Being Wise

My very awesome pastor, Dave Reno, sent me the slide deck for a sermon he did on being wise. I asked him to send it to me because I have a lot to learn. I aspire to be like some wise people I have known (my dad, Uncle George) and some I havent (Jimmy Carter). Essentially, Dave said, that being wise isnt your IQ or your knowledge, its 'Navigating life without regrets'.

1. When confronted with my sin/disobedience, questionable ethics or inconsiderateness, I do not blow it off or ridicule the standard or it’s presenter. Fools mock at making amends for sin, Proverbs 14:9
2. I rarely put people down or make fun of the inadequacies of others. Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are ended. Proverbs 22:10
3. I regularly seek and accept the counsel of wise & godly people. He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. Proverbs 13:20
4. Others feel safe in confronting or correcting me. I respond without anger or defensiveness. "Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse. [8] Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you. Proverbs 9:7-8
5. My thoughts & decisions regularly seek God’s perspective. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, Proverbs 1:7. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; Proverbs 3:5
6. I am known for my humility & do not draw attention to my accomplishments or opinions. Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. James 3:13
7. I am slow to anger and am self controlled when annoyed, frustrated, or hurt. A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult. Proverbs 12:16
8. I am submissive to authorities in my life. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. James 3:17
9. I was/am submissive to my parents & made them proud when young. A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother. Proverbs 10:1 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke. Proverbs 13:1
10. I carry my share of the family load & others agree. He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son. Proverbs 10:5

How do I get wise?

• Ask God
• Read the directions (bible)
• Ask for advice and take it
• Accept rebuke
• Hang with the wise
• Be submissive
• Seek God in everything

Please pray for me to apply this (and for me to get my swaps done)

Swaps, Swaps, Swaps

To get my creative juices flowing, sometimes I participate in swaps. I do other things to like go on Splitcoaststampers or look at magazines but its always easier for me if I am challenged to do something and then have some product to hold in my fat little hands. I have been stamping a loooooong time so to break out of the doldrums, a few months ago, I signed up for my first inchie swap. Inchies are 1"x1" squares decorated as you would a card. It was so much fun that I signed up for another and another and another and now I am hosting my own beach theme inchies. I have also been doing quite a few ATC swaps and joined 2 new 2009/2010 catty swaps but havent started working on them yet. I get high when I am stamping and think its the greatest drug in the world, hence the name of my blog.

Getting ready for my first class in a loooong time

I have been re-invigorating my Stampin Up business and have scheduled events every 2 weeks all summer. Today is my first class - Hoppy Memories - using the Hoppy Memories Simply Scrappin kit. It didnt occur to me that I would have to scramble to find the materials for this class but this kit retired and then quickly sold out before I could order it so I had to beg other demos to sell me their kits just so I had enough stuff for the class. I hope my other classes and stamp camps go a little smoother.

First Blog - Ever!

I am finally into the 21st century. My children would disgree since I ask them to come over to do the most menial electronic things. Like hook up the DVD player, reset the time on my car clock when its daylight savings time, and hook up a router on my computer because it was too slow. Ok Ken did the car clock thingy but I really did need Jeff to hook up the DVD player and Jesse to set up the router. Poor things stuck with a mother like me. What’s worse is that computers are my business or that’s what everyone thinks. I am really a Business Analyst so technically, I write software development requirements but because they are for computer/web apps, all my non industry friends think I work at the help desk. I just let them think that because it’s easier than trying to explain it for the umpteenth time.

Thats my day job, but by night (or really early evening since I am asleep by 10:30) I craft. I scrapbook. I stamp. I make stuff out of paper and glue and brads and ribbon and hardware and pretty much anything that comes into my studio is fair game to be used in some way to further my paper crafting. Like last week, Austin and Logan were playing in my studio while I was halfheartedly watching Somewhere In Time/sadly missing Christopher Reeve and looking at the Splitcoast gallery when I seen Logans elmo doll. I wondered if I could make an elmo out of punches and then cut off some of the hair on his elmo doll to add to my card. ok, I DIDNT CUT OFF ANY OF HIS ELMO DOLLS HAIR. SHEESH. I am just making a point here, if it comes in the room its fair game.

That’s all I can do for now. Maybe tomorrow I will share one of my many bathroom stories that my sister thinks are so funny that she can tell her friends about it. Then when she introduces me, they say, ‘Is this the one that got stuck in the bathroom with her hand stuck down her pants?’ Sheesh