Digital Scrapbooking: September

On the last day of this wonderful month of September, a post with two of my digital scrapbook pages from the month! It's very amazing that these pages are completed, as the month has been quite full. But it's always good to take time for a hobby that is both fun for me, and that also preserves memories!

Note: Most of the page templates and digital products that I use are purchased from Digital Project Life. About seven years ago 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 - this is a quicker way to learn than the site that I used seven years ago. I recommend using these tutorials. 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.

On My Heart: Make Your Life a Prayer

Sometimes hearing it just 

a bit differently can grab

our attention in a new way.

This was the case for me

a week ago or so ...

"Pray without ceasing",

or "Never stop praying",

grabs our attention.

And we may wonder how 

that can work out in a

life full of so much

going on all the time.

Is it possible to always

be praying? To never stop?

With God's Spirit in us,

yes, we can join in with

these never-ending prayers

being offered to God for us,

and we also can continually

pour out our hearts to Him,

each day, throughout each day.

And then, these words ...

"Make your life a prayer"

Make your life a prayer.

Words that grab ahold

of my attention and my heart

in a fresh new way.

These words draw my heart

in close, and I want to grow

and learn more ... I want

to make my life a prayer.

On a beautiful, everything

going right kind of day ...

may my thoughts, my heart,

my life - give You praise.

On a day filled with harder

things, with challenges,

and even with heartache ...

may my thoughts, my heart,

my actions - turn to You.

May my life be a prayer,

bringing all things to You,

trusting You, depending on

You, giving You praise and

thanks all the day through.

 By Your grace, I long to

 make my life a prayer.

(Sharing thoughts from my heart and my journal on my birthday week. And desiring that I will grow and learn, and that I may, by God's grace - make my life a prayer - in deeper ways than before as I enter this next year of my life. Sometimes as I am reading His Words, I turn to another translation to give added insight. Last week I opened up The Passion Translation New Testament that I have, and read these words from I Thess. 5:17: Make your life a prayer. Such beautiful insight - sharing with you, and hoping it blesses you, as well.)

In the Kitchen: September

Just for fun at the start of this new fall season ... a post I started working on a few weeks ago about a few things that have been happening in my kitchen! I always love to try new recipes, and here are a few I've tried out recently ...

Cheesy Skillet Pizza Dip

I made this on the first football game day of the season ... and we really liked it! Will definitely be keeping this recipe! So good!!

Print from Taste of Home: Cheesy Skillet Pizza Dip

Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Chocolate Chips

This was also a new recipe to try, and I do agree, the use of a pudding mix in the recipe adds to the deliciousness of these cookies! 

Print from tidymom.net: Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Chocolate Chips

Jace's Breakfast Burritos

This is a great breakfast recipe! These breakfast burritos also freeze well, perfect for pulling out for future breakfasts.

Print from Good Cheap Eats: Jace's Breakfast Burritos

BLT Pasta Salad

Though I haven't found a link for this recipe (from All Recipes magazine) to share here, it was a great combination of bow-tie pasta, bacon, tomatoes, red onion, shredded romaine lettuce, and bottled ranch dressing. A good addition of a pasta salad to my collection.

Local Farmer's Market (Wenninghoffs)

Fresh veggies from a nearby farmer's market ... always a good addition to any summer/fall meal!

My New Instant Pot

I'll be trying out recipes in my new Instant Pot in the weeks/months to come! I purchased it a number of months ago at a great price (with some gift money!), and have been collecting recipes to try. 

What's been happening in your kitchen?

On My Heart: Rest Amidst the Busy

Does the same thing happen to you when fall approaches?

Though I absolutely love fall, the change of season from summer to fall sometimes pushes an I need to get busier button in my heart. Not that I haven't had things to do in the summer, but maybe because the back-to-school season also brings a new set of responsibilities and deadlines with it. It's a busy season with Cru for us, and also maybe the glimpses of the end of the year approaching (and the holidays) can put me into a mode of hurry, wanting to get projects taken care.

But this beautiful season of fall is not made for hurry ...

And we do not operate well in hurry-mode. I don't. It brings stress and unrest. God intends for us to rest, and to refresh. Not just once during the year, but as a continual habit and routine. We are made for rest. 

Be still and know that I am God.

(Psalm 46:10a)

But how can we be still amidst the hurry? 

Sometimes it takes a concentrated effort ... to rest. 

Intentional effort, to rest.

We need to allow ourselves to stop from our never-ending responsibilities.

To take an hour, a few hours, even a day to just pause from our work. Not just once. But often. Making it a continual habit. Taking time, making time ... to do something that gives us joy and rest. A neglected hobby, a good book, time with a family member, a friend. 

To pause with His Word, with journal ... listening, letting truth soak down deep. Not hurrying, but purposefully slowing. Quieting our hearts, asking Him to teach us. Reading His Words ... listening closely to His Words. 

Let your roots grown down into Him,

and let your lives be built on Him.

Then your faith will grow strong

in the truth you were taught,

and you will overflow with thankfulness.

(Colossians 2:7)

Let's not let busy and hurry characterize this next season.

Let's "make rest realistic from now through the Advent season." (Shelly Miller)

"Women are heroes when it comes to loving and caring for others. But why is it so hard to give ourselves permission to rest and refresh, when we're stressed and need it most? Deep inside us, God created an inner spirit that needs nurturing." (Bonnie Gray)

Let's let the core of who we are, our deepest hearts, pause this season, letting our roots grow down deeper into His peace, His love, and who He created us to be ... His beloved.

For your encouragement, and mine,

a few blog posts by some authors on this very topic ...

How to Really Rest Once Summer is Over (an Invitation) by Shelly Miller

You are Worth Taking Care Of by Bonnie Gray

__________

(Note: I wrote these words for myself, as I have recently come off of a few weeks of feeling a bit more stress than usual ... reminding myself to pause and to rest, and, just maybe these words will be an encouragement to you, as well.)