God will bless the work of your hands

Sometimes in this journey to discover and pursue my God-sized dreams, sometimes in this desire to be a writer...
Sometimes I just have to open my journal even if it is already 10:00 at night and I don't want to write, but I don't want to quit this attempt at daily writing. Sometimes in that moment the journal itself gives a writing prompt.

Right there staring me in the face is Deuteronomy 16:15. 

"God will bless you ... in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete."

Writing is the work of my hands. Card making is the work of my hands. Continuing my education is the work of my hands. The meals I prepare, the baking I do, the time I invest in my kids and husband, even folding the laundry is the work of my hands.

The writing and the card making have been stagnant for far too long. I don't need to whine and cry about too much to do, or fear of failure, or uncertainty about how to proceed. 

I just need to stop procrastinating.

The work of my hands.
How can God use me?
How can God bless the work of my hands?
I have been keeping my hands closed, not writing, not creating, not making art. God can't bless what I'm not creating. But I can create again, if I open my hands and work with them.

What is it God is calling you to do, to create, to work with your hands? Are you doing it? How can we encourage one another today?

Creating a Latte

I'm a procrastinator so I'm always behind the rest of the blogging world. They all did their recaps of OneWord 2013 IN 2013... but here I am wrapping up 2013 on Day 6 of 2014...

Create ... Create ... Create

I wrote for class, I attempted and almost succeeded at 31Days in October and I did a little more writing for me and for the blog.

I made connections through the God Sized Dreams Team and made new friends at Allume and loved on my local friends.

And then there was my cardmaking... It comes in shifts, which is why it's mostly a hobby! But I made some progress this year! I opened an etsy shop... and I made some sales.  I created a bunch of cute Christmas cards (and had less success). I have thoughts and dreams for 2014 and I definitely plan to keep creating... and hopefully more selling.  Like these cute coffee cards "Thanks a Latte"

They are for sale in my etsy shop, but you also have an opportunity to win a set for yourself.  One of my God-sized Dreams Team friends (who I had the lovely privilege of meeting at Allume) is doing a giveaway extravaganza for her birthday this month. This giveaway includes my cards, so be sure to stop by her site and enter. Then be sure to subscribe to Melissa's blog to catch the rest of the great giveaways she is offering this month.

And if you are in need of some newborn photography she has a great deal going on right now (Yes, she lives in South Carolina, but maybe a few of my readers are close... or you know someone who is, so spread the word with your friends, too)

and if it's not too much to add, I'm doing a Sale on the Christmas cards in my etsy shop. Spend $10 or more in my Christmas section and use the code CHRISTMAS20 and receive 20% off your order from Whimsical Words!

Thanks, friends... and here's to creating even more in 2014!

Creating in 2013

So, after a less-than-stellar response (ie. not a single comment) to my first "seasonal 31Days" post, I am hesitant to do another one, but I have a few more ideas up my sleeve... and I have all these great end-of-year-posts flying around my head, but I haven't been very disciplined in getting them written down... so they just keep flying! Maybe some day soon, I will reign them in and share some really poignant thoughts with you.

Part of the "end of year" posts is thinking on my One Word for the year... which was CREATE... and included writing and cardmaking. So although there hasn't been much writing and blogging around these parts lately, it's because I've been doing a bit of creating of another sort...  wanna see?!!?!

I'm so glad you asked!

I made a little bit of this...

and a little bit of that...

and some of this, too!

That's what my weekend consisted of ... and also one major shoveling job which my muscles are still recovering from!!!

Is your Christmas shopping/crafting/decorating/baking done yet?!?!!

One Word: Create

It came to me during Thanksgiving of all times.
I don't even know where it came from, I just know it came and it was loud.

Create!

CREATE!


CREATE!!!

Create new handmade cards ... I've been making cards for years, more than a decade even, but lately it's been on the bottom of my priority list. I want to make more, send more, maybe even sell a few!!

Create new writings ... I just discovered in this last year (though I've been blogging for 8 years) that I am a writer and I want to pursue writing and improve my writing. I've even gone back to college for a communications/writing degree! I am registered for TWO classes this semester and I just looked at my assignments and realized that I will have very little time for blogging this semester... unless I just keep posting my assignments here.

Create new connections ... this is so important to me! I have loved the friends I have "met" online and actually met in real life at Allume this past year! I am looking forward to growing those connections, along with investing in the lives of my church family locally. I want to connect with the people God has placed in my path.


2013 is the year I will Create. With the help of my Heavenly Father, I will create!

and I will pray, Create in me a clean heart, O God.


Edit: I totally forgot to give Melanie the credit for CREATING my fantastic OneWord365 button! Want one? Go see her blog!!

Dreams --Are they mine or God's?

People talk a lot about dreams these days ... dreams for the future, dreams for great success, dreams for their kids, dreams for themselves ... God-sized dreams, small dreams, impossible dreams, selfish dreams, others focused dreams, ministry dreams, financial dreams. the list goes on and on.

Dreams are also desires and I think of Psalm 37:4 Delight thyself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.

I always thought I had a God-sized Dream. This is a phrase I picked up from  Holley Gerth, Squee Inc. and Write it, Girl link up back in March. (ps. doesn't this make you wanna sing with Tangled... I've Got a Dream)




I have this hobby of making handmade, hand-stamped notecards. It ebbs and flows. Back when I lived in a two-bedroom trailer with four young children, there wasn't much space (or time) for crafting. I made cards here and there, enough to give them as gifts for my family, for baby showers, for teacher gifts.

Then we moved into this home on the mountain, with my red door, and I got my own little space with a large desk, some shelves, and an opportunity to work whenever I could find the time.  And for the last two years my dream has been a little stagnant. I've had no direction, no accountability, no self-discipline, no start up cost, to turn this hobby into a business.

Recently, I started wondering... Is this my dream, or God's dream for me? Has He planted this seed or is it my selfish desires? Is it about making money, or could I use this for ministry, for God's glory, to bless others?

I don't know where it's going, what I want the end result to be, but I want to find out. I want to hold my dream with an open hand.

Maybe it will just stay a hobby, maybe I will use it to bless friends and families, or missionaries. Or maybe it will become something more. But whatever happens, I pray that it will always be about bringing glory to His Name.

I'm also super excited to be a part of Holley Gerth's God-sized Dreams Team.  You can learn all about it here and join us on Tuesdays at her blog!!

just this ... "Ignoring them means ignoring a core part of your purpose. And when we do that, we feel restless and empty."

I would love to know! What are some of your dreams? Did you know they might be "God-sized"?  Share with me in the comments!!


PS... God gave me my OneWord365... during Thanksgiving, actually. I think it ties in to my dream, quite nicely... CREATE!