My weekend

I was so excited to have an evening home tonight for the first time in ten days, but it was not to be. It was a frustrating day at work with so many interruptions I thought I'd never get anything done. I stayed two hours late just to feel I had accomplished something. When I got home, hubby was ready with a hamburger declaring I should hurry so we could head to church for a voter's meeting.

Sigh.

Oh well.

However, I do want to share with you a bit about the wonderful weekend I had!

Of course, I do not like traveling at all and the 4.5 hour drive there and back was no fun, but the boys and I did have a wonderful time while at the Lutheran Senior High District Gathering.

The speaker for the weekend was awesome! He travels the country speaking at youth events. I bought all three of his CD's so that hubby could hear him too.

You can find and listen to sermons by Pastor Yonker as his home church of Immanuel Lutheran, East Dundee, IL.






A team of youths used black lighting to perform a series of totally awesome skits throughout the weekend.








On Saturday we headed out to do our servant events. Over 300 people were sent to various places around the city. We went to an 80 year old woman's home to help her with yard work.

It was raining! We did many tasks. Here is Mason helping to haul brush.



Here's Jaron helping to replace some rock in the walkway.








Of course, I went right for the transplanting of Lily of the Valley. This photo is somewhat small, but you may be able to see my totally soaked wet head. My hands were covered in mud, as well as plenty of mud on my legs and shirt too.

There were other things we did, but I"m only sharing a few photos.

If you have never heard Fusebox, you are missing out! Wow! Love that band. Bill Buchanan is the lead singer.

Can you spy Mason in this photo? Remember, he's tall with dark hair (and a black shirt).





Here's a photo of me and Jaron with Bill Buchanan. Mason had taken off and so we missed a photo op for him.







I put together a few videos for you to see the band and the enthusiasm of the youth. What an awesome way to worship Our Great God. The first video is the gathering theme song, Light the Fire.

Where did the weekend go?

I DON'T WANT TO GO TO BED!

.......why?

..............because the next moment I will remember I will be getting ready for work.



Where did the weekend go?


It was actually a great weekend.



More to come.

.......on Monday.


............also known as the first work day.

Camera Bag

I thought for quiet a while on what type of camera bag I would want. I like the bags that are like backpacks (Lowepro) and can be swung over the front of the shoulder in a hurry to grab the camera. That seems so practical, especially if on a long hike on vacation.

However, those bags are not "girlie."

I thought about other bags available online (Tracy Joy - Joey or Kristine) that are more feminie, but everything seems so expensive.

While shopping for VBS at the local hobby store last weekend, I spotted this $20 bag for crafts. I studied and analyzed it for a while and decided it was perfect for my cameras, inexpensive, and yet feminine.

I bought some foam and cut it for the bottom of the bag. My big new camera fits perfectly in the middle section. My small older camera fits perfectly in one of the side pockets.

There are so many pockets for so many uses. I have one side filled with cleaning supplies for lenses. There are pockets for plenty of cords, disks, and manuels.

There is even a pocket on the side perfect for my cell phone, a place for pens, and room for my keys so I do not have to carry my purse.

The only drawback is that it is only handheld with no shoulder strap. However, I thought that since I was in a great need for a bag immediately, this would work well until something better came along--if anything.

In addition, I worried about thiefs being able to grab it and go since it does not close. However, I thought maybe it was a plus that it did not look like a camera bag so that the bad guys wouldn't recognize it for what it is in the first place.

I put together this montage of VBS music for the church's website and thought I would share it with you too. There are some cute moments of children dancing that I caught. My oldest son is playing the Jimbay (drum) at the end of the montage. Now I've managed to get all of my men at VBS one night or the other! Yeah!

VBS Week

Vacation Bible School doesn't allow me to do much else that week.
I get up every morning and begin reading and preparing for that night's lesson. I wish I had more time to prepare ahead, but I volunteered at the last minute. Lunch time is spent gathering supplies and doing more reading. Then I rush home after work to change clothes and rush off to church to re-set up the room for that night's setting and dressing up the actors. We have four groups come through each night as we act out the story, so it keeps us hopping. Whew! I feel like I'm barely making it, but as long as the children learn, that's what is important.

This weekend the boys and I are traveling to the Senior High District Gathering, so it will be next weekend before I can get anything new up for my site. I am not happy that I cannot do it all, but appreciate your patience! I'm missing doing videos, challenges, and scrapping! So when I get time again, watch out! I'll be on a roll!

Mason has been playing Jesus in the Bible stories all week.









Jaron played the man born blind who received gifts -- not only his sight, but the gift of faith.








Hubby played Matthew the tax collector the first night .

Time with Friends

I had a great time unwinding with my friends yesterday for an overnighter. We drank and hot-tub'd the night away. I was in great need for it after pushing myself so hard for so long with all the things I need to get done.

I was excited that they were interested in learning digital scrapbooking and we spent Saturday afternoon creating two layouts together.

Credit: SBB Collaberative free Tidbytes kit.


We discovered our memories are getting worse, so it was important to do a layout right away and journal before we forget!

Credits:
Template by Timounette ,
My Scrapbook Art NSD Collaberative Kit as follows:
Scroll: Dianne Rigdon; Flower Kate Hadfield; Paper, Susan Bartolini; RicRak Amanda Heimann

Blogroll

Just a VERY quick note in a busy world for me to let you know that I am aware that there are about 20 people patiently waiting on me to add them to the blogroll.

Thank you for being patient with me! My life is nuts, but I will get to them and get you added. Right now I have to prepare for VBS that starts tomorrow.

Hugs!

Warm Fuzzies Abound!

I just have to mention these recent posts as a way to say thanks for the warm fuzzies.

I know I fail often in sharing when people blog about me and I do hope you understand if I have not returned favor by a post.

I feel like this little insignifant unworthy person and then I see people blogging about me and it is hard to describe in words how I feel. I can tell you that I often put my hand up over my mouth and nose and squint my eyes in shyness as I stare at my computer screen in my empty room saying "Oh, my goodness!"--but I'm not sure what words portray that feeling.

The ladies in my forum tipped me off to DigiFree's sidebar. She is so famous in the digiworld that it feels like a DigiQueen is acknowledging me. In addition, I'm not sure what to think about being listed with such great sites as Digital Photography School and Problogger. Really? There's no comparison to be had. Thanks for the warm fuzzies, Maria.


Ginger Scraps has this huge long post all about me as today's Friday Feature Freebie. Wow! She really took the time to get to know me and not just my tutorials, but also to share the organization of my site and where to find everything. That sure took her a while.
Thanks Ginger. You made my day!




I have long enjoyed Monique's blog. She's an awesome blogger herself. However, today she is a blogger at Blissfully Domestic and I could sure feel the warm fuzzies abounding there too. Thanks Monique!



Okay, well, for lack of words to describe my feelings, here's what I look like every time I see someone else blog about me. Does this say it all?

Quick Tip #10 - Part 3 - Importing text into Photoshop Elements from Microsoft Word

This the final part of the quick tip series on kerning. In this tutorial, you will see how you can create word art in Microsoft Word and import it into Photoshop Elements. In addition, as you discovered in Part 2 (if you played with the technique), the text comes with a white background. This is easy to remove with a click of the magic erasure.

Of course, as Murphy's law has it, my word art in this video has a white area without a border, so that one click did not work! Since I was trying to make this a quick video (because it is a quick tip), I did not resolve the issue while recording. However, after the recording I did grab the erasure brush and eraser around the edge where the white of the word art is to end and then grabbed the magic erasure to delete the rest. It went so fast that I wished I had recorded it!

Always a surprise...

I often say that it is hard living with 4 men because they are always leaving me surprises.
Once again, I find myself blogging about my bathroom. Why is that? I am getting so many of these bathroom babbles, maybe some day I can publish a book and be famous. Not! I can dream of money, right?

My son had a young lady over to die his hair black. I thought they had cleaned up, but this is the surprise I found the next morning when I went to take a shower. I should have known better than to be surprised and should have been expecting it.

First, I wonder if the round stains would make good digital scrapbooking elements? I'll have to play! Only digital scrapbookers would look at a mess like this and think positive, huh?

I am not sure why he wanted to die his hair black. I had said no. However, two of the male inhabitants of my house sided with him and ganged up against me. It is no fair when they do that to me. His hair does not look much different to me because the original color was so dark already. At least he did not want to die it pink.

I am wondering if it is one of those actions teens take when they are trying to identify themselves and understand who they are. I never understand why teens do that. Really, how does wild hair styles and body piercings help you find who you are? I never did get it even as a teen and never did things such as that.

I have a feeling that a lot of the other teens are doing this and it is a new trend. He just wants to be like everyone else and be cool.

I looked at those stains on my bathroom sink for a while yesterday morning reflecting. I immediately thought of how I feel so stained. Is this what I look like to God when I sin? I know I must have a ton of those little circles of stain or long runs of stain all over me each day.

However, I am comforted that I know who I am in that I am in Christ. He washes away my stains and makes me new. I do not need to follow what the rest of the world is doing, but rather come to God asking for forgiveness. I praise God that he does forgive me and does not count my sins against me.

2 Corinthians 5 16 - 20

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

This is what volunteering looks like

This is what volunteering looks like.

I cannot tell you how great it feels to see all of those envelopes finally stuffed with four sheets of paper each and all sealed! You may remember my huge to-do list last week that I shared. I have been very stressed this week about trying to get done everything I need to get done this week before I have a ten day run where I will not have much free time to do anything at home. I had so much to do in the few available days before that ten day run and this was one of the things I just had to get done.

I still need to stamp a return receipt message on each of them to get a reduced postage rate and then run them all through a postage machine, but the hardest part is done. I was up until 2:30 a.m. getting these done, but I did not care! I just needed them done!

Thinking of all my tasks was making me physically drought.

I have not been able to get much new done for the forum challenges in a long time. It makes me sad because when I do not work and get new things out, traffic and conversation in the forums go really down. That only made me feel more burdened.

However, yesterday the wonderful regulars in the forum posted so much I couldn't keep up and they were a real hoot! I do not know if they did that intentionally to make me feel better or if it was just happenstance, but I sure am blessed by them!

House Rule #9

I almost forgot to finish sharing the house rules!
I particularly like this one. What do you think?

This was an impromptu one some years back. I was SO frustrated, that I just typed it up and posted it. It benefited all as they did not have to listen to me explode and rant and I got my point across.

****
HOUSE RULE #9
The male inhabitants of this home are about ready to cause me another “yell down.” Please take note!

It is very irritating to me when my bathroom magazines become unorganized. First, I can’t find what I want. Second, I have a purpose to my mad organization. You see, the bottom compartment of magazines always gets peed on. Since I cannot seem to get you all to stop this (which I wish you would), I keep in the bottom compartment the magazines that get thrown away after reading. So, the only magazines that go in the bottom rack are the Missouri Conservationist (take out the February one and look at the front cover…look closely…see the pee!). In the second rack I put the boy scout magazines, Lutheran witnesses, and any others (since most of them get thrown away too). On the top rack is where I keep the Kids Discover magazines because we do save these. Please do continue to read (I want you to read), but please put things back where they belong when done.

Next, I have about had it with the tub faucet always dripping. I have had to fix it every time I go into the bathroom and this is getting very annoying! You MUST turn the knobs fairly strongly to keep it from dripping (including turning off the middle one…uggg..that gets to me too!)

Please sign this note (anywhere on it) so that I know you have read it. When I see four signatures on it, I will pitch it.

Thank you! Love, the female inhabitant of this home. 

Quick Tip # 10 Kerning in Photoshop Elements -Part 2

Here is Part 2 of the quick tip on kerning. Be sure to go back and watch Part 1.

In this video, you will see how text with expanded kerning created in Microsoft Word can be brought into Photoshop Elements.

However, stay tuned for tomorrow's video as although the results in this video appear good, there is a hidden problem.

It's the Bride's Day!

It's the bride's day!

How many times have you heard that statement? The statement is to indicate that everyone should please the bride because it is her day and it should be special for her.

I have always felt sorry for the groom. Isn't it his day too?

Through prayer today, God answered my prayers and I gained a new incite.

Never again will I say "It's the bride's day!" Weddings are not about the bride and the groom. Yes, it is their special day and much of the focus is on them. However, the bride and groom are coming before God to make a commitment to Him to love each other always. Weddings are all about worshipping God.

So the next time I am tempted to say "It's the bride's day, do whatever she wants," I am going to stop myself and say, "It's Christ's day! What would Christ want done."

It is amazing how God continues to work in me and teach me. I am enjoying my daily morning instant messenger prayer time with my friend. We meet every work day morning to pray together on instant messenger.

Today and every day is Christ's day.

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Quick Tip #10 Kerning in Photoshop Elements - Part 1

Kerning is the space between letters which allows for better readability. However, Photoshop Elements does not have this tool, so work arounds need to be utilized. There are two methods to achieve kerning in Photoshop Elements. First, you may use the Asian Text option. This option only contracts kerning. Stay tuned for tomorrow's video for an additional option.

Jump this!

I totally cannot believe it has been 5 days since my last post. That is SO unlike me! I have too much on my plate right now.

This is just a quick note for now.

We had a wonderful time this past weekend meeting four times with family. Good times and memories were had! Here's a rare photo of all five of us together. Don't look at how fat I am please. Remember, since they are all skinny, I look all the more fatter! Yeah, right. You believe that?

Here's a quick fun video of the guys. I am always amazed at how when there is nothing to entertain them, they find ways to entertain themselves.

Can you believe hubby and the oldest son were actually entertaining themselves by filling water bottle caps (yes, those itty bitty things) with water and chasing each other down for a splash? They are doomed to never grow up. Boys at heart they will always be.



With only four hours sleep....what can I manage to get off my to-do list tonight?

I hope everyone had a great weekend and is staying cool!


PS: Note to self: Wash some underwear or your morning tomorrow will be unpleasant. Don't let this happen again! (you can click for today's laugh)

In honor of....

In honor of my readers, all those who have accidentally appeared in my recent videos, and all those who are active in my forums, here are some freebie glitter stars!

Download here.

THIS is what happens when....

THIS is what happens to my walls when I give Abbie Rae a bath and don't get her outdoors fast enough!

She rubs up and down all of the walls, the stove, the refrigerator, etc., leaving hair behind! More work!

Where's that bottle of wine?

EDIT: Geez! I just realized this is another Bathroom Babbles! What's up with me always blogging about my bathroom! And why did I feel the urge tonight to give my dog a bath just to see if it was easier to do with my new detatchable shower head spray?

God never promised this life would be easy for me. I need to look past daily troubles and onward to what He does promise me.

Romans 8:18 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

I'm getting old...I just cannot handle it!

I decided today that I am getting too old. I used to be able to have a schedule and things to do that most people exclaimed that they did not see how I could do it. Well, the time has come. I cannot do it. I am totally stressed at the moment. I have so much to do over the next month that I am overwhelmed and I do not know where to start and I just sit and stare in stress and cannot make myself work.

So, I made a list today over my lunch hour. I am hopeful that the list will help me focus.

I used to have lists three times this big and think nothing of it. Where has that "me" gone? I want her back.

If I can just get through the next month, it should get better.

I need to take one task at a time.

I wonder if this list is complete? Did I remember it all?

What shall I make for dinner tonight? Oh, wait. Abbie Rae needs a bath first. She's scratching too much and I need to put more flea stuff on her just in case. Dinner? What's that? Oh, lunch was a sandwich in the car because I took too long writing this list. You'd think I'd loose weight. Not!

Focus. Focus. I am praying that God give me focus.

***************
To-Do List

1. June 14 reunion
Plan my potluck food and shop for it.
Build swings if possible.
Be prepared for company (clean house, more food?)
Remind boys to be there.

2. July 13th reunion
Part 1 – Do immediately
Type the invitation. Include RSVP Sheet for Sat. dinner, update submission form, book order form, housing form, nominations, donations
Mail 365 invitations, refund copy and mailing costs
Update address database with returned envelopes and submitted addresses
Type Minutes from 2006
Type -Treasurer Report (Do we owe money for book reimbursement?)
Consider activities

Part 2
Finish transferring 555 page website to new site before July 15 when old site disappears.
Search Rootsweb Social Security index for people who have passed away
Search online for lost people (returned mail)
Mail any books ordered (bring them up from basement for reunion)
Grave markers
Certificates
Name Tags
Signature sheets – add space for e-mail addresses
Table Decorations
Plan my food for the potluck
Type up Agenda
New Updates – Type up Handout, input into Family Tree Maker, input into book pages, update on Website)
Copy cemetery plots
Create and copy returned mail list

3. Baby Shower
Print out invitation, glue, address, and mail
Decorations
Games
Food/Cake
Buy my gift

4. What are we doing for Father’s Day? June 15th.

5. Friend’s Gathering on June 20th – Plan menu and purchase food. Check on air mattresses.

5. Senior High Gathering the weekend of June 27th. Check to see if registration was received (check cleared) as I have not received information on room assignments and such.

6. Mom’s wedding. Call hotel to book room. Set date to travel to St. Louis to shop for dresses.

7. Church website.
Finish building and make it active by June 16th.
Publicize it.
Invite members to write articles.
Invite members to post.
Take regular photos of building construction.

8. Vacation Bible School on June 22
Read and prepare for Bible Story for each of the grade levels
Make sure fake campfire works; room decorations; other props
Get volunteer to act out story

9. Genealogy sites. Complete the moving of the remaining three genealogy website to blogs before July 15th when the current hosting ends.

10. Catch up laundry

11. Grocery shop

12. Continue to record videos and prepare challenges for digital scrapbooking site. Catch up on gallery commenting. Schedule a chat.

13. Prepare for July 10th digital scrapbooking class. How many copies?

14. Shop for suit for senior school photos; consider second outfit and location; July 11th

15. Registration for 30 and 25 year class reunions? Is the calendar clear those dates?

16. Construction crew coming June 12th. Prepare for payment of services.

All Things New

I am not sure when I last enjoyed a shower so much! I decided that since I do not get too many luxeries in life, that I would go for the gusto and spend the extra $20 or $30 to get a grand shower head. Wow! Am I glad I did! This morning's shower was the best I have ever had!

I can turn on both or just one head. I was amazed at the water pressure I got with both heads on. So much just perfect warm water flowing everywhere. Ahhhh. God is good!

Psalm 96:1 Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.

Okay, I did not sing in the shower, but I sure did make some new noises of relaxation.

Today is a good day, readers! Enjoy it!

Color Isolation Video Tutorial

I recorded a matching video tutorial for the written Color Isolation Tutorial in Photoshop Elements today. You can see it for a limited time in the main area of the forums and then it will be available always in the Subscriber area.

I look forward to seeing your digital scrapbooking layouts using this technique!

Bathroom Babbles Continues

I am always amazed at how my life seems to always come back to the bathroom! Are you ready for another edition of "Bathroom Babbles."

I just do not understand men. I'm not sure God intends me to, so I just have to learn how to be a better person through it all.

One of my favorite phrases is "Boys will be boys, and come to think of it, so will men!" It is SO true. It seems as if hubby is still a boy, especially when he changes his stories while talking to me as if he's in trouble and trying to say what he thinks will get him in the least trouble. Goodness, I'm his wife! Why not just tell me the truth!? I don't understand.

For several weeks we have been having trouble with our shower head not flowing well.

Last Wednesday night I indicated to hubby that since he was off on Friday, he could just put a baggie with vinegar in it on the shower head, secured with a rubber band (see photo here). I had done it one day and not five minutes later a son came along and needed a shower. So, it was hubbie's turn since he could do it later in the day when it could sit for a longer period of time.

OF COURSE, men NEVER listen to their wives. I am not sure why. Is it because if they did what their wives said to do, that would mean they are admitting she is right and they could never do that? The next day I go to get into the shower and the part at the bottom of the head was completely off. It was even a worse shower than I had had for the past weeks. I immediately knew hubby had taken it off so that he could soak it in vinegar rather than putting a baggie on it like I said. Yes, boys always try to do things the easiest way which always ends up the hardest way. Keep reading to see why.

THURSDAY
ME: Why did you break the shower head off?

HUBBIE: So that I could put it in a bowl of vinegar.

(catch that? He admitted breaking it)

ME: Well, then you will just have to go buy a new shower head on Friday when you are off then. Maybe we will finally have a good shower.

FRIDAY MORNING

ME: (as I stare at a shower head that appears normal, but I know it cannot be because it is unfixable, I turn on the water and it falls out) I see that you tried to fix this that you broke. I can see it is not fixable, you need to go get a new one today.

HUBBIE: I did not break it, it just fell out one day.

(catch that--his story changed--and I let him know it had changed)

FRIDAY OVER LUNCH DINNER DATE

ME: So, were you able to get to the store to get the new shower head yet?

HUBBIE: No, I fixed it. I just pushed it a little harder this time and it stayed.

ME: (yeah, right -- I'm shaking my head instead my head) Why did you do that? I told you it was not fixable and to just buy a new one? It is going to be me who stands in the shower and has the thing fall out on my head! I am going to end up having to take another shower under trickling water again tomorrow. I just know it!

HUBBIE: Then I'll buy a new one.

ME: (frustrated and not wanting to be controlling) Do whatever.

Pause.

ME: So, why did you tell me it was broke and then change your mind and tell me it just fell out?

HUBBIE: Well, I noticed it was loose and so I was turning it trying to screw it back in when it fell out. (okay, so maybe I got the partial truth finally, but my gut is still telling me that he was not trying to screw it back in, but that he noticed it looked loose so he thought it was probably the type that just unscrewed, so he tried to unscrew it and it broke off.)

FRIDAY AFTER WORK

ME: So, did you decide to go get a new shower head?

HUBBIE: No, it seems to be working fine.

SATURDAY MORNING

ME: (Being the third person in the shower as we are trying to rush to get out of town, I see the thing lying on the floor of the tub). Dear, see, I told you I would have to take yet another bad shower today! You need to go get a new shower head today!

HUBBIE: Okay.

SUNDAY NIGHT UPON RETURN FROM TRAVEL

ME: Did you get a new shower head? How much did it cost?

HUBBIE: Know, I just put it back in and pushed even harder this time. We have taken several showers and it is working better than ever before.

ME: (staying silent as I do not want to fight, but I am sure it is unfixable and doing my best to just not argue)



MONDAY MORNING

Here is a photo of my shower yet again on Monday morning. Hubbie is already gone for work, so there is no conversation.

I have resolved that I am just going to have to go out after work and get a new shower head myself and install it before he gets home. The only way to get it done right is to do it myself. He refused to listen to me because I cannot be right and he must be right. I DO NOT GET MEN!

Now look at that photo? I can quickly observe that the screw in the middle cannot be screwed into with the circular plastic piece in the forefront. There is no way at all to re-thread the piece. It is SO obvious to me. I checked to see if there was a way to pull it all out the other end so it could be threaded and there was not. It is something that was put on in a certain order during construction and he used his manly-men strength to take it off to make things easier so that he could throw it in a bowl of vinegar instead of putting a baggie of vinegar over it. Now I've gone through all this stress because he refuses to listen to his wife because he has to be the one that is right because he can never admit that I am right. It is a total insult to his manhood to admit that his wife is right about handyman things and that he does not have that gift.

How many times in our marriage are we going to have to go through this same struggle of me having a handyman gift and him not? Will it ever go away? I try so hard to be a good wife and be patient, but I feel like I spend my life fixing things he messes up. It's a constant trial that God gives me.

So,

....this makes me think about how many times God is probably this frustrated with me. How many times does God try to tell me things and I just won't listen to him because I think I'm right when I'm not? How many times does he have to just quietly shake his head and not say anything and allow me to learn on my own through trial and error because I refused to listen to him?


So, I decided to look in the Bible to see what God has to say to me about when I do not listen to Him. Ouch! This is hard to read!

****************
Proverbs 1: 22 - 33

"How long will you simple ones love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?
If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.
But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you-when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me.
Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm."

IM Prayer Parnters and Bananas for the Lord

I had a great weekend getting recharged spiritually with the youth. Having so many youth that are so full of faith all in one room, attending because they love to be there, is magical. You can feel the Holy Spirit working!

God is good. Although I have known that lady for quiet a few years now, God showed us this weekend how much we have in common. We have decided to become prayer partners and are going to meet each week day on IM to pray together. We prayed together this morning and it felt SO good!

Here is one of the small videos I took of the youth singing a song for the Sunday School at this particular church. They make me smile.




Here is a photo of one son sharing God's Word at the nursing home.










Here is a photo of the other son sharing survey results with the church after we witnessed door to door.

House Rule #8

This one actually worked! Anyone else have a problem with this?

*****
HOUSE RULE #8

If Mom finds the remote control anywhere but on the coffee table, then the all male inhabitants of this house will loose t.v. privileges for one week.


Record Enforcement here:

Resource Jamboree & Shamless Link Love

Remember, anyone is welcome to add links to great resources in the Resource Jamboree thread! Don't be shy to add your own article if you write one for your blog.

The June thread is up and be sure to go back and see everything found in May.

The current issue of the blog carnival was posted at Studio in Cognito Designs .

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As I stated in my videos, I'm do not get into exchanging links just to exchange them. I normally want to link to a quality item. I used to provide the links on my blog. Thereafter I moved them to the blog carnival. However, now most of them go right into the forum for the Resource Jamboree. Feel free to add your quality posts to the jamboree yourself. However, stop by the blog carnival widget first! See, now you have two resources for adding your own link love!

However, I thought it would be fun to make a post to give back link love to recent people linking to my blog--just because--and for no other reason. You won't see me doing this much. :)

Thena has an awesome list of sites! Really--check it out! If you haven't seen Thena's" poetry site yet, it's a must see! If I am at a loss for words on a layout, I turn there and Thena inspires me.

Candy has been OH so faithful since I moved the Color Designer Challenge to the forum last December to come along and make quick pages with the things others share. She also came to me and found a way to utilize her talents for making Quick Pages by utilizing my heritage kit to make a prize for a monthly quote challenge.

Patti M did the "What Scrapbook Item Are You" quiz and put it at the bottom of her blog. She appears to have some really awesome paper scrapbooking stuff and I enjoy seeing it...great photographs of it.

Dragon Lair also took the test! Go see what item she is! And while you are there...check out her new blog..she's recently moved her blog.

Sandra has a great blog...never been there before, but she is enjoying my house rule posts (goodness...have to get some more posted!). Really, you should read about how she deals with socks. Did you know I used to put nail polish on socks brand new out of the package just so I could sort them? Yep...went shopping for the oddest colors and each boy had their own color!

House Rule #7

I have been so busy I have forgotten to post more House Rules!
I hope you enjoy!

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HOUSE RULE #7

If Mom puts clean articles of clothing on your bed, they must be immediately put away in the appropriate place. If there is a basket of clean clothes at the end of the hallway, you must immediately find your clothes and put them away in the appropriate place. If this task is left incomplete, then an administering of one day of grounding to your room will occur.


Record Enforcement here:

Quick Tip #9 Copy Merge

This is a quick tip to follow my video for making curved photo templates in Photoshop Elements. This is an alternative ending to the tutorial that can be applied in many other ways.

Learn how to copy several layers at once and paste them to a new layer.

Technique Challenge - Curved Bent Template

First, I want to thank everyone for all the comments recently. I am reading them all, but I am so busy I will have to catch up on replies later. They do mean a lot to me.


I recorded a new technique challenge video for making a curved photo template in Photoshop Elements.



There is also a prize for all who participate made by Julie! It's totally awesome!

Thanks Julie!


See challenge and video here.

So, I officially did it.

I want to thank everyone for their encouragement and words of advice during my recent struggles.

I did open the box last night and took it outside to start learning how to use it.

I am feeling a bit stressed this week as I am not getting any new content on my site while I am busy creating a new church website. You know how Lutherans are--they have lots of committees, with lots of discussing, re-discussing, hashing out, and voting, but nothing gets done. I am trying to just get it done and I need to do that as a sample site before the elders meet next week.

I have so many things going on and I cannot seem to get focused. Maybe I need a new list.


Here is the 4th photo I took last night with my new camera of the snapdragons I love so much. I love them because they were my Grandma's favorite flower.

A struggle with Myself

Does anyone else ever have internal struggles? Do you ever fight with yourself?

So, Julie reminded me that I should just pray about whether or not to keep the camera. Which put me on the right track that if I were to keep the camera, I should have a goal to use it for the Glory of God.

I do plan on using it for our church website that I am currently building.

I also have recently had an idea that came up through conversations to get a weekly Bible verse started. A family I know always printed out one verse per week and taped it up on the wall at their table. They read it before prayer and/or prayed about it.

I think it's a wonderful idea to do and have always wanted to do that, but just never have. So, I was already considering utilizing my digital scrapbooking skills to make something for everyone to print out weekly and post. If I used the camera to take photos and put the verse on them each week, that would make me feel better about getting the camera --maybe.

So, I come home on my lunch break and take the camera out of the blue plastic shopping bag. This is what I see.

I am stuck again.

Here I go again fighting with myself. It is a struggle.

I do want to mention how much I appreciate everyone allowing me to share my thoughts. I cannot tell you how many times I have grown as a person and learned more about myself through this process.

For instance, I just learned that I do not always turn to God first when I struggle internally. Julie gently reminded me that I needed to do that. I need to let God handle my struggles for me.


Romans 15:30 I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.

Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

I did it, but did I?

Well, I did it. I was at Best Buy last night because I had just had it with Kaspersky messing up my computers and needed to purchase a new firewall and antivirus. I mozied on over to the printer inks and papers and picked up some new supplies for my layouts.

There, right between the the software and printer isles was the camera isle.

I did it. I couldn't resist any longer. I bought a camera. Now it sits on my dresser and I cannot even seem to open the box. It feels so wrong to have put it on my Best Buy card, even with two years free interest. I have longed for one for so long, but it just seems wrong.

I should be feeling happy about it, but I feel so unexcited.

Maybe I should just take it back. If I haven't opened it, I can easily take it back, right?

Maybe I should wait until this online site of mine pays for itself first, which was my initial intention. However, I continue to see these great photographs all over the digiland and the urge to get a better camera is pushed at me all the time! It is so hard to resist a temptation when you see it daily. I've resisted for two years now.

Should I take it back.

There it sits on my dresser.