Inspired by. . . possibilities

 

What if. . .

 

. . .all your dreams came true?

 

 

Image textured with kk_aurora

Sharing inspiration here:

 

 

 

Inspired by. . . Gerbera love

 

 

It’s All About You

 

It’s not about me, Lord

it’s all about you

and I want to be, Lord

all about you

so I’ll forget about me

and focus on you.

For I am just an instrument –

a product of your grace.

Depending on your mercy,

seeking your face.

Daily Lord you stretch me,

quickening the pace.

Giving me the power

to finish the race.

The lesser I become,

the more of you they see.

The truth of your existence,

and how they came to be.

So I lay aside my own desires,

searching only for your will

Trusting in your sacrifice

to save them still.

For I am just an instrument –

a product of your grace.

Depending on your mercy,

seeking your face.

Daily Lord you stretch me,

quickening the pace.

Giving me the power

to finish the race.

It’s not about me, Lord

it’s all about you

and I want to be, Lord

all about you

so I’ll forget about me

and focus on you.

 

Blessings,

 

 

Sharing inspiration here:

Inspired by. . . His promises

 

A difficult week.

Bombings, earthquakes, explosions.

Is it any different to lose a loved one to a natural disaster than a {premeditated} man-made, or {possibly negligent} one?

We are still left with the same questions.

We are still left with the pain of separation. . .

. . . of loss.

 

Bee and butterfly {Juniper Hairstreak}  on Antelope Horn {milkweed family}

 

We may not ever find the answers to all our questions, but we can find peace. We can receive comfort and have hope in the midst of the tragedy.

The following just happened to be the selections from my daily readings this past week. May His word not return void.

"It is I; do not be afraid."

"When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you."

 

Textured with Kim's kk_sunday – pin light blend mode 88%

 

"When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, . . . your Savior."

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?"

 

And today. . . gentle reminders. Encouragement.

"Stand fast in the Lord."

"The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul."

"If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed."

"He who endures to the end shall be saved."

 

Juniper Hairstreak, two bees and, an ant! {can you find him?}

 

"Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong."

 

May this week stand in stark contrast to the last.

 

Blessings,

 

 

 

Sharing inspiration here:

Inspired by. . . something different

I haven't posted a recipe lately. I found this one on Nikki's blog awhile ago and we really enjoyed it.

Confession: I'd already starting eating before realizing I hadn't taken any pictures!

This is my pitiful attempt at a "pretty" picture.

 

 

You can find Nikki's professional imagery and recipe HERE.

This is my version of her delicious recipe:

 

Baked BBQ Beef Taquitos

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 2 oz. cream cheese softened
• 2 tsp. Penzey's shallot-pepper
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• salt, to taste
• 1 cup BBQ sauce
• 1 cup shredded cheese, Mexican Trio (or your choice)
• 15 small flour tortillas

Instructions

1. Brown ground beef in a medium skillet until completely cooked through and juices run clear.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
3. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, cream cheese, shallot-pepper, garlic, salt, BBQ sauce and shredded cheese. Stir until combined. Add salt as needed to taste if you think it needs more flavor.
4. Place a few spoonfuls of mixture into the center of flour tortilla. Roll up and place on a greased cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas or until mixture is gone.
5. Once taquitos are aligned on cookie sheet, spray the tops lightly with cooking spray.
6. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown on top and edges.

 

Easy. Right?

These were amazing and were fabulous for lunch the next day, too!

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Sharing inspiration here:

   

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Inspired by. . . symbols

Yes, I'm still here!

Last week was an eventful week. With many unexpected happenings.

I had hoped to share these pictures with you during Easter week. But that proved to be another eventful week, and I never found the time to edit the photos.

I'm not familiar with every culture that exists in this world. But it is probably safe to say that each culture, in some way, uses symbols to celebrate ideas and express what they believe.

I've been blessed to have been born into a family of creative people. My Nana and my aunt specifically are incredibly talented in the art of blowing and decorating eggs. Over the years, I've been gifted with, or inherited, many of their creations.

The first two are examples of blown eggs that have been cut in half and decorated inside.

This is one of my favorites. A whimsical expression of Spring with two ducklings fighting over a worm.

 

Textured with Kim's 'just stitched'

 

Here's a symbol I'm sure  you will recognize.

 

This technique is called quilling. An art form that involved rolling and shaping thin strips of paper.

Here's another example.

 

Textured with Kim's 'sun kissed'

 

Not all the eggs are decorated for Easter or spring. This one celebrates our Nation's independence.

 

Textured with Kim's 'annebelle'

A large '76 is displayed on the back side of this large goose egg.

My aunt is especially talented in the art of Pysanka. You may have heard or seen Ukrainian eggs? These are decorated using a wax-resist {batik} method. They are very detailed, symbolic and beautiful.

The rooster, a masculine symbol, denotes a rich married life and many children. The meander is for immortality, and flowers for wisdom. The color purple means royalty, faith and trust.

 

 

Stars, the giver of light and God's love toward mankind. The color red means happiness, hope and passion.

 

 

The 8-pointed star, the love of God for mankind. Pussy willows denote the coming of spring. Triangles represent the Holy Trinity. Pine needles symbolize health, stamina and eternal youth. The dark green color means bountifulness, hope, the victory of life after death, and truth.

 

 

Finally, another of my favorites. Butterflies represent the resurrection of Christ. The color pink denotes success and contentment.

 

 

I hope you've enjoyed my egg display and learning more about these symbols.

Symbols have been a part of our world since the beginning. Look around you. Perhaps there are some symbols there you haven't noticed before. What are they saying to you?

 

Have a wonder-filled day,

 

 

Sharing inspiration here:

Inspired by. . . trash

You may remember the Winter Door Hanger I shared a couple of months ago. I decided it needed an update for Spring!

 

 

This update cost me absolutely nothing! I already had the flower pots and the ivy. I'd purchased them last summer in hopes of creating this beautiful Flower Pot Wreath that Debbie shared on her blog last June.

 

 

The orchids and other silk greenery my mother found in a dumpster! As they say, "One persons trash is another persons treasure!"

 

 

Just for the record... my mother was not dumpster diving {smile}. The silk flowers were actually wrapped in plastic and she found them in the same dumpster she uses to deposit her trash.

I tied the pots to the star frame using some jute I had left over from the original project. Some green styrofoam tucked into each pot and a bit of glue hold the stems in place. A quick, easy update, just in time for Easter!

 

 

From trash to treasure!

What treasures have you found lately?

 

Have a wonder-filled day!

 

 

 

 

Sharing inspiration here: