Summer!

Sharing a couple of Summer cards. I 'rediscovered' the little Birdcage stamp from Hero Arts... have made so many cards with it, sharing this one with a piece of a doily that Wilmi from Holland sent me. PP is from Sue.

Well amidst the difficult times there are really nice days! I was thrilled to have random org pick my number twice to win a new set of stamps this week and Thursday I was a fab five winner on the Hero Arts blog with the card below - such a pick-me-up!
I cannot say enough how much all your blogs inspire me and the Hero Arts flickr gallery every day.

When I was making this card I was thinking of the holidays we have in Callela, Spain every year, next to the sea and was feeling a bit sad not to be able to go this year. I love the Sea!

Now I have a little share which I hope will be an encouragement for you as it was for me. I was laying in bed the other night thinking - what shall I do if my precious boys leave home and I don't have to care for anybody but DH anymore. Of course we have our Missionary work here but I am still a Mum, wife and like to keep the home a place of rest and peace. And just this morning I read this devotional which I thought was very timely and very practical:

Your Best Days Are Still Ahead '...Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara...' Ruth 1:20 NKJV

Learn to build your life around your person, not your role, otherwise when your role changes you'll lose your sense of worth. Being a good mother is a noble calling. It's also a self-sacrificing job. But when your children leave home and those demands are over, it's easy to feel like Naomi did. Her name meant Pleasant. But after her two sons died she asked to be called Mara, which means bitterness. Don't allow changing times to change who you are, or to make you stop dreaming and give up hope. God still had a lot for Naomi to do. In the future she would mentor Ruth, who would give birth to a son who was destined to grow up and become part of the lineage of King David and our blessed Lord. What an honour! When your role changes, remember that your life's not over. See your own worth as a person, discover your next assignment, gather up your assets and keep on living and giving. Don't develop a 'Mara mentality'. She allowed herself to become cynical when her circumstances changed; don't let that happen to you! Discouragement often comes when we feel like we've seen it all, heard it all, done it all, and most of it was bad. No matter how old you are, you can never say you've seen it all. God can do 'exceeding abundantly above all that [you] ask or think...' (Ephesians 3:20) You don't know what God will do with your life before it's over. He has a way of saving the best for last.

Food for thought.
Have a great weekend!
Jacqueline