SSIC LOC It's a Man Thing!

My post for this weeks Stampin' Sisters on Christ Challenge is prescheduled as I am recovering from eye surgery on Thursday.  This weeks challenge is brought to you by Lisa who has chosen the scripture from Ephesians

 "Honor your father and mother"--this is the first commandment with a promise: {3} "so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth." {4} And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord

 (Eph 6:2-4 NRSV)

Lisa has challenged us to make a Father's Day card... or a card praising our Father in Heaven.

Now, you may have noticed that this is not a Father's Day card - but a birthday card...there is a reason for this - when creating for this challenge I thought it a masculine card, not specifically a Father's Day card - and my DD2 needed a birthday card for a friend who plays AFL - I must be honest and say I would not know one end of a football from another - so we resorted to Google (LOL)...and there began the motivation for the card!

I used my Spellbinders Grand Calibur and the Grand Ovals Nestie to cut the card shape and cut another oval in brown and then ran it through my Cuttlebug with a Tim Holtz embossing folder.

I have inked it and adhered it to the card base - at this point it looked more like an Easter Egg (LOL).  I added a faux lacing strip and a tag using the Layers of Color Happy Wishes art stamp set, cut out with the Spellbinders Labels 18- two gold brads and the card is finished!!  I am happy with this, as was my DD2 and her 'friend' loved it as well - so that has to be good!!

Fathers Day - we love to celebrate it BIG time here in Australia, but it is in September. Although the feminists say that families don't need Fathers, I would like to see a family start without one!!  LOL!  I grew up in a family where my Father was not a 'textbook' Father and came with his own challenges. 

Though the years this has brought many emotions along, but after losing him unexpectedly 11 years ago in September, I am so grateful to God that as I took it all to Him, He was able to help us build a new relationship and I did not know at the time, but Father's Day 2000 was the last time I would speak with him and my last words were 'I love you Dad!'

I know that many of us have not had the best experiences with family, but I do know that God is there and will bring us through with healed hearts - experience has shown me this.  I t is not easy to honour someone who you feel has let you down constantly and not given you any reason to respect them.  This was something that challenged me as I grew as a Christian...I did not see why this should apply to me BUT God is His wisdom showed me that I did not have to respect the behaviour but I had to respect the position of Father - a daunting task but a truth that was liberating!

I am am grateful to God that He did indeed give me 'beauty for ashes' with this relationship...I was blessed to have my Dad walk me down the aisle at my Wedding, to be able to build a new relationship and leave the past behind.  Since my Dad died I have often reflected on the role of a Father and thank God that He was able to bring healing in my life and bring restoration in a relationship that had left such an ache in my heart!

I am also grateful that my children have a Father who adores them and would give anything for them and me....what a blessing!!

This card is for the following challenges:
Card Creations and More by C - Shaped Card
Craft Your Days Away - Monochromatic
Crazy 4 Challenges - Masculine
Little Claire's - Cards for Men
Secret Crafter - A Male Card
Alphabet Challenge - Fathers Day or Card For a Male
Polkadoodle - Something for Dad
Stampman - Man and Boys
CCEE Stampers - Cards with a Sports Theme
Craft Us Crazy - Fathers Day and/or Masculine Colours/Theme
Just for Fun - Use at Least one Tim Holtz Product
Paper Play - Fathers Day/ Mans card
Some Odd Girl - Masculine
Amber's Crafts and Stuff - Special Man
Sisterhood of Crafters - Dad/Special Man
The Paper Variety - Father/ Special Man
Clearly Inspired - Distressing
Fussy and Fancy - Card for a Man
Guylou's Iminitability - Monochromatic
Art Impressions Stamp Challenge - Monochromatic
Stamp Insanity - Masculine

A BIG thank you to our sponsor Simon Says Stamp
We are grateful to Simon Says Stamp for their continued support!

You can see Lisa's devotional on over at the Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge.

Make sure you stop by the Design Team Blogs and see that gorgeous 'works of the heart' they have created for you!!

*Lisa * Chris * Grace * Kristine * MariLynn * Peggysue * Randi  (on break)* Miejse * Rebekka * Sabrina*

You can see more of my projects in my Layers of Color Gallery, while you are there make sure you check out the other Design Team galleries there is so much inspiration waiting to be discovered, we are thrilled that Layers of Color is a Spellbinders Preferred Product Partner. 

You can also check out Layers of Color Art Stamps on our FACEBOOK GROUP  and  have a look at the Layers of Color Art Stamps FLICKR GROUP where you can upload your LOC artwork and be inspired by hundreds of fabulous LOC creations! You are going to LOVE it!!

Making your creative world more colorful with Layers of Color!

Thank you for your comments and all of the support you give me - you make blogging such an amazing place to be!!  Your encouragement is such a blessing for me  - it makes my day! I am keeping my computer time shorter these days - the glare plays havoc on my eyes - I have my other surgery on June 9 and after recovery time, I am hoping to come and spend some QUALITY time with you!  God bless you!

{{{hugs}}}