}

Sunday, July 1, 2012

SSIC Something New

I am honoured to be hosting the Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge this week - this is the most wonderful group of ladies and each one of them is a blessing to me and every other member of the Team.  We love it when you are able to join us and share your inspiring works of art and of the heart - thank you for you support - it means so much!

 

The scripture I have chosen is:
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. John 13:34-35



and the challenge I have set is to use something NEW on your project



I have used one of the new Spellbinders Dies - Majestic Squares Nestabilities, definitely a favourite with me!  It has been cut with the Spellbinders Grand Calibur and the Crafty Secrets image has been layered onto it.  The sweet tag is from the Spellbinders Home Sweet Home Licensed Dies by NinaB Designs.



The divine bling is from Want2Scrap, also designed by NinaB Designs.


I have also used Seam Binding and a Mulberry Rose - both favourites of  mine!

This card is for the following challenges:
Chocolate, Coffee & CardsAnything Goes
Fun with Shapes & More - must include die cut/punch
Stamp ManBling it On
CCEE Stampers - Tag or tag on a card (on bow)
Sugar Creek Hollow - Vintage Children
Stampin' For The Weekend - Show us Your Style
Fab 'n' Funky - Cute & Girly
Try It On Tuesday - Anything Goes
Bunny Zoe's Crafts - Girls, Girls, Girls
Craft Your Passion - Things with Wings
Fashionista Challenge - Winged Things
Incy Wincy Designs - Anything Goes
Make it Monday - always Anything Goes
Whoopsi Daisy - Things with Wings   

This has been a favourite scripture of mine for as long as I can remember, even before I was a Christian I have wonderful memories of my older brother singing it as a chorus and playing along on the guitar, I used to beg him to sing it over and over again, loving the words but not realising the full impact of them for a number of years.  It has always been a scripture that stayed with me, etched deeply into my heart.
Over the years I have come to understand how powerful this commandment is.  It is easy to love those who love us, but more of a challenge to love those who are not so loving, who don't understand us and can often be the ones who cause us so much heartache.  Those ones who cause us to feel anything but loving on the inside.  I have found that it is in those circumstances that God wants my response of be that of LOVE, not the gushy emotional based love that we all love to feel....but the powerful and life changing love of God.  It seems that this kind of love is not an option for the followers of Jesus, neither a recommendation, but is just as the scripture reads, a commandment!
Emotionally based love does not define who we are, or infact our relationship with God.  It is dependant on circumstances, but the unchanging and steadfast love of God is so powerful and changes both our lives and the lives of those who come into contact with it.   In the  Old Testament we see the command to "love your neighbor as yourself" - Lev 19:18, but Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another" - Jn 13:34.  This is more than a commendment to love one another, we are called to a new and higher standard of love!   The more that the love of Jesus fills our lives, the more we will be able to love other with the same kind of love that He shows toward us.

Jesus has shown us a powerful tool to show the world that we are
   His disciples...


Make sure you stop by the Designers Blogs are some amazing inspiration - these ladies are inspirational on so many levels!!


* Kristine * Linda (that's me) * MariLynn * Miejse * Peggysue * Traci M *




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! God bless you!
{{{hugs}}}
     

21 comments:

  1. This is a really pretty card, fab vintage image.
    Thank you for joining us at Whoopsi Daisy this week.
    Pauline
    x

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  2. WOW, Linda this is gorgeous. Love the beautiful dies and the pink really makes it pop.

    Thanks for joining us in the Fab'n'Funky challenge this week. hugs, Pat K.x

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  3. Linda - What a fabulous card! I love ...well, everything about it! But that image is just so sweet and I love the bling. Thanks for the glimpse into your life. I am paring for you and your family.
    Blessings,
    Michelle

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  4. nice post thanks for sharing...looking for to visit more...blessings

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  5. Ooooh this is yummy Linda! I love this SB frame! It's my #1 wish list item right now!!! Love the tag too and your pretty colors and layout just make this such a happy card!

    Hope all is well with you! For some reason when I try to reply to the few SSIC emails I get yours comes back. :( Know that I think of you often my friend!!! Would love a catch up some time!!!

    hugs,
    Grace

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  6. Such a gorgeous card - I love the vintage image and all the little touches of sparkle! Thanks for playing along with Fab N Funky this week!

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  7. Beautiful card, Linda - as ever :-), but what I want to say is that the love you speak of really is above and beyond us, and we can only appropriate it when we are filled with it by the Spirit. As I have heard you say, Praise God for God!!
    Blessings
    Maxine

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  8. What a beautiful card love it. Thank you for playing with us on the TIOT challenge, unfortunately we cannot consider it in our prize draw because it is linked to too many challenges. We only allow 5 including ours. Thank you for joining us and hope to see you in the next challenge.
    Hugz, Z

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  9. Beautiful card, Linda! I finally submitted a card to SSIC, it's been so long....

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  10. Love, love, love your lovely creation. It's so girlie and vintage...a work of art. Appreciated your devotion so much this week. A great reminder of what real love is...thanks for all you do to encourage and inspire.

    Have a lovely week....

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  11. Linda.. you have made a lovely card...the use of the frames with the beautiful image is just divine. Thank you for entering the Craft Room "Friendship" challenge this fortnight and good luck! Suzanne :)

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  12. Beautiful vintage feel card Linda, lovely colours, images and details, thanks for sharing at craft room challenge, debi x

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  13. Hi Linda! Lovely card! I like that "vintagey" feel...especially the delicate layered die cutss and the perfectly placed bling! Enjoyed reading your thoughts on the verse as well.
    Bless you!
    Sandie

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  14. Linda your card is beautiful! What an adorable image, and wonderfully vintage feel your card has! Thank you for joining us this week at Sugar Creek Hollow!

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  15. BEAUTIFUL! Your cards are just incredible - how do you do it? So many cards and each is perfection. Love it Linda, loved your devotion too!

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  16. beautiful card sweetie
    Thanks for joining us at Chocolate, Coffee and Cards Challenges!!
    hugs
    xMx

    you can visit
    http://whenthescraphitsthefun.blogspot.com/
    for my free digis!!

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  17. A beautiful vintage card. Thank you for joining us at Craft-Room Challenge.
    xxx Hazel.

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  18. Those vintage images just make a card; but as your usual style, you add so much with your soft coloring and embellishments! Your devotional was a good reminder of what real love is; action, not feeling. Thank the Lord we can have that kind of reservoir or love in us...because He first loved us...we can love others. Blessings to you and thanks for the inspiration this week, friend!!

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  19. Wow, what a powerful lesson regarding love! Thank you for sharing that with us this week! Your card is beautiful! I LOVE your papers and the bling so much!!! That image is darling, too! Have a blessed day! ~H

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  20. Beautiful card. Love the image. Thank you for joining us at CC&CC this time.
    Debbie x

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  21. This is indeed a beautiful card Linda and your love shines through in it. Thanks for sharing it with us at The Stamp Man challenge.
    Hugs {Brenda} xox

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