Avoiding Negativity

Wow, I just realized that this post was written back on Sept.7, but never published. So here it is now.

I started my day with a short YouTube video from Time of Grace about negativity. The Bible verse referenced was Psalm 32:5:

Then I acknowledged my sin to you

    and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
    my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave
    the guilt of my sin.

I found that page in my coloring Bible and circled it, then colored the verse that was already on that page. (Ps 32:8) about God instructing in the was to go and keeping his loving eye on us. There was an illustration of a strange looking eye, I thought so I covered it with a compass I stamped and glued it over that spot.

This other page is a quote from Psalm 31:9. I remembered singing that one in church, so while that tune was humming in my head, I hand lettered the first line, stamped the praying hands and the color swatches, sponged color along the edges and glued it onto the page.  I also underlined the full verse. I really like how that one turned out. I really like how that one turned out.

Here’s the link to the Time of Grace channel, Grace Talks, if you would like to check them out.

Back to Bible Journaling

 I just read my post from May, writing about the virus killing people, changing lives for so many back then. So not much has changed in that regard, but I have gotten back to coloring in my Bibles. First I took a free "class' with Rebekah R. Jones to learn something about using colored pencils in my Bibles. (If you don't know her, check her out on Facebook.) Best thing about colored pencils is no bleed through. So this was the page I did, tracing the fruit from a hand-out she gave us. This was done in my ESV journaling Bible which has space on the margin of each page.

Then I decided to get back to coloring in my Beautiful Word NIV Bible after watching services on Youtube on Sundays.

And I wanted to add a stamped image and colored pencil, so I did this one on the back the Phillipians page above. I think I may go back and trace over what you can see through on that page with a colored pencil.

Tim and I are still doing well. We were sad to not travel this summer to see our little Hawaii family and have Luci here to experience the Star Wars fun at Disney, but hopefully next year... in the meantime, here's a photo of Isabella on her first day of Kindergarten with her teacher Gotta love that unicorn shirt!

This is the day that the Lord has made.

Let us rejoice and be glad in it! 

Psalm 118:24

It is a beautiful Sunday today. The sun is shining the birds are singing and butterflies flit about the flowers in my yard. I can certainly rejoice. Easy to say it’s a beautiful day, rejoice. However, there Is a storm bringing excessive wind and rain off another coast, and cold air descended on parts of the country bringing unexpected snow on Mother’s Day. Thousands of people are sick, thousands have died, multiply that by the number of family members who are grieving, not able to be with the loved ones’ bedside. What about the lonely people who yearn to be able to socialize with friends and family again?  And so many without work or paychecks, who worry their businesses may never recover...should they rejoice today? YES and YES! Because we have a promise from God that all our sins are forgotten, washed clean by Jesus‘ death and resurrection, and we have a place in heaven when our time here on Earth is finished. Does that mean sadness and loneliness are not allowed? Of course not. Even Jesus wept at the tomb of his friend Lazarus. But remember the promises and rejoice. I know it is hard to do during times of trouble, and I pray that I will never forget to rejoice.

I just realized today is May 17. Tim and I met 48 years ago on this date at my sister Jo's house. He and his housemates were playing catch out in the street with my nephews. And the rest as they say is history. It has been so long I barely remember a time when Tim was not part of my life. Another reason to rejoice!