I have currently gone through some technical difficulties with this blog. My new blog is http://pursuingthelight1.blogspot.com/!

Gifts

It is getting to the end of the year when seniors are graduating (sigh), college students are moving home for the summer, Mothers' day is here, and three birthdays are this month in my family. That means many thank you letters, going away cards, birthday gifts, grad cards, etc. Although this time of year is very hectic and crazy, it is fun to set aside time to create gifts for others. This is especially a fun time for me because I love crafting!

I wanted to share a few of my favorite ways to make gifts.

I personally love things that are basic and can be vamped up in a fun and cheap way. An example of this would be adding decorations to a plain white wall by going to a garage sale and purchasing some frames for cheap and spray painting them fun colors. I would probably then put in fun sayings or hang some letters in the frame. This is just one way to make something basic look inviting! The possibility's are endless with the things you can do!

So, here are some of the gifts that I made this year.



This was a gift for my sister who just turned eleven.

You will see how much I love plain brown or white anything. It is just so easy to work with and fun to add anything you want to it!

  

These are grad cards to some friends who recently had their parties.

 For these cards I mainly used washi tape, stamps, and colored pencils. With every card that I make, I always try to make it a little different just for fun. I also like to create cards to the personality of the person that I am giving it too.  

Here are some of my favorite ways to create color:

• Washi tape. You can get many different styles, patterns, and colors of wahi tape. I literally have about 15 rolls of it. I love it.
• Use different mediums. Colored pencils, paint, chalk, markers, etc.
• Stamps. You can use stamps to personalize whatever you are doing. I was writing a letter to a friend named Emily so I stamped e's all over the front of her card. 
• Stickers. You can find fun stickers anywhere to enlighten the card. 

Lent

During this lent season, I have been reading through my churches lent blog. This has been one of the best things that I have done in my life. It has helped me to grow in my relationship with the Lord greatly. Everyday I got an email that included the daily reading and further studying on the passage we were going through.

Overall, this blog has helped me understand a very small amount of Gods great love for weary sinners like us. The more I read the bible, the more I see how awful and rotten we are.  But this is why our great Jesus came into this earth; to save sinners. I think it is very easy for us (including myself) to overlook the cross. Jesus gave up his life for us. Philippians 2:8 says "He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death - even to death on a cross." Oh, how great is our Lord?!?

Something else that I have learned from this blog is how big the father is and how hard it is to comprehend and fathom the greatness of him. When I come across feelings like this, I am immediately drawn to my knees and in awe of the fathers greatness. One of my favorite songs, After All (Holy), portrays this feeling so well.

I am very thankful for a father who grows in me more and more. Jesus, thank you for this wonderful season of lent.