Karla's Korner

Jesus is Alive

I wanted to share a sneak preview of the free digital download I'll be offering with April's Newsletter coming your way in just a few days. This is the front of a very cute Easter Bag... perfect for treats or collecting a few eggs along the way... and there is a coordinating ring... perfect to hold those colorful eggs or to use as a napkin ring. Also I've designed a special egg to remind you of the reason we celebrate this very special holiday!  Just wanted to give you something to look forward to!

If you haven't signed up yet you still have time... just enter your email in the space at the top of my website.

Blessings and hugs... Karla

While I Was Gone

I arrived home late Sunday. When I arose Monday morning... I was greeted by those delightful daffodils I've been waiting for that began to bloom while I was gone! It reminded me of how God answers prayers at times... just when you're not looking!

But what was even more delightful was all the wildflowers... the beautiful blessings God planted for us to enjoy. The most delightful is the TRILLIUM... the three petaled white flower on the tall stem with the yellow center that hides itself in the woods at the edge of our lawn waiting for you to come find it in all its glory!

And another favorite are the drifts of grape hyacinths which are brightening up the outlying grassy areas behind the house. Grape hyacinths are usually a cultivated flower here but... thanks to some friendly birds... we are being blessed by their beauty!

Thank You Lord for the beauty of Your creation! Help me to slow down long enough to look for and take joy in the fresh and fun colors of spring, the patterns of the petals and the variety of design even in the leaves. Open my eyes to see the glory of Your handiwork in both the natural and the cultivated for You are the God of all that has life.

Tyler Texas

I left town heading for Texas with camera and laptop in hand thinking I would be able to post while I was out and about but the schedule was tight and it just didn't happen. I have discovered that blogging requires a good amount of time to download and edit photos as well as write comments that are worth reading... and I admit I'm struggling to be consistent but if you'll hang in there with me... I'll keep trying!!
Last Friday night a delightful group of women gathered for dinner at Colonial Hills Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas for fun, fellowship and a word of encouragement from yours truly. The food was prepared by a few of the men in the church and was delicious.  Hats off to the men who value their women in this way with a willingness to serve them in this type of setting! "Well done... good and faithful servants!"

Special music filled the air as a choir of angelic voices led us in worship to the King of Kings and brought tears to my eyes as they sang "Jesus... Son of God... worthy is Your Name."

A special thanks to Margo who is on the left in the second photo down. She is the women's ministry director at Colonial Hills and has such a love for the women there. Her hope for the coming year is to build deeper relationships among the women there through C.A.R.E. groups... CARE being an acronym for Creating A Relational Environment... a safe place where women can come together and grow in their love for the Lord and each other.

We do need each other, don't we ladies? God designed us to be unique one-of-a-kind individuals but He never created us to walk alone... instead He designed us for relationship... friendship with Him and with each other. If you're not in a C.A.R.E. group or small group of some kind... maybe God is nudging you to either step out of your comfort zone and join one or maybe even start one!

Are you in a small group? To encourage other women who visit here... would you comment and let us know what kind of group you're in... whether it's one on one mentoring or a large small group... and what is one blessing you receive from it?

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for creating me in Your image... with a longing for relationship with you and with other women. I know that you not only want me to have friends in the body of Christ but you designed me to be a friend as well.  So Lord, if there is something in me... a wounded place or a distrust of others... or maybe I've convinced myself I'm just too busy to be in a group.. would you give me the courage and the confidence in You to be willing to seek out a group where I can be with other women who love You like I do.

St. Patrick's Day Dinner

What a St.Patrick's Day treat it was for Michael and I to enjoy an evening of good food and fellowship with Dottie and Don from our home group (the couple in the center) and  Christi and Jeff (the couple on the left).

As soon as we sat down at the table we all took the scrolls from our drinking glasses and unrolled them to discover the words to the song "getting to know you". It was a joyful noise to hear us all singing this song together and a fun way to set the tone for the evening. Don prayed for our meal after taking a minute to share with us that this was a first for him as he has just recently become a follower of Christ. We were all honored to be a witness to SUCH A MEMORABLE MOMENT... and yours truly was wiping tears from her eyes. Our God is an awesome God!

We were served the traditional corned beef, cabbage and potatoes... Dottie was tickled to tell us the recipes for each dish came from her son... who is a chef... so every bite was exceptional... and the  festive green decorations just added a fun flavor to our meal together. After dinner we sat around the table playing Outburst and laughing hilariously... and then moved into the living room to watch Thou Shalt Laugh... a video of Christian stand up comedians to make you LAUGH OUT LOUD.

And what a surprise and blessing it was when Christi came with gifts for each of us girls... herself included. She had taken the time to make us these beautiful green beaded bracelets that we not only wore and modeled for dinner but will now have as a remembrance of our wonderful HOSPITALITY DINNER together and what a delightful memory it will be.

Have you considered having a hospitality dinner? Inviting one couple you already know can give you the confidence and the comfort level to invite a second couple (married or two singles) who you don't know or don't know well. There are a lot of lonely people among us... even in our own churches... longing to be known... and just think how many MEMORABLE MOMENTS are just waiting for you to enjoy! Is hospitality a part of your lifestyle? Or is God tugging at your heartstrings to reach out and invite others into your heart and your home? If so... either way...let me know... I'd love to hear about your experiences!

Heavenly Father,
You have said in your Word that we are to "practice hospitality"... it is your desire for us... as a way of showing love to one another. The enemy has robbed us of this wonderful time of breaking bread and fellowship together far too long by convincing us that we don't have time... or our homes have to perfect and clean... or our meals have to be gourmet. Lord, would you deliver us from this lie and set us free to enjoy true hospitality with one another according to our own giftings and no one elses... whether it's pizza and prayer or lasagna and laughter... may you be glorified and may many among us be blessed.

Primroses and Pansies

Springtime is here... just barely! Right down the road, less than a mile, the daffodils are bursting with color... but here... on Grace Acres we're still waiting for their official announcement that spring has arrived. The pink heather is the only thing blooming right now but since the plants are only one year old they're only showy up close. I'm not complaining though... because the air has warmed enough to lure me outside to begin tidying things up... preparing for what's yet to come... and I'm loving it!

I've never been a big potted plants person as I tend to forget to water them which can be a detrimental problem. But I love seeing flowers outside my studio window so up went the hanging planters of primroses and pansies... and directly under them are two planters of pansies, primroses, daisies and chives. Chives you wonder? Easy answer... left over from last year's pot planting! I love my little bunny who is keeping a watchful eye on things.

As I wait for the daffodils to bloom, it makes me think of how we are called, at times, to wait upon the Lord... praying about someone we love or a personal need we have... anticipating His answer... and then one day we notice... right down the road less than a mile away... other people's prayers are being answered and we start to wonder if our prayers ever will be... if God's even heard our prayers... if He cares. Sometimes we are lured by the enemy to quit praying... to quit seeking... to quit believing. God wants you to know that He is as faithful to us as daffodils are to spring and His answer is on the way. Keep believing... keep anticipating... never give up on God. I prayed for 18 years, after becoming a believer, for my husband to come to know Christ... and I'm so thankful God gave me the faith and endurance to wait... for today Michael is blooming for the Lord... and the testimony of God's faithfulness in the waiting fills the air with the fragrance of hope. Can you smell it? Breathe deeply and believe.

Dear Lord,
I rest today knowing that You have heard my prayers and that you care about every aspect of my life and those I love... you love even more. I am comforted in knowing that Your ways are so much higher than my ways and because You know the beginning and the end... Your timing is undeniably perfect. Guard my heart from unbelief and fill me with hope to sustain me as I wait on You.

PS... I want to give a huge "Thank You" to my friend Audrey for her inspiration in creating this photo collage... it was fun. She has some beautiful photo collages on her own blog as well as Easter digital downloads you may want to check out.

Western Workshops

Knowing how full my life had been this past week, a friend posed this question to me... "if you could ask God to take away any one thing in your life, what would it be?" After not much thinking, I responded... "nothing. I love what I do. I would instead ask Him for more hours in which to do what's already on my plate." Okay, I know God's not going to add two or three hours to every day just for me... how would you like to start saying it's 13:30 p.m. or 14:15 a.m? And I do confess that God is weeding and thinning in the garden of my daily doings... pruning some overly busy places... but I also know that there will always be seasons of busyness in each of our lives when we all have to pick our priorities with God's guidance and do what is at hand with all our heart and strength.

That's what happened last week... that's why you didn't hear from me for a week. My priority was preparing for the two workshops I taught at Western Seminary in Portland at the HeartTalk Conference. This is the place for aspiring writers to come together and be encouraged to follow the dream... and the message... God has written upon their hearts. I gave one workshop on "Writing and Designing Gift Books that Make a Difference" and "Product Potential Beyond Your Book." The better title for the second workshop might have been "Ministry Potential Beyond Your Message" but I thought of that one too late for the brochure! It was a lot of work preparing for the classes but it's always good for us to share with others the wisdom, knowledge and experience in whatever ministry we're in... and that's what last weekend was all about... giving away what God has so generously given to me.

What wisdom, knowledge and experiences has God given you? Are you giving them away?

Lord, you've called us all to be ministers... and the ministry you've blessed us with is called LIFE. Would you help me see those opportunities you've appointed for me to share Your love, wisdom and knowledge with others today... whether it's at the kitchen table with my kids or in the church or at my job. Help me Lord Jesus to prioritize my time and use it wisely... giving away what You have so generously given to me... with all my heart as unto You.

Hinson Mops

Have you ever struggled with comparing yourself with other mom's or your children with thier siblings or other children? I know I have... it's a trap we can all fall into... a trap God wants to deliver us from as learn to love and accept ourselves and our children as the unique individuals He designed us to be. That was the subject I addressed as I spoke last Tuesday to the Hinson Baptist Church MOPS group... about 40 moms gathered together to encourage one another and be encouraged... they were a delightful group of women.

Wanted to share a few of the photos I took... the photos aren't that great but the women were...

I loved how when I asked them to smile... they all posed with their goodies in hand!

This is Rachel... she blessed me by sharing that she had driven all the way from Idaho to hear me speak again. She had been living in Portland and heard me speak at Hinson's Thanksgiving luncheon a couple of years ago. We spent some time encouraging one another... and I was glad to hear her say that her long trip had been worth it!

This precious mom gave up her small group time to run home and get her recipe binder so I could sign it for her. It was obvious that she was using it and loves to try new recipes!
This is me with Mary Alice, the Women's Ministry Director at Hinson Church... a precious woman of God and dear friend. I'm sorry I didn't get a photo of Kelly who is the Coordinator for their MOPS group.  She does such a great job. What a blessing you are Kelly... keep up the good work of encouraging and building up Moms in their high and holy calling!

How Salty Are You?

I couldn't resist these sweet little chick salt & pepper shakers at my nearby vintage resale shop... especially with spring at our doorstep and Easter right around the corner. Aren't they adorable? I am of a mind that these little fellows do not want to be set on a shelf somewhere and just be admired. I truly believe they long to serve by doing what they were designed to do... being vessels who not only hold within them... but freely pour out... salt & seasoning wherever they're needed! 

I love the picture Jesus paints of us being salt shakers!  In Matthew 5:13 He said, "You are the salt of the earth."  We were never designed to sit on a shelf and look pretty but to be vessels of God's goodness in the world!  I've heard it said that we are not only called "to be good, but to do good."

We have been filled with the love and grace and knowledge of our Lord... not to hold within ourselves but to shake out on the world through our our words and actions. There is much to be said about salt and its seasoning affect on the world around us but the one thing that comes to mind this morning is how... just like salt sometimes falls beyond the food it was intended to season... so can grace. What an extra blessing to consider that someone we're not even aware of may be watching or listening as we shake out some of God's grace on a friend or neighbor or even a stranger... and that person afar off may have a grain or two of God's grace touch them in a way that could possibly be life changing... and we may never know until heaven.  Just something to ponder.

Oh Lord, I don't want to be a woman who sits on the shelf and looks pretty... set me upon the table of your service and don't let me miss an opportunity to be used of you... to be a vessel, ready and willing, to shake out some love and grace for your glory.

We Have a Winner!

and Congratulations to Sarah Joy!  She has won the drawing and I'll be shipping her 2 each of my 5 new card designs along with an extra little surprise gift just to bless her heart! She commented on my "One of a Kind by God's Design" snippet... casting her vote for me to keep doing them and even sharing that she could relate to not throwing a ball well... but I visited her blog and discovered that what she does do well is loving her family and her God... and that's what counts! We are called to rejoice with those who rejoice so you might want to stop by her blog and just tell her congratulations.

Thank you again to all of you who took the time to encourage me to keep up the snippets... you blessed my heart! I definitely will continue to add them to my blog... however... I can be a dreamer at times... thinking I can do way more than my time allows. I'm sure none of you can relate... LOL!!  I hope that's not the case with the snippets but I'm just letting you know now that it may not be every week... but as often as possible for sure!  I am also looking forward to visiting the blogs of all you who left comments... I'll let you know when I do.

I can hardly believe it's been 5 days since I posted... but I have to give myself grace because in these last few days I have sent out my monthly newsletter, which I know many of you receive, and updated my website and webstore!

I also escaped with my hubby for the weekend... we headed east up the Columbia Gorge and found blue skies and sunshine just a few miles beyond Hood River.  We enjoyed visiting some antique shops, eating at some fabulous restaurants and did some exploring on roads we'd never been on before. It was fun and relaxing.  I'm sorry to say I didn't get much for photos but we did have a great time together which is what really counts!

Today... except for this little break to visit you... I am spending my time preparing my message to share with the MOPS group at Hinson Memorial Church in Portland on the topic of being "One of a Kind by God's Design" and the importance of embracing and nurturing our own uniqueness so that we can do the same for our children. If you live nearby please call the church and stop in... I'm sure they'll make room for you! I still have a few orders to fill today as well so I best get back to business!

Hugs to you all!
Karla