I "Soda" Love You Card---Join the Fun at our Neighborhood Anything Goes Challenge with an Optional Twist at 613 Avenue Create!

Good morning, Crafty Peeps!  It's Sunday and another day to praise the Lord and to be grateful for the blessings of another week.  You see, life is full of uncertainties---we really don't know what is going to take place one minute after another.  One day you are perfectly great and the next day, things are not working in your favor.  Things that you take for granted daily may become the most important thing in your life in a split second.  Many people ignore/deny God because they don't see the need for Him while things are going well for them.  In fact, many nowadays act like they are going to live forever in this world.  But when trial comes, ones true character is tested and it is good to know that Someone greater than us is in control of our lives.  Even people who placed their faith in Jesus Christ is gripped with fear initially at the thought of death.  I've never seen any brethren rejoiced after a diagnosis of terminal illness, for example.  As I watched my Mom's battle of cancer a few weeks before she passed away many years ago, I asked her if she wanted to live and be with us much longer. Even in the obvious pain she was in, she told me "Yes!"  I knew that part of it was because she still wanted to see our (me and my brother) marriages grow and how she wanted to see her grand kids....LOL  Too bad that neither me nor my brother was prepared for parenthood at that time.  She might not be a Bible scholar but with her simple childlike faith, I've seen her spiritual strength. Not even once did I see her cry, complain or blame God for her situation.  This was new to me as I knew my Mom to be very emotional.  She cried a lot even when she's happy (tears of joy).  We both had a Kleenex beside us when we were watching meaningful movies and we laughed while teasing each other of our tears.   All of these didn't mean she was fearless but I knew that despite the fear, she was comforted by her knowledge and relationship with our Lord and Savior---Jesus Christ.  

Everyone of us is uncertain of the exact day and time our stay on earth is over.  God's greatest commandment in Matthew 22:35-38 took a deeper meaning in my life recently.  These verses tell us,  "One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment."  I realized that as one faces the last days of his life here on earth, this is the only kind of love that will outlast this life through the next.  Our love for God was what propelled us to love our neighbor as ourselves.  All other love and relationships are but temporary.  We will wake up one day in "God's reality."---the unseen world (spirit world) that many people rejected for they relied solely on what their five senses perceived.  I hope and pray that as you are reached by this message and you know that you don't have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ (Born-Again, John 3:3), harden not your hearts!   Allow God to show you who He has created you to be and who you are in Him (Read the Book of John for starters).  In your own private time, seek God's Word and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you and show you Jesus---the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6)!  Do it for your own sake---for the "eternal life" that depends upon your decision here on earth.  I don't care whether you are an atheist, murderer, idolater, fornicator, religious, pagan, whatever!   You cannot save yourself nor are you saved by the opinion of your friends that convinced you that "you cannot change" for "you are born that way!"  Neither are you saved by the many ideals you chose to believe because some famous person you look up to said so.  You owe it to yourself to know the "Truth" (Reality in God's perspective).  That if you believe in something, you are 100 % sure you can bet your life on it.  As for me, I want to stay in this world for as long as God wants to use me but when my time comes, I know that I have entrusted my eternity to the One True God  Whom I've encountered, experienced and loved.   I am safe in the arms of Jesus Christ forever!   Here are some verses to encourage you of our hope and future in Christ.

"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.  This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us."  (1 John 5:13-14)

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."  (Matthew 7:13-14)

"Show me, O LORD, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life.  You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath. "Selah"  Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.  "But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you."  (Psalm 39:4-7)

For this Card, I used an image that was generously provided by one of our sponsors---Drawn with Character called "I Soda Love You!"  I also added a stamp from MayzyArt called "McKenzie" and I colored both with my ProMarker/Prismacolor/Spectrum Noir markers.  The base is white CS, cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches square card.  The DP's are from Paper Studio and DCWV.  I paper-pieced the girl image's blouse and used some glitters (Stickles-Crystal) for some sparkle.  I incorporated some pink brads from Paper Studio and stitched all over this card.  Our task is to incorporate the "Optional Twist" in our creation and it's all about "caffeine." Hope you enjoy my take...

I SODA LOVE YOU CARD:

I SODA LOVE YOU CARD LAYERS:

I SODA LOVE YOU CARD INSIDE:

 

I SODA LOVE YOU CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX:

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

2015 Design Team Challenge---Any Project
Amusing---Paper Piecing
Ecclectic Ellapu---ATG
Fairytale Stampers---ATG
Glitter n Sparkle---Glitter and Sparkle
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends---ATG
OSAAT---ATG with Women
Pile It On---Use 3 of Something
Scribble and Scrap---ATG
Crafts Galore---ATG
Creative Ladybird---ATG
Craft Your Passion---ATG
DL Art---ATG
Party Time Tuesday---ATG (Have used Spectrum Noir along with a couple other brands)
Sister Act---ATG
Craftyhazelnut's---Patterned Paper
Crafty Calendar---Add Some Metal
Crazy 4 Challenges---Bring on the Bling (Glitter on the hearts and clothes)
Inkspirational---She Art/Image of a Woman
My Time to Craft---For a Special Lady
Suzy Bee's---ATG with a Twist (Spots and/or Stripes)

This it for now, guys.  Make sure to join us at our neighborhood---613 Avenue Create---for an Anything Goes Challenge.  If you want to be challenged (like I was), take on the Optional Twist.  But there's really no reason for you to miss it.  Our sponsors--- Drawn with Character, Fitztown and Bugaboo Digi Stamps are giving away some fabulous prizes.  Can't wait to see what you create. The Lord is with you every step of the way so, don't be afraid of the what the future holds---we are safe in the arms of Christ always.