Focus on 2017

Come on 2017!

Are you "planner prepared"?  I started early this year and wanted to share some printables with you...
Get ta plannin'!

Focus Word by melgarza on Scribd

Calendar Flags by melgarza on Scribd

The Celebrate Gratitude Giveaway.

Introducing the Celebrate Gratitude Giveaway!

It's time for me to show my gratitude for all you do to make our bandit* of chickadees so joyful.

This giveaway is a bit different from most.  I won't be publicizing it on IG and won't be asking you to follow people, or join groups.  I'll be sharing the link to this post on The Nest- Silly Bee's Chickadees and of course, on periscope.

The only requirement to enter is that you comment on this post about gratitude.   What does gratitude mean to you?  Do you have a special story?  Do you practice gratitude in a special way with your family during Thanksgiving?  Did you have a special person in your life who taught you about gratitude?  Your post can be just about anything.  If you and a friend were talking about gratitude, what would you say?

Everyone who comments will be entered in the giveaway and the two winners will be chosen with a random number generator and announced on Thanksgiving.  Your entry won't be based on what you shared, just that you did share.  The prizes are two fabulous goodie bags that you can see on periscope.  Just look for the Celebrate Gratitude Giveaway broadcast.  Deadline Thanksgiving Eve, midnight CST (Wednesday, the 23rd).

That's all.  Let's share- come back often to this post and read other responses.  Let's learn from each other.  Let's inspire each other.  Let's show gratitude.


Thank you, chickadees, and Happy Gratitudegiving!

*look it up!


Check out more Silly Bee's Thanksgiving posts!

Beatitudes Study Workshop V- Matthew 5:7

Blessed are the merciful;
For they will be shown mercy.
-Matthew 5:7

Thank you to everyone who tunes in on periscope and those who are sharing their pages on social media.
You have brought me so much joy and encouragement! 


Click here for Part I- The Bible Study Matthew 5:7 Beatitude Study

Click here for Part II- Matthew 5:7 Creative Challenge 

Beatitudes Study Workshop IV- Matthew 5:6

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness;
For they will be filled.
-Matthew 5:6

Thank you to everyone who tunes in on periscope and those who are sharing their pages on social media.
You have brought me so much joy and encouragement! 


Click here for Part I- The Bible Study Matthew 5:6 Beatitude Study

Click here for Part II- Matthew 5:6 Creative Challenge 

Beatitudes Study Workshop III- Matthew 5:5

Blessed are the meek;
For they shall inherit the earth.
-Matthew 5:5







Thank you to everyone who tunes in on periscope and those who are sharing their pages on social media.
You have brought me so much joy and encouragement! 

Click here for Part I- Matthew 5:5 Beatitude Study

Click here for Part II- Matthew 5:5 Creative Challenge 

Beatitudes Study Workshop II- Matthew 5:4

Blessed are those who mourn;
For they shall be comforted.
-Matthew 5:4

 






Thank you to everyone who tunes in on periscope and those who are sharing their pages on social media.
You have brought me so much joy and encouragement! 

Watch the periscope workshop here.




SaveSave

Beatitudes Study Workshop I- Matthew 5:3

Blessed are the poor in spirit;
For theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
-Matthew 5:3

 



Our first workshop was amazing!
Thank you to everyone who participated.
You have brought me so much joy and encouragement! 

Watch the periscope workshop here.

Beatitudes Bible Challenge Worksheet

Download your worksheets for the Beatitudes Bible Journaling Challenge!

Silly Bee's Beatitudes Worksheet

June Journal of Faith Challenge- The Beatitudes

Introducing Silly Bee's Chickadees' Journals of Faith!  This month, we're studying The Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount as written in the Gospel of Matthew.

We will examine Matthew 5:3-10 in terms of Biblical lexicon.  Specifically, dissecting their Greek roots, how they relate to each other contextually, and create visual representations of the whole in contemporary application.

Whoa.  That's a whole lot of "huh?"  Basically, we're going to break apart the sentence, define the words, stick them back together (with glitter glue), and make pretty pages.  Dig?  Seriously, I'm not a linguistic or Biblical scholar, but I love to swim.  So, we're not going to dive into the deep end, we're just going to dunk ourselves under water with our eyes open.  Bowkay?  Here's the fun part: you select the beatitude and one creative technique and jump in!


All you need to participate is a blank journal/ notebook.  You can use one you have, or you can create one using original artwork by me!  Simply purchase the digital file linked here, print out in color, add blank pages, bind and trim!  If you prefer to purchase the bound journal, there is a listing for that as well.

The nine workshops will be broadcast live on Periscope- @sillybeeschick.  Periscope promises they'll be saved indefinitely, so if you miss one you can replay it and work on your own time.

See you June 6th on Periscope for Introduction to The Beatitudes 101!

#SillyBeesBibleChallenge

#SillyBeesJournalsofFaith

Joy Jar Post-it Printables

Download the printables here!

Page 1

Page 2

Faith, Hope & Love bookmarks

Click on the file and right click to download your diy magnetic bookmarks!

I am a New Creation! - Krafty Kit Notebook

Hello, Chickadees!

The first Krafty Kit, the New Creation travelers journal broadcast was so fun! I really enjoyed the fellowship and creativity that came out of the afternoon of crafting.

If you purchased a kit and were unable to participate in the live workshop, you may now replay the scopes to complete your projects at your own time. If you are interested in purchasing a kit for this project, check back in April when I will list a few kits in my etsy store.

Enjoy!


PART I:





PART II:

Bible Journaling - Consider the Water Lilies

Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among nations, I will be exalted in the earth.
-Psalm 46:10

When I think of stillness, water lilies come to mind. Specifically, one particular pond in the middle of the city. There is a restaurant in Houston with an impressive water lily pond. It's a sight to see-- both mesmerizing and calming. Sometimes if I am in the area, I stop by just to stand at the rail and gaze at the stillness.

The jewels of the pond, as they are called, are rooted in rich muddy soil in very quiet water. They require lots of sunlight to thrive, opening in the morning and closing at night. I like to think that we are like the water lily, "rooted and grounded in love" (Ephesians 3:17), with a peaceful countenance (Numbers 6:26) and unswerving, ultimate assurance (Hebrews 10:19-23), focused on the light (John 8:12).

Consider the water lily and be still.

Praying in Color

Hello, friends!  I am putting together my faith journal and am collecting printables for prayers and gratitude.  I made a half-page size printable for praying in color that I thought I'd share.  My binder is a half-letter size, so the file is set up to print two on a page.  There are little honeycombs to color in and a few lines at the bottom for notes. (Click on the image to download.)

Curious about praying in color?  Check out my periscope below and visit prayingincolor.com.

Enjoy!

Ash Wednesday Altar- Worship Arts

Our church recognizes Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent when we prepare for the resurrection. For many, this ushers forth a period of fasting and spiritual discipline.

From The United Methodist Book of Worship-

“Ash Wednesday emphasizes two themes: our sinfulness before God and our human mortality. The service focuses on both themes, helping us to realize that both have been triumphed through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

 “During some Ash Wednesday services, the minister will lightly rub the sign of the cross with ashes onto the foreheads of worshipers. The use of ashes as a sign of mortality and repentance has a long history in Jewish and Christian worship. Historically, ashes signified purification and sorrow for sins.

“It is traditional to save the palm branches from the previous Palm Sunday service to burn to produce ashes for this service. Sometimes a small card or piece of paper is distributed on which each person writes a sin or hurtful or unjust characteristic. The cards are then brought to the altar to be burned with the palm branches. The ash cross on the forehead is an outward sign of our sorrow and repentance for sins.”

 



 For Ash Wednesday, I re-used the canvas scrolls which were part of the Living Banners last year. I flipped the strips over and weaved them together on the altar, then let the ends hang over the front. On each, I painted a black cross in acrylic paint with a dry brush technique to resemble the ash crosses administered at the Ash Wednesday service. The strips are just pinned together, so they will be available for future use.

 The area above the chancel which normally is draped with banners, is left blank. On the first Sunday in Lent next Sunday, the purple banners will be displayed. (Purple being the liturgical color for Lent.)

For those who observe Shrove Tuesday with pancake dinners, enjoy!

 For more on the United Methodist Church’s service of ashes, click here.

Bible Journaling - The 15th Psalm

Hi, chickadees! This bible journaling page is very special to me. I dedicate this page in honor of all the Alpha Delta Pi diamonds who have helped shape my life and in honorable memory of those before who were trail-blazers for women in higher education and the ideals of Christian womanhood.

Those ideals of a Christian in relationship with God are further illustrated in the 15th Psalm from the King James Version, our sorority's official scripture:

Psalm 15 King James Version (KJV)

15 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.


The visual elements in the page include our open motto, "We live for Each Other", our official colors- azure blue and white; and the woodland violet our sorority flower. The velvet leaves are from my late grandmother's craft box.

The links below are from the actual creation of the page- in two parts because of course, technical difficulties!  In the introduction, I gave a brief commentary on the history of Alpha Delta Pi.  I hope you enjoy it!  And, you better grab a cuppa and settle in because they are long!

And after a brief technical glitch...

2016 One Little Prefix!

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. - Psalm 51:10
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. - Psalm 51:12

I finally did my focus word for 2016!  I looked it up in the dictionary and it IS in there!  Ok, it's a prefix, but hey I'm claiming it.

My one little prefix for 2016 is re.  I was trying to narrow down my word for a couple weeks and God just kept telling me "re".  I know!  OK, the words that kept coming to me were "renew" and "restore".  That's what I need for 2016.  I need to focus on God's grace and power to renew my joy and restore my soul.

So, check out the Periscope video (warning:  it's lonnnng) and follow along as I journal my OLP and chat about the 1940s!  P.S. Jump to about minute 20 to see the journaling action!

Praise, Worship & Watermelons!

Tasselpalooza Pom Pom Periscope Party!

There's a party goin' on right here!  Check out yesterday's scope tutorial.  You'll be glad you did!

Paper Collage Periscope Tutorial- Part 2