BEAUTIFUL CHRISTIAN SISTER

BEAUTIFUL CHRISTIAN SISTER

by Maya Angelou

'A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ

that a man should have to seek Him first to find her.'

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not shouting 'I'm clean livin''

I'm whispering 'I was lost, now I'm found and forgiven.'

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I don't speak of this with pride.

I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not trying to be strong.

I'm professing that I am weak and need His strength to carry on.

When I say.. 'I am a Christian' I'm not bragging of success.

I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not claiming to be perfect,

My flaws are far too visible... but, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I still feel the sting of pain..

I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not holier than thou,

I'm just a simple sinner Who received God's good grace, somehow!

Pretty is as Pretty does... but beautiful is just plain beautiful!

Tough week.

Very emotionally tough week.
A very lovely brother in Christ, Andrew, died after courageously battling cancer and other infirmities for more time than most people could endure. He has been an inspiring example of NEVER giving up, even when doctors/"experts" tell you things are hopeless. But, knowing that Brother Andrew will no longer be in pain or distress is very comforting.
His funeral was a great comfort to everyone. His brother has that same sense of humor that I came to enjoy the years I worked with Bro Andrew in the sound booth at church. It was truly the kind of funeral that Andrew would have wanted. Not a complete downer, but with quite a bit of laughing and reminising. Bro Andrew had written two different songs, one called "Pauline's Song" and one called "Ezequel's Song." Each song was played during the service. Beautiful tributes.

I look at his life, only 29 years of it, and think, wow, most people don't get half the blessing and love in their whole long lives, as he got in his. His wife, Pauline, is an awesome woman of God, friend and incredibly faithful human being. She has been a true servant, in every way someone could be. I think I saw her comfort more people this past week, which is a true testimony of how she truly is.

Thank you, Bro Andrew, for being a great example to us all. You will never be forgotten.

I am so wanting to take a weekend up north in the mountains.
I had a very lovely time last time with some scrappy friends.
(happy sigh)


 

On another note, my scrapping mojo (desire) is and has been real low. Not sure why. 
I think I need to start pulling scrappy stuff together to purge what I haven't used or won't use and get the yard sale planned.

Plus, I decided I will be moving into an apartment or townhouse with my friend Deb, within about 4-6 months, so I need to purge for that reason as well.

Do Over Please or Toddlers, Teenagers and Trying Times.

Ok, so I am sure you have heard of "do overs" right?

Well, I am shouting DO OVER with regards to blogging every week or more.

My friend Amanda sweetly reminded me today, so here I am!

I am still trying to get some changes made in my life. I am trying to be sensitive to the move of God.

It can be very difficult. I wish it wasn't, but it has been lately.

I seriously want to go back to being the always-happy person I was just over two years ago.

Life has been so incredibly busy. We now have three adults, two teenagers, one toddler and three dogs living in this less than 2000 sq ft house. To say things are going smoothly, wouldn't be completely true, but to say things are going badly, would not be true either. We are all trying to figure out how to make things work, not get on each others nerves too much, and be able to cohabitate without too much drama.

That said, having my 19 mo old great niece Drea around has been such a joy!

She keeps us all in stitches with her amazing language skills. Every word with an S has a lisp on it. And she repeats EVERYTHING said, so let's just say, so far so good on that! haha!

She just adores our dogs. No, I mean REALLY adores them. When I yell to the dogs, "Time to eat!" she is right there, trying to help. Even literally hand-feeding them. Especially the Roxy, the puppy.

OK, so I will do better with this blogging thing. It actually was nice putting these things to words. :)

I am back!!!

So here I am after a very long break.
Yes, my blogging skills are definitely NOT mad skillz. HAHA! But here I am to try again.
I want to blog here as well as post some crafting projects.
So I renamed my blog to First Light Of Dawn. Catchy, right?

The above photo shows what will be my three modes of daily devotional and inspiration, beginning tomorrow. My Bible, my journal and a singles devotional that I won at church camp a couple years ago and never read.
I know I have said this before, right here on this blog, but I will say it again.

Life changes as of tomorrow.

"I can't" and "I won't" will be replaced with "I WILL."
I will be trying to blog at least once or twice a week, and hopefully much more.
So sit back, read, laugh, cry, smile, and pray with me for big, positive life changes!

Andrea Time and her 1st birthday!

I had such an enjoyable week having Megan and Andrea here with me while mom and dad went camping! Andrea has the cutest personality, but boy does she have a temper!! Whoooooo!

Her 1st birthday was 7/17!

Here are some pics I took.

Pretty Andrea playing with a car that belongs to my nephew Connor.

Bikini Baby! One of my youngest sister's friends got this for her!

Isn't she cute!

Here is 'Drea playing with her baby buggie!

Look who is super mobile now and loves to carry her toys around!

This is a cute musical toy that spins and plays music when she presses that purple button down.

This is her birthday outfit that we got her for her 1st birthday, which was 7/17!

My youngest sister, Melissa, playing with Andrea.

This is her train toy we got her for her birthday! She picked it out over dollies and all things pink! She LOVE balls and putting things inside other things! (Dump and fill)

Aren't her hightops cute?

Megan and Andrea.

Recent layouts that I have done!

OK OK, I suppose since I DID call this DAWNYLOVETOSCRAP, that I should maybe, uh, post more layouts!!! Haha!! Here we go!!

"Inner Beauty"

I used alot of items from the May Swirlydoos Vintage Chic kit!

May Arts—Crochet Lace (2')

MDGB—Tight Burlap

Prima—Butterfly

Prima-flowers

My journaling says: "I really cherish my happy moments! Nov 07 "

The chipboard embellie says, "Find your inner beauty"

So sorry about the nasty, blurry scan!!

"Boys"

I made this page with my April Swirlydoos Urban Grunge Kit. This was REALLY out of my usual scrapping box. I am not real big on the grungy look. But I did it!!

I used the 7 Gypsies rubon TOUGH GUYS on the chipboard wrench on the right side.

I journaled on the rocket at lower left: Mason & Connor Spring 2009 "You love playing together!"

Here are the kit items I used:

7 Gypsies - rubz (graphique)

Uline - Corrugated Cardboard

Home Depot - Drywall tape (white)

Home Depot - Metal Grate

7 Gypsies - Photo turns

Maya Road - Chipboard Keychain (Boys)

Basic Grey - Buttons

Maya Road - Mini chipboard gears

May Arts - Black ric rac

Other items used not in the kit:

Stampin Up Basic Black Marker

3 Bazzill MonoTrio Black Brads

Color Box Black Chalk Ink

My own extra red buttons

"Playing"

This 12x12 page is about my great niece Andrea.

The vellum phrase says:

"A CHILD IS A GIFT

A child to hold and cuddle,

'tis a gift from God above.

And the world is so much brighter,

when you have a child to love."

I wrote up the left side, next to the larger photo,

"Andrea at 6 months."
I used Kraft and lime green cardstock for the colored background paper, and Die Cuts With a View Old World paper for the photo mats. I inked the edges with Stazon Timber Brown ink.

The blingy butterfly is from Kaiser Scrapbooks and the blooms are all Bazzill Blingy Blooms with blingy flower centers.

Shirley and I had such a nice time at the CKC Mesa Preview crop today!!

And here is the ONE LO I got done in five hours. :lol:

Girl
by DawnInAZ
Scrapbook.com

Tim Holtz Ranger Video-UBER COOL!

This is one of the COOLEST videos of how products are packaged at Ranger Industries!! Tim Holtz shot the footage!

I scrapped!!!! YEA!!

VCW-Tink's Bling Challenge
by DawnInAZ
Scrapbook.com

This is a 12x12 LO of my great niece Andrea for Tink's Bling Challenge in VCW COF on scrapbook.com.
We were to do a one or two page LO ... and count Bling points.

1 point: each Rhinestone
each Blinged letter
each Bead
5 points: each silver gold or metallic add on
10 points: Each item that has glitter on it
Each Stickled item
15 points: Blingy Paper
Blingy Flower
20 points: Blingy Ribbons

My blingy items:
I Stickled the butterflies, and all of the title letters.
I have a blingy Rhinestone border around the photo, blingy trails behind each butterfly, blingy flower centers all over the page and on the small flowers, a blingy flower on the large bloom. The paper is that super cool SEW CUTE PP from Prima. I used the very cool Martha Stuart lacey border punch on the green journaling mat.
Alot of the items on this page were from my Swirlydoos Whimsy Kit for March!

CUTENESS extras!

Ladies and Gentleman, I give you

AMERICAN IDOL - KID STYLE!

Here is Mason and his friend Daysia performing for the "audience."

(Jazzy, her sister is watching.)

Quite the talent!! No bashfulness here!

BIG FINISH!!

"Deep" moment.

Mason, I love how much of a ham you are!!



Here are some more photos of family CUTENESS!!

Connor and Mom enjoying time together.

Look who is sitting up now!

Playing with her toesies!

Playing and chewing!

Love those dimples Mason!

He and Ralphy love to play and run together!

Mason lost his first tooth!

Two Gamer Brothers!!

Connor, such the poser! He called this his "big boy look."

haha!

Connor has such a nice smile!

I am baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!!

Oh boy, I have not been doing good with keeping my blog up to date! I will try to get better at it! Whew, do I have so many pics to post!
Here are some random holiday images around our house from Christmas.

Isn't Andrea's holiday outfit the most adorable thing?

Ralphy, kickin it under the idol tree, oops I mean the Christmas tree.

(Idol tree comment is a family joke!)

I love this angle I caught with Ralphy looking up, almost seemingly at the tree.


We had lovely holidays, with Megan and Andrea spending most of their three weeks at our house. What bliss that was to have a baby going through milestones in the midst of the holiday stuff!
Here are some photos of major CUTENESS from the December visits,

through the holidays and into first week of January.

Note the bib signage. Haha!

Big eyes!

Mason and Andrea have a fun moment.

I was so thrilled that I caught this UBER adorable grin on Andrea's face!

My youngest sister, Melissa with my lil nephews, Connor and Mason.

Connor and Mason's new puppy, Saylor, was lounging next to the gifts on Christmas Eve.

Andrea has HAD IT with her hat!

The adults smiling so nice, but babies just have to fuss sometimes!

Gangs all here on Christmas Eve! On top left is Skyler, top right is Mason, then Melissa, Megan, holding Andrea, and Connor is in the front.

Megan and Andrea kickin it on Christmas Eve.

Andrea loves her new jumper that her nana and grampa gave her!

Connor and Mason opening a gift together.

Mom is in craft happyland!!

We posed Andrea in front of the tree, next to the gifts.

Jacob wasn't feeling good, but after nana prayed over him, he was so much better that he came out for gift opening! Thank You God!