Christ is Born

Hello, friends & Merry Christmas!!!

2 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. ³ So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
⁴ Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. ⁶ So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. ⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
⁸ Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰ Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹ For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Let's talk about why we celebrate Christmas.  The true meaning of Christmas is certainly not found in the over-commercialized holiday that every ad on tv throws at you.  It's not Santa.  It's not found in the presents and food.  The true peace and joy of Christmas is not found in anything earthly.  

The true meaning of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Christ, our Messiah.  The Son of God, who swapped his celestial seat for a meager manger.  So, why was the Savior and King born in a stable?  And why was he placed in the animals' trough?  Certainly, God's Son was worthy of a high-profile birth, surrounded by elegance.  Instead, though, God's Son made His appearance on earth in the lowliest of circumstances.  His humble birth sends an amazing message to us:  The all-knowing, all-powerful God came down to us to meet us where we are.  He didn't come as a pampered, privileged ruler.  Jesus was born to humble parents, in meager surroundings to show that He is approachable, accessible and available to all of us.  He longs for a relationship with us and that is where you will find true hope and joy. 

This is why we celebrate Christmas.  I pray that we all keep Jesus at the center of our hearts and homes, not only at Christmas time, but always.  I pray each of you have a Christ-filled Christmas, no matter what the season looks like for you this year.  I pray you are each safe & healthy and filled with peace.  Amen.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!  

O, Holy Night

Art Deco Alpha

Marker Alpha

Rebecca Script Alpha

 

Christmas Hymnal Journaling

How about a little Christmas hymnal journaling to kick off your week?! 😉 I put up my Christmas tree this weekend and have been listening to non-stop Christmas music. I'm usually a "not until after Thanksgiving" girl, but 2020 broke me.🤣

This page was fun, but super easy to put together. I used my VersaMagic Chalk Inks to blend the background, and then used the Jesus is Born Silhouettes, All Your Heart, and Teeny Alpha stamp sets to create the silhouette and title. I used a white gelly roll pen to add the white accents and shadowing. 

O Come, All Ye Faithful

O come, all ye faithful,

Joyful and triumphant,

O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem,

Come and behold Him,

Born the King of Angels!

O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him,

Christ the Lord.

Not all journaling needs to be in a Bible or art journal. I love hymnal art journaling! I do most of my journaling to music, and there is just something about capturing my thoughts and feelings in conjunction with the old, rich, beautiful hymns. Give it a try and tell me how you like it!

Lots of love, 

Janelle

@journalingjoy

Guess what? Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps is turning 13 this month and having sales all month long! This week's featured sale is 20% off all Creative Worship and Background Stamps 👏 (It's a great time to stock up on those Alpha and Texture Tiles stamp sets - my personal faves 😉)

 

 

Joy to the World

Hello all! Merry Christmas! Only 4 more sleeps till Christmas...anticipation is rising in my house! Christmas carols and laughter can be heard in my home, and with the 25th approaching my mind has been thinking about the shepherds startled in the night by angels with good news. My page today is an explosion of Joy, and I can't wait to share it with you!

I used the 'In Stitches' alpha and 'Sunshine Girl' alphas as well as a few alpha stickers to complete my title Joy to the World. I felt in needed a little something in the gap between world and the so I pulled out my 'Doves of Peace' and using my big brush marker in black I colored only the globe on the doves belly and stamped it down. I filled in the word 'joy' and the globe with my big brush markers...normally I would watercolor, but today I wanted to create a page a little quicker. Finally I added all the tabs, washi, stickers, and puffy hearts.

"And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign to you: you will find baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a  manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" Luke 2:10-14

Reading the Christmas story every year brings such joy and excitement to my heart! I now have the joy and privilege of watching the same excitement rise in my children as we gather together and talk about what happened on that night so long ago. I hope this joy fills you heart and causes you to ponder, you and I have been given a Savior! Rejoice, the King has come, and with this baby, fullness of joy was born for all would believe. Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth on whom his favor rests!

So many Hugs and Prayers!
Jenn @creativegurl85

If you love that adorable stitched alpha you can pick it up for only $15.99...treat yo' self!

K is for Kindness

A few of us here on the Sweet 'n Sassy team are working through the Christmas season in our A, B, C's of Christmas devotional by Hillary Krippaehne of Creative Faith Co. This book has 26 daily devotions for a closer intimacy with God. Hilary really poured so much love and handwork into this book and it shows! It has really been so much fun to work in this month and I wanted to share one of my favorite pages with you today!

In general, most people seem to become a little more kind during the Christmas season. 

People also seem to be more generous and giving this time of year. 

1 John 4:19

"We love because he first loved us."

In this verse we learn that God loved us, and He wants us to show his love and kindness to others in return! Yes, there are times with some people where that is easier said than done. But he calls us to love everyone, even our enemies and strangers. During the Christmas season, it is definitely more common for people to be kind to strangers and perform random acts of kindness.  Have you ever been in the drive thru at Starbucks and someone ahead of you pays for your order?! Isn't that such an awesome surprise that just puts a smile on your face and brightens your day?? I know it does mine!

Or how about when someone leaves a very generous tip for a restaurant server that did a great job and they just wanted to bless them during the Christmas season?! I was never a server but when I worked as a hostess in high school, an older couple left a huge tip for a server that brought her to tears! How special and a way to become such a blessing to someone!

This page even contains a bit of kindness! This beautiful Christmas tag with the coffee cup and Christmas tree was a gift from a sweet person in a crafty swap! Even tiny little things like a small unexpected gift can be so special to someone! If everyone could just hold onto that giving and generous spirit all year long, just think of how much better the world would be!! We can't change the actions of others, but we can start with what WE do and how WE choose to treat and bless others! 

So remember, as Christians, we are called to show God's love and kindness to others! 

Be a light in a dark world!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your friends and family! It has been a blessing sharing with you all this year on the Creative Worship Team!!

xoxo,

Stephanie Gammon

In Stitches Alpha

Mini Grunge Type Alpha 

Immanuel

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.  Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.  Isaiah 7:14

Immanuel. God with us.

God with us. You and me. This world. Your neighbor. Our children. Us. 

God loves the world. (John 3:16) There isn’t anyone too far away from the love of God. When Immanuel is defined as God being with us, it means He’s available for all of us.

God with us. Alongside us. Always near. Never out of reach. With. 

When Jesus tells His disciples that He is leaving, He reassures them not to worry because He was sending a Helper to be with us. From then until He returns, we have Holy Spirit alongside us. (John 14:16-17)

God with us. God...the God of the universe. God the creator. God the Father. God the son. God the Holy Spirit. God.

It amazes, humbles, delights, thrills, and a million other emotions, that God is with us. He is not an unknown far off God. He wants to be with us. He tells us over and over again in His Word that we can know Him. My favorite passage is Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”

Do you know Him today? Have you asked Immanuel to be with you? Seek Him. He’s waiting for you.

Art behind the story:

The Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps O Holy Night set was the perfect silhouette for this page. I used the Rebecca Script Alpha to create the word “Immanuel”, with the exception of the letter “I”, which I hand lettered.

Like I do often, I used Distress Oxides for the color on the page. The color was applied with a makeup brush. While the background may look random, it has several elements in it that mean a lot to me. 

There is a dove (Doves of Peace) stamped several times to represent the Peace that comes from knowing God. I used the Wood Backgrounds set and stamped partial images to look like a fingerprint. God’s fingerprints are all over creation. 

There are some music notes (Texture Tiles 1) mingled throughout because knowing Jesus makes my heart sing. Also, there is some text (Typewriter Text) stamped to remind me that He has the words of life. Lastly, I used the hearts from Grunge Elements 2 to show His love.

This is my last blog before Christmas. I wish each of you the sweetest time with family and friends as you celebrate the birth of Jesus!

Merry Christmas,

Gayle
Patio Ponderings

Hello, My Name Is

Advent. (n) the coming or second coming of Christ. 

My prayer during this advent season is that I would spend my time celebrating the birth of Jesus and having great expectancy that He is coming again. As I’ve been reading and studying, my heart has just been filled to overflowing with great joy!

A familiar passage came up in my study the other day, and this time, it leapt off the page in a new way and I was compelled to journal it.

Isaiah 9:6 reads “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” 

Often, I get so caught up in the first part of that verse, that I don’t focus enough on the ending. That baby, that tiny baby, that was born in Bethlehem in a stable was going to be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. What? How in the world was a baby going to be all that? Well, it’s because He wasn’t just any baby...He was, and is, the Son of God!

Wonderful Counselor
When I need someone to talk with, and I need advice, there is no one better than going straight to Jesus. He is always there and ready to listen. He’s even got an entire book of advice for me on any given situation. 

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭33:3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Mighty God
Our God is not just any God. He is the mightiest warrior that ever walked. There is no one or no thing that can defeat Him. And the best part, we don’t have to even do anything but stand still. He fights our battles for us.

“You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you."”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭20:17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Everlasting Father
To know that there is nothing that God separate us from the love of God is amazing. My God allows me to run straight in to His arms and called him Daddy. I am the child of the everlasting Father. The one who runs to me with open arms, and embraces me, and kisses me is my Daddy God.

“And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭15:20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Prince of Peace
Peace is the thing in the world that I believe everyone is looking for. Peace from the busyness of life. Peace from the stress of day to day. Peace from the million things tugging at our hearts and minds. Peace. Deep peace. He is our Peace. When we choose to think on the right things instead of the things of the world, Peace is ours.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:8-9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

During this time when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, and wait with great hope for His second coming, I encourage you to celebrate all that we have because of who He is.

Hello, my name is “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace!” 

Art behind the story:

The Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps set Hello My Name Is was the perfect set for this page. I stamped the tags on cardstock and fussy cut them. My sweet team mate, Colleen (stirthesoul on IG), gave me the suggestion for the background. I used gray watercolor and made a light wash. Then I pulled out all types of stamps (I’ll list them below) from several of our sets to add visual depth and interest to the background. Lastly, I splattered brighter watercolors on it. Then I glued the tags down, added a bit of washi, and did my journaling.

My prayer for all of you is that this page will encourage you to dig in, study about the birth of Jesus and the prophecies surrounding Him. Also, that you’ll be waiting with great hope and expectancy. He is coming again!!

Much love,
Gayle
Patio Ponderings

close up of background textures

Hello My Name Is

Doves of Peace

O Holy Night

Texture Tiles 1

Texture Tiles 3

Grunge Elements 2

Hustle and Bustle

Whew! Thanksgiving has come and gone. I don't know about you, but I’m still blinking my eyes and trying to figure out where October went, let alone almost all of November.

The rest of the year, I’m sure will go by just as fast as we are all bustling about, to and fro, getting all the things done. But why do we hustle and bustle our way through the days? Why are we hurrying at all?

Not only are we bustling around, sometimes the grouchiness comes along for the ride. Okay, maybe not for you, but I have to intentionally choose or it creeps up on me.

We can’t stop the way the world presses in on us, but we sure can stop the way we react to all of it. We can prepare our hearts as we start each day, and that certainly helps set the tone for our response to the demands of this time of year.

I was reading the other day in 2 Corinthians chapter two where Paul tells us that God uses us to “diffuse the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” Hmmm. That made me think.

When I’m hustling and bustling, am I diffusing Christ...or something a lot less pleasing? When that one family member that gets on my last nerve, gets on my last nerve, how do I respond? Or do I react? What about that driver that cuts you off? Or the person who picks up the last item of the shelf at the store?

In those moments, I have a choice. I can be the fragrance of Christ and make His presence known, or I can act ugly.

For me, I’m much more likely to diffuse Christ when I’m in the Word and responding instead of reacting. As the hustle and bustle approaches, I encourage you to spend a little extra time with Him so that you’ll be a pleasant fragrance!

“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.”
‭‭II Corinthians‬ ‭2:14-15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Art behind the story:

Poinsettias and Pine are the perfect representation of Christmas fragrance, so I knew these Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps were perfect for this page. I used Christmas Pine to stamp the frame of branches and pine cones on the scrapbook paper. The words are stamped with Rebecca Script Alpha and Free Indeed. The Christmas Poinsettia flower and leaves were stamped on separate card stock. I used a loose watercolor on them, and then added inktense pencils for added depth. After fussy cutting the flowers and leaves, I adhered them to the background. For a pip comfort color, I stapled a piece of ribbon to the top of the page. Lastly, I adhered the page to the page in my interleaved Bible.

Editor’s note: This is the page I started earlier this week (11/19/18) in the Facebook live on the Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps page.