Be Still My Soul ~ Selah

A truely beautiful arrangement of two wonderful old hymns.
This just gives me goose bumps.

Autumn toned Jangle watch ~ Crystal Velvet

Another watch. This time created with beautiful autumn toned glass beads.

Available through www.crystalvelvet.co.uk or email me at mail(at)crystalvelvet.co.uk

Can be created in any colour.

Emmanuel ~ Amy Grant

I love this song (from the 80's) Such a simple song that lists the names by which we know Jesus.

More Memories

This ecclectic mix of pendants, broken jewellery and odd earrings have been mixed with buttons and other sentimental items to form a memory necklace.
I put this one together for a magazine article and have since been asked to produce them for many people.
It's a great way to collect memories. On this one there are buttons form my cildrens clothes, items that belonged to my grandparents, odd earrings etc that I could not bear to part with.
It never fails to draw comment and I'm still adding to it.

If you would like one putting together using your own "memoiries" then you can contact me by email mail(at)crystalvelvet.co.uk

He Reigns - Newsboys

Glory Glory Hallelujah he reigns

All over the world ~ lets worship him together!

Something old Something New

I love taking something of importance to someone and incorporating it into a creation. In the above case, a brooch belonging to the Brides Grandmother was assembled into a tiara. the aquamarine faceted stones went very well with some Swarovski aqua marine crystals and some AB crystals.

This service is available through www.crystalvelvet.co.uk

Great is the Lord ~ Michael W Smith

Great is the Lord and worthy of praise ~ now lift up your voice and worship him!!

Bling Ring ~ Crystal Velvet

This ring is one of my magazine article examples. Created using glass pearls, Bali silver beads and hematite beads, it looks great gracing the finger and never fails to draw comments.

There are 60 beads crammed onto the ring.

Available as a kit from my bead store www.beadsbydesign.co.uk or ready made from me email: mail(at)crystalvelvet.co.uk

Still ~ Reuban Morgan

Psalm 91
I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."
Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.


Thank you Lord that you are Faithful to us. You shelter us under your wings. You know when we are passing through tough times and you are there with us.
Thank you Lord for you love, your friendship and care.
Amen

Some recent creations ~ Crystal Velvet

This is one of my favourite items. I make it as a bracelet or choker in any Swarovski colour.

This side detail tiara has been created with fresh water pearls in a golden bronze colour. The band is encrusted in gold delica beads and more of the pearls.

Unfortunatly the detailing on the feature beads in this set really doesn't show. The beads are clear with metalic toned patterns.

God's world in our care

Outside my house stand 3 blue, one green and one brown dustbins. It's so different from when I was growing up. In those "olden days" everything was just piled in together and the pile of black rubbish sacks spewed over the path at the side of the house. I don't think that we had recycling other than bottles that you took back to the supermarket for 5p each.
Now the recycling potential is amazing.
Just this week I've been able to recycle the following:

1. Paper
2. cardboard
3. lawn cuttings (compost)
4. cut flowers (compost)
5. clothes, shoes
6. books and toys
7. plastic carriers
8. mushroom containers and fruit containers from the grocers (became seed trays)
9. fruit peelings, egg shells, rabbit droppings and sawdust (compost)
10. glass
11. tins

I've also been on freecycle ~ I'd urge everyone to join it. If you have stuff you no longer require you can just give it away. Submit an advert and wait for the replies to flood in and then you elect who you want to get it and they come and pick it up form your home.
There is also the option to ask for things you need. no money changes hands and you are not adding unwanted goods to the landfill site.

I actually find it a challange to have my standard rubbish bin as empty as possible and in the end, the majority of it is crinkly plastic wrappings from food. Now if I could only find a craft to do with that!!!

We are custodians of the perfect world that God made for us. Wouldn't it be great to be able to look after it as he'd like us to.

"I Worship You" by Edward John (lyrics) (excellent quality)

Another lovely song

Sculpture ~ Jesus washing feet.

This stunning sculpture depicting John 13 where Jesus washes his disciples feet stands outside

Dallas Theological Seminary. The image was captured by: Resclassic.

The story was a feature on this blog durin Holy Week. You can read it Here.

Hillsong From The Inside Out

Man looks on the outside!

Saturday evenings in our home follow a familiar routine. My husband comes in from work, we eat our evening meal, clear up and then sit down together to watch the television.
This saturday we all learnt a very valuable lesson as did many people accross the UK.
We were watching Britain's got tallent. It's a tv show where various people have a slot to show off their many wonderful and sometimes not so wonderful diverse tallents. We witnessed singers, dance troups, commedians, artistic acts and then onto the stage walked a 47 year old lady.
Looking at many of the acts, it's easy to guess what they are going to do. This time it was different. The lady had an awkwardness about her. Her hair was greying and quite unstyled, her dress was dated and to be brutaly honest, looking at her we were expecting her to be poor at whatever it was she wanted to do. She just didn't look the part, didn't look the image of a performer.
A short interview followed and her lovely scottish voice and smile still did nothing to warn you of what was to come.
Sing .... she was going to sing. The audience looked shocked and disbelieveing at the prospect. There were chuckles in the audience as she said she'd like to be like Elaine Paige.
Silence, she montioned for the track to be turned on and then she opened her mouth and the most beautiful aria emerged. her voice had a lovely tonal quality and power to it. You could hear the audience gasp, then break forth in rapturous applause.
The song she chose to sing was an amazing piece of music called "I dreamed a dream" from the musical Les Mieserables.
Dispite having stood on that stage with the audience and viewers so disbeliveing, laughing and waiting for her to fail, she'd risen above it all and given a stunningly beutiful performance. And the audience were on their feet clapping and clapping.
If you'd like to see what I am talking about then click here

1 Samuel 16 v 6-7
tells us that "man looks at the outside, but God looks at the heart"
In that particular chapter the story is the sellection of David as king. The smallest and unlikely of Kings. A shepherd boy, youngest of seven sons. Not the one expected for the job.
Time and again we see Gods choice of worker as not who you would expect.

Wanted "A brave man to go to a warring neighbours island to tell them that they are doing wrong and that God doesn't like it"

Wanted "A young woman to enter a beauty pagent with a chance to become the queen, married to a Jew hating king"

Wanted "A man to lead Gods people to their rightful home. He must be prepared to stand up to the pharoho"

Wanted "A woman to bear the son of God"

Wanted "A man to become a planning officer for food supplies over a whole country for 14 years"

Who would have thought that Jonah, a lazy coward would be sent to Nineva, or that an orphaned Jewish girl would become queen and save her people. Was Moses, a murderer your first choice be a leader of people, or that Mary a young and unmarried girl would be the one God chose to bear his son.
Did Joseph, a bragger and the most annoying irksome sibling look as though he had potential to provide food aid planning for a whole nation?

God has plans for each and everyone of us and maybe to the outside world we are not the obvious choice, but he invests in us tallents that can be used for him.

In Christ Alone - Townend and Getty

Happy Easter

Christ has risen

Explanation in the post below

Easter ~ Christ is Risen from the dead

Christ is Risen
He is risen indeed Hallelujah

Today is Easter Day. The day on which christians of all denominations all over the world celebrate Jesus Christ rising from the dead.

The cross is empty
He is not in the tomb
He has risen and is alive forever more.

There in the ground, his body lay
light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious day
up from the grave he rose again
and as he stand in victory
sins power has lost it's grip on me
For I am his and he is mine
bought by the precious bloodof Christ.


Matthew 28
The Sabbath was over, and it was almost daybreak on Sunday when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. Suddenly a strong earthquake struck, and the Lord's angel came down from heaven. He rolled away the stone and sat on it. The angel looked as bright as lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards shook from fear and fell down, as though they were dead.
The angel said to the women, "Don't be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, who was nailed to a cross. He isn't here! God has raised him to life, just as Jesus said he would. Come, see the place where his body was lying. Now hurry! Tell his disciples that he has been raised to life and is on his way to Galilee. Go there, and you will see him. That is what I came to tell you."
The women were frightened and yet very happy, as they hurried from the tomb and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and greeted them. They went near him, held on to his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said, "Don't be afraid! Tell my followers to go to Galilee. They will see me there."

Report of the Guard
While the women were on their way, some soldiers who had been guarding the tomb went into the city. They told the chief priests everything that had happened. So the chief priests met with the leaders and decided to bribe the soldiers with a lot of money. They said to the soldiers, "Tell everyone that Jesus' disciples came during the night and stole his body while you were asleep. If the governor hears about this, we will talk to him. You won't have anything to worry about." The soldiers took the money and did what they were told. The Jewish people still tell each other this story.
What Jesus' Followers Must Do
Jesus' eleven disciples went to a mountain in Galilee, where Jesus had told them to meet him. They saw him and worshiped him, but some of them doubted.
Jesus came to them and said:
I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth! Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.


Christ is Risen
He is risen indeed Hallelujah

My Very Old Easter Egg

I thought I'd share this Easter egg with you all.

I made this when I was about 15 years old (I'm 40 now!) as a gift for my Grandmother. She treasured it and kept in her glass fronted cabinet. A few years ago her health deteriorated and she went into a nursing home. She gave my daughter the egg, still in wonderful condition with the colour retained.

The egg is covered in tiny strips of paper rolled into coild and shapes then then stuck onto a real blown hens egg. The art form is called quilling.

Easter Eggs are traditionally eaten on Easter Day (sunday) They are to represent the tomb. When you crack them and they are empty it signifies that hat the tomb is empty because Jesus is risen.

Come to Jesus

explanation in the post below

Approaching Easter ~ Loss

After Jesus died, he was taken down from a cross, wrapped in strips of cloth and put into a near by tomb belonging to one of his secret followers. It was done in a hurry as the sabbath was very near and Jews do not work at all on that day.

What happened next, we do not know.
What emotions the disciples must have gone through.
We know that John took Mary the mother of Jesus home with him and cared for her from that day forward. I can only imagine that this must have offered them both comfort. When you loose someone it is very comforting to talk to other people who knew them too.

Perhaps they were afraid. Their Leader had been taken, tortured and killed. What if that wasn't enough for Ciaphas, Pilate and the chief priests and officials. What if they were out for more blood? Perhaps the disciples would be next.

We know that Jesus had told them he would rise in three days time, They had witnessed him giving life back to Jairus' daughter, Peters mother in law and Lazarus, but they were not expecting it. If they had been, then would the women have gone to take spices to embalm the body on the first day of the week?

A Northumbrian blessing:

Lord be with those who have lost a loved one
surround them with your love
in waking or sleeping
in joy and in pain
in their waiting and longing
enfold them with your peace
encircle them with your protection
embrace them with your peace
edue them with your hope for the future.
Amen

kees kraayenoord - For the cross

Explanation in the post below

Approaching Easter ~ The Crucifiction

John 19 17-

So they took Jesus away. Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha). There they nailed him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them. And Pilate posted a sign over him that read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so that many people could read it.
Then the leading priests objected and said to Pilate, “Change it from ‘The King of the Jews’ to ‘He said, I am King of the Jews.’”
Pilate replied, “No, what I have written, I have written.”
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided his clothes among the four of them. They also took his robe, but it was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. 24 So they said, “Rather than tearing it apart, let’s throw dice for it.” This fulfilled the Scripture that says, “They divided my garments among themselves and threw dice for my clothing.” So that is what they did.
Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home.
The Death of Jesus Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.
It was the day of preparation, and the Jewish leaders didn’t want the bodies hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was the Passover). So they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn’t break his legs. One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. (This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account. He speaks the truth so that you also can believe. These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, “Not one of his bones will be broken,” and “They will look on the one they pierced.”

For the Cross ~ Kees Kraayenoord

A crown of many thorns
A body bruised and torn
For all your pain
A body bruised and torn
For all your pain
I bow in shame
and I cannot
ignore

It's my hands that placed that crown
My heart that weighed you down
My voice that shouted crucify

How can I comprehend
That life can come from death
That all the wounds by
Cruel nails can heal my brokenness

It was love so merciful
Your love so beautiful
your love that hides me in your heart

I say thank you, Thank you for the cross
Thank you for the cross
Hallelujah
Thank you for the cross
Thank you
Thank you for the cross.....

Now I stand holy, healed forgiven
and I raise my hands towards the wondrous Cross

I say thank you, Thank you for the cross ....

Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)

Explanation in post below

Approaching Easter ~ The Trial

John 19
Pilate gave orders for Jesus to be beaten with a whip.

The soldiers made a crown out of thorn branches and put it on Jesus. Then they put a purple robe on him. They came up to him and said, "Hey, you king of the Jews!" They also hit him with their fists.Once again Pilate went out. This time he said, "I will have Jesus brought out to you again. Then you can see for yourselves that I have not found him guilty."Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe.
Pilate said, "Here is the man!" When the chief priests and the temple police saw him, they yelled, "Nail him to a cross! Nail him to a cross!"
Pilate told them, "You take him and nail him to a cross! I don't find him guilty of anything."The crowd replied, "He claimed to be the Son of God! Our Jewish Law says that he must be put to death."When Pilate heard this, he was terrified. He went back inside and asked Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus did not answer."Why won't you answer my question?" Pilate asked. "Don't you know that I have the power to let you go free or to nail you to a cross?"Jesus replied, "If God had not given you the power, you couldn't do anything at all to me. But the one who handed me over to you did something even worse."Then Pilate wanted to set Jesus free. But the crowd again yelled, "If you set this man free, you are no friend of the Emperor! Anyone who claims to be a king is an enemy of the Emperor."When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out. Then he sat down on the judge's bench at the place known as "The Stone Pavement."
In Aramaic this pavement is called "Gabbatha." It was about noon on the day before Passover, and Pilate said to the crowd, "Look at your king!""Kill him! Kill him!" they yelled. "Nail him to a cross!""So you want me to nail your king to a cross?" Pilate asked.The chief priests replied, "The Emperor is our king!" Then Pilate handed Jesus over to be nailed to a cross.
Jesus was taken away.

Gethsemane ~ Kees Kraayenoord

Explanation in the post below

Approaching Easter ~ Take this cup away from me.

They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.

"My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."
Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.

Abba Father he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?

Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
Once more he went away and prayed the same thing.

When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"

Mark 14 32-42



In this reading we see some of the really human aspects of Jesus. He becomes deeply distressed and troubled. He wants his friends Peter, James and John with him and then wants to be alone. He leaves them and goes to be alone and hear we hear his human and yet godly prayer.
"Abba Father" meaning My daddy, "Everything is possible for you, Take this cup from me" To face death in the cruel and hideous manner is almost too much for him to bear. "Yet not what I will but what you will" He knows that it is the path God has chosen for his people.
He then returns to his friends and finds them sleeping. He wakes them and tells them to pray before leaving them again and going off to pray the same prayer. His disciples don't know what to say to Jesus. How often does this happen to us when we face a friends difficulty. We want to offer words of peace and assistance, but often they are not the words a friend wants to hear, so we say nothing.
Jesus goes again to pray and on returning he finds his friends asleep and wakes them. Knowing that things are now on track for his death, That God has said NO to his request, he looks to where soldiers are approaching him with his friend Judas.

You Chose The Cross

You knew what your friends would do .... you knew what it felt to be disowned and betrayed .... and you still chose the cross

Approaching Easter ~ Peter and Judas

With Friends like these, who needs enemies?

Ever felt let down by your friends? Perhaps you felt like they let you down, didn't do what you thought they would, broke a confidence.

Jesus had friends and followers, then there were twelve appointed friends who were like his best friends. The ones he could trust and that he went places and did things with.

Today's post looks particularly at two of those friends Peter and Judas.
In Saturdays post we briefly mentioned one of them...... Judas. He was known among the disciples to be light fingered. he carried the money bag around and was known for dipping his hand in to it. Jesus knew his imperfections and yet still held him dear.

"I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture: 'He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.' Said Jesus at the last supper. He was referring to Judas. he knew that Judas was going to betray him. Jesus was aware of how the next few days were going to pan out.

After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, "I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me."
His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, "Ask him which one he means."
Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, "Lord, who is it?"
Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.
"What you are about to do, do quickly," Jesus told him, but no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast, or to give something to the poor. As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night. John 13 18 - 30

Jesus Friend problems didn't end there either. His friend Peter would also play out a role. That of disowning Jesus.

Peter said: "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death."
Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me." Luke 22 34.

Even though Jesus was in full knowledge of these facts, I'm sure the pain he felt at these Revelations must have been great.

The Servant King ~ Graham Kendrick

see the post below for explanation

Approaching Easter ~ Jesus washes his disciples' feet

John 13 v 1 -17

Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet 1It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.
The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.
Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.
After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"
Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."
"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."
Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."
"Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"
Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them.
"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Foot washing in biblical times was a service provided by a good host. On entering someones house custom would mean that you would be provided and the host or his servant would wash your feet.
In this reading Peter seems horrified that Jesus would humble himself by washing their feet. Jesus explains that he is using the feet washing as a metaphor to show that we should all be servants to one another.

The song above, The Servant King, is one of those songs that has stood the test of time. it is as loved today as it was when it was written. It speaks of Jesus coming to earth "not to be served, but to serve".
I personally think the line "Hands that flung stars into space, to cruel nails surrender" is the most poignant. This Amazing powerful entity performed the most subservient act.
The song then moves on to encourage us to serve one another.. "each others need to prefer, for it is Christ we are serving"
What we do for others we are doing for Jesus!

Palm Sunday

Expalnation in the post below.

Palm sunday ~ Jesus enters Jerusalem

Mark chapter 11 V 1 - 10

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them,
"Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.'
They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked,
"What are you doing, untying that colt?"
They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go.

When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
"Hosanna!"
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
"Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!"
"Hosanna in the highest!"

Imagine being in Jerusalem on that day. You have heard wonderful things about Jesus. He even raised Lazerus from Bethany from the dead and he'd been dead for four days. Everywhere people were talking about Jesus. he was directly decended from David that great king you'd heard about. Was this reallly the Messiah. Surely he must be. A mere man couldn't raise someone from the dead and turn water to wine like Jesus had. And he was coming here.
You run down to the town. There are crowds jostling to see. You hear the cries of the crowds up ahead shouting "Hosanna" " Blessed be the one who comes in the name of the Lord"
Quickly you pull down palm branches and spread them on the road. And then he comes towards you riding on the back of a young donkey and you look into his face. Yes .......this is your Messiah, your saviour.

Introducing Holy Week

Tomorrow is the start of Holy Week. I'll be dedicating posts to the lead up to Easter.
Planned (subject to life!!) posts are:

Sunday: The triumphal entry to Jerusalem.
Monday: Washing of the disciples feet
Tuesday: Peter and Judas
Wednesday: Take this cup
Thursday: The trial
Friday: The crucifiction
Saturday: Loss
Sunday: The reserection

Feel free to add you prayers and thoughts by clicking "comments" below each of the posts.

Mary Mary - What a Friend

for Sarah!

An Update for you.....

Sarah ~ Autumn Rose Crafts ~ aho sometimes writes for this blog hasn't been around for a while.



WHY?



She's been very very very busy setting up her very own SHOP!
The Grand opening will be

Sunday 5th April 2009

Unit C23
Maws Craft Centre
Jackfield
Ironbridge
TF8 7LS

01952 885749


Pop in and say Hi.

Amazing Love (You Are My King)

"I'm accepted, you were condemned ..... because you died and rose again"

"amazing Love, how can it be, that you my king should die for me"

Whose Team?

Listening to the radio this morning, I heard an article about P.E. Lessons.
P.E. Lessons were a terrible ordeal for me. I remember walking through the door of the changing rooms. The green paint on the walls and the smell.
I never found P.E. a natural thing. I hated standing in the changing rooms removing my clothes to put on the gym slip and top. Every time, I knew the taunts would come. The laughing at my skinny underdeveloped body.
Then there was the team selection. Everyone lined up against the wall. One by one a name would be called and they'd join their friends smiling and laughing until there were just two of us left Claire and me. That would bring forth further laughter "You have the fatty and I'll have the skinny" or "you have the stick and I'll have the podge" would finish that off. How near the tears were. How could you possibly get up from that humiliation and enjoy P.E. No one wanted me. I could offer no value to the team. I was the booby prize.
The teachers couldn't see the effort it took to walk through the door, they couldn't see the effort it took to hold back the tears. To stand routed to the spot as the joke was on me. They rewarded me with a 'D' and on a couple of occassions an 'E' for effort.

How different it is when God selects his team. It doesn't matter who you are, what you look like, how talented you are.

You are wanted, desired, loved cared for, supported and accepted. You don't need to wait for him to select you. You are already selected.

He selected each and every one of us when he bought us. He paid for me and he paid for you when his son subjected his hands and feet to the nails and his head to the crown of thorns. The blood that he shed allowed us to be on his team.

Just step forward and be on his team.

Thank you Father that you love me.
You see past all my faults.
You have forgiven my sins.
You Love me, you want me and I want you.