CAS Series: Sunshine and Happiness Birthday Card---Join Us at 613 Avenue Create for another Anything Goes, Monthly Challenge!

Hello everyone.  We have a new Challenge for this month at 613 Avenue Create that started a couple of days ago.  As always, it's Anything Goes with an optional twist, "Use Your Country's Flag Colors." Since we have a  few DT's that used the American flag colors, I opted for the Anything Goes.

Last night, I stumbled upon a TV program that had to do with cosmetic surgery and the different reasons and motive each client present to the doctors to accomplish what they want.  Some had facial deformities from birth that caused limited movement or breathing as well as emotional pain from being bullied due to their physical appearance.  While I saw the necessity for others to have such a procedure to improve their way of living  and boost confidence, there were also many whose main purpose in life is to be physically attractive which clearly showed how self centered they were to the point of self worship.  I don't usually enjoy these programs but I was preoccupied with organizing some stuff that the program played from one episode to the next.  I heard and saw bits and pieces of the episodes until I couldn't take it anymore.  The truth is after some time, I felt tired listening/watching the discontent and the vanity by most of the people in the show.   I felt spiritually irritated  by the negative spirit the program reflected.  Personally, I would compare the feeling I experienced last night to how I felt when I hanged out with people who had nothing positive to say.  Gotquestions.org says, "Negative people tend to focus on others’ faults (or their own faults). They may regularly point out shortcomings with their comments, attitudes, and frowns. Negative people will approach situations from a pessimistic viewpoint, assuming the worst in any given situation. Sometimes negative people disguise their negativity by using humor or sarcasm, but it still ultimately results in someone being or feeling put down."

Ultimately, all you hear from Negative people are complaints day and night.  Now, we have many people like that in the world but there are some of them who professed to be Christians too. Though they heard the encouraging Truth of God's Word, they find ways to justify their "Poor Me" attitude.  Not that I don't care nor love these brethren in the faith, but at some point, I had to consciously distance myself from them for they negatively affect the spiritual state of my being. Constant complaining is toxic that fuels unbelief.  It teaches us to doubt the promises of God!  I would like to share another article from Gotquestions.org that would make my point clearer.  It says, " The Greek word translated “complainer” means literally “one who is discontented with his lot in life.” It is akin to the word grumbler. Complaining is certainly not a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and, in fact, is detrimental to the peace, joy, and patience that come from the Spirit. For the Christian, complaining is destructive and debilitating personally and only serves to make our witness to the world more difficult. Who, for instance, would be attracted to a religion whose adherents are dissatisfied with life and who continually grumble and complain? The first complainer was Adam who, after he and Eve disobeyed, complained to God that “the woman you put here with me – she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it” (Genesis 3:12). The son of Adam, called Cain, also complained, although undoubtedly within himself (Genesis 4:6). We also know of the complaints made by Moses, when he met God at the burning bush (Exodus 3–4). Also, Moses cried to the Lord repeatedly for deliverance from the Israelites’ grumbling and idolatry (Exodus 17:4; 32:31-32). We also know of the complaints that David offered up to the Lord in the Psalms (Psalm 2:1; 12:1-2; 22:1) and the complaints made by the prophets concerning the idolatry of the Jewish nation. However, the book of Job offers the most in the way of complaints toward God, and yet Job did not sin (Job 1:22, 2:10). That is not to say that the aforementioned people never sinned in voicing their complaints to God, but Job was a man who was able to sanctify his complaints, and that took humility. Clearly, as believers we are challenged not to grumble or complain (Philippians 2:14-15; 1 Peter 4:9); rather, we are to love one another deeply so that we may become “blameless and pure” in God’s eyes. If we grumble and complain, it shows how worldly we still are (James 4:1-3). A complaining spirit leads to fighting and quarrelling because complaints come from unfulfilled desires, which lead to envy and strife. Was that not at the root of the problem with the sons of Israel, when they chose to dispose of their brother Joseph, because of his dream (Genesis 37:3)?  Finally, while it is not wrong to complain to God, it is wrong to complain about God. Those that did so met the anger of the Lord, as was the case of Moses’ sister Miriam (Numbers 12) and Korah and Dathan (Numbers 16). But note that they spoke against God’s servant and, in doing so, spoke against God Himself. If we must complain, let it be to Him about our own sinfulness so that He will forgive and cleanse us (1 John 1:9) and put within us a new heart, one that rejoices rather than complains." 

Let us live our lives full of gratitude for everything the Lord provided us---big and small.  Thank Him each day for the finished work of Jesus Christ at the Cross that provided us victory over Sin and Death.  Be grateful for His Holy Spirit living inside every believer that anchors us to His promises in Christ now and forever.  For in the Lord, our gloomy days can turn into sunshine and our sadness, can turn into joy and happiness.

For this Card, I used an image from Heidi Grace Stamps and stamped/colored them with my Marvy Uchida markers.  The base is an A2 pre-cut card with envelope from the Paper Studio.  This is a very simple, no fuzz card that I truly love.

 SUNSHINE AND HAPPINESS BIRTHDAY CARD

 SUNSHINE AND HAPPINESS BIRTHDAY CARD INSIDE

SUNSHINE AND HAPPINESS BIRTHDAY CARD WITH ENVELOPE

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

A Perfect Time to Craft---ATG
Classic DT---ATG
Craft-Dee Bowz---ATG
Craft Galore Encore---ATG
Creative Craft Cottage---Summer
Digi Doodle---Summer/Hancolored Image
DL Art---Summer
Fabrika Fantasy---Summer
Happy Craft---ATG
LeAnn's---ATG
Mix It Up---ATG/Foiling
Morgan's Artworld---ATG
Papercraft---ATG
Sognando---Summer
Sweet Stampers---Summer
YSBP---ATG

This is 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, take on the Optional Twist.  But there's really no reason for you to miss it. Can't wait to see what you create. Remember to trust the Lord Jesus Christ always!

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