Scrapbooking Bible Study - Choose Joy Finale

Hey Scrappy Friends -
I apologize for being SO delayed with the "finale" piece to this class!  Although you've had all of the lessons, I did want a chance to post my album in it's entirety as well as one last video.  I wasn't sure what video to use until I saw that Kay Warren posted a "Catastrophic Grief" video just this week.  Our class had often wondered how Kay would change or adapt her Choose Joy book after experiencing the sudden loss of her son to suicide last year.  I was thankful to hear this message from her.  For those of you who have experienced such catastrophic loss, I hope it will bring you a message of hope and comfort.



Here is the album I completed for this study:

Whether you create a scrapbook or not, I HIGHLY recommend Kay Warren's book.  It truly helps you adjust your perspective and choose JOY each and every day!

Thanks for doing this study with me!

:) Mags

Scrapbooking Bible Study - Session 11

There were a lot of things I could pull out from last week's lesson - I decided on two of them:  "Find The Funny" and "Celebrated Daily."  Here are the layouts I made.  I wanted a reminder to my kids that life IS funny and to take a moment to celebrate the little things daily.  It's those "little" things that add up to one, BIG, AWESOME life.

The kit used is "Click!" - available at any of my stores.

For our class time today, our focus was this...

THE TIME IS NOW! 

NOW is the time to choose joy... in THIS moment, in THIS circumstance, in THIS heartbreak, despite THIS pain.  THIS is the day that the Lord has made.  We will REJOICE and be glad in it!

DOWNLOAD SESSION 11 HERE

We saw a few short videos today - ALL are worth viewing!! 

#1 -  "God Doesn't Make Junk"

Need a reminder of how to let God shine through?

#2 - "WHO YOU ARE"

YOU are a masterpiece - Believe it!!

#3 - "A Life That's Good"

A reminder to live with a grateful heart

#4 - "Christ Is Risen"

THIS is the whole reason we can choose JOY - God's Love and Victory over Death!!

We don't have to wait until we "get those ducks in a row" 
 (because they'll NEVER be all tidy and in a row!), we can CHOOSE JOY NOW. 

I also shared my testimony - when I hit that crisis of faith that was insurmountable without God.

You can read it here:  FINDING GOD IN HOSPITAL SHOES.

Finally, a cyberfriend of mine & member of my Creative Team, Kathy M., who is doing this study as well, made a wonderful layout of "Things We Need To LET GO OF To Move Forward."   I'm totally snagging it for my album!  Her layout is on the left - I paired it with the layout on the right.  Kit used for both is "My World" - available at all of my stores.

Next week, our class will share our finished album and layouts.
I'll be back with my last layouts then!
Have a blessed week!
:) Mags

Scrapbooking Bible Study - Session 10

Hey Bible Study Friends!
So, I really liked the "masterpiece" idea from last week's lesson.  For my layouts, I wanted to remind my kids that each of them are MASTERPIECES too!  This is what I came up with - I used a kit I had created last year called "AWESOME SAUCE."

The photos on the right side all show things that really got my kids excited.  For Jack, it's sports, music, and animals.  For Luke, it's his creativity, building things, and our dog. :)


This week, our class got to focus on JOYOUS THINGS... Sights and smells, sounds and tastes that fill us with JOY.   Here is a short list of MY personal favorites.  What are yours?

• SIGHTS - home
• SMELLS - my (clean) dog, warm chocolate chip cookies, coffee
• SOUNDS - the sound of QUIET. ;)
• TASTES - salt, sugar, carbs, grease, chocolate, and more coffee. :)
• TOUCHES - my dog, clean sheets

DOWNLOAD SESSION 10 INFO HERE

Session 10 has four key lessons:

1. Love Extravagantly
2. Find the Funny
3. Lighten Someone's Load
4. Celebrate Daily

We had the best time with the "Finding the Funny" aspect of this lesson in class.  Life IS absurd - and you can find examples all the time.  Below are some links that you'll want to see - prepare for some BIG BELLY LAUGHS!

Tim Hawkins:  Favorite Bible Verse

Tim Hawkins on Raising Hands In Church & Hand Sanitizer

I have to say that I'm REALLY excited to be seeing Tim Hawkins IN CONCERT later this month!  Getting to meet him would make for a wonderful layout for this album. :)

Another important lesson in this session was the reminder to lighten someone else's load.  Consider this story:

What can YOU do to make a difference to just one other person this week?

I have one last video for you - it's by one of my favorite video people - Igniter Media.  They make videos for churches and Bibles studies, and each one is AMAZING.  This video is just a reminder about our Awesome and Amazing God and all that he has created.  Knowing that the God who did all of this, hopefully, will fill you up with joy. ♥

We're just have a few layouts left... I'm so proud of you all for doing this study with me!

See you next week!

:) Mags

Scrapbooking Bible Study - Session 9

Last week, we focused on building Joy in OTHERS.  Did you practice looking at the world with a new set of "glasses?" -- because you never know what baggage another person is carrying.  Even though WE each carry our own set of baggage, if we can step outside of ourselves just a little bit, we may be able to lighten the load of someone else.

Here is the layout I made for last week's lesson:

I can't tell you how excited I was to be able to include the screenshots from Buffy the Vampire Slayer!!  I was also thrilled to find another blog post on this very same topic who ALSO referenced this particular episode from Buffy.  

Click on the image below to read it.

This blogger, Chicagolina, makes a great point that "sometimes we take comfort in self-pity because it is more comfortable that awareness."   Self-pity gets in the way from reaching out and being empathetic towards others.  And many people NEED your encouragement!

However... for this week, we are turning our focus INWARD... 

because YOU matter too!

DOWNLOAD SESSION 9 INFO HERE

Did you hear that?  YOU MATTER.  YOU MATTER!  God made a MASTERPIECE when He created you...

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. -Ephesians 2:10 NIV

He is the Rock, his works are perfect,
    and all his ways are just. -Deuteronomy 2:4 pt 1 NIV

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; 
      you formed me in my mother's womb. 
   I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking! 
      Body and soul, I am marvelously made! 
      I worship in adoration—what a creation! 
   You know me inside and out, 
      you know every bone in my body; 
   You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, 
      how I was sculpted from nothing into something. 
   Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; 
      all the stages of my life were spread out before you, 
   The days of my life all prepared 
      before I'd even lived one day.

Psalm 139:13-16, The Msg

Have you ever taken a moment to notice just how AWESOME you are?  Let this kid remind you:

Looking forward to seeing your next layouts!

:) Mags

Scrapbooking Bible Study - Session 8

Hey Friends!

My friend, Kim, found this graphic and we shared it in Bible Study this week; it matches so well with our study!

The website where it's from has a "JOY DARE" daily devotional that you can join.  

Fits right in with our study. :)

Here are the layouts I created for last week's lesson:

 I'm hoping with continued reminders, my kids (and me!) will remember that it's our choice to seize joy!

This week's lesson is about looking beyond yourself and focusing on building JOY in OTHERS.  We are reminded to "Be Kind.  Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." 

(-Philo of Alexandria).

DOWNLOAD SESSION 8 INFO HERE

I shared a scene from my all-time favorite TV show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, (yes, I really did!).  In the episode, "Earshot," Buffy has been infected by a demon to where she can read the thoughts of everyone around her.  In the midst of the cacophony of noise, she hears a plot to kill everyone in the school and is on the hunt to find the culprit.  She discovers the nerdy Jonathan up in the clock tower with a rifle - although it turns out that Jonathan isn't plotting mass murder, he wanted to kill himself.  This is what Buffy tells him:

JONATHAN
Stop saying my name like we're friends.
We're not friends. You all think I'm an
idiot. A short idiot.

BUFFY
I don't.

His hands tighten on the gun. He's getting angry.

BUFFY
I don't think about you much at all.
Most people here don't. Bugs you,
doesn't it? You've got all this pain,
all these feelings and nobody's
paying attention.

JONATHAN
You think I just want attention?

BUFFY
No, I think you're in the bell tower
with a high powered rifle because you
want to blend in. Believe it or not, Jonathan,
I understand. About the pain.

JONATHAN
Oh, right. 'Cause the burden of being
beautiful and athletic, that's a crippler.

BUFFY
I'm sorry, I was wrong. You are an idiot.

This stops him.

BUFFY
My life happens very occasionally to
suck beyond the telling of it. More than
I can stand sometimes. And not just me.
Every single person down there is
ignoring your pain because they're way
too busy with their own. The beautiful
ones, the popular ones, the guys that
pick on you... everyone. If you could hear what they're feeling -  the confusion, the loneliness... It looks
quiet down there. It's not. It's deafening.

I wanted to post the video, but those darn copyright laws get in the way... *sigh*

I can, however, show you THIS video that reminds us of the same lesson... Take a look:

Concentrate your layouts on what you can do to build joy in OTHERS.
I can't wait to see them!

A reminder that since our class skips next week for spring break, I won't be posting session 9 until April 3rd.  

:) Mags

Scrapbooking Bible Study - Session 7

Kim, from my Bible Study Class, found this fun cartoon.  Since we had been giggling in a previous class over the parody poem "Buttprints In The Sand," this was especially apt.  I am sure that MANY times God has to D-R-A-G us for a while to keep us on track... ;)

Here are the layouts I created for last week's lesson.  I wanted to show the difference between choosing GOD'S Value System vs. that of the World.  The photos I used are inspirational moments through our church over the last 6 months - a HUGE food drive, clothing drive, money for wells in Zimbabwe, CIY Youth Group Weekend, Hands Against Hunger Food Packing Event, and the inspirational funeral for Jessica Elam.

This week we talk about making the DELIBERATE CHOICE of choosing Joy...

DOWNLOAD SESSION 7 INFO HERE

JOY results from our deliberate choices to THINK differently, ACT differently, and FEEL differently.  It is not an accident - it is the fruit of our choice to place our trust in God.

One of the cutest things is to watch a group of preschoolers sing together - whether it be at a church or school concert, their excited faces and actions are just to precious.  The song below is a popular one for Vacation Bible Schools.  Just imagine the JOY of the kids singing as you watch.  THAT joy is what we are striving for. :)

Remember, God LOVES YOU.  He will never love you any more than He does now, and He will never love you any less.  You are loved - in spite of any dumb choices you might make. ;)  That, in itself, should bring you joy.

I hope you'll share your layouts with me!  

Have a blessed week!

:) Mags

Scrapbooking Bible Study - Session 6

Hey Crafty Friends!

I thought this would be an easy layout - there was such a depth of information Session 5!  But, I found that I didn't have any photos that explained what I wanted to share.  So I've made two photo-less layouts this time around:

Left Layout Info:  "As Big As The Sky" Kit by MMullins

Right Layout Info: "He Is Risen" Blog Train Collab

Session 6:  Our God Is A Big, Big God

covers pages 99-135 (Chapters 5 and 6)

DOWNLOAD THE STUDY GUIDE HERE

One of the most inspirational things to watch is a group of little kids singing at Vacation Bible School.  Our church hosts over 1000 kindergartners through sixth graders for one week each summer, and the end-of-day worship service is so amazing.  One of the songs they often sing is "Big, Big God."  If you haven't heard it, here's a corny, but cute video I found on YouTube:

Chapter 5 is all about how BIG and POWERFUL our Lord truly is-- ETERNAL, EVERLASTING, and SOLID.  And instead of depending on the temporary for our joy, we need to search for that which is also eternal, everlasting, and solid.  God's value system is one we can strive to implement in our own lives.  Our joy becomes based NOT on outward circumstances, but on inward certainty that God is in control, all the time, in every circumstance, no matter what.

Chapter 6 deals with SORROW.  Hardship or suffering are a part of life - but what opportunities have they brought you to share God's Love or Truth?  What events in your life do you view differently in the context of finding JOY in Jesus?  

Jeremiah 29:11 should bring us great comfort:
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

I hope you'll share your layouts with me!  
Please join my Gallery Showcase Group on Facebook.
See you next week!
:) Mags

Scrapbooking Bible Study - Session 5

Hey Scrappers!

So happy to have you following along in our Study.  I found last week's layouts to be more challenging that I expected.  I ended up doing more of a "tribute" layout to Jesus. This is what I came up with:

Kit is "John 3:16" - Created by me.  Painting is ©Louise Dusing.  Pencil sketches were found uncredited on the Web.

Session 5:  Looking For Joy In All The Wrong Places

covers pages 72-96 (which is the introduction to Part 2 and Chapter 4).

DOWNLOAD the STUDY GUIDE HERE.

After the class discussion on this section, I spent the rest of the day analyzing everyone in my family as to how they fit into the "Winnie The Pooh" School of Personalities.  *wink*  You know, Kay Warren didn't include Piglet.  Isn't Piglet the one who worries, worries, worries ALL the time?  I think that he should have been included too!

 

Anyway - If you want to try your hand at some Winnie the Pooh Personality quizzes, here are a couple for you... Although I can't verify how "scientific" they are, Quiz 2 was the only one that pegged me as a Rabbit (which I totally am!)

Quiz 1:  http://www.brainfall.com/quizzes/which-Winnie-the-pooh-character-are-you/

Quiz 2: http://www.quizmeme.com/poohpersonality/quiz.php

Quiz 3:  http://quizilla.teennick.com/quizzes/679673/which-pooh-character-are-you

  

Session 5 addresses the difference between "happiness" (which is fleeting & temporary) and "joy" (which is the settled assurance that God is always in control of everything, all of the time).

 

Psalm 46:10 reminds us to "Be still and know I am God."  This knowledge should (hopefully!) allow us to remember that...

God is faithful...

All the time...

Every day...

In every circumstance...

No matter what...

God.  Is.  Faithful.

 

We are reminded NOT to put our faith in false sources of joy.  People, places, our possessions, our career position, or our specific personality type are not meant to be the source of our joy.  Sure they can bring us happiness at times - but it is not their responsibility to bring this sense of deep-rooted and peaceful joy that lasts.

 

Finally, Kay Warren talked about "broken wells" - how so often we try to depend on happenings or circumstances for our joy.  But God will not bless your efforts to dig your own broken well.  He will always be there with HIS well -- which never runs dry.  He will always be wanting you to turn to Him to fill your well.

 

Between all of that, you should have lots of good ideas for your layouts.

 

If you are all caught up, by next Wednesday, you will have

1.  Read up through page 135.

2.  Completed a total of 9 layouts (1 for your cover, 2 for "joy is a choice," 2 for "living out loud," 2 for "joy in Jesus" and 2 for "finding joy in the wrong places")

 

I would LOVE to see your layouts!  I have a Gallery Showcase Group on Facebook where scrappy friends are sharing their Bible Study layouts.  I hope you'll join!

 

Looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday!

 Mags... The "Rabbit"

 

 

Scrapbooking Bible Study: CHOOSE JOY Session 4

Hey Scrappers!
I hope you had a chance to really dig in to your life experiences as well as Scripture last week for your layouts.  It was a heavier bit of material, indeed, but in breaking us down, God has a chance to mold us and build us up to something even better, stronger, and more amazing.  I saw this quote last week that I thought was applicable:

He yearns for us to look to HIM for comfort, support, knowledge, advice, wisdom, and solace.  He is eager to use us to demonstrate his love and power.

For my layouts this week, I chose to chronicle our sons' birth defects of bilateral club feet.  When both Jack and Luke were born, their little feet were all turn in like little flippers!

(Jack's Feet)

(Luke's Feet)

  When you've got a Dad who LOVES sports and a Mom who was a dancer in high school and college, it's hard to imagine how these little "crooked" feet could be healed.  But God put so many things in place for us!!  Googling bilateral club feet back in 2000 led us to a LOCAL couple who were blogging their story.  They met with us and connected us with a skilled and experienced surgeon at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.  They passed us a special bathtub that we would need to soak off the plaster casts.  They showed us their own son's PERFECT piggies; after just a year of castings and a surgery, their son, Michael, had beautiful, working, "normal" feet! 

The journey from crooked-to-straight feet is long and stressful.  Casts every week for 5 months.  Multiple "heal-cord releases" (which is a nice way of saying the surgeon slices through the Achilles tendon, stretches the ankle, and casts it.  In babies, the two pieces of tendons grow back together, longer!).  We worked with plaster and fiberglass casts as well as foot-braces.  At 9 months, each boy had one LARGE surgery where the doctor cut through the tendons in the ankles, re-positioned the feet with pins, and casted the feet for 10 weeks.  At the end of this process, we had perfect, STRAIGHT, wonderful, kissable feet! ♥

So, here are the layouts I came up with:

Kit is the Thunderstorm Collab from PickleberryPop.  Song lyrics are from Casting Crowns' song, "Praise You In This Storm."

I love the final quote (spoken by our Pastor in a sermon just last weekend - how that for "coincidence?!") that you can NEVER give up on God redeeming your story because God takes the broken pieces and turns them into a beautiful mosaic.

God CAN redeem YOUR story.  No matter what. :)

For Session 4, we are "Finding JOY in Jesus."  

You can download the Study Guide for this Session HERE.

To get you started, I have some Christian Funnies for you...

  

I LOVE the way Proverbs is written in The Message version of the Bible.  The plain-spokenness of it just cracks me up.  Like these Proverbs, for example:

People ruin their lives by their own stupidity, so why does God always get blamed? 

-Proverbs 19:3

Even dunces who keep quiet are thought to be wise; as long as they keep their mouths shut, they're smart. -Proverbs 17:28

and my personal favorite...

Having a fool for a child is misery; it's no fun being the parent of a dolt! 

-Proverbs 17:21

As you work through this week's discussion points, think of Bible stories or verses that make you smile... or even laugh.  Know that God is JOYFUL with even the smallest steps you take towards Him.  Perhaps those baby-steps of faith are something you can scrap?

Remember...

Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.

-James 1:12

A very talented lady named Louise Dusing is in my class, and she is a painter.  She took on the challenge of painting "Happy Jesus," and I wanted to share her amazing painting with you..

He came ENJOYING life.  And, He hopes YOU will too. :)

I'm looking forward to seeing your next layouts!

Please join the MagsGraphics Gallery Showcase Group to show them off!

Blessings to you this week!

:) Mags

PS - A few years ago, I taught another Scrapbooking Bible Study based on The "Fruit of The Spirit" and I chronicled our club feet journey for "Patience."  You can read it on my Christian blog, Everyday Places.

Scrapbooking Bible Study: CHOOSE JOY Session 3

Hey Scrappy Friends!

How are you doing on your layouts?  I enjoyed making mine for Session 2 - I loved the "train track" idea; this is what I came up with:

Train tracks are from a kit called "Trains" by JenCD.

The rest of the kit is from a brand-new kit I have releasing on Saturday called "Fruit of the Spirit."

And it was pure luck that I dug up this photo of my husband looking through the toilet seat! *wink*

I love the idea of the parallel train tracks - that we are continually balancing between the joys and sorrows in our lives.  During our class discussion today, one of the ladies brought up a really good point... that while we try not to be detoured by our sorrows, sometimes God uses these detours to refine us or teach us something.  Another time to practice intentionally choosing joy... even when it's hard!

This week, Session 3 is a "heavier" week with some deep soul-searching for times in your life where your faith-life was forced out in the open.  You may find that you certainly weren't focusing on JOY back then, but perhaps you can find the blessings in the mess now that you look back.  One of the lessons from this week is that non-Christians ARE looking to you to see how you handle adversity, trials, pain, hardship, and loss.  So even though you may be dealing with a trial, you have this amazing opportunity to serve as a representative of Christ.  Bringing others into the flock of Christ IS a reason to feel joy!

Here is your PDF for this week.  

DOWNLOAD HERE

You are reading p. 35-47 (if you are on a Kindle or Nook where the page numbers are all different, you are reading Chapter 2: "Showing Our True Colors").

I hope you'll join the MagsGraphics Gallery Group on Facebook and show off your layouts!  I love to see them, and you will undoubtedly get inspiration by the other layouts being displayed!

--> NOTE - I had originally mentioned that next week was an "off" week for our study, BUT that is no longer the case.  We had a "Snow Day" here that cancelled classes last week so we are actually having class after all.  That means, I'll post Session 4 next Thursday!  See you then!

:) Mags

Scrapbooking Bible Study: CHOOSE JOY Session 2

Hey Scrappy Friends!
I hope you've had a great week and have been paying attention to ways you can choose JOY in the midst of aggravations.  To get you started off this morning, quickly jot down THREE things that happened this week that zapped you of your joy.  Did starting this study help you change your perspective and reach (at least a little bit!) towards joy?  I hope so! :)  

Hopefully, you've completed your introduction layout/cover page.  I did a page as part of the promotion for this class at my church that (for the time being) I'm going to use as my cover page (I have a idea that I may move it as an ending page, but I want to wait and see how all of my layouts turn out):

I wanted some family photos that made me smile - to remind me what "JOY" looks like - even if and when I'm not feeling it.

The kit used is by my fellow designer, Mandy King; it's called "The Little Things."

Based on your reading this week (p.19-34), you'll want to work through the questions and discussion points outlined in the .pdf. for Session 2.

DOWNLOAD SESSION 2 HERE

Some additional questions to consider...

• When you read about the parallel train tracks, How do you see these duel tracks working in your life?
• After reading the Momastery Article on Avoiding Detours, what detours do you find yourself getting trapped in again and again?

Your HOMEWORK this week is to construct TWO layouts that showcase what you've learned from this session as well as to read p. 35-47 for next week.  Remember you can show off your layouts on my FB Page OR in the MagsGraphics Gallery Group (also on FB).  I'd love to see them!

See you next week!

:) Mags