Karla's Korner

Only Two Days Left to Enter Oct. Contest

The response to October's Contest has been fabulous... but it's not over yet! You still have today and tomorrow to enter! I have been encouraged by every comment and blessed by the overwhelming response. I truly am sorry for not being able to personally respond to each of you but I appreciate each one of you, love to know what you're thinking and hope you know that if time allowed, we could easily become pen-pals! I'm excited to see who the winner will be!! I'll announce it on November 1.

OCTOBER HOSPITALITY
I thought you might enjoy seeing a couple of photos from my sweet friend Margaret from Australia... the land down under!  Last February I offered a digital download for a Valentine's gift box that you could make and fill with goodies for a friend and then in the spring I offered a download for a pretty pink seed packet and encouraged you to have your own garden party. Margaret loved the idea of the garden party but on her side of the world, when we are celebrating spring they are in the midst of winter... no flowers and no garden for a party! So she has held onto the art and the idea and behold... the spring flowers are blooming and so is she and her friends!

I love Margaret's creativity. She used pages from Down a Garden Path to make placemats and each woman got one that was specially chosen for who she is with the art on one side and the story on the other. She used the free stationery from my website as her menu... fun! She filled the seed packets with real seeds and the candy boxes with sweets. Faye read from Down a Garden Path while they were waiting to be served to set the heart of the party.

As each woman arrived she was ushered into the dining room to choose her own Fascinator. Now, I had never heard of a Fascinator before but they are lovely and so much fun... a little handmade hat with flowers and feathers and quite the compliment to these pretty ladies! Margaret did tell them a true fascinator has a little tulle covering the forehead and eyes but I don't think any of her friends minded.

From left to right... Janet, Eleanor, Lyn, Pam, Faye, and Margaret.
Thanks for sharing Margaret... what fun!!

Dear Lord,
I just know it blesses your heart to see your girls come together and celebrate You and the life You've given us. May we be women who open our hearts and our homes and invite into our lives other women who need a touch of love and blessing... and fun... from Your heart and ours. Amen.

Creative Day Cafe Interview

Creative Day Cafe... don't you just love that name?  It immediately makes me think of sitting at a bistro table at a sidewalk cafe surrounded by beautiful flowers with all things in my site being beautiful and inspiring... sipping an espresso and delighting in a menu of fabulous food. Well, that's what my friend, Angela Fox... lover of all things creative... had in mind when she "opened" her blog Creative Day Cafe.  She offers heaping helpings of inspiration... and her menu features people who inspire her, art that moves her, beauty that intriques her and plenty of side orders of encouragement for her fellow creatives.

So what can I say... I am honored to be included on her menu... so if you're hungry for some inspiration and encouragement you can go READ MY INTERVIEW where I talk about what creativity means to me and my creative journey with Angela at Creative Day Cafe. Bon appetit!   

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.

Four Smiling Faces

Gary brought the girls over after church yesterday while he and Michael went hunting. We always have such a fun time together and yesterday was no exception. First they let me win at Skip-Bo, a fun card game. Then we went to the store and bought these two great pumpkins to carve smiley faces on. They each chose their faces from the free patterns available at www.pumpkinlady.com which made it really easy. They both did a fabulous job at the carving... yes... and Jess was determined to do her own carving and she surprised even me. We did lose a tooth but hey... he's still smiling! Part of the fun is in cleaning out the stringy insides and making faces but Alexis and I agreed the very best part is eating the pumpkin seeds after grandma roasts them... which I plan on doing tonight.

Every year about this time an email begins to circulate about pumpkins and I get it like clockwork. It's about a lady who was asked what it was like to be a Christian. She was caught off guard and didn't know how to answer, but when she looked up she saw a jack-o-lantern on the desk she said, 'It's like being a pumpkin." The worker asked her to explain and she said, "Well, God picks you from the patch and brings you in and washes off all the dirt on the outside that you got from being outside in the pumpkin patch with all the other pumpkins. Then he cuts off the top and takes all the yucky stuff out from inside. He removes all those seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then he carves you a new smiling face and puts his light inside of you to shine for all to see.' Wel... I recently discovered the author is actually Liz Curtis Higgs and I love Liz.  I also discovered she has a book called The Pumpkin Patch Parable that paints this same picture for kids. You might want to check it out... it's the perfect season.

And what a great picture for us to share with others through this season.

Father God, You made the pumpkin and gave it to us to enjoy. Thank You for it's beauty and tastiness in so many dishes and even in the seeds. Help us Lord, this season... to take what the enemy would like to use to divide us and turn it around and use it to point people to Christ who is the only One who can truly clean us up and make us shine like the Son! Be glorified Lord... in us and through us. Amen

If you carve a pumpkin with your kids or grandkids this year and it's happy or smiling, leave me a comment  to let me know and I'll add a link to your site

I Love to Laugh Outloud!

My brother-in-law Kerry sent me an email with this link to it and when I watched it... I couldn't help but laugh outloud... and I LOVE to laugh outloud. Before I met the Lord I was a very serious person... too serious. So I am so thankful that over the years God has filled my life with joy and the ability to laugh outloud from the depth of my being and I hope you do too. Even in the midst of difficult and serious circumstances it does our bodies, minds and spirits good to laugh. And equally important... it gives us the gift of a merry heart to share with those along our path.

Okay... so this short video clip is called "May I have this dance"... go... watch... and let yourself laugh outloud and thank God for the gift of humor and His amazing creation!  Be blessed!

Happy Birthday Michelle!!

Today... the 16th... is my daughter Michelle's birthday. I know she won't be reading my blog however, because she leaves tomorrow for China and she has much more important things to do! But... if you feel inclined to pop over to her blog and wish her happy birthday that would be oh so cool!

I love how God knows us better than we know ourselves and He knew before I got married and had my baby that I was going to have a memory problem especially with dates. So... being the gracious God that He is, He put all three of our birthdays in the same week so I wouldn't forget! Mine was on the 10th, Michael's was the 14th and now Michelle's on the 16th! I love it! Because my birthday fell on our home group night and it was our turn to make dessert, Michael baked a cake and at the very last minute I decided to decorate it. Now I've never decorated a cake before so don't judge to quickly and, with home group due to arrive any minute,I didn't have time to even try to make it perfect but I did have fun... so much fun that I'm ready to study Wilton's cake decorating website and try it again when I have more time... hmmmm.... that will be when?

Well today is full... getting ready to give the last teaching at my church tonight... lots to do. Thank you all for your prayers over these Redeeming the Time messages as God has ministered mightily through them and for that He gets all the glory!!

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for my beautiful daughter... I love her so much. And when I think about how beautiful she is and how much I love her... I am reminded of how beautiful all Your daughters are to You and how much You love You love us. And as I smile just thinking about Michelle, I know You smile on us... Your girls. Will you bless Michelle in a special way today in the midst of all she needs to do... and remind her of how much you love her... remind us all Lord. For Your glory. Amen.

"HeavenSent Baby" Opens Webstore with Blessing!

I can be such a dreamer!  I wanted to do so much more to my webstore over the summer but I just ran out of time... I know that never happens to any of you, does it?  But I finally decided... after a few very encouraging emails... that it was time to put out the welcome mat and hang the OPEN sign once again. Even though I don't have everything in stock that I had wanted... I do have most of the books and I will be adding to the selections as product comes in. 

But for now... can you hear the drumrolll?  I am thrilled to introduce to you... my newest book... HeavenSent Baby!

Every baby is a heaven sent gift from God... and I know you would agree. I remember holding my own newborn baby and my grandbabies and just gazing at their tiny little fingers and toes... stroking the softness of their skin... and being in awe of the beauty of God's handiwork in such a small package.  But I can also remember all the questions that came with motherhood... mostly questions about my own ability to be a mom to this tiny little gift from God.

There is always a part of me in every book I write and illustrate and I know that I was thinking of that mom with questions... the kind of questions I had... as I penned the pages. This little book was created to be a warm and gentle hug to the heart of every new mom... whether they are a first-time mom or experienced, whether the baby is adopted or was born from her own womb... a reminder to them that they are not alone.

I love that God is the most perfect matchmaker and He sovereignly chooses which babies go to which moms... because remember... there are no accidents in God's glorious plan for our lives... or the lives of our babies!  Here's a poem from the book...

May your heart overflow
with thankfulness and love
as you ponder this miraculous
gift from God above.

For you have been given
this sweet little treasure
to give your life purpose
and fill it with pure pleasure.

So when the question comes...
if you're qualified to mother...
know this child is God's gift to you...
not given to another!

If you know a new mom who could use a bit of encouragement in the Lord... perfect for that two o'clock feeding... just include her name in your order and I'd love to personalize the book for her and her baby.

Heavenly Father,
Your Word says that "every good and every perfect gift is from above."  Thank You for the heavensent gift of new life and new beginnings and Your promise to be with us always and in all circumstances. Amen.

500 Prayers for Luke - Will you Pray?

Yesterday, Shannon, a friend of mine, emailed to ask if I would invite my blog readers to join her in a very heartmoving quest to bless a 7 year old boy in our church who has just begun chemotherapy. I can't even imagine if this were my child or my grandchild going through this kind of struggle so please read about little Luke and send him a prayer...

To post your prayer click here and scroll to the bottom of the page to the tiny little "post a comment" after the last comment...

Luke, who will soon be 7 years old, was just recently diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia. I was talking with Luke's Aunt the other day and she told me a story about how someone asked him what he wanted. He replied with two answers. He said that he wanted "100....no 500 prayers." Then he said that "before he left the hospital he wanted a needle so that he could give every doctor a shot." Well, I don't think there's much we can do about the shots, but we can give him 500 prayers.

So here is the idea I have. If you already have been, or you will commit to praying for Luke and would like to be a part of his 500 prayers just leave a comment with your name, the state you live in and your prayer for Luke.

My plan is to do one of the following with all the comments:

1. Put your name on a blue star (Luke's favorite color is blue) and when I have 500 of them, take them to Luke's hospital room and hang them on the wall so that Luke will have a visual reminder each day that he has his 500 prayers.

2. If covering the walls turns out to be a conflict of some sort with the hospital, I will make a booklet for Luke with all of the names and prayers and bring it to him to have in his room as a visual reminder of his 500 prayers.

If you are a local...SHHHHH...don't tell Steve and Vikki. I'd like it to be a surprise. Spread the word! I'd like to get these to Luke as quickly as possible so that he can see just how many people are praying for him.

Autumn Bliss

I love autumn! Michael and I drove into town today and just ooohed and aaahed over all the rich and royal  hues of scarlet, yellow and russet orange that filled the skyline…colors that stir my heart to be creative.

And I love how the shapes of the leaves... that all throughout the summer were mute and blended... have now come alive with brilliance. Their shapes once lost in their likeness are now distinctly defined… the oak leaf with its rounded lobes … the royal diadems of the stately maple and the simplicity of the birch.... all pointing to how wonderfully creative our God is.

   

In the second chapter of Genesis while we’re being included in the unfolding of creation, God sets the scene for the introduction of the pinnacle of His creation…the original version of you and me.  And as He describes what must have been the most glorious garden, the Bible tells us that in it God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food.

When I first read that… it leapt off the page and into my heart. God created this wonderful variety of trees, not only to nourish our bodies, but to nourish our souls through the portal of our eyes. He could have chosen to sustain our lives with colorless manna all of our days here on earth but He didn’t.  Our God is beautiful beyond description and He went to great measure to share His beauty with us!

As autumn unfolds and the fall leaves display their beauty and dance in the sunlight, take a moment to bask in the beauty of the Lord and remind yourself that He made all this for you… simply because He loves you.

Heavenly Father,
As always, I stand in awe of you as I consider the beauty of your handiwork but to consider that you were just as concerned about how I would be fed visually as well as bodily, makes my heart glad. And to think that this is all just a prelude to the beauty that awaits us in heaven with You… makes my heart sing.

October Contest... Looking Ahead to Christmas!!

Many of you already know I love CONTESTS and GIVEAWAYS so I want to start the fall with a good one! Maybe because Jesus gave so much away to me... to us... it's a joy just to give!

Now I know it's really early to be thinking about Christmas before we've even had Thanksgiving but... in order for you to receive this Christmas gift collection in time for the holidays... we need to do it now!

Between now and October 31st for every comment you leave on any post in the blog you will be entered into this drawing and you can enter as many times as you'd like!

What you'll receive in this collection is my Christmas book... The Heart and Home of Christmas... which looks at the sights and symbolism of Christmas in such a way to remind you of nine Names of Jesus throughout the holiday season.  You'll also receive 3 gift bags and a package of twelve assorted Christmas cards... just in time to give away!

On another note... thank you to all who prayed for the Redeeming the Time Evenings Out.  We had our first one Tuesday night and again... God did great things in the hearts of our women there... should we be surprised? NO!  But should we give Him all the glory?  ABSOLUTELY!

Lord Jesus,
Thank you for giving up your life for us... so that we could know you and love you and look forward to the days ahead with confidence in you and your great plans for our lives. May what we give of ourselves be a reflection of who you are in us and through us... and always for your glory. Amen.

El Centro Calvary Chapel Rocks!

It is Thanksgiving Thursday and I am sooooo thankful to the Lord for what He did in the hearts and lives of the women of El Centro Calvary Chapel this past weekend!  He poured out His Spirit and truly did some spiritual makeovers in our time together. More than one woman shared that she was leaving the retreat a different woman than when she had arrived and God gets all the glory! Some made new commitments to make Jesus the priority of their lives, some left some baggage behind, many made decisions to follow the Lord into the future in faith... and one accepted Christ as her Saviour Redeemer for the very first time! Praise God!! And as for me... I walked away with a heart overflowing knowing that God had met us in that place!!!

And I'm so excited to announce my very first photo album... featuring none other than the El Centro girls! You blessed my heart!

Thank you to all of you who prayed for the retreat... God heard every one of you!!

Oh Lord... You are awesome! And we thank You Father for doing exceedingly abundantly more than we could ever ask or imagine this past weekend. Thank You for being our Redeemer God and showing us how to redeem our time!