Karla's Korner

Easter Blessings Coloring Page

I know Easter is still a month away, but I wanted you to have this now as you begin to prepare for the coming celebration... enjoy! Just click on the image for a full size printable version.

She is one of the color bunny series I'm working on for a digital download collection... stayed tuned to see her in color!

Prepare our hearts now Lord to celebrate Your resurrection
in Spirit and in Truth... amen.

FREE... Apples of Gold Coloring Page

I had such fun creating this coloring page as a gift for you and your children. As I worked on it, I couldn't help but think about the tremendous value our words have and how important it is for our children and grandchildren to learn this early in their lives.

I was very thin... skinny as a beanpole... as a child. I can still remember other children making fun of me until I was in tears. My mother always told me "sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me."  I know she meant well, but an unkind or cruel word can be painful... and sometimes, depending on what it is and who says it, an unkind word can leave a scar that lasts a lifetime.

We can all say careless words without thinking or realizing the impact they can have. I know I can. So I am so grateful to God for this reminder to think before I speak... I want to be a woman who "serves" words that bless and not curse, that build up and not tear down, that bring life and love rather than death. How about you?  Let's agree together to think about our words today and encourage the children in our lives to do the same!  Download this coloring page and use it as a conversation starter and see what God will do!

Heavenly Father... we know that it is not only children who need to learn to heed the wisdom of this proverb. Teach us to guard our words and choose them wisely. May our words be like apples of gold... fruitful... life-giving... full of hope, encouragement, comfort, healing, and kindness to the hearer... and may our words always be served in a setting of truth and love... and sweet to your ear. In Jesus' Name... amen.

Son-Flower Coloring Page

I just want you to know I get the greatest joy from using my artwork to encourage you and your children and your children's children in the Word and in the Ways of the Lord!!  And these coloring pages are just another opportunity to do just that!

If you are a mom, grandma, or teacher this little Son-Flower Coloring Page is perfect for encouraging the children in your life to want to grow in the Lord because as we let our roots grow deep down into God's love, we can't help but to grow in the grace and knowledge of who He is and who we are in Him.  And as we grow, we'll just keep looking more and more like His Son... flowering in the beauty of His blessings!

This coloring page is only available here... so if you know of another mom, grandma, Sunday School or Christian School teacher who might be blessed to use this coloring page with their kids please take a moment to email them and let them know about it or consider posting a link from your blog to this post just so they'll know. If you don't tell them, how will they know?

"...grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord..."
2 Peter 3:18

Father God, pour out Your Spirit on our children and our children's children... show them Your ways, teach them Your paths, lead them in Your truth... and grow them up in You.  Amen.

Thinking Ahead to the 4th of July!

This is a miracle you know... for me to think ahead this early for the 4th of July...

...but I really was trying to think ahead and wanted to share this color book page with you so you'd have it in plenty of time for the holiday.  Download and print it as many times as you need to for your own kids, grandkids, the kids who are coming to your house for BBQ on the 4th, or for your classroom or Sunday School.  If you know of anyone who might benefit from this, please pass it on or link to this post on your blog.

The real inspiration for the color book page came from one of the Clip Art Collections that I'm introducing on Monday in my new BlogStore... it was created with the 4th of July in mind. I love the visuals of the stars and stripes and am so thankful to live in our great nation. Even with all its impurities and imperfections... I can think of no other place I'd rather live... unless of course, God sent me!! LOL!

Glory of the Lord Coloring Page!

Are you looking for a great coloring page to encourage children... your own, your grandkids or maybe your Sunday School kids... to give glory to the Lord?  I created this new addition to the Morning Glory Gardens Collection to help you do just that. Click here for the download.

What does it mean to give God the glory?  A very simple picture of giving glory to God is to turn the spotlight away from ourselves, others and things of this world and shine it brightly on the person of Jesus Christ. When we give glory to God, we are reminding ourselves and telling the world about how great and awesome God really is. We're giving Him the honor and the credit for the good things He has done. I love to boast and brag about how great God is and all that He has done in me, through me and for me. Not because of who I am but because of who He is! And not to draw attention to myself but to hopefully draw others to see and know Him like I do.

The Bible tells us that every good and perfect gift is from above. All that we have is from the Lord. When we are tempted to boast about ourselves or others or in "coincidences", let us stop and be encouraged to "rejoice and be glad and give Him glory" for the great things He has done!

"Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory!"
Revelation 19:7

Father God... You are an awesome God... there is no other God like You... for You alone are worthy of all honor and glory and praise... now and forever... and ever... Hallelujah and amen!

Drumroll Please... The Winner Is...

I'm sorry I'm a day late in announcing the winner of the October contest but I just ran out of time yesterday and thought... suspense can be a good thing. Since there were well over 200 entries for the contest, I knew I couldn't spend the time printing and cutting each name in order to draw them from a hat so Michael and I came up with another plan... pretty smart if you ask me.  We numbered 31 pieces of paper for the days in the month and first drew from that hat... and Michael pulled out the number 18. So we went to the comments on October 18th... counted them... and left only numbers 1 through 4 in the hat and drew again. This time he drew the number 1.

Hmmmm... I could make you go to the 18th of October and find out for yourself... but that would be ornery.  So... drumroll please... the winner for the October Christmas Contest is... Shannon! Yeah Shannon!  Funny that we had entries from literally all over the world and Shannon happens to live about 7 miles from here and we go to the same church.  She is the sweetheart who invited us to pray for little Luke and you can get an update on how he's doing here. Bless you Shannon!

Thank you again for all your wondeful and encouraging comments... I read every one of them and only wish I had the time to answer each one of you personally.

Check back in a day or two and I'll decide what to do for a November contest. It will be Thanksgiving related I'm sure! I'm hoping to design a new Thanksgiving color page but until then you can check out last years free downloadable Thanksgiving color pages on my website. And I also have a Thanksgiving card I've almost finished that I want to share with you as well. So for now... I am thankful... thankful for my God... my Jesus... and you! God bless you and keep you!

Let it Shine Coloring Page

I knew yesterday when I posted that photo that it could raise some eyebrows and some controversy but I was willing. I agree with Bobbie who commented on yesterday's blog... I'm not a fan of halloween either. But I've also seen how this day with all its trimmings can be used divide believers... even in my own church... and I'm not a fan of that either. But the devil is.  So I've decided that I am a fan of using lemons to make lemonade and taking what the enemy has intended for evil and instead using it for good! So if I can use a pumpkin with a smiling face to share the love of Christ with those who know no difference... I'm all for it.

And as I thought about yesterday's post and how much my granddaughters enjoyed the story about how we are like a pumpkin who God puts His light in so He can shine in us and through us... I decided to take it a step further. I created this coloring page for your kids to color and learn from. So as a mom, you could use the story from yesterday's post and the coloring page from today and have fun reminding your children of the love and light of Christ that dwells within us. Click here for the full size page... print and enjoy.  

Lord, I may not celebrate halloween but I do celebrate You... the One who created the day and I reclaim the pumpkin and the smiling face upon it for Your glory! Amen.