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 

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...

Praise, Worship & Watermelons!

Get set!

As promised, this is the materials list for next week's periscope tutorials.  I encourage you to shop your stash first- you will likely have most of the items already. You may want to make a trip to the craft store to grab some scrapbook paper.

Ingredients:

• Scrapbook paper-
• 2-3 sheets of a floral print
• 2-3 sheets of coordinating paper of a light color (pale yellow, light blue, pastel pink, etc.)
• Notebook paper or graph paper- just a few pages, you can tear them right out of your spiral :)
• White acrylic paint- any craft acrylic will do
• Watercolor pencils
• A few different coordinating washi tapes- I used black and white stripes, a gold stripe, and black glitter.'
• Black pen (I use Sakura Micron and Prismacolor Premier Pens, both you can purchase in sets or individually.
• Fine paintbrush 

Extra stuff:

• Paper towels or facial cotton pads 
• A little dish of water
• Scissors
• A sheet of plastic to place between pages
• Glue- preferably Aleen's Tacky Glue
• Your fingers- this is a little messy!

See you next week!  Can't wait!

Here are some examples of floral prints just perfect for this project:

Get Ready!

Hello, creatives!

I'm planning on broadcasting the tutorials for this layout next week on periscope while I'm on Christmas vacation- date and time tbd. I'll be recreating this design style on the back inside cover end papers, but don't feel that you need to have a journaling Bible to participate. You can work in a hymnal, a blank journal, or even on a separate piece of card stock to hang on your gallery wall!

The tutorials will be in two parts. One for the background and one for the embellishments and both will be uploaded to my blog afterward.  The materials list will be posted in a few days if you'd like to follow along and create with me!

Merry Christmas!
Melly

But God!- Bible Journaling

After I made my super cute tassel of many colors, I thought, Right.  I can’t exactly just tuck it in my Bible and say, “Yay, me!”  So, I went back to Genesis to see what I can learn as an adult from the “children’s story” of the coat of many colors.  What I gleaned was this:

Genesis 50:20 NIV

²⁰ You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

It immediately made me think of the Bible.  The Bible can be twisted around to try to do evil, but God intended it for good and his plan reigns.  People may think we are silly for journaling and “coloring” in our Bibles, but the Word was intended for good and no one can take away our dedication to it.  Everyone has a different way of expressing themselves as they study (remember creativity!) and we should all appreciate what others bravely, joyfully and kindly share with us here even if it’s not quite how ourselves would do it.

God intended the Word for good!  Don’t let anyone take that away from you.  

This is my Bible

Wow!  I created this scripture art for my journaling Bible and didn't think anyone would really notice it when I uploaded it to the Facebook group, Journaling Bible Community.  Then, I saw another Bible journaler share her own version in the group about a week later!  In her post, she explained that she saw it on Pinterest but wasn't sure of the source.  I told her that it was shared in the same group.  Crazy, right?



Because Pinterest tends to send people on wild goose chases for sources, I thought I would make it easy for others to find the original artwork. So, here it is! Feel free to incorporate it into your own Bible journaling.

I am so thrilled that This is my Bible has inspired so many fellow journalers and I'm honored that it has found homes in their Bibles.  It's such a joy to see all the various interpretations!  I would absolutely love if you would share your own versions of This is my Bible by uploading a picture to my Facebook page, The Nest - Silly Bee's Chickadees.

Please do not download the original artwork and post it on social media. Instead, link a thumbnail of the image to this post. Thank you!

Rooted and Grounded- Bible Journaling

Some plants have very shallow roots and they grow horizontally just underneath the soil. Others go deep down into the soil and create a strong support system. The shallow roots can be easily pulled out of the soil, but the deeper roots are supported by the soil even more and are difficult to remove. The soil provides vital food for the plants and the stronger they grow, the more fruit they bear and for some, the greater the shade they provide for others. 

Like plants, we can use the soil to grow deep roots into God's love. When we are grounded in faith, God is able to use us as vessels to bless others more and more. 

I have absolutely no green thumb, so alone, I am weak! Praise God for his grace-filled soil!

Plain and Simple- Bible journaling

It's all about the process, right? This one took 4 hours. Seriously, 4 hours. I worked on it all afternoon at work-- it was a slowwww day. The journaling started in my brain with a magnificently beautiful combination of fonts and swooshes, embellishments and leaves. I sketched the whole thing out in pencil and transferred it to my bible where I outlined it with a 005 Micron like I usually do. When I was finished, I just stared at it and well, it just didn't work. Perfect. Now I have to figure out how to cover it up.

I pulled out a couple pieces of scrapbooking paper and wrote the scripture on them-- changing the fonts and swirls ever so slightly. I tucked it into my Bible and waited for something magical to happen. But, it didn't. It just didn't work.

I decided it would be so clever of me to make a little seed pocket out of a brown paper bag. I trimmed and folded and even scalloped the top edge to make it look like a real seed packet. I placed it over the yucky lettering and it just stared back at me. It just didn't work. So, I tried to keep the seed packet idea by creating a fold-over card out of a vintage seed packet graphic. I thought I would write the verse in the inside of the card and glue it over the yucky lettering. Before I glued it in, I looked at it again and yeah, it didn't work.

At that point, I was minutes away from cutting the margin right off the page. Then, I shut my Bible and stopped. I decided to deal with it when I got home. Around this time, God spoke to me. It was if he was saying, "You are totally missing the point." You only need faith the size of a mustard seed. Nothing fancy, nothing extraordinary, nothing impressive. Just the tiniest of seeds. That's all you need. So, this is where I ended up. I carefully trimmed one of the blank pages from the back of the Bible, folded it in half and glued it together, then glued it over the original design.

Better. Simple, plain and modest. I like it!

Star Gazing- Bible journaling

Stand Tall!- Bible journaling

You are Mine- Bible journaling

What I love about this verse is that it's something you hear a loving parent say. First, they may tell you not to do something, then they explain why so you will learn, then they tell you why it's important so you will understand. It's all in love. 

"Don't jump on the bed. You could hurt yourself. If you did, I would be very sad because I love you very much." 

Of course, that's an over-simplification, but it just shows us how precious we are to God.

Most importantly, He says, "You are mine." That's it. "Fear not. You are mine."

I can do all things- Bible journaling

Hello! I want to share my first Bible journaling entry. I'm dipping my toes into journaling right now and sticking to the margins. I may venture out, but I think I will always want to keep the scripture legible.

It's pretty much my battle cry. Whenever I think I'm physically spent, I chant Philippians 4:13. It started when I was a senior in high school and went on the Wilderness trip with Young Life. It was an arduous trek, but I just said the verse over and over in my mind as I quietly hiked in the middle of the group. I was about 95 lbs. of pure determination. I was not going to be the one to slow the group down and I refused to complain because everyone was on the same trail. I was like the Little Engine that Could.

Last year I foolishly thought I could hike up a volcano side in Costa Rica (I was in no shape to do so), but I huffed and puffed the whole way, taking breaks when I needed to, and lived to see God's gorgeous rainforest and waterfalls beneath.

The drawing looks just like my hiking boots, which just happened to fall apart in Peru and I had to toss them there.

So, in Christ I am strong and victorious, but without Him, I probably would have concentrated on the pain and been paralyzed with fear. Praise God!

The Living Tableau- Discernment

Proverbs 3:1-26

1 My child, never forget the things I have taught you.
Store my commands in your heart.

2 If you do this, you will live many years,
and your life will be satisfying.

3 Never let loyalty and kindness leave you!
Tie them around your neck as a reminder.
Write them deep within your heart.

4 Then you will find favor with both God and people,
and you will earn a good reputation.

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.

6 Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.

7 Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

8 Then you will have healing for your body
and strength for your bones.

9 Honor the Lord with your wealth
and with the best part of everything you produce.

10 Then he will fill your barns with grain,
and your vats will overflow with good wine.

11 My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline,
and don’t be upset when he corrects you.

12 For the Lord corrects those he loves,
just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.

13 Joyful is the person who finds wisdom,
the one who gains understanding.

14 For wisdom is more profitable than silver,
and her wages are better than gold.

15 Wisdom is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.

16 She offers you long life in her right hand,
and riches and honor in her left.

17 She will guide you down delightful paths;
all her ways are satisfying.

18 Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
happy are those who hold her tightly.

19 By wisdom the Lord founded the earth;
by understanding he created the heavens.

20 By his knowledge the deep fountains of the earth burst forth,
and the dew settles beneath the night sky.

21 My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment.
Hang on to them,

22 for they will refresh your soul.
They are like jewels on a necklace.

23 They keep you safe on your way,
and your feet will not stumble.

24 You can go to bed without fear;
you will lie down and sleep soundly.

25 You need not be afraid of sudden disaster
or the destruction that comes upon the wicked,

26 for the Lord is your security.
He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.

Pastor’s Notes

Discernment gives us the ability to recognize and rejoice in the voice of the Lord. It opens us up to listen to and recognize the voice and patterns of God’s direction in our lives.

Biblical discernment involves more than good judgment, open doors and decision-making skills. Right discernment arises out of a relationship with God in prayer. It is founded on the reality of the Holy Spirit’s presence within us. Jesus makes it clear that the Holy Spirit is our counselor and guide into God’s will and ways.

The Holy Spirit can be counted on to: 1) assure us of God’s love, 2) convict us of sin, 3) lead us into truth, 4) bring glory to God, and 5) nurture the fruit of the Spirit.

Bible Journaling with Melly

I have a new love- Bible journaling! I was bouncing around on Pinterest and kept seeing these beautifully illustrated pages in people's Bibles and I knew it was for me! It has really changed the way I read the Bible. I am more invested in making connections with the Word creatively and more personally. It has really brought the scriptures to life for me!

If you are interested in getting deep in the Word and want to express your faith in art or just love to take notes in your Bible, you must try Bible journaling!  There are a bunch of resources out there from free designs you can trace right into your Bible and color, to videos of different journaling techniques. I would definitely start with a great blog called Illustrated Faith. Shanna Noelle and her team have tons of ideas on incorporating art into your Bible study.

Another great online resource is Stephanie Ackerman's Documented Faith.  I just love her style and bright use of colors. She also has lists of her favorite tools and you'll find lots of great ideas in her "doodles" section.

Right now, I'm just using a couple really old sets of watercolor pencils-- a Kimberly 12-pencil set and a 24-pencil Derwent set--  and my favorite pens- Micron pens by Sakura. My watercolor pencils are like twenty years old. I'm excited to get use out of them!

I have both the double-column and the single-column versions of the ESV Journaling Bible by Crossway which you can easily find on their website, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com. Aside from the cream-colored pages, they are just perfect for journaling. The only thing you have to be aware of is the amount of water you use with watercolors and the kind of pens/markers you use. The pages are a bit thicker than your old trusty Bible, but not by a lot.

I think the best way to start is to pick a favorite verse that has a strong visual you can sink your colors into. Once you are comfortable coloring or lettering in your Bible, you may want to follow along with a Bible study or with your sermon notes. Some people stay in the margins and incorporate stickers in their notes. Other people use acrylics and stencils and all sorts of mediums and cover entire pages. There is no right way to journal in your Bible, just do what you feel led to do. Keep your heart fixed on God and your eyes fixed on the Word and you will be blessed!

Happy journaling!

The Living Tableau- Repentance

Jeremiah 6:16

16 This is what the Lord says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!’

Pastor’s Notes

You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free. We need to stand free and know what true freedom is. Life is full of many choices and there is a sure path we can take. We all have to make decisions in various areas of life on a daily basis. Unfortunately, there are those things in this life that appear as one thing when they are actually something totally different. The truth about something can determine whether we make the right choices in life. Truth is not something that is relative to one situation and then changes to fit another situation. It is constant and unchanging. Having a working knowledge of Truth will help you make the right decisions in your life.

When we make the wrong decisions, repent and ask for forgiveness. God is faithful and just to forgive us of all of our sins and all unrighteousness.

The Living Tableau- Examen

Philippians 1:9-10

9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ

Pastor’s Notes

Finding direction for our lives can be accomplished through the practice of examen (also known as the “examination of consciousness”). The examen provides a way of noticing where God shows up in our day. It is a practice that attends to what we might otherwise miss in the press of duties and busyness.

The questions of the examen open our attention to how God’s internal movement is present in our external comings and goings. They lead us to listen deeply to the data of our lives. These questions help us pay attention to our mental state, our body responses and our emotional baggage. Our insomnia, nervous stomach, difficult interaction and headache can all take their place as a possible way of more deeply leaning into God. The examen helps us recognize the things that bring us death and life. Once these things are known, they become part of our ongoing interaction with God in prayer.

The Living Tableau- Faith, Hope & Love

Matthew 22:37-39 

37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself."

Pastor’s Notes

Jesus said that if we truly love God and our neighbors, we will naturally keep the commandments. This is looking at God’s laws positively, rather than worrying about all we should not do. We should concentrate on what we can do to show our love to God and humankind.

Faith is believing that God’s Word is true. Hope is the evidence of things not seen; therefore, we trust that God’s Word will come alive in each of our lives to lead, guide and direct us as we place our trust in Him. Love is the greatest of all. We practice loving others and treat others the way we want to be treated. Love sees the best in everyone and does not judge. God’s way is the only perfect way.

The Living Tableau- Hope

Hebrews 6: 9 – 12 (NKJV)

9 But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. 10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of [a] love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Pastor’s Notes

It is easy to get discouraged, thinking God has forgotten us. God never forgets or overlooks our hard work that we put forth for Him. Presently, you may not be receiving rewards and acclaim, but God knows our efforts of love and ministry. Let God’s love for us and His intimate knowledge of our service with Him bolster us as we face disappointment and rejection here on earth.

Hope keeps the Christian from becoming lazy or feeling bored. If we follow the example of an athlete, we will train hard and run well, remembering the reward that lies ahead.