an appropriate place to be… according to the scriptures it is counterfeit beauty. From such deceptions hide and make the beauty of HIS holiness your portion.


For the beauty of Christ is where we can find true beauty in place of what once may have been ash.


As I was reading this devotional I started thinking on all the things that GOD has created. After all, he has created the heaven and the earth!!


Just the other day my girls and I were in our backyard pulling weeds and cleaning up what the wind had blown into our yard, when all of the sudden my 5 y.o. said: “mommy, mommy, look at this cute birdie!” She was pointing to a tiny bird, just a little bigger than a hummingbird, who was sitting on one of the weeds we were about to pull. It was for sure a beautiful bird and I had never seen one like it before. I turned back to my daughter and told her that GOD makes all things beautiful. My 9 y.o came over and said: “Yeah, just look at all of those beautiful butterflies we saw when went to Butterfly Garden. “


Sometimes I truly wish we all would see things like God has intended for us to see them. God had and has a plan that we focus on him to see all the beauty around us. Yes, we think money can buy beauty and all things beautiful, but we have to realize that GOD already provided it all for us, we just have to put him first and see through his eyes.


I am sorry that I was a little long winded today, just wanted to remind us all, that includes me, to keep our eyes on GOD and not on things. We all are beautiful in our own way. Beauty does not always come in appearance, sometimes the love and heart that people show is more beautiful than anything else and that is what it is all about. GOD had it all planned out!

Here is the card I made using all things beautiful ;D



Recipe:

Paper: DCWV textured cs in white, PTI Ripe Avocado, textured cs in beige, Pink Paislee Buterfly Garden


Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black

Accessories: Wilton paper doily, Spellbinders Labels 18, Wild Orchid Crafts flowers, Prima Cameo Roses Poppy Field, handmade stick pin, white lace, Dusty Olive seam binding, Spellbinders Fleur De Lis Accents, Recollections butterfly, Studio 112 half pearls


This weeks sponsor is

                                       Simon Says Stamp



Make sure you'll head on over to the Stampin' Sisters in Christ Blog to see all of the details.

Thank for stopping by today and have a blessed day!!

Hugs,


18 comments:

Unknown said...

What a wonderful devotional! My girls are grown, one is married with one toddler daughter and expecting her second. I'm going to send her this link to read this devotional. It's never too early to instill "true beauty" in our children, especially our daughters. I pray every day that my eyes will be opened to God's beauty-there's nothing like His creation!
Your card is stunning!! Thank you for sharing it and Happy Mother's Day:)

Miesje said...

Beautiful Sabrina! The card and the scripture you chose and the devotion and the stories! Wonderfully beautiful on the Mother's Day. Perfect choice! That card just blew me away! Love it. Have a great day and a wonderful week!

Grace said...

Sabrina I just had to stop by first thing this Mother's Day and tell you what a beautiful devotional you wrote! It touched my heart and I know will touch many!!!! Your card is gorgeous as always!!! All your pretty touches make the most beautiful cards!!! I hope you enjoy a truly wonderful and happy Mother's Day!!!
hugs
Grace

Becky said...

Sabrina, this was a wonderful devotional this morning. I was so blessed.
Your card is just stunning.
Have a Happy Mothers Day.

Lisa Hjulberg said...

Gorgeous card, Sabrina... truly lovely! And I enjoyed your devotional very much. Thank you for sharing and for being a part of SSIC. You are a blessing to us and to many!

Hugs,
Lisa

Kristine said...

Beautiful card and devotional Sabrina! I have 2 young daughters myself and pray that I "do it right" by teaching them about Jesus and that He will give them good self-esteem. I really enjoyed your devotional. Thank yoU!

♥Happy Mother's Day♥

Lori said...

You are wonderful, Sabrina! Your card is indeed 'beautiful'. Great devotional, thank you.

velta said...

First, Happy Mother's Day Sabrina!!! Your card is stunning and I absolutely love the colors you chose...your story (devotional) almost had me in tears, because I have seen this before...What a perfect story for Mother's Day!!! Thank you for sharing this and go have a great rest of the day sweetie!!!

Sherry Kushibab said...

Happy Mothers Day!! What a beautiful card, lovely DP and so many pretty feminine details!! Your devotional was just wonderful and real - you chose a great scripture - thank you. Blessings on your week.

LeAnne said...

Thank you, Sabrina, for this wonderful reminder. We are all created in the image of God, so we are all beautiful....and I so needed that reminder! Thank you, you are such a blessing!
Hugs,
LeAnne

Unknown said...

Sabrina what a beautiful devotional! I'm so pleased I was able to have this sermonette today, especially since we missed church while traveling. This is a wonderful reminder of where beauty, true beauty lies. I often have told my girls that I am much more concerned about their beauty on the inside than the outside! And what a lovely card too, not meaning to make that an afterthought!

Chris Olsen, Glowbug said...

What a beautiful devotional Sabrina and so true!! God truly has made everything beautiful!! Your card is GORGEOUS!! I just love your dimension, the butterfly and all the flowers. Stunning! Hope you had a great Mother's Day!!
hugs,
Chris

Newbie said...

Sabrina, your card is absolutely beautiful!! I love everything about it! But I also wanted to comment on what you said, "Sometimes I truly wish we all would see things like God has intended for us to see them." I TOTALLY agree!

Mary said...

What a beautiful devotional. I am so gald that you shared it with all of us. And I love that you added to it. I think it is wonderful that you are teaching your daughters to see the beauty in all things.

“God makes all things beautiful in its time.” Ecclesiastes 3: 11 Just happens to be one of my very favorite scripture. sI used it on a digital page I made last year. I used a photo of a butterfly that I had photographed.

Your card is so beautiful Sabrina. I see tha youused your signature stick pin, lace, flowers and butterflies.You certainly have been blessed with the ability to create beautiful cards.

I hope you had a beautiful Mother's Day.

Hugs,
Mary

Conniecrafter said...

Wonderful devotion and a good reminder.....I have been feeling bad because I don't think I am going to look good at our daugthers wedding, but this reminds me that as long as I am right with God I am beautiful.
Gorgeous card, love the colors, such pretty paper, did you happen to color the pearls on your pin?

MariLynn said...

Such a beautiful card. I love the papers that you used. Thanks for sharing what God placed on your heart. What a blessing! I hope you have great week.

Crystal said...

AWWW Sweetie this is sooooooo pretty, I LOVE these papers and these GORGEOUS colors!!! Absolutely GORGEOUS!!!!!!! So sorry I have been MIA things have been crazy lately LOL!!!!!! Off to check out some more of your fabby posts! Big hugs girl!

Lovely Linda said...

Hello Sabrina - what a beautiful devotional - it touches the heart my friend! Your words from the heart and work of the heart are indeed beautiful! I love your signature touches Sabrina - what a blessing you are! Thank you for sharing today! {{{hugs}}}