Design on Dime

This Post is especially for the Brothers at Bethel.

I felt so privileged to be given the task to

update the stage area back in 2008-09.

Working with the already established color palate of 

Berry, Gray and Honey Oak and a modest budget 

of a thousand dollars,

 I started figuring what could be done.

With so much that was already Berry and Gray 

I decided to warm it up with the honey oak gold tones.

This is what the stage area looked like before and

 below is what it looks like after some of the changes. 

I tried to come up with something that would be 

classy yet contemporary because of the style of furniture.

Which was not in the budget to change.

I am happy to say we came well under budget 

due to the generous donations of

drapery hardware, sewing labor, and

installation labor of the curtain panels

and the hanging of the art work

from some very special people I work with.

(Not affiliated with our congregation.)

 This beautiful console table I had picked out
for the project was donate some time

later by a couple from our hall.

Over time I was able to make a few 

Silk flower arrangements for the stage area.

The yearly text sign was recently changed 

by the brothers

to accommodate the drop down screen.

 Also all the re-upholstery work was done

by two brothers at no charge.

There are a few more things I would like to do.

But that will have to wait.

Working with in the same budget for the
New Mother's room this is what I
 was able to accomplish with some help.

Like this Mural where the floor to
 ceiling bookcase and file cabinets once stood.
Leaving a very large blank wall space
 and no floor trim.

I suggest to the brothers I could do
a floor to ceiling mural.
That it would look more like it was planed that
way as appose to an after thought.

An art acquaintance, not affiliated with our congregation
 helped me with the mural and we were able
 to get it done in few days.

The brothers helped with cutting the wood trim

 which I custom finished to go with the

silver frames I had picked out for these 

pretty art prints a sister donated

I also gave this 

old brown baby changer a face lift 

and painted it to match the room.

another arrangement by me for the counter

to go with the art prints. 

Trees from the stage found a new home in  here.

Both of the rockers for the Mom's 

were also donated.

Jehovah provides.

I gladly donated all my design time and labor 

Seven years later and it seem to be 

holding up quite well.

A Request for Your Thoughts & Prayers

There is so much that is going on...

Death of loved ones, Floods, Natural Fires,Wars, Bombings

Missing persons, Murder, National Debt, Personal Debt,

 Depression, Work Place Stress, Pollution,

Cheating, Starvation, Gas Prices, Food Prices

Arson, Employment, Bullying, Theft, Health Care Concerns,

It just seems to go on and on....

Which brings me to Family Illness.

My Aunt has been diagnosed for the second time 

with breast cancer. She was in remission. 

But just for a 2 year period.  And It's Back.

This time it is a more aggressive kind.  

I know she and her family

would appreciate your thoughts and prayers.
Then she can stop by here and
read all your lovely comments.

Cancer is such a strange sell.

You can go along for years in remission

and then one day it pops it's ugly head up again.

Perhaps we all could say a prayer for 

those we know and don't know 

that are in need of support and strength too.

No matter what their particular circumstances are.

Whether it be a health issue or something else.

Thank You on behalf of my Aunt.

A Prayer Request

Perhaps there is someone that you know is dealing with a form of cancer. We just found out a dear friend of my Mom and our family has just been diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time. I used to baby sit for her when I was younger. She is such a lovely person. 
Cancer is such a strange cell.  A person can go along for years in remission and then one day it pops its ugly head up again. If I could count on one hand those I know personally that have been affected by cancer that would be too much.  How sad is it that I need more than two hands.
Another friend of mine just went through weeks of uncertainty if her son's cancer had returned.  But they just received some good news that it had not. 
Perhaps you could say a prayer for those you know and even for those you don't know to endure this difficult time for them and their family and friends.
Since cancer is a very personal battle, a strong faith can help. Prayer, our avenue of communication with God, can have a very calming influence. As the Bible states: 
“Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God; and the peace of God that excels all thought will guard your hearts and your mental powers by means of Christ Jesus.”—Philippians 4:6, 7.
We look forward to when God “will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.” —Revelation 21:3, 4
Under God’s Kingdom rule, cancer, along with all other scourges, will be eliminated. 

Forgiveness.

Matthew 6:14-15 - “For if YOU forgive men their trespasses, YOUR heavenly Father will also forgive YOU; whereas if YOU do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will YOUR Father forgive YOUR trespasses.

Euodia and Syntyche, two Christian sisters in ancient Philippi, apparently had some difficulty in resolving a problem that arose between them. (Phil. 4:2, 3) A heated dispute between Paul and Barnabas became public knowledge and resulted in their going separate ways for a while. (Acts 15:37-39) These accounts show that true worshippers are not immune to disagreements. Our heavenly father provides us with help to resolve conflicts and restore friendships. But he requires something of us.
The key is humility. (Read James 4:10.) That key allows those at odds with each other to begin applying Bible principles.
The Bible contains excellent counsel on resolving conflicts. (Matt. 5:23, 24; 18:15-17; Eph. 4:26, 27) Unless we humbly apply that counsel, however, making peace will be difficult. Waiting for the other person to show humility is not the solution when we too are holding the key in our hand.
If our initial attempts to make peace seem unfruitful for some reason, we should not give up hope. The other person may need time to sort out his feelings.
So I humbly ask for your forgiveness.

Sunday Sentiments

I have not done a "Sunday Sentiments" in awhile but when I received this e-mail. I was moved to share it. So many blogs that I have visited lately seem to be struggling with something whether it is depression or something else. Where I can't cure anyone. I can do something. I can do what is suggested here. So if you happen to stumble across this, my hope is that you find this beneficial too. Here is the e-mail:

Their Sunday Public Talk today was given by a Ministerial Servant who was a US Marine in New York. (He is no longer a Marine.) He is so warm, loving, and understanding.

The talk was entitled "AS CHRISTIANS WE CARE ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE."

His first wife was bi-polar.
When he got to the part of the talk that dealt with Depression, he called a Brother who wears glasses up onto the platform to illustrate the point he was going to make.

May I have your glasses? (He handed them over)

I know you are short-sighted, but can you see the clock at the back? NO.

Come, on try harder. NO

Take another look, for I'm sure you can if you try. Think positive! Still NO.

(So the speaker gave him back his glasses and he sat back down.)

Speaker: "Short Sightedness is an inherited imperfection and no matter how hard I tried to motivate him, he can NOT see that distance. Depression is also a Biomedical Condition that will last until the new world, same as his short-sightedness. We cannot motivate people with Depression by saying 'try harder!' or 'think positive!" It doesn't change anything for them.

Paul counselled us in 1 Thess 5:14 : "speak consolingly to the depressed souls, support the weak, be long-suffering toward ALL."

In New York where I lived, there is a brother who is a Psychologist, and has several patients. CONSOLINGLY means SOOTHINGLY. That is how to treat the many among us with depression or related invisible illnesses."

Sunday's Sentiment - The Heart

Of the many morsels I was fed spiritually this day. I will be meditating on these thoughts....

The selfish inclination of our heart is prone to misguide us. "the heart is more treacherous than anything else and is desperate." (Jer. 17:9) To remain loyal to our heavenly father, we must strip off the old personality with it's tendency toward presumptuousness and self-reliance. And we must put on the new personality, "which was created according to God's will in true righteousness and loyalty.

Ephesians 4:17-24 reads....
17 This, therefore, I say and bear witness to in [the] Lord, that YOU no longer go on walking just as the nations also walk in the unprofitableness of their minds, 18 while they are in darkness mentally, and alienated from the life that belongs to God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the insensibility of their hearts. 19 Having come to be past all moral sense, they gave themselves over to loose conduct to work uncleanness of every sort with greediness.
20 But YOU did not learn the Christ to be so, 21 provided, indeed, that YOU heard him and were taught by means of him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that YOU should put away the old personality which conforms to YOUR former course of conduct and which is being corrupted according to his deceptive desires; 23 but that YOU should be made new in the force actuating YOUR mind, 24 and should put on the new personality which was created according to God’s will in true righteousness and loyalty.

My goal: To make an honest examination of my heart. Keep on doing what I'm doing right. If I'm able to see... (sometimes we do not see ourselves clearly...but if I can)... an area that needs improvement, not to hesitate to make an adjustment. Not to be half hearted in my service but to unify my heart and thus be determined to serve God loyally.