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Going Green Valentine Holders

Going Green Valentine Holders

 I was encouraged by Destri over at the Mother Huddle to do a Valentine version of these “Going Green Gift Card Holders.”  I thought it was a great idea and eventually got around to it!
*I made a homemade template.  I hope the measurements are helpful.

*Trace the template onto the inside of a grocery sack.

*Fold in all 4 sides.

*Punch holes with hole punch.

*Fill it with a lil’ somethin’ somethin’

*Add ribbon and decorate however you desire.

{could make holes bigger and use a pixie stix treat}
A little valentine love note can be placed inside, or a gift card -I personally would take coffee shop gift card over fresh flowers, any day!  I plan on making some for my kids and husband. I’ll let you in on a little secret…ready?
I didn’t make my girls classroom valentines homemade…shhh!
I by no means have enough patience to make 3 classrooms, 21ish kids each, all homemade valentines.  I’ve seen some of you do it, and I am amazed, but it’s not for me. I got our classroom valentines from Target on special 2/1!  Ya know, the boxed ones that come with a treat and envelope? Easy.Yay.
I DO have enough time and patience to make them for my girls and husband.
 My kids will have little love notes and candy on theirs, my husband…hmmm…can you handle another secret?  Like, a Victoria’s Secret? shhh…
 His will contain a gift card to Victoria’s Secret, for me to use, of course!  Quite brilliant in my book. A gift for him that allows me to go out and shop (alone without the kids, yippee!) and in the end make us both happy..I hope!:)  (my parents and grandparents are all closing their eyes and shaking their heads right now..hee hee)

Gotta Love Valentines Day!

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Love/ Spiritual

Yesterday, Today, Forever-He Never Changes

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah. 
Psalm 46:1-3,7



“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
‘Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Isaiah 41:10
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control. 2 Tim 1:7 (AMP)
I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Psalm 16:8 (AMP)
He only is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my Defense and my Fortress, I shall not be moved. Psalm 62:6 (AMP)
Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. 1 Peter 5:7 (AMP)
The Lord is good, a Strength and Stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows (recognizes, has knowledge of, and understands) those who take refuge and trust in Him. Nahum 1:7 (AMP)
“The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You.Isaiah 26:3

Love/ Spiritual

Clanging Cymbals and Missing Mittens

{From I Corinthians 1}
“If I speak…and do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or clanging cymbal”

To speak without love is like a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
Harsh.  Off-putting.
With a gong, the initial sound is so harsh that the beauty of the echo or the sound of it fading away is hard to focus on.  I think it is the same with our words.  If they are not wrapped in love, the sound of them are harsh and hard to hear, useless and pointless.
Even if they are words of truth, people will not be able to hear the beauty of the ‘echo’ because they have been so jarred by the initial tone.
So…
My words must be in love to be heard.
My words without love are jarring, disconcerting, irritating, unheard.
I want those around me to associate my words with truth, beauty, love and gentleness.
I DON’T WANT TO BE A GONG!
I want to speak truth in love, gently.
This morning my words were a clanging cymbal, in the car of all places.  My poor girls, stuck in a car with their mommy clangin’!  Hitting my gong over–of all things–missing mittens.
Ok, moms, I know you are with me.  Is there anything more maddening than missing mittens??
The pocket method has been working well for us, until lately.  It seems to work when we have consistent freezing weather, because we use them all the time, but the minute it is a bit less freezing, all of the sudden our mittens disappear!  We even have a very accessible mitten drawer this year, that contained (notice past tense), extra pairs of gloves and mittens.  Now it is a drawer of single mittens with missing matches.  How does that happen?
After dropping my mitten-less girls off at school, I came home and found my youngest girls mittens in her coat pockets, right where they should be; she just chose to wear a different coat. (hanging head)  I will sit them down today after school, share this verse with them, admit I gonged, and ask for forgiveness.  Then we will discuss how to be more responsible with our mittens.  This time they may hear me, since I won’t be using these:

Then I’m going to search amazon for a mini version of the top picture.  Wouldn’t that be a great visual reminder of how irritating loveless words are?  Maybe I could even go beat on it to interrupt the trio of loveless sister words that happen from time to time around here…:)
Love/ Spiritual

Prayer Bench

I have found a spiritual mentor in blogosphere. Her name is Ann Voskamp and her blog is called “Holy Experience.” I have talked about her here, and continue to be a huge fan. The way she writes and experiences God just hits a chord with me. I feel she is able to put on paper emotions, feelings and thoughts I have but can’t express. She expresses her heart beautifully, I just jive with her! I am so thankful to have found her and can learn from her.

I’ve been reading through her series of spiritual practices with an eye out for posts on prayer. She, of course, did not disappoint. She’s written much about prayer, but this post made my heart yearn for what she had. She wrote about creating a space in her home specifically for the act of prayer. I finished reading the post with a longing for one of my own. A day later, I have one.

We have a landing area upstairs that tends to be unused space. I walk through it numerous times a day to get to my bedroom. It is a favorite space of mine, because of the many windows that allow light to stream in. Yesterday it was full of Christmas bins waiting to be put into the attic. Today, it is an intentional meeting place with my God. I had some time there with Him today. It was peaceful and I felt great anticipation of precious time to come. I had just finished that time when I received an email from a friend whose family is experiencing the pain of cancer. I knew where I would go to kneel and ask God to give them peace, and back up the stairs I went. I know I can pray anywhere, anytime, but there is something special about having a place, an intentional place.
For me:
  • It is a place that says “God, I want to meet with you”
  • It is a place that allows me to stop and kneel for sixty seconds in the midst of busy life.
  • It is a place that draws me to sit and stay, to meditate, journal, read and pray.

It is also place where others have been…
John Piper writes…

“…when we bought our first home, I built a prayer bench with a place for my elbows in a kneeling posture, and a place for my bible to lie, and a shelf underneath for the Bible or other books and a notepad… There the prayer bench welcomes me every morning and several times during the day. God alone knows the tears and songs that have mingled there. I urge you to think creatively.

Seriously consider building a place of prayer…”

I considered.

I found:

  • A bench we have had sitting in our sunroom.
  • A basket given to me by my mom for Christmas.
  • A candle and matches.
  • Books, Bible and journal.
  • Pens and highlighter.
  • Rocks that remind me to “remember the works of the Lord.”
  • A pillow given to me from a friend.

And now I have a simple meeting place- A prayer bench.

This post is linked to:
Finer Things Friday @ The Finer Things In Life
Show And Tell Friday @ My Romantic House

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