Love is...

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  8 Love never fails.  (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

1 Corinthians 13 is a definition of love--God's perfect, pure love.  I'm a teacher.  When I assign my students vocabulary words, I often have them do it in a Frayer Model-style.  This is a model to help students fully understand a concept by identifying a word's definition, its characteristics, its examples, and its non-examples.  Basically, it helps to understand what something is by also understanding what it isn't. Here is what the model looks like for the word "turtle":

1 Corinthians 13, although not technically a Frayer Model in design, uses the same characteristics to help us understand the concept of love.  It describes love, giving examples, as well as non-examples.

Love is...

Love does not...

Love always...

Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, knew that describing what love wasn't would help them understand what love was.  And what it wasn't was more like the love this world has to offer.  Paul contrasts God's perfect love to the imperfect love that we usually see and experience in this world.  The only time we can experience this perfect love is when God is in the picture. This love is God's character; and only when we allow His character to reign in our hearts can we love with this God-character love described in these verses.  

Art Talk:

For this page, I used some patterned papers that a dear, sweet friend sent to me.  I stamped the letters L-O-V-E with the In Stitches Alpha stamp set and cut them out.  Then I stamped and fussy cut a series of hearts onto the papers using this month's Stamp-of-the-Month Filigree Hearts. I printed out the verses 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 onto card stock, cut out each phrase, and then pasted a phrase onto each of the little cut-out hearts.  I made a tag that says LOVE, and then used a vellum envelope to store the little hearts. I created a background on the Bible page with some Shimmerz Inklingz (A Rose by Any Other Name), some stamping and splattering.  I then embossed a heart and the cursive "love" (using the His Love set) onto the front of the vellum envelope.  I placed a scrap of hymn paper inside it, as well as all the little hearts.  I added a tag to the top of the page with some washi, and then adhered the large LOVE tag to the page.  

These little hearts can be removed from or viewed through the vellum envelope.

Thanks for joining me today.  I pray that you'll be able to experience God's true, perfect love today.  

Blessings--

Julie

FILIGREE HEARTS

"She Will Bear a Son" Bookmark

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Happy Thursday, lovelies!!

It's Deeds, and I'm here with a bit of something different.  I don't usually have a knack for things that involve tons of creativity.  However, given a challenge is something I'm up for, especially if it means that my creative journey is becoming brighter and more colorful!  (pun intended)

This month's release is one of those that gives me a lot to think about; a lot to mull over; a lot to try; a lot to experiment with, etc.  ALL the Christmas stamps are beautiful as you've probably seen, and ALL have such a sweet heart behind them.  The themes of them cause me to reflect even more on why I am who I am; why I love what I love, and WHO I love.  Things that draw me deeper into fellowship with God are absolutely worth my time and creative juices!

I'm using the stamp set called, "O, Holy Night."  It's just one of many wonderful sets released for the getting ready for the Christmas season.  I have always been passionate about the time of Advent.  I have always loved how the Christmas season begins earlier every year - the sooner the better in my mind, as it gears me up even sooner to meditate on my Lord and Savior, who came to the world to save people from their sins.  I'm not alone in this I know it! ;D

THE GOSPEL is by far the most important theme of Christmas.  I know I like to think about trees, food, songs, winter dresses, parties, gift exchanges and so on.  These are all good, but mean nothing without the attachment of Jesus Christ, whom we celebrate! 
It's why I love the stamp I used on the bookmark today.  It speaks of the gospel so clearly; it underlines the most important event in human history; it brings to light the contrast between Jesus (God in the flesh, born of a virgin) and the world in need of a Redeemer!

"You will call His name Jesus for He will save His people from their sins."  (Matthew 1:21)

The stamp is in the shape of a tree which helped as
inspiration for color and texture placement.

The cost and value of this Life in exchange for mine is not understandable, let alone for the whole world.  It's something that only God will understand ever.  A son.  A perfect life.  A perfect obedience.  A perfect Spirit.  A perfect Man.  A perfect Sacrifice.  A perfect Salvation.

Jesus is the reason for this season, and He's the reason for all seasons beyond!  We celebrate Christmas once a year - God celebrates every day and heaven's hosts sing "Hallelujah!" to the King, born in a lowly stable, dying the sinner's death, now living at the right hand of God!  Praises to His name!

I have a video tutorial up on my Youtube channel as to how I formed and fashioned this.  I've truly enjoyed the process behind making something I can use as a token of love for another.  I'll be making more of these for gifts for the holidays.  

Much love,

Deeds