How to Create Seeking Christmas Ornaments

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My favorite element of Seeking Christmas is the ornament activity.  When you purchase Seeking Christmas, you will find instructions for using your ornaments each day as well as instructions for downloading here by signing up for email updates.

There are so many ways these ornaments can be created.  I can’t wait to see all the creations from this Christmas season.  Whether you are crafty or not, you will love creating these with your family.

When you sign up for email updates, you will receive your free download.  Ornaments can be created in sizes of 2 inch, 3 inch, or 3.5 inch.

In addition, check the Store page for all kinds of ornament info.

If you are not the crafting type, you may prefer to simply cut out the ornaments, glue the back and front sides together, tie a string and call it a day.  You can take it a step further by putting a slightly larger colored cardstock circle between the front and back pieces.  Or you can even laminate.  This is the simplest and fastest way to create these ornaments.

Some may choose to use photo insert ornaments to display the cutouts.  This involves almost no crafting.

But for the crafting lovers, we have lots of ways you can do this.  And since I’m not crafty, I am really excited for you to share with me your creations!  For now, I will share some of my materials and completed ornaments to spark some ideas for you.

Ornaments can be created with many types of materials.  Below you will see wooden circles, cork coasters, paper mache ornaments, and porcelain.  All of these items I purchased at Hobby Lobby.

For the wooden circles, just pick up a bag of eye screws (located right with the wooden circles at craft stores) and some ribbon or twine.

papermache

corkcoasters

 

woodencircles

 

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After selecting your ornament material, you will print your downloads.  I suggest uploading to a copy center such as Staples, Office Depot etc.  It’s 59 cents a copy.  To me it was easier.  I selected the paper weight (I suggest 110 weight white card stock), uploaded the file, and chose pickup location and time.  Print at home if that is easier for you!

Next, cut out your circles.  The super crafty people will have tools to cut perfect circles.  I used good old fashioned scissors and worked carefully.

Here are the cut outs

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I then spray painted my ornaments.  So fast.  I like short cuts.  Another option is acrylic.  Both work just as well.

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After paint dries completely, you will glue on the ornament cut-outs.  I use Mod Podge because I simply love it.  Just a good all in one glue and sealer.

Apply a coat of Mod Podge to each ornament and place the cut-out on the glue covered surface.

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Then you seal with a coat of Mod Podge.  Simply paint it on, trying to stay in the same direction.  Let dry about 20 minutes before doing the other side.

Finished products

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[box] If you enjoyed today’s post, consider subscribing here to receive posts via email. You will receive a free Christmas ornament download that accompanies Seeking Christmas – Finding the True Meaning Through Family Traditions.[/box]

Seeking Christmas Giveaways

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It’s giveaway time and this week I’m giving away 1 book here.  Plus I’m giving away 3 copies through Goodreads.  So you have 2 different giveaways to enter.  Bought your copy already? Enter to give one as a gift!
To enter:

  1. Subscribe on the home page to receive Inspiration for your inbox (Bonus: you will receive a free download to create your Seeking Christmas ornaments and Seeking Christmas Journal).  This is necessary to qualify you for the giveaway here.
  2. Share on FB, Twitter or Pinterest and comment back with your links.  This gives you an additional entry
  3. Leave a comment:  Share a Christmas memory.  This gives you an additional entry.

Entries must be in by Thursday, September 5th at 11:59 pm.  Winner will be announced Friday morning.

In addition to the giveaway I’m hosting here this week, you can enter on Goodreads where I’m giving away 3 copies.  The contest is open until September 30th.  Check it out…

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Seeking Christmas by Renee Robinson

Seeking Christmas

by Renee Robinson

Giveaway ends September 30, 2013.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

 

Barefoot Walks On The Move

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It’s official.  The book has launched.  The new website is up and running.  Barefoot Walks is moving to.

Check out my new site at www.renee-robinson.com.  Current subscribers to Barefoot Walks, please subscribe on my new website.  (You get some incredible, free stuff for use with Seeking Christmas!)

Love,

Renee

 

 

When Fear Shows Up

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Purple flower
Purple flower

 “It is much easier to be brave if you do not know everything.  And so your mama does not know everything. Neither do I.  We know only what we need to know.”  Number The Stars by Lois Lowry.

On a cold November morning, the silence of the morning enveloped me in its warm embrace.  The sun not yet roused, coffee mug warming my hands, Bible laid open on my lap.  The ponderings drifting in and out of my thoughts.

Then God.

One of those ponderings pricked something, so I began to write.  Ideas, bullet points, notes, thoughts.  So began Seeking Christmas.

I tucked that scratch sheet of paper in my Bible and slid it back on the shelf.  That little prick in my heart never went away.  Little by little God revealed each step for me.  Yet He never showed me the full picture.  He only showed me what I needed to know at the time.

I thought I was writing this book for my own family.

Then God.  

To be painfully honest there were many times I was hoping for a way out.  I questioned if this was really what God was calling me to.  Maybe He wasn’t and I was following my own dream, not His plan.  Maybe I would see closed-door after closed-door and that would be my answer.  At least I could say I tried.

Then God.

He did close door after door.  Then another would open.  Just when I thought I had found my dead-end, He showed me where to move.

Now 4 years later, I’m moving so far outside of my comfort zone it scares me to death quite honestly.  Had God revealed to me that cold November morning what I would be doing right now, I don’t know that I would have ever picked up another pen.

God doesn’t reveal the whole picture to us because He knows we can’t handle it.

Fear can become crippling.  It can choke us.  It can blind us.  It can cause us to see Goliath looming over us and not see the power of the stones in our own hand.  It can cause us to see the giant Midianite army against our mere 300  and forget He’s given us a trumpet and water pitcher.

Then God.

He’s whispering.  He’s cheering us on.  He’s begging us to trust Him.  He’s asking us to leave our pride and fear behind and walk with Him.  Over and over again, His Word reminds us to “Fear not.”

I am on the verge of launching my first book- moving into unknown territory.  Literally clinging to Christ because I feel the mountain of unknowns and to-dos may very well crumble and bury me.

The only thing to counter fear is prayer.

So I prayed “God just let me see You and not all the mess of details and to-dos.  Let me just see You and focus on You.”

And then I ran.  I ran hard and fast wanting to sweat the doubt and fear right out of my body.   My thoughts were a swirling sea of questions without answers.

1 mile of my run is a cornfield on my right.  A sea of corn.  It all looks the same.  My feet pounded hard on the pavement, my eyes were on the corn.  Usually my eyes are down, scouting for snakes.  Today, my eyes were up.  Looking at the corn-for anything other than corn.

Then God.

It stood out, brilliant purple, yet it was small.  Easily it could be missed.  Two purple flowers on a vine wrapped all the way up the stalk.

Aww, God.  Yes, You are right here.  In the sea of swirling fears, doubts, and questions, You remain.  Quietly You are there.  You could easily be missed if we aren’t looking through the mess of all the same to find the One thing that stands out.

Psalm 56:3  “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.”

………Thank you for all the prayers as the book release nears.   Be on the watch for my new website soon to launch and the official release of Seeking Christmas.  Lots of fun stuff planned for the weeks ahead!………..

A Dream That Never Ends

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Sky

“It was a place he used to play and be happy in; quite secret, no one knew he was there; and safe, because he had everything his own way; pleasant, because there were no unhappy endings.  In the real world just about everything had an unhappy ending or tripped him up somehow, but there, there were no endings at all-dreams don’t end-one piles on another-dreams just drift, like a picture or a view with mist over it, and then, in the mist, another picture taking shape-always one putting the other out-never an end.”

My Friend Flicka by Mary O’Hara

Hope.  We have a hope that extends beyond this world.  It’s a dream that won’t end.

Revelation 21:4-8

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”  He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”  He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.  He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son….” 

My boys paint vivid pictures of what Heaven will be like.  And I remind them of

1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV

However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,
    what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”[a]—
    the things God has prepared for those who love him—”

The Rejected Gift

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Bible

“Send a Bible to someone,”  our pastor challenged the congregation.   The name that immediately came to mind was the name of one of my son’s friends.  This friend holds a special place in our hearts, and Jacob  wanted to send his friend a Bible like his own for the last year.  Naturally, this is who we should send one to.

I jotted a little note on the bulletin and discreetly slid it into Jacob’s lap.  “Who can you think of that we can send a Bible to?”

With zero hesitation, he wrote back, “Your friend that doesn’t believe in God.”

Interesting.  The name in my mind was a “safe” name.  There would be no conflict.  No fear of rejection.  For I know and love his mom and knew the gift would be cherished.  The name God placed on my son’s heart- a bit riskier.

I immediately knew who he was referring to.  She is a friend who God most interestingly brought into my life.  From the beginning of our friendship, I knew God brought her into my life for a reason.  I just didn’t know why.  Then one conversation 2 years into our friendship revealed to me she did not believe in God.  In fact she told me that she believed she was in control of her own destiny.  I shared the exchange with my son because I knew that he would pray for her to come to know the Lord.

Sitting in the pew that morning, I felt God speaking to me through my 8-year-old.  This happens frequently.

That week we purchased Bibles, wrapped them up, shipped them off, and prayed.  Just as we expected, my son’s friend was overjoyed to receive his gift.  However, my friend had a completely opposite reaction.  She was inflamed, furious, and deeply offended.  When her email came through my inbox, my son was sitting with me.  I read the email, sat momentarily stunned, read her words again, then looked at my son.

In that moment I realized the awesomeness of God.  Yet again.  His ability to weave together so many facets of our lives in a single exchange.  In a single moment.  A friend in need of a Savior.  A child in need of witnessing the impact of an offensive gospel preached.  A child in need of learning the eternal impact of praying for the lost, praying for softened hearts, and the need for christians to show love to everyone.

I responded to my friend a loving message telling her that my gift was out of love and I had no intentions of upsetting her, that I cared for her and wanted to share the gift that had forever changed my life.  For good.

Then I turned back to my 8-year-old, in all his innocence.  A mind and heart that loves God deeply.  A mind that doesn’t understand how anyone could believe otherwise.  I shared with my boy the reaction of my friend and my response back to her.

“Mom, I don’t understand.  Why wouldn’t you explain to her that the Bible says that if she doesn’t accept Jesus as her Savior, she won’t go to Heaven?”

“Because she doesn’t believe the Bible is true.  And since she doesn’t believe the Bible, I can’t use the Bible to persuade her.  At this point we can only pray for her and show her unconditional love.”  I continued sharing with him that the gospel is offensive.  Yet we can’t allow that to stop us from sharing it.  We have to be more concerned for their eternal security and more concerned with pleasing God than pleasing man.

He walked away confused.  Not understanding how anyone could not believe something that was so real, so alive, and so active in His own life.

The following day my son came home from a long day at school.  A day that left him spent.  With teary eyes and wavering voice he said, “We prayed at school today for your friend who doesn’t believe in God.”

I laid the mail on the counter and slowly turned to face him.  Here he was tired and frustrated from a day that had not shown him kindness, yet his heart still weighed heavily for what was most important.  Swallowing hard, I met his eyes.  “Did you?  What did you say?”

“When our teacher asked if anyone had a prayer request, I said ‘Yes, my mom sent a Bible to a friend who doesn’t believe in God.  Her friend got mad at her.  And I want to pray that she would come to accept Jesus.’ “

And that is what it’s all about.  Showing God’s love, sharing God’s love, and praying.

Though our gifts may be rejected, though they may reject the Gift, His gift will always remain. Waiting to be accepted.

How to Remember So We Can Forget

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Remembering

I kept my hands at 10 and 2, focusing hard on the road ahead.  They can work out their own bickering.  I will focus on the road; let them deal with their own issues.

“I’m not Andrew today. I’m Dudey,” he piped in adding to the banter flying across the back seats.  Glancing at my rearview mirror, I matched his twinkling eyes.  “And I’m not Mommy.  I’m Rudy.”

Nose scrunched upwards, his baby blues squinted closed that ever-present twinkle.  “He-he-he,” a little whisper escaped.

“And Jacob isn’t Jacob.  He’s….Pooty,” I added hoping to distract the others from their arguing.

“Hey!  I’m not Pooty.  I’m not playing along anyway,”  Jacob chuckled.  “Besides, that is Zachary’s name.”

I’d forgotten.  How had I forgotten that?  It was only 4 or 5 years ago.

“Awwww!  Yes!  Pooty!!  Zachary, remember when Jacob nicknamed you Pooty?”

His eyes darted right as he gazed at the trees whizzing by. “Yes,” he said softly, sweetly.

Remembering.  It can stop us in our tracks.  It can change the moment completely.

“Zachary, what did you call Jacob?”  I knew it.  I wondered if they did.

Jacob wasted no time.  “Bubba!”

“Aw, yes.  Bubba.  Zachary, I remember you standing on the sidelines of Jacob’s soccer games screaming, ‘Go Bubba!!!  Go Bubba!!’ ”

They all 3 began laughing.  Then Jacob said, “I love him.  Gosh, I love him.”

In an instant we were all taken back to a time of beloved, treasured memories.  Going back took us out of the current moment, which was filled with disagreement and strife.  We were transported to a time of encouragement and were reminded of how much we loved each other.  The boys never finished their argument that day.  Remembering had changed their perspective.

Sometimes remembering can help us forget.  Remembering the past can help us forget the discomfort of the present.

I recently led a bible study at my home on One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.  In one of the sessions she reminded us how the Israelites told stories to their children.  She said something like, “Remembering is an act of thanksgiving.  Gratitude is the memory of God’s heart.  It shapes our trust in God’s heart.”

When I find myself in the valley, I love to look back on my prayer journal to remember the times on the mountain.  To remember the countless ways He shows me His goodness, mercy, love, and faithfulness.  When I remember the infinite ways He works in my life, my perspective of the moment can change in an instant.

Psalm 103:1-2 “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”