Thursday, May 31, 2012

Modesty: A Summer Challenge

I read this on a friend's blog & thought it was worth reposting here.
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Modesty, a Summer Challenge


Dear Friends,

I have a challenge for all of you.
With the warmer weather comes short shorts, bathing suits, tank tops and mini skirts. Clothes are see through, low cut, and tight... all in the name of "fun" and "flirty" self-expression. The fashion industry has successfully convinced young women that the sexier we look, the more beautiful we are.
In the wake of this immodesty tidal wave, the true dignity and Beauty of the female body is reduced to a visual sex object. And men, who were made by God to be more visually oriented, are drowning in a sea of tempting images which cause lustful thoughts.
As we walked across campus, I remember overhearing two of my guy friends in college talking about how much they hated the onset of spring and summer. It was because of the way that girls dressed during these seasons. These guys were faithful followers of Jesus and wanted to be pure in their thoughts. They humbly admitted how totally difficult it was to keep their thoughts pure with hundreds of scantily clad girls around them.
A lot of times girls just don't get it. It's not just "the guy's problem!" I remember falling prey to the fashion of the times when I was in school. One of my best Christian guy friends approached me one day about something I was wearing. He said to me, "Michele, I am your friend and I totally respect you, but when you are wearing that it's difficult for me to look at you with respect. I know plenty of other guys out there that aren't TRYING to respect women and I don't want them looking at you like that. Can you please not wear that anymore?" I was enraged at first that he dared to tell me what I should and should not wear, but after prayer and the grace of humility, that incident became a building block for my efforts to dress modestly--out of respect for myself, and for the men I encountered each day.
Here's my summer challenge for you:
Girls, be sensitive to your brothers in Christ. Modesty can definitely be fashionable, though it may take some work on your part. Pray before you go shopping and don't compromise if you don't find the right thing right away. Look at yourself in the mirror before you go out and ask honestly: "When guys see me dressed like this, will they be more likely to see me as an object or to respect me as a whole person?" Take the Blessed Mother shopping with you and ask her to help you pick out your outfits. Seriously! I have some really cool stories about that one :).
Guys, unless we have a major mass-societal modesty conversion, you're not going to be able to totally avoid immodestly dressed women. You've got to train yourself to "guard your eyes." Don't oogle and drool over a revealingly dressed woman and don't let your thoughts wander to lust. Turn your eyes away RIGHT AWAY and give your thoughts to Jesus right away. Pray for strength. Also, don't be afraid to lovingly tell the girls you hang out with that the way they dress is not respectful to themselves or the guys they are with. I'm sure glad my guy friend cared enough about me to say something. Finally, it's imperative that you admit any fault you might have in your struggle to look at woman respectfully. If you're watching movies or looking at magazines, or visiting websites that show women immodestly dressed or not dressed at all, stop. Be a REAL man! Don't be wimpy dork-butt loser-boy. Fess up, confess, and cut it out! (and gain victory over it)!
All it takes is a few courageous people to set a new trend - a trend of modesty, respect, and self-control. Be a witness of what it means to truly respect yourself and others. Girls, show other girls that true beauty is about dignity and respect. While you may get attention from guys by dressing immodestly, it's not respectful attention. Guys, be examples of strong, self-disciplined, manhood. I guarantee it will pay off in the long run. With prayer, we can do this! 
 
~ Michele TePas~

Monday, May 28, 2012

Happy 3rd Birthday!

Cookin' Up Scrapbooking Creations Birthday Bash 3.0
Cookin' Up Scrapbooking Creations is celebrating its THIRD BIRTHDAY in June! We're having a month-long birthday bash, and YOU'RE INVITED!!!!!

We know you love a good party, and this one will be no exception. The fun starts Thursday, May 31 on the Cookin' Up Creations forum and continues through the entire month of June. There will be a NEW and DIFFERENT challenge each day, as well as Bingo and other games. And …. did we mention PRIZES????? We already have several wonderful sponsors on board, with more to follow.

So what are you waiting for? Grab your party hat and head on over to http://www.cookinupcreationsforum.com/phpbb3. Come on over and look around, get to know us and catch the pre-party fun. We can't wait to see you!

Monday, May 21, 2012

Courageous

Oh my goodness......if you haven't seen this movie yet, you really should!!


I finally watched it the other night & it was SO good. But be warned...have the tissues handy.

Saturday, May 19, 2012

'Give Me Your Eyes'

Just a quick little post that I HAD to share with y'all. Ashley came inside about 25 minutes ago.....she had been laying on a blanket under the Dogwood tree reading after supper. She was going upstairs to take a shower when she hollered back down to me that she had lost the little silver cross off her necklace. She figured it must have happened outside & was kind of patooed saying 'Well, I guess it's just lost.' I was washing the supper dishes & decided I was going out right then....before it got too dark & just see if I could find it. First off, I shook out the blanket she had been laying.....but there was nothing there. As I headed outside, I just prayed that God would help me find it.....that He would show me right where it was......because I knew this was special to Ashley.....her room-mate, Emily had given it to her. As I was walking around where she had been laying, it was funny but the words to Brand Heath's song 'Give Me Your Eyes' just randomly popped into my head. And of course you know the end of the story already, don't you? I found the little silver cross laying right out there in the grass where she had been reading. I love it when God answers our little, specific, everyday prayers for us!!

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'Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me you eyes so I can see
Everything that I've been missing'

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Scrappy, Artsy, Hooky-ness

I have some scrappy stuff & some hooky stuff & some artsy stuff that I've been working on & thought I'd share with y'all today.

First off, the scrappy stuff. Just a couple of cards I made....one Mother's Day & one Birthday card.
This was done for a challenge at CUC  ......We're doing challenges this month that have to do with TV.....thus the title of  it's a 'Fact of Life' that we always have fun whenever we're together!!
These snow pictures were done for my challenge this week: As many of you know, NCIS is one of my all-time favorite TV shows & will be the focus of our challenge today. Well, actually more specifically, Miss Abigail (Abby) Sciuto. Abby Sciuto is a forensic specialist at the Naval Criminal Investigative Service headquarters at the Washington Naval Yard, with expertise in ballistics, digital forensics, and DNA analysis. In the first episode for season 7, "Truth or Consequences", Special Agent Tony DiNozzo, while under the influence of a truth serum, describes her as "a paradox wrapped in an oxymoron smothered in contradictions in terms. Sleeps in a coffin. Really, the happiest goth you'll ever meet." Her gothic style of dress and her interest in death and the supernatural enigmatically contrast with her generally hyperactive demeanor and enthusiasm about her work.

So....along the lines of forensics, we often think of fingerprints. Thus, my technique I'm challenging you all to use today is FINGER painting. Yep, you heard me. I want you to get messy. No brushes allowed. I want you to dive right in & use your fingers to paint on your layout. On my snowy layout, I fingerpainted with gesso. It gave a really cool textured look. I smudged alot on the background & on the torn edges, I really gooped it on extra thick. And I didn't do it on purpose.....honest, I didn't.......but when I went to scan my layout, I realized that my title/song lyrics included the word 'Fingerprints'....."His fingerprints are everywhere.....I saw God today." --George Strait. So, I decided that IF you so choose to accept my additional challenge of working the word 'Fingerprints' into your title/journaling.....then I will put your name in the hat for an extra-special little 'Happy' from me.How's that for a challenge?!
  

    
This layout of Mema & Chris was done for a challenge to use fussy-cutting on your page. I fussy-cut all those little flowers.....bunches of them.
Now for the art journaling stuff. Sandee got me going again with the zentangles....been looking at lots of cool & interesting stuff on youtube & pinterest.
Just a few samples of my art journal.....alot of these are works in progress. I seem to do a little here & then later I'll come back & add a little more......
And now for the Hooky stuff. I picked up this cool knitting book at the library last week. I really think I might like to try & find this on half.com or something. It's a really good reference book to have.
I thought this 'Four Stitch Check' pattern looked really cool......and simple for a novice like myself. I'm trying to push myself to learn more about knitting.
Basically it's 4 knits, then 4 purls......thought it would make a cool dishcloth.
And lastly, just one of my good ole stand-by, knit-on-the-diagonal dishcloths.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Rock-A-Bye-Rocky

Rocky LOVES to be spoiled by the girls! And they love to spoiling him.
Just look at that baby!
Alli is singing to him.....Jon's version of 'Rock-A-Bye-Baby'......while Ashley scratches his belly

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Happy Mother's Day!


Hope all you moms out there had an awesome day today.....I know I did! I feel so blessed!! I started the morning off with breakfast made by Ashley & Jon.

Jon made the scrambled eggs & coffee
And Ashley made home-made cinnamon buns. YUM!
After that, I got to open presents. Ashley made this cool piece of art to go on the wall here in my craft room.
This awesome painted canvas was done by Miss Alli. It's the words to Lauren Alaina's song 'Like My Mother Does'........."When I love I give it all I've got
Like my mother does
When I'm scared, I bow my head and pray
Like my mother does

When I feel weak and unpretty
I know I'm beautiful and strong
Because I see myself like my mother does
"
  
Chris gave me this whole set of all 4 Karate Kid movies. I sense a movie marathon in the near future!
And last, but not least......Jon MADE me this amazing crochet hook!! He whittled it out of a limb from the 'Bug Tree' out front. How cool, is that?! My bestest one-of-a-kind crochet hook. 
 At church today, they had all the children (5-10 years old) sing in the main service for all the moms. It was so cool! We got to hear Anna, Daniel, Jesse & Taylor this morning. They did such an awesome job & we are so proud of all of them! After church, we headed over to Maw's & had lunch with her & visited for a while.
Then on to Starbucks this afternoon about 3:30.....for one last 'Happy Hour' visit....in honor of Mother's Day, ya know. ;-)
And to finish off this awesome Mother's Day, Clay took me out to eat tonight at Texas Roadhouse. He said he figured I'd appreciate a 'Date Night' with just some 'me & him' time more than flowers or a gift. And he's so right. Does he know me well, or what?! 

I think I am going to tuck myself into bed & read for awhile now. I really have had a BLESSED day today!!

Stuff

Just thought I'd share a few cards that I made recently. The bottom two are Mother's Day cards.....for Maw & Sarah.
And my Good Will finds from this past Friday. Ashley found two books & shown here is a sun dress for Alli along with a pair of Old Navy 'skinny' jeans, a pair of Levi's carpenter shorts for Chris & the turquois top is mine. ;-)

Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Recent Layout

This is one I did for a sketch challenge last month. Alli took these pictures when she spent the night at Cori's house. This is Cori's cat, Maddie & she is one FAT CAT! So, fat that when they took her to get her de-clawed, the vet actually said they needed to put her on a diet because she weighed 20lbs!
These pictures are a 'few' years old......about 23 to be exact. Clay holding Chris when he was about 4 months old.

Monday, May 07, 2012

Fingerprints

I was sitting out on the front porch this morning with my coffee reading 'Essentials for Life For Women' by Marcia Ford. Thought I'd share this little snippet with you all..........

'His (God's) fingerprints are evident throughout the universe.  A stunning sunset behind a snowcapped mountain range, waves crashing against a shoreline, the grandeur of a rugged canyon, and the simple eloquence of an apple orchard all depict the care God took in fashioning the earth. He made certain that creation reflected his artistry. When words fail to convince people of God's existence, the wonder and beauty of creation often win them over.'

And here are the 'fingerprints' that I saw this morning from my front porch:





And let's not forget these.........yummy strawberries that Michael picked from Ashley's strawberry patch yesterday evening! Isn't God's handiwork amazing?!

Saturday, May 05, 2012

My Thrifty Finds

Just thought I'd share a few of my bargain treasures that I found yesterday.

I hardly ever go look at the cds myself.....the girls do, but I just don't....for whatever reason. Anyway, since I was by myself yesterday I decided to just go see what I might find. I found this Francesca Battistelli cd for $5 at Walmart. WooHoo! I've got it on my computer now & I can also stick it in the van so I can listen to cds while I drive.
Since I was checking out music yesterday....I figured I may as well see what they had at Target too, right? I LOVE Jamie Grace & was tickled to find this one for $7.99I can't believe that I bought myself TWO cds.....but hey, for $13.....not too bad.  
The rest of these goodies came from Good Will. Sorry for the wonky photo of my top....but you get the drift. All of these shirts were $1 each.
These four are for Jon.....
...and these are Michael's.
I also found these Tracie Peterson books.....$1 apiece. I just love shopping days like this!

Sketchy Saturday

Since today is 'Sketchy Saturday' I decided that I was going to use one of the sketches by Elsie. I love her funky & fun sketches! You can click HERE if you want to see this a bit bigger. I chose to use sketch number 3 for my layout, but I'm feeling mighty generous right now & I will let you choose any one of these 28 sketches. Just please tell us which one you chose. ;-) 
Now for my TV connection. Again, I'm going kind of 'Broad' here......I want you to use The Learning Channel (TLC) as your inspiration. Whether you are inspired by a particular show....something you LEARNED from watching a show....or maybe like me.....maybe you had the opportunity to meet/see some of the TV personalities in person. We had the opportunity to hear Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar from the TLC show '19 Kids & Counting' when they came to speak at Liberty University's convocation back in October. They had their 5 oldest daughters with them & they played their violins for us. Afterwards, we stood in line for 2 1/2 hours to meet them, get their autographs & take pictures with them. They are an amazing family...such an inspiration!
 
 

Basket Weave

I found a new blog this morning & fell in love with this blanket! I love the stitch pattern. MUST learn how to do this!!

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

2 Years!

My internet has been out for 3 days.....but obviously I'm finally back in business again. Just a quick post with a few pictures that I snagged......Chris & Ashley C. spent this past weekend together celebrating two years of dating.

The emerald promise ring he gave her.
Ashley's grandparents. They have a place at Myrtle Beach & Chris & Ashley were able to go down & visit with them over the weekend. ;-) What a fun way to celebrate.....at the beach!