Tag: Creative Stuff (Page 4 of 4)

The Parable of the Sower

January 19, 2010 / Jennifer Coleman / 0 Comments

I am working on my newest art project. I heard Joseph Prince teach on the Parable of the Sower a few weeks ago. It was very good as all his teachings are. He pulled out truths from all three of the gospel accounts. I want to illustrate the truths with photos on the kid’s bathroom wall. The things that stood out to me were:

1) This parable is the key to all the other parables. (Mark 4:13)

2) If you don’t understand the Word, hold on to it, listen again. The Devil is anxiously waiting to pounce and steal it from you because he knows what kind of fruit it can produce.

3) Trouble and persecution come BECAUSE of the Word. When they come, hold on to it tight.. it will develop good character in you. Don’t be deceived into thinking that it’s not worth it or that God’s word isn’t true. Even when it doesn’t look like it, it is. “Did God say?” is the Devil’s line. Our line is “God’s word says,..”

4) The fruit comes through perseverance. (Luke 8:15) And sometimes gradually; first 30 then eventually 100 fold.

Here are the words I am using for art.

As a farmer was sowing his seed, some fell on a footpath

and were trampled on and the birds come and ate them up.

When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes immediately and snatches away what was sown in his heart,

so that he may not believe and be saved. Luke 8:12

Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where there wasn’t much soil; they sprang up quickly, but when the sun came up the plants were scorched, and withered away because they didn’t have deep roots.

Those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy,

yet have no depth of character (firm root) in themselves,

last only a short time.

When trouble or persecution comes because of the word,

they quickly fall away. Mark 4:13

Other seeds fell among thorns that

grew up and choked out the tender plants.

Those who hear the kingdom news but are overwhelmed by worries

about all the things they have to do and all the things they want to get.

The stress strangles what they heard, and nothing comes of it. Mark 8:19

Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced

a crop that was thirty, sixty,

and even a hundred times as much as was planted.

The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear, understand,

and embrace God’s word and through perseverance produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as was planted! Matthew 13:23

Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.

Found My Style

November 29, 2009 / Jennifer Coleman / 3 Comments

Do you like my new blog template? I think I’ll keep it. Any advice on what gadgets are good?

Re-worked Pages for Scrapbook

November 14, 2009 / Jennifer Coleman / 2 Comments

I was going to re-work all the pages for the scrapbooks but I didn’t like the way they were turning out, so this is what I did instead. I left out the pages of friends etc.

I did re-do the last two pages. I like them so much that I am thinking about printing out a set for me, too.

If you think of something more clever for me to write, let me know.

There’s one page that I wasn’t allowed to publish here.. Judi may not let me mail it either. We’ll see.

An inch will be cropped off the bottoms.. that’s while they look a little weird. Costco has 8×12″ prints for 1.49. That was the best deal I could find. I may have to renew my Costco membership after all.

Still need to redo our family photo.. Mike caught what I had. 🙁

Worship Flags

February 14, 2009 / Jennifer Coleman / 1 Comment

There are several things I miss about our church in Florida. I miss the families and our small group get-togethers most of all. I miss serving at the food bank. I miss the two tables that they had set up front for individuals to come down front and take communion during worship in their own time as they felt lead. It was a very worshipful experience that you could participate in any service and afterwards kneel at the alter if you wished.

The another thing I miss is the all the worship flags they had up front. Sometimes all the kids would come down front and worship with them.. sometimes it looked a little like playing but it really helped them get into the worship. I am sure it pleases the Lord to see little children dance and play in His presence… maybe even more than sitting very still and bored.

Since moving here, I’ve had a little bit of a hard time getting into the worship here. Many of the songs that they sing in my church aren’t to God but just about Him or the church. I know there are different strokes for different folks and I don’t have a problem with different styles of music.. it’s just that it’s easier for me to worship when I am actually singing to God. Lately at my church they’ve been singing a few songs that are to God and I’ve really enjoyed waving my hands, singing and dancing to God.

I’ve noticed while waving my hands that it’s not the same as waving a flag. Some how having a flag is so much more powerful. I’d never experienced worshiping with a flag until our church in FL. It’s awesome. So I decided to do a little research and make some flags for myself.

Most the sites I found for making your own flags suggested using a wooden dowel for your poll. I wanted my flags to swing around my pole easily, but most of the actual flag poles that I found cost around $20 each. I did find one for $15.

One of princess J’s friends suggested that I use a baton as my flag pole. I found some at a dollar store here… for around $4 each. They work great and at 22″ are the perfect size to use in my house.. no worries about hitting my 8′ ceiling. I had a hard time choosing a color from my stash of silk. There were so many colors. I may have to make several flags. Here is my first set.

To me the colors stand for righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

To determine the size I folded my fabric in half with the selvages together and cut 5″ strips (just over 1/8th of a yard). Then I cut the strips along the fold in two for the two flags. I used my surger to make a roll hem along three sides. I purposely created a wave at the ends. I cut a 2″x5″rectangle out of some interfacing and ironed it on to the selvaged end, then rapped the selvage end around the pole and sewed it on by hand.

The bag I made out of an old ripped pair of jeans. I have a stash of those, too. I had saved the strap off some thingy that broke. I made it so that all you have to do is pull on the strap through the button hole to close the bag. The prettiest bag I saw on line was made out of nylon and had a stripe of fabric to match the flag across it. That would have been cool… but not free.

I am having fun using them to worship at home. I asked the pastor of our church if it’d be OK to bring them to church and he said, “Yes.” So, Yeah!

Here are what I thought were the two best worship flag sites I found.

I thought these were the best deal:

http://www.wingsofpraise.com/worshipflags.html

These were beautiful:

http://www.propheticworshipbanners.com/gallery2.html

I thought this YouTube video was great! I’d love to have one of her light purple dove flags.

I am planning on making the kids at church some ribbon rings. I’ve seen a couple of kids get hit on the head by a flag pole and thought they would be safer.

Love to you all!

Valentine’s Day Talk

February 14, 2009 / Jennifer Coleman / 2 Comments

I was asked to share a short devotion at a Women’s Meeting at our church last Friday. I was so thankful for the opportunity to have God minister through me to the ladies at our church.. but extremely nervous.

I never could imagine a crowd in their underwear. Whoever thought of that anyway? You’re supposed to turn your head if you ever see anyone in their underwear. Instead, I tried imagining what they were like as kids. I’ve worked long enough in children’s church to be comfortable speaking to kids.. even on a mic. It helped me relax a little.

Just before going to speak, I tried out my speech on Mike. It didn’t go well. I’d read it a hundred times but still couldn’t say what I wanted to say with out reading it word for word. Mike encouraged me to ad lib it. When I actually gave my speech, I tried to and ended up just telling the stories.

Looking back, I wish I had read the part at the end to them and played the song I found to go with it.

Here’s my little talk…

I love holidays. I’ve always seen them as a gift from God; a time set a side from you’re daily routine to remember who God is and what He has done, and a time to enjoy being with your family.

I love all the holidays except Valentine’s day. I never could get into Valentines Day ever since I was in grade school and learned that it was the day you might be teased about who might or might not like you. That’s not the ideal kinda day for a shy girl like me.

My husband, who enjoys making fun of Mother’s Day by saying that it was invented by the greeting card companies, absolutely LOVES Valentines Day. He loves being in love ..with me and showering me with gifts, and cards, and surprises on Valentines Day.

You’d think when for one our first Valentines Day’s together I received this jumbo card in the mail that I would have figured this out and joined in the fun, but it took me a while.

(I pulled the card out of a large shopping bag.)

A few Valentines Days ago (just before our 20th anniversary), the Lord had a talk with me. He said something like.. “Look at what you’re missing out on. Your husband loves to delight in you on Valentines Day and you keep pushing him away. It’s time to get over it.”

Looking back now, I see that it was pretty retarded of me to allow 20 plus years of Valentines Days pass me by and not use them as an opportunity to build more love and joy into our relationship. There was only one thing standing in my way all those years: surrendering that part of my heart to the Lord and allowing Him to heal my past hurts and fears.

The Lord has only spoken to me that sternly only a few times. Many times just hearing the truth has set me free. I worked really hard that year to bless my husband and since to delight in his delight in me …but to tell the truth I am still not totally sold on Valentines day. I am still journeying though that surrendering and healing.

This Valentine’s Day, the Lord encouraged me to make these fabric fortune cookies for you.. At first I thought that it might have been my own idea and that it was a pretty corny one.. But then He sent me three confirmations that I was supposed to make them for you.

So I googled the words “fortune cookie” and “Bible” to try to figure out where God was going with the fortune cookie idea… and every blog and sermon that I could find said the same thing, “Fortune cookies are bad.” So I obeyed God, made the corny fortune cookies and God shocked me with a fourth confirmation. Those are rare for me.

The google preachers may think all fortune cookies are bad but these fortune cookies have a purpose.. You see, the same way that a fortune cookie has to be broken before you can see it’s message and enjoy it’s sweet flavor sometimes we have to be broken before we can be the message of His love to the world and that sweet tasting sacrifice to our Lord.

These cookies are to remind us of how blessed, fortunate and to be envied we are because… in Christ everyday can be a holy day. Everyday is a day to delight in His delight in us. Everyday is a day to surrender our whole heart to Him and allow him to turn our brokenness into joy. Every day His mercies are made new. Everyday we have an opportunity to turn our thoughts towards Him and to allow Him to build more love and joy into our relationship with Him. This fortune cookie is to remind you this Valentines Day that *The Desire of the Nations desires you and wants you delight in His love.

I wasn’t sure how to end my little talk but I had these scriptures ready..

Philippians 4:4 It says.. Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice!

In Song of Songs 4:9-10 He says..

You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride;

you have stolen my heart

with one glance of your eyes,

with one jewel of your necklace.

How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride!

How much more pleasing is your love than wine,

and the fragrance of your perfume than any spice!

Ps 147:11 says He delights in those who fear him, in those who put their hope in His unfailing love.

Ps 139 says He thinks about us constantly

It’s impossible to count how many times a day His thoughts turn towards us.

Ps 103 says He crowns us with love and tender mercies.

He fills our life with good things.

His love is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.

He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.

Zephaniah 3:17 says The Lord your God is in your midst.

He is a mighty savior, a victorious warrior.

He celebrates and sings because of you!

He will take great delight in you.

He will quiet and refresh you with His love.

He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy

and delight you with His songs.

The scripture I put in the fortune cookies was…

Song of Songs 7:10 I am my beloved’s and his desire is toward me.

Here’s where I learned to how to make the fortune cookies…

Here’s a YouTube video of the song the I thought went with my message…

Bath Tada!

August 12, 2008 / Jennifer Coleman / 3 Comments

So how do you like it?

I love the hight of the new counter. It makes my bathroom counter seem so low, though.

I had to add in the decorative mint green tiles to make up for tub being half an inch shorter than my old tub. Thanks, Dad, for the suggestion. They match my towels perfectly.

Courtney asked what color floor tiles we used. We got them at Lowes.

New light fixture, a place to hang our hand towels, and drawer space for the kids. The new paper holder wasn’t the exact one in the set but it cost $10 less and I liked it more. No bleach products are allowed on the solid surface counter top. If it gets a stain, you’re supposed to sand it out. I am a little nervous about that.

Finally enough places to hang the kids’ towels. I used scrapbook paper for the art.

I tiled and painted the hall, too. It’s laminate wood floors were water damaged earlier this year. Everyone says it looks wider now (in person). The walls needed repainting. I used left over paint from the kitchen/music room. Blank wall to the right is where my family and friends colleges are going after our trip to MoRanch.

Our front entry way is brick. A lot of the older entry ways here have it. New tile goes down the hall and laminate wood floor goes into my living room. We’re versatile.

Father’s Day

June 21, 2008 / Jennifer Coleman / 2 Comments

Christmas at Mike’s Grandparents with Granny

(Grandmother’s Mother) and her favorite Bible verse.

For Father’s Day this year I made Mike some family history scrapbook pages to hang in our front entry way. Most of our moves have followed a pattern of moving away from TX then back to TX. I our move from FL to AL broke the pattern and has made me feel further from our family even though we are closer. It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten to visit. To strengthen my roots I’ve been doing things like educating my self of AL history and like making family history scrapbook pages to hang on our walls.

Mike’s Grandparents (his mother’s parents), Sam and Roxie McInnis

and her favorite Bible verse.

Mike’s Father’s parents, Gene and Carolyn Coleman

(Mimi) her favorite verse and the image of a dove for Daddy Gene.

Thanks, Mom, for reminding me.

I wanted to thank all of Mike’s family for helping me find pictures

and for sharing with me their favorite scripture verses.

Puzzle Pieces

February 28, 2008 / Jennifer Coleman / 3 Comments

I read where someone said that moving is like having all the puzzle pieces of your life dumped out and you have to put it all back together.

Having moved to a smaller house a bunch of my puzzle pieces have been going to the dump and Good Will. About 10 car loads to each.

So far I haven’t regretted letting go of stuff.. it’s only been a couple of months, though. Less clutter has been nice and having to put all the puzzle pieces back together has given me the chance to look at what I really do need or love. I am a little concerned that there’s a day coming when I’ll spend ALL day looking for something only to remember days later that I took it to Good Will.

I am finally to the last hardest pieces: finding a place for those things I don’t need often but I wasn’t ready to see go and decorating.. the icing on the cake. Mom and Dad have been helping me by ordering some large prints of Dad’s beautiful nature photos. Some of my old art work just didn’t work in this house. THANKS so much! I’ll post pictures of them later..

I had some frames that I had put plain Bible verses in before and a bunch of pictures of the kids that I wanted to find a creative way to display.. so ta-da I decided to try to put them together in digital scrapbooking. Here are my first tries using Adobe and some free papers on line.