50/50 or 100/100?

I woke up to 2 inches of snow on the ground & more coming down... we had lost pretty much all our snow last week... this would be pretty if it was November... not March! I'm not complaining though!

Here is a notebook I did for taking sermon notes... I can't just have a plain, un-embelished notebook for that... the composition books are great for note taking... but oh so dull... so I jazzed it up a bit... what do you think?

We get a couple devotional everyday via email... something that it said today made me feel like sharing this... I don't know about you, but when Luke & I got married I was under the impression it should be a 50/50 thing... give & take... 50/50. I had expectations of how the relationship should work... meeting halfway... it isn't just with marriage either... it can spread to any of your relationships with family & friends. It didn't take long before I realized doing 50/50 puts conditions on our love for the other person, which leads to disappointment... 50/50 says "I'll do my part & you do your part"... it bases love on performance. We are more concerned with what the other person is giving rather than what we are giving. How could I ever judge what is my 50% or Luke's 50%... when I look at it like that I am just basing it all on my feelings... love isn't a feeling... I think it's an action... it's a choice. Like the choice God made when He sent His Son to die for me... He has always & will always give me 100%... because truthfully, I know I never even deserve 10% of His love... yet He gives me 100 percent.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

I challenge you to try & change your marriage relationship to 100/100... in fact try it with all your relationships... even the relative you really can't stand... not saying it is easy... and truthfully it will never be 100/100... somedays it might be 80/100 or 75/100... we are human... it gives me a goal to strive for each day.

with a grateFUL HEART, carin

Glorious sunrise...

Just had to share this glorious sunrise with you... the pictures don't do it justice.



"I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works." Psalms 9:1

Have a great day...with a grateFUL HEART, carin

Walking through life...

Quick post for today... Spring is trying to "spring" here in northern Michigan... we have had a couple really nice days... it spoils me... I AM ready for Spring!

I just wanted to share this card I did today... this size of card will fit a #10 envelope... I used my Cricut to cut out "happy" & the flowers. I only have 3 cartridges for the Cricut & only 1 has the alphabet... I downloaded the trial version of "Cricut Design Studio" which will only work with the 2 cartridges that came with my Cricut. It is really cool though... you manipulate things how you want them on the computer screen & then you cut it on the Cricut (of course the machine is hooked to the computer via a USB cable). That gives me the chance to cut words instead of just letters. Does this make any sense??? Maybe to some & others probably really don't care! *Ü*

Here is a verse that spoke to me today:
Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called. —Ephesians 4:1

That is my prayer...that I may walk worthy of what I have been called to do. God's calling on my life & on all Christian's lives is pretty simple... I need to have a willing heart... to be ready to be a blessing to others & lead them to Him. We use to sing a Sunday School song called "JOY"... Jesus, Others, You... not always easy... but I do know that is my calling.

Thanks for stopping... be blessed... with a grateFUL HEART, carin

Think Spring!

Today is a good day to be thankful... ok, everyday should be a good day to be thankful... it is a sunny day in northern Michigan, but boy, is it COLD! It didn't get much above 20º today. Oh well... let's keep thinking Spring!

Here are a couple more of the little notepads I did for birthday gifts for NOFL... don't the colors remind you of Spring... or do I dare say even Summer? Hope the ladies that received one of these liked it.

I am busy with my Pampered Chef business... I am so excited I already reached my monthly goal with just 2 shows... in the first 30 days the company gives you incentives to reach a certain amount in sales... then they reward me with free stuff when I do... plus my paycheck... I like free stuff... don't you? I even have a Pampered Chef website... if you are interested in going to it, leave me a comment here & I will let you know the website address, since Pampered Chef doesn't allow me to link it to my blog.

Thanks for stopping... with a grateFUL HEART, carin

Blog Candy!

Great candy at Paper in the Works... her 100,000 celebration!

YOU Are NOT Forgotten...

Once again it has been awhile... life keeps going on and I've not taken the time to share with my "blogging buddies"... so here is a quick run-down... snow, rain, freezing rain, melting, fridged temperatures (-20 below), went to the Thumb, did my 1st Pampered Chef show (outstanding turnout BTW), came home Sat. night furnace was not working... very, I mean VERY cold in the house (that was one of the below zero nights!), great day at church, furnace got fixed on Monday morning (3rd motor in a new furnace... do you think something is wrong???), getting ready for "Grand Opening" of my Pampered Chef business on Friday, worked on Night Out for Ladies gifts, also did shopping for NOFL, popped a crown off my tooth (cried only for 5 minutes... didn't have anymore time for that), another great Wed. night service, worked/volunteered in church office, went to a new dentist to be "re-crowned" (that is different than a coronation!), had Fireproof Your Marriage class here last night, getting food prepared for tonight, cleaning house, don't have time to be on here... BUT I AM!

Here is a little notebook I created for a birthday gift for NOFL... those little pens are so cute... found them at Walmart... 8 pens for $1.64... is that a bargain or what???? then I just made the tablet to match the colors in the pen... the pens are all different colors... I will share more later. I received the SU "Say It With Scallops" for Christmas... such a cute set!

Only one more thing I wanted to share... the title of today's post... "You Are Not Forgotten"... do you ever have moments, maybe even days when you feel like you are alone & forgotten? My encouragement to you today is that you are not ever forgotten... all the things you have done for the Lord will always be remembered... as a "warrior" you may end up hurt & distraught... but anything done in faith & love will be honored by God... don't let life make you feel insignificant or discouraged... God remembers the good done in His name.

For God is not unrighteous to forget... your labor and the love which you have shown for His name's sake in ministering to the needs of the saints, as you still do. Hebrews 6:10

Hope this speaks to someone today... thanks for stopping... with a grateFUL HEART, carin

"Thanks to you"

Ok, I know it has been a few days since you have heard from me... really I have been busy... like I've said before, "I don't know where I would find the time to have a job". Well, actually I do have a job now... I am now officially a Pampered Chef Consultant... my first show is Saturday... I am really excited about it... but also a little fearful. I was with Pampered Chef for 5 1/2 years, but gave it up in 2005 after we relocated to northern Michigan... I just didn't know enough people to keep my business going back then.

Speaking of the "fear" thing... I came across a couple interesting things regarding fear... first, what does F E A R stand for -- Fantasized Experiences Appearing Real... I love that... oh what my imagination can do!

The second was this: Three factors that make you fearful of talking to people, especially new people:
1. Projection: a defense mechanism whereby you “project’ or attribute to others
your own undesirable thoughts, motivations, desires and feelings.
2. Unrealistic expectations.
3. Fear of the unknown.

I am sure some of you deal with some of these same feelings... I need to remember to take the lead... not just let my feelings lead me.

"For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. "2 Timothy 1:7

Here is just a simple "thank you" I did the other day... I need to get back to doing more soon. This is thanks to you for stopping by today, with a grateFUL HEART, carin