Digital Scrapbooking: April 2017

April was a beautiful month, and I took a lot of photos! However, it was so beautiful that I spent more time outdoors in my spare time. Instead of spending the time to gather photos onto digital scrapbook pages. I think that these are the only two pages that I created during the month! 

A very special treat for me ... planting flower seeds indoors. Maybe one of the reasons was for the beauty of it all, but also so we would have the flowers in May to plant in our patio planters and in some of the garden spots in our yard.

And another very special treat ... all of a sudden we realized that we had no big plans for Easter weekend this year (very unusual). And as we had just had an extra busy 6-8 weeks the past few months, we took the opportunity to escape for a little getaway over Easter weekend, just the two of us. It was wonderful!

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Note: Most of the page templates and digital products that I use are purchased from Digital Project Life. About five years I switched from paper scrapbooking, and took some online lessons from Digital Scrapper to learn how to digital scrapbook using Photoshop Elements. (You can also click here for some great tutorials on the Digital Project Life website - maybe a quicker way to learn than the site that I used five years ago.) Also, besides being able to share my completed pages online, I also print them out at home in 8x8 inch size to fit in the albums that I purchase from Michael's.

The Beauty of Prayer

Just as the seasons bring so much beauty, God's Word brings peace, beauty, and life that lasts through all the seasons.

All through the month of April I kept being reminded to go deeper into the great gift God has given us in prayer ... this amazing gift that He has given us, in allowing us, and even welcoming us, to talk directly with Him. It is such an incredible gift. And there is so much to learn ...

I often share little devotional thoughts from my journal, on Instagram. Here are a few from the month of April ... life-giving thoughts from His Word, on prayer. And these photos of our beautiful peach tree blossoms were perfect to use along with the thoughts that He was placing on my heart during the month of April about the incredible gift of prayer, talking with Him about everything.

"You can trust the One

who died for you."

(Jesus Always)

"Don't worry about anything;

instead, pray about everything.

Tell God what you need,

and thank Him

for all He has done.

Then you will experience

God's peace,

which exceeds anything

we can understand.

His peace will guard

your hearts and minds

as you live in Christ Jesus."

(Philippians 4:6-7)

We can trust Him

for everything,

with everything ...

all because of Easter.

"I also pray that you will understand

the incredible greatness of God's power 

for us who believe Him.

This is the same mighty power

that raised Christ from the dead

and seated Him in the place of honor

at God's right hand in the heavenly realms."

(Ephesians 1:19-20)

For us who believe Him ...

the same mighty power.

For us,

this week,

and for today.

There's no need to decide

what to pray for ...

is it too small?

is it too big?

and does He care?

He says to pray about

e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g.

And everything means

every. single. thing.

"Don't worry about anything;

instead, pray about everything."

(Philippians 4:6a)

I often need this reminder ...

don't wait; don't worry first;

just talk with God about it.

"As soon as something

grabs your attention,

talk with Me about it."

(Jesus Calling)

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Marshmallow-Filled Banana Cupcakes

A brand new cupcake recipe for me - and definitely, a keeper! These marshmallow-filled cupcakes are so very delicious! 

I saved this recipe from a Taste of Home magazine awhile ago, and it was time to try it out earlier this spring. These cupcakes almost melt in your mouth; these are one of my favorite recipes for cupcakes, for sure. The marshmallow-creme filling is such a sweet surprise when you take a bite.

The recipe itself was quite easy. A little extra work to cut out the circle to fill, but it turned out much easier than I anticipated. That filling ... oh, so good!

Click on the "Source: tasteofhome.com" link (below) to print the recipe.

Marshmallow-Filled Banana Cupcakes

Source: tasteofhome.com

Course: Desserts

Prep Time: 40 min

Cook Time: 20 min

Total Time: 1 hr

Yield: 18 servings

Serves: 18

Ingredients

• ³⁄₄ cup shortening
• 1-¹⁄₂ cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₄ cup buttermilk
• FILLING:
• 1 cup butter softened
• 2 cups marshmallow creme
• 1-¹⁄₂ cups confectioners' sugar
• Additional confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Line 18 muffin cups with paper or foil liners.
2. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in bananas and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
3. Fill prepared cups two-thirds full. Bake 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
4. For filling, in a large bowl, beat butter, marshmallow creme and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Using a sharp knife, cut a 1-in. circle, 1 in. deep, in top of each cupcake. Carefully remove cut portion and set aside. Fill cavity with about 1 teaspoon filling. Replace tops, pressing down lightly. Dollop or pipe remaining filling over tops. Dust with additional confectioners' sugar. Yield: 1-1/2 dozen.

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I had a little helper with me when I made these cupcakes ... a sweet little granddaughter. She loves to help in the kitchen! Such fun to make these cupcakes with Eva! And then, to share them together, and also to send some home with her for her parents and brother. 

Springtime: Starting Flowers Indoors

Quite unexpectedly, I got the urge the last part of March to start some flower seeds indoors. I did a bit of research to see which kinds of flowers would be best to plant indoors, which ones would still have time to sprout and grow in time to be planted outdoors in our patio planters or in our flower beds in the yard.

This actually was quite unusual for me, for though I love flowers and love spring, my hubby is the one with the "green thumb" in our family. I greatly enjoy the beauty of our flowers, and our veggie garden, and I do help quite a bit. But for me to take the initiative and do the planting of the seeds myself, this was a bit unusual. Of course, I am blessed to have a great coach and encourager, who gave me good advice.

I found some cute little white wooden trays at Target (just $3 each in Target's fun dollar section), and picked up some little peat pots, seeding soil, and some flower seed packets at Mulhall's. And on Saturday, April 1st, I planted 30 peat pots with flower seeds; 5 different kinds of seeds, and 6 pots of each kind. 

Sunshine and water ... and these little flower plants are growing! I move them from one spot to another throughout the day, trying to catch the most amount of sunshine indoors. And recently we've set them outdoors on some beautiful spring days that we've been enjoying.

The three photos above were taken just two weeks after the planting of the seeds. So amazing to watch the growth! It often reminds me of how we grow, steady and sure, as we take in the water of His Word, and soak up the sunshine of His Love. Our Creator and Lord brings the growth, as we faithfully, day by day, feed our hearts and minds with His Truth and His Love. 

So very beautiful as I watch the growth! This closeup photo (above) was taken just one week after planting. I love all the beauty of new life in the spring - each one, a gift from God!

Reflections on March / Embracing April

I always love transitioning into a brand new month; a reflecting back to the month behind, and embracing the fresh new start of a new month.

Taste and see 

that the Lord is good;

blessed is the man

who takes refuge in Him.

(Psalm 34:8)

These words are on my mind and heart at this transition time, 

as I warmly reflect back, and as I expectantly look ahead to the new.

Each month, each day, and each moment ... 

we are invited to taste and see that the Lord is good, 

and we are gently called, and welcomed to take refuge in Him.

I am welcoming this beautiful springtime month of April, and I am welcoming and responding to His warm invitation to draw close, to pull up my chair, to lean in and listen, and to taste and see that He is good.

Times to draw close ...

March held multiple opportunities for me to draw close, for we went through some difficult times as we cared for my father (turning 96 this month!). He lives nearby in an Assisted Living home. We're thankful we can be near, and can be a help and encouragement to him, and though I sometimes resorted to worry and frustration instead of peace and trust, I am filled with thanks for how God carried us through those times last month. 

The best way to handle problems and challenges is to ... draw close to God. How humbled I am that even when we find ourselves filled with concern and worry in this life, that He is so good to us! And I am drawn, again, to closeness, to take refuge in Him - every month, every day.

I will be expectantly looking for times to pause as we enter into April, to listen amidst the busy days, to pull in extra close on the hard days, and to watch for all the ways that He is good. Each day.

Taste and see that I am good.

The more intimately you experience Me,

the more convinced you become

of My goodness.

(Jesus Calling)